holy cow!

I know I usually post about jewelry or our boys, but today is a bit unusual. I wanted to share with you my recent adventure in cooking. Now, for those of you who know me, I L-O-V-E to cook. I have had a pork roast in the crock pot since 8:00 this morning - smelling quite tasty to say the least. I took it out just moments ago to pull off the fat (disgusting, right?), and because we live in the middle of a farm had planned to pour the fat, grease and bone out into the pasture. Because we have a 90 lb. golden retriever that would not mind in the least digging under the fence to retrieve such a "delectable treat," I knew I needed to get it pretty far over the fence. Well, of course with the weight of the pot and the angle at which I needed to dump it, I dropped it! Now, the farm is cross-fenced for the cows. So, I had to walk about a mile (a slight exaggeration) to retrieve my pot. I had to walk this far because the fences are electric and climbing them is not an option for me when there is electricity involved. Needless to say, I encountered a few of these large creatures along the way (photo compliments of my husband - don't you just love how his tongue is up his nostril!) as well as the nastiness they leave in their wake. For my "city friends"... welcome to my world!!! With the help of my 5-year old, we are finally back in - with a newly cleaned pot - and have the most tender barbeque simmering away in sauce. We'll dig in after soccer practice. Bon Appétit!

Where did the weekend go?

This seems to be a constant state of affairs for me, as I am sure it is for many of you reading this - where did Saturday and Sunday go? My husband was away at a men's retreat this weekend, so the boys and I were flying solo. We tend to eat way too much junk food, and I stay up much too late when he is gone. I was doing some reading and working on some art projects for this week at preschool, so I managed to get a ton of that sort of thing done. We were also treated to a wonderful evening at the home of my friend Amy, whose husband was at the same retreat as Burke. She has three very fun and entertaining children, so the boys had a terrific time. They played outside, had game and art stations set up and prepared the most wonderful meal. We finished the night with a movie before heading home. Amy and I had originally planned to go out to eat and to see a movie, but finding a sitter for five children is not necessarily the easiest task in the world. As it turned out, I think I was far more entertained by the evening at their house!

I also worked on several jewelry projects - orders that came in since the giveaway. I am having so much fun with these projects! I have posted a picture of the necklace I made for my Amanda to give to her sister. Today is her birthday, and I have already heard that she has it and loves it! I think it turned out really neat, and I hope it will give you all an idea of other designs we can create. I really liked this one so much that I plan to make one for myself...again, when I can find the time! This necklace would be perfect for most anyone, but could be a fun gift for someone who is newly married. The nice thing about this piece is its' size. The squares, which I have turned on the angle, are 1/2" in size. They would also make amazing earrings!

I am now off to bake dozens upon dozens of cookies in the shape of a "C." Cortney's wedding is this weekend, and I have offered to bake cookies for favors. Her new last name will also start with a "C", so maybe Cortney needs some new monogrammed earrings! Okay, okay...I'll save that project for another day. I hope this week is terrific for all of you. As always, thanks for checking in.

drumroll please....

Let me start by saying that I am overwhelmed by all of the comments regarding the earring giveaway. You all are amazing! I had so much fun checking my blog from time to time to see who had visited. I heard from old friends, new friends, friends of friends as well as people I've never met. As I said...AMAZING!

Now when I woke up this morning, I was actually a little nervous about selecting a winner. I know that sounds funny, but I really wanted everyone to win. So, I put the weight of the world on my 3-year old. Yes, William selected the winner. So, you cannot hold anything against a 3-year old, right?! We even documented the drawing on camera. The name of everyone who commented was written once on a small piece of paper, then folded and placed in a bowl. How old fashioned it that? I know you can do these random integer selections online, but I chose to do it the old fashioned way. So, I know what you are thinking...who is the winner already?!

In case you can't see it, the winner is GINNI! Yes, my little birdies are flying all the way to Comer, GA. That is too funny. Ginni and I live probably 15 minutes from one another. I mean, these birds could have traveled all the way across the country, and they are going across the county! Ginni is a wonderful person and friend, and I think these earrings will be absolutely perfect for her. Congratulations Ginni!!! As I said before, I really wish everyone could win. So, I have decided that everyone can at least win a little something. So, for everyone who commented, I will take 10% your first piece of jewelry (that includes keychains) between now and December 31, 2008. Start making those Christmas lists now!!! Ladies, this could also be a great time to put a little bug in your husband's ear!

