Focus on Life: 52 Photos - Week 26: Your Choice!

"Whoa-oh, we're halfway there,...Whoa-oh,....Livin' on a Prayer!"
 
The words to this Bon Jovi song have been going through my head all week.
 
So appropriate too, considering we're halfway through the year at week 26 with the Focus on Life: 52 Photos weekly photo challenge with Sally over at The Studio Sublime! 
 
Wow,...times flies, eh?!
 
For week 26 of the Focusing on Life: 52 Photos challenge, Sally's prompt was this:
 
Your Choice!  This week you get to choose. Pick your own prompt! 
 
Wow,...the possibilities truly are endless with this one, are they not?
 
I chose to snap a pic of my son next to this metal statue in this little town not too far from my sis's cabin. 
 
Despite the fact that the "Masked Rider" (pictured here with out his helmet) pretty much hates having his picture taken, he thought this statue was really cool - considering the subject matter.
 
 
 
 
He said, "That's how I feel when I'm on my bike, Mom.  Riding fast, hair on fire, having the time of my life!  This is exactly how it is!" 
 
"What?!! You ride 'hair on fire' fast?" 
 
"Yep, I sure do!"
 
"With your helmet on, right?'
 
"Of course. I'm not stupid!"
 
"How do you know your hair's on fire?"
 
"Trust me!"
 
 
(!!!!!!! - insert 'Mom Stress' here - !!!!!!!)
 
 
So, on the eve of my 'Baby's' 16th birthday, I thought this was the appropriate photo to post this week.
 
Here's to you sweet boy!
 
I hope you have a Fantastic, 'Hair on Fire' kind of Birthday!!
 
Now it's time to hop on over to the Studio Sublime and see what every one else captured with their prompt of ????? Your Choice!
 
Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Sweet 16!!
Cheers,
~Shel~

Focusing On Life: 52 Photos - Week 25

This week's prompt for Sally over at The Studio Sublime is unquestionably the hardest one yet - for me, anyway!
 
Sally's prompt for Week 25 of Focusing on Life: 52 Photos was to complete this sentence:
 
"You are,......."
 
We were instructed to "give yourself the positive reinforcement you deserve. Take a moment to think about who YOU are, what makes you a wonderful person."
 
This is such a great prompt, but boy did it have me stumped!
 
Lately I've been thinking, mostly because my son keeps reminding me, that the time he has left at home with us before he graduates high school and goes 'off into the world' is very limited. It's something like 750 some odd days,....he's got it counted out to the day he turns 18, which will be a month after he graduates high school. 
 
 I keep ignoring the number because I don't want to think about not having him at home all the time.
 
He's unsure exactly what it is that he wants to do when he 'grows up'. He has wanted to be in the Military (a Marine to be specific) since he was just a tiny thing and could barely say the word. He would play 'army' all the time and he's watched the military and history channels so much that even I can tell you what type of ammo goes with what type of gun or what missile what tank or aircraft is armed with and for which war or operation we've used it in. 
 
He's now mentioning college; saying maybe it would be better (pay wise, etc.) to enter the Marines after college, even though he's unclear on what he wants to get a degree in.
 
We don't push him hard in either direction (maybe that's not such a good thing at times), but instead tell him to follow his heart and his dreams, to reach inside and find who he is and do what he needs to do for himself - not for anyone else.  We're there for him and talk to him about planning for his future, even though it scares the daylights out of both Mike and me, knowing so many of the things he's going to face out in 'the real world'.
 
But, you have to let them go.
Let them be who they're going to be.
 
 
 
 
 
You always wonder if you're giving your children the guidance they need. The guidance they want. The guidance they deserve. You wonder if you've done all the basic things like teach them good manners, show them how to clean their rooms/bathrooms, do their laundry, cook (Logan does all but the cooking thing - he still likes Mom to do that!), keep track of their money and be wise with their purchases, be considerate of others, be respectful. And the list goes on,.....
 
This week's prompt had me complete stumped until last night when we were sitting at dinner with some friends up here in the mountains (where we spend as much time each summer as we can) and the conversation between myself and my friend Mary went something like this:
 
Shelly:  So Mary, are you ready to get rid of your 'extra' child? Is Logan ever going to come home or are you adopting him? (he's spent every night over at Mary's - which is just about a mile down the road - w/her kids since we arrived this past Tuesday )
 
Mary: (as she laughs at my comment) Oh, Shelly, I just have to tell you how wonderful it is to have Logan with us. He's such a joy.  Out of all the kids, when I tell them to do work for me out at the barn or around the house, he's the first one to get up and get the other kids doing what I've told them - it's working out really good!  And, he's always polite and he helps keep the sibling jabs and quarrels down to a minimum too. Which has been really nice lately - trust me! 
 
