A September Gardening DATE with my WIFE!

Yesterday I Tweeted and Facebook-ed all day how beautiful I think September is. To me, it far surpasses the other months in sparkle and shine! Saturday literally glittered when we took a family (dogs included) bike ride in our hood. Beautiful sparkly sunshine on palm trees and hand-washed cars! We had the humble, overall blue summer the northeast had last year, but September rarely, almost never disappoints!

So yesterday, in the month of catch-up-on-all-your-last-summer-bbq's, we washed our cars and gardened the front of our house. Man, does everything look fabulous and clean and bigger and brighter, now!

We washed cars with our 2 and 1/2 year old and when he layed down for a "rest"....(please nap, please), my wife and I dragged every gardening tool down the drive way to the front of the house to cut down unruly bamboo, overgrown bush grasses, dead HUGE sunflowers, and spider ridden Elephant-Foot palms...FUN!!!! It was so much fun getting dirty with my partner while Hudson napped...I've been unable to go up front and do this household chore alone, because Hudson would be too close too the street. And this chore matters so much more to me, because it involves appearance...and we all know I like pretty things...including my front yard!

But the romance of it was the pre-baby, "just-a-couple" nostalgia. While we adore our son, it was wonderful to bond over a task that brought us together for the first 4 years of our relationship. We built our courtyard, and regretfully planted that bamboo, and brought home those palms, and got OUR palms dirty together landscaping our home since April 2004.

We sat on the couch tired and aching together last night watching the True Blood Finale thoroughly connected and satisfied with ourselves and the new weeded state of our house....we sighed with the pleasure of gratitude over the things we HAVE, as opposed to another conversation about things we need, or need to do, or need to plan.

Ahhh, September! do you guys have anything you adore about September?

A Boutique Said No to my Jewelry? Ouch!

I know I'm supposed to be humble, and embody a sense of spirituality...like, "This is part of the Universe' plan for me"....but it hurt! My jewelry or home decor hasn't yet been turned down after showing at a boutique or store...it reminds me of an old painful sentiment - the first time someone broke up with me, after a little "Winning" streak of being the "breaker-upper".

Okay, wait...there was that one bridal boutique in Manhattan that Lauren introduced me to, but I wasn't all that crazy about bridal jewelry in the first place, so I felt like my energy had clearly contributed to never consigning there.

Yesterday, I walked in nervous, one arm around my Shell Trunk of jewelry and wares, the other gripping the shoulder of my 2 & 1/2 year old toddler. The latter was a BAD idea...my former angel of a son became a running lunatic in this high-end trendy and golden boutique, and I became an apologizing and distracted mother.

Like I posted on facebook, the owner turned me down in 4.1 minutes...I know because of the parking meter into which I had plunked more quarters than needed.

Bu this I'm sure of...my jewelry and winter Wreckollections Wreaths and Ornaments were perfect for her store, regardless of the fact that she said, "I can tell in my gut you're not a fit here."

I KNOW the fall "Cowboy" inspired chains and beads, and the vintage jewelry wreaths were gorgeous and fabulous. I'm filled with self-doubt like most women, but in my creations, I'm not...I'm very, very sure that they're the bomb.

So, I can wonder all day WHY I wasn't invited to sell in her store, I can assume it's as she said...that she holds tons of jewelry right now....but what this did confirm for me was the knowledge that my stuff for the upcoming fall and winter seasons are delicious! I KNOW it...:)

Here are some pictures of a mini wreath and lavender quartz crystals.

New Projects....like Babyshower Games!?

Hi friends and family!~ While Kim is still partly living in "Delirious-Land" fantasizing about our future move to Vermont's Green Mountain Forest for a year, I've moved on to making myself busy at HOME in San Diego with new creative projects....First, this is the first time in 20 years of making jewelry and ten years selling it, that I'm on time with production for the holidays!!

I usually wait for fall and winter inspirations to start creating jewelry for Christmas and Holiday shoppers, but then I'm rushing around with the regular hustle and bustle and the added stress of impending jewelry shows and awaiting boutiques!

This year, the planning began two weeks ago. I've scheduled babysitters to give this mommy time to create and ship at least the autumn jewelry in time for falling leaves and cooling weather.

