Twisting...

I've been writing in my hair journal like a mad woman - I didn't realize I had so much stored up, viz-a-viz hair.
Anyhow, I wanted to write about my ears, and I think I might get a little - messy - and intense, so I'm going to write it here, and if it works, tweak it to transfer to there.

I'm odd that way - where I write an entry has a subtle effect on the tone of the entry itself - even between here and OD.

Anyhow, my ears.

I'm struggling to get them to size. The right side is being - ahh, difficult. And even the left side is being more resistive than usual - I suspect it's because I've moved a little too fast....but, I'm staying where I am, for a while.

I forced the back holes - which were silicone 6g'd for the last few weeks to accept a mother of pearl 6g plug - now, I have stable plugs in both my back holes of the right size, and I'm going to leave them there for a while. It was a struggle getting it into my left ear, but I managed it. The right ear, I had to overstretch with the 4g taper, and then push the 6g plug through - ah, the pain.
But it was warm - pleasent, useful, somehow. Even the soreness in my ears is - comfortable.

In Realm class this week, T talked about hugging the cactus. How, we, over the years, hold such pain to ourselves so closely, that the tiny pricks of pain become numb, and you don't consiously feel them anymore. But! As soon as you start to let go of the cactus, all of those spots of old pain hurt afresh - as if they were new. Hugging the cactus, you see?

I'm wondering, more and more, what pain I'm comfortable with. I think about that gap in my biography (which I still haven't picked back up) and I cringe. I think there is a big cactus there - and I'm not sure if I'm ready to let go of it, just yet.

I was reading WWWf, and there was a thread about EFT and Releasing Memories......and it struck a chord in me - it was rather along the lines of what I was doing as I laid in bed and redreamed my own history.

I've - I want to sit down and read the EFT booklet that I printed out while I meditate in the morning, but I haven't been having much success in getting up early enough to work out and meditate - and I opted to make the harder habit my higher priority.

Anyhow.

I'm trying to figure out how to stretch my ears out enough so that they will accept a 2g plug. Do I need a 0g taper? That would be a pain. I guess I could just continue to wear the dangles - the stainless steel ones at night, and the glass during the day - glass so that I'm not pulling my earlobes down - I've noticed my lobes 'hanging' a bit more than I would like them to in the latest series of pictures that I've taken of my hair - the larger the gauge, the heavier the earring, obviously - I think that I'm going to have to go to solely glass/wood stuff now. Maybe I'll try bone again - it was just too light in the smaller gauges, but now, that very lightness might be an advantage.

I have glass and mother of pearl - some lovely mother of pearl, too - plugs in 2g - damn. *sigh* I'll look and see how much a 0g taper will be.....so that I can at least wear them.

Bouncing, bouncing....

...from topic to topic that is.

3429 words on day one if Nano! I always start off strong though, and then peter out to nothingingness and bullshit though, so we shall see. I'm REALLY trying to focus on just blowing through this month, worrying about intrigue and proper names and etc, etc, etc, at a later date.
I'm not going to be posting bits of it - unless I decided that I REALLY like it. I'll post the creation story that I wrote in July, though - I really liked that.

I'm moving up to the 4g now - . My ears are a little hot, and a little surly, but it was a MUCH easier stretch than I thought it would be. I suspect it's because I REALLY let my ears heal - I've been at a 6g for - sheesh, since early summer, or so? My left ear still stretched much easier than my right, as usual - but a little Liquid Gold, and amazingly enough, it slid right in. So odd. I'm using pyrex spirals, and I'm shifting them as my ears whine more so that it's on a smaller bit.

I asked the magic 8-ball at work today whether I would get pregnant this cycle, and it said postively! *lmao* Yeah, we shall see, magic 8. Though, I think that I am FINALLY about to stop bleeding - I woke up this morning, and there was no leakage, so that's a start. I'll be so THRILLED to be having sex again, heaven knows THAT.

I've lost track of whether I'm supposed to henna this week, or next week. Oh! I need to change out my calandars, too. Hah! How appropiate! I have an Egyptian calendar, and this months image is of Horemheb, the Pharoah after Ay who was after Tutankhamun, and Horenheb happens to be the pharoah that is in power when my MC in Nano dies.....but, anyhow, henna. This weekend is a chruch meeting, and I don't think that there is anything going on next weekend....so I might wait. Or I might not. We'll see how I feel on Saturday.

Suprisingly enough, I don't have any plans for this weekend. I need to shove some more dirt around the roots of the bushes we moved - I didn't have the energy to do that last weekend. Ooh, and maybe I should start working on some clothes. I went to the thrift store today, a scooped up a big white board - I think that will make a suitable 'no cut' board for a rotatry blade. I'm cheeeaaapppppp and I REALLY don't wanna pay freaking 40 bucks for a tiny rotatry board.
Kiss mah grits.

Urm, whatelse?

I think that about covers it.

miscellinia

“Oh ye Egyptians, they may say to you that I have not made an expedition hither for any other object than that of of abolishing your religion, but tell the slanderers, but I have not come to you except for the purpose of restoring your rights from the hands of the oppressors.”

