SuzeBlogz

Ring In the New

You must start with the birth of a baby giraffe....and then you can really appreciate how miraculous life is.
Then..Make a quick switch over to Ten Second Studios hilarious "Taco Tuesday" Happy New Year "movie".......



  and have a wonderful laugh.



and, for those who can't get down to Times Square to see the ball drop.....Macys had the gorgeous Waterford crystal ball on display...all you had to do was fight your way to get close enough to watch it change colors every few seconds.
WISHING YOU TONS OF HAPPINESS AS YOU RING IN 2009




 

Would You Believe...

There is actually a website that will insult you.....it's pretty hilarious and it's Shakespearean too. Michael DeMeng listed it on his Facebook page and, figuring it tied right in with Michaels' weird sense of humor I had to check it out...
http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/Shaker/index.html
you must visit and insult yourself !

and, speaking of weird....The Lenster is as 100% conservative as I am the opposite. But...I convinced him he HAD to have an Ed Hardy tie to go with the nice conservative work shirt he got for Chanukah. I was shocked when he said...Okie Doke....cause Ed Hardy designs are known for their skulls, roses and other weird drawings. But, I managed to find a fairly conservative dragon design....
and he wore it to work. So handsome ! And now...so hip !

 

I've promised to show a tutorial on the Leandra bead...so..here is a VERY simple, 1-2-3 kind of how to:

1. Fill Melting pot to the MAX with Clear UTEE, heat at highest setting and let it melt until it turns sort of amber in color. This is usually a nice color to learn the bead with.
2. Put a small bead on the end of a long headpin

3.Turn temp on pot down a little bit so the UTEE thickens up some. You can always adjust it back up if the UTEE begins to get too thick at any point....then back down again.

4. Dip bead into UTEE. Let some UTEE drip off, then wave your hand in the air in a centrifugal motion (round & round)  above the pot so the remaining UTEE hardens and begins to form the bead shape.

5. DONT' expect fabulous results the first time. You may get disasters...and don't expect round perfect beads...that takes practice. But...you WILL have fun.

6. And...you can try a zillion variations on this idea. This is just the easiest begining one.
PLEASE visit LEANDRAS Blog for more of her brilliant bead ideas and great photos of how to's.

The Last Night

So...with that in mind Chanukah concludes. It was a great holiday and who can complain when we had high 60's temperature today at a time when it would normally be below freezing in New Jersey. This global warming thing is scary !

I now offer this very funny "Chanukah Sermon" from Rabbi Adam Kligfeld of Congregation Eitz Chaim, Upstate New York.
Please have a good sense of humor...there's nothing personal to it..it's just a very good laugh.

1. Christmas is one day, same day every year--December 25.  Jews love December 25th.  It's another paid day off from work.  We go to movies and out for Chinese food, and Israeli dancing.  Chanukah is eight days.  It starts the evening of the 24th of Kislev, whenever that falls.  No one is ever sure.  Jews never know until a non-Jewish friend asks when Chanukah starts, forcing us to consult a calendar so we don't look like idiots.  We all have the same calendar, provided free with a donation from either the World Jewish Congress, the kosher butcher, or the local Sinai Memorial Chapel (especially in Florida).

2. Christmas is a major holiday.  Chanukah is a minor holiday with the same theme as most Jewish holidays:  They tried to kill us, we survived, let's eat!

3. Christians get wonderful presents such as jewelry, perfume, stereos, etc. Jews get practical presents such as underwear, socks, or the collected works of the Rambam, which looks impressive on the bookshelf.

4. There is only one way to spell Christmas.  No one can decide how to spell Chanuka, Chanukah, Chanukka, Channukah, Hanukah, Hannuka.

5. Christmas is a time of great pressure for husbands and boyfriends.  Their partners expect special gifts.  Jewish men are relieved of that burden.  No one expects a diamond ring on Chanukah.

6. Christmas brings enormous electric bills.  Candles are used for Chanukah.  Not only are we spared enormous electric bills, but we get to feel good about not contributing to the energy crisis.

7. Christmas carols are beautiful--Silent Night, Come All Ye Faithful, etc.  Chanukah songs are about dreidels made from clay or having a party and dancing the horah.  Of course, we are secretly pleased that many of the beautiful carols were composed and written by our tribal brethren.  And don't Barbara Streisand and Neil Diamond sing them beautifully?