The Crystal ornaments and WRECKOLLECTIONS Jewelry Wreaths have been laid out all over the floor of our shared office (mostly Kim's office...and she tip-toes through them to her desk patiently). I'm preparing final touches and choosing which wreaths get which junk broaches and beads. In other words...I'm ON TIME!

But this isn't enough busy for me! I need other projects, and when I resigned from the "moving to VT" project, I found another!

Baby Shower Bingo! Random, right?! Not so!! My friend, Lelli Hazard created Registry Bingo, and while she'd love to make Registry Bingo her full time passion, she's a busy working mom of a running toddler! So I'm going to help her market this fantastic Bridal and Baby shower GAME! Why not...most of my social gathering include showers...in fact, I'm co-hosting my cousin Natalie's baby shower with my mom and grandma in September, and I'm hosting one of my sister-in-law's baby showers after Christmas...so THIS PROJECT and ADVENTURE is APPLICABLE! While writing Natalie's invitations, it became imperative that I blog about this new creative outlet! I'll let you know how the games play out at the next shower...I have a feeling it will be so fun...especially if the BINGO!-winning guests win my jewelry!!

If you have a bunch of showers celebrating your friends, too...check out: registrybingo.com

Origami Mobile

Hi friends! While on our desolate and heart-warming Vermont Vacation this summer, my college best friend Lauren came to the woods to hang out with me! Lauren is an art teacher in the Hudson Valley, NY, and brought Origami papers to host "arts and crafts" with me. We folded fancy papers into dolls...and the dolls became a mobile for Justine's Baby Girl, whose shower we were attending that weekend in Maine!

I dug through the previous home-owner's wood collection for the hanger, we cut up an iridescent, lavender, hippy-dippie skirt for dangling branches, and finally sewed on lime-yellow faceted beads.

FUN time! I LOVE arts and crafts...and to know that our friend's new baby girl (due in November) would set her eyes on this project made us happy.

I'll post pictures of Justine opening this whimsical homemade mobile at her alfresco baby shower next....

Probably not going to move to VT for a year...

I'm in my most "favorie-tist" HIPPY restaurant in Rutland, VT...(post-meeting, "Acceptance" being the topic, and pre-picking up Lauren Walling...coming to Vermont for a visit!) Lauren is my best college friend, and we get to celebrate another best-friend's baby shower in Kittery, Maine this Sunday.

Right now Lauren's train will pull into Rutland in 25 minutes...so I knew to bring my laptop to my favorite restaurant here!! 'Back Home Again'...a member of, "The Twelve Tribes" group....I gather they're a communal living/spiritual group dedicated to homegrown foods...and tonight I ordered a pizza with Sauerkraut and Red sauce! YUM!

And yeah...I don't see us living in Vermont in our little Granville house for one year....at least not there...maybe in the Northeast somewhere sometime...but this mommy needs at least a small town of sorts, and Granville seems more like a zip code than a town...Gorgeous, though.

We're having amazing days in steamy, stormy, sunny, rainy, breezy weather. But, I haven't made a piece of jewelry in days..I lack some tools and findings, and I'm just too lazy this summer here in the woods to creatively challenge myself. Although, Angela Stevens just visited and brought me old jewelry I've given her the last few decades as well as some fading JCREW pieces...so now i have little more junk to work with...my favorite!

God I love this hippy joint! I'll upload pictures asap...and guess what?!?!? They just told me they opened "The Yellow Deli" in Vista, CA....you must go see this crazy great food for yourselves!

Making Green Mountain Forest Jewelry

I forgot to say we are having a wonderful time hanging out with each other...I've already given Hudson all the meaty attention I've been wanting to give him.

I have also found time to make Forest inspired jewelry!

Lauren Walling gave me old seed pods strung on her grandmother's necklaces, which I combined with some tiny crystals bought in Portsmouth, NH for a Justine creation last summer.

I incorporated pink resin and old brass for a fabulous double-wrap natural and sparkling necklace.

$30!

Is Vermont in America??..a CA perspective!

Hi friends!!

I have been saying to Kim the last few vacation days, "Aren't we in America??" I guess we are...we are just rural!

Monday, the internet guy came out to our house and informed us that there is no room on the satellite for our little connection/house. We aren't getting internet at home right now. We do pass DSL Fairpoint trucks on famously scenic route 100....the proof that infact DSL interenet will be made available to us soon...we won't be able to move here for our experimental 1 year with no web access...this is how Kim would run her SD, CA business from the woods!