I have already completed my first piece that resulted from this giveaway. I am sending my friend, Amanda, a necklace in the mail today. And yes, she is getting the discount! It is a gift for her sister's birthday. I am hoping it will be a huge hit. I will post pictures of the necklace in the next couple of days in order to give you all other design ideas and options. Some of you asked about pricing when making your comments. Typically each piece is a custom piece, therefore prices will vary. Earrings run between $15 and $20, and necklaces can range from about $35 - $55. Of course, all of the prices depend upon the amount of sterling that goes into it. For example, the necklace I made for my sister will sell for $49. Additional sterling tags will be extra. I would absolutely love to talk with you about designing a special piece of jewelry. I can be contacted at lannaejohnson@windstream.net.

Thanks again for all of the wonderful comments on my blog. I hope you will all continue to check in with me here. I love this giveaway thing so much that I plan to do it on a regular basis. It gets my creative juices flowing and puts me in touch with some wonderful people. Wishing you all a fantastic weekend.

freebird

And no, I'm not talking about the song...I am referring to my very first giveaway! I am just in the door from preschool and could not wait to get started with my post. These earrings are sterling silver 1/2 inch discs on sterling silver earwires. They are hand-stamped using different sized alphabet stamps and are oxidized to give the design its' definition. I think they are great fun! So, here is the deal...in order to win these, simply leave a comment in the comment section of this post. How easy it that? Make sure to include your name and how you found out about me. If you were referred by someone, please include their name as well. (Maybe I can whip up something for them just for passing my name around to others!) A winner will be randomly chosen this Friday, and I will announce the winner at that time. So, please share the good news with others! If this is your first time stopping by, I hope you'll check in with me often. I am always posting new things, and will definitely have at least one more giveaway before the holidays. I am actually working on something pretty cool right now. Good luck!

hello Monday

Today marks the start of a new school week for us. Walker, as much as he LOVES school, asked again when his first vacation was going to be! Sometimes our weekends seem as busy - or busier - as our weekdays that everything runs together. We should make a conscious effort to stop and take a breath from time to time (hence the picture of my little crossing guard.) By the way, is that bicycle not the cutest! I am a huge fan of these bikes. Walker learned to ride a bike in about 10 days with this type of bicycle. They are called balance bikes, and the child focuses on the hardest part of the process - the balancing - first. There are no pedals, and they will never need training wheels. Walker went from riding nothing to riding a big bicycle in a week and a half - completely amazing. That Santa Claus is one crafty fellow!

I worked on several projects this weekend - pieces that have been on my mind for a while. I finally sat down and stamped out my sister's necklace for her. Since she will see this post before she sees her necklace in person, " I hope you like this, Betsy!" I'll drop it in the mail to you this week. This piece is great for a mom who wants to proudly display her children's names around her neck. The names are hand-stamped on sterling silver tags and hang from a larger closed jump ring. A double freshwater pearl dangle is included. You could choose from a 16 or 18" necklace. I just love this one, and it would make a fantastic Christmas gift!

Now, my other project is one I mentioned last week. I am going to have my very first blog give-away. I am so excited about this!!! I am going to keep you in suspense (because I know you are all on the edge of your seats) until tomorrow when I post the picture. The only thing you will have to do is leave a comment on my blog. That is easy enough, right? Then, I will randomly choose a winner from those comments. I love to give things away, but I am most excited about seeing who will comment. So, be sure and check me out tomorrow and tell all of your friends! For now, I hope this Monday will be the start of a great week and that we will all take a little time to stop...and catch our breath.

blessings

If you read my post yesterday, you will remember that I mentioned making myself a bracelet. I talked about counting my blessings, and I just wanted you to see a picture of those little blessings! My husband took these photos while we were at the beach this summer. He is so talented in the photography department, and one day (when I find a huge chunk of time - anyone know where I can find that?) I plan to start his photography blog. He is taking our preschool pictures this year, so we should have tons of fun with all of those little guys and gals! The picture of the boys together and being sweet to one another is so rare. With only two years separating them, they are acting like typical brothers most of the time..."he hit me" - "he started it!" I guess that is what brothers are for. Plus, if you look closely, they are completely FILTHY!!! I dressed them in khaki shorts and crisp linen shirts when we started the day, and have you ever seen such wrinkled clothing or filthy feet? I love them, dirt and all!

