And now we wait....

Okay, the annoying part about soap making. The time it takes to cure. Basically, I've poured all my soaps and have finished with them. But they must sit out and take up space for two weeks before I can do anything. The first soaps were cast on Wednesday night. The last today. Some molds take longer to set before you can de-mold. So it did take quite a bit of time to make the soap -- but they are made. But they won't be done for two weeks. April 12. (Yes, some will be done the Wednesday before that, but I didn't mark them....so we will go with April 12 for all of them.)

But they are cute!

And John's frames are quite amazing. I can't wait for him to finish so I can post pictures. He is thinking about selling custom frames. He made the mold for the soaps -- it is slightly modified from our wedding logo, with our personal claddagh design. Note the Trinity Knots on the cuffs. That style is exclusive to us. You've possibly seen claddaghs where Trinity Knots surrounf the heart, taking the place of the hands, but I doubt you've seen one where the Trinity Knot was used to make the cuff, to look a bit like a lace cuff.

He is going to make a generic claddagh frame mold and a matching soap mold; however, it won't have the trinities. He's also thinking about designing wedding logos and creating custom frames. They *will* be more expensive though. The materials to make molds are not cheap, and creating the initial scuplt for the cast takes a lot of time. There would definitely be a design fee and a set up fee involved. Our frames are amazing, and there is a LOT of detail in them. I am very impressed with them though.

Potpouri

A while ago at a Bridal Show, Gutter Guardian was out, and I signed up for them to come give an estimate. We've been playing hit-miss for a while, but finally got to see the system and get a quote.

Is it expensive? Yes. However, it also adds some serious value to my home, and protects my property from water damage. So it's a good investment. And these gutters are actually very pretty.

So, I ordered them. They do have a very good payment plan, and because of all the hit and misses going on, I ended up with at 20% discount on the system (Saved about $1,000 on installation). I think they will add to the resale value also, because these do have a lifetime warranty.

And: I will never have to feel guilty about the window planters I'm currently sporting as my gutter system (I'm serious. There are little green plants sprouting in them now.)

Yesterday when one of my co workers got back from lunch, she informed me that a tire was low. My fiance checked it out. NAIL. Yes, I had a blasted nail in my tire. So my sweetie put the donut on the car (my car jack is very cool, by the way. The jack crank also removes the lugnuts. And the jack fits nicely under the tire in its little hideyhole in the trunk. We also managed to locate my battery -- he's been wondering where it was since it is not anywhere obvious. The battery is in the trunk, under the mat, near the donut).

So off to the tire place (I had purchased road hazard with the tires). But they also do oil changes, so got that overwith too.

A bunch of things that need to be done, but still... cost money.

AND the candles are done! YAY!! Okay, these are really simple, I know. But still, that is one project down.

I will be using a different mirror to set them on. Michaels has some really cute etched mirrors that are actually less than the one that the candle is currently sitting on. Cannot wait to see these lit!

Next up, Soaps. I'm anxiously awaiting the goat milk soap base that I ordered. I also got '4 leaf clover' scent, which I will be combining with a bit of chopped up lemon thyme. I may (still pondering) get some green dye and color a portion of the soap, but I'm thinking no right now. When those are done, I'll post a picture here.

So. DIY Veil (I can't post a picture) - done, DIY candles - done. We're trucking along! Of course, the dining room table looks like a craft explosion.

New Year

I know... it's March 13. What am I on about calling it a "new year"? Well, it is to me. I just celebrated my 41st birthday. It's funny; I don't feel 41. I don't look like what I always imagined 41 to look like. But as we age, we tend to modify our outlook of what 'age' actually is. To me, it's a number.... but it is not 'old'. Old is when all you do is complain about your health and the young whippersnappers. Basically, there are people I go to church with who are 'old' in years, but very young at heart. I know this lady who is 77, and you'd never know it to look at her. She's as vibrant as the 20 year olds. Sure, she doesn't look 20, but she also doesn't look 77 (I'd put her at about 55). She's active and really involved in things. What 'age' has done for her is allowed her the time to enjoy what she enjoys rather than having to spend 40 hours plus a week working for someone else. So she volunteers and interacts.