While that guy was on our roof, we lost home phone/land line. Kim was on the phone with the satellite people, and the phone went dead. It always comes back, though!

We have no cell phone reception, we've chosen not to pay for voicemail service, and the power went out all last night. We DID catch Top Chef on Bravo last night...but right after it ended, an error message interrupted the screen reading, "Satellite loss due to rain and cloud coverage,"....

We are REMOVED!! However, we are having a restful, fabulous time! Apparently, after some desolate reflection, I needed rest from the dizzy spin I do in SD. And we all know Kim needed rest from a haunting EDD audit this last year and a changing business.

WE visited a Wells College friend of mine yesterday in Plymouth, VT...ten minutes outside Woodstock. Anneke's historical family home is a 200-something year old farmhouse, with authentic basement mud floors and low ceilings! It was so interesting to be inside a real old American house.

I'll post pictures of Anneke. Our meet up was inspired by our sons' need for a playdate...they're both two year old toddlers... Collin even taught my Hud how to say "Mine-s", and his dad, Chris, a professional painter taught Hud how to paint!

I'm in Waitsfield, VT right now at a cafe, Kim walking Hud around before we get groceries and host Angela and Jason for the weekend. We're making blueberry pies with all the picking berries we collected yesterday! And, if the sun comes out again, we'll lay out on our wood deck and then walk the creek! Till the next wifi!

In Vermont...It's Quiet!

Hi friends! Well, we HAVE NO Internet. I'm sitting in Warren, VT, at a scenic sandwich shop's outdoor picnic table next to a raging waterfall...just to get in a VT update! You know we're spending much of this little 2 Week vacation scoping out the territory and really imagining what living in this rural part of the country would be like. I could do it!

I've already had to pray and meditate a lot! I've asked my Higher Power to direct my thinking many times, since alone in the woods with not much to do could lead me down a dark path of self pity. And...it seems to be working. Hudson wants to run around the edges of the waterfall's cliffs, so I have to stop blogging.

Little Makeup Boxes...recycle em!

Jeez, these little makeup boxes make me happy! What is it about these little recyclable Stila boxes and hair-tyes tag that thrill me. I bought some new makeup for Justine's baby shower and our vacation back east...and I almost adore the boxes as much as the new expensive makeup!

Aren't these boxes cute? My plan is to recycle them in slices and use them as tags for future jewelry... I'll take a picture later...

Packing! Vermont Vacation 2 Weeks

We are packing, packing, packing...even just remembered to throw in the keys to our 1999 Grand Cherokee Jeep we stash at a friend's house in Kittery, Maine. Kim would probably contest this and definitely wouldn't want people thinking she doesn't know her stuff....but FOR ME, flying into Boston, MA is still the easiest route to our house in Granville, VT, and there doesn't SEEM to be an easier way. Even if we fly into Burlington, VT, an hour from our home, there are no direct flights, and we end up arriving at midnight, or in the morning, after hanging out with a toddler in JFK airport waiting 3-4 hours for a connection!

It's a trek....but once there...we're HOME! Not in a hotel...home! With crib and conveniences, like washers and dryers and clothes.

So, with this crazy trek ahead of us, I'm already starting the "release and let-go" process. There is no way I can control Hudson on the red-eye flight. I hope the kid can hang at Fanuel Hall in Boston for the day before we get to check in, and I have no idea how we are all going to share our hotel's King Size bed Saturday night, pre-drive up to VT, which KIM booked! I have no concrete stops along the 4 hour drive to let Hudson out to scream and run and eat (and rest his "balls" as we say...they get so sore in the car seat hour after hour.)

This is our 2 week vacation...and now I'm scoping things out for our future "year in VT"....

So, since I can't CONTROL travel in those ways, I'm wrapping up all my jewelry details here in SD, CA....I made the kids' jewelry bracelets and necklaces for my neighbor, with huge turquoise stone balls and faceted aqua glass and little letter beads that read, 'fun', 'cowboy', 'hi', & 'smooch'.

I handed an "adorable" group of summer inventory over to Sue, a private esthetician in North Mission Hills, SD, and a group of the "Shipwrecked" chains and sea glass collection to Marci, who owns Roses Salon on Coronado....