As I look into my "crystal ball", I am seeing next week as having my very first give-away. I have not designed a piece as of yet, but I am feeling inspired. So, you must, must, must check back! We are heading to the soccer field tonight for our second game. So, GO HAWKS! Enjoy your day.

Happy Monday

I hope this Monday is finding everyone well. Our family had a great weekend. One of my favorite activities was our son's very first soccer game. My parents drove over for the game and some friends joined us as well. So, Walker had quite a cheering section. He loved it! Now, my husband and I got far more involved than we ever thought we would...involved meaning vocal. Not vocal in the ugly, you see it on t.v., bad-dad way, but in the supportive of the whole team, excited way. I was exhausted by the time the game was over! Once our little team realized which goal was theirs, they really stepped it up. Now that we experienced our learning curve, we should be looking great for game #2 this week.

My husband and I also had a date night. He took me out for a very nice birthday dinner. Every time we do this, we always say we should do it more often. Does anyone have any advice as to how to stick to this plan?! We could sure use it, because we really do not go out, just the two of us, often enough.

As I promised several posts ago, I was working on a bracelet for the mother of a friend of mine. Her birthday was the day after mine, so I wanted to wait and post it this week in the event she stumbled across it on my blog. This bracelet is so fantastic because she has so many grandchildren. I have a feeling her children are not done in the baby department, so I can see us making additions before too terribly long. After showing this bracelet off to some friends, it has turned into me making at least four more that will be used for Christmas gifts. I am planning to make a bracelet for myself (if I can ever get around to it!) While I have only two children to brag about, I envision adding another charm with the word blessed on it. That way, I'll be able to count my blessings on my bracelet!

Enjoy your Monday.

it's raining...frogs!

What a foreign experience it was for me to wake up to a thunderstorm last night. It has been so long since it has "really" rained here. It made it nearly impossible to get out of the bed this morning to get everyone (including me) ready for school. Even at 2:00 p.m., I still find myself ready to curl back up under my covers! Needless to say, the raincoats were not exactly handy by the back door; however, we found them and tried to ride through the biggest puddles on the way to school in order to make it seem a little easier to be out and about so early on such a grey day.

After dropping Walker off at the elementary school, William was on the cell phone talking to his father. While listening to their conversation, I caught a glimpse of myself in the rearview mirror. I noticed that, while I had already been up for an hour and a half, I still had this sheet/pillow mark across my face. Now, if I were turning 26 tomorrow rather than 36, that mark would have long been gone! I told William to tell his father that I would like to have Botox for my birthday...he angrily yelled back at me, "No mommy, I want tacos!" I guess I won't have any "lift" waiting for me when I wake up in the morning, but you can just bet what I'll be having for my birthday dinner!

On a brighter note...I have a cute necklace to post. This piece is for the mother of a little girl who was born last week. She does not know about me and my jewelry, but her mother-in-law does. So, we agreed it was probably safe to post the picture even though the necklace is to be part of her Christmas gift. A 1.25" sterling silver washer is handstamped with sugar.spice.everything nice. Inside hangs a 5/8" disc with the little girl's name on it. A handmade freshwater pearl/sterling silver bead charm hangs from the top. This piece it too fun for a new mom!

