1. Attempt what is not certain. Certainty may or may not come later. It may then be a valuable delusion. 2. The pretty, initial position which falls short of completeness is not to be valued---except as a stimulus for further moves. 3. Do search. But in order to find other than what is searched for. 4. Use and respond to the initial fresh qualities but consider them absolutely expendable. 5. Don't "discover" a subject---of any kind. 6. Somehow don't be bored---but if you must, use it in action. Use its destructive potential. 7. Mistakes can't be erased, but they move you from your present position. 8. Keep thinking about Polyanna. 9. Tolerate chaos. 10. Be careful only in a perverse way. ---Richard Diebenkorn

By now you will have the heard the news of Heath Ledgers untimely death.The star was newley crowned the joker in the Batman series. His death is thought to be brought about through an overdose of pills.Unfortnately it was too late do anything when the young actor was discovered. Remember when it comes to drugs - just say no . We'll miss you and your brilliant movies Heath x Beth x

So i have started several knitting projects and havn't finished them One being Baby Booties for my boyfriends sister, i was super excited to knit booties, and hats and blankets for her soon to be poping out son, just to learn she is not going to keep him, long story short, she is forced (in my opinion) to give him up for adoption by her parents and the baby's dad (whom i want to do things that i'd go to jail for cause hes an ass and half. ) but when i found out she was not keeping him, i kind of quit working on the booties, all that really needs to be finished is sewing the heel and adding the strap. This was my first "project-other-than-a-scarf" so i was super excited, i still will finish it and post pictures. Then i have a long skinny scarf i am making an old co-worker,i am almost done with that (i just got bored knitting it so i kind of stopped) Then I have a doggie carrier bag for my "Chaweiner", Bella, its out of wool and i keep breaking my needles on the damn thing, so i have put it aside for now and i will get that finished Then i am doing something kind of experimental, a chain crochet scarf i thought it was cute i need to do a few more links on it. When i finally finish my projects i will post pics of them. until then, i will attempt to finish Hockey Rant: So the avalanche played Nashville Pretators which should have been an easier game. BUt 4-0, the avs lost! I think Theodor needs more game expierence and practice,As much as i love the guy, ugh flustrating, im not mad at him, it just sucks loosing to the predators in a shut out. And the Injeries, that sucks cause alot of our "key" players are out due to injeries. ughhhh... all i have to say is they betta beat the wild, if they don't it would be nice if it at least went into a shoot out and we loose by 1, not 4-0... Im sure there will be more hockey rants to come. :) =Shan=

I love the saying, "Think outside the box" but how many can truly do just that? We are raised to conform to society's standards and to think all in the same way... When you learn to play any instrument, you are taught the scales... over and over... When taught to do anything, we can all compare how we were taught and see just how similar they all are. I think because of this, we have a hard time letting go of our creative side and explore a whole new world… Take a piece of paper and draw a house, tree, car, and some people but color them different colors… a yellow sky with a green sun. A pink car with orange tires, 3 on each side… A house with the chimney on the side! People with blue hair… Anything you can come up with and see what people say. Right, they will think you are crazy! Picasso was thought of being crazy too, and still is in some circles. So, how do we release our creativity? I do an exercise where I look at a box or anything else sitting around and think in Dr Seuss visuals and wonder what he would have done with it! A wrap around TV for 360 degree viewing… A car you can steer by using your eye movements or voice… Much faster reaction times doing that, wouldn’t you say? I know… how about a bed that reacts to your mood by monitoring you pulse, blood pressure, temperature, and tightness of muscles? It automatically adjusts to either warm or cool, massages tight muscles, and puts on soothing music to relax as well… What about your cell phone that now can text, talk, surf the net, and play music on… what if you could buy things by using a beam to give your info to a vending machine or cashier? Or have the phone unfold into a useable size for larger viewing of the screen? So, tell me… what do you fancy wanting to do but have felt held back because you thought someone would criticize you for your creation? Mine would be an animal that wasn’t fashioned after any type of animal at all but just something I thought would look cute. I guess my Cherree Fluff is sort of like that though, looking part monkey and part dog.

Last year Karen and Erik invited us to something called ICE!
Apparently the Gaylord Palms flies in dozens of Chinese ice sculptors, then cover a 1/4 of their giant parking lot in 9º F weather via tarps and uber air conditioners. The Chinese guys get to work making massive ice scultptures and finally the staff hands you a giant blue parka and it's a winter wonderland time.

This year we urged Peter's parents and his brother's family to join us cause we had such a good time before. The wait was like 40 times longer cause we went the weekend before Christmas. But it was still fun. Our various body parts went numb by the end. Last year we went ice skating (I didn't fall on my butt once!) but the wait tired us out so much we skipped it this year.

Prepare for picspam!
but first...a video.












Here's a couple images from last year:




More pictures are in the Gallery in case you have some weird urge to see more.
And I close with a video of the candy ice house and giant ice cream.


I really urge anyone to go visit. It's a really nice way to get into the holiday spirit. If you are from up north and miss the feeling of a numb nose ICE is a great way to remind yourself of why you moved to FL.

Oh and did I mention the ice slide at the end?

I suggest going the weekend it opens though. Way less people.

Meow. So I bought this beautiful top from a vintage store yesterday. It's kinda beige (I hate saying that, it instantly sounds disgusting) and it has a small kinda greeny pattern on it, and it's long sleeved and with lace down the front. It looks lovely, but the only problem is there's a big hole in the side. It looks like there used to be a zip there (there's one in the same place on the other side), it's not like broken it's just that a seam has come undone. So tomorrow I'm going to wear it with a top underneath it, as it's too short for winter anyway, but what should I do? I can't do zips. I'm just hoping no one will notice it haha. So I was thinking that with some blue jeans, not sure what shoes yet but possibly my Alice ones. I'd like to do my hair in that 40s/50s way with the scarf but I don't know how? I have some nice vintage scarves that would look nice. And obviously a bit of red lipstick =) I'll post pictures and that, should be a nice outfit!

Toothbrushes are amazing I was admiring mine this morning (Its green and has a bendy head with a tongue thingy cleaner on the back)lol - what other piece of equipment comes in soooo many variables just to do a simple task .Who ever invented the second toothbrush was on to something.Who was the person who sat down and said "this toothbrush needs a bendy head" The toothbrush is the perfect example of trial and improvement soo todays question How would you improve the toothbrush? love Beth x

I have gotten to where I don't use patterns to make my critters but rather look at something and then visualize it. I crochet and think in texture and color besides just what the item will look like. I am still in the process of designing a kittycat. This is what I have so far: I have bought the yarn and am going to make her black and white, I think. I looked up for the best possible way to change colors and am going to do her in different colors. I want her to be a long hair with blue eyes and a pink nose... The ears will be lined in pink and she will have whiskers. I am going to make her jointed so that her legs and head moves. I think I will actually make a pattern for her as I go and post it!

even if you aren't dutch, you should really check out these books cause their fabulous!! the first one is called: 'naaien enzo' translated: 'sew and stuff' written by Claudette Halkes en Annemarieke Piers: the second one is called 'knuffels enzo' (softies and stuff) and is also written by Claudette Halkes en Annemarieke Piers: the books are filled with crafty stuff and pictures of how to make it. all created by famous dutch designers. lots of love, Liefgeval