Chat…Just Because

Although it’s already February, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on the events of my 2009. I’ve been blessed in so many ways that I cannot possibly include all of the wonderful experiences I’ve been part of, but I wanted to write down some of the events that stand out in my mind. In no particular order, and not meaning to diminish all of the other wonderful things that happened last year, here are some highlights:

1. Sent my oldest child off to college in Hollywood, California, 1,600 miles away from me. By the way, she’s doing beautifully, and I managed to recover nicely as well.

2. Lost 40+ pounds (more than my original goal of 36). Started on my journey March 1, 2009 and hit my goal August 13, 2009. Steady, slow addtional weight loss continues.

3. Welcomed little Tucker into our home. Really, don’t get me started with this little fella. I even have a Dogbook page set up for him on my Facebook profile. Imma dork.

4. Adopted three families for the Christmas holiday. This was the first year we really went all out with this effort. I supported two families through my workplace, and my immediate family (parents, sister’s family) adoped our own family also. So much fun shopping for others!

5. Watched my youngest child complete her first paid acting gig (a PSA for Boys Town USA). Yes, I’m raising another budding actor and I love it!

6. Managed to sell some lovely Just Because Jewelry items, in spite of not advertising or actively promoting the business. It continues to amaze me that I am able to turn this creative outlet into something that people seek out and appreciate.

7. Reconnected with some dear friends from long ago on Facebook. While the social networking phenomenon wigs me out a bit, I do sometimes find it amusing to see what people are up to.

8. Spent time with Don in San Diego. On what can be counted as my only official getaway vacation last year, Don and I thoroughly enjoyed our time in that lovely city. We were totally smitten with Coronado Island and we now want to live at the Hotel Del Coronado.

I’m not sure what 2010 holds for me exactly, however I’m going to do my best to make rockin things happen! There may be a few trips in the cards, the purchase of a great swimsuit is imminent (a highlight, trust, if you know what it’s like to lose weight), some home improvement projects are in the planning, and I’m sure my kids will continue to delight and amaze me. I’d like to take my fitness goals to the next level and tone everything up too. That said, I’m rarin’ to go to see what I can make happen! How about you? Stay tuned!

We are settling into our newest routine now that there are two teens, instead of three, at home. Madeline is well on her way in LA, and while I know she misses us, she is immersed in doing something she adores. How lucky?! Would that we all could be as passionate and engaged in our interests. Elyse is already in rehearsals for the first play of the school year, and Parker is well into hockey games, tourneys and practices. It’s still quiet at home: Either the kids aren’t there, or they are studying. Not a big change from when Madeline was home, just less ‘stuff’ laying around. Tucker, our littlest fella, is always reminding us with his darling personality and boundless energy, to live in the moment and not take anything too seriously.

While jewelry production has been limited the past few months, it’s only because it was important for me to make my time with the kids a priority. I think many people may assume that once your children have reached the point where they are self-sufficient, you have all kinds of time on your hands. True, some time IS freed up when you don’t have to care for them 24/7, the way you used to when they were infants and toddlers. For me though, I’ve found I wanted to spend as much time with my teen kids as possible, because once college, jobs and life happen for them, there may not be as many opportunities to be with them. Such is life. And so it follows that I’ve tried to fill my time listening to them, being there for them and just appreciating the young adults they are becoming. Make no mistake though, my creative outlet is still on solid ground and is about to enjoy a resurgence in the coming weeks. So be on the lookout.

While we’re on the subject of changes, I’ll make this smooth segue into the new season. I always enjoy the settling of summer into fall. I could speculate about why for hours, but I’d rather keep things simple at this point, so I made up this little list of what makes me happy about this season. In no particular order, of course.

1. Crisp air
2. Cinnamon and pine scented candles
3. Colorful trees
4. Sweaters
5. Chili
6. Pumpkins
7. Boots
8. Messy leaves on the ground
9. Carmel apples
10. Bonfires outside; cozy fires inside
11. Pinecones
12. Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies
13. Scarves
14. Flannel sheets
15. Blue jean jackets
16. Bright blue skies
17. Vibrant sunshine

Do you agree? What did I miss?

I have a thing for dragonflies. I’ve known it for a while, but who else really needs to have this information, right? Ah, but a blog is for sharing, so share I must.

