Where has Summer Gone?

I can't believe it has been so long since my last post. It has been a busy end of Summer for us. We did make it back from our vacation in Napa and it was so wonderful as always. Bought way too much wine, did a little shopping, relaxed a lot and even had a few interesting day trips out in the wine country. But boy did all the stuff hit us when we got home. I had a jewelry show two days after we returned so I frantically got organized and everything priced before the show. The Puyallup Fair started just a couple days later and we volunteered to work 3 shifts at our Gem and Mineral Club's booth so we have worked two shifts so far, one on Saturday and one on Monday ...more to follow on this. I taught a gem tree class at Shipwreck Beads on Sunday, then I realized that all the Art and Mixed Media Retreat proposals were due this week ....ugg. So, I quickly made some additional trees, took photos, wrote tutorials and got the proposals completed and e-mailed yesterday. I'm feeling a little less stress now... just a little through.

So a little bit more about the Fair. It is a standing joke with our family that we always purchase something at the Fair so this year was no different. Each year it seems we find something expensive to purchase, a few years ago it was a Gas Fireplace then 2 years ago it was a Sleep Number bed, last year was a Silk Comforter, which we loved so much we purchased another one this year for the motor home. We always purchase some smaller items such as aroma fans,dog brush (helps with shedding), those rubber clogs that were and still are popular, sheet set, faucet sprayers and shower heads, wham shammies, squishy pillows, dehydrated ice packets where you soak them in water and freeze then you can use them in coolers, pepper jelly, pickled garlic, honey and kettle corn. All that plus food that we ate there such as krusty pups (corn dogs), scones, Earthquake burgers, scones, Perogies, hot dogs, curly fries, scones, BBQ ribs and sandwiches, scones, ice cream cones and oh did I mention the scones. It is so much fun going to the fair and as much as I hate to admit it, the vendors hawking all their wares is some of my favorites as well as the artwork that has been entered for competition.

We do complain every year that the scones get smaller and the price seems to get larger but we buy them and eat them anyway. Hubby said that this scone booth was the first one at the fair and he should know as he has been going since the 50's. It is always fun to go early in the morning, sit down with coffee and a couple of hot scones with raspberry jam....yum. So glad we have one more volunteer day at the fair.

Here is one of my new trees. It is called Painted Leaves. Yes, I know the name is a little simple but I couldn't think of anything more appropriate. Definitely a mixed media tree vs. a gem tree.

A few new bracelets that I still need to get listed on ArtFire. These were inspired by some that I saw on vacation. Stretchy with sterling silver and gemstones or crystals with dangles. A little bit out of the norm for me but oh so much fun.

Don't forget about the Bead Soup Party Blog Hop. We will be hopping all over the blogosphere on Saturday visiting blogs and seeing all the beautiful creations people made from their Bead Soup. So don't forget to come back on Saturday as I will be revealing the jewelry pieces made from my soup.