$10 Submissions for 2010

Before we get to the submissions...

If you haven't taken a look at the treasury my fingerless gloves were featured in, then click here.

Now onto the Submissions:

Since it's New Year's Eve (which I kind of forgot about until I watched the news today...I thought it was still a couple days away), I thought that we should celebrate the number 10 (I mean, we'll be writing it on all of our checks for the next 365 days...do people even write checks anymore, or am I the only one?)

So if you have any items in your shop that sell for $10, please post the link in the comments, and check back tomorrow for the "Friday's $10 for 2010 Favorites!"

Blog Break

But don't fret, I'll be back tomorrow...

In the mean time, check out this treasury that I was featured in:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=102981

And tune in tomorrow to submit for the Friday's Favorites!

New Year's Eve

It's coming up pretty fast, and the boyfriend and I don't have plans yet, which I'm actually cool with.

As an entertainer, most of us really want that New Year's gig, because it's always big money when you get one. As for me, if I get one, great! If not, then I don't have to battle the Las Vegas Strip. They close off the entire strip every year, which divides East and West Las Vegas, and it never fails that if I do get a gig, it's always on the other side of where I need to be afterward.

So our plans are, in my mind anyway, that we'll relax on the couch with champagne (the boyfriend doesn't like champagne, but I love it, and he can always drink something else), with the doggie wedged in between us.

In other news:

A friend of mine just posted this picture on Facebook. I must have been about 18 at the time, and we were all dancers in the opera: "La Traviatta". I'm the one on the left.

Book Review --Our Hearts were Young and Gay--

*****Announcement*****

So far there has been one sale from the Friday's Favorites! Congratulations TwilightVisions!!!

In Book News:

I found Our Hearts were Young and Gay by Cornelia Otis Skinner in the discount bin at Barnes and Noble. It looked interesting, so I picked it up.

Many people have loved this book, but for me I just found it OK. There were definitely a few episodes that made me chuckle, but many more that made me want to hit my head against a wall. Maybe I'm just too jaded to enjoy the story of innocent young girls and their first trip abroad.

I must say, though, that the writing and the descriptions were excellent, and I could definitely "see" everything clearly as if I were sitting in the room. So if you like travelogues with mishaps galore, then maybe this book is more for you than for me.

Synopsis

Our Hearts Were Young and Gay is a lighthearted joint autobiography of actress Cornelia Otis Skinner and humorist Emily Kimbrough. Two innocent but fun-loving young girls at loose in the Roaring 20s. The story concerns the girls' first trip abroad to London and Paris, and the various misadventures encountered therein. The more amusing moments involve a pair of rabbit-skin capes that begin shedding at the most inopportune moments, and a lengthy episode in which the girls are stranded atop Notre Dame Cathedral at midnight. And of course there's romance, in the form of handsome young doctor Tom Newhall and college "Lothario" Avery Moore.

Sunday Funday Video

Now that we have finished with Christmas, the season of goodwill towards man, ....now lets laugh at man and the pranks that are done to him.

Enjoy...

Happy Boxing Day

I am so exhausted! After working late on Christmas Eve, and then working on Christmas Day, and then a party afterward, all I want to do is sleep. It is not to be. Today will be the last day of our Christmas Shows at the Venetian, tomorrow is back to the regular ones (do I even remember them?), and no sleep until Monday.

I'm halfway finished with a custom order Bag Lady, since the one in my shop sold, and someone else wants one. I'm hoping to get it mostly done today, because I still have a Christmas present to make...I know, "procrastination, party of one".

The house is also a disaster area...if I can just get the kitchen in some sort of working order before work, I'll be happy....I have to make room for my brand new George Foreman Grill!

I Heart Friday's Favorites

The boyfriend's friend has two little girls who are at the age where they question Santa's existence, but still really want to believe. They are also the age where they're finally allowed to go to Midnight Mass. They decided that they were going to "catch Santa in the act", so before they left, they set up a camera to tape while they were gone.

After they left, my boyfriend showed up in a Santa suit, with all their presents to set under the tree. He made sure not to show too much on the camera, but merely glimpses now and again, and when he went for the milk and cookies, "saw" the camera and hastily shut it off.

The friend said that upon watching the tape, the squealed, screamed, jumped up and down, and were utterly proud of themselves for their ingenuity.

It will be a Christmas that they will always remember.

Now onto the favorites

For this week, it's all about spreading the love, and so these are some items that are the most hearted for each seller's shop.

After opening your presents, maybe there's something missing that you really wanted, well now's your chance to Christmas Shop for yourself!

I Heart Submissions

I just got my 400th follower! Yaaaaaaaaaay!

In other news:

The boyfriend and I are weak. We couldn't wait any longer to open presents, besides the fact that I got a gig tonight, and I'm working half a day tomorrow, we talked ourselves into it.

We did at least wait until after midnight, so it was technically the 24th.

...and I do have to admit, it's a lot more fun to open presents when you feel like you're doing something naughty.

There will still be stuff to do on Christmas. I don't have to be at work until 2:45, and in my family, it's tradition to do an eggs benidict brunch so there will be that. And after work, a Christmas party.

Submissions


I always think of this season as one of love (no matter what you're beliefs), so I'm going to take that quite literally. This week I want to see your most hearted item. Post the link to your item in the comments and check back tomorrow for the "I heart Friday's Favorites". Last week we had one sale!

My most hearted item is this Rainbow Entrelac Scarflette with 51 hearts. What's your's?

