Focus On Life - Week 52 - Goodby....

I can't believe the year is over. It seems like it just started. But so much has happened this year to me. And through it all you, my FOL, friends were with me.

In a challenge I did at the beginning of the year, we were asked to pic a word to focus on for the year.  Mine was "growth".  I look back and I can see that I did indeed grow.  I took on jewelry challenges and saw my techniques mature and grow over the year...I not famous yet...but hey who knows.

I stepped up to the plate when losing both my parents this year. Becoming the matriarch of the family. That wasn't easy.

I started out the year dealing with my husband being in the hospital for 3 months with a shattered ankle and then almost the rest of the year dealing with it healing, which is still hasn't.

I had to deal with a child moving out...and one moving back in. But now wish all three were here!

Then just the daily grind on top of it all.  Keeping faith in face of all that was around me.  So I think it has been an interesting year, not one I want to repeat but one that I really think I grew as a person, a jewelry designer, a crafter and a better child of God.

And through it all, my FOL friends were there.

So I say good by to 2013 and my FOL friends, 2014 is just around the corner, and I know I will be seeing you all again.

Hugs to all!

Focus On Life - Week 51- Togetherness

Togetherness - that act of being together...NOT! At least not for me...this week has been so chaotic for me, finishing up Christmas gifts and getting them in the mail...so this week...I "threw" some pictures TOGETHER of warm and fuzzy moments for me....hopefully next week will be calmer....

For more pictures check out the links below....

INLINKZ CODE FOR WEEK 51:

Focus On Life - Week 50 - Pop Of Red

When I saw this prompt I first thought of the red ball on my Christmas Tree but then when looking outside...I found some other pops of red..

Being in Florida right now made it easy as it is still kinda warm. Though today it is really gray and dreary looking and we are in for some rain.

But on with the prompt.

My tree with my beautiful ornament from my Face Book friend Theresa Frank in our Ornament Exchange, then the rest are just some pictures I had on hand with pops of red in them.  The third and last one are jewelry that is going in my Etsy Store the first, second, and fourth ones are of flowers in my yard. 

To see some more great pops of red head on over to the link below. 

Focus Week 49 - Add Sparkle

Merry Christmas - early...I am slowly getting into the mood....it has been crazy since Thanksgiving.  I haven't had a chance to get around to the blogs from last week...and I will...I am trying to finish up my Jackson Hewitt Tax class.  I have an interview on Monday and I must be finished with all the classes.  So I have been trying to do 2 -3 chapters a day. Needless to say I have been busy!

I haven't had a chance to get out and see the Christmas lights yet, but have started with decorating my living room.  Below is a favorite of mine. The Nativity Scene.  I bought it yyyyeeeaaaarrrssssss ago...I have to have it out each year or it doesn't feel right...Same with the little train station. We bought that in 2002 for my son (now 21) as he was into trains.  The plant is my dads Christmas Cactus.  It is just covered in blooms. This was from a few days ago.

As many of you know...this will be my first Christmas without my parents.  One of the many first I know. I will have to go through. But it still isn't easy.

I know we will have more great prompts before the end of the year and I promise to have my living room finished so I can show my tree.

For more great "sparkle" head over to the links below!

Focus On Life - Week 48 - Giving Thanks

Well I know all of us have been slammed, I know I have....and the week was here with family showing up and enjoying Thanksgiving...then hitting the shopping tour...ON FRIDAY...we didn't stick out noses out on Thursday!  Now everyone has gone back home and I can relax...but I did put together this collage to show my thanksgiving.  My oldest in SC, couldn't get down, but the rest of my crew were here.

Hopefully everyone had a great time. And now the mad dash to Christmas and New Years.


What a Year!!!!

Til Next week!!!!

For more great Thankful pictures check out the links below...

Focus on Life - Week 47 - Centerpiece

Wow, the weeks are just flying by...I can't believe the end of the year is almost here! What do we do then....(sad face).

Anyway, Centerpiece. At first I thought a center piece for my table...but then I opened it....Then it was a piece of cake.

As most know, God is the center of my world, being, soul.  I know I am not perfect, but God is there just the same! Then around him are some of the gifts he has given me over the years, my husband, my children, my sister and her son, my niece and her family, my parents and even my dog. Memories that will be with me for ever, forever keeping me tethered because I know that they are gifts from God.

May all of you have a solid centerpiece and may this Thanksgiving and Christmas time be a time of remembering old memories and making new ones!

For more hop along the links below.

Focus On Life - Week 46 - Reflect

Ok...at first I am thinking shiny reflects...mirrors...windows...jewels....but our wonderful Hostess is thinking ahead of the game and knows as the year winds down...(can't believe it has already) that we all tend to get really busy.  So her prompt for this week was a Reflection on those who are important to us.

Of course I had all these great pictures to choose from....but....as Life will have it..my computer died the other night...power supply shorted out...so ALLLLLLL of my pictures are on that computer of course...

Luckily I HAD moved some of my older folders of pictures to a thumb drive...So I had to scour through them and the hit up Facebook for more....But I was able to get a fair mix...the big one is of my family (minus my oldest who lives in SC) with my parents this PAST Christmas.  Most of you know both passed this year so this if the FIRST Christmas without them...so it will be kinda bittersweet...but I know they are much more happier in Heaven with their heavenly family.

The rest around the edges are of my kids and grand kids.

Starting at the top right is my middle son, Nicholas, then my daughter Sydny, then a sweet picture of them "back in the day". The in the bottom right corner is my both of my sweet granddaughters, Selena and Elfie, then just Elfie, then Larry, my oldest and his wife and Elfie. Then the last picture is of my daughter Sydny and her boyfriend Aaron.

I really love how this came out...I may have it printed and put is on the wall in my studio to look at....

For more sweet reflections check out the links below and thanks for stopping by!

OH and BTW - I have a google friend counter now...it needs some love....