sweetkelli

Organized & Chaotic - BALANCE

2012-01-02T12:50:00.000-06:00

I've been spending some time in my "create room" organizing and contemplating some cleaning. To be honest, as there are frequently too many exciting ideas going on in my brain, I do have a tendancy to BOUNCE from one area to another. In some respects it might look live I've gotten nothing accomplished, but in reality positive change has occurred.

On this particular morn, I was able to get one PART of my room organized. The featured goal was to take my collection of beads and better separate them into artistic categories - mostly by color of the bead, but in some instances it was by type of bead. The bins were labled utilizing my favorite organization tool aka the labeler. It is the most brilliant gift I've received. I remember when opening it a few years ago at Christmas, I thought I would NEVER use it. But on the contrary it is frequently humming with this new label or that new lable. Check out the results. Who wouldn't want to come creating in this space and start creating?

Well, if you think it is too organized and that it might stifle your creativity, never fear I have an unorganized section of the room just for you. I'd like to say that I'll start sorting through this space later today, but the reality of that opportunity is pretty small. I'd rather work on the new necklace on my bead board as well as get ready for date night to the movies with my husband.

For those who are curious as to what the "heap" of stuff looks like in the other part of the room. Have no fear as I snapped this photo to show one of my many next organizational projects. This is the zone where I primarily work on quilting projects. This kitchen cabinet has lots of counter top space that is at the perfect height for cutting and staging quilting projects.

(note: The stack of canvasses in the corner is for a future create night with my 2% group. I'll have to make sure to snap pictures of our works of art. They are going to be awesome!)

Well, enough organizing for one day, time to go CREATE some pretties.

K

Retreat!

2011-11-06T21:24:00.000-06:00

I spent the weekend on my annual quilting pilgrimage with my mom and friends at Prairie Point Junction's Quilting on the Prairie Retreat in Cozad, USA. It was a great 3 day weekend of family, friends and fabric!

The really cool part is that I was able to nearly finish four outstanding UFO's from my collection. A couple of them have been deemed "NuFO's" (pronounced new-fo's) which means that I've had the fabric, but hadn't started the project until now. My husband coined the new vocabulary term, it's free for use.

I'd love to show you pictures of the projects. But I can't. I know that doesn't seem fair. And, I'll be honest, I'd really like to show you, but they are future gifts so, to post the pictures would spoil the future suprises. (assuming the gift recipients read my blog). I promise to take pictures when the quilts are done and post them when the time is appropriate.

The good news is that two quilt tops and backs are ready to be sent out for quilting. And, the other two only need the borders and backings. That means the gift giving might happen sooner vs. later. I can sum up the weekend by saying I ate way too many yummy treats given to me by my dear friend Gwen, the weekend was ful of producivity and I am INSPIRED to keep sewing, sewing, sewing.

And, on that note, I do have something that I can show you. Here is the fabric for one of my next projects - I love shopping at PPJ! These lovely statck of fabric in limey greens and soft sea blues come from a variety of different groupings. It is going to be fun to mix & match the various prints for my "Hugs and Kisses" designed by Jaybird Quilts.

I now get the pleasure of cutting this into lots and lots of 2 1/2" strips to sew into strip sets of three to then cut with a Lazy Angler Ruler. (high-level sumary of my project process) The finished design is shown below, though mine will have a few more rows & columns as I am planning on making a queen size quilt for our bedroom.

Signing off to start cutting . . .

Happy Creating

Cleaning up . . .

2011-10-30T20:12:00.000-05:00

Cleaning up my blog.

Deleting old links.

Cleaning up my sewing room has been fun, but I don't know that I'd really call it cleaning as much as moving things from here to there. It has been fun as I am finding projects to complete that haven't been seen in some time. How long before something becomes vintage? Oh well, I'm inspired to sort, cut, stack and plan for my annual quilt retreat escape with my mother to Cozad, NE. The retreat is sponosored by my BFF's quilt shop - Prairie Point Junction. This year's theme, for me, is to work on UFO's. One just happens to be a project that I started at last years retreat. It's a gift. Hopefully the recipient still likes those colors.

Back to sorting, cutting, stacking and planning.

What doesn't fit?

2010-12-05T21:00:00.001-06:00

These pictures are pretty self explanatory . . .

Big dog, little pillow = funny

Little cat, little pillow = just right!

Bead Bonanza

2010-11-28T22:22:00.000-06:00

Before a "big show," I love to go to my local bead shop for inspiration, and of course new beads. On Saturday, I journeyed out west to Papio Beads.

I say 'out west' as they used to be less than 5 minutes from my house, but earlier in the year they relocated to to West Omaha just off of 144th & Center St to have a bigger, better space. This translates to more beads!

Lucky for me, in planning this mini-vacation to far, far away places, not only were they having a big sale. But they also happen to be located next to one of my FAVORITE cookie stores - Eileen's Colassal Cookies. So, after scoring some new bead strands, I replenished my energy with a Monster Cookie.

The beads in this treasure trove are destined to be some new ensembles for the YWCA Holiday Jewelry Extravanza at work. For those in downtown Omaha on December 7th & 8th, you can swing by the Union Pacific Railroad building at 14th & Douglas St. between 11:00 to 1:00 pm. The sales will take place on the 2nd floor bridge enroute to the cafeteria. So come on down to buy some fabulous jewelry and consider staying for lunch in our cafeteria (it is very tastey, don't let the word "cafeteria" scare you). A portion of the proceeds will go to help support the mission of the YWCA.

Got it!

2010-11-07T08:27:00.000-06:00

My friend Julie is one of those wonderfully creative and sharing people. It isn't always kind on my craft addictive personality, but I love her for it anyway. She's the one who convinced me after several years that I'd love scrapbooking. Yep, lots of paper, stamps and embellishments later I can claim to be a scrapbooker.

For sometime she's been telling me how wonderful wool felt is. She sells a truck load (or two) of it at her online shop Wool Felt Central. I have been hesitant and even skeptical as to what I would possibly want to make out of wool felt. The key word is what I would want to make. I could see what others were making in admiration from penny rugs to candle mats to crazy monsters. So, I bought a sample stack of wonderful wool colors, just in case. I've had it for a while now, If I were to make a guess, I'd says it is adding up to years. And, I hadn't really thought of anything that I wanted to make.

I finally got it!

I needed something practical that I could use in my daily life. A coffee cover-up! Or "It's a wrap." Perfect. I can take it to my favorite coffee shops and utilize this new decorative and required item (who wants to overheat their hand while carrying coffee?) It is environmentally friendly as I won't be throwing away cardboard sleeves that were only utilized for a few hours while I slowly enjoyed my cup of java or carmel latte or . . . hmmm, now I want coffee. I think you're getting the point.

So, now I'm addicted to wool felt. Not just for coffee wraps, but I'm going to make a funky cover for my ipod. And, of course I'd love a little key chain where I can stash a credit card or gift card while I'm on the go. Thus I have two new piles of wool felt and I need to get online and order MORE!

Thanks Julie! for sharing the wonderful world of wool felt with me.

I joined the MAFIA!

2010-05-18T21:05:00.000-05:00

I did it! I really did it!

I've always admired the community and creative spirit of the Omaha Craft Mafia.
I've been a fan of their work for some time.
Simply an observer . . . from the outside.

But, now I am a member. How cool is that! Thank you Ellene for inviting me to come explore my creative side. I continue to meet amazing women - I love it!

Tonight we had a craft night where we explored the use of screen printing with a product called PhotoEz.

Very cool, light sensitive product that makes reusable screens in a matter of minutes.
I ran out of time to make screens from my own designs, but I did purchase a pre-made screen that I had fun using. The attached photo shows the screen on the right and my blue print on grey linen-like fabric on the left.

The fabric is actually the remanents of a table runner that I previously cut apart for a tote bag. After we saw the lines and layout, this would make a good bag clutch bag, or strap bag with a folderover flap. I had a small bit of ink get on the fabric past my tape line, so I'll either need some creative stitching, or an additional embellishment, but I'm sure I can think of something. (smile!)

I can't wait to try some printing with some other designs. I think some of the logos for Wear Yellow Nebraska would be cool - I could use Drew's power crab. Or, possibly a bicycle from the Rollin' to Colon logo? Options, I've got options.

I'll keep you posted on the progress of this bag. I think this might be a fun candidate for one of my Art in the Bag donations.

948 Miles to Go . . .

2010-04-04T20:52:00.000-05:00

A dual pedaling weekend and the realization that I have 948 miles to go to make the 1,000 mile mark. I'm not one for statistics, especially in this instance where the pendulum is swung towards the start line, it seems a bit overwhelming.

But, it is good to have goals for motivation. This goal was set with the sole intent of reducing my "anchor" potential on group rides. I can somewhat hold my own until I see the long hills. I am intimiated by them and due to lack of leg strength I typically feel like I want to a) give up b) barf or c) pass out when I reach the crest. A hills saving grace can be the subsequent downhill, assuming that the crest does not reveal another up.

Leg strength is what I need and time and ongoing strategy in my cross training will prevail. I hope. Lucky for me, tomorrow is a day of rest. Unfortunately for me, we have an appointment to have our taxes done. Wish me luck on both ventures.

K

Time for fabric-tastic!

2010-03-16T19:50:00.000-05:00

The creativity continues.

I frequently buy fabric. It's like a buffet of good food, I have no resistence to a cute print. It's a problem for many, I truly know that I am not alone. Why else would people print t-shirts that say "The one with the most fabric wins?"

Generally, I purchase fabric and let it "age" for a while. Why sew today, what one can sew tomorrow. Or, maybe it was a random purchase and I'm afraid if I use for one project, I'll find an even better project.

But, for once, I bought the fabric and didn't let it get lost in my crap room or covered in dust. I can't say that I put sewing machine needle to fabric immediately, but it was within a good time frame.

