Toby's Bench Sweeps

Holiday cutoffs and $2 shipping

2009-12-02T20:18:00.000-08:00

Hi Gang, Here's the scoop on holiday shipping...orders by December 17th will make it there in time for Christmas. I'm upgrading my $2 shipping to Priority Mail for everybody, so we can all sleep well knowing your gifts will make it there on time (I hate having to worry about that over the holidays!) Custom orders...we'll want to get the ball rolling on those by December 12th. Happy shopping!

Getting Ready for Open Studios

2009-09-14T19:23:00.000-07:00

Yikes! Open studios is just around the corner. So much to do, so much to do.

The Portland Open Studio Tour is a really cool event they have once a year here. Over the course of two weekend in October, 100 artists open their studios to the public so you can watch them work. Dave and I have been asked to join them this year.

So, if there's any way for you to make your way to Portland the weekend of the 17th & 18th of October, I highly recommend it. You can watch Dave make beads (which is mesmerizing!) and see my workbench in it's semi-annual, semi-clean state, which won't surface in this state for another 12-24 months.

Here's the event's site, where you can see the other artists involved, purchase your tour guide, and generally plan your attack. I think you can also buy tour guides at New Seasons Markets too. Hope we see you there!

New - $2 Shipping!

2009-08-06T11:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, I've had enough!

Don't you hate it when you add something to your cart, and when you go to check out, the shipping ends up costing as much as whatever you're buying?

Well I'm fighting back...shipping for all orders is $2. Take that! If you're in more of a hurry, Priority Mail shipping is $5.

So, ship away!

Mortifiying Exercise Story Du Jour

2009-08-04T21:16:00.001-07:00

Ok, for those of you who have been reading this blog for a while (thanks, Mom and Dad :), you've read about my trials and tribulations trying to fit exercise into my life.

So I found a class at my gym that's exercising with hula hoops...I figure, I've strapped stupid contraptions to my legs, walked around with a rubber ball between my thighs, all in the name of exercise, I might as well try hula hooping. At least that's kind of fun.

So...I go to the class, who's there? A photographer from Portland Monthly Magazine to take photos of the latest exercise craze. And there weren't that many people in the class. I was completely mortified when I thought of all the people I know who read that magazine.

I'll post the article here if it comes out (please no, please no!) and we can all have a good belly laugh. I only knocked over the person in front of me with my hula hoop once...that's pretty good, isn't it?

This just isn't meant to be an easy thing for me, is it?

Glad I use recycled silver...

2009-07-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

I just read that a new 1/3-ounce, 18-karat gold ring creates about 20 tons of mine waste. Holy cow!

Ready for Friday's Secret Sale?

2009-07-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

So, I hardly ever throw a sale, like I hardly ever throw a party. But when I do, it's a doozy!

This Friday, July 17th I'll be holding a secret sale on this site. What's so secret about it? You've got to be on my mailing list to get in on it.

I'll be sending out an email Friday morning with a link to the secret sale, a special section of my site where only people on my newsletter can get in. Hiding in here will be all sorts of new pieces that will be premiering on my site on Friday, as well as some pretty steep discounts on some of my favorite designs.

How do you get in on the action? Sign up for my mailing list:

Happy Shopping!

Mmmm picture jasper

2009-05-10T20:39:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest custom piece. Cool, huh? I really like the chain I found.

Thanks guys, you're awesome!

2009-03-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks for helping pick out pieces for my Open Studios application. It's all wrapped up and in the mail. All's left is to wait to hear back. You guys will be the first to know. (Dave's jealous that he didn't think of putting together a poll...he had to wrack his brain to figure out which 3 pieces to choose...well, I ended up looking at all his photos too, so I guess I lost out too - fun looking at all the beads he's made over the years!) Thanks again! You rock.

Little Twinkle Toes Herself

2009-02-20T22:49:00.000-08:00

Devera Ice Skating from Toby Graham on Vimeo.

I need your help picking out some photos

2009-02-16T11:07:00.000-08:00

I'm getting ready to apply to be an artist in the Portland Open Studio Tour. If you've even been on one, it's really fun, both as an artist and an attendee.

Part of the application asks you to submit 3 photos of your work. Aaack! I've got about 3,000 photos to choose from. That's where I need your expert opinion. Can you take this little poll for me and tell me which 2 pieces you like the best?

Ok, here are the pictures to choose from:

Help me pick out my photos for open studios. Choose your two favorites from the ones below. (Click on the photos to see them bigger) ( polls)

Mmmm, Sonoma Food

2009-01-21T21:08:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I overdid it with the 8oo pounds of chocolate over the holidays. And maybe the weekly batches of banana bread might have had something to do with it to. Well, and yeah, the three dozen gingerbread cookies that didn't have a home. I guess you're right, I think I overdid it. So this is the first diet I've ever been on...I'm just not a regimented person...counting calories and that stuff. Too much high math. But I found one that's really yummy, the Sonoma Diet. You have to love to cook to be on it, but the food's amazing (Dave said he felt like we were eating restaurant food the first couple things I made). The first 10 days are HELL...no sugar. WHAT!?! But it's been a good gut check (I guess in more ways than one) to remind me what a realistic plate of food should look like...that living on pasta and garlic bread and chocolate croissants and hazelnut lattes...I guess that wasn't going to work for me in the long run. At least I can think of those days lovingly...they tasted so good!

Holiday Shopping Dates and Goodies...Hey free shipping for all orders!

2008-11-24T15:17:00.001-08:00

Here's everything you wanted to know about holiday shopping but were afraid to ask:

Here's the biggie:
Free First Class Shipping for all holiday orders.

Here's the one to make you feel good:
10% of all sales from now 'till Dec 31st will go to Habitat for Humanity

Here's for all you procrastinators:
Shipping Deadlines:
Free First Class: Order by December 15th
Priority Mail: Order by December 17th
Overnight Mail: Order by December 20th

If you have any questions...give me a holler.

Enough to make a rock dork drool!

2008-11-18T07:48:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the latest National Geographic Magazine? Well, they've found Superman's Lair. Those are giant gypsum crystals that they found in the Crystal Cave in Mexico. The photos are just phenomenal. They're as big as telephone poles...I was watching the documentary on it last night...super cool. Well, maybe not cool. It was like 115 degrees in there. Amazing, huh?

Toby Joins the 21st Century

2008-11-12T11:12:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys, I just put up a page for tobyDESIGN on facebook.

Better late than never, right?

Become a fan, or even better, add me as a favorite, and I'll send you a discount code for your holiday shopping.

Happy Surfing!

Did you notice I snuck some new stuff in here?

2008-11-06T19:22:00.000-08:00

I snuck in a whole bunch of new pieces...while you weren't looking. Lots and lots of necklaces...lampwork and otherwise. And an unbelievably cool lampwork bracelet. Check them out!