Blog Break

Tune in tomorrow for the "Friday's Favorites" submission theme.

New Socks...Finally!

First of all, it's still not too late to make use of overnight shipping! If there's something in my shop that you want by Christmas, send me a convo...only $15 to mail overnight!

Now onto the socks:


I've been so busy making custom orders, that I haven't had time to add anything to the shop for a while...especially socks. Last year everyone seemed to buy scarves, so I really stocked that section up for Christmas, and then only sold one. This year is all about socks it seems. I can hardly keep more than a couple in the shop at a time.

I just listed these Red and Silver House Socks, which I'm quite proud of. Of course they have free shipping anywhere in the US and Canada, but I can change the listing for overnight shipping if someone needs them by Christmas ($15 more)...just send me a convo.

You can click on the picture for a better view.

Now off to knit a custom beanie.

An Early Christmas Surprise!

Before we get to the surprise, today is Monday the 21st, and if you still have some last minute shopping, it's not too late. If you live in the US and need something in my shop right away, not to worry. For $15 extra, I will overnight it to you! Just send me a convo and I'll change the listing for you. I'm off all day, so as long as I receive the order before 3pm West Coast Time, I'll be able to get to the post office and get it out to you today.




Now onto the Surprise

On Saturday, I was leaving for work when I noticed I had a flat tire. Now I know how to change a tire, but I'm slow and I didn't want to be late for work. So I called the boyfriend to help me change it.

I got all of the stuff out of the car and he informed me that unfortunately my spare was flat too. Funny, when I pulled it out of the car it didn't seem flat...well, gallant knight that he is, he offered to drive me to work in his car and take care of it for me...how sweet.

When he came to pick me up, he was in my car...only better! It was like being on "Pimp my Ride" or on "Overhaulin'". I had been begging him to airbrush my car...just a little...to make it more than just a boring Toyota Echo. He put a small Betty Boop Decal on the hood, added some small pink flames and a pink pin stripe, got me Betty Boop seat covers, Betty Boop floor mats, and little LED's in the storage compartments....Plus 4 new tires (which were desperately needed) and new hub caps!

Turns out, I never had a flat tire. He let the air out of one of them in order to steal my car for the day. I, in fact, was making it difficult by actually trying to change the tire...yeah, the spare was never flat either. He thought upon discovering the flat I would just ask him for a ride...

What an awesome Christmas present.

Sorry, I haven't taken any pictures of it yet...I'll try to get that done soon.

Sunday Funday Video of the Week!

Have you ever heard the 12 day's of Christmas song so many times that you feel like interrupting with your own input on the situation?

Well, that's just what these sock puppets did...enjoy!



Tune in tomorrow and I'll tell you all about my most awesome Christmas surprise!

Book Review --The Last Day's of Dogtown--

First off, this week's Friday's Favorites has so far netted one sale! Congratulations WowWall!

Now onto the book...


I finished reading The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamante and I really enjoyed it. It took me a few chapters to get into it, and for a short time, I didn't know if I could get through it...but then all of a sudden I fell in love with the characters and really wanted to know what happened to them.

This is the second book I've read by her, the first one being "The Red Tent" which was awesome, but like "Dogtown" it took me a bit to get into it.

If you are a fan of books with interesting and diverse characters, or if you are a fan of books about small towns and settlements, I would definitely recomend this book to you.

Synopsis

Dogtown is the derisive name for a once-promising settlement, which by 1814 has been reduced to "a collection of broken huts and hovels inhabited mostly by spinsters and widows without children, and few with so much as an extra spoon in her cupboards." Legends about the place flourish in every barroom in the neighboring towns: It's said that only witches and whores remain there, and that "they dally with their dogs." Diamant's casually episodic plot aims to reveal the real folk behind the Dogtown legends. She tracks the community's disintegration through interlocking vignettes that are punctuated by a series of funerals, while gradually exposing the secret loves and hatreds that bind these stragglers together.

Among those vignettes is the tale of Tammy Younger, a foul-mouthed skinflint universally loathed because of her taste for blackmail and her appalling mistreatment of her orphaned great-nephew. To counter the whispers of witchery that surround this figure, Diamant underscores her frailties. In one scene, Tammy nearly bleeds to death after an unsympathetic acquaintance performs some barbaric dentistry with a wedge and a mallet. Some years later, she's found face-down in a bowl of decomposing stew.

Another tragicomic scene features the drunkard and pimp John Stanwood, who is compelled to mend his ways after he spies what looks like an angel in a tree. Sober, Stanwood proves to be twice as tedious as when he was drunk, and the town sighs with relief when he abandons his religious calling.

Stanwood's partner in prostitution is Mrs. Stanley, an aging ex-beauty who presides imperiously over two miserable trollops. What makes this ménage worse than "the saddest excuse for a whorehouse" its customers have ever seen is the tenancy of Mrs. Stanley's 11-year-old grandson, who's forced to work as their house servant.

The settlement's former slaves fare even worse. Cornelius Finson's mother survived the middle passage but died of fever when he was 10. When he was 18, his masters sold their farm and set him free, but "he had no idea what to do with himself or where to go." For 20 years, he takes shelter in one half-wrecked Dogtown house after another, finding work where he can. Black Ruth dresses in men's clothing and works as a stonemason, living "day to day, without thoughts of the future or of her past." Ruth and Cornelius nod to each other on the road, but they never speak. "What would they say to each other after so many years?" Cornelius wonders.