8. A home preparing for Christmas smells wonderful--the sweet smell of cookies and cakes baking, happy people are gathered around in festive moods.  A home preparing for Chanuka smells of oil, potatoes and onions, and, as always, is full of loud people all talking at once.

9. Christian women have fun baking Christmas cookies.  Jewish women burn their eyes and cut their hands grating potatoes and onions for latkes on Chanukah.  Another reminder of our suffering through the ages.

10. Parents deliver gifts to their children during Christmas.  Jewish parents have no qualms about withholding a gift any of the eight nights.

11. The players in the Christmas story have it easy to pronounce names such as Mary, Joseph and Jesus. The players in the Chanuka story are Antiochus, Judah Maccabee, and Matta whatever.  No one can spell it or pronounce it.  On the plus side, we can tell our friends anything and they believe we are wonderfully versed in our history.

12. Many Christians believe in the virgin birth.  Jews think, "Joseph, bubela, snap out of it.  Your woman is pregnant, you didn't sleep with her, and now you want to blame God.  Here's the number of my shrink."

13. In recent years, Christmas has become more and more commercialized.  The same holds true for Chanuka, even though it is a minor holiday.  It makes sense.  How could we market a major holiday such as Yom Kipppur?  Forget about celebrating.  Think observing.  Come to synagogue, starve yourself for 27 hours, become one with your dehydrated soul, beat your chest, confess your sins, a guaranteed good time for you and your family.  Tickets a mere $200 per person.  Better stick with Chanuka.

Change of Plans

Well...today i was all set to see the new movie "Doubt" with my friend Connie.
......we get to the theater...find out they had a power outage...theaters closed. WHAT !!!!!!
No such thing is possible.
I LOVE the movies.
On Christmas day Lenny and I went to see "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"....just tremendous. So thought provoking. So different. So wonderful. Brad Pitt....sooooo delicious !

Connie and I make a quick switch-a-roo  - drive across the street...visit the mall.
I decide Connie needs a makeover....she agrees whole-heartedly to be a guinea pig and we stop at the MAC counter in Nordstrom to play with their cosmetics.

Connie loves her "new look"...but...decides not to buy anything just yet.....just revels in her glow.....we go for sushi where she orders something called a hot lovers roll. Oy Vey !

It's amazing what a makeover will do for some people !!!!

 

Still Celebrating

It's the 6th night of Chanukah and friends are still getting together to light the Menorah.
Two more days left.

My friend Jodi Katz (to my L) had a whole group of us to her house and we all brought our Menorahs to light
.
On Chanukah we light a special 9 branch Menorah which is also called a Hanukiah.

We had a special service, sang Chanukah songs, ate more latkes and gave thanks for good friends.
Next party...New Years Eve ! More friends.

Chanukah

I Love Chanukah (or Hanukkah, depending on how you like to spell it !).

Tonight was the 3rd night and I invited some of my non crafting friends over for the candle lightning and a little "all girls" Chanukah party.

They brought great homemade cookies

They brought cool pastries in Chanukah colors

and you can't have Chanukah without Potato Latkes (pancakes), applesauce and sour cream...oh my word...yummy, yummy !

It's definitely not gonna be hard doing this for 5 more days !!!

Back from vacation

It was nice to be away for a week.....no emails, no blogging, no blackberry, just fun with the family and lots of sunshine and some really achy shins and tired feet from all the walking through theme parks !

We did our time share thingie in Orlando Florida for the second year in a row and walked through Disney, Epcot, Universal and Sea World all in 4 days but,  I think its okay to say I don't need to do that again for some time...oh do my legs ache  ! 

And, let me tell you flat out...I hate those rides that "jerk you around".....the 5 year old loved Spiderman in 3D but Grandma Suze here got totally throw up nauseous from it....holy crap...not only does the 3D make you crazy but the swirly, jerking cars make me sick to my stomach. Shamu was definately more "my thing "!!! In fact it was stupendous.

Then, there was the "fake surfing".....hilarious when you consider that I hate water and can't swim.....But Jared loved it !

Even more fun....I got to teach a class at the fabulous Gemstones & Beads in Orlando. What an incredible shop (that's an understatement)  and what marvelous ladies took this class. Thank you to store owner Angela (to my R) for inviting me. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this.

Flew home on the last flight to get into Newark because of the snowstorm there, but it didn't stop us from the family Chanukah celebration at my son Marc's house.
First the candle lighting...then a wonderful dinner.

 followed by......Lots of gift opening.

and some very excited kids....