Blah Blah Blah...I'm sure you voted today

2008-11-04T11:15:00.001-08:00

Halleleujah! The nasty commercials are over. So, I was reading a post by my favorite marketer, Seth Godin, and the end of his post was just great:

We get what we deserve. The lesson that society should take away about all marketing is a simple one. When you buy a product, you're also buying the marketing. Buy something from a phone telemarketer, you get more phone telemarketers, guaranteed. Buy a gas guzzler and they'll build more. Marketers are simple people... they make what sells. Our culture has purchased (and voted) itself into the place we are today.

That's why I abstained from the nastiest commercial fight here in Oregon. Read the whole article here

Meet Tinkerbell

2008-10-25T12:37:00.001-07:00

Ok, I've figured out how to upload video. You're in trouble now!
Meet Tinkerbell from Toby Graham on Vimeo.

This will get you ready for Halloween

2008-10-22T20:40:00.000-07:00

Devera singing 5 little pumpkins from Toby Graham on Vimeo.

More picture jasper goodness

2008-10-18T10:01:00.001-07:00

Here's the latest custom feast for your senses. I swear picture jasper is the coolest stuff known to mankind. If you were contemplating getting a custom piece for the holidays (and you know, you're allowed to give yourself gifts too) I'd recommend getting in touch with me sooner than later. Yummy, huh?

Blogs take action on Poverty

2008-10-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

I really like how the internet makes grass roots organizing so easy...

So, today is Blog Action Day...a day when...let's see what the count is now...11,704 blogs are going to post on a topic pressing in the world today. This year's topic is Poverty.

So, I'm going to use my post as an opportunity so share what some great organizations are doing. My philosophy has always been to teach someone to fish...and here are some great groups that are doing just that.

Kiva: the super cool micro lending network. My next two microloans are well on their way to paying off. I'm so excited. Maybe this post will guilt my Dad into using the credit he's got sitting in his account.

Habitat for Humanity: You know about them already. Again, they're who I'm going to be helping out this holiday season. 10% of my profits between Nov 1 and Jan 1 will be going to them.

And a couple local Portland ones that are doing great work:
Children's Relief Nursery: The more you read about their approach, the more they make sense. Address the problem earlier than later.

And, here in my neighborhood is Neighborhood House: These guys have grown exponentially in the last couple of years, and its really exciting to watch them grow. They've turned into a soup to nuts social services group doing some great work.

Ok, here's your homework...what's the pressing issue in your neighborhood, and what nonprofits are working to fix it? Knowledge is power.

One of the best lines I heard from the Daily Show lately was when they were talking about protesters at the WTO meeting in Seattle a couple of years about (that the movie "The Battle In Seattle" is about) they were commenting about how surprisingly well organized the anarchists were.

Another sneak peak?

2008-10-13T12:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, this one's too cool to keep under wraps...it'll be making its way onto the site soon. Want first dibs on all the new pieces? Join my mailing list >>

Sneek Peek - new stuff coming soon

2008-10-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

Here's a nibble of what's coming on the site soon. Jump on my mailing list to get a peek at all the new goodies before everybody else does.

Are you on my mailing list?

2008-10-04T14:35:00.000-07:00

If not, jump on quick? I'm not an every 2 week spammer (you're lucky if you hear from me 4 times a year!) But every one who is on my list gets first pick from all my new pieces. I'm getting ready to add some more pieces (and they're good ones...lots of cool new lampwork, and a couple new stones). But you won't get first choice unless you sign up. Oh, and take a look...new rocks from my latest rock dork expedition! They're beautiful! I think it's a toss up between #2 and #12 as far as my favorites go. Which ones do you like?

Wow, that was a long vacation!

2008-09-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

I wish I had taken 3 months off and spent it at the beach...boy I'd be really refreshed. Nope, the reality is that I've been so busy, I couldn't even keep up on the blog. Oh well. On the rock dork front, though, I just got back from the Portland Gem and Mineral show. Yes, again, I was 50 years younger than everybody else there. Saw my favorite rock vendor...and stocked up with new goodies. I'll take some pictures and share them with you shortly.

Hi Guys - I'm taking a vacation

2008-07-19T21:06:00.000-07:00

I'm out on vacation until July 28th. I'll catch up with you after I get back. Talk amongst yourselves.

Calling all newsletter subscribers...

2008-07-06T08:35:00.000-07:00

What? You're not on my mailing list? Well, you'd better jump on it fast. I'm adding a whole slew of new pieces this week. And if you're on my mailing list, you'll get pick of the litter. Once these new pieces are ready for prime time, I'm giving my newsletter subscribers the first chance to snatch up the glassy goodness. And not have to pay shipping to boot! So, quick quick, join my mailing list! Oh, and here's Devera watching her first firework being let off in the street. I don't think I've ever seen eyes so wide.

I'll call him Lazarus

2008-06-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

Because he's back from the dead. Butterfly, that is...Devera's pet fish. I was sure he was a gonner. He hadn't moved in a week...Dave and I have been performing the fishy version of CPR, all quietly and behind the scenes so that Devera would never catch wind of the ER happening in her bedroom (I need 30ccs of activated charcoal, STAT!). There he sat at the bottom of the tank for over a week. Dave and I had even negotiated who was going to have the talk, and where we were going to bury him (in the backyard pet cemetery, where Herbert the hedgehog also lies peacefully). But we weren't going to do it until the last gill stopped moving. So, I'd finally made peace with it yesterday. I just happen to peek in the tank, and lo and behold, he has risen! He's swimming around the top of the tank! Not with all the swishy vigor he had before, but he's getting there...he's upright, and he's moving. It's a miracle!

Wow, how cool is this one!

2008-06-23T21:18:00.000-07:00

Oooh, aaah...ok, this is one of the nicest ones I've made in forever. It's an Atherton Picture Jasper, a fun custom order where she sent me the stone to set. Turned out nice, huh?

I love happy customers!

2008-06-01T13:04:00.000-07:00

Here's a note I got from one of my happy brides in Australia...

I just picked up the package from the post office, the tiara is even more amazing than I imagined and the hairpins are so delicate and beautiful, the dragonflies are so much better than the pictures. It is all so perfect, thank you so much. Now I will look and feel like a princess on my big day, what more could a woman want?

I LOVE getting notes like that...they so make my day. We need more princesses in the world, don't we?

Froggy Central

2008-05-16T21:44:00.000-07:00

My audio's not the greatest, but here's what my back yard sounds like right now: Happy Frogs The frogs are just going bezerk in my back yard. It's pretty cool. Devera thinks they're singing her a lullaby to help her go to sleep (well, I might have put that thought in her head, but it's a sweet one nonetheless) I think there are 4 or 5 of them out there. And they sound happy...I just imagine them paddling around in the koi pond. Amazingly, none of the neighbors have complained. It's really loud!

Microlending Maven - Kiva Success!!!