I’m not talking a freaky, obsessive dragonfly thing. It’s just that every time I see a dragonfly or a picture or other representation of one, I usually stop and consider its beauty. On a very few occasions, I have purchased items that include dragonfly images, but nothing over the top or even remotely noteworthy.

So what’s the attraction? I mean, we’re talking about an insect for heaven’s sake. A bug, for all intents and purposes. And anyone who knows me, knows I’m a totally girly-girl, who while I don’t faint, flee or shriek at the sight of small crawling or flying creatures, I also don’t go out seeking their company on purpose.

There just seems to be an inherent beauty and freedom about dragonflies for me, I guess. I don’t think about their life cycle, what they eat, how they survive, or even how they look close up. I just see them for what they are at that moment, flying in front of me or illustrated on the pages of a publication or in a piece of art. They catch my eye and pull my focus. Their delicate wings are a blur, their flight pattern is fleeting and unpredictable. I think I like them because they remind me to stop and appreciate them at that precise moment in time.

Since I have this little issue with dragonflies, I decided to research the symbolism behind them and found that they represent different things for different cultures, but the ideals are similar: Happiness, renewal, positive life force, hope, change and love. Ah-hah! These are all of the ideals I strive to embrace and project in MY life! No wonder I’m so enamored of them. Coincidence?

I wonder what other beauties of nature catch your eye? Hummingbirds? Swans? Eagles? A rosebush? A simple daisy? A cherry blossom tree in full bloom? A bubbling brook? A majestic snow-capped mountain?

I mentioned I had a few more things to bring you up to speed on. Remember me going on about my dream puppy a few weeks ago? Within a day of that post, I, with the help of a friend at work, had located a breeder in my area with one puppy to sell. I was so eager to meet this little guy, but Don was heading out of town on that particular weekend and we couldn’t get it arranged right away. But the following weekend, the puppy was still available and … I’m happy and giddy to introduce the newest member of our family, Tucker!

He’s a coton de tulear, all white with champagne colored ears and spot on his side. When we got him, he was just four months old and 7 pounds. So much fun! He’s so smart and playful. His temperament is amazing. He’s about 9.5 pounds now, so he’ll be just a few more pounds full grown. He looks bigger than he really is because of all that amazingly fluffy hair!

He’s a bit shy when meeting new dogs and people, but warms up so quickly. I could gush on about him like I do my children, but I think you can get a good idea of his charm through some of these pictures.

So on top of my fun doggy news, my jewelry studio IS coming along, although with all of the family activity, it is going to take a while longer for me to get everything organized. It currently looks like a small tornado blew through it, leaving beads, boxes and Ziploc bags everywhere!

And on a personal note, I mentioned a while ago that I needed to take some time to do some good things for myself. One of those things was to lose a few pounds and get into better shape. I’m still in the process, but thrilled to report I’ve lost more than 23 pounds in 11 weeks using the Jenny Craig program to get me going. I’m about 14 pounds away from my goal and feelin’ groovy! Not one to fish for a pat on the head, just happy to share my news, so, yay me!

As you can see, I’ve been busy with my kids, my new puppy and taking time for me. Hope you understand the lack of posts for now.

Be back soon!

It’s that crazy-busy time of year for us: School is winding down, which means end-of year banquets, shows, ceremonies, etc., plus Madeline is graduating (I’ll post some prom pictures of her soon too); summer plans are in the works; outdoor projects need to be addressed. April went by in a blink, and I think May will buzz along quickly too.

Hoping to get back to posting more regularly very soon! Until then, it may be sporadic. I’ll definitely do what I can though!

Is this a busy time for you too?

Ok, so I’m dating myself with the Donny Osmond hit, but whatev. The point is, I’m lover of sweet, intelligent loveable doggies, but alas, I am allergic to them. I don’t think I was always allergic, but then again, we didn’t have a dog for any length of time when growing up, so I guess I could have been allergic and just didn’t realize it.  

When I first was married, my husband and I had a beautiful Collie, but the hair everywhere was un-be-lievable. We couldn’t keep up with it! So we decided to find a loving family for her and move on without a canine buddy. But we realized a short time later that we missed having one around, and so we purchased an AKC registered Cocker Spaniel. We named this adorable pup, Lacy. Here is a photo of her right after we got her. Sweeet puppy!