This weekend my mom and cousin Cheryl and I went to the quilt retreat at Camp Calvin Crest. It is a great retreat to work on new and old projects. (the next one is the first weekend in November). We had a great day of sewing, chatting, eating, sewing and chatting. I'm proud to say that through all of this (and a miscut of some fabrics) I completed my quilt top.

Love the Heather Bailey fabrics in this project "Livin' Large" by Heather Mulder Peterson of Anka's Treasures. My dear friend Julie, owner of Prairie Point Juction, was so kind to mail me the kit and pattern. Even better, she is having Heather out to her fall retreat in September.

I can't wait to see what this project looks like once quilted. The backing is two wonderful lime green prints. I think a dark chocolate thread will really pop the quilt design. Hopefully the quilt lady agrees.

K

From Bead-tastic to Scrap-tastic!

2010-03-08T21:29:00.000-06:00

It might be a cheezy title, but it's true. I went from a bead making weekend to hanging out this past weekend with some great friends working on my scrapbooking projects. We went to retreat at Camp Calvin Crest near Fremont, NE. It is a great retreat that they have 3 times per year. Spring/Summer/Fall.

My project of the weekend was vacations - I had a few pictures from our trip to Austin, TX to participte in the LIVESTRONG Challenge - both the run and cycling event. These pages were super simple, my biggest challenge is going to be adding names to the black backgrounds. Hmmm, silver pen? Or maybe some type writer font on white paper?

The next group of photos were our Wabash Trace tour from 2009. I have all of the pages done, except the journaling. I need to get some words on paper to describe our fabulous weekend on the trail and to label the route. Looking at these photos made me excited for our group trip on Memorial Day.

And, the last project I started, but have yet to finish was our trip to Iceland. It is so awesome to be able to re-live the events and history and culture and food and weather. I'm over half-way done with these pages and am not sure when I'll get back to it, but hopefully soon.

Guess what is this Saturday? You've got it - Sew-tastic!

K

Bead-tastic!

2010-02-28T13:16:00.010-06:00

Last weekend I attended a bead retreat at the Crystal Forge Studio with the members and guests of the Midwest Lampworkers Guild. It was awesome!

A special THANKS to Lori for coordinating such a fabulous guild event. Not only was it a great day of food & friends (or should I have listed friends before food?) But it is a great day of lampworking on the torches. I'm excited for the next one!

I worked on several new beads throughout the day that I will be working to turn into pendant necklaces. Some might even make it to my neglected Etsy page for sale.

In working with glass, I have an organic approach. I love to see what kinds of interesting swirls and reactions I can make in working with the glass. I'm also trying to work on improving technique including dot placement and shaping the beads.

My color preference is to work in earth tones, though I make a feable attempts to work in splashy colors, from time-to-time. The last photo is my least favorite bead from the day, but is definitely the brightest. I fully recognize that I need to continue to challenge myself to work in colors outside of my comfort zone.

Another thing that I like to do while working on the torch is to create areas of depth interest by layering clear glass to create windows to lower layers.

Overall, I have to admit that I probably only torch once or twice a year and it is at bead retreat. The "sad" part is that I have a full set-up in my basement that has never been connected and put into use.

The "happy" news is that will all change when we move into the new house. Drew has already scoped out plans for my new glass & jewelry studio in the basement. I can't wait to have this dedicated space with natural light, good ventilation and a concrete floor (no more fear of melting carpet)

The studio will be set up with stations that will allow me to utilize the cool tools that I have collected. I'll have an area for the torch, an area to work on enamel pieces as well as a fusing zone. I also want to set up a small jewelry bench.

The most important thing with the new space will be scheduling time to create and enjoy the new space. And, I truly mean scheduling. I'm really good at keeping obligations if I have it marked on my calendar and even better if I am planning to hang out and create with friends. So creative friends - watch out, once I have the space the invitations will be flying!

Deanna made me do it . . .

2010-01-25T19:29:00.003-06:00

It's Deanna's fault. Really. It is . . .

Ok, maybe not. I shouldn't call it her fault as much as her inspiration. She's inspiring me to get back into running for the 2010 season. So, I'm blaming her. For registering for the 1/2 Marathon in Fargo, ND. I'm blaming her for the 2 miles I just ran on the treadmill. And in the end, in May, I'll be thanking her for getting me off of the couch. For reducing my laziness and increasing my lifespan with healthy activities.

And, if I'm lucky, I'll be able to blame others for running along with me. Encouraging me to run or pedal or even walk. Basically, this is an open invitation to start moving, to start training for a running activity this spring. And if you'd like to go to Fargo, we'd love to have you run along with us. The ore the merrier!

K

5 Miles to a 1,000

2010-01-11T21:03:00.002-06:00

Can I do it . . .

Do I have it in me . . .

Can I stay motivated . . .

Can I find (or make) the time . . .

It's worth a shot.

I realized that I have yet to pick a 1/2 marathon to run this year. I have one picked out for 2012, but nothing is standing out as a "must do." But, I realized that even though I don't have a running goal, maybe I should have a pedaling goal. My goal, is to see how close I can get to 1,000 miles on my bike. The miles will add up on both my trainer indoors as well as the miles that I put on my bikes outdoors as well.

Here are a few events to look forward too:
BRAN - Bike Ride Across Nebraska
2-2-2 Wabash - Cycling to Malvern, IA for breakfast and back
Mopac Trail - Omaha to Lincoln and Back

And a few other cycling events that I'll be helping to organize, but probably won't officially pedal - Rollin' to Colon and The Wear Yellow Ride.

Stay tuned, we'll see how close I can get. For now I have five miles to mark down on bikejournal.com and 995 to go.

K

Fusion 7

2009-12-31T10:03:00.004-06:00

I'm excited . . . I just made my year-end business investment in a new kiln for glass fusing! I decided upon the Fusion 7 by Paragon.

I purchased some Bullseye sheet glass several years ago to try my hand at fusing, but haven't tried it as my current kiln does not have a computer and I don't have the time (lets be honest . . . patience) to manually ramp up the temperatures. Two thumbs up for techonology. A few other advantages this kiln has for me is that it utilizes standard electrical plug in and has a good interior size for the size of projects that I want to start out with

I can't wait for it to arrive - what will I melt first?

Pottsville, PA

2009-12-29T11:08:00.002-06:00

Ever been to Pottsville, PA? There are probably many reasons why one would want to visit this city in Pennsylvania's coal region. Two two definite reasons are the Yuengling Brewery Tour and Roma's Pizza. Why am I here? Well, I'm on family holiday in Western PA and this was our grown-up adventure.

Yuengling is America's Oldest Brewery which has been in operation since 1829. It is in the fifth generation of family ownership. The tour is FREE and is the "real deal." I've been through several brewery tours and this was the most authentic to date. It doesn't have the polish and gloss of some of the larger distributors, (i.e. it is not completely commercialized) but as a result you get a real feel for the working brewery walking up and and down stairs to the different areas including the bottling room and the cave which was once used for the storage of beer. And, of course with any good beer tour, it ends with a sampling of one of seven Yuengling products in the bar.

Roma Pizza is down the street and has some of the best pizza you'll find. You can buy it by the slice or the whole pie. And, they have a full menu offering of other Italian favorites. Make a trip of it to Pottsville, PA. It's worth the trip.

-K

All Member Show

2009-10-18T20:58:00.009-05:00

This has been a busy month - The month started out with the Midwest Lampworkers Guild All Member Show opening at the Hot Shops Art Center. This weekend, I finally had the opportunity at Art in the Bag to take a pictures of my display. I'm pleased with how it turned out with the layering of fabric along the back, the use of some of my earthy/antique displays. Thanks to Hobby Lobby for having a store in my neighborhood to help me with my last minute display shopping.

Awesome friends!

2009-10-09T14:36:00.005-05:00

I have awesome friends! I'm spoiled and I love it.

I have to brag about my friend Julie. She just mailed me a belated birthday present and included in the box was her donation for the upcoming "Art in the Bag" event. It's awesome! It's a patchwork design that has been quilted and the unique handle is braided sewn strips. It is a great size and will be able to hold lots of stuff.

Funny thing is . . . I think I have some of these same fabrics in my stash to make a quilt. If it isn't the same line, it is definitely a similar color pallette. I'm planning on working on the project while out at her quilt retreat. Assuming I can find it in my 'crap' room - aka the craft room.

Where's the art?

2009-10-06T13:23:00.002-05:00

You might be asking . . . where's the art? Why is there nothing in your ETSY store? What have you been working on?

Well, there is an answer.
Answer I have.

Are you ready? I have my latest works at the Hot Shops Art Center, 1301 Nicholas St, Omaha, NE for the Midwest Lampworkers Guild All Member Show.

The pieces will be there through the month.

And, while those are out on display, I am going to be working on new creations at home. I have several enamel pieces that are in progress, my sewing machine is set up on the dining room table, and I found a cool crochet project that I hadn't worked on since last fall.

I think I'm "nesting" due to the weather change. The fall & cool weather always motivates me to work in doors.

Stay tuned for more postings. And hopefully pictures too!

My lastest project . . . What's on your boxers?

2009-07-13T21:01:00.007-05:00

I like to . . . volunteer. And I'm super exite about this most recent project. This one pays a great tribute to my sweet grandmother Evelyn who passed away last year. My grandma was a strong woman. She might not of thought of herself in that manner, but she as a great role model. And, she was a multi-cancer survivor including colon cancer and breast cancer.

That leads to the introduction of my latest project. I've volunteered my time to the Douglas/Sarpy County Colon Task Force to launch the inaugural Boxer 500 - A SHORT Run to Fight Colon Cancer. It is a 5K Fun Run/Walk featuring participants in boxer shorts. They are completely optional of course, but I can't wait to see all of the fabulous boxers at the event.

Next year, the Boxer will migrate to the nationally branded event - the Undy 5000 an event coordinated by the Colon Cancer Alliance.

This year's event will be Sunday, August 9th at Walnut Creek in Papillion, Nebraska. Registration is online at http://www.omaharun.org/.

And, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the other large project the week prior at Haworth Park in Bellevue, Nebraska the 6th Annual Wear Yellow Ride and Walk on Saturday, August 1st. New this year is the addition of the 1Mile walk along the river front. You can ride, you can walk or you can simply come and eat pancakes! This is the premier event of Wear Yellow Nebraska of which I am excited to be a founding member of the non-profit. More about the Wear Yellow event is online at www.livestrongarmyomaha.blogspot.com/.

Coming to a home near . . . me!

2009-06-28T19:45:00.003-05:00

I simply have to show off the new piece of art that

Drew and I recently purchased from a dear friend of ours, Pat Barton of Barton Visions. Pat is an underwater photographer based out of Council Bluffs, IA.

Now, you're asking, underwater photography in Iowa? Well, he travels to uber-cool places to take photos. The one in particular that caught our attention was this one from the Solomon Islands.

He has had it printed 18" x 24" and it is currently at the frame shop for the finishing touches.

I can't wait to bring it home! And, I have no idea where we are going to hang it, but we absolutely fell in love with the color & texture of this "sea creature" and know that it will make an awesome addition to the decorating within our home. If you get a chance, check out Pat's work on his website. The best is to see the work in person at show.

K

Jogging - the first day back

2009-05-28T19:32:00.002-05:00

I'm back to jogging. A triumph.

It was only a mile, but it was a good test of how my finger would react to the movement and the heat. And, I'm happy to report that it went well. I paced a 9:47 which is not fast and it's not slow. Actually, it is dead on for where I normally run a 1-2 mile jog. I walked in the last .75 for a cool down. So grand total was 1.75 miles of exercise.

And just in time as Drew pointed out to me today that it is about 12 weeks until the Iceland 1/2 Marathon. It's only going to get better. More miles, more confidence and MORE FIT!!

K

I'm back . . . and repairing.

2009-05-11T20:55:00.002-05:00

For those that haven't heard the news, I had an quilting accident about a week ago. I like to refer to it as "arts and crafts gone wrong."

Here is the short story: cut finger, calm & cool, changed bandage = header into wall, giggling on floor, parental panic and trip to ER = 6 stitches and a big bandage on my finger. Good stuff! Oh, an the CT scan was clear and vicodin is a good pain med.

I'm recovering from my self-inflicted injury. I'm down to a small bandaid on my finger and the scar on my forehead should be minimal. I've learned a new way to type and have truly learned what is means to be left handed, which I am but didn't realize how much I use my right hand.

Lesson to be learned - "Safety First"
- K

Boston Posting ... No Free Internet

2009-05-11T20:51:00.003-05:00

Before I report that I'm back in the blogging world - I feel I must first update on our Boston trip.

It was amazing! But, we didn't have free internet in our room and my energy level at the end of the day was completely walked out.

Bottom line, if you've never been to Boston. Go! From the Red Sox, to La Summa on the North End, to the sea food, to the friendly people, to the marathon, to all of the historical sites. . . it was a blast. We ate, we walked, we had "cheers for beers", we walked some more . . . and then ate more. Fabulous food and friends!

Spring Vacation -- Boston

2009-04-19T07:53:00.002-05:00

We're in Boston for Spring vacation. After the Mother Nature delay of storms in Houston, we decided to go home and fly out on Saturday morning. Seemed like a better plan than waiting it out at the Omaha airport, the Houston airport and potentially arriving in Boston at 3:00 am.

Instead we had a 3:00 am wake-up call for a 5:30 am flight arriving in Boston for lunch. Or a late lunch. We hit the ground running, caught the T and met Mike & Stacey in Harvard for margarita's and more at the Border Cafe. A walking tour of Harvard following by a stroll through Boston Common, the Public Garden and finishing off the night with a beer at Cheers (really named Bull & Fitch).

Stay tuned for more updates on Day 2

K

No run, but FUN

2009-04-13T21:22:00.002-05:00

This is the week! Spring break is coming . . . but not soon enough.

Friday we're heading out to Boston to cheer on our friend Stacey who is running the Boston Marathon. Run, Stacey Run - it is going to be great (or should I say FUN!) Drew has been planning and planning our trip. It is going to be a fun-filled week of touring and dining and exploring and drinking and walking and . . . . the Freedom Trail, Dunkin donuts by the Citgo sign as the runners pass by, the Shepard Fairey art show, Sam Adams brewery tour and more! Stay tuned for pictures. There will be four of us touring multiple cameras clicking away to photo document the trip. I'll be back just in time for the Puttin' on the Pink Celebration for the Nebraska Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and for Drew to head to the Spring truck race at Kansas City.

It is going to be a busy week and a half.

K

ICAN

2009-04-05T14:34:00.002-05:00

This week I had the pleasure of attending the ICAN Women's Leadership Conference in Omaha. It was wonderful! I am so glad that I was able to go (thanks to my employer!). Featured this year were Suze Orman, Dr. Christian Northrup, Rosalind Brewer and Alison Levine.

Here are some of the paraphrased noteable comments:
- I AM Powerful.
- Keep good company.
- Help yourself first.
- Doing your life's purpose is a turn on.
- If you're going to be a leader, you'll have to take up space.
- Tune into your power.
- The feminine is rising.
- Women = Egg Wisdom.
- Fear is ok. Complacency puts you at risk.

I highly reccomend you go at and read more about Alison Levine. She was phenomenal! A truly inspirational person. Alison served at the team captain of the first women's only expedition to Mt Everest. The best website to start with is Dare Devil Strategies. If you ever have the opportunity to hear her speak, jump at the chance. She will leave you laughing and inspired.

K

Game On . . . Run On!

2009-03-09T19:51:00.002-05:00

It's official. I've officially registered for the Lincoln 1/2 Marathon in May AND the Reykjavki 1/2 Marathon in August AND I started training today. Two miles, it wasn't much, but it is a start in the right direction.

I was doing relaly well with my running after the first of the year and then I fell off the wagon. Now it's time to catch up for some of the lost time. AND I also need to start training on my bike as I'm signed up for MS Bike at the end of May.

Exercise Events for 2009 - the Big ones (or potential big ones) in no particular order
Lincoln 1/2 Marathon
MS Bike - Omaha to Lincoln and back
Kool Aide Ride - Hastings, NE
Pieathalon - Iowa
Wabash to Missouri and Back - Iowa
Reykjavik 1/2 Marathon - Iceland
The 2-2-2 to Malvern (it includes a fabulous breakfast)
Corporate Cup 6M

So, as you can see from the above list, I have some serious exercise habits to develop in the next few weeks. And, hopefully the good habits will stay with me.

K

It's Pink

2009-03-03T22:10:00.004-06:00

"It's Pink." My friend Jennie's 2 yr-old daugher coined this phrase when we visted last Spring. Thanks to Kathleen it has become a catch-phrase in my household. But, it is also a good inspiration for the graphics that I've been working on to promote this years Art in the Bag. Check out this square web banner. Definitely pink. And definitely should catch some attention. Right?

For those that are saying . . . Art in the Bag . . what's that? Well it is a fabulous fundraiser benefitting cancer awareness, research and care. The debut event was held in 2008 at the Hot Shops Art Center and was a smashing success. We had so much fun that we've decided to have another event.

Right now we are kicking off our planning stages . . . seeking sponsors, finding artists & craftspersons interested in donating items for the silent auction and developing a promotional strategy to grow the even in contribution dollars and attendees. It has been such a fun process and we're excited about this year's event.

Save the date for Friday, October 16th. If I keep up with my blog, you'll be hearing more about it. Promise.

I'm back . . . I didn't mean to be gone so long.

2009-01-24T23:06:00.005-06:00

I'm back. . . I really didn't mean to be gone so long. It has been a crazy few weeks. My grandfather passed away two weeks ago and then my younger brother suffered from a stroke on Monday (he turns 29 tomorrow!). Work has been crazy. And I hit the "stress wall" about mid-week. I was supposed to go to Cozad this weekend for a creative getaway, but I decided to call off my trip. Luckily I have fabulous friends who were understanding of my decision not to go.

There is a winter front coming in with snow, so kinda glad I won't be driving in it tomorrow.

Speaking of cold (and something more happy) - let's talk about Iceland.
Snow = ice.
Ice = Iceland.
It's a simple equation.

And why would I want to babble on about Iceland??? Well, I have a very good reason. We're heading there in August on our summer vacation. The plan is for my Uncle and I (and possibly Drew) to run a 1/2 Marathon in Reyjkavik. Crazy! We seriously weren't planning on going to Iceland this summer, but my uncle threw it out as an idea of a cool place for us to finally run a 1/2 Marathon together. Well, why not? Definitely memorable. We'll be there for 4 1/2 days and when we're not running we'll be exploring the country taking in the sites and sounds of this beautiful country. I've been immersing myself in guidebooks and websites in my spare time. The more I read, the more excited I get!!

If you like the Iceland picture, you can download it directly from Poked Studio.

K

Chicks-n-Salsa

2009-01-11T09:16:00.006-06:00

The chicks are done! Mom and I had a great day sewing our new feathered friends. They made us a little stir crazy a few times, but our persistence (and a tastey lunch at Camille's) paid off.

We made a total of 8 chicks - four with hearts and four with stars - to set together in wallhangings. Mom is going to hang hers in her kitchen and mine is going to be a gift. The finished block is about 13 1/2" x 13 1/2". My next step is to pick out borders and backing so that I can start quilting it. I'm excited about machine quilting this one, it will be a good size for me to further my skills in free-motion quilting and I think the quilting will really make the chicks "pop" from their background. Especially the top 2 chicks where the beak and comb area blend more into the bckground due to the funky prints.