2008-05-02T09:22:00.000-07:00

Yay! I got an email today letting me know that the two women I lent money to in Samoa both paid back their loans in full. How cool is that? So yeah, there are two women with some money smarts in a super poor country that were able to grow their small businesses just a little bit more. So I got my 50 bucks back (you don't get interest on the money you loan...so don't think you're going to be a captain of industry yourself by joining), and I've found two new businesses to support.

Las Estrellas de Atipiri

and the Upper Kawuga Group

I'll keep you posted on how these guys do.

Wahoo! New Rocks!

2008-04-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

Ahh yes, rock dork me, I could dedicate my life to searching out the coolest rocks to come out of the ground (or not...read on). Well, here are the two latest ones for me to hold in my hand covetously (is that a word?) This first one is a Horse Canyon Moss Agate, which comes from California. Moss agates are so cool...they're a combination of translucent and opaque stripes that look like blades of grass floating in the breeze. Next...and I've been obsessing over this type of "stone" for months now, is called a Detroit Agate. Any guesses to what this is made out of? Yeah, car paint! Some brilliant rock cutter decided it would be really cool to scrape some stuff out of the spray booths in car factories and see what they could do with it. So the bands of color are from changing the color they were painting the cars that day. Looks like they were big on blacks, whites, and grays during this geologic paint period. Cool, huh? When you think about it, there are all kinds of neat places to mine materials from, not just dig them out of the soil. Enjoy your day! Oh yeah, these two pieces are up for custom orders...if you're coveting them as badly as I have, I can turn them into something cool for you. Just shoot me an email.

Want to see another custom piece?

2008-02-24T12:58:00.000-08:00

This is a piece of Marra Mamba from Australia. The sad thing is that the photo still just doesn't do the stone justice. If you've ever seen tiger eye and you've seen how it flashes in the light, well this stone has that going on as well. It's stone # 28 from here. I've got one more piece of marra mamba if this tickles your fancy, #27, and again the photos just don't do the stones justice. Sigh.

Wahoo! Fair Trade Gemstones

2008-01-02T12:16:00.000-08:00

You've probably noticed that the stones I use aren't the average, run of the mill stones you find at the jewelry counter of say, Macy's. I've really steered away from using them because as I researched a little more about where these beautiful stones all come from, there was a long trail of social and environmental destruction hiding behind them.

So I decided to go with stones where I knew where they were coming from, I've met the people cutting them, and I know that they're doing as little damage in their mining process as possible (yeah, if you look into the mining process for a lot of this stuff...ooh it's not pretty. Makes you want to wear nothing but bamboo). But, I really miss working with the standards like Amethyst and Moonstone. But I've found a great source for the oldies but goodies. I pay a premium for them, but I assume if you're shopping on this site, you're not really someone who picks up their jewelry from WalMart. Now I need to find a greener source for my silver. I'm not sure if you've ever seen a silver mine, but man they are not pretty. At least there's a very high re-use and recycle rate for it since it's a precious metal. If you'd like more info on fair trade gems...shoot me an email. Happy New Year! Toby

Holiday Q&A...All the stuff you wanted to know but were afraid to ask

2007-11-21T14:01:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys,

Happy Holidays!

Here's all the nitty gritty details for getting your grubby paws on some glittering holiday goods from tobyDESIGN:

Shipping Cutoffs:
For all pieces that aren't labeled as "Quick Ship" (look right underneath the piece's name):
December 11th
These pieces are made to order, and I want to make sure I make them absolutely special for you.

For Quick Ship pieces:
December 17th for standard shipping
December 21st for overnight shipping

Custom Pieces:
Yikes, I'm all booked up for Holiday orders. How 'bout Valentines day?

Guys, do you need some help?
Ok, the fact that you're shopping on a handcrafted jewelry site means that you're 90% of the way there towards purchasing a really thoughtful gift. You get brownie points for even getting this far. Let me help you get all the way there. Email me at toby@tobydesign.com and tell me a little bit about the person you're buying for, and I can steer you in the right direction.

Free Giftwrapping?
Of course! 20 bucks says that this will be the prettiest box under your tree!

Questions? Need Help? email me at toby@tobydesign.com

Here's how to up your gas milage...

2007-10-18T14:13:00.000-07:00

I found this in the Organic Consumer's Association Newsletter...

QUICK RELATED FACTS:
YOUR DIET IMPACTS ENVIRONMENT MORE THAN YOUR CAR

13 PERCENT = The percentage of greenhouse gases created by all trucks, SUVs, cars, airplanes, trains and other transportation.

18 PERCENT = The amount of greenhouse gases created by livestock production.>

Source: United Nations

Moral of the story: If you are an average U.S. meat eater, reducing your meat consumption to 2 ounces per day is roughly equivalent to doubling your vehicle's fuel efficiency, in terms of greenhouse gas reduction.

More coming soons...

2007-10-17T12:28:00.000-07:00

Here's another style that slowly but surely making it's way onto my site. Cool, huh? I've found this beautiful Japanese silk cord to use for necklaces now. The colors are unbelievably vibrant. And Dave's beads? Gorgeous as usual. This is my favorite style he makes...looks like dewdrops, doesn't it?

Again, if your peeing your pants in anticipation and just can't wait to have this piece, shoot me an email and it's yours to keep.

More Custom Pieces

2007-10-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

Wahoo! I'm finally caught up with custom orders! It only took 3 months. Just in time for a quick breather before the holiday shopping frenzy starts. I can't believe I'm getting Christmas catalogs in the mail already. Hello - it's OCTOBER. I promise...you will see no Santas and reindeer on this site until well into November. Pinky swear.

Anyway, here are the latest custom pieces. I really love both of those stones. I'm always so happy to know these goofy rocks are going to good homes.

[Edited to add...]

And here's why I love working with custom orders:

Let me start out with...

Oh my god thank you Toby they are absolutely gorgeous. Definitely worth the wait (you should see the giant smile on my face now).

I can't wait to see them "in the flesh". Thank you so much, I don't think I will be able to say that enough.

These are going out to Australia, cool, huh? I still can't wrap my head around it being spring over there. All our beautiful flowers are brown and crispy now and theirs are just popping up.

[Edited even later to add...]

Hi Toby,

Just writing to say I received the necklaces today and they are absolutely gorgeous. I can't express how much I love both of them.

It was also a great pleasure getting to know you and if anyone asks I won't hesitate to tell them where I bought these beautiful necklaces.

Preview of things to come

2007-09-20T12:13:00.000-07:00

Want a sneak peak of what's coming for the holidays?..... This is laboradite and moonstone. The photos absolutely don't do it justice...the stones are really irridescent. Coming soon to a browser near you. And if you have ants in your pants and can't wait that long, send me an email.

Poor Dave, he humors me so much

2007-09-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

Want to see where I'm dragging him and Devera this weekend? Richardson's Rock Ranch >> There are miles and miles of rocks there. I'm so excited. Ah, the things you do for love.