Friday's Favorites --White Etsy--

Still no snow here...well, it's like 50 degrees right now, so even if it were in the forcast, we'd still have a long way to go.

Instead, let's look at some pretty white things...at least it's the color of snow.

I don't know if you can get any of these by Christmas, but you can always convo the seller and ask. It never hurts to ask...

Go ahead and clickity click....see anything you like?

Submissions: I'm dreaming of a white etsy...

Last week's favorites netted one sale! Congratulations gilstrapdesigns!!!!

I always dream of a white Christmas, especially after I moved away from Hawaii. Unfortunately, it rarely snows in Las Vegas. It's not that it doesn't get cold enough, it's just that it's a desert, so it's waaaaaay too dry. Last year we had some, maybe a millimeter or two...my boyfriend made a snowman and sent me a picture of it on my phone while I was at work. I was so amazed...well, until I got home and realized it was only 5 inches tall...pictures can be deceiving.

So this week I'm looking for all of your white items for tomorrow's Friday's Favorites!

If you have white in your shop, post the link to the items in the comments and check back tomorrow for the Friday's Favorites!

In other totally off topic news:

My dad sent this to me and it gave me a chuckle.

Blog Break

I need another break...but tune in tomorrow to find out what submissions I'm looking for to feature in the Friday's Favorites!

Christmas Party!

Last night, my friend Penny (who is Amazing Johnathan's main assistant), had her annual Christmas party. It's tradition for me to go, and I've been going there for the past 7 or 8 years...maybe longer...

It's often held on a weeknight, since that's when the show is dark, and since most of the people are entertainers, they either have the day off the next day, or don't have a show until the next evening, so people can stay up late.

It was great catching up with old friends and making new ones. One lady who was there, was the person who got me my first gig as a magician. I rarely see her anymore since she spends much of her time in England now.

Just as I was leaving, Carrot Top (AKA Scott) showed up, and I was able to introduce him to my boyfriend. He's such a nice guy, and very quiet and unlike his on stage persona.

We did a grab bag, and a white elephant, exchanged gifts, and ate a lot. Penny is one of those people that gets really angry if you don't show up hungry. She even made corn pudding just for me, since she knows that that's my favorite thing she makes.

I'm more of a home-body, but I do love a party once in a while...we have one more to go to on Christmas night, and then I think we'll be good for the year...well, until New Year's Eve, that is.

Book Review --Odd Thomas--

I must say, I was kind of reluctant to pick up Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz, but my friend recommended it to me, so I obediently put it on my "to read" shelf.

I was pleasantly surprised! It was really good, and really well written. I used to read a lot of Koontz, but after a while I became kind of bored with him...that is, until this. It doesn't read like his other books, and the layers of the story build really nicely, and then just when you think it's winding down and going into epilogue mode, BAM...there's another surprise.

Even if you haven't liked his books in the past, I would definitely recommend this one.

Synopsis

Odd Thomas, who narrates, is odd indeed: only 20, he works contentedly as a fry cook in a small fictional California town, despite a talent for writing. The reason for his lack of ambition? A much rarer talent: Odd sees and converses with ghosts, the lingering dead who have yet to pass on, a secret he has kept from nearly everyone but his girlfriend, an eccentric author friend and the local police chief, whom he occasionally helps solve terrible crimes. Odd also has the ability to see bodachs, malevolent spirits that feast on pain and whose presence signifies a likelihood of imminent violence. The proximity of bodachs to a weird-looking stranger in town, whom Odd dubs "Fungus Man," alerts Odd that trouble is brewing; breaking into Fungus Man's house, Odd discovers not only hundreds of bodachs but a shrine to serial killers that helps him deduce that somehow Fungus Man will wreak widespread havoc very soon-so Odd is caught in a classic race against time to deter catastrophe. As with Koontz's best novels, this one features electrifying tension and suspense, plus a few walloping surprises. But Koontz fans know that the author has recently added humor to his arsenal of effects, and this thriller also stands out for its brilliant tightrope walk between the amusing and the macabre; one of the dead with whom Odd interacts frequently, for instance, is Elvis, still pining for his long-dead mother, Gladys. Above all, the story, like most great stories, runs on character-and here Koontz has created a hero whose honest, humble voice will resonate with many. In some recent books, Koontz has tended to overwrite, but not here: the narrative is as simple and clear as a newborn's gaze.

Sunday Funday Video --Mambo--

Most of the time when I see a video of a dog dancing with their human, it's pretty much the same types of tricks, but when I saw this one I was totally blown away...

I hope this video livens up your Sunday!



Have you been missing your Sunday Funday videos of the week? Click here to catch up!

Bus art...how cool!

I found these online...because really, procrastination is the best form of entertainment. Cool bus art...enjoy!

Friday's Favorites for the Home!

This week's favorites are all about the home. It says so much about ourselves (for example, my home says that my boyfriend and I are messy people), and with the holidays come guests!

Maybe you'll see something here that says something about you that you just have to have in your home...or maybe, you'll see something here that says something about someone close to you, and you'll just have to get it for them.

Go ahead...take a look-see:

Submissions --Home Decor--

As we get closer and closer to the holidays, we start to have people come over to our homes, and as we know, our home shows others a little bit more about ourselves.

So this week, I'm looking for items for the home. Not just Christmas decorations, but ANYTHING you have that would look good in someone's house.

If you have something like that in your shop, post the link in the comments...(buyers, feel free to look and click away)...and then tune in tomorrow for the "Friday's Favorites".