WISH I had taken a picture of all of these....if I get any back I'll post some pics later. I WILL take a picture of some of the creamiest dreamiest most adorable cream tear drop beads I bought and used on a necklace with Ethiopian Metal and a Hill's Tribe Stamped Silver Shell pendant.

Our little house in Vermont...and moving there!?

Hi friends! You're never going to believe it?? Although, after some reflection it makes perfect sense that our little family would want to spend all FOUR SEASONS in our other home on the other side of the country, it does seem CRAZY! We are considering moving for one year to Vermont...the Green Mountain Forest, to be exact. (Our little yellow house is an additional blog attached to this blog, and I'll be posting more pictures and details there...)

I guess after not getting pregnant, Kim and I fell into fantasizing about some other new adventure...so we're thinking about (and I'm already casually planning...like; investigating preschools, selling cars, posting our SD home for rent), moving Spring of 2011...and remaining for ONE YEAR in Granville, Vermont, aka, desolation!

We're discussing ways in which we'll succeed there, like making sure I get around people, perhaps taking a part-time job with super earthy cool bohemians, maybe even selling my really Californian jewelry at their farmer's markets?

We've imagined Kim buying Ultrasound equipment and casually scanning for Vermont doctors and facilities. We feel like two teenagers planning to sneak out at night! Do we really get to do this?

We're scared as hell, but the thrill of a new adventure is appealing! Hudson is 2 and 1/2, will be 3 and 1/2 upon moving....he's our really cool third roomate, and I'm drawn to the idea of counting on each other to survive...which is the exact sentiment that lends itself to the notion that together we're planning a thrilling escape.

I'll write more later about our FEARS...but Hudson just pooped and I already gave him five minutes on the clock without me bugging him to change his diaper!

I didn't get pregnant, but I did birth a Hot New Cow Necklace!

Hi friends!! I took my first Blog Hiatus! :) thank you for staying with me, if some of you did...I was busy trying to get pregnant. I was literally self-centered, and although my focus went inwards and into our home and home-life, specifically, I realized regardless of how much you focus on getting pregnant, or worry about conceiving, it really doesn't actually help you GET pregnant. whew! Run-on sentence, right?!?!

So we didn't get pregnant with Leif's Danish sperm, the same donor we used with Hudson, our two-yr-old. And without judging myself or my feelings, I'll just say it...I was relieved. Kim appears to feel more loss than me, but I am the "host parent" (that's my terminology, not gay slang)...the mommy who would carry, and I was really concerned about donating my body for 2 years and being TIRED! We are a 35 and 46yr old couple. Had we started 10 years ago, we would have tried longer for more kids, I believe. But now, with travel to Denmark for artificial insemination becoming our last option for getting pregnant with a blood sibling of Hudson's...we have decided (for today) that we are done. And now we join the "Only Child" team...can't wait!!!

While I was super busy not getting pregnant, i did make some fabulous jewelry...funky rocker mod cowboy jewelry...here are my favorite summer pieces. I used recycled pukas and shells, as well as re-purposed silver and turquoise belts. Love these understated glamor necklaces. Again, if you have strands of old chains or shells...let me re-purpose them for you, too!

Third FEATHER Necklace!

Hi friends...whew! Now that I've shared what's going on with possible upcoming artificial insemination, I can move onto JEWELRY...an equally important topic! :)

You might have followed two of the earlier posts where I'm turning some sterling silver Navajo Feather Earrings into a series of necklaces? Well, this necklace was made with the intention of dangling one of those re-sparkled feathers...but when I went to hang it with the other pearl and glass charms... something didn't work...something was wrong. I wanted it to work so badly so that I could POST my THIRD Feather Necklace...but instead, I opened a drawer of junk plastics.

And in that drawer was a lonely, dull little plastic feather a bead company had sent me free with an order. BUT, it goes PERFECTLY with the necklace, and I always love a story and a little JUNK in the jewelry trunk! So here it is!

It's somewhere around $40. and the shorter strand is about 17". My box of jewelry inventory is far away, and it's time for me to lay down and start my new book Lit, by Mary Karr. Let me know if you're interested!

Maybe Another BABY?? And we Don't have to go to Denmark?!

I know it's BAADDD luck to start talking about "what-if" babies when you're trying to get pregnant, but I'm SO EXCITED! We thought until yesterday that we would have to inseminate in Denmark if we wanted the same donor for a second baby, for a sibling for Hudson (our 2 year old).