Here's another custom piece

2007-09-17T12:10:00.001-07:00

This piece of jasper has just been begging and pleading to be a ring. And now it's finally gotten its' wish. Cool, huh? Hope they like it.

Microlending - yet another payment

2007-09-02T07:35:00.000-07:00

Got an email today that said my gals made another payment on their microloans. That means that they're a third of the way through their repayments. It's pretty cool that $850 will buy you an acre of land in Samoa and some workspace improvements So far so good.

Free Geek Count Is In...

2007-08-21T13:09:00.001-07:00

Wow, who knew? There were just as many girl geeks at Free Geek as there were guys. Lots and lots of bikes there. You could barely get from the street into the place without weaving between all the bikes parked outside. The computer is off to it's new home (and out of my house, yippee!!).

These geeks are great

2007-08-17T22:23:00.000-07:00

So, it's time for my old computer to get the hell out of my house. It's taking up space, wasting energy, and not doing much else. So, I found a new home for it tommorrow: free geek

These guys are so cool ( yeah, 20 bucks says that they're 95% guys, it'll be interesting to see - I'll report back). Anyway, they have a computer adoption program that's just a great idea. If you volunteer 24 hours of your time to them, they'll give you one of their rebuilt computers and teach you how to use it.

As the guys on the Guinness commercial say, "Brilliant!"

Microlending - So far so good

2007-08-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

Hey, so I think this Kiva thing is working out. Both of the entrepreneurs are on payment #3. How cool is that? Maybe I'm helping create a Manioc Land Barroness and a Matt Maker Extraordinaire? Either way, these guys are 1/4 of the way through paying back their loan. I'm so excited. I tell ya - a whole bunch of little people doing little things can do some pretty cool stuff!

Hi Guys - I'm taking a vacation

2007-07-31T21:57:00.000-07:00

Wahoo! I'm out of here for a couple of days. After a CRAZY couple of weeks I'm soooooo looking forward to getting out of Dodge for a little while. I'll be back on Tuesday, I promise.

Here's a little eye candy to keep you tied over for a couple of days. It's a custom order I finished up a couple of weeks ago. Pretty, huh?

And here's the comments:

"I have received my necklace-it is absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much!"

Wanna see the latest custom piece?

2007-07-24T09:33:00.001-07:00

I've been awash in custom orders lately. And it's just so fun. First of all I get to talk to the people ordering the pieces instead of just sending out an order to jkl1132@yahoo.com.

It's kinda lonely having a web based business, you don't get to meet the people browsing around your shop. So, doing the custom stuff is fun.

Anyway, this is a piece of montana agate I just put the finishing touches on. The photo doesn't come close to doing justice to the piece. But, yeah, it's a gorgeous stone.

I offered to take it off my customer's hands and keep it for myself, but darn, she really likes it. Oh well, I'll just have to make one for myself.

Looks cool, huh?

And I so love getting these emails in my inbox:

"I got my necklace the other day and I just wanted to say that you were right, the pictures didn't do it justice and I just absolutely love it. It's beautiful and unique and it's phenomenal. Thank you so much!!"

Wahoo - no more diapers!

2007-07-16T16:25:00.001-07:00

Devera's gotten with the program and has figured out the whole potty training thing.

I heard a saying a while ago - start when they're 2 and they'll get it at 3. Start at 3 and they'll get it at 3. Well, we did the latter, and holy cow it worked!

12 years from now I can imagine she'd be completely mortified that I'm talking about this on an open web site, but right now she's prancing around the house telling anyone who stops to listen.

So, I made a promise to allay my guilt for going with disposable diapers instead of cloth ones to plant a tree when we were done with this whole thing. I'm sorry, but any instructions that involved the words "poo" and "swish", I just couldn't do it. So, hey, if you've got any suggestions for good charities to donate to that do tree planting or something like that, let me know...I'm all ears.

Times a Million - This guys's a great writer

2007-07-10T15:34:00.000-07:00

It's pretty cool to have smart, succinct marketers who aren't working for Philip Morris or Exxon. Check out this post on why every little bit helps. Seth Godin's just a smart guy. I hope a bunch more people jump on his bandwagon.

I've been waiting YEARS for this thing to bloom!

2007-07-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

Dave says it's been 4 years - but I'm sure it's been longer. It almost got the boot (or the yank) last summer but we decided to give it one more year. Maybe it got scared straight because it's got the most amazing flowers on it. It's called a passion flower, and you see them growing every so often around here in the Pacific Northwest. Unreal, huh? I have no idea why, but they look biblical to me. Maybe I saw them growing up the side of a church or something. Wierd how you make associations to things, huh?

Hey - Payment #2!

2007-07-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

Yay! The women I made the microloans have paid back month #2 - I think they've got 14 left.

Lotufaamanatu and Lolofa

Want to see what I've been working on?

2007-06-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I was going full bore on these for months until Lucky Magazine happened to give me a call, then I got sidetracked by my old favorite love, picture jaspers. But, before I was so rudely interrupted (I'm lying - thank you, Lucky!!!), I was deep in the middle of making these beyond cool porcelain roses. I'm really excited by how lifelike these have been turning out. And it's such a nice, tactile project for me to sit down and do. I get into a zen-like state making these. Anyway, these are eventually going to make their way into some bridal pieces like combs, pins, and tiaras. Cool, huh?

And here are the offending ruffles.

2007-06-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

I'm dry heaving just looking at the thing. But she's just so happy.

My daughter is a girlie girl!

2007-06-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

And she sure didn't get it from me!

So, I'm in desperate need to find a bathing suit for Devera before our trip to Detroit (which, if you want to get completely grossed out by bugs, check out Dave's blog). And I'm in the kid's section of Marshall's completely paralyzed with indecision.

I'm holding in my hand a frilly pink bathing suit emblazoned with all the Disney princesses. I'm trying not to dry heave looking at it, but I can't put it back because I know it will make her sooooo happy. And it's the only bathing suit and it's her size.

Good lord I'm condoning this stuff! I haven't worn makeup in a good 6 months, and I think Devera's got more high heels than I do (and more fairy wings tooo).

She and I have a long standing argument on who the princess in the blue dress is, Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella. I've shown her that the ABC's on her purse with that princess on the front of it say Cinderella, but she's not going with it. Dammit it's Sleeping Beauty. I remember my mom and dad had a long standing argument on wether it was Carribbeeean or Cariiiibbean. I don't think they resolved that one either. At least I know I'm right.

Out for the next couple of days

2007-06-20T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hi guys, just wanted to write a quick note to let you know that I'll be out of town for the next couple of days. I won't be able to grab any emails. So if you're desperately waiting for email from me at least you'll know that I haven't disappeared on you. See you Sunday.

Hey, Lucky Magazine thinks I'm Lucky!