- Napoleon Bonaparte July 2, 1798

“Our armies do not come into your cities and lands as conquerors or enemies, but as liberators. It is the hope and desire of the British people, and the nations in alliance with them, that the Arab race may rise again to greatness and renown among the peoples of the earth.

- Sir Frederick Stanley Maude, Commander of British Forces in Baghdad, March 19, 1917.

“Unlike many armies in the world you came not to conquer, not to occupy, but to liberate.”

- Don Rumsfeld, speaking to US troops, April 2003

---

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I had to write a paper in four days (well, I HAD a month and some change, but opted to wait til four days before it was due to start working on it), and that sparked, I think, my first return to MY world. *lol*

Anyhow, I'm reading again. I'm balancing three books now (one car, two home), and I'm seriously considering getting the Harry Potter set, and reading that. Right now, I'm reading Misconceptions, and it's sad, scary, amazing, enlightening, absorbing, and terrifying all at once.

Any ideas of something new to add to my library?? I'v been on a mad bookbuying spree for a while (how I love thee LibrarySale! How I adore your variety, BookCloseOuts.com!)

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Tis a Gaia goddess pendant, handblown by a wonderful artist friend of mine. I've been wearing it for the last two months, we've (I've?) been trying to get pregnant for the last four. I'm finally ready to mention it - publically - so to speak.

It's possibly the most - nerveracking thing I've ever done in my life, and I'm trying to not obsess about it everywhere. OD is my almost only babyfree area, and - I kinda want to keep it that way. This is for ME. When I was a preteen, I wrote to create my own space - my own identity separate from my mother and fathers child. When I was a teen, I wrote to help me understand and explore the woman I was growing into. As I woman, I write to ground me in myself, and to give me free room and space to explore and grow. As a mother, I KNOW I will need a space that is mainly for me - a space where I can still be just A'ishah - not Mom. That's one of the main reasons I sprung for a lifetime membership while I knew we could afford it - I NEVER want to have to chose to give up my safe space because of financial tightness. If OD goes under, I've got my backups, and I'll make a blog, and I'll miss you all dearly.

So. It's out there. But don't expect to hear much - directly. :lol At least not HERE.... I might be throughly Eve&Eve and make another diary. But honestly? I doubt it.

At least for now. ;)

As I've learned/learning, what I'm certain of changes almost from day to day.

---

I'm still stretching out my ears too (thanks A!).... my front holes are 6g, and my second holes are being stretched to an 8g as I type.

My collection of earrings is - delightful and wide and I really need to take a picture of them all (once the other three? four? pairs show up *shamefulgrin*). I think I'm going to stop at 6g, seriously. Maybe. *grin*

I want to look into making fimo earrings. My favorite style - the dangles - dont come in very many sizes, and I'm sure I could figure out how to make some GORGEOUS earrings.

It's a thought.

We shall see.

Dinnner's done. ;)

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Stuff & Nonsense

*brushes off dust forlornly*

Urm. Lately, I've been starting all my entries about how I have nothing to write, but I think the scarcity of my entries has been testament enough to that.

*shrugs*

There ain't much new going on. We are still working on the house  - C mowed the grass for the first time yesterday, and it looks FABULOUS - he did a really good job. Our new countertops are coming in on TUESDAY *happy dance*, and once they are in, the kitchen will be DONE - hopefully we will finish the painting around the same time.

My garden is doing WONDERFULLY - It's so cool seeing the little green things come popping out of the ground - and the strawberries are coming back! I saw my first flower when I got home Sunday.

I had fun over the weekend - out in the woods, playing with the pagan women - such wonderous fun! Two of the main women I wanted to see couldn't come (boohoo) and I need to stop being a crappy friend and pick up the phone and call them. I made a confession, over the weekend, to the local women who I don't get in/stay in touch with - it's not that I don't WANT to spend time - I jsut feel - intrusive - like I'm stepping into their life and taking up time that they might wish to use to do something else, but politeness bars them from that. Yes, I'm mildly terrified of 'proper' social interactions, because when it comes to that sort of thing - I'm - I'm vaguely uncertain of how to act. My friends are usually like family - and there are certain 'rules' with family - more comfort, more of a leeway - but with newish friends, who aren't quite family, but who you want to be more than mere accquaintences? I don't know how to purposely bridge that gap - and balance my natural intoversion/shyness. But - at least I put that admission out there, so that - it's - clearer. Hopefully.

Another very sweet thing from the weekend - I finally busted out my sewing machine, and sewed a robe (that I wore all of once, but it tis okay). I REALLY want an accessory kit - I need the other presserfoots, etc, etc. Hrm. I think a trip to eBay is in order.

Speaking of eBay - I'm doing new decorative things to myself! *laugh* I picked this up from one of the hair forums, but I'm going to stretch my ears. So far, I've gone from pierced to 12g in the first hole, and pierced to 14g in the second hole. I'm pretty sure I want to go to 6g in the front - because the jewelry you can get - oh me god! It's not CHEAP like the stuff I've been buying, but it's gorgeous and handmade and UNIQUE and it's not something you see much of round these here parts.....so I've been having eBay type fun getting cheap earring to get me to the right size, and then I'll be able to get pretty/expensive ones that I'll be keeping.