If you didn't see last week's favorites, Click here and see them, because as of tomorrow, they'll be replaced by the new ones.

Blog Break

Blog break today...I've got some knitting to do.

Who wants a scrunchie?

Yes, it's Tuesday, and I thought I'd throw another sale out there...get the most for your Christmas buck, so to speak.

This time, it's free stuff! Buy anything from my shop (www.AllThingsTangled.etsy.com), and receive a free Beaded Scrunchie...that's a $4 value!

You can click on the picture for a better view.

Simply type "SCRUNCHIE" in the note to seller...it's that easy!

In other news:

I have a gig tonight peforming walk around magic at a party. It's a 3 hour gig (most of the time I do 2), so I really hope the people are nice and fun to hang out with. Three hours can go by in a second, or it can seem like an eternity, depending on the party.

Book Review --Lost in a good book--

I've just finished reading the second book of a series in the Thursday Next Novels. This one is Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde. The first one was "The Eyre Affair".

I am so in love with Jasper Fforde. His writing is so witty, and the situations his characters get placed in is so comical. Though it helps to have read the first book, it's not entirely neccesary to enjoy the second. The more classics you've read or have at least heard of, the funnier the book is. In this one, Thursday (a name, not a day) interacts with people from "Great Expectations" and "The Trial" just to name a few.

He writes books for people who like to read books, and if that is you, I highly recomend it.

Synopsis

In an alternate 1980s England, woolly mammoths migrate through the countryside, Tunbridge Wells has been given to Imperial Russia as Crimean War reparation, and the prevailing culture is based on literature. Due to her adventures in The Eyre Affair (Viking, 2002), newly married Thursday Next has become a media darling, but when an unknown work by Shakespeare surfaces, she is happy to be back to work. However, the megacorporation Goliath hasn't finished bedeviling her: Thursday's husband has been "time-slipped" and exists only in her memory. Further complicating matters, her Uncle Mycroft gives her an entroposcope-a jar of lentils and rice-revealing that the chaos in her life is rapidly escalating. So once again, Thursday jumps into a surreal literary world. This time, she has joined the "Jurisfiction" division and is paired with Charles Dickens's Miss Havesham, who has a penchant for leather jackets and driving recklessly. Absurd and amusing scenes take readers through discussions on theoretical physics, geometry, literature, art, and philosophy. Fforde not only tilts at ideological and insipid corporate windmills and human foibles, but can also make the naming of minor characters hilarious, as in the two unfortunate members of the dangerous SO-5 division, Phodder and Kannon. Reading this novel is like being at a fabulous party of phenomenally funny and wickedly profound guests. Teens will delight in the satire and wit.

In other news

Bess was featured in yet another treasury! If you have a moment, give a click and check it out!

Sunday Funday Video --Library Torture--

Before the video, just a little shameless plug. My doggie sweater was featured in an all animal treasury. Even if you have no need for animal things...Give a click...besides mine, the pirate doggie is really worth seeing!

Onto the Video

I walked into my manager's office the other day, and found all the bosses around the computer laughing hysterically at this video.

Here's the premise. It's a Japanese game show, where they are in a library and can't make a sound. They all draw cards, and the loser has to endure some sort of torture SILENTLY! At first it's shocking, but after a while, it gets funnier and funnier.

For those that don't like to laugh at other's pain, you might want to skip this one...but keep in mind, they're all doing it voluntarily.

Christmas Shows

I must say that this year I'm just loving the Christmas Shows we're doing at the Venetian. I don't have to do the living marionette act for an entire month...instead, I do a magic pre-show, and in some of the shows I get to do a magical interlude between numbers.

Usually, I'm changing costumes back and forth, all day, from marionette, to magic and back again...Now I have longer breaks since I don't have to change, which means more time for knitting!

I'm almost finished with a custom order set (hat, mittens and scarf), and next I'm starting on a Christmas present for the boyfriends sister which he asked me to make. I really like her, and she's a cool girl, so it is no trouble at all.

In other news:

Tonight is the night when all the boats in the marina, parade around and show off their Christmas decorations. We're heading down tonight after work. It's going to be a cold one though.

Even though people don't think of the desert as cold, right now the thermometer outside my window says 41 degrees. It should be a bit colder tonight. My friend in Maine said it was 56 degrees yesterday...imagine that...Las Vegas is colder than Maine!

Friday's Favorites --Red AND Green--

There were so many wonderful red submissions, and so many lovely green submissions, but I really wanted to go for both in this collection.

Red and green yourself into the holidays with these wonderful items. Everything from cards to candles, something for the young and old. Treat yourself to something for Christmas...or if you're in a giving mood, maybe something for somebody else too!

Submissions and Treasuries...oh my!

First of all, my sweat doggie, Bess, was featured in a treasury wearing her cute green dog sweater!

Please click here and see it! It's a lovely collection!

Now onto the submissions

Every Friday I put together an etsy mini of some of my favorite items made by other sellers. I go for a different category every week.

This week, I'm looking for RED AND GREEN.

My red and green item is the doily seen here. You can click on it for a better view.

If you have any red and green items, post the link to them in the comments, then tune in tomorrow for the "Friday's Favorites"!

Blog Break

Taking a break today, but tune in tomorrow to see what submissions I'm looking for to feature in the "Friday's Favorites"!

Performer vs. Agent

Usually, as a magician, I'm on the performing end of things, never the booking end of things.