2007-06-08T21:11:00.000-07:00

And I think I agree with them. If you happen to see the July issue lying around, flip through it. This bad boy... ...one of my picture jasper necklaces, hiding in there. It's funny, everyone who's seen this piece keeps asking me, did you draw that? Is that a real rock?

Rock dork me, my instant reaction is to go into a 3 hour discussion on how what where and why this stone is so cool. But my semi-good sense takes over, says yeah, it's real, and then sends them over to this page on my site. The only guys who can talk about this stuff longer than I can are the 90-year old rockhounds I get my materials from.

Anyway, check out the magazine!

My microlendees made their first repayment!

2007-06-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

Well, that's pretty cool. The budding captains of industry that I lent a whopping $50 to made the first repayment on their loan. (If you're confused, here's my first post)

So, I guess Lotufaamanatu bought her parcel of land and Lolofa has a new roof for her workshop.

This will be fun to watch - I'll keep you guys posted too.

An Inconvenient Truth - Want to read it?

2007-05-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

Let me know if you do. My copy is just sitting here collecting dust, and it seems like a good book to keep in circulation.

If you want to read it, shoot me an email. I'd be happy to send it to you and even pick up the postage.

Happy Reading!

Chocolate Jealousy

2007-05-17T08:18:00.000-07:00

Ever have a conversation with a friend that just hits the jealous button hard?

I ran into a really fun friend of mine at the Farmer's Market this weekend. He's retired and dabbles in all kinds of fun projects (he was actually instrumental in setting up the market in the first place).

I hadn't seen him in a while and I asked him what kind of trouble he's been getting into these days. He said he'd just finished certification to become a master chocolatier. I don't know, I hear mouseketeer when he said it first and all I could think of was the mouse ear hats.

So, now I'm so jealous! He's going to open a chocolate shop in our neighborhood, and play with chocolate all day. Doesn't that sound like loads of fun? I kept telling Dave the rest of the day, "I want to be a Chocolatier!" poor Dave.

In my oodles and oodles of spare time...yeah, I guess I can't fit it in. Maybe when I retire. Someone else do it for me and tell me how fun it is: ecole chocolat.

Give money or lend money?

2007-05-08T15:04:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys - I'm back, and amazingly not sunburned. Devera is a little fish now, spending a good 18 hours a day stuck to the side of the pool like a little snail. She thinks she's a mermaid now.

Anyway, I wanted to share this cool site with you. It's called Kiva.com and it's a micro-lending site for disadvantaged people across the world. I don't know if you've heard about micro-lending, but here's my take on it...so, some woman in Somalia with 6 kids sells drinks by the side of the road to make enough money for her family. She knows she can really hit it big time if she can buy a bike so that it doesn't take her 4 hours to get to where she needs to go.

Good lord, I can loan her money to buy a bike. I could just give her the money and call it a day, but I like the idea of a loan, because it teaches you a little money management in the mean time. She's going to make enough to pay me back over a period of time.

Cool concept, huh? I think the guy who won the nobel peace price did because he set up a microlending network in like bangladesh or something. So, I think I'm going to start investing some of my tobyDESIGN profits in Kiva.com and see if I can spread the joy a little. Right now I'm investing in a Taro Plantation and a Mat Weaving business in Samoa. We'll see what kinds of captains of enterprise these women can become. I've got my fingers crossed for them.

Hi Gang...I'm out for the rest of the week

2007-05-03T12:32:00.000-07:00

Hi there...just so you know...I'm out of the country until Wednesday (soaking up some sun as we speak). So I may be a little slow getting back to you, but I promise I will. Have a great week!

Make your money count, organically

2007-04-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

Treehugger, that I am...I subscribe to a really cool online newsletter, Organic Bytes.

They had a great tip that I thought I'd share:

TIP OF THE WEEK: SHOPPER'S GUIDE - BUY ORGANIC & AVOID THE "DIRTY DOZEN" FRUITS & VEGETABLES According to the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) analysis of data from over 43,000 tests on pesticides in conventional produce, over 90% of ingestion of pesticides in foods can be eliminated by avoiding the most contaminated foods. The "Dirty Dozen" most contaminated foods are peaches (97 percent tested positive for residue), apples (92 percent tested positive), sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes. The "Consistently Clean" are onions (90 percent tested negative), avocados (90 percent), sweet corn (90 percent), pineapples, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli and papaya. "Federal produce tests tell us that some fruits and vegetables are so likely to be contaminated with pesticides that you should always buy them organic. Others are so consistently clean that you can eat them with less concern." Says EWG Senior Vice President Richard Wiles. Download your wallet-sized shopper's guide here:

I know it's really expensive for some people to buy organic foods, but maybe this helps you spend wisely. Happy Eating!

Woo Hoo, the scales are tipping!

2007-03-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

It's so cool to see more and more people talking about sustainable living these days. Or maybe I've found my niche and tune out everything else. I ran across a great post on Seth Godin's blog: Noimpactman Makes Quite an Impact If you're looking for some good reading on marketing and advertising in general, he's got a really great take on how the world works. He's a breath of fresh air in a world where companies are trying to push Disney Princesses and Chuck E Cheeze down my little kid's throat.

The Little Brute Family

2007-03-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

You have no idea how excited I am. I was at the library checking out some books for Devera when I spotted it...my favorite book from when I was a little girl...The Little Brute Family. I've been searching for a copy of it for years - it's been out of print for like 20 years. But the library had 2 copies. It's the sweetest little story. The little brute family are just a bunch of grouches...always fighting and snarling. They never smile, their kites never fly and they always sink when they swim. Until one day baby brute finds a good feeling fluttering over a patch of dasies and puts it in his pocket...long story short...they end up changing their name to nice. I used to think of that book whenever I met grouchy people. You know, I'm a big believer in karma...I wonder if this book had anything to do with it?

Now, if I could only get my hands on a copy of Father Fox's Penny Rhymes...

My favorite tree in Portland

2007-03-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

My favorite tree in Portland is blooming these days. The cherry trees are blooming around here and there's one that I drive by every day. I swear the trunk's a good 3 feet wide and it is just a huge puff of pink. I got stuck in traffic the other day right next to it ahh..the one time I actually enjoyed being stuck. Hey, it's getting to be gardening time around here. I found a cool site with umpteen gazillion organic gardening tips. Happy reading (and gardening!)

Kermit's singing us a lulaby

2007-03-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year. I've got the windows open for the first time in forever. And while I'm writing this there's a little tree frog in the back yard that's just singing his little heart out. You can just hear him saying, "Hey, baby!...Hey, baby!" Hopefully he finds his Ms. right and leaves us some more tadpoles to watch this summer. A couple of weeks ago Dave and I were sitting in the back yard with Dave's sister on an unbelievably sunny day. Dave's sister was getting really indignant in part of the story she was telling. And while she was telling it, the little frog in the bushes was croaking "You, tell it, sister!" at just all the right times. It was a little surreal. Hang in there all you guys suffering with ice storms...this weather will head your way too.