I played hooky from work yesterday - I 'worked from home' and it rocked! We really need to get me knocked up so I can have a firm deadline of getting the brightsunshinyhell out of this place.

And dammit, now I must go work, so any further trains of thought will be late getting to the station.

So - this journal has suddenly (thanks Goddess Afficianados!!! ) turned into Kiya's Hair & Holes journey.

I got SPARKLIES!!!!

Okay, Okay - we'll talk about hair first.

Mwuauahaha.

So - this weekend was protien. I considered not doing it, since I did henna AND coconut milk - but I said no, I need to stick to my schedule, so I did the protien.
Looking back, urmh. I could have gone either way. I could imeadiately tell that my fine, fine, hair had too much protien in it, so I only left the protien in for about 2 hours, and then, put in doube moisturizing - the last of the Silk Elements (I'll never buy it again - I HATE the little grainy poppyseed sized things in it - ew!) and my love, my moisture, ElastaQP. That restored the balance nicely (thankfully). I then stretched it in the usual 2-strands with CoN....and then, I got the urge to try an old hairstyle, to see how much hair I've 'lost' by rigously trimming all of the color out of my hair.

This style:



has converted itself to this:



For one thing, it's DEFINITELY shorter. A good two inches shorter, I'd say. But! Much more importantly - it's also DEFINITELY thicker. I mean - HUGELY thicker - it's really amazing how much HAIR I have on my head - I truly cannot wait to see what it looks like as it gets longer. And it's healthier FEELING. Just looking at those two pictures - the second one looks - alive. It looks moist and rich and dense. *happy dance*

I think this is the first time I've REALLY been able to see a clear difference in the HEALTH my hair! The only real difference I was seeing was in length, and that was going the wrong direction.... but seeing this - I'm pleased.

Anyhow!

Sparklies!!

Sooooooo.... my earrings came in the mail! I don't know how long they were here, as DH got the mail, and neglected to tell me that a small, flat package had shown up!

I ripped open the package, popped out my earrings, and grabbed these first -
I know that one of the swirly pairs was 14g, and this set looked smaller than the other one.

I grabbed one, rubbed a little oil on my ear, and pushed. Ooooh. That burned. I pushed a little harder, and oooooohhh! Hrm. Maybe this one is the 12g?

So, I grabbed the set that I KNEW were 14g - these:

and they slid into my ear like butter. Pretty!! But - they were an identical pair, not a mirror set. We'll come back to them later.

So - now that I knew (process of elimination) that these HAD to be the 14g dangles


I grabbed them, and put them on.....



PRETTYYYYY!!!

I haven't taken them out since then - that was Saturday night, I think. The right ear is still a little sore when I nudge it (that was the ear that I tried the 12g in) but I've been keeping my hands off of it - the left ear is just fine!

So - I figure I'm going to leave these in for - oh, two months or so, then go to the 12g. I'm sure by then, I would have collected more prettties!

Now - as far as that identical set goes - I'm thinking of trying to put them into my helix piercing - but I think that my helix is 18g? 20g? ie - way too small to start with 14g...



See?? I don't know WHAT size that helix is - but the 14g in my ear looks like a right honker, comparatively. I know cartilige can be touchy, so I might actually go to a piercer for that un. Esp. since I don't know how to take that earring out. :lol:

Okay, I think I'm all caught up now.

ETA: Woot!! This is my 100th journal posting!! Happy 100 to me!! :rockerdud :hollie:

I'm in a mood to write here, but I haven't been up to much, so we'll see how far it goes.

1) Henna & Coconut Milk - I loved this - loved the result, loved the way it left my hair feeling, am a little nervous about how much curl it pulled out. I definitely think that mix will have to be a once every 3 months kind of thing - doing that everymonth would do odd things to my hair.

2) Weekend Hair Things - I didn't do much to the head this weekend - a nice deep moisturizer with the Elsta QP, and that was about it. I tried taking texture pictures again, and failed, quelle misrable. :lol: Urm. I used the CoN as the moisture this go around, and I only did two twists across the forehead, and then started going back & down. I'm considering two strand twists next time - but I don't know. What I REALLY want is braids/yarn twists, but I'm being right chicken about doing them myself, and I plain refuse to pay someone to do them, so we shall see.

Goddess Spirals - well, I've been hanging out in the Goddess Spirals thread, and I have FOUR different sets of earrings coming my way. I got them from eBay (much cheaper than the real thing) so I can try them out before splurging on a 50 buck pair of earrings.
These are what I got...

14 gauge - these will most likely be the ones I start with in my first home.


Also 14g - I plan on putting these in my second hole.


12g - jsut in case one of the hoels can take something bigger than 14.


10g, because they were so pretty - and I want to see how BIG 10g is, and figure out if I would want to go that large.

So - that was my fun, my score - I wonder when he's going to ship them? It would be nice to have them - ooh, I should DEFINITELY have them in time for DotM! That would rock!

ooohhh... sparklies....