Well, on Sunday, I got a call from an agent in LA who forgot to book a gig in Vegas for THE NEXT DAY! She said the gig was mine if I wanted it and gave me the client's info and everything.

It was kind of stressful, getting the entertainment that the client wanted for the price that she wanted. And knowing a lot of performers, I had to balance who was best and who was most trustworthy. She changed her mind quite a bit, and gig that was originally going to have 4 performers, ended up getting cut to two and she ended up going with some impersonators.

The Elvis she went with was definitely not as good as the one I had tried to book, but you could tell he was definitely cheaper... The Shenaya Twain (is that how you spell it?), was wonderful, though and I'll have to remember her if I ever have to book another party.

There were so many phone conversations back and forth...I think it's the most I've ever used my phone as an actual phone.

And though it was fun playing agent, I think I like just being a performer and having no resposibility other than myself.

In other news:

Just because Cyber Monday had come and gone, doesn't mean the shopping is over!

Cyber Monday Sale!

First off, my boyfriend fixed my computer, so now it types again...what a relief not to have to buy a new one.

Now onto the sale!!!!

15% off everything in the store!

Simply make a purchase and you will receive a 15% rebate via paypal! Plus, as always, free shipping anywhere in the US and Canada!

How great is that? Simply type "15PERCENT" in the note to seller to get your rebate.

There's much more than this, but here's a little taste to get you started:

Ugh! And Sunday Funday

My computer won't type...I mean, of course it won't type by itself, but it won't type when I push on the keys. I'm on my boyfriend's computer right now and it's soooo tiny, I can barely type.

Sunday Funday Video of the Week

An oldie but a goodie....Bohemian Rhapsody as done by the muppets. When muppets are involved, you really can't go wrong.

Funny Christmas Presents

I found this site that has some pretty funny presents. If you're into the gag gift, or if you just want a chuckle, check these out!

Yule Doos Christmas Ornament


Quit scanning the shelves of the Hallmark store for that perfect ornament...because here it is!

The Yule Doos Christmas Ornament can turn a crappy holiday into an even crappier one. This magnificent piece of poo is sprinkled with glitter and comes ready to hang with a red & green satin ribbon.

Fear not, the Yule Doos ornament is unscented. Measures approximately 3" high and 3" in diameter



Twelve Shots of Christmas


The Twelve Days of Christmas would have been so much better if only they were accompanied by some hardcore drinking.

With the invention of the The Twelve Shots of Christmas Shot Glass Wreath you and your friends can find the holiday spirit while enjoying some "holiday spirits".



Tube Sock Christmas Stockings



The "No frills" approach to Christmas Stockings.

Put those red velvet boring stockings back in the attic and get yourself a few Tube Sock Christmas Stockings.

Finally the tube sock will be a appreciated gift especially stuffed with holiday gifts!





Inflatable Turkey


This Inflatable Turkey looks so delicious you can almost smell the stuffing. But keep the carving knives away, because this bird is strictly for show!

Each 16" long, vinyl turkey is perfect for staging your Thanksgiving table while the real turkey is roasting, or a replacement beach ball to bat around on a sunny day.

The Inflatable Turkey comes deflated in a 4-1/4" x 2-3/4" x 2-7/8" illustrated SPAM-like tin.

The most wonderful Thanksgiving

Well, if you'd read the previous post, you would know that I had know idea what my boyfriend had planned for Thanksgiving.

He did beautifully!

First of all, I need to impress upon you that the only time I've seen him in the kitchen, he was having trouble making boxed Mac-n-Cheese...so I didn't really know what to expect.

He'd gotten recipes from some of the folks he works with at Circus Circus, and spent days finding all the ingredients. (he can find anything in the snack aisle, but this was actual grocery shopping).

He made a beautiful ham with a root beer glaze, that was quite yummy hot, but even better late at night when we made sandwiches with it. He also made this dish of ground beef, peas and carrots, cooked in a pumpkin with a hard cider sauce. (This was my favorite, not only for the uniqueness, but also because it tasted so good I had seconds and thirds).

There were also veggies, rolls, salad and wine, though I must say, neither of us touched the salad because the other stuff was so tasty that we completely forgot it was there.

Afterward, he brought out a Christmas tree and ornaments that he'd bought. I haven't had a tree since I lived at home with mom 13 YEARS AGO! It's not that I didn't want one, but I would always be too busy and either alone (who wants one when they're alone, or with someone that was not too keen on helping).

We set it up by the fire, and included an electric train at the bottom that we'd found at a thrift store earlier this year. Never before have I felt like I was living in a Norman Rockwell painting until last night.

In Other News

Christmas shopping begins today! Remember that everything in my shop has FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the US and Canada! Also very cheap shipping to anywhere else in the world!

To work, or To sleep...That is the question.

Sorry, I didn't get anything posted yesterday. Between the Venetian, Johnathan's show and my mom being in town, I was so exhausted that my body gave out and I snoozed in front of the TV all day until I had to go to do the show.

I tend to do that a lot...go, go, go, go, go, and then crash.

I'm hoping today to work on part two of a custom order. I'm making a hat, scarf, and mitten set. The mittens are done, next is the hat...I'm saving the scarf for last because that is the easiest.

In Thanksgiving News:



I still don't know what I'm doing for Thanksgiving. Yes, I know it's a bit late. For a while I thought I had to work tonight, so the boyfriend went out and bought stuff, put it in the refrigerator drawers, taped them shut with a big sign that said, "NO!!"