If you are interested in trying this block, it is from the Buggy Barn book Certifiably Crazy. The book can be ordered from Prairie Point Junction. I would definitely say that this block isn't for beginners. Try another one of the buggy barn blocks first before attempting the chicken so that you understand the concept of the fabric shuffling and how to match the pieces as you are sewing them back together. The most difficult part on the project of us was the last seem where you connect the tail feathers to the chicken body. It helped to point baste it in place to get the two points to match. On a few, I even took in the tail feathers seems a little bit to make it fit more exact.

For those that have fallen in love with the fabric. It is "Paisley Party" designed by Terry Atkinson & Liz Lois for Red Rooster Fabric. (how fitting!). Prairie Point Junction also has this line of fabric. I don't believe they are on the website, but the girls can let you know what colors/prints they still have in stock. Here is the full line from the Red Rooster website.

Now that the chicks are almost done, I can go back to my purse project. Stay tuned for more updates.

Have a creative day!

Fabric STACK

2009-01-10T08:46:00.005-06:00

One of the items on my rather lengthy New Year's Resolution list was to start organizing my craft room. I've fondly nicknamed it my "Crap" room over the past few months due to my inability to put things away after use. As you can see from this picture, I tend to dump things in this corner and try to pretend that they don't exist. But, they do. And, it is time to start dealing with them.

I decided to tackle my project last weekend. And, I can say that I have "started" but am no where near completion of said project. I am blessed to have a room that I share with our computer for the storage of my creation stuff. My husband build me a lovely desk with storage on either side, plus I have 90% of the closet. Keep in mind this is only my fabric and scrapbooking and other miscellaneous supplies. My yarn stash is taking up a good portion of the spare bedroom closet and my enameling, lampworking and newly started silversmithing tools are located in a completely separate area in the basement. (that is a blog for another day).

One problem that I have is that I've purchased or received as gifts some fabulous scrapbooking totes (yes they are buried under the "stuff" in the corner. The problem I've identified is that I don't have a good place to store them in between scrapbook retreats. Hopefully in reorganizing how/where I store things I can solve this problem. Or at least come to terms with it.

The bright side of my few hours spent starting my sorting project, is that I was able to bring together all of the wonderful fabrics that I've been collecting since inspired by the Art in the Bag benefit. First I must state that this fabric pile is NOT the result of one shopping spree, but the accumulation of many from Prairie Point Junction to J Caroline Creative to Mangelsen's to the "big box" fabric shops. But isn't it beautiful! Lots of pink (I think that is because I am thinking items for breast cancer awareness), but there are loads of other fabulous colors as well including greens and orange and teal and browns . . . you get the picture.

You might be asking, what is to become of this lovely Fabric STACK. Well, I'd love to let it sit and become a piece of art in my create space, but that isn't realistic. Eventually I'll want ot add more fabric and then I'd run out of room in my pile. So, I am going to make some fun bags, headbands, coffee wraps and tissue covers with these beautiful cottons. Check back often to see how I progress. I might even have a fabulous give-away in a week or two where you could WIN one of my creations.

Time to sign off. My mom and I are going to work on sewing chickens today. I need to get down the road to pick up our yummy vanilla carmel latte's at Scooters.

Have a creative day!
K

Ahpeele

2009-01-03T13:42:00.004-06:00

Just wanted to show off on of my new shirt. Love it! It is from Ahpeele who I discoverd on one of my Etsy surfing adventures.It is fabulous!

-I love that it is printed on an American Apparel Classic Girl shirt (just like my Trevor Hall concert shirt).

- I love how the turquoise leaves "pop" off of the olive green shirt.

- I love the the design wrap around the shirt creating front-to-back visual interest.

- I love that the Ahpeele logo is stamped on the center back.

Can you tell, I just love it!! I'm also stalling on my clean up my crap room project. (aka craft room). I've been sick for the past three days and it is time to start acting and feeling like a human again. Not that cleaning, sorting, organizing, dusting is the best "human" activity, but since there is an ice storm hitting the roads and I couldn't make it out to Betsy's for enameling day, it is a good use of my time. I took a before picture. So, if I ever finish you can see the results. Let me know if your create zone is as much a disaster as mine.

K

Relic

2008-12-27T16:41:00.006-06:00

Rel-ic: An object having interest by reason of its age or its association with the past

This piece turned out amazing! And, it was quite accidental by nature. It is a "might as well" - meaning I might as well keep playing with it becuase I wasn't liking it before and then something amazing happened!

I initially started this piece in a workshop hosted by the Midwest Lampworkers Guild at the Crystal Forge Studio. It was "ok" but wasn't quite there. So, I added more enamel and more copper wire overlay one day when Betsy was over. And, it wasn't quite there. I took it to Lincoln and added more enamel during my class at the LUX. And, it wasn't quite there. So, I decided to try a technique of adding seed beads and melting them into the piece. The beads were all placed above the hammered copper wire. Not only did they melt, but the created a reaction with the enamel throughout the entire piece. I think it might be due to the metallic coloring on the beads. The final look is very organic with swirls and depths of color. It is truly amazing how it turned out. I promise you, it looked nothing like this when I placed it in the kiln. Hopefully with more experimentation, I might be able to recreate a similar look. Or maybe even something better. Betsy and I have create day scheduled for Jan 1, if I don't get to it before then, I'll definitely try the technique while we have the kiln fired up.

K

Sugar Cookie Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

2008-12-21T21:15:00.005-06:00

Sugar Cookie Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

This frock is totally amazing! Love it! Love it! (it deserves the double kudos) I know several little girls in my life who would look so adorable helping their mothers in the kitchen wearing this ensemble. And would love the little dollie too!Definitely mark Grosgrain as one of your frequent flyer blogs! I must also add my favorite childhood cookie recipe. My mom is going to bake them just for me.

Cyclops Cookies

1/2 C. butter

1/2 C peanut butter (creamy Jif)

1/2 C sugar

1/2 C brown sugar

1 egg

2 T milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 C flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking soda

------

sugar and Hershey's chocolate kisses or Brach's chocolate stars

Preheat oven to 375

In large bowl, beat together butter and peanut butter (about 30 seconds). Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk & vanila. Mix well. Mix dry indegredients together in a separate bowl. Slowly add dry mixture to wet mixture. Mix well. Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll in additionl sugar. (for easier handling, you might want to cover and chill for 1 hour). Place the dough about 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are firm. Take out of oven and immediately press chocolate kiss (or chocolate star) on top of each cookie. Move cookies to cooling rack.

Last reccomendation, eat cookies with a tall glass of milk. Yummy!!

I can't wait until Christmas eve! Thanks mommy!

Cheezy . . . delicious!

2008-12-18T22:48:00.003-06:00

I have to share my favorite cheese ball recipe. It is so EASY and yummy cheezy!

1 pkg 1/3 less fat cream cheese (don't use the fat free stuff)
1 pkg ranch dressing mix (yep, the powered stuff by Hidden Valley Ranch)
1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
tastey crackers to accompany

Let the cream cheese soften by sitting it out on the counter for approximately 30 minutes.
In small bowl stir in the ranch mix. And then add the finely shredded cheese.

Form cheese ball with cling-wrap and chill in fridge.

Here some other ways you can dress up this recipe.
add 1/4 finely chopped onion
or
1/4 cup bacon bits
or
1 tsp dill

So many tastey options for this simple recipe.

A special thanks to my brother-in-law Bill for sharing this with me! Our friends kindly refer to it as the "crack" cheese ball because it is very addictive.

K

Spell with Flickr - How cool is this?

2008-12-10T22:04:00.005-06:00

Thanks to Erik Kastner for his programming talent. This is a true time waster that I could spend hours clicking away. Not only will it spell words, but it will allow you to individually change the images to get a combo that you like.

Click the link to spell your own words with Flickr!

It is totally . . .

Paper Beads . . . I can't wait to try this!

2008-12-10T20:36:00.006-06:00

This is going to sound strange, but I've made it a goal of mine to surf the internet more. There are so many fabulously talented women (and men too!) who are out on the world wide web expressing themselves and showing their creative talents.

Well - in my quest to surf more (no surfing in December in Nebraska . . . or at all?) I found this great website with folded paper beads - Folding Trees. I SO can't wait to try it. I have a paper addiction that I've had for years. And have wanted to try incorporating it in my jewelry. I started this quest about a year ago, but haven't made the time to fully explore. My first venture was to make beads similar to the wallpaper beads my mom made as a kid, except out of magazine pages. I have a handful of beads made, I simply need to seal them before I add them to some jewelry. Now I have another trick to add to my tool box. Thank you Folding Trees!

I was at Dick Blick and saw this cool book by Lark that is all about paper jewelry (the link is for Amazon). So, of course I bought it. There are some great projects to try and well some just to read about. If you like paper and you like jewelry . . . and I am so happy to find talented people who are willing to share their ideas and instructions. I'll be adding links for some of my favorites to the column on the left. Keep an eye out for new links including mmmcrafts and All About Orange. Happy Surfing!

K

Amazing Enamel!

2008-11-27T20:43:00.007-06:00

My friend Betsy and I are taking a torch enameling class at the Lux Art Center in Lincoln, NE. We have one class left - so sad.

I was looking online for some enamel examples for inspiration and found this great artist on Etsy. I just had to share the good word about Bull Finch and Barbury an artist from Philadelphia (especially a quinky since I am in PA right now visiting family for Thanksgiving). I hope she doesn't mind. But the work is amazing. Check out these bangle bracelets. Definitely take the time to click on the link to explore some of her other cool things.

And, if Santa is reading this, I'd love to find these bracelets under the Christmas tree. Or in the case of my house . . . it will be a poinsetta.

I hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving weekend!

Someone's blogging about me . . .

2008-11-10T21:24:00.003-06:00

Can you believe it!! Someone is blogging about me! Little 'ol me. Kelli Sweet. Ok, I'll let the cat out of the bag. It's my dear friend Julie. Julie and I met in college while working at a fabric store and became roommates. We've been friends ever since. And, now she owns her own quilt shop - Prairie Point Junction.