Every once in a while, I get this craving for a new piece of jewelry (usually anytime I have something even vaguely like extra money in my account.) As I've expressed several times, I HEART eBay, and when I really want to drool, I go there and look. 

See - the interesting thing is that I already own several center stones - I purchased them YEARS ago because I got a GREAT deal on them, and they are all loose - no place to go, no way to wear them. anyhow......Items I'd love to get & use....

 

 

 

If I could get this one without the center stone - oooohhhhh.......

*sigh* *drool* *drool &  sigh* Sparklies, sparklies, sparklies!!! If I had any sense, I would design my own and be done with it. *sigh* *drool*

Or of course, I could quit drooling, get my wedding set redipped (damn white gold) and get them properly cleaned, and start wearing some of the rings I have now.

But that's not NEARLY as fun, now is it?

Urges

Drove past a BP today, noticed they have solar panels on top of their roof. Wondered how much it would cost to install solar panels on the roof of a house, and how much savings (monetary and evironmental) it would provide. *sigh* I want to buy a house.

 

But beyond that - before that I should say - I want to get married.  I don't know why, or what - but - I wanna be married to him.  Hm. That didn't come out quite right. I don't know why I have this sudden (okay - building for months) sense of urgency. I know know what's prompting this - need. It feels like a need. Like more than just being with him and married in all but name - I want the name. But - at the same time - it doesn't really matter to me - which is where the confusion is coming in. I think - just maybe - I want to get married, but I don't necessarily WANT to have a wedding. I think that might be what's causing me to drag my feet. I never really wanted a wedding. I just wanna get married, witnessed by the people I love. That's really it. I don't need a cake, a DJ, a big reception - though I'm such a clothes whore that I WILLL have the dress - or any of that jazz. I don't really NEED a maid of honor or man of honor or flowerkid. All I need is my mother, my grandmother, my brothers and my sister - and maybe my uncle. oh - and C. of course! And warm weather. And that's IT. Finito. Sum total. A resturant where we can all go out to eat after the 15 minute ceremony, and someplace where the young'uns can boogie after eating.

 

Dammit. We REALLY need to go to Vegas.

---

 

 

In other news - the ring is in process. I had to break down and get a new head (dammit!!) because no one was willing to risk the corners of the princess - of course, that also means that I might not have it in time to take it with me to Geneva. *sigh*  Ah well - I tried, yes? 

 

I didn't wash a scrap of clothing - I finagled it so that I could avoid the process until Friday. That required me going commando today - as there is just something super icky about being commado in jeans, while going commando in slacks just avoids the deadly VPL. So - maybe too much info?

Tugging on Hair

Argh. Okay. Something told me that I should have found a local jeweler that I could rely on rather than sending it back to the jeweler I purchased it from - but ah well. Jeweler email's me today, tells me that the setting is for an emerald, and while they COULD get the princess in there, of course it wouldn't look nearly as good as I want it to.

 

So - I'm trying to talk to the store I brought the setting from - and he is telling me that I should have included the measurements of my stone if I wanted to be sure that the setting would fit. Now tell me - if you advertise a ring that will fit a PRINCESS cut stone between 1 to 2 carats - why would I need to send in my measurements if that's TRULY what will fit? I was starting to get irate, so I got off the phone with him, but I am going to call him back. I a) want him to expressmail the RIGHT setting to my jeweler and b) reimburse me for the cost of shipping the setting back to him, as it is their fault that I got the wrong ring. *sigh* 

 

I wouldn't be so touchy about this - but I'm leaving the country soon, and dammit I WANT my ring before I go. I've already lost a week in getting a misrepresented setting and sending it along with my ring to my jeweler - I don't think I can afford to lose another week waiting for them to get their stuff together. Gah! If my jeweler tells me that he won't be able to get it done in time.... *sigh* what a waste of money.

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Speaking of waste of money - *sigh* Remember how I was talking about C. telling me that on Sundsy we would go out and have dinner since I didn't feel like doing it on Tuesday when he originally asked? Well - we went out last night, had a lovely meal, and because he somehow 'forgot' that he had offered to take me out for dinner, I ended up paying for it. I don't really think I can express precisely how tweaked I was over that. *sigh* That was 90 bucks I SOOOO couldn't afford to spend - and I'm not sure if I'm more upset at him for assuming I was paying (after he said that he would) or more upset at myself for not picking up on the signals he was giving off that indicated that he expected ME to pay. *sigh* Or - maybe I'm mostly upset over the fact that he offered to take me out - an then in a matter of days totally forgot about it! yeah - I think that is what irls me the most - I was so excited about my baby taking me out to dinner - and here I ened up taking myself out to someplace that wouldn't have been my first choice to spend 90 dollars at - and as it was snowing, I even DROVE. *sigh*

 

So. It's going to be a tight next two weeks - when he gives me the money for the bills, I'm going to have to take part of it and go grocery shopping, then apply all of the rest to bills. Gah!