He said that since he thought I was working, he was creating something special for me for when I got home. I can't wait to see what he's got planned, and I think it's so wonderful that he's done something special for just the two of us.

...hmmmm, come to think of it, maybe I should put one of the fire extinguishers in the kitchen just in case...hee hee.

I hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving!

Great food...Grand rebate!

Last night, the mom, step dad, boyfriend, and I ate at a wonderful restaurant at the Paris Hotel called Mon Ami Gabi. We sat outside on the terrace, which was surprisingly warm because of the heaters around. It overlooked the strip and the Belagio fountains, so every 15 minutes we were treated to a fantastic water show...and better yet, throughout the whole dinner, we didn't see the same show twice!

Now many times when you go to restaurants for the view, the food is simply ok. Not here. I had braised pork tenderloin with a cherry sauce and the best part....wait for it....DATE GLAZED BACON! Now to me, bacon is the best food ever thought up by anyone, and dates are one of my favorite fruits...putting those together...YUMMMY!

Dessert was a chocolate mousse which was amazing, but slightly disappointing for the fact that I was so full that I couldn't eat more of it.

If you're ever in Vegas and want to spend a little money on a great restaurant, look no further....BTW: I don't work for Paris or its restaurants, so all this praise is genuine.

Pre-Black Friday Sale


Buy this Doggie Sweater and receive a $5 rebate via paypal. It's made of superwash wool (the other doggie sweaters are acrylic), which makes it a tad more than the others...but with the rebate it's THE SAME PRICE!

Simply type "5DOLLARS" in the notes to seller, and you should see your rebate in your paypal account by the end of the day (west coast time, that is)

Enjoy!

Blog Break

Mom's coming into town...

Tune in tomorrow for your regularly scheduled blog.

Sunday Funday Video and more!

Before we go to the video, I just have to say that I have the most wonderful boyfriend. I worked 12 hours yesterday: 8 hours performing at the Venetian, then 3 hours at Amazing Johnathan. When I came home, the entire living room was cleaned, rearranged for the better, and a beautiful fire was going in the fireplace.

Some women want jewelry, some women want romantic moments, but walking into a clean house that was previously a disaster area is one of the most priceless things to me ever!

Now onto the video

Since Thanksgiving is almost upon us, I found this ad with Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal that I hadn't seen before.

I hope you guys find it funny too!

Amazing Johnathan

First of all, Friday's Favorites went well yesterday. There was one sale so far. Congratulations AcrylicAndSteel!

Now onto AJ


For the past week I've been filling in at the Amazing Johnathan show while one of his assistants is in Turkey...I know, most people have turkey for thanksgiving, they don't neccessarily go there...lol.

I'm not working as his main assistang, "Psychic Tonya", but more doing backstage stuff, although I do appear twice for a couple of seconds.

At first it was really hard. I hadn't done the show in over a year, and there are things that happen in the show where timing is everything. Even though you don't see me on stage, there are times when I'm running around like a madwoman behind the scenes.

Yesterday was the first day that I finally felt comfortable. I have 2 more weeks of this before she gets back...plus I'm still doing the shows at the Venetian...whew.

...and in addition to the double duty, my Mom's coming in on Monday. I have a couple days off then, so I'll have time to show her and her husband around the town.

Friday's Favorites --Pretty Purple--

There was an overwhelming response this week for my call out for purple, both here on my blog and on the forums. Who doesn't love purple?

There were so many gorgeous designs and great ideas. I'm so tempted to buy one of the purses I chose...We'll see if I make any sales this week and can afford it...or if they're even still here, they'll probably go quickly.

Check them out!



Last week there was one sale, let's see if we can top that this week.

Purple: The fun submissions

I realized today that I have very little purple in my shop, which is suprising because I love the color, both shades of eggplant all the way to soft lilacs. Plus, it's probably the most fun color to say.

I do have these socks, but I'm definitely going to have to go out and find some pretty purpleness and make a few things.

In honor of this, tomorrow's "Friday's Favorite" theme is going to be...you guessed it...PURPLE!

If you have anything in your shop that's purple, post the link to your item in the comments, and be sure to check back tomorrow for the "Friday's Favorites"!

Last week there was one sale! Congratulations shufflestudio!

Book Review -Swimsuit-

I finished reading Swimsuit by James Patterson the other day. The only reason I picked it up, was that a friend had said how amazing it was, and she was under the impression that it was a true story.

It's told as if it were true, but it is definitely fiction. I had thought, well if John Grisham could make the leap to non-fiction, why not James Patterson? Though I will admit, it is an interesting way to tell a story...especially if you can get readers to believe that it really happened.

As far as the book goes, if you are a James Patterson fan, you will love it. It has all the twists, suprises and gore that he is known for. If you haven't liked his previous books, then I would read something else.

It was a lot of fun, and definitely a page turner, but the ending was one of his weakest yet.

Synopsis

Ben Hawkins, a former L.A. cop turned reporter and author, travels to Hawaii to look into the disappearance of model Kim McDaniels, who has fallen victim to a sadistic fiend who calls himself Henri Benoit. Ben meets with Kim's distraught parents, but the investigation soon runs into dead ends, even as the body count rises. Back in Los Angeles, Henri gets in touch with Ben, and offers the story of his life and the reasons he continues with his murderous spree. As part of the deal, Henri asks the reporter to write his tell-all book. Ben can't refuse given the killer's threat to his life as well as his girlfriend's. In just one of many clever twists, Henri proves to be the consummate storyteller.

Who wants $10?