I called the Scandinavian Cryobank (http://ny.cryosinternational.com/home.aspx ) yesterday to beg our contact guy "Ty" in NYC to beg the other family in NYC who owns our donor's last USA "straws", "specimens", (or sperms, if you will!), to release their existing reservation and sell some or all to us. But yesterday, Ty informed us that there were 3 straws in Denmark which are in fact "ship-able" to the USA.

You see, since last summer (when we used our last few straws of same donor sperm to get pregnant again and didn't in 2009), we thought we would have to take a family trip to the Scandinavian Cryobank's home office in Denmark where we own 16 straws of our donor's stuff. Laws changed since getting pregnant with our first son, Hud so some of the original Danish sperm is no longer importable to the US. I don't know why, I'm not a researcher. But, we purchased all the sperm our donor provided the Danish cryobank, with the hopes that we could at least travel there one day and try again.

Travelling to Denmark is and was still open to us, but for those of you who know us closely, we are in a year of budgeting, saving, and conserving...not a great year for a Euro Vacation. Plus, I want t a tropical vacation where this Mommy can teach Hudson how to float in bathwater-like oceans.

But yesterday, so much changed! There are 3 straws in Denmark that can ship to us in SD for June insemination! Next month! Heck yeah! I can't help fantasizing about finally going to Hawaii pregnant in the fall instead of that obligatory trip to Denmark this summer to get pregnant! I bet with 3 straws we will get pregnant!!!! Cross your fingers...there are so many little hurdles and factors.

We always look at Hudson and stand in amazement that he got here via a flight from Denmark to NY as a little frozen sperm, a flight from NYC to SD, CA , and a flight up my you -know-what...and MADE it strong and thriving. We shall see what happens! :)

A Non-Eventful and Completely Satisfying Mother's Day

Hi guys!! I just had the BEST Mother's Day because we did "NOTHING" in my opinion. My down-to-earth Kim would say, "Wait a minute, we made you Strawberry Shortcake Waffles, and went to the park!" But, for this fantasy-oriented woman, it was a casual and loving and simple and relaxing Mother's Day due to the lack of fancy plans and MY DESIGNS for the day. Hudson and Kim toasted whole grain waffles and spread them with Costco's DELICIOUS (but not organic) Strawberries and REAL-Sugar Whipped Cream...no High fructose corn syrup. Our "Urban Walk" got rained out (some might say "misted-out", but we're in sunny CA, so that was enough for the 3 of us who just finished coughs and colds.)

So we cruised through TJ Max to return shoes that didn't fit Kim (her mother's day gift from me), cruised through Taco Bell for $6. worth of Bean Burritos, and then cruised to Sea World's Bay Park for swings and slides. LOVELY! We even walked to Starbucks after Hudson's nap for a Frappucino!! I've only bought one before ever! And they're having Frappucino Happy hours these days, so I even got it 1/2 off!!!

Searching for Coconut-scented Paraben-free LOTION!

My blog is named Goldierocks California, right?? I love everything beach-y and "Mermadian". My dear friend Kristen, her mom Judy, and I just spent an hour at the Carlsbad Street Fair yesterday searching for mermaid inspired jewelry, with the hopes of finding a prize piece that upon donning would validate our mermaid status. We'll have to get a picture of her mermaid medallion she chose.

But another method of achieving our mermaid status in Southern California is by SMELLING like a mermaid. And we do this by living a life devoted to finding the perfect coastal, tropical, pina colada-inspired lotion. After all the illegal tanning we still do, especially with the kids in the summer, we HAVE to butter our skin with lotion religiously. But I've become informed and now I'm bummed! :(

Apparently there are harmful chemicals in many of my favorite lotions. There are harmful parabens and alcohols that are sometimes carcinogenic (helps cause cancer), or drying to the skin.

I didn't read any of these ingredients on the labels of two of my favorite lotions, but one label completely neglected a list of ingredients.

This brings me to my search! I'm searching for a fully natural tropics-inspired cream or lotion for summer. If any of you have any suggestions, please send them my way!!! I'm looking for the smell of Coppertone SPF, but made from stuff like shells and avocados. Thank you for helping this ship-wrecked mermaid!

More Neon Citrus!!

