Appreciation For My Blogging Friends

.This is a great time to express grattitude for all the friends I have met through blogging, buying beads and designing jewelry.  What a great bunch of talented artisans in the bead world.  Each and every one of you have touched me in some way or inspired me.  

I have let my blogging, blog challenges, Etsy and jewelry design go for the time being while my shoulder heals and my resolution for this year is NO GUILT.  I will do what I can do and that's all there is to it.  Sometimes life decides to send us in a different direction and that's okay.  

I will keep up with blogs but may not leave comments (no guilt) so please know that I am still here.  

So thank you all dear people.  You mean the world to me.

A freeform bracelet I made quite a few months ago

Week 47 Focus on Life - Centerpiece

It has been hit and miss for the Focus on Life weekly series that has been going on for 46 weeks.  I started late and had good intentions but this has been an unproductive year.  I feel like my iPhone when I realize there is very little battery life left and then it goes dead. 

My rotator cuff has torn again so I am facing surgery next week for my right shoulder.  I had surgery in 2006 for the same issue but here I go once again.  Very frustrating not to be able to do the beadwork I have grown to love.  It seems to be the one thing that centers me and brings calm and balance to my life.  For me it is meditative and time passes before I can realize how long I spent in this state.

Focus on Life 39 - Your Best Shot

I am stuggling to keep up and so I have had to cut back on blogging, creating beautiful things and taking pictures like I used to.  Found out a couple weeks ago that I have two torn tendons in my right shoulder plus inflammation of the Bursa and who knows what else.  I am waiting to see a specialist and find out what the future holds.  Meantime, I do what I can and being right handed keeps my shoulder in almost constant pain.

On Friday, my son and grandson came for a visit and sleepover.  Henry wanted me to go exploring in the trees and it was a good opportunity to take some pictures.  I love the backlight from the bright sunshine.  He loves Super Heroes so is constantly making gestures like they do.

I think this is definitely my best shot for some time and it happened quite by accident.  If you want to see more Focus on Life pictures, make sure to visit Sally over at The Studio Sublime

Thanks for stopping by, it is great to see you again!

I am back for more Focus on Life

My goodness, it has been a while - almost two months I've missed joining you here each week.

I have been away in BC on Vancouver Island where we have a second home.  I went alone for two weeks, then my husband brought three of our grandkids.  They stayed 26 more days and we just brought them back home to Alberta. Weather at the coast was gorgeous so we had a busy and enjoyable time. I decided to spend time with them and cut out computer and blogging time as  I don't know how many more years they will join us.  They are thirteen, almost twelve and eight and  have spent time with us every summer since 2007.  Time spent with grand kids is precious!

 

This picture goes along with last week's prompt - In Season. When we got back, the garden was loaded with green and yellow beans, beets, carrots, potatoes and many green tomatoes that are ripening on the vine .   We have been enjoying fresh vegies every night.  So good! 

Oh yes many dandelions and weeds are in season as well. I added the boost feature in Picasa.

Kids love water and this hot pool was enjoyed on our return trip.  That is one beautiful view don't you think?  I edited this in Picasa and added boost and lomo-ish. 

Now head over to The Studio Sublime to find more focus on life blogs. 

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Katherine

Week 26 Focus on Life...?

This week we had no prompt and were given free reign to address anything we wanted to.  I had an idea of taking pictures of some recent bead weaving but today my mind was changed.

I took three grand kids out for lunch and gave them a bit of spending money as reward for doing well in school this past year.  Twenty bucks doesn't go far these days.... have you noticed?  It was fun taking them from store to store as they wondered if they would find a coveted item.  However, they kept wondering if the next store would be even better so hung on to their money until they couldn't stand it anymore.  My eight year old grand son Kyan spent some but had a few dollars left in his pocket which surprised me.  He doesn't tend to save anything.

 My thirteen year old grand daughter Jamisyn bought two items on sale...clothes of course and used it all.  She is a very focused shopper and doesn't mind looking on the sales rack.  Good for her!

Jenica my grand daughter has a giving heart

Jenica is 11-3/4 and she is an artist like me.  She is creative and loves anything shiny and glittery.  She is at the age where clothes don't fit - she wants to wear teen clothes but still has a child's body so gets discouraged easily. In the crafts department we found a mood lamp that would be marvelous for her room.  It is like a lava lamp but has colored balls in the bottom that change and glow as the light shines up through them.  She had about seven dollars left.

You may think this story is ho-hum and yes, it probably is but it's not finished - yet.

My last stop was an art store to get yet more micron pens and fine line markers for my doodling and zentangle obsession.  Who doesn't need more pens?  Jenica (my little artist) went with me and as I was self absorbed in the pen aisle I looked over to where she was.  She was dropping something inside a big glass jar.  I saw that it said:  Donation fund for flood victims.  

Jenica reluctantly told me she had put all her remaining money in the jar.  I told her I was so proud of what she was doing.  In the true spirit of giving, she did not want anyone to notice.  

As we left the store she said to me, "That isn't going to go very far is it?"  I told her that every little donation helps the Red Cross do the important work they do.  

  This is my focus on life - thanks for stopping by and leaving  positive comments.  I appreciate it.

Now head over to The Studio Sublime to see what others focused on this week.

Focus on Life Week 25 - You are....

This week our prompt was:  'You Are...'  fill in the blank with 'the positive reinforcement YOU deserve'. 

I am a very giving person in fact I will do for others long after I should stop and look after myself.  I am married to a wonderful man and we celebrated our 38th anniversary last December.

I am creative and for me it fulfills me.  I have to do something creative every day or I feel incomplete. 

I am a grandmother to five.  Three boys and two girls.  They are the love and joy of my life.

I am a mother to a son and daughter.  They make me so proud not just because of what they do but who they have become as a person.  
I have a wonderful daughter-in-law  Kathy  so we are both Kathy Gales.

Shadow form shows strength

I am capable and determined - I feel like I can do anything I set my mind to.  One of my big accomplishments was getting my pilot's license just before I turned 50!  I am more proud of that than anything else.

                                                                              The proud day I became a pilot June 20, 2002

Right now we are experiencing floods and devastation in the southern part of Alberta - the beautiful province where I live.  My heart and prayers go out to all the people who have lost their homes and are displaced.  I am fine where I live but so much has been destroyed by this natural disaster.  

 Thank you for stopping by once again and please take a look at what others have done at The Studio Sublime