Yes! This week's sale is all about the rebates. If you buy this Black Wrap-around Sweater you can get a $10 rebate to your paypal account.

Wrap around sweaters are wonderful for the figure, because the lines of it are slimming to the waist. There aren't too many warm clothes that can make you look thinner. Plus, there's FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the US and Canada!

Simply type: 10DOLLARS in the message to seller, and you should receive it by the end of the day.

That's it for the knit shop plugs for now. Tune in tomorrow for a book review!

Making Performers Laugh

In addition to the magic at the Venetian, I'm also a part of the opera shows as well...no, not singing usually unless they are desparate. Every once in a while an opportunity comes along where you can try to "break" a performer (ie, make them laugh), well, I had one such opportunity yesterday.

First the backstory

One of the singers, who has a doctorate in voice, was teaching a student who refused to learn her scales and kept insisting that the scales were ruining her voice. The singer told her that her pitch would always be bad until she learned them.

Well, needless to say, she found out the student had gone through many different voice teachers who told her pretty much the same thing, and still the student didn't believe it.

Now back to the show

In one of the shows, I pretend to sing (ok, I screach badly and out of tune, but I do it on purpose until the real singers make me stop). Usually I make a comment about how the audience really likes my singing and I get them to clap (most of the time, they play along).

Yesterday, instead, I said, "What's the problem? I practiced my scales and everything!"

Well, she lost it, and it took her a couple of seconds before she could do her solo.

It's very difficult to make a performer laugh on stage...we're trained not to...but every once in a while...score!

Penguins and Socks...huh?

Well, first the penguins...that's right, it's time for the Sunday Funday Video of the Week!

This one made me giggle, and I hope it will make you giggle too:



...And now for the socks

I finally finished this pair of socks. It took me a while because I thought I had more yarn than I did, and I had to order some more. You can click on the picture for a better view.

Now I have 4 pairs in my shop, which is fine for the moment until one of them sells. I'm fresh out of berets right now, so I guess that's going to be the next project on the list.

Book Review: Sons of Fortune

Alright, this is it...definitely my last Jeffery Archer book. I just finished reading Sons of Fortune, and it is the most far fetched and predictable book that I have ever read by him. His normally good characterization is thwarted by the fact that he's writing about twins that are very much the same. I kept getting the men confused as well as their best friends. It is so disappointing because Archer has written so many books that I have just loved.

On a side note, I read on the amazon site from one of the reviewers that he was writing the book while incarcerated for perjury. I don't know the back story on that, but the reviewer likens the poor quality of the book to that...hmmmm.

I'm almost finished with another book, and have started reading "Little Women"...so hopefully there'll be some good reviews in the near future.

Synopsis

In Hartford, Connecticut, during the early 1950s, twin boys are separated at birth. Fletcher and Nat attend competing colleges, fall for the same girl, and have best friends who are the sons of movers and shakers. In the 1960s, Nat is drafted and becomes a hero in Vietnam, while Fletcher goes into law. By the 1990s, Nat's an affluent banker, and Fletcher's a politico on the rise; then, inevitably, their paths come together.

Friday's Favorites Turkey Style

Yes, it's fast approaching. For some that means stress about planning the dinner, making stuff ahead of time, cleaning the house and more...for me, not so much. I have way too many friends that are doing a dinner and many invites (since my family doesn't live in town, I don't have to worry about them...and since it's a busy time of year, I rarely am able to go anywhere)...so if I were to do a dinner, there'd be no one left to come...and I don't really think the dog, the boyfriend and I can eat a whole turkey.

Well, enough of that...onto the Friday's Favorites! I really wish I was into beading because I'm in love with the turkey beads...maybe one of you out there in cyberspace will like them?

Remember hearting is good, but if you really like something, go ahead and buy it before someone else does.

Thanksgiving Submissions!

Yes, Turkey day is getting close! Or for you vegetarians, Tofurky day!

Every Friday, I post an etsy mini of some of my favorite items made by other sellers. I try to go for a theme that's either pertinant for the year...or just makes sense to me in my own twisted logic.

This week I'm looking for Thanksgiving items! If you have any, post the link in the comments and check back tomorrow for the "Friday's Favorites"!

I, myself, don't have anything that's "Thanksgiving" per se, but I do have these fingerless gloves whose color is great for fall....besides, who wants to show up for turkey dinner with cold hands?

Show me your stuff!

Product Thank You's

First off, my father is the king of the chain emails and joke emails and warning emails. Usually a glance at them and move on...but every once in a while he sends me something that makes me laugh out loud...enjoy!


Dear Tide:

I am writing to say what an excellent product
you have. I've used it all of my married life,
as my Mom always told me it was the best.
Now that I am in my forties I find it even better!

In fact, about a month ago, I spilled some red wine
on my new white blouse. My inconsiderate and
uncaring husband started to belittle me about
how clumsy I was, and generally started becoming
a pain in the neck. One thing led to another and
somehow I ended up with his blood on my new
white blouse! I grabbed my bottle of Tide with
bleach alternative, to my surprise and
satisfaction, all of the stains came out!
In fact, the stains came out so well the detectives
who came by yesterday told me that the DNA tests
on my blouse were negative and then my attorney
called and said that I was no longer considered a
suspect in the disappearance of my husband.

What a relief!
Going through menopause is bad enough
without being a murder suspect!
I thank you, once again, for having a great product.

Well, gotta go, have to write to the Hefty bag people.

So, What's Been Going On?