I mentioned my double-wrap, neon plastic cube necklaces in the last post. Here they are! One hosts vintage clear crystals, Swarovski Baby Pink Crystals and Hot WHITE Cubes, too. This one is 37" and $45.

The other is MY FAVORITE Annoyingly loud ORANGE Neon necklace, at 35". It presents vintage light brown iridescent crystals and man-made ORANGE QUARTZ to DIE for!!!! Love it. It's also $45.

Both can wear as multi-wrap bracelets, too. DRAPE these with pearls and chains for a happy rocker edge. :)

Okay, and then I had to show you the new skirt from JCREW that Angela got me. I'm the ten minute speaker Saturday night at the Two-Bit Speakers Meeting on Monroe Ave., so I have to wear these ruffles and neon PEACH for all my boys over there! I might pair it with an old college t-shirt and knee high sports socks...just to balance the ruffles, but I'll wear my PEACH nonetheless!

Cheers!

The NEW Neon PEaCH!!! Not 1985's HOT PEACH!

I'm sitting here in WAY TOO much self-awareness that I am a geeky blonde from Southern CA, (one who has been known to wear white sequined homecoming dresses) about to toot some horns over NEON Peach and Pink making another comeback, (only in SD or other tropical places right?) WRONG!!! My dear friend, Angela is visiting from NYC, and in turn she's had me visit her place of work this week, JCREW. Within these preppy walls, I swam through seas of muted mangos, hot peaches, neon pinks, lime-y yellows, and balancing creams and tans to host these electric colors.

It dawned on me that the neon trend has been happily seeping it's way into my world long before I finally made it to the mall. Earlier this year the same friend had shipped me Essie Neon Pink Polish (selling at JCREW), and I bought some neon-colored plastic Cube BEADS at a cheap bead store years ago...I recently mixed them with 1920's Vintage Crystals for double-wrap necklaces (see yellow with pineapple quartz).

But, returning to afore-mentioned NEON PEACH, it simply makes me happy. In regards to clothes and accessories, it drapes me in cheery, hopeful nostalgia. It reminds me of days spent with my brother in Riviera Village where we grew up on bikes in Redondo Beach, LA. We rode down to surf shops and candy stores, him in his hot peach OP surf trunks (it WAS 1984!), and me in hot PEACH Scrunchies and scrunching socks. We there found Hot PINK paint-splattered Candy Jaw Breakers, and hot neon blue surfboard leashes and stickers (things 10 year olds can afford at trendy village shops).

NEON PEACH reminds me of the FIRST dance dress my mom bought me, a HOT PEACH poof skirt attached to a black top. (OH, GOOD! I FOUND that picture! I'm actually going to post it!)

Okay okay, those were the 80's, and I did say that NEON PEACH and PINKS were making a comeback today. And they're everywhere. From H&M, Forever 21, to JCREW and Anthropologie. Even The Brass Plum at Nordstrom's today looks like the same one I shopped at in 1989, (See photo of me in a Brass Plum black and hot peach floral dress with a HOT PEACH Bandeau Bra to boot! I think those are peach puka shells, too! We're in luck!!)
Juicy Couture sews hot pink ribbon through chains and pearls, and I really desire those JCREW hot peach scarves that make me drool like my teething son. MY favorite and most practical NEW NEON, however, can be found drenching LALA's hair ties in Laguna Beach.

I'll post more pictures tonight of some of those cubed neon necklaces. In the meantime, I guess I'm going to have to break the budget a tiny bit and grab one of those scarves. If the darker New Yorkers can do it, so can you, friends! Good luck on the search for YOUR NEON! I looked down today and noticed I'm wearing a Charlotte Russe PEACH FLORAL slightly dated dress....looks like I have one thing on my mind, and it's not the recycled feather necklaces I'm supposed to be working on!! It's neon, neon peach, people!

Recycled Navajo Earrings - Necklace #2!

Hi friends! In case you missed the initial project description, I'm turning a great pair of junk Sterling silver Navajo earrings into 5 Feather Charm Necklaces. This is the 2nd necklace. I LOVE it. Again, in order to make things affordable, I mix value with base metals, etc....this piece uses "gun metal" links and a recycled clasp from a vintage necklace with Pineapple Quartz Stones and glass. The Thai Silver Bar is a Thai Prayer of LOVE. Ch-ch-che-che-che-CHECK it out!!!