So, as we were all getting up to leave Tal Wi Wi Lodge (yes, it really is called Tal Wi Wi - you can follow the link, here!) Logan walks over and puts his arm around my shoulder and hugs me and says;
 
"Mama, I love you. Thanks for ordering us guys our food when we went back to the cabin to pick up Dad.  My onion rings were great! Oh, and I'm riding with Phillip and Will cause I'm staying at Mary's again tonight, okay?"
 
And right there I thought, "You are,....a good Mom!" 
 
At least I felt like a good Mama, with his arm around me and his cute face with that silly little grin looking down upon me!
 
 
 
 
I was in Mama heaven! 
 
I'm soooo gonna miss my 'baby' in two more years.
Or 738 days,...to be exact.
 
 
 
Please take some time to hop on over to The Studio Sublime and see what everyone else 'got to snappin' for this week's prompt!
 
And, thank you Sally. Each week of this photo challenge is an exploration of the world around me,...not to mention an exploration of me personally!  It's an incredible journey and I'm glad I'm along for the ride!
 
Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Being a Good Mom!
Cheers,
~Shel~

Focusing on Life: Week 24 - GREEN!

This week's prompt from Sally over at
for the weekly photo challenge was:
 
GREEN! 
 
"The color of balance, learning, growth and harmony! 
GREEN evokes feelings of calm and
symbolizes self-respect and well being. 
 
*Grab your cameras and find some green! 
*Note: Your photo as a whole does not have to be all green in color.
 
Look for pops of green against a contrasting color or muted colors! Have Fun!" 
 
 
I just LOVE Green!!
 
Click on any photo to enlarge
 
It's one of my favorite colors!
 
 
So, last weekend I was at my sis's cabin having "Girlfriend's Weekend" and we were surrounded by GREEN.
 
 
Flowers in the meadow by the  Cabin
 
Which is totally awesome given the fact that a couple of summer's ago the Wallow Fire ripped right through the meadow you see pictured here and took out so much beautiful GREEN!
 
 
The Meadow
 
 
But I think this is my favorite GREEN.
 
 
This is Coco, our Peach-Faced Love Bird. He's about 7 years old and is a bit camera shy!
His "Honey" is named Kiki and she's very shy! She's also sitting on some 'egglets'
at the momemnt - Coco's gonna be a Daddy!!
 
Coco Green!
 
 
Hop on over to The Studio Sublime and check out all the GREEN that captured every one's attention this week!
 
Until Next Time,
 
Peace, Love and GREEN, Baby!
 
Cheers,
~Shel~

Focus on Life: 52 Photos - Week 23

 
Sally prompted us with:
 
 Typography
"The power of the written or typed word can be more powerful than you thought!
The style and appearance of printed matter has an effect to how we view items, websites, businesses, book titles and the list goes on and on. Is the typography pleasing to the eye, does the font pull you in, draw you away, make you feel inspired?
This week focus on the printed word and see what the words are saying to you!"
 



This font/typography alone conjures up ALL KINDS of Scary Zombie Movies
for me!
 
 
 
 
I cannot WAIT for this movie!
 
 

 
 
I'm hoping the movie will be as good as the book but since they rarely are,...I'm not holding my breath!
 
But that "Z" on the cover is doing it for me!
(Scary, Scary!)
 
Jump on over to
The Studio Sublime
and see what types of Typography
people are posting today!
 
Until Next Time,
 
Peace, Love and Zombies, Baby!
 
Cheers,
~Shel~
 
*I may not have the best Internet service this weekend and so I might not be able to hop and comment on every one's posts until Tuesday or so! Sorry about that!*
 

Running in Circles!

I seem to be running in circles for some reason this week, hence these:
 
Desert Dweller
 
 
And These, too!
 
 
Mod Squad
 
Do you find your daily life influencing what you do and what or how you create?
 
Me, too.
 
Hippie Chick
 
 
I've got my post ready to go live tomorrow for Week 23 of the Focusing on Life: 52 Photos Challenge hosted weekly by Sally or at The Studio Sublime, but I may or may not be able to comment on people's blogs or actually post to the live feed she has until I return, but I'm going to try.
 
You all have a great weekend.
 
Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Pretty Circles!
Cheers,
~Shel~

Countin' Down

It's summer. The kiddo's are out of school (or almost out) and you're daily routine has been changed up a bit. 
 