A sure sign of Armageddon - Toby joins a soccer team

2007-03-02T15:59:00.000-08:00

I could see the horsemen of the apocalypse racing around the perimiter the whole time I was on the field.

Here's a little background for you. Dave is a HUGE soccer fan. How many of you guys had an Italian flag flying outside your house when Italy won the world cup? Yeah, we did. He plays twice a week, and yeah, he's really into it. I, on the other hand have always been extremely vocal about how incredibly BORING soccer is to watch. I mean really...it's really really boring. Well, I partly do it to annoy Dave.

Hipocrite that I am, when I was asked to join a soccer team full of newbies, I thought, What the hell! You only live once. So, this is the first organized sport I have EVER played. Well, there was bobby sox softball for about 3 weeks when I was 8.

So, my friends and I played our second game last night. I'm sure we looked like a bunch of 4 year olds swarming the ball, with the one super clueless player in the corner picking their nose. We got CREAMED, but we're a good natured group, and most of the time we couldn't figure out where the score was posted anyway, so we didn't care. I found out that I like playing defence. I like that it kind of freaks guys out to see a little girl running full force towards them. It throws them off just enough to get my little foot in there and every so often get the ball out. The girls though, yeah, no fear.

Yeah, so maybe you should start...start...what are you supposed to do to prepare for Armageddon? I should ask some of my religious friends, cause I think it's around the corner.

Good god, I'm part of the problem!

2007-01-20T22:35:00.000-08:00

I get so agravated when I get 99.9% of the way through an online purchase and get an "ERROR - Card not found 998833762xxbb" makes me say "#&*@^!!*#&#!" Well good god, my site's been doing that too! How embarrasing!

My site's been giving people errors when they get to where they have to pick their shipping. How frustrating. To make it up to everybody, I'm offering free shipping for all of February.

If you were having problems with my site, shoot me an email and let me know. I'll make it worth your effort somehow. But please, be honest, I've already been taken for a ride over some Christmas orders. So much for the Christmas spirit! Downright Grinchy if you ask me.

Oh, and I fixed the shipping error - let me know if you see any other funkiness. Somebody emailed me a couple of weeks ago asking if the price for one of my necklaces was really $3,700. I wrote her back that the piece she was looking at had a chain handmade by pixies from pure unicorn hair, thus the exhorbitant price. Yeah, it was supposed to be $37. Oh well!

I love my Subaru!

2007-01-17T19:42:00.000-08:00

So, we got a solid dusting of snow a couple of days ago...enough for Devera to stay home from school for the last 3 days. The really bad day I had to drive in the snow...there were people in the ditches all over the city...but not my trusty little grasshopper!

I used to joke when we first moved to portland that you were assigned a dog and a subaru when you move here. And I resisted for soooooo long - I'm not really a conformist, you see. But there's a reason that every 3rd car around here is a subaru - because we're the only guys not in ditches when things get slippery!

Be safe out there!

Here's a good cure for the winter blues

2007-01-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

It's cold and dark around here these days. Uggh this is just the worst part of the year here in Portland. But I found a great way to kick the S.A.D. ... I bought some clay a couple of months ago and a book on making sugar flowers (like the kind on fancy wedding cakes). And ta daaaaa - the first fruits of my labor. Can't you see these on a bridal tiara?

Let's see what else I can come up with - there are a whole bunch of different flowers in here. Maybe I'll have to start baking some cakes now.

Hey - free beads

2007-01-06T12:08:00.000-08:00

You'd think I'd read my husband's blog a little more and know what's going on! He was as touched by an Inconvenient Truth as I was - check out his blog and maybe get some beads.

The 2 month trudge

2007-01-06T12:02:00.000-08:00

Ok, Portland is the greatest place on the face of the planet...that is, if you can make it through this 2 month trudge. I swear, it takes like 12 cups of coffee to survive January and February. It's sooooooooooo dark and cold and rainy, and did I say dark? All I want to do is hibernate like a bear. But if I can make it through these 2 months, the rest of the time it's about as wonderful as you can get. I've already had my latte this morning (it's pretty funny - there are just about more dogs in the coffee shop these days than there are people - last weekend there was even a cat - go figure). But, yeah, already caffeinated, and I'm ready for bed. If I can just make it 2 more months...let's see...60 more days...how many more minutes? I think I can stay awake that long.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T12:11:00.000-08:00

Looking for a good way to eat healthy this year? I found this great site: Local Harvest. It lists the farmer's markets and locally grown foods in your area. Pretty cool, huh?

So, we spent New Years Eve watching An Inconvenient Truth, now there's a happy way to kick off your new year. It was a really good movie, though. Good old Al, has a good way of simplifying the ideas that have always seem pretty convoluted and Carl Sagan-ish to me (although he did quote Carl-the Cosmos guy-a lot in the movie, which brought back some bad middle school science heebie jeebies!).

Any way...good movie...interesting stuff, and you can go their web site for some good ideas on how you can help. Seems like the best things you can do are to watch the movie and vote...seems simple.

Ok, off my soapbox. Happy New Years, everybody. Hope the hangover's not too bad.

Happy Discardia to you.

2006-12-27T10:51:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't celebrate festivus...I've got a new one for you, well, treehugger.com does...Discardia. Since I've taken a couple of days to sit and veg out this week, I've noticed that every corner in my house is just piled with stuff. And me...I guess I'm just not the kind of person to sit and veg out. So I'm big into preparations for Discardia day. It's not nearly as fun and festive as Christmas - and there's no candy involved. But when the day actually comes, whooh! I feel a lot better. My rule...if I haven't touched it in a year, and it doesn't have huge sentimental value...out it goes! Happy Discardia to you!

Not a fan of blinking snowman earrings?

2006-11-26T20:32:00.000-08:00

Yeah, me neither. Which leaves me in a hard spot. I have a little bit of elf blood in me. I'm sure of it because as soon as the Thanksgiving tupperware's put in the fridge I've got the goofiest Christmas grin on my face. But I just can't bring myself to wear blinking snowman earrings for the next month.

So, I had to take things into my own hands. Here's what I do to be Christmassy, without looking like a complete goofball. These Sari Earrings always do it for me. I just love these beads anyway. Since they're a solid color, you can pull them off later in the year too and not look too silly.

I like this lampwork pendant too. I really like the silk cord it's hanging from. You've got to see it in person to see how cool it is. The pictures just don't do it justice.

There - now you can be festive without needing batteries to do it.

Oh momma - these turned out cool!

2006-11-22T22:38:00.000-08:00

Ok, fresh off the work bench and I just had to share. How cool are these two pieces? The solder gods were smiling on me for these projects. These are both custom orders. The first one is a montana agate, from, you guessed it, Montana (the banks of the Yellowstone River to be exact). And the second is an Owyhee Picture Jasper from Eastern Oregon. If you want to see the before, these are #2 and #14 on my rock dork page. I can fit in two more custom orders for Christmas, so if this strikes your fancy. Email me quick!