I can see where this will be a wonderful, happy holiday season.
So...Happy Chanukah and Merry Christmas to everyone.

and...thank you all for your support. Everything you do is so appreciated.

Sharing Cool "Stuff"

So...here's some more cool beeswax ideas, plus, some new stuff that came into the office ....
Take A Look....I waxed a rock! I swear.

The "pattern" on the rock surface is made using a plastic stencil (any stencil is fine)
1. Make sure the surface you are working on ( here, the rock) is warmed ever so slightly.
2. Place the stencil down, cover with waxed paper and brayer it down flat. (as flat as is possible).
3. Melt Wax in the melting pot. Brush melted wax over stencil and let it completely cool down before you remove the stencil.

CHECK IT OUT...You can embed string into wax. very neat. If you like, you can dip the string into melted wax first for added texture.


Now...check out those FABULOUS glass enclosure pendants that we just got in...totally wow....limited supply...hurry up !

They have a hinge opening....they are really gorgeous.

also.....the DESIGNING WITH THE DIVAS  BOOK is coming next week..pre-order it now....

Okay...have a happy.....catch you again over the weekend.

Aaaah Friends

There's nothing as nice as having lunch with a friend especially on a pouring, rainy day.

Did I say pouring...??......oh, that would be putting it mildly.

Non stop, teaming, blinding rain..that's more like what we had today. You couldn't see an inch in front of you....but...I ventured out anyway for a 53 mile trip to meet my sweet, dear friend Julianna Hudgins  - half way -  at a P.F. Changs.
So, we schmoozed for 2 hours then indulged in their $2 dessert samplers which are to die for. Julianna works for Ellison (die cuts) & is also very well known as an HSN spokesperson. She is also a dynamite jewelry designer who created for Jewel Craft and Artistic Wire a while back. To me, she's just my friend Julianna and I love her !

I'm Back...!

Where have I been...??....well....I can't wait to tell you.

I'm just back from my second WAXWORKS class out in the Santa Cruz, California area and  I am so waaaaay over the moon about the wonderful teachers, students and, all that I am continuing to learn about beeswax.

This was one of the richest, most fulfilling experiences I have ever had.

Three AMAZING teachers, Daniella Woolf, Wendy Aiken and Judy Stabile teach all things wax in this phenomenal, huge art space designed and custom built by them just these classes. They also offer open studio time.

So...before you do read any further...bookmark them and promise yourself you'll find a way to attend their beginner weekend classes (held often) so you too can go home drooling over the fantastic art you'll make using their generous amount of supplies and wealth of information.

I got to stay at Wendys beautiful house (surrounded by a Koi pond) which is only 9 miles from my brothers house, so, I spent time with family too. 

We laughed for 4 solid days, during which these three great teachers made a Shabbat (Jewish sabbath) dinner in my honor.

All the typical Jewish foods were prepared & it would take 10 blog pages to cover every single hilarious moment of the meal preparation. Wendy & Judy are not Jewish and had never made any of these foods before....it was just a riot and also very delicious.

So...here's a recap of my glorious weekend..... food first.
Wendy makes Challah....it took 9 cups of flour & a LOT of laughing.!

Success....it actually rose in the oven and we feasted!

Judy made the Kugel even though she thought she was having a "Kugel Crisis" when it didn't look exactly like the recipe said it should. It turned out delicious.



Daniella sampled the hummus and then we delved into the chicken soup and the brisket.


I sang the traditional blessings over the wine and bread and we were good to go on our Shabbat Diva dinner. 

Next day...SHOPPING !!!!


Wendy (l) and Judy (r) couldn't resist trying on these hilarious hats. They'll probably want to kill me after they see I posted this "attractive" picture !
 

and I needed a LOT of help getting into (and out of ) this chair.....a LOT !
 

Now...it's off to the studio to play...

Wax, Wax everywhere..take the class & learn how to build up textures like this one that Wendy showed us.
 

I made this piece after we learned about waxing & embedding string, wire, & waxed paper beads. I also used a roller stamp and some Perfect Pearls. And...the most exciting part...writing on the wax with India Ink.
 

Here's a few more pieces I made. This one uses the Victorian Sun Rubber Stamp

and this one was a mask of a tree (that's the reverse of a stencil)

Rubber Stamps again and more string.

and here I used some of the tools from Ten Seconds Studio to make impressions into the wax. .

I could go on and on.....but I'm sure I need to save something for a different day! I took 396 pictures...that gives you some idea of the fun we had.!!!