Navajo Silver Earring Project - Necklace #1

This is the first Feather Earring reincarnation necklace. It's 20"of refurbished junk chain and smoky quartz. The chain sits around the back of the neck and shimmers a rusty silver/antique gold color. The two-tone of the recycled chain matches the wire-wrapped quartz chains on either side. One side is gold wire, the other is silver wire. And finally, a tear drop of Aspesotite stone hangs next to the feather, as it's own little sun. Feather necklace #1! I made this one affordable...what do you think?

WRECKOLLECTIONS refurbishes AGAIN! Re-SPARKLING Navajo silver Earrings!

Some of you may know I recycle, or re-Sparkle, if you will, junk jewelry. It's one of my BIGGEST passions. I'll be updating my seriously dusty website, www.goldierocksjewelry.com this week. But in the meantime I'll use my blog to showcase this week's project! My neighbor Fred is a retired cop and antiques dealer from Montana. He's a buff and bald tough guy across the street. He's the street's watchdog, and I like it...when he's in San Diego, and not at his Montana house. Anyway, he collects things. When I was gardening the front of our house a month ago, he walked over with these "Genuine Indian Hand Made from Sterling Silver" feather earrings. I would regularly say "Native American," but I'm quoting the tag and I want to offer an authentic experience regarding the earrings' transformation! My PLAN is to make a small collection of feather charm necklaces for my truly bohemian-chic friends...so stay tuned green jewelry-lovers!! I'll post pictures of each necklace as I make them from these broken earrings! Each piece will be up for sale, unless I need one! :)

Friday Night and UNPREPARED!

I was UNPREPARED! Two nights ago, Friday night, when I wrote that I was sad to see a movie without Robert Pattinson, I was unprepared for a few things! I went to a great meeting with friends, had a Rubio's Quesadilla, (as well as being gay mom, we're vegetarian moms...lucky kid!), and finally sat down in the old fashioned La Jolla AMC 12 for "The Runaways", the indie film based on Joan Jet and Cherie Currie's 1975 band. I'll just spit it out. Kristen Stewart was HOT! I knew she had that little adorably-awkward-Meg Ryan-tomboy-thing going since she starred with Meg in "In the Land of Women", but in this film she crosses that straight line and delves into Joan Jett's androgyny...and she is SEXY! I have to give props to Dakota Fanning, too, who grew UP in this movie. She actually channeled a little sexy herself.

Okay, the other thing I was unprepared for was the 3am Earthquake Saturday morning! I shot straight up in bed ready to run down the hall, fetch my toddler and jump under our African Day Bed. It terrified me, because we San Diegans have been really lucky with our post-Easter week of small earthquakes...and I thought at 3am, that our luck had run out and this might in fact be the BIG ONE. I realized I was unprepared! No slippers by the bed, no spare water in the cars or basement. DANG! I've spent this weekend humming through the house stock piling water, placing extra shoes, AND daydreaming about the Runaways.

Going to the movies without Robert Pattinson...bummer

Am I the only 35-yr old mother to a 2 year old who is sad that tonight, when I go out with my friends for dinner and a movie we will NOT be seeing a movie hosting RPatz???

I'm becoming enlightened to my new sexuality...one where I'm still happily married to my female partner, but attracted to Celebrity men. eek...dare I put it down in writing??!

Yep, I adore Robert Pattinson, Robert Downey Jr., and Johnny Dep. But, really, who doens't?

So tonight, when we spend our $7.50 (with an Entertainment Book coupon for AMC Theatres)...we will be sadly choosing a film without Robert Pattinson.

I have a whole androgyny-related theory about those celebrity men, which might let me off the hook a wee bit...but that's another post. Later! Happy Friday!

Finding Gratitude on a Stay-at-Some Mom's to-do LIST!

OMG! Blogging is already like meditation for me...am I doing it right? Do I need to sit out in my beautifully landscaped yard with tea and my laptop to set the stage (and hum a few 'OMs')? I DID grab all my son's Easter Eggs filled with jelly beans to propel me with sugar up here in the office. I've only written one blog, right? I'm already beating myself up for blogging less than the professional bloggers. This is already a new vehicle with which I can flog myself for failing. But I won't let that happen, like it did with flossing and meditating. Because this is way too much fun...a job in which being yourself is the calling!