Now, I must explain the title of my post today. Yes, it is raining, but I had already told you that. When I was getting the preschool students into the church this morning, I felt/heard a thump on the top of my head. I had visions of one of the kids getting a kick out of throwing a piece of plastic food at my head. Well, I leaned over and shook my head. Onto the ground fell a frog! I should have know it was going to be a strange day!

from this day forward

We have friends from church getting married in October. While I always like to buy something I think the couple could use in their new home, it is really hard for me not to do something special just for the bride. Of course, you knew I would do jewelry! This is something I designed for Cortney for her bridal shower last Sunday. I hope this necklace will be something she will enjoy for years to come. This piece is a one inch hand stamped sterling disc with a hammered sterling heart charm and can be personalized especially for you or would make a wonderful and memorable gift for a sister, daughter or friend. A 16" or 18" chain is included. The necklace will be priced at $40. What a nice way to remember an anniversary!

Enjoy your afternoon.

A busy, but GREAT, weekend!

Happy Monday to everyone! Our family had a really great weekend, and I hope yours did as well. As I mentioned in an earlier post, we took our boys to see their first UGA football game. We began with the annual South Campus Tailgate, which was great fun. It was presented by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the College of Family & Consumer Sciences. The boys enjoyed great food, great friends, and even had the opportunity to hold baby chickens and "not-so-baby" snakes (yikes!) I believe that even hissing cockroaches were involved! This is definitely my husband's department, as I chose to take this time to visit with old friends. We then made our way to Sanford Stadium to watch the bulldogs win BIG! Our boys are 5 and 3, so we really did not anticipate making it through the entire game. Quite honestly, we thought our youngest would be asleep before the game began! In reality, he was the last to be ready to go and mentioned that he'd like to take the cheerleaders to his car...too funny!

Saturday was Georgia 4-H Day at the game. My longtime friend, Mandy, works for the state 4-H office and made everything possible for us. To thank her for our special day, I designed and made this keychain for her. Thanks so much, Mandy!

Now, as I also mentioned, we made our way to Greenville, SC on Sunday to meet our new niece/cousin. I could not make this Monday post without including a picture of her! Let me introduce Elizabeth Colley Gold to all of you...

Isn't she precious?! We had a great visit. With our two boys and a 4-year old nephew, there was not much quiet time; however, she seemed to be like this most of the visit. I guess she can sleep through most anything!


Hope everyone has a wonderful day, and a fantastic week ahead!

Thursday...the new Friday

I must admit that preschool is wearing me out! Thankfully, we are there only three days a week. So, Thursday has become my new Friday. I am home now waiting to pick my oldest up from Kindergarten, and I feel as if I have a new lease on life! Little man number 2 is obviously worn out as well because he fell asleep in the car on the way home and is still down for the count. I am looking forward to a day at home tomorrow simply to regroup. I guess we all need those types of days. We have a busy weekend ahead; however, it is filled with many fun things. On Saturday, we are taking our boys to their first UGA football game. They are so excited! Then on Sunday, we are finally getting to meet our new niece/cousin. Of course all of this will not happen until we have another soccer practice tomorrow evening. Soccer is the Johnson family's newest adventure. Walker is on a team, and he takes it very seriously...of course, nothing is more serious than his cleats! His father loathes the fact that they are not the traditional black and white. Walker insisted, however, on silver cleats with touches of red and black. He can hardly concentrate on the ball for checking out his cleats. I guess I am now a soccer mom!

Hope there is some regrouping time set aside for all of us in the next few days!

A niece...finally!

Well, as of this morning I finally have a niece! As I mentioned before, she was due last Friday; however, she had us in suspense for five more days. She has a name - Elizabeth Colley Gold - yet my sister and brother-in-law are not decided on what they will call her. So as it stands, I am still unable to complete my sister's necklace! I promise I will post a picture when the necklace is finished.

I do, however, have another necklace I can show you. This sweet heart was made for a "sweetheart" who is a friend of my two little boys. It was her fourth birthday, and I thought she needed jewelry. All the while, my five year old had no idea why we wouldn't just go out and buy her a toy. Because I have two little guys in my life who don't understand the need for jewelry, every female we know will probably be inundated with jewelry for quite a while!

This week our focus is settling into preschool. This is William's first year, and I am the art teacher. It is only three days a week and three hours a day; however, by the time I get home I can hardly function. I am sooooo tired! I am hoping my body will adjust to the level of energy required for that many kids with paint brushes and scissors in hand! They are precious, though, and we are having a great time.

Hoping your week is a good one. Check in with me soon!