 

Oh well. Spilt milk & the like. I'm actually considering just sending the setting back, getting my money back for it, and trying again later. At least that way, I'll still be able to save a little this month. *sigh*  I'll still have wasted the money that I spent to ship my ring there and to pay for it to be shipped back - but I'll still get at least 80 bucks back from the whole deal.

Realization

I never realized just how HARD it is to take a picture of your own hip.

Yes... I got the computer (a Gateway 400SP) and a digital camera (a Canon S45) and the tatoo (the firey one).

I quite nearly freaked out at Gateway over spending THAT much money - and for actually PAYING RETAIL. At one point I almost BEGGED the guy to find me just one coupon - just ONE sale priced item, but he couldn't. So instead, I soothed my consious by signing up for a super cheap (20.00 a month) CABLE MODEM deal. Heh. It's only 750Kbps, but considering I WAS running on 46.6Kbps, its a MASSIVE difference. :)
I think I'm going to be able to transfer all of my stuff from my work computer(s) onto here rather easily - if I was patient enough to wait and upload the stuff while I was at work, it would go faster, but I'm an impatient heifer, so eh.
I also - which I feel slightly guilty about - transfered Adobe Photoshop form the work computer to mine. But I KNOW that I will use it so very much, and god KNOWS I can't afford to spend the 600.00 it would take to get it.
I'm still surrounded my boxes and piles of paper. Everything installed smoothly (including the MS Office I had to pay an extra 300 bucks for - damn you Bill Gates!!) and it's wonderful.
The camera is fun too... I've finally managed to take a good picture of my engagement ring (which I will post over at the girly diary later) and of the boys, my little angels. I also took a picture of my Frog Prince - the permanent resident of my car which I have yet to name. I almost feel like naming it is dishonest to BabyGurl's memory. Besides, this car is so damn adrondynous, I've no clue what to call it.

The tattoo was cool - it only took him about 20 minutes to do it, and it only hurt in a few spots. Getting the black areas shaded actually hurt the least, and I expected them to hurt the point. Getting the tip of the longest flamedone hurt like HELL - but I think that might have been because he went over it more than once. I had to wait a while as the shop was really busy, but I had a good book to read so it wasn't bad at all. I'm quite upset that I didn't getthe ndrophin rush I was expecting - getting pierced has always given me a much better high. Eh well...maybe the back one will do that.

It's been a delightful weekend thus far.

Wedding Bands and Changes

I got our wedding bands in the mail last night!!! They are LOVELY - everything that I had hoped for them to be. There is only one, itsy, bitsy, littttlllllleee problem! My e-ring won't set flush agains the band. and - since I have short fingers the 5.5mm band of my e-ring and the 4mm band of my wedding band is just a WEE bit too wide. Of course I tried it on! What woman WOULDN'T try it on?? I'm leaving htem with Corey when I go down just so that I won't freaking PLAY with them all the time. :)

Soooo....I'm on the hunt for a new setting. :) I think I've found the one I want. Since I can't have what I have now - I want something SUPER simple. This is the ring that I want to have.




See?? That's about as simple as you can get...but if it's super high (I'm dangerous with my nails the last thing I need is a deadly weapon on my hand!!) I might try to get this one


or this one

Sparkly Warklies....

Is there any time limit before which you shouldn't buy the wedding rings? There's no jinxy type superstition stuff, is there?? I found the rings (680 for the pair!!!) that we want - and they are on sale...and I really want to get them...but should you order the rings like way early? *shrugs* This is going to be our ring






And the only difference between his and mine is that his will be bigger. They are 4mm wide, so it won't look too girly. :) The only thing I'm concerned about is the fact that the band of my engagement ring is already close to 5mm at the widest point, and that's a LOT of metal on my finger. I'm debating switching the e-ring to my right hand, or just getting another thinner setting for the stone. Also, because of the design of my ring, only a custom made band will sit flush with it, so even if I DID wear them on the same finger, it would 'tilt' because the prongs push out from under the stone. Choices, choices.

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Other Random Stuff:

We got the contract from the Flamingo in the mail this weekend, and I really need to sign it and send it back - like tonight.

We're debating if we want a DJ at the reception. It's going to be a brunch, and if I had my druthers (and a wee bit more money) I would prefer just a band - background music on demand. We don't need a master of ceremonies as there won't be a garter throw, or a bouquet toss, and the cake cutting we can announce ourselves, and our first dance song would be lovely with just instrumentals. Choices, choices.

I'm still dragging my feet about going out to look for a dress. I STILL don't know what kind of dress I want. I waver between a white or ivory 'Maggie' like dress (with the side wrap - not the corsety kind) and a simple flowing gold or reddish dress like the one I posted a while ago. I would look fabulous (and feel bridal) in either one - it's just ARGH. Do I want to be traditional? Or do I want to be all unique and stuff? I think me wearing a white bridal dress would actually suprise more folx than me wearing a non-bridal dress would.

