Letting loose a jewelry secret

I came across this AMAING little tool and I can't help but share to all my jewelry making friends.

20 gage wire of any substance easily bends into the french hook earring shape.

Weather you like this style or the one below, this tool is idiot proof and makes matching earrings in just seconds.  NEVER by the expensive french hooks again!

If I sound like an infomercial, so sorry, I'm just totally excited to share this amazing new tool!

Happy earring making!

http://www.gossamerwingsdesigns.com/ear-wire-maker.htm

Tyler's at camp

Well, my little guy went off to camp this week. He's at a little Church camp nestled as an island in the middle of the Detroit Lakes. FUN! Well at least I hope so. No letters from him yet, but we email him letters daily through 'bunk mail' and they print them out for the campers. If you'd like to send him a letter, just email me and I'll forward it on. The day we got there it was pouring down rain and after a small plank crossing to his cabin, Tyler found a comfortable bunk and called it 'home' for the week. They assured me that the weather was to clear up the next day, and then I got this picture of Tyler with all his campers in the bright sunshine, so I guess their predictions were true!

Poor Cole has been missing his 'boy' this week. He's made a little pile in front of Tyler's door with things that he might have forgotten in his absence. There is one stinky old shoe, one dirty sock complete with caked mud, one drum stick from Tyler's Rock Band game and one tiny Turtle from last week's VBS. The Turtle has made it's way to various places in the house because the dogs carried it around all week like a Teadybear, but eventually at some point in the day, Cole lays it atop the little pile in front of Tyler's door and just sighs. It will be a glourious day when his 'boy' Tyler returns and the running, jumping, chasing, and tug of war begin again. We are just not so fun as a little boy-littter-mate!

Mosaic Composite Photographs

Ok, all you techies and non-techies here's a free Mac application that is FUN to use!
http://homepage.mac.com/knarf/MacOSaiX/Download.html
It's called MacOSaiX and it takes photo's from your events folder or other folder and makes composite mosaic photographs while overlaying them onto an existing image.

Here's a sample of some I've done: (click on them to see the photo's within the photo)






The only draw back is that it takes a long time to compile and takes quite a bit of memory to create. I set mine to 'go' then just left the computer alone for an hour and came back to save it. Also when you save it, pay special attention to the inches or pixels it's saved as. If you only want an 8x10, make sure you enter the size or you'll have 25mb of storage wrapped up in a poster sized photo! On the other hand if you WANT a poster sized photo for a graduation or wall art, it's amazing the quality you can get out of this tiny little program!

Happy downloading!

Snow in June!

Click HERE to watch the SNOW video! Amazing!

The Fly Hunter

The FLY HUNTER Video

Cole spent over 30 minutes hunting this fly around the sun room. He was very serious at his job, but just couldn’t stand the tickle the fly made when it touched his nose or fur. It was hilarious to watch the first time, but now, thanks to Brandon’s filming we get to enjoy it again and again!

Southwest Crock Pot Chicken

Southwest Crock Pot Chicken
Cook Time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup bottled thick and chunky salsa, your favorite
5 or 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or tenders (about 2 lbs)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Preparation:

In a 3-1/2- to 5-quart slow cooker, mix together the black beans, corn, and 1/2 cup of the salsa. Top with the chicken breasts, then pour the remaining 1/2 cup salsa over the chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the chicken is tender and white throughout; do not overcook or the chicken will be dry. Sprinkle cheese on top; cover and cook until the cheese melts, about 5 to 15 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.
Serves 6.

Art and Nature

While visiting the Peace Gardens just inside Canada, I marveled at the birch tree lined pathways through the gardens. It was just like I was Alice and had stepped into wonderland through one of my favorite artist's paintings. Mandy Budan is an artist who lives in Pickering in Ontario, Canada.

She paints beautiful landscapes, and below is one of my favorites!

Can you see how I would have been awe-struck by the real-life version of one of my favorite paintings....Like Alice in Wonderland only reversed! I had only ever seen the 'fanciful' version until last week when I saw the 'actual' version in reality!

What a trip!

International Peace Gardens USA and Canada

The walkway/river down the middle of this picture goes all the way to the Peace Towers which is the dividing line between the US and Canada.

Walking on the American Side of the Gardens.

The central plaza is all under construction and should be completed later this fall.

The apple blossoms just drew me in with their aromatic perfume!

This was the monument outside the 911 memorial.

Brandon and Tyler at the 911 memorial. Steel beams from the wreckage were brought here as a reminder of all those who lost their lives. It was unbelievably moving to see. The numbers of the floor that they supported are spray painted on the side of each beam.

The red lines on the ground indicate the dividing lines of the two countries. Tyler's actually standing in Canada and the United States at the same time!

The Peace Chapel is in both countries.

The funding of the project began in 1952. At its 30th Triennial Assembly of the Grand Chapter in

1961, it was decided to construct the chapel.

In her inaugural address in 1967, Mrs. Sayda Seyboldl Pettersen, Most Worthy Grand Matron, set

the project as the primary goal of the 1967 - 1970 triennial, requesting that each member assist in

the completion of the chapel.