Still busy, just different, right? Yep,...me, too!
 
I'm trying to get all sorts of stuff done, but I keep turning in circles because I'm not sure which 'stuff' to do first. Then, I just loose momentum. Not to mention focus and inspiration.
 
And, from what I'm reading on many other blogs,...it's happening to a lot of other folks, too!
 
I've been meaning to get pics of some designs I have had sitting over on my table for a few weeks (possibly months) and there's a bunch of components I've been meaning to actually create jewelry with. And then of course there's the tutorials and videos that are half-done, half-started or let's just call them 'still in the works' shall we?
 
I snapped a couple of pics this weekend of things I've been 'sitting on' for months. 
 
 
Vintaj blanks I altered - such cute birdies!




More Vintaj Blanks - so much fun to play with!!
 
 

 
And then there's these yummy goodies from
 
 
 

 
 
Do you ever just sit on stuff for what seems like forever before you turn them into something?  Maybe it's just me.
 
Anyway,...I did finish up a couple of fun little bracelets and was able to snap a pic of a necklace I created a while back.
 
 
Faceted Czech Glass Bead Macrame Bracelet
Beads: Beads Galore, Tempe, AZ
Cord: Waxed linen cord in 'Vino' from
The Knotty Do It All.
 
 
 
"Rugged" - Turquoise, Pearls and Jasper Knotted Bracelet

C-Lon Beading Cord: Online at Beadshop.com
Freshwater Cultured Pearls: Ayala's Originals - Evanston, Illinois
Turquoise:  Turquoise Jewelry MFG INC - G&LW Show - Tucson
Snakeskin Jasper: Might be Dakota Stones, but I spaced out writing it down
after purchasing it at the Tucson Gem/Bead Shows in Feb!  (Duh!)
 
 
They're all quite simple in design - showcasing the beads/stones.
 
Hand Knotted Mixed Pearl Necklace
Freshwater cultured pearls: Ayala's Originals and Majestic Pearl, Co.
C-Lon Micro Cord: online at Beashop.com
 
 
I'm heading up to my sister's cabin this weekend for a little 'girlfriends retreat'. I'm excited because it's going to be much cooler up in the mountains and I love hanging out with my sister and my girlfriends.
 
We've got some yummy meals planned as we take turns cooking something special each night for dinner. There's going to be a bit of jewelry 'teaching' going on (yeah!!), some art classes as my sister teaches us about abstract art (I think this is gonna be really fun!) and then she's even going to do a Zumba class or two on the front porch a couple mornings. How fun is that?!
 

Paradise in the White Mountains of Arizona
 
We'll be able to go hiking and enjoy the wonderful mountain air and we'll be watching great movies in our jammies, reading, lounging around, listening to awesome music, sippin' some cocktails and napping! 
 
Oh,...I am sooo ready for a wonderful weekend!
 
My creative juices seem to be all over the map lately, hence the 'stuck in my own tracks' syndrome, so I think it will be good to get away and soak up some 'nature'.
 
Happy Hour on the Deck of the Tree House - that's gonna be grand!
 
 
According to the Farmer's Almanac, Mercury isn't in Retrograde until June 26th, so I've got some time to get my act together before I'll need to to 'reflect' and 'go with the flow'.  :-)
 
Do you ever feel like you're turning in circles or you're stuck on what to do next?
 
What do you do to get past that little 'bump in the road'?
 
Until Next Time,
 
Peace, Love and Limbo!
 
Cheers,
~Shel~
 
 

Anklet Blog Hop!!

*If you're looking for Week 22 of the
Focusing on Life: 52 Photos Weekly Photo Challenge,
CLICK HERE!

______

Today's the day for the Anklet Blog Hop hosted by the sweet and super talented Kashmira Patel with
(Remember the earring swap the two of us did here?)



 
 
  
I used to make anklets all the time and for some silly reason, haven't made any in a couple of years. My sister wears a few of mine at a time on her ankle most of the year (except the winter months) and I usually have one or two on in the summer as well. 
 
 
Anklets are a different bread of adornment, if you ask me. They not only take the focus off our upper features but they put it square at our feet. That makes some people rather uncomfortable, while it's truly welcomed by others.
 
Anklets require a bit of careful thought when creating them too because they tend to sit right on your little ankle bone, thus designating the beads be just right so as not to poke their wearer or be to 'clunky/chunky' to walk around in.
 
The beads, chain and findings used in anklets must function properly with out smacking your other ankle in the side (ouch!) as you walk, run, jump and dance (!) all day and they must be very well constructed because let's face it - we're tough on our feet! 
I like anklets (both wearing them and creating them!) and think they're a fun way to express yourself.