Here is her blog website where she not only mentions my name, but posted a picture from our trip last fall to New York City. We had such a blast on that trip! I feel honored to be her first "craft-a-holic" of choice. Our next adventure will not be as exotic as NYCity, but we'll have similar fun. We're heading out to a scrapbook retreat at Camp Calvin Crest near Fremont, NE. I'm pulling some strings though and am going to bring my sewing machine instead of my paper and stamping supplies. Or, at least that is my plan. I'm not sure if I am going to take a quilt project or a bag project. Maybe both. Decisions, decisions.

I'll keep you posted so that you know what I decide.

K

Catching up . . .

2008-11-10T20:41:00.004-06:00

Art in the Bag was a fabulous success! We had over 100 guests in attendance and 48 bags with coordinating accessories donated for the silent auction. The event raised nearly $3600 to be donated to four wonderful cancer non-profit organizations. A huge thanks to our wonderful committee - from left to right - Penny Slater, Margie Ehlers, me and Betsy Ramm. You girls rock!

I also cannot say enough for Spencer's for Steaks and Chops. The food was super tastey and we appreciate everything they did to support the event.

The best news is that we've decided to host another event in 2009! Save the date for Friday, October 16th at the Hot Shops Art Center for our next Art in the Bag event benefitting cancer, research, awareness and care.

The weekend after Art in the Bag, I had the opportunity to participate in the Livestrong Challenge in Austin, TX. Drew and I drove the 14 hours down and the 14 hours back so that we could explore the city, run a 5K and cycle 45 miles in the "hill country" near Dripping Springs, TX. Thanks to Tyson for being a fabulous host. And thanks to Mike Buckley for being our inspiration. Mike is a 2x non-hodgkins lymphoma SURVIVOR! If you ever have the chance to attend a Livestrong event I highly reccommend it. Both the run and the cycling event were well organized and supported by volunteers and sponsors. A super huge thanks to Mike & Stacey for inviting us to the recognition dinner where Lance Armstrong presented. We hope that we will be able to make it to another Livestrong event in the future.

K

Quilting on the Prairie

2008-10-12T22:27:00.006-05:00

I spent this weekend with my mom on our annual quilt retreat at Camp Comeca near Cozad, NE sponsored by Prairie Point Junction Quilt Shop. It is such fun tradition! I've been every year. And to celebrate 10 years of retreats, Julie (the owner) went out of her way with the gals from the Buggy Barn. Mom and I worked on the "Spring Fever" quilt fro their Certifiably Crazy book. This is a picture from the book. I hope to get a picture of mine taken soon . . . it is very different than this sample. I went for a "Bohemian" look with bright & vivid colors.

Here is another quilt that I felt in love with (and of course purchased the book) Knick Knack Patty from Crazy Dog Days. I can't wait to to give this one a try. I know several that would like this quilt! Though I don't think I will make it the full size, but instead will make it a lap size.

If you haven't tried this "crazy" technique, I highly reccomend it. Once you understand the cutting, shuffling and piecing you realize that the "complicated" looking designs are fairly simple - you just need to look at one segment at a time. I have several more designs on my wish list to sew.

K

Alec is coming back!

2008-10-12T20:27:00.004-05:00

For those who were unable to attend the Midwest Lampworkers Guild opening reception at the Hot Shops Art Center . . . I have wonderful news! Alec Anderson is coming back to play out our closing reception! He'll be playing from 12:00-2:00 and will have CD's for sale too!

The closing reception will be your last chance to check out the All Member Show. And, as an added bonus there will be an Octoberfest Celebration! For $7 you can get brats from the Atlantic Locker and tastey beer from the Nebraska brewing company. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the MLG website or at the gallery on weekends from 12-4.

Also debuting and available for a limited time only is the Midwest Lampworkers Guild 15-month calendar.

K

One more bag!

2008-10-05T17:01:00.004-05:00

I just couldn't help myself, I had a cool idea and just enough time to get this bag done for the upcoming Art in the Bag benefit. I'm very excited about how it turned out. It has a bit of an edgy, Asian theme with a red dove accent.

Here is the story about the bag.

I saw an article about making bags out of placemats that intrigued me, so I went shopping and headed to my local "big box" store. My first placemat bag was a simple tote that I accented with some natural shell beads. It was quick, cute and functional, but I wanted more. Finding this table runner led to my inspiration. It has a great modern color scheme of grey, black & silver with the natural printing.

I decided on a rounded edge bottom with a little bit of a pleat to give it some depth. I embellished the bag with the red felted wool dove with mutilple stiching around it and added extra black stitching across the bands. The back is from a different section of the table runner and is mostly grey and black.

New for me was the addition of the wooden black handles. They are a litle bit cumbersome to work with simply because they are not flexible around the sewing machine, but luckily, I had just enough ribbon to attach them with. If only I had enough black thread! You guessed it, last night as I was working on it, I ran out of thread. So I finished the project this afternoon.

The inside lining is a bold red, black and white decorating fabric that I picked up at Ikea. It is a complete contrast, but the flash of red gives the outside a nice balance.

The small clutch is made from felted wool and poly felt and has a magnetic clasp to close. I accented it with similar black stitching. I thought this might be a nice piece to throw in small stuff (chapstick, change, etc.) since I didn't put any pockets on the inside. Maybe next time there will be pockets, maybe not. We'll have to see.

K

Maple Leaf Creme . . . . so tastey!

2008-09-28T16:08:00.004-05:00

I just have to blog about the tastey cookies that I found at Target today. They are so delightful and perfect for the fall season. Autumn is here at the leaves are turning their oranges and reds and begining to fall. A pile has nicely collected near our garage door. This, in my opinion, is a perfect cookie to accompany the cooler nights, fall foliage colors and endless football games.

They are DARE Maple Leaf creme cookies and are made in Canada. They are oh, so good. I found them in the cookie aisle on the top shelf. They were sitting next to another favorite - Anna's Ginger Thins. (also a highly reccomended cookie) You can smell the maple in the cookies as soon as you open the package, but the taste is very subtle. They are great as is, or would be perfect with a cupa tea (or coffee) and a good book or magazine.

Enjoy!

I have to show off . . .

2008-09-27T08:13:00.004-05:00

I have to show off this fabulous bag. It is a new contribution for our upcoming Art in the Bag benefit. It was donated by one of my "bestest" friends in the whole wide world Julie Geiger. For those that don't know, Julie is the owner of Prairie Point Junction in Cozad, NE. It is a wonderful quilt shop that also has online shopping! Check out this bag, it is called the "Weekender" Bag and would be perfect to carry almost anything as it is about 21" W by 13" tall and has very hip bungee cord handles that are secured through large silver grommets.

Thanks to Julie for being so generous in donating this fabulous bag!!

http://www.prairiepointjunction.com/

Art in the Bag . . . buy your ticket today!

2008-09-14T15:01:00.002-05:00

I am happy to report that tickets are now on sale for Art in the Bag! It is going to be a fabulous event. You must go out to the website and check out all of the cool purses, bags and totes that are being donated for the silent auction. www.artinthebag.blogspot.com (I already have my eye on several of them to purchase). I have donated three bags and might be able to donate another if I can keep myself on task with all of the other creative projects that I am working on. (The Midwest Lampworkers Guild All Member Show is also next month, so I've been working on some new ensembles for this opening)

If you'd like to buy a ticket, you can purchase one online via the website, or you can email me directly. Tickets are $20 per person. All proceeds from the event are being donated to four non-profit cancer groups in the areas of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, children's cancer and general cancer.

I sure hope that you are able to come and bring a friend!
K

I'm back!

2008-09-14T14:57:00.005-05:00

I haven't been blogging lately . . . I've been completely busy with all of my activities. Sometimes so busy that it's hard to keep them straight. But they are all fun and fabulous activities, so I hate to give any of them up. One of the main ones that I've been involved with at work is Race for the Cure. For those that are not familiar it is the fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure for breast cancer. At work we have a massive effort to recruit over 2,200 registrants. I don't know the final number, but I we hit over 2,600. Amazing! If you haven't registered, it's not too late, just go out to the Komen Nebraska website. The event is the first Sunday in October.

Another creative way in which I give back to Komen is through the sale of breast cancer awareness jewelry. I make all kinds of pink beaded jewelry and donate 35% of the proceeds back to Komen. This year's effort at Union Pacific raised $880! I am hoping to get my camera out and list a few pieces on my Etsy site, but definitely know that I'll have some on display in October at the Hot Shops Art Center for the Midwest Lampworkers Guild All Member Show.

Why . . . why do I support Komen. Both of my grandmothers had breast cancer. My Grandma Sweet died of it when I was about 8 or 9 and my Grandma Wurth survived it by having a masectomy. Lucky for her, they caught it early enough and she did not have to go through chemo or radiation. Same with the other types of cancer that she had through the years. She passed away earlier this year. Both women were very strong individuals and role models in my life.

I fully believe that we should support cancer non-profits, whether it is Komen or another organization. They are fighting the fight to make cancer a national agenda item, to support research and to help with the care of those going through this terrible disease. Please consider giving back.

K

Music to my ears!

2008-08-09T09:25:00.004-05:00

I just have to blog about a new musical artist that I've discovered in Omaha. His name is Alec Anderson . . . and if you're lucky, you can catch him playing at the Omaha Farmer's Market in downtown Omaha on a Saturday morn. I was just so lucky. He has a fabulous acoustic, folk rock, blues quality. A very talented artist that deserves to be heard.

And, I am even more stoked to report that he has agreed to come play at the opening of our Midwest Lampworkers Guild All Member Show in October! Mark it on your calendar . . . Friday, October 3rd at the Hot Shops Art Center, 13th & Nicholas in Omaha. The opening is from 6-9 pm. It will be an evening filled with good art, good food & good music.

For those that can't wait hear his sound . . . check him out at http://www.myspace.com/alecandersonmusic

K

Wear Yellow Ride

2008-08-05T20:16:00.003-05:00

This past Saturday was the 5th Annual Wear Yellow Ride benefitting the Lance Armstrong Foundation held at Hayworth Park in Bellevue. Our friends, Mike & Stacey coordinate this event. Mike is a two-time non-hodgkins lymphoma survivor.