I have 50 magnetic business cards for anyone who wants them. :) I realized that as all the printers I have access to are LASER printers, and you can't run the magnet sheets through a laser printer. *sigh* So, I'm going to have to buy the peel off and stick kind instead. I'll print the image on glossy photo paper, then stick them on. Hopefully, it will look about the same. The only 'fun' part is going to be doing the cutting. I swear - the things I DO to myself. :)

jasmyn

Gifts and the like...

So - we haven't registered yet, though we know what stores we WANT to register at (Target, Williams-Sonoma, Crate & Barrel and Pier One). People have already began to ask us if we have registered - which is cool as that means they plan on getting us stuff - but it's also kinda weird.

So - anyhow, my mother - being the wonderflly difficult woman that she is - decided that there is no way in Heaven's name that SHE (mother of the bride and all) was going to get us something from there. So - instead she said that she will buy us our wedding rings. *smiles* She said that she wanted to get us something that we would cherish and KEEP for all time. *big ole cheesy grin* So - naturally my eyes have gotten REAL big as far as what I want. *grins* So...I told Corey and he was REALLY excited about that (one of the big expenses we foresaw) and we think that we want to get matching bands. Of course - since my ring is funny shaped (it's a cross prong one) our bands won't be EXACTLY identical, but they will be close enough.



At first - I was thinking that I wanted to stick with just one ring - but I've changed my mind (even before her MOST generous offer) and want two. It feels so very MARRIED to have the two rings (at least to me it does). But - even though I LOVE my ring - there is something about the setting that drives me bonkers - and I didn't notice it till after it was set and dammit I wasn't going to start looking for a new setting at that point.



So - for the wedding I would LIKE to get a matching set - an e-ring setting that is almost identical to the one I have (but in platinum, maybe with some pave on it) and the matching band (so I won't have to drive myself batty trying to figure out what band will fit with it). I have as trong suspision that my mom doesn't know how much good jewelry can cost (she is NOT into sparkly stuff at all - don't know HOW she birthed me) so I will have to talk to her about her budget. Heh...cuz no matter WHAT it is - we will manage to spend it.



But that's exciting. And it's one of the few ways I would be willing to take money from her for the wedding -and even if her budget doesn't totally cover what we would want - I'm sure it would be a big ole chunk of it.

jasmyn

FlashJasmyn

Remember that whole bit I wrote yesterday about me taking at LEAST 45 minutes to get ready? Well – today I had an 8am meeting at work. I woke up at 7:19. I left the house at an amazing 7:34 – showered, smelling good, superficially lotioned and unwrinkled. I won’t be telling Corey about that – as then I will be expected to do this on a regular basis. Not gonna happen.

I called and talked to Mommy the Nurse about the gallbladder thing. She said go to the doctor too. *sighs* I am so freaking SICK of going to the doctor. I feel like between me and the cats all I have done for the past 3 months is go to the doctor. BAH!  But, I guess I’ll be going. Shame there isn’t some sort of test I could take that would tell me if I really needed to go.  Yes – I’m being difficult. 

Hm. I finally ordered Corey’s ring.  I can’t remember if I mentioned the fact that he didn’t like the one I got him *shrugs* and hasn’t worn it since *slightly hurt shrug*  but now I am getting him a new one so THERE. It’s titanium and it’s cute – just not my style. Ah well – we can’t surprise each other with jewelry that’s for sure.

Have I mentioned my new jewelry obsession? Antique rings.  I’m considering changing the setting of my ring for the wedding rather than actually getting a separate band. Hell – I might change the setting AND get a separate band.  But anyhow – the styles that I am drawn to are the antique ones. Mostly the filigree and engraving on them more than anything else. Maybe I will get a garnet band – that would be nice. Heh.

I need to write on the latest theme – but I haven’t quite sat down and thought about it.

Once again I have less than nothing to w rite about.  And quite naturally – no work to do. *sigh*

Jasmyn

Happy Friday Brain Purge

There was this very friendly gentleman who used to be a security guard here named Frank. And every Friday, Frank would be sitting at the front desk, greeting people with a very cheery “Happy Friday” as they came in. Most people would respond in kind…and it was cool cuz it sounded not the least bit cheesy when Frank said it, or when people said it back to him. I think it sounded so sincere because he truly was sincere about wishing people a Happy Day. *sighs* Frank retired, but every Friday that I come to work I hope it’s a happy one.