 
I think Anklets are sexy!

I feel young and vibrant when wearing anklets.
 
Kind of like a free-spirited, beach babe!

(It's okay, you can laugh,....I did as I wrote that!)

 
Free-Spirited, Hippie-Chick, Beach Babe - complete with "Peace Out"
Anklet and Silver Triple Peace Sign Toe Ring (a gift from my hubby and son).
 
 
Sometimes, just like any other piece of jewelry, anklets can transform you into that super-chic, sexy, dressed-to-the-nines, classy, going to the opera kinda of gal,...with rhinestones and gold chain adorning your ankles while your feet are tucked so sexily into your black stilettos, who wouldn't feel special and elite?!
 

 
This is a more 'dressy' type of anklet.  I like creating "S" clasps for anklets
because they lie flat against your ankle and are easy to get on/off!
 
Sometimes anklets make you feel loved and are a source of comfort and security and have great sentimental value to you due to the memories they hold because of the means by which you acquired said anklet - say your true love gifted you one and lovingly placed it upon your ankle.
How perfectly romantic, right?!


Sleek, Go with Anything Anklet created with Swarovski Crystals
and Silver Bali Daisy Spacers
 
 
Or, they remind you of having fun in the sand, running on the beach in the summer, the salty, sea air kissing your skin as the water tickles your feet! (this would be the dream that runs through my head as I don my anklets!)


I had fun playing around with some photo editing of all these pics, too!
 
I thought it was a fun idea to do anklet blog hop when Kashmira mentioned it and other than her request for us to just create something we love, there weren't really any other guidelines. She was super organized though and gave us tons of prompts, links and Pinterest boards to drool over and to help us with our designs. (Thank you!!)

I had to to be my own model and get the pics all on my own, too.
So, sorry for the tile floor pics, but I took them looking into the mirror of the closet
in our master bath!   :-)
 
 
I had a lot of fun creating some new anklets for this blog hop.

I already have a bunch of leather and pearl anklets (imagine that!) and Bali-bead ones that I've created over the years, so I tried to create ones that were a bit different than the ones I already had. 

Can you tell which one is my favorite
that I've been wearing all week?!


Yep!!

"Peace Out, Baby!"

 
Thanks Kashmira for a hosting such a cool blog hop - it's been fun!


 Now, hop on over to every one else's blog and see what beautiful designs they've created to adorn their ankles!!


Until Next Time,


Peace, Love and Adorn Those Ankles, Baby!!

Cheers,
~Shel~



Anklet Blog Hop Participants:



Kashmira Patel                                    Http://www.Sadafulee.blogspot.com
 
Kaushambi Shah                                 Will Post On Kashmira’s blog
Jean Wells                                           http://www.jeanawells.blogspot.com
Mischelle Fanucchi                             http://www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.com
Shellie Grindie                                    http://www.creativeeclectica.com
Ginger Bishop                                     http://www.lilmummlikes.blogspot.com
Monique U                                          http://www.ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com
Cynthia Machata                                 http://www.antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com
Susan                                                   http://www.libellulajewelry.blogspot.com
Kay Thomerson                                   http://www.kayzkreationz.blogspot.com
Mimi Gardner                                     http://www.othercuriosities.blogspot.com
Anindita Basu                                     http://www.alankarshilpa.blogspot.com
Rita (Toltec Jewels)                            http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com
Gina Hocket                                        http://www.freestyleelements.blogspot.com
Tammie Everly                                    http://www.ttedesigns.blogspot.com
Dyanne Cantrell                                  http://www.deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com
Ema Kilroy                                          http://www.emakdesigns.com/blog
Emma Todd                                        http://www.apolymerpenchant.blogspot.com
K. Morgan                                           http://www.texaspepperjams.blogspot.com
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson                    http://www.sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com
Cheri Reed                                          http://www.creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com
Rochelle Brisson                                 http://www.acreativechelle.blogspot.com
Michelle Buettner                               http://www.misheldesigns.blogspot.com
Sandra McGriff                                  http://www.skyescreativechaos.blogspot.com
Stephanie Weiss                                  http://www.uniquelymebwd.blogspot.com
Shelley Graham Turner                       http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com
Lynda Carson                                     http://www.freshbakeddesigns.blogspot.com
Roxanne Mendoza                              http://www.roxidesigns.blogspot.com
Dagi                                                    http://www.kokopellidesigns.blogspot.com

 


I truly hope you enjoyed seeing all the Anklet Candy today!!