She was such a joy to have around. She was literally our baby until of course Madeline showed up two years later. Sounds like classic ‘Lady and the Tramp’ plot, but really, she was a wonderful part of our family for many years. Loved her!

When we decided we needed a bigger home, we moved to a house without a fenced in yard, and we agreed to let Lacy live with my mother-in-law (who coincidentally bought our old house) because we couldn’t afford a fence and I couldn’t bear the thought of her running away. Once in our new house for a few days without Lacy, I realized there was a dramatic decrease, no … end … to my incessant sneezing, sniffling and congestion issues that had plagued me for the past few years. My sweet Lacy was the source of what I kept telling myself was pesky allergies. Allergies indeed, but to dander! Not pollen or other outdoor plant culprits. Dang!

Since then, nearly 11 years, I’ve not had a dog for fear that I would sneeeze my way through the rest of my life. The would girls ask repeatedly, “Can’t you just get a shot, mom?” But honestly, as much as I loved dogs, I wasn’t willing to subject myself to pills or injections just so I could live with one.

Over the years I have entertained the possbility of getting a smaller breed that has less dander, the bichon, poodle or maltese type, but then other things took priority, and I stopped looking.

Well with Madeline leaving for college in a few short months, I must be in some sort of nesting mode (which I totally realize) because I’m all over it again! Elyse is out of her mind with happiness at the thought that I’m even considering another dog, Parker is all for it, and Don is a dog lover also. So what’s the hold up? Fear. Fear of the allergies mostly.

But I’ve been doing my homework on breeds that are less likely to cause sneezing attacks and swollen, itchy eyes and think I’ve decided that I could live with one of these: A Coton de Tulear. This cutie is a tri-colored, but they also come in pure white or white and black.

Photo from the United States of America Coton de Tulear Club

I’d never heard of this type of dog before, but for the hours of online reading I’ve done, I now think that this little beauty of a breed would be an amazing match for our family. Oh I’d love to rescue a dog, don’t get me wrong, but I just can’t take the chance of me being allergic to a mix.

I could go on and on about the traits of the Coton, but suffice to say that I think I’ve made up my mind, and I’ll keep doing a bit more research. On the other hand, if any of you know of reputable Coton breeders in the Midwest or have firsthand experience with one, I’d love their information. If we do decide to pursue this, I would definitely want to meet the little sweetie before we bring it home. You can do a Google image search on the breed and see some of THE cutest pictures.

Part 5 of 5
In my final post of this series, let’s address the reasons why your skin may turn green (or possibly black) after wearing rings, bracelets, or other metal jewelry, and what alternatives you might consider if this is an issue.

Usually the green coloring left on your skin after contact with a metal is due to oxidation. Those with highly acidic skin will experience this reaction, even with sterling silver in some cases. Oxidation can also be hastened in highly humid weather. One other reason for green finger is an allergic reaction to the alloys used in the sterling silver or gold. An alloy is a metal made up of more than one element, and when used with sterling silver and other metals, make those components highly durable. Usually it is the nickel alloy used in inexpensive jewelry and the composition of your unique body chemistry that will cause a green reaction on your skin.

To combat tarnish, many times metal components used in jewelry are plated with rhodium, a member of the platinum family. Rhodium is highly lustruous, does not normally oxidize and will protect the jewelry from interacting with your skin. So silver rhodium is an excellent choice in keeping the the verdigris (and tarnish) factor down and out.

Other hypoallergenic metals you may want to consider for your jewelry if you’re prone to green skin or allergies would include titanium, black PVD titanium or noibium.

˜And so ends my little tutorial. There is much more information available about metals in jewelry, but hopefully I’ve covered enough in this series to pique your interest and arm you with a bit of knowledge that you can use for future jewely purchases. If you have any other questions, please send them my way and I’ll do my best to provide you with what you need.

Oh! And for those of you not familiar, Elphaba (aka the Wicked Witch of the West) is the title character in L. Frank Baum’s book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” on which the award winning musical, “Wicked” was based. Madeline and I saw the show about five years ago in NYC with the original Broadway cast. T’was awesome! Obviously Elphaba was the green witch, and her name is made up of a variation of the author’s first initials.