I’m still working on designing this ring o’mine. One of the jewelry boards that I participate in has had an ongoing debate about copyright laws surrounding jewelry design. It started when someone who wanted a Tacori imitation, with some subtle changes that they had approached Tacori about making, but Tacori refused to make the changes - approached one of the custom jewelers on the board to make this ring for her. So this lady went to another jeweler, and this bru-ha-ha came up. It’s an odd thing to wrap my mind around, considering how rabid I am about copyright when it comes to writing (I think plagiarists should be suspended by their writing hand over a pit of hot lava) but yet I quite casually wear a Tiffany knock-off on my left hand…and have not a scrap of guilt about it. I think it comes down to a matter of accident. There are only but SO many ways to make a solitaire ring – there’s a round part you stick your finger through, 3 to 8 prongs that hold the stone in and a rock of some sort. I’m sure someone who is more math friendly than me can figure out exactly how many realistic combinations that comes to, but I know it’s not infinite. So – if two people totally separate design the same thing at close to the same time – but one person is a designer for a major label and the other person is Jo Shmoe – that (to me) isn’t copyright violation. Taking the basic design of something and adding changes that the designer won’t make – and getting a single unique ring made – to me that isn’t copyright violation either. There are some jewelers on the board who think that both are – and while I can understand their concerns – I think it’s a bit much. Especially when the designers themselves don’t seem to mind much…unlike Disney. :)
Anyhow – that has ‘flavored’ my ring design process. I want something very unique, but I know that there is not that much that HASN’T been done (esp. in the non froofy band I want) so I’m hunting for ways to pull it off. I need to go back to those chi-chi jewelry stores I was in before and look around more. So far – I know that I want a band with multiple princess garnets set in it. I would like it to have filigree around it somehow, and I would like it to be somewhat openwork. I know that you have to have a base for the filigree (or a rim around it) so I’m not sure how well openwork will work with that – but I’m trying. So – I go out on the net at look at designers that I know are well known for their filigree work (like Tacori) to see how they did it, what designs they had, and so forth – just to get an idea of what is feasible. Now though, I feel vaguely guilty about it – like I’m stealing something - even though most of Tacori’s stuff is 1) way tooooo froofy and 2) waaaaayyyy too damn expensive and 3) most likely would not substitute garnets for the diamonds anyway. *sighs* Bleh.

I’m on call for work tonight – and while I expect that I will have to go in (enough to bring a change of clothes as we can’t wear jeans), I’m madly hoping that I don’t have to go in. *crosses fingers* Speaking of which – after weeks and weeks of getting Tuesday and Thursday off (so much so that I had made plans for next Thursday as I thought I wouldn’t have to work that night) of course, I have to work. It presents more of a problem for the Lilly job, as I already have to cut out of here right on time (4:30) so coming in late or running errands during the days that I do work at night is a bad thing. Next week I have my first dentist appt for the deep cleaning of me teeth (must talk about my TB later) on – you guessed it Thursday. And it’s at 10:30!! So, I think I might come to work super early – take an early & long lunch, then traipse on over to LB.
Okay – now to talk about my wonderful toothbrush. It’s an electric one (the Braun UltraDeluxe thingy) and it’s just WONDERFUL. It has a set two minute timer (it’s amazing how long of a time that is) and it has a small head (good for me small mouth) and my teeth just get soooo much cleaner! Anyhow – I like it…and Slate did a shopping comparison and voted it the best Electronic TB among them all.

Reading one of my new favorites, I saw an old note on her diary that was from one of my old favorites who vanished, and whose diary name I couldn’t fully remember. After respotting several of my old fav’s when we made the switch to FeeOD, I was hoping that I could find her too. Ah well – she is no where to be found (at least under the old name(s). ) So – if anyone knows who/where KateAAF, or *Wendy* (she changes her name so dang much!) is – I would love to ‘find’ them again.

Man – I have been hopping around on subjects today. Just doing a brain purge.

Happy Friday!

Jasmyn

Foggy

I think that I need some alone time very badly.  Since I started working at LB, I’ve had one day that was truly alone – just me by myself in the house. Other than that, the only time I have been all by myself is in the car – and considering I have to deal with the idiots who claim to be able to drive as I do that – it’s just not quite the same.  *sighs*

And now it’s time for the recap!

I played hooky from work on Friday – left work around 2:30 to enjoy the weather – drove around, went to a bookstore, then stopped in at two very chi-chi jewelers and a  artistic home store. The jewelers were wonderful and I think I may have found a jeweler to work with me and my garnets…maybe. I also spotted a wedding band that goes PERFECTLY with my ring…it’s by Jeff Cooper and I didn’t even bother asking the price – but it was soooo lovely. No diamonds on it, just a plain band…

Work was okay… *shrugs* Busy as all get out, but okay.  Saturday was more of the same, as was Sunday (as I had to work…*sighs* ) 

Me and Corey talked some more…I don’t know.  I am having a hard time processing what we are talking about…it’s like we are speaking two very different languages and what he has problems with are perfectly normal to me…and what I am talking about he doesn’t understand. I really don’t know…

*sighs*

One of my ‘friends’ on the most level headed wedding board I participate in found and took this Self-Counseling thingy called ‘Relate’. I’m going to do the first part today, and then see if he will be willing to do the second part tomorrow.  Then we can talk during the trip.
It’s not that we don’t want to talk about it. It’s not even that we don’t have a good idea of what the issues are – it’s more that we are having a hard time coming to an agreement of what to do about it.