Funny you should ask...lots of stuff and not much, all at the same time.

The boyfriend and I have gotten into geocaching lately, and it's a ton of fun. We even take the dog with us...though she's not very good at finding the caches, she is good at marking the area so that all the other dogs know that she's been there.

In Magic News:

There's a mentalism convention in town right now. Mentalists are like magicians, but they focus more on Mind Magic rather than sleight of hand, although most of them started as regular magicians first.

One of my friends was in town for it, so I stopped by. I got to see a lot of old friends, and even met a couple of new ones.

In Parental News:

My mom and her husband are coming out to Las Vegas soon. Just before Thanksgiving in fact. He's never been to Vegas and it should be fun showing him around.

I'm also hoping that we can go to my favorite restaurant called Pamplemousse (I hope I spelled that right). It has wonderful French food, but isn't pretentious like the celebrity chef ones in the casinos.

Mom, if you're reading this...hint, hint, hint.


In Knitting News:

I made a custom doggie sweater, but it was too small, so I made a larger one for the customer, and now I listed the original one in my shop

You can click on the picture for a more detailed description. I'm really happy with how the colors in it turned out.

So, What's Been Going On?

Blog Break

Taking a break today...

Just a blogging one, lots to do.

Tune in tomorrow for your regularly scheduled program.

Sunday Funday Video --Mean Kitty--

I saw this video and knew it was the one for this week. If you've ever owned a really playful kitten, then you can sympathize with this guy.

Hope you like it!



Click here to see any of the Sunday Funday Videos that you might have missed!

The Socks have Friends

I finished my Pink and Black House Socks a couple of days ago, but haven't had time to post them. You can click on the picture for a more detailed description. Unlike the last pair I made, these ones I crocheted. They're super warm and cozy, and if by January, there's a pair that hasn't sold, I'm taking them for myself.

Right now I'm working on a custom doggie sweater, and hopefully will be finished with it by the end of the day. Then I need to make some more, headband/earwarmers to replace the ones that have sold.

Busy, busy, busy.

Friday's Favorites: Orange you glad you came?

Yes, this week's theme was orange in honor of the beautiful tigers I saw on Wednesday. It's the perfect season for it too, with Thanksgiving coming up soon, and the leaves changing color (well, they're not changing color here in Vegas, but I assume they're changing color somewhere.)

So here you go! Enjoy the orange! Give some hearts...or maybe even some purchases!

Celebrity Party ...And Submissions!

Last night, I helped my boyfriend out with a gig. He was doing four legged stilts and needed a handler. As with most of the gigs we do, we didn't really know who it was for or anything...just where to be, what time and what costume.

Well, we got there and it turned out to be a birthday party for a high roller. There was all sorts of entertainment on hand from contortionists, to jugglers and even a girl in a "bubble" floating on the pool.

Well, it turns out that many celebrities were invited. Paris Hilton, Usher, Jamie Foxx and Paulie Shore were the only ones I recognized. Paris called the boyfriend over for pictures in his costume...and Usher was kind of nervous and backed away.

...We, however, were not allowed to take pictures.

Later on they had a champagne fight spraying it everywhere...with Crystal Champagne no less. We were kind of annoyed, since anywhere there was champagne on the ground, the boyfriend couldn't walk on stilts for fear of slipping and falling.

For me the coolest part was definitely not the celebrities, but the tigers! There were two of them and they were so sweet and beautiful! I love tigers (well, all animals with fur, really). Which brings us to submissions for tomorrow's blog...

Submissions

In honor of the tigers, I'm looking for items with Orange in them. Post the links to your orange items in the comments and check back tomorrow for the "Friday's Favorites"!

Last week 3 items were sold! Congratulations to: FrenchPressKnits, dearLola, and seaspritesoaps!

Book Review: Maggie Now

I finished reading Maggie Now by Betty Smith. She is such an amazing writer, but if you haven't read anything by her, I would suggest "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" which is by far her best book.

Smith really gets into the characters, but not just that, her descriptions are beautiful, and you can really see not only what the people are like, but their neighborhood, there houses, and the places they go. There are a few sad moments in this book, but none made me cry like "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" did.

Judging this book on its own, I would say it was a good book, however judging it next to the others she wrote, it was a little disappointing.

Synopsis:

A story about many generations, both Irish, and Irish-American. Pat was born in Ireland, but was too stubborn to marry the girl he loved, so he came to America to escape his reputation.

This book takes us through his trials and tribulations, mainly through the eyes of his daughter, Maggie Now.

Tuesday's "Take some money back"

Since Thanksgiving is on the way and Christmas will follow close behind, I decided that it was high time I had a special on my Christmas Scarf.

It's great for the holidays because it's warm and cozy, and the red and green give it a nice holiday flair!

Buy it and receive a $5 rebate via paypal. All you have to do is type "5 DOLLAR REBATE" in the note to seller, and your account will show a refund in that amount by the end of the day. IT'S THAT EASY!

So go ahead...Clicky Clicky...you know you want to.

New socks!

Socks have seemed to be selling well for me this season, and last week, I listed a new pair of Green and Grey House Socks. They are so warm and cozy, and unlike the other ones that I have made and sold, these one's are knit instead of crochet. You can get a better view by clicking on the picture.

I'm now making another pair of crochet socks, and I have another pair of knit ones waiting on some needles. I ran out of yarn for them and had to special order some. It should get here any day now.

Tune in tomorrow...there might just be a sale or a rebate going on!