Part 1: Let’s tawk
Part 2: Embracing differences
Part 3: This or that?
Part 4: Out, damned tarnish!

Wow, this week has gone by so quickly, I can hardly believe it! I had all good intentions for posting a relevant, interesting entry, but so could not carve out enough time to make it happen. I do have one more post in my Lessons in Metal series that will be ready next week though.

For now, I’ll be happy to tell you to have a wonderful weekend and to thank you for taking time to visit Chat Just Because!

Part 4 of 5
Now that you have an understanding of the types of and options with your metal components, you should also know why certain metals may darken or tarnish. What’s up with that and why do some things tarnish easily and others don’t?

Tarnish is the result of the sulpher in the air reacting to the metal in the jewelry, a process called oxidation.

Pure silver doesn’t tarnish, sterling silver’s partner in crime — copper — does. (Remember from Lesson 2, sterling silver is made up of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper). And it will tarnish more quickly in humid conditions. In addition, other external variables such as lotions, perfumes and your own body chemistry can affect the rate at which sterling silver tarnishes. That’s the case whether the copper is part of sterling silver or if it is in jewelry by itself. It will get darker over time.

How can you stop the tarnish? Wearing and handling your sterling silver jewelry will actually help slow down the oxidation process because the oil in your skin coat the silver and protect it from oxidation. While not wearing your items, store them in a ziploc sandwich bag (NOT a heavy plastic PVC bag though) with a small strip of anti-tarnish paper, which absorbs moisture and prevents tarnish. Please note: If the silver item also contains pearls, store it a jewelry box where the air can circulate, along with your anti-tarnish strips. Pearls need a bit of moisture. But that’s another series, right?

If your sterling does become tarnished, a light rubbing with a silver polishing cloth will ususally remove the offensive darkness. If the tarnish is difficult to remove, your best bet is to have a professional jeweler clean and polish your sterling silver items. There are commercial dips or solutions that are on the market for jewelry, however I’ve read that they damage the silver over time and it loses its luster. You should never use the solutions if your sterling silver jewelry includes gemstones though. Gemstones just need a gentle rinsing with mild soap and water — except for opals and a few other fragile gemstones that only need a wipe with a tissue.

If you wear a lot of copper or other easily tarnished base metal, a coat of clear nail polish applied to the metal will offer some protection for a time, or you could try using a product called Renaissance Wax to coat your copper items. Wearing your copper necklaces over your clothing, rather than next to your skin, will also delay the oxidation process a bit.

Next up: Lessons in metal: Part 5; Hello, Elphaba?

Part 1: Let’s tawk
Part 2: Embracing differences
Part 3: This or That?

Part 3 of 5
Now that you have some information about precious and non-precious metals, let’s look at another element of considering your jewelry components: The plated vs. filled options.

Plated metal findings, gold plated or silver plated, simply refers to a thin layer of either, that has been electroplated to a base metal. While the plated gold or silver components use real metal, the layer is usually so thin that it can be easily scratched and wear off quickly, exposing the base metal underneath.

A more expensive option to gold plated, but with the look of gold, is jewelry that uses vermiel components. Vermeil (pronounced as ver-MAY) is gold that has been coated to a sterling silver base. The gold must be at least 10K and meet a certain thickness requirement to be considered vermeil. Highly tarnish resistant, it is a long lasting and lovely alternative to gold jewelry. Vermeil is used in some Just Because Jewelry designs, and is noted as such in the appropriate production descriptions.

Gold filled components are yet another gold option and are considered a much higher quality product than plated materials. Precious metal of at least 10K gold is mechanically bonded to a base metal. The layer of gold is much thicker than the thin layer used in gold plated items, and the results are considered long lasting. All of the gold chain and wire used in Just Because Jewelry pieces is gold filled, including this necklace. Read more about it here on the Web site.

So what does all of this mean in terms of jewelry durability and tarnish? Ahh, Grasshoppah. You must return for the next lesson very soon …

Next up: Lessons in metal: Part 4; Out, damned tarnish!

Part 1: Let’s tawk
Part 2: Embracing differences