It was a great day, not too hot, not too cold . . . not too breezy. There were over 100+ who took place in the ride along the Papio trail and ate pancakes prepared by the Pancake Man.

Drew and I volunteered to be in charge of the Raffle Table. They had some fabulous prizes donated from various businesses including Twin Six, Resource Revival and Michelob Ultra. Oh, and you can't forget all of the gift certificates to local resturants.

I have to include this picture . . . it is of the "Kool-Aid" Gang which is led by Mike & Stacey's neice and nephew who raised $100 by selling Kool-aid in their neighborhood. I believe Allison said they had 8 different stands over the summer. Awesome job! Kudos to the gang for their hard work.

K

Creative Weekend . . . 2

2008-07-12T10:39:00.006-05:00

I'm having a creative weekend. Drew is out of town, Camp Toby is in full swing (i.e. Chris & Karol's Boston Terrier - Pesto - is spending the weekend) and I'm working on creative projects.

I had to show you my latest creation. I finished an Amy Butler "Frenchy" handbag with some fabulous fabric that I bought at Material Girl in Grand Island. The fabric is Botanical Pop by Jackie Shapiro for Windham Fabrics. I love it! The inside lining is the same fabric as the handles - an eye-popping bright yellow print. It has a magnetic class and inside pockets. I'm thinking of adding some little buttons to the handles where they meet the top band (I guess that means another trip to the fabric store -- oh, how I hate going to the fabric store) I think the buttons will give it just a little extra pizzazz, but not too much. It will all depend on whether I find something in a color that I like.

While I'm blogging, I finally have a picture of the Amy Butler shoulder bag that I made while out in Cozad. Same pattern, simply the larger version. This bag was made with Umekomachi Japanese fabric that I bought while in NY last fall. Adore it! I have a handbag cut out of the same fabric for myself.

Oh, I guess I failed to mention that these are two of my bags of an upcoming fundraiser that my bead guild - Midwest Lampworkers Guild - is working on. Save the date on Friday, October 17th for Art in the Bag. It is going to be a fabulous evening of food, beverages and music with the focal a Silent Auction with gorgeous purses, totes, handbags made by local artists. Each bag will be accompanied by a cancer awareness accessory whether it be a key chain, coin purse, zipper, pull, etc. All proceeds from the event will benefit Cancer Awareness, Research and Care. The event is going to be held at the Hot Shops Art Center. More information coming soon!

Well - time to get back to being creative. Or maybe I'll have a snack to keep me fueled.

K

Great Long Weekend!

2008-07-06T09:55:00.005-05:00

The weekend isn't even over and yet I'm compelled to provide an update. I LOVE long weekends! They are absolutely brilliant.

To celebrate the 4th of July - we woke up early and rode 20 miles on the Papio Trail. I had a minor mishap on my bike and scuffed my knee. Totally my error. I was going to put my water bottle back in the cage and missed. As I was stopping, I didn't get my left foot out of the clip in time and down I went. Had I not been bleeding, I might have gotten back up and kept on pedaling so that Drew wouldn't notice. But, a red knee kind of gave it away. Only surface wounds and I am totally okay. And, Drew was totally sweet about making sure that I was bandaged up.

The rest of the afternoon we spent at Drew's parents house in Council Bluffs for our annual family picnic and jello cake! It was great to catch up with everyone.

Saturday was a super eventful day - WHAT A GREAT DAY! - We met our friends Chris & Karol and Tom & Amy at the Wabash Trace Trail Head in Co. Bluffs for a 46 mile ride to Malvern and back. It was a wonderful day for a ride, the weather couldn't have been better and a super good reason to take my mountain bike out. On the way down to Malvern, we stopped in Silver City for their farmer's market - good veggies, jams, local honey & baked treats.

We were super hungry for breakfast by the time we hit Malver - we dined at C&Ms for their famous 2-2-2 breakfast. I opted for the french toast and hashbrowns with cheese! Yummy!

On our return trip we stopped at the Mineola Steakhouse for a "one and done" -- i.e. one beer. And finished off the ride with yummy snacks at the Tastee Treat.

After showers and nap time, we all met back up at the Hot Shops Art Center (13th & Nicholas) for their annual Liquid Arts Festival. It is a home brew competition for beers & wines. Yummy taste testing for our crew & cool art too! Maybe next year Chris will enter one of his home brews into the competition. To end the day we went to La Mesa for Mexican food and margaritas.

And, the super bonus is that I have one more day to play before heading back to work. I've spent some time on the computer updating the Midwest Lampworkers Guild site and now I'm going to work on some sewing projects. I LOVE long weekends!

Creative Weekend Getaway

2008-06-23T21:56:00.002-05:00

This weekend I drove to Cozad, NE to spend the weekend with Julie and Gwen. It was initially planned as a scrapbooking retreat, but instead we decided to make it sewing Saturday. It was awesome! Julie was a wonderful host, thank you for all of the yummy food including the chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. And, I'm going to have to get Gwen's slush recipe too!

So . . . or should I say "sew" - what did I get accomplished.
Here is the list:
- pink headbands for upcoming Ladies of the Evening Running night with the Omaha Running Club Ladies group
- new curtain for my kitchen (love it!) I bought the fabric last fall in NY (I love NY!)
- added borders to a quilt for House for Jakson project (one down, one more quilt to go)
- Finished my Amy Butler "Frenchy Bag" with the Japanese fabric I bought in NY (did I tell you how much I love NY?)
- And I designed (with the help of Julie & Gwen) a fabulous tote with a charm pack that I had purchased at Quilt Nebraska last year. I've promised the girls that I would write up the pattern. So, hopefully I'll have some time to accomplish that task this week.

Oh -- and to take some pictures to post as well.
But, tomorrow I'm hanging out with my mom. So, maybe on Wednesday.

Maybe.

K

Day 4: Butte to Creighton

2008-06-12T06:31:00.003-05:00

Today was our last day of BRAN - we pedaled 75 miles from Butte to Creighton. It was an amazing accomplishment for me as it was the longest ride that I've ever made. The day started out pretty slow and I felt like I struggled at least the first 10-15 miles. The temp at 6:00 am were 75 degrees, sunny & humid with some slight head wind/crosswind. Mentally, I did not have my "A" game with me. But somewhere on the road, Mother Nature decided to befriend us with some cooler temps, clouds and a tail wind. Luckily, it didn't rain. But the change in weather definitely increased my motivation and made it possible for me to increase my speed on some of the flat stretches. It ended up being my strongest ride of the week averaging 14.1 MPH for the entire ride. And my max speed coming down the hill into the Niobrara Valley of 35.1MPH. I had to put on the hand brakes coming down as the road was a little bumpy. I was very proud when we finished. My hiney and quads will be sore for the next few days reminding me of my journey.

I truly have a new appreciation for those who ride in BRAN. I applaud those that ride the entire week and those that keep coming back year after year. We spoke with one woman who said "It's kind of an addicition." I can kind of see it, but then I was very thankful to be sleeping in my own bed last night. Thanks to Stan for picking us up in Creighton and bringing us home. Thanks to Regina & Mark for watching Toby. Thanks to Mom for checking in on Simon and the house. Thanks to Rich & Stacey for your friendship along the ride. Enjoy the rest of your week. Thanks to all of the SAG volunteers who make the BRAN week possible as well as all of the towns that we stayed in or passed through along the way. Thanks to all of those that were sending my positive vibes and cheering me on from the sidelines. It was an amazing experience of pushing oneself physically & mentally while getting to experience the beauty of Nebraska.

My biggest THANKS goes out to Drew -- thanks for being a loving, supporting and encouraging husband. For inviting me along on this journey, for believing in me that I could make it each day, for the high fives on the top of each hill, for waiting for me because I "pedal so slow." I couldn't have done it without you! You might just make a biker out of me yet.

Here are some BRAN 28 stats:
33% are 1st time BRAN Riders
with 16% of the 1st time riders 60 or older

of all the BRAN Riders - the youngest rider is 9,
6% are 19 and under
with 55% are 50 or older.
The oldest rider is 84!
One rider will be riding for the 28th time!

BRAN 28 Riders hail from 28 states and Canada.

Now it's time to take a vacation from my vacation and head back to work

K

Day 3: Ainsworth to Butte

2008-06-10T20:02:00.002-05:00

For day three of BRAN we decided to start out a little bit early - we headed out of town after a pancake breakfast just as the sun was coming up- 6:00 am. The beginning of the ride through the Niobrara valley was absolutely gorgeous! There was a mist coming off of the water that you could see for some distance, we had to stop and take pictures which I'll post when I get home.

The high of the day was hitting my fastest speed yet -- over 30 MPH going down hill. For me, it is a little scary, but it was as close to flying as I've ever been.

The low of the day was the headwind. It was over 20MPH coming at you. It was like permanently pedaling uphill. And, I have to admit, that it led to my ultimate "failure" for the day when I called it quit at Naper and took the SAG truck in the last 14 miles to Butte. I was tired, hot, sunburned and completely out of energy. I probably could have made it, but not sure what price it would have been. I guess you can say that I'm glad that I cried "uncle" and took the ride in. I need to regain my energy so that I am ready for tomorrow. We took a nap in the gym and then grabbed a bite to eat. We'll be setting up our tent soon and then crashing for the evening.

Tomorrow we'll be heading further east to then drop south into Creighton. Drew's dad is going to pick us up there so that we can head back to Omaha and back to work on Thursday.

K

Day 2: Dunning to Ainsworth

2008-06-09T18:10:00.002-05:00

It's day 2 of BRAN - and we pedaled 60 miles through the rolling sandhills from Dunning to Brewster to Ainsworth. It was a beautiful ride and I'm proud to say that I did not hit the wall at mile 40. I did get a little sun and my hiney is pretty tired from sitting on the saddle -- heck my whole body is tired -- but we splurged and booked a room at the local Super 8 tonight. Awesome! No rain, no BNSF coal trains going by every 30 minutes, no tent, no cold night, no packing up the wet tent in the morning, our own shower, a comfy bed, a soft pillow . . . . do you get the picture?