Ok, today I'm a white chocolate goddess!

2006-11-19T20:24:00.000-08:00

Mmmm...death by white chocolate today. How's this for divinity: white chocolate irish cream truffle dipped in white chocolate. Yep, I ended up licking the bowl on that one too. These ones actually turned out pretty so I didn't even have to wrap them in foil this time.

Ok, if you're looking for a book to turn you into a chocolate snob, this is the one to do it. There's more that you ever wanted to know about tempering chocolate, and some really cool things to do with it once you've got it tempered (which is the HARDEST thing to do! I think you need to be an industrial chemist to figure that one out).

So, all I've got left now are my osbcene turtles (there is nothing better on the planet than homemade caramel! It's worth the hours and hours of stirring). And a secret for Judy - since I know she's reading I'm not going to spill the beans.

So, did you make out your wishlist to Santa yet?

I Guess if Starbucks is Doing It....

2006-11-17T07:19:00.000-08:00

Good lord! When did Starbucks become the herald for the holiday season? It's like it wasn't official around the country until the red cups and gingerbread lattes got pulled out of the back cupboard.

Me? For some reason I keep thinking it's still April. It really can't be November, can it? Thanksgiving's not really next week, right?

Well, gingerbread latte in hand, I put together a new little contest together that should be fun. Tell Santa what you want for Christmas >>

Happy Holidays, I guess. Oh, and twenty bucks says my Christmas cards are going out as Happy New Years cards (happy valentines?) Oh goody.

Stop! no Go!

2006-11-14T08:05:00.000-08:00

Perusing my favorite treehugger site again, and I came across this cool little article

Drachten, a small Dutch city with around 50,000 residents has removed almost all of its traffic lights. Major intersections have been converted to roundabouts, smaller intersections just let drivers work make decisions on their own. Basically, it's anarchy. Anarchy that has completely eliminated dangerous crashes and road fatalities and created a surge in bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Read the rest here...

How neat is that? Although, I bet that wouldn't work if you got too much bigger - can you imagine like Paris without any stop lights? I wonder what Portland would be like...

I am a chocolate goddess!!!

2006-11-13T11:00:00.000-08:00

No, not in the Ray Nagin sort of way... But I made my first batch of candy of the season. Oh momma! I almost don't want to give them out. I found a truffle recipe called "Death by Chocolate". Now, if there's any way to go out, going by chocolate is the tops. Anyway, the filling in these things is just unreal. I ended up with more filling than I needed...and you know, you just can't let something like this go to waste...so I ended up squirting the remains of my parchment bag of obscenely creamy chocolate directly into my mouth. MMMMMMMM. I felt like I was a little kid with a whipped cream can. Well...actually I think I'm more of a chocolate princess than a chocolate goddess - I still have to work on the presentation - they're still a little swirly on the outside instead of perfectly shiny like I want them. But that's just an excuse to practice more and have more leftovers. Dave gets all excited too 'cause he gets to eat all the broken ones. And Devera...well, you've seen the photos.

I found a good quote...

2006-11-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.

Ok, that's a little better

2006-11-09T12:21:00.000-08:00

It's like a kaliedascope for those of you who visit frequently. I think I'll settle down now. I don't promise anything though. At least I'm back to purple and green again.

Dammit - I pressed another button again.

2006-11-07T21:04:00.000-08:00

Aack! When am I going to learn. Hold tight while I figure out how to turn this back.

2 Lines I Really Like

2006-11-06T21:55:00.001-08:00

2 of them caught my eye (and ear today one was on the radio) We're all just recycled stardust (cool concept - and true if you really think about it). The people who are in control are the people who come out. (Don't just sit there - go out and vote - for ANYTHING!) Ok, there are my random thoughts for today.

More spiders please

2006-11-02T12:26:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's certainly my kid. No that's not halloween face paint. It's cupcake frosting. We got halloweeney cupcakes for Dave's birthday on Monday. Devera's had a big black spider in frosting on top. She literally sucked the spider off the top (yes, you could hear slurping sounds and everything). When she was done with the frosting, not having eaten any of the actual cupcake, she looked up at me and said, "More spiders, please." There's an equally entertaining and very technicolor story on the other side of this event. But I won't gross you out. Oh yeah, and after I posted that I'd never have another reese's again, I had 2 more after dinner. I earned them, dammit!

Toby does pennance - goes to aerobics class

2006-11-01T20:47:00.000-08:00

As pennance for eating reese's peanut butter cups for breakfast, lunch and dinner last night (note - not "with" breakfast, etc. but FOR breakfast). I decided to go to my first ever aerobics class. Those of you that know me are laughing already. I learned a whole lot of things tonight. In order to be proficient (or even not look like a complete idiot) you need the following skills:

Need to know your left from your right (I'm still working on that one - I have to make an L shape with my left hand for verification - hard to do when you're bouncing up and down)
Need to have just a little bit of rhythm (SP??) - yeah, don't have that.
Need to kinda be able to dance - I got nothin there.
Need to be kinda perky - I wonder if they make surly aerobics? I'd probably be good at that one!

I'm just really glad my spot wasn't anywhere close to a mirror. I would have run out crying. I know I looked like Devera when she does the hokey pokey, except that I'm not 2. But then I thought - she throws herself into the hokey pokey with wild abandon. I guess I could just laugh my way through it - it was really comical. I completely gave up on the arms halfway through after I almost hit the poor woman next to me a couple of times. At least I was entertainment for somebody - the little 70 year old ladies were smiling and winking at me. Oh yeah - this was the EASY aerobics class. I will never NEVER eat reeses for breakfast lunch and dinner again!

Good god I've got a lot of rocks!

2006-10-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

I'm not just a rock dork - I'm a hording rock dork! While I was updating my site, I decided to redo the custom orders page. So I pulled out all of my rocks to take some photos of, and good god - where did all of those come from? I couldn't even label them from A-Z - I've got too many! Take a look at the cool ones I've got listed here >> There are some great landscapes hiding in a bunch of them. I think my favorites are number 11 & 12. Which one's your favorite?

Aaaah much better

2006-10-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

I'm a consumate button pusher. I'm on the verge of getting myself in trouble - since I didn't build this new shopping cart myself, I know just enough to break it really good. I'll have to smack my hand each time I reach and think..."I wonder what would happen if..." I still like this purple.

Fix one thing break 12 others.

2006-10-24T21:01:00.000-07:00

Looks a little different here, huh? This new color change was the result of a "Well, what do you think that button does?" Pardon the blue for a couple of days - I'll turn it back to purple shortly. Dave just asked what the big sigh was. The good news is that there's now a new shopping cart on my site with all kinds of cool new bells and whistles. Super exciting, and it's going to save me a ton of time. Bad news is that I broke a bunch of other things while I fixed the cart. I guess that's where all the saved time's going to go. Oh well - hey if you see any funkiness on my site, will you let me know?