I found out long ago in a little independent film that I HATE acting. I much prefer to do things where being me is enough, like singing the blues (www.velvetcrumble.com in my late 20's and early 30's - I can say that now that I'm 35)...and BLOGGING!

So today's theme is GRATITUDE. And for those of you who know me, WHAT else would it BE?? :) I found gratitude today when I looked up at our dry-erase board and read my list for the day...a list which usually navigates this stay-at-home mom with a wee bit of stress and direction. Look, my brain can be messy, so I use meditation and lists to harness my spazziness.

I got new perspective when today's list read: "Bead Texas' ( a two-yr-old neighbor) his birthday necklace, plant the Sunflower Seeds, bake the beets and cookies, and read blogs and write your's!"

Ahem, (insert humility here)....this day's duties read more like the vacation days of most of my intense, career-busting East Coast best friends', then a day of work for anyone. What the hell? let's just say it!!! I'm having a GREAT DAY! My toddler and I played all day without plans, and without other toddlers or family. I FINALLY settled down to read some books to him (something I don't do enough), and we shared leftover pasta. Now, during his 2-hour nap I'm accomplishing my "vacation" list. It's a GREAT day. I even snuck in some phone calls and texting to friends. (As you get to know me, you'll find out I struggle as much with the phone, as I do with meditation).

So who am I anyway???? Who CARES about this little Southern Californian at home with her toddler??? Goldierocks stands for my at-home Jewelry Business, www.Goldierocksjewelry.com, a hobby-turned-moneymaker for me. I string beads and turn OLD JUNK Jewelry into hip wearable pieces again for all my friends and family! (See Wreckollections on my Goldierocks homepage). I'm 35, a LESSSSssbian, and happily married to my wife 5 years in August, I make jewelry, I attach my dogs to my bike, throw the 2 year old in the attached bike trailer and exercise the family most days....and..that's enough for now.

Thanks for donating your time to this blog!

Goldierocks CA

An Earthquake aids another dysfunctional family

I woke up early to hit a meeting, (my favorite thing to do on holiday mornings), and pumped up the radio volume to 105.7's classic rock song, "Yeah, You, shook me alll night long! The earth starts quakin, the room starts shakin..." I had no idea that song would theme the rest of 2010's Easter Sunday!!! It was so fun to have a couple out-of-town family members IN TOWN for a classic CA Natural Disaster tradition...a 3.something earthquake....in our city..SAN DIEGO! HOW fun to send one Corning, NY cousin back to work, after she rolled through Granddad's kitchen during the REAL thing, an earthquake. Why do I LOVE experiences like this? I'm giggling right now reflecting on my partner's sister's face and her southern husband's reactions as they sat at the dinner table with plates full of ham, apple salad, and Grandma's homemade mac and cheese with the overhead light swinging back and forth above their heads, like we're on a pirate ship. Too funny!... and I loved being a part of this family right in that moment. I mean...I can laugh now, now that our toddler is safely sleeping in his crib, (although there was another after-shock just 30 mins ago).

But at that moment that we realized we were indeed having an earthquake, we realized who we all were. I yelled the loudest and started throwing around orders, "Into the door frames!!! Everyone under a door frame, now!"...which is consistent with the fact that I'm not from this overall quiet family. I even tend to sometimes be shushed. My sweet, silly, and nervous sister-in-law ran out the door and down the street in tears....as we say to our toddler, "ILLEGAL!!!" My survival instincts screamed out, "Don't leave the pack! Stay together!! Oh, no, now we've lost one..." Our dozy patriarch, 94-yr-old Granddad just kept on eating. He said, "Well, I might as well go on an full stomach." And other family members sat quietly following direction, or just still in shock. But, AFTERWARDS, the re-capping, the soothing, the joking, the adrenaline, all offered new elements to an otherwise awkward average American family gathering. The food was GREAT, even for this vegetarian in a room full of meat-eaters, the food was phenomenal. And the earthquake was enough entertainment, as well as our 2-yr-old's first Easter Egg Hunt. :) I love my new family. AND, CA. I'll take Earthquakes over Tornadoes and Black Ice any day.

Easter Sunday with a Munday who gets my blog up!

Every time a Munday visits, (they're in their 20's), they set me up online....here's my new blog.