Tomorrow will be our longest day -- close to 80 miles. It is the longest day for the Bike Ride Across Nebraska this year. We'll head a little bit further north, then we'll head east to the town of Butte. We're going to try to get out earlier tomorrow morning (we've been getting out of town just after 6:30 each morning) Hopefully that will get us with less wind and into town at a reasonable time with the extra mileage.

One of the cool things we were able to see today was the "Nebraska Windfarm" - it made us realize if this is where the partnership of public power districts was putting in windmills, that we were pedaling through some windy territory. Lucky for us, it wasn't too bad and the cross wind helped to keep us cool.

SAG stops are still my favorite -- good time to get a quick rest, a snack and refill on the water. I have a policy of hitting everyone to make sure to fuel the machine.

I realized part-way through the day that today was Monday and that on any other normal Monday I'd be at my desk at work. Hanging out with Mother Nature or sitting at a computer all day . . . decisions, decisions as to my preference. Two more days of pedaling and I'll be back to work on Thursday cleaning out my inbox and catching up from all that I missed out on. (smile!)

I haven't done a great job at taking pictures - I'll try to get some tomorrow so that I can post them on the web. Signing off -- send positive vibes my way tomorrow. I'll be pedaling with the mantra "I think I can, I think I can . . . I know I can" going through my head.

K

Day 1: Callaway to Dunning

2008-06-08T17:22:00.003-05:00

Let's start with a story about Mother Nature --

Mother Nature decided to have a storm last night in Callaway -- a little rain, a little lightening, a little thunder. The clincher was around 11:30 pm when the sirens started going off calling everyone into the high school gym for shelter as a tornado had touched down SE of Broken Bow. The bright side is that less than 30 minutes later we were given the all clear to go back out to our tents on the football field for some zzz's before our 5:00 am wake-up.

It was a good day for a ride -- cloudy and a slight breeze. We set off from Callaway around 6:40 and made it in to Dunning just past noon. This was my longest ride to date - 54.4 mles. It had some highs and it had some lows. My high was that I made it all the way up the Devil's Den hill just outside of Arnold. For anyone that thinks Nebraska is flat, I challenge you to walk, run or pedal up that hill. You'll quickly understand what I mean. The reward is the beautiful view from the top. A local gentleman was pedaling through and informed us of a geocache in the area -- had we planned differently, we could have done some caching along the way. Maybe next time.

My low came at about mile 40 when I hit the "mental wall" - I wasn't too excited about continuing to pedal on to finish the 54 mile trek. Had I been given the opportunity, I might have jumped on a bus to the finish line. Thanks to Drew for his patience in talking me through it - and his willingness to pedal at my speed.

I truly appreciate the frequent SAG (Support And Gear) stops throughout the day. The snacks and opportunity to fuel the machine definitely helped me make it through. And the hospitality of the communities that we're passing through is amazing. As the gentleman beside me in the computer lab just stated "goooood vittles" Thanks to both Callaway and Dunning for bringing out the fine grub to feed us.

Tomorrow is a 59 mile day to Ainsworth. It will be my new PR for distance, but will be easily surpassed by Day 3.

We're in Callaway -- Night #1

2008-06-07T18:46:00.001-05:00

We made it to Callaway! Thanks to Stan for driving us out along the scenic by-ways of Nebraska. We've checked in, set up our tent & ate our spaghetti dinner (and a cupcake or two). We had some time to kill, so we pedaled around town catching the sites and logging a whopping 4 miles to my ever increasing mileage. Now it's time for the kickoff meeting and then off to catch some zzz's for our early start tomorrow morning.

K

We're off to BRAN!

2008-06-07T11:05:00.003-05:00

Today is the day. . . we're heading west for the start of BRAN in Callaway, Nebraska.

I calculated that we'll be pedaling 266 miles in 4 days. That is double the mileage that I have ridden year-to-date. Wish me luck!

Here is a picture of my bike - Felt FW40. My description of it "It's pretty!" That's because it is orange - one of my favorite colors. I like the feel of it and I'm very glad that I went with a road bike vs. a hybrid.

The weather man is stating that we should have great weather for the week. But, you never know with Mother Nature. Light rains we can deal with, but heavy downpour in a tent or while pedaling does not seem like fun to me.

Stay tuned for more updates throughout the week. I'm off.

Pedal on!

A Beautiful Wedding!

2008-06-05T06:38:00.004-05:00

Drew & I spent this last weekend in Milwaukee, WI (Grafton & Cedarburg) for our dear friend Amy's wedding. What a beautiful event! We had a blast hanging out with everyone celebrating this special day with Amy & Michael.

Our adventures began with an EARLY morning flight from Omaha. Seriously, who is up at 3:30 a.m. in the morning? Oh, I guess the answer would be Drew, Kelli & Regina as we were making our way to the airport at the time.

Since our flights were so early, we were able to explore downtown Milwaukee. Thanks to Milwaukee Diner for a yummy breakfast! If you haven't been, I highly reccommend exploring the Third Ward district. It is very cool and has fun shops & resturants.

On Saturday, Drew & I were able to drive out to Oconomowoc (spelling?) to visit Drew's high school friend - Todd and his wife Jill and son Nathan. It was nice to catch up and have lunch.

Back to the wedding -- I think everything went fairly smoothly with the exception of the florist delivering the flowers 30 minutes late which delayed the pictures. Heather and I had a back-up plan though, so never fear Amy, you would have had flowers one way, or another. (smile!)

The service was very beautiful and touching. The officiants did a wonderful job, especially Brian's sermon. And best of all . . . Amy & Michael are now happily married! Awesome!

Stay tuned for my next upcoming adventure . . . BRAN - Bike Ride Across Nebraska.

Back from Kentucky

2008-05-27T22:09:00.007-05:00

We had a great visit to Lexington, KY over Memorial Day weekend. It is always great to catch up with good friends. Thanks to Doug, Jennie, Charlotte, Kathleen and Eleanor for their hospitality. Here are some pictures from our trip to Midway, KY. The girls explored the town while the boys cycled 27-miles in the nearby countryside. Too bad more shops weren't open for Memorial Day.

Baby Eleanor Sophia - 7 mths

We decided she looks like the Gerber baby.

A lovely little girl with clear blue eyes.

Soon she'll be pulling herself up and walking all over the house.

Kathleen Elizabeth- 2 yrs
She's learning her colors, our favorite expression
"It's pink" (everything is pink on the first try)
and our favorite book of the weekend "No David"

If you haven't read it, we highly reccomend it.
Added bonus the illustrations have lots of colors to quiz little ones with.

Here is Charlotte - almost 5!

She is the artist in the family who loves to color, paint and draw.
Thanks for the bike ride around the neighborhood
and baking yummy cookies for us all to enjoy!

Can't wait to see you all again!

Big Adventures! It's summer time!

2008-05-23T06:38:00.002-05:00

This is the start of big summer adventures! (can you tell that I like exclamation points? I was reviewing my posts and realized that I use them alot -- oh well, you can deal) Anyway, we've got lots of fun planned for the next few week.

Our adventures started with a fun visit from Julie & my god son Landry. We went out for yummy pizza at Gambino's and then went bike shopping. Landry found several that he likes so the big decision will be the Orange Mongoose or the Green Schwinn. Decisions, decisions.

Tomorrow we're flying out to Lexington, KY to visit the Boyd family. We can't wait! It has been about 2 years since we were last able to visit. Jennie & Doug and the girls have lots of fun things planned - but the best part will just be getting to hang out and catch up.

The weekend after that, we're going to beautiful Milwaukee, WI for Amy & Michael's wedding. And, the weekend after that is the start of BRAN. It's going to be a busy few weeks, but it is going to be awesome!

K

Garden Great!

2008-05-18T17:38:00.002-05:00

Thanks to all who came out to the Garden Art Fair! It was a beautiful day to be out and about - sunny with a breeze. Ok, the breeze sometimes felt like "wind" and I did have a small jewelry casualty when one of my displays blew over, but nothing major. I can handle a chipped bead over a blown away tent.

This is my last scheduled show for a while, so I am going to work on posting some more things to my etsy site. (www.sweetkelli.etsy.com) I just posted a sweet cherry number. Thanks to the talented Betsy who made the lampwork beads. She is amazing! And, she is working on a hot head torch! Very cool!!

Well - now it is time to get out in the garden. I have 800lbs of top soil to move from the truck to the garden. Unfortunately, it isn't moving itself!

K

Trevor Hall in Omaha!

2008-05-16T06:56:00.002-05:00

Trevor Hall finely made it to Omaha! For those that are not familiar with his music, check it out on his website at www.trevorhallmusic.com or go to I-tunes.

We were first introduced to Trevor's music two years ago on a trip to Minneapolis to visit our Aunt & Uncle. As a special treat, they took us to a concert at the Minneapolis Zoo in which Trevor was the opening act. We've been big fans ever since.

The Omaha concert was good but not as good as the previous show. Trevor only had the stage for 30 minutes so we didn't get to hear all of favorites, but he did play The Lime Tree. Locally, ge had little publicity, but hopefully his fan base will continue to grow and he'll consider coming back to Nebraska on future tours.

K

Let the pedaling begin!

2008-05-11T13:08:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately, the Garden Art Faire was postponed to the rain day of May 17th -- hope you can make it out next Saturday to check out all of the cool stuff - sculpture, yard art, ceramics, jewelry, handmade rugs and more!

Fortunately, I was able to get out and start my cycling training before the rain began. . . too much. For those that haven't heard, I am planning on diversifying my lazy lifestyle from an occassional running event to some cycling events. I bought a Felt FW40 (roadbike) this winter and have signed up for 3 long rides for the summer. The first is BRAN - Bike Ride Across Nebraska - where we will pedal for four days our beautiful home state. Following that is MS Bike & a few days of the infamous RAGBRAI in Iowa.