But I'm now 41. What did I expect of my life at this age? I don't know. Am I the person I expected to be 'when I grew up'? Again, I don't know. I never really had these 10-year goals or anything. I have always hated those questions.

However, I think it is time to set some personal goals.

By 50:

1. I would like to have WRITTEN a novel. Note: I'm not going to say 'have a novel published'. I just want to have written one--one that *I* am happy with and proud of, even if no publishing house wants it.

2. I would like to have visited Europe again.

3. I will be married, still. I truly believe that this time we have it right. John and I have waited a lifetime to be together. And I do mean a lifetime. We met over 25 years ago. And it really does seem like it was love at first sight. Everyone I've ever dated has been compared to him. I evaluated how I 'felt' with them, compared to how I 'felt' with him. They all fell short. Life, circumstances, weird things happened and separated us. And I never thought we'd get back together--so he was not an 'option'. But technology of the 21st century changed all that, and here we are again--together. If we have loved each other apart as long as we have, I do think that we'll continue to do so together.

So... not a lot of goals. but still, a few.

Checking In

It's been a few days since I posted.

Saturday, as planned, I did go and audition for the Montgomery Biscuits. It was a very nerve-wracking experience...not the least bit hampered by the weather weirdness. My voice cracked in an unexpected place. And the Biscuits don't tell people until about 2 to 3 weeks before a game if they are interested in them. So...I do not know if I am one of the people they are interested in or not. About 80 auditioned and they have spots for between 30 to 45 to sing during the year. I would have been happier if they'd have said "Thanks for coming, but we're not interested." OR "Thanks for coming. We're interested in the possibility of you singing the National Anthem for us.... we have between 30 to 45 games where we will have a performer, and we'll let you know about 2 to 3 weeks before your scheduled game." Oh well.

Here is the link: http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-FyEWYLtrQ

Saturday evening, John and I went dancing (still not sure of the name of the place). The band was really good though. It was an 18 piece big band. I had no idea Montgomery had one of those! So we had a lot of fun with that, and the price was great too. Unfortunately/fortunately, the weather had been so awful that attendance was down. Unfortunately because the owner of the club didn't quite get enough take to pay the band, but fortunately because the dance floor could not have handled too many other people. While the floor was nice, we didn't like one of the regulars -- SUCH a snob. John didn't want anything to do with her, and after earning her snob status (she basically decided to tell us to learn to dance -- and I'm sorry, I'm not there to enter a dancing competition, I'm there to have fun. And John *can* dance.), she then wanted to make nice because there were fewer males than females and she was an unattached female. John was not going to dance with her. Period.

Sunday it snowed! Yep, it snowed here in Montgomery. It was beautiful--driving in to church in a snowstorm, I just loved it. I enjoyed watching nature drop graceful bits of peaceful calm all during service. I was disappointed when it stopped and started to melt, but it was lovely while it lasted.

I also went to a bridal show. I'm torn on the Princess House stuff. It's beautiful, but some of it really is expensive. Sure, it is quality--but I just don't feel worthy of a $200 pan. I am not a 'chef' cook. I'm good in a t-fal pan. I don't have the skills to really have a use for a pan that is half a car payment. It's beautiful pan, and the lids that match are gorgeous. But ALL of their pans are at least $120. I was going to let her do a shower / registry. But I just can't see asking my guests to spend that much on those things. Everything else we've registered for is much less. I mean, my china IS the big splurge, and that is for the whole set -- and I think it's $350 or something-- for an 8 place setting of china. And she thinks I'm going to ask my guests for a $200 pan? I wouldn't be able to afford the completion!

Monday -- hair cut! I'm growing it out for the wedding, and it's getting longer. And I've started taking gelatin tablets to hopefully make my nails stronger. My sublime stylist is closing her salon and moving to a new place. She's had the salon for 22 years, and is just ready to not have to be the one who worries about the plumbing, etc. So it was a bit of a sentimental thing. At least I know where she is and I've not lost her or anything. She's still in business, just in a different area.

So, that's my weekend in a nutshell. Hope everyone had a safe one!