Hmm…interesting little thingy. It should be quite interesting to see what we end up with. *sighs*

Jasmyn

Rings and Things

Designing jewelry ain’t as easy as it seems – esp. when I have no clue what I’m doing. I seriously suspect that whatever jeweler I work with is going to hate my guts by the time I’m done…but considering the amount of money I will most likely end up pouring into this project – that’s okay… s/he might not hate me AS much. Why do I say that?? Because the ideas that I have thus far are intricate and delicate as heck. :)


I love openwork rings – I think they are so pretty and manage to make wide rings look really delicate. Like this one: .
It’s sooo purty. But – I don’t quite want a Celtic design… I want something a little more modern.
So what I have come up with is a series of blocks – rather tile like in white gold – with the ‘grout’ in peach gold and openwork cut into the middle of each tile ‘shape’ – but in some of the larger tiles instead of having a cut out, there will be a bead set garnet. *grins* I’ve sketched out a most rough idea… and I think it will be pretty and MOST unique…I’m just not sure if it’s POSSIBLE. :)
Or I could go with something a little more organic looking – swooping swirling cutouts rather than blocky squarish ones.

Last night was wonderful – I went and got BabyGurl cleaned from the nitty to the gritty which took about an hour. So while they were cleaning every crack of me car I lounged in the sunlight and read Vogue. I STILL have not finished that blasted magazine…but’s it so fun! Then I picked up some new fingernail polish and headed home. I finished Corey Love’s taxes, then sat and sipped and chatted and watched wrestling and all in all it was a very nice night.

I work (and get paid) tonight, and I work tomorrow afternoon ( no closing for me – YAYYY!!!!) and hopefully I won’t have to work Sunday. I am SUCH the sales woman.

It’s odd how many compliments I have been getting on my hair…and it looks like CRAP. Yeech-bleh-blah.

Okay. Done for now.

Jasmyn

Jewelry Queen

Happy Tuesday!!

I’m in more or less of a good mood as i don’t have to work tonight, and Corey Love is cooking something…not sure what but he got some baby lobster tails last night (ummm…seafood) and as he is off today he has plenty of time to ponder on what will e cooked. *grins* I think he is trying to match the wonderful Hot Egg and Noodle success of Saturday night. I didn’t get enough sleep last night (when do I ever??) so I’m sleepy, but I’m fighting the good fight. Must – keep – eyes – open!!

On my way out the door this morning I grabbed the little bag that I kept the old jewelry in, and I rummaged through it really quickly once I got to my desk just to see what I had. I have a wide variety of shapes, and they are mostly all small enough to be used in a ring with no problem. I have 5 small hearts (from a ring), 1 large heart ( from a pendant), 6 ovals (from a pair of earrings, they had 3 each), 1 mediumish marquise (from a ring) 3 emeralds (from a bracelet) and 6 princess (from the same bracelet). So, all together I have 22 garnets, and I think that all but maybe 2 (the bigger heart and the marquise) are small enough to go in a ring. So, with a choice of 20 stones in 4 shapes, I know I can come up with SOMETHING that I will love.

*grins* Got a new obsession….got a new obsession!!

The rough rough rough starting ideas that I have are these:
I love love love openwork rings – I think the whole ‘carved’ look is so pretty – like these

from TitaniumCommitment.com or this
from the same place or this
from AlexiaGallery.com

Then, I like colored gold. Pink/Rose and peach are my favorites.

Pink/Rose


Peach


I also like geometrical designs and jewelry that looks ‘designed’ and crafted like these from AlexiaGallery.com as well:




I also decided that I want to wear this on the middle finger of my right hand, and I don't want it to be any wider than 8mm, which is about 1/3 inch. I want it in white gold, with colored accents.


Basically I want to end up with something that is totally unique and totally me, and unless someone else just goes and copies what I end up with will be the only one of it’s kind.

:) Much fun.

Jasmyn

EBay is the devil

or - "I Need a Sugar Daddy!!"
*drools*

EBay has a PREMIER section - aaahhhhhhhhhh


On auction for $2,000 minimum – expected to go for up to $5,000



On auction for $2,500 minimum, expected to go for up to $7,000.


On auction for $1,250 minimum, expected to go for up to $3,500.

*sighs* Diamonds & Pearls. I think pearls and sapphires will fuel my next obsession.

soooo pretttttyyy!!!!

Sooooo sparkly warkly....

*clears throat*

*climbs on really big rock*

*takes deep breath*

I GOT MY RINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was delivered to the house – but wonderful dense boy had no clue what it was.
And damn, it’s gorgeous.  No – you are not understanding me – this thing is lovely.   It’s big without being too big –  we could have gone smaller (but why??).  The setting is very simple, understated and elegant.  And dammit, it looks GOOD on me. I have to get used to it being there, as I keep catching little sparks out of the corner of my eye.  In this office it’s rather understand – just a shiny gleam. Outside though?? Oh my GOD!!! Rainbows and flashes of bright bright light.  Lovely – I want to get a digital camera JUST to take pictures of it.

*sighs*

I’m sated, satisfied and thrilled. 

I gave him his ring last night – he liked it but he didn’t like it as much as I did, so we are going to go out and look for something else. :) Which is quite okay with me…as I did the same thing…so most likely tomorrow when we go to set up the Wedding account, we might swing by the mall as well and try to find something more to his liking.

I’m relaxed, laid back and calm.

Now I need to find something ELSE to obsess about.

*Grins*

Pictures will be forthcoming.

Jasmyn