My biggest concern is my knees -- everytime I finish a long ride, my knees are terribly sore. Ice and ibuprofin are helping, but I need to figure out a long-term solution to avoid this painful after-effect. We're thinking that I should start with some strength training as I was professionally fit to my bike. Keep your fingers crossed that I am able to solve this problem or I will be miserable on BRAN. And, I don't want to be miserable.

K

My New Cool Ring

2008-05-08T20:34:00.002-05:00

I have to show this off . . . this is the new ring that I purchased on Etsy from Three Stix. It is a great fused glass piece that Monique is going to mount for me on a sterling silver ring.

I can't wait to get it! The ring is going to be a fabulous new piece for my growing funky ring collection.

Etsy rocks!

Busy Weekend!

2008-05-04T18:16:00.002-05:00

It was a busy weekend . . . and a gorgeous one! Thank you Mr. Weather Man!

This weekend was the Hot Shops Open House. www.hotshopsartcenter.com. There was a good crowd both days - and hopefully alot of art found new homes. If you missed this years event, never fear they have 2 open houses a year. The next one will be the first weekend of December. And, you can visit the Hot Shops at any time and visit with the artists.

I spent the other portion of the running (and recovering from) the Lincoln 1/2 Marathon.

This was my 3rd half marathon - but I must clarify - I am a FUN runner. I am not competitive, I am only out pounding the pavement as an incentive to exercise and be social with other runners. I ran a respectable time of 2:26, though I did walk in a few sections. Not bad for me.

Now it's time to get on my new bike - Felt FW40 - and start training for the Bike Ride Across Nebraska (BRAN) This will be my biking debut on the open road. I've ridden my mountain bike on the Wabash Trace to Malvern for breakfast - approx 44 miles - but this will be BIG for me. More updates as my pedaling miles increase.

K

Bowl for Kid's Sake Update

2008-05-01T22:37:00.002-05:00

Thanks to all who donated to Bowl for Kids Sake 2008 to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands.

Because of your generosity, we have almost raised $30,000 at UP. This is our best year yet! And, it is not too late to make a donation. Follow the path and donate today

K

Upcoming Shows! Two in May!

2008-04-24T21:49:00.002-05:00

I have two upcoming shows in May -- hope you are free to catch one or both. They are two of my favorite events each Spring.

The first . . . Hot Shops Art Center Spring Open House at 13th & Nicholas in Omaha(www.hotshopsartcenter.com) May 3rd & 4th. I will have items for sale in the Crystal Forge Studio (glassblowing workshop). This is a family friendly event with art, music, demonstrations, food and so much more! I'll be hanging out at Crystal Forge early on Saturday afternoon and then later on Sunday afternoon. It is the same weekend as the Lincoln Marathon and I've signed up to run a 1/2 Marathon . . . though I haven't been really training for it. But that is a completely different story for a different blogging day.

The second . . . Garden Art Faire at Westside Community Center (south of 108th & Center) on Saturday, May 10th from 9-4. This is a fun annual tradition with plants, garden art, jewelry, rugs, mosaic, and pottery. (to name only a few of the items) I will be set up with Shari Fischer -ceramic mosaic pieces and Angie Fischer - jewelry pieces. I will be donating 20% of my proceeds to the MS Bike Ride to be held this summer.

Here is a link to my personal donation page:

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/NENBikeEvents?pg=personal&fr_id=8921&fr_id=8921&px=4459107

Pass on the good word!
K

My ETSY site is LIVE

2008-04-20T18:10:00.003-05:00

Finally! My Etsy site has photos and I'm ready to sell online!

Thanks to Drew & Mike for their camera assistance.

I've decided to start by posting items in my "Giving Back" section first. This is where you will find cancer awareness jewelry. I started making Breast Cancer Awareness jewelry in the Summer/Fall '07 as a part of my companies Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure fundraising effort. It has since blossomed to incorporate other types of cancer and general cancer awareness items. I'm excited about my LiveSTRONG "I Bike for Mike" series.

All of the cancer awareness jewelry posted on my Etsy site will help benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation. 20% of each purchase will be donated towards the Livestrong Challenge - Austin 2008.

Photos . . . coming soon!

2008-04-18T19:52:00.002-05:00

This is the weekend . . . that I learn how to properly set-up our camera for good photos of my pieces. I can't WAIT! I've been hesitant to post anything because I didn't want fuzzy or dark or simply horrible photos.

The ocol thing is not only will I be able to post some to my blog, but also items for sale on my Etsy site. Yeah! It was a New Year's resolution to have an online shopping space, it's only taken me 3 1/2 mths to get there.

My first goal will be to post some of the fun cancer awareness jewelry that I have been working on. I recently made some swarovski crystal items for a LiveStrong Omaha event (www.livestrongomaha.com) It turned out so pretty with the citrine, jet & black diamond crystals in various combinations. I also have some fun pieces with bicyle charms too.

as always -- more to come
K

Setting up my lampwork studio

2008-04-04T22:09:00.002-05:00

March was a crazy month. We were out of town every weekend! We spent St. Patrick's day weekend in Virginia Beach for the Shamrock Marathon (what a blast!), Easter Weekend in Pennsylvania visiting family (a special thanks to my nephew for sharing his cold) and then the last weekend of March camping near Bethany, Missouri. We were here, there and everywhere!

April is the month to get caught up on things around the house. And, one of my number one goals is to get my lampwork torch set-up. I have just a few things more to clean off my workbench and I'll be ready to go.

I am super excited that my enameling supplies came in from Thompsen Enamel, so I hope to have some new enameled pieces to show off. I have two shows scheduled in May and would love to have some new, unique pieces for these events.

Hopefully, my next entry will be . . . Success - my lampworking torch is flaming.

check back soon to help keep me accountable.
K

Bowl for Kids Sake 2008 Supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters

2008-02-24T10:11:00.005-06:00

It's that time again . . . time for Bowl for Kid's Sake 2008 to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands.

If you are not familiar with Big Brothers Big Sisters, it is an amazing organization which supports mentoring relationships. And, it is the oldest and largest mentoring organization in the U.S. (For more info go to http://www.bigomaha.org/)

I have had the honor of being a Big Sister to Jazmine for 4 years. She is an amazing young woman with a bright future. The annual Bowl for Kids Sake fund drive is our way of giving back to the program. We hope that you consider a generous donation to help other kids within the community to enjoy the benefits of the mentor. It won’t cost you a fortune, either; just a few bucks can make a big difference.

Here is the link to my page to make a donation. My goal is $500, but I would love to surpass that.

http://bigomaha.kintera.org/bfks2008/sweetkelli

Donation deadline is April 25th.

Thanks again for your support!!

Kelli & Jazmine

Success!

2008-02-19T19:27:00.003-06:00

The YWCA fundraising event at work was a SUCCESS! We raised over $650 for the YWCA in Omaha. Awesome! Thanks to everyone who stopped by to purchase some jewels.

My next Giving Back event to will be April 17th for LiveStrong Omaha. (www.livestrongomaha.com) The group is hosting a wine tasting and Silent Auction to raise funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Their website isn't updated . . . yet, but I bet it will be soon. I won't be selling jewelry at the event, instead I donating two cancer awareness bracelets in swarovski & sterling silver for the Silent Auction. I'll try and get a picture posted soon.

Perfect transition into my other update . . . or lack thereof. For those who have checked out my Etsy site www.sweetkelli.etsy.com you have probably noticed that I have yet to post any of my creations. Please be patient with me. . . . soon, very soon. Promise.

This Week's Giving Back Event

2008-02-10T22:03:00.000-06:00

The event of the week is a Valentine's Day Jewelry Sale to benefit the YWCA of Omaha. The event will be held on the 2nd floor bridge of the Union Pacific Center at 14th & Douglas from 11:00-1:00. If you're free, stop by and bring your friends. 35% of the sales will be donated back to this awesome organization that is doing so much to help the women in our community. The event is a part of their annual fundraising drive, donations are accepted directly on their website.

Update on House for Jakson Project

2008-01-09T22:09:00.000-06:00

Good news! The House for Jakson project has raised $20,000 in just a few months!

The project is on their way.

Keep up-to-date on the progress and upcoming events on their website.
You can donate directly on the site too!

Thanks!

2007-12-17T08:15:00.000-06:00

Thanks to all who came out for the BOWtique to support the House for Jakson Project.

The overall effort raised nearly $1500! That is awesome.

Donations are being accepted at anytime. So, if you didn't make it to the event, but would like to donate.
Simply go to www.houseforjakson.com/donate.htm

I'm hoping to launch some items on my Etsy site soon -- my goal is by Christmas. Keep an eye on the site
www.sweetkelli.etsy.com

Upcoming Events

2007-12-02T20:54:00.000-06:00

I love to use my creative talents to support worthy causes.

Here is a great one for your Christmas shopping.

20% of my proceeds will be donated back to the Jakson House.

A BOWtique fundraiser for Jakson’s House

Join us Sunday, December 16th

from 1pm - 4pm

to celebrate Christmas and help

raise funds for Jakson’s House.

www.houseforjakson.com

Children’s make & take crafts, balloons, Christmas music, movies, holiday photos, food, Santa’s Elf andlast-minute shopping with local crafters and vendors.

St. John’s Lutheran Church

322 North Molly (156th & Howard)

Bennington, NE

My first ever blog!

2007-12-01T23:17:00.001-06:00

I'm a newbie to blogging. But, it's time to take the training wheels of the pink Schwin and see if I can pedal on my own.

My goal is to utilize this website to keep people updated on my creative activities.

I'm also hopeful that I can get my Etsy site up and running soon to create an online shopping experience. If you haven't been there . . . make usre to make it a favorite. www.etsy.com