Yippee, It's Open Studios Time!

2006-10-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

And even bigger yippee - I'm only visiting instead of participating. So, Portland's Open Studio Tour went on this weekend - and it's going on next weekend too - if you have some free time. It's nice not to be a nervous wreck for a weekend, like I've done in years past. It's fun to go see the artists in their natural habitat (picture buffalo grazing on an open plain). We were able to make it to 2 of my favorite aritsts this weekend...

Ryan Birkland

And Pam Greene: Her studio is BEYOND cool! Devera was a true patron of the arts...she was very good at pointing at the pictures instead of mauling them (although I think we gave a weaver a heart attack in her studio). Good old kermit the frog came along on the tour too, and he enjoyed pointing at all the works of art as well. I wonder if Devera will be into arts when she gets older (I wonder if Kermit will too). Anyway, if you're in town and you're looking for something to do next weekend - grab a tour guide from New Seasons markets and go take a tour. It's a lot of fun.

oooh, it's so close I can almost taste it!

2006-10-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

I've been working behind the scenes for the past couple of weeks putting together my new site...which looks remarkably (exactly) like my old site, but on steroids. And I'm soooooo close to having it finished. I hate going though and making sure my i's are dotted and my t's are crossed - but the devil is in the details. So if you don't see anything witty being posted here, it's because I'm saving my wit for the bigger site (and there's not that much wit to work with in the first place!) When I do taste it - I hope it tastes like chocolate (and not the child labor kind).

Well, this kind of killed the little chocolate binge I was on.

2006-10-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

How sad is this? I just go this in one of my little tree hugger emails: The scariest thing about Halloween this year won't be the costumes... it's the chocolate. Almost half of the world's cocoa is being produced on West African plantations where, according to the UN's International Labor Organization, 284,000 child laborers "are either involved in hazardous work, unprotected, or have been trafficked." Say no to the chocolate industry's ghoulish links to child slavery by buying Fair Trade and organic chocolate. Say it ain't so!

Which one do you think's my kid?

2006-10-04T20:24:00.000-07:00

Certainly not the clean one. It's pretty funny scrolling through the photos of her birthday party. She starts of with a tidy little blue goatee and pencil thin mustache, and as the photos keep going she ends up with a good santa beard. Just like her mom. Give me a good cupcake and I'll show you how to make a mess.

Rock dorks united.

2006-10-02T14:02:00.000-07:00

Yep, it was a large collection of rock dorks all together at the expo center this weekend. It was pretty funny, the expo center the event was held at was also having girlfest and the roller derby going on at the same time. So door A had a bunch of girl scouts streaming through it, door B had a bunch of hipsters dressed in black, door C, though, had a couple people sitting on their walkers out front, so we knew we were in the right spot. Yep, lots of walkers and rascals at that event. And yeah, I spent waaaaay too much money. But I got a lot of good stuff I can't wait to share.

Yep, I'm a rock dork

2006-09-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend is the Portland Gem & Mineral show - and I'm all over it! It'll be me and a bunch of 85 year old rock hounds in their walkers and rascals. It's kind of sad...lapidary is really a dying (or at least shrinking) hobby. I guess it doesn't hold a candle to xboxes and myspace. Anyway, my primo primo rock guy's going to be there - so hopefully I'll excercise just a little bit of restraint with the credit card. I'll post photos of the goodies I come back with. Rock dorks unite!

It's alive....ALIVE!!!

2006-09-25T12:57:00.000-07:00

Farmer Dave's new site, that is >> Check out Dave's new site...tons of cool bead photos...a video of Dave making beads...a new blog (which surprisingly looks like a fall colored version of the page you're reading right now - what a copycat!) Actually, I built the site for him, so there's no reason to reinvent the wheel (call me lazy). I'm going to steal a bunch of his cool little gizmos for my site too. Not to be outdone, my site's going under a major overhaul too. But you won't be able to see most of it, all hiding behind the scenes. I'm putting in a new shopping cart system. Yippee - no more broken links and yucky stuff. And what a concept - I'll be able to spend more time making jewelry. Stay tuned! oh, and go visit Dave's site. Good riddance to neon green and hard to read white text on a black background. Hello streamlined. I'd love to hear your feedback - oh and I'd really like to hear if you found something broken or typo'ed.

Where a kid can be a kid...

2006-09-23T20:57:00.000-07:00

It's scary that I even remember that jingle. So, we're leaving the parking lot of Home Depot with a trunkload of pansies to plant in the yard along with the shipment of 18 gazillion tulips that I vaguely remember ordering in the spring...anyway, we're pulling out of the parking lot and completely covered by trees except for maybe his little glossy nose...Devera starts crowing "Chuck E Cheese, Chuck E Cheese!!!!" It sent shivers up my spine. Now, Devera's only been there once (with her Daddy, I "unfortunately" had to miss the outing) and it was like a year ago. But good god, this kid sure knows who good old Chuck is. SHE'S 2!!! I guess Chuck made an appearance at her preschool carnival a couple of months ago, and now he's completely imprinted on her brain. I'm glad they didn't invite the Marlboro Man or she'd have a 2 pack a day habit by now! It's crazy what things stick in their head. She still talks about going to the fair, and that was a month ago.

2006-09-12T17:09:00.000-07:00

I was surfing around this afternoon, and came across this product description that made me giggle...

Now that you're four, life is really starting to force responsibility on you, making you begin to work through some tough decisions like "toilet or my pants?," "pet the kitty or bite the kitty?," "Cheerio in my mouth or up my nose?" Thankfully, not all choices are that difficult - take these lovely sky blue Snap Tees for example -all you have to focus on is, "Do I feel like a kitty or a monkey today?" Easy, right?

These shirts are really cute And the site's really well written. There...I've fueled your random surfing for today. Oh, and I go for the cheerio up the nose any day!

Yep that's my kid.

2006-09-03T21:33:00.000-07:00

We went to the Oregon state fair yesterday. What fun! We just happened to enter by the livestock section...and Devera got her first up close and personal glimpse of the barnyard animals Old McDonald's always singing about. The cows kind of freaked her out...they look a lot smaller in the picture books. The pigs kind of freaked me out. They're awfully big too. But yes, this is a child after my own heart...we couldn't drag her away from the horse show that was going on. She was just fascinated, and couldn't stop talking about it after we left. In fact it's still a hot topic of conversation.

I hope my customer satisfaction's just a little better...

2006-09-02T20:53:00.000-07:00

I found a really interesting map showing Starbucks and McDonald's effects on the world. I think the line that's most interesting is that McDonald's customer satisfaction ranking is below all the major airlines and the IRS. Wow! I didn't think that was possible. These guys have a whole bunch of interesting maps: International Networks Archive