Construction began in 1969 and the structure was dedicated on July 18, 1970 by Mrs. Pettersen.

The main feature of the chapel is the three-encircling walls of flat sewn limestone into which has

been engraved quotations spoken or written by "people of peace" throughout history. The lettering

receives a continuous wash daylight from the skylights around the perimeter of the chapel.

The limestone is a native stone of Manitoba commonly called Tyndall stone. Some of the stone is

marked with fossils of marine creatures molded in

a bed of tropical sea millions of years ago.

The brick paver floor came from Charleston, West Virginia.

The organ was a gift from the estate of the late R. Donald Stewart, Past Most Worthy Patron, and

his late Jean.

The chapel is non-denominational and open to everyone

There are newspapers from papers all over the world on 9-12. Each of them a grim reminder of a time when peace failed to prevail.

Tyler reading the words of wisdom etched into the walls.

Peace Tower-1983

The four columns represent people coming from the four corners of the world to form

two similar, but distinct nations with a common base of democracy. The four concrete columns

reach a majestic 120 feet into the air. Sets of two columns are joined forming two similar, but

distinct pieces mounted on a solid base The Peace Tower became a reality at a cost of $1.3 million

fifty years after it was listed as an objective by the early garden board. The structure was

completed and dedicated in 1983. One hundred and twenty feet or 37 meters are the height of the

four columns reaching into the spacious skies. The tower’s height represents the early

immigrants’ soaring ambitions. Lifted into place by crane the concrete columns consist of 17 pre-cast

sections each weighing 45,000 pounds a total of 22 tons. The four columns symbolize the four

corners of the earth from which thousands of immigrants arrived into Canada and the United States

in the 1800s and 1900s to build better lives for themselves. Two columns stand in Manitoba and

two in North Dakota, facing each other in two similar, but separate societies. The foundation

stands for one solid base; the two countries common base of democratic beliefs.

Brandon standing in two countries. The spire behind him is the dividing line between Canada and the US.

Doin' the Shimmy Shimmy Shake!

Tyler helped Brandon out with his dog-walkin' summer job while Brandon was away at camp. Needless to say Tyler had a BLAST with these two Jack Russell comedians from next door!

International Music Camp

Brandon went off to the International Peace Gardens at the border of Canada and the United States last week for Music Camp. He had such a blast. It’s run kind of like a college campus. There are Deans in each of the dorms to monitor the kids while they are there, then teachers in all of the buildings to help the students get to where they needed to go, but other than that they were handed a schedule and encouraged to enjoy their week. It was like sending your kids off to college at the age of 12! EEek!

Of course he did great, and so did Mom in case you were wondering. He learned 6 new pieces of music in 6 days, had classes 6 hours each day and got up at 6:30am and went to bed at 11pm. See a trend here? He had $25 to spend during the week at the gift shop and he spent all 25 on candy, chips, and pop. (Can you tell he doesn’t get much junk food at home?!!!)

We went to the Peace Gardens to pick him up last Saturday and they had a wonderful series of concerts for us from the kids hard work over the week. There was a Orchestra concert, two band concerts, a choral concert, and several individual performers in a variety concert. What a beautiful time we had listening to all that budding talent. In fact I made a remark to Brandon that THIS concert sounded better than the end of year concert at his school. He said “it aught to, we spent 6 hours a day just learning the music and the rest of the day playing it!” :)

One camp down, one to go! Tyler’s next with Lutheran Island Adventure-Camp in just a few short days! Ahh, to be a kid again! It makes ME want to go to camp!

Fergie goes back to nature

Who knew that when I bought my Fergalicious black high heals, I'd be supporting a nature project.
Today a little thunk and twitter turned into an 'awwwwwwwwe, can we keep em'.


A little finch mistakenly flew into our plate glass window and it knocked the sense out of him.



Tyler lovingly grabbed an empty shoe box, lined it with a towel and gave the bird some seed to eat. He's hoping after a short rest the bird will feel better enough to fly back to his family, but for now my Fergie shoe box is serving as it's home and a secure location far from the dog's curiosity.


We'll keep you updated on our little yellow wonder and how his healing progresses.

UPDATE: INDEED, after several hours of resting our little friend roused from his drunken stupor and picked his way out of the box. With a little coaxing and some good old fashioned well wishes he flew back through the door and over the house to join his friends and family out in the big world beyond our back yard. Way to go Tyler for your compassion and patience, I'm sure this little bird is glad you were there to save him!

Summer Job

You know your OLD when your first born has his very own summer job!
After nearly fleeing from the sight of big dogs two years ago to volunteering at an animal shelter last year, to reading Cesar Millan's dog training books, Brandon's become quite the dog whisperer.

Our new neighbors noticed just how well Brandon handled his own excitable dog as he walked it and approached him about walking their dogs while they were at work. Our little guy stepped up to the plate and loves every moment of his new job!

Jack Russell Terriers, Carter, and Griffin think Brandon's pretty special too!