Poly Clay earth tones

Remember this barrette I made for a customer whom wanted earthy tones? Well don't worry she has the barrette in her hands, however this is the other one I made, and well I am falling in love with this color scheme, there is just something about it! There is one color that is mixed out of the four and that is the green color, the others were used straight from the packages.

Here is the recipe for this color scheme, I mixed Sea Green with Alizarin Crimson (not the Raw Sienna, I couldn't remember how I did it when I wrote the card and then I tried it).
I am using this sheet to cover salt and pepper shakers. I could see these going really well in a warm, earth toned kitchen with a warm wood cabinet color.
I am working on taking better pictures of my stuff. The lighting is tough to deal with.
The final four colors. I made more to extrude, that is how much I like this combination. Still to come pictures of my final projects made with these colors. The salt and pepper shakers are in the works.

Timber...

Luckily our tree didn't do that today. We had a great day! We didn't go to church today. We decorated our tree in the am. We cleaned and did laundry for the week ahead. I recently got a sizeable travel check and John and I have been kicking around ideas of what to do with it. Technically it should have gone on the credit card. Well I suggested to John that we go to Target with it and get everyone a special early christmas gift and some other stuff that we just plain needed, like socks. So we went and Target is a great place! I got my Allison Krauss CD and I already listened to it, it is great, her style is so unique and relaxing. Ashley and I got new socks and Ashley got a new Christmas Dress to wear during our celebrations, it is so cute, I love having a girl when it comes to clothes and dressing them! I wanted to get Ashley a new DVD of the Wiggles but Target didn't have any which surprised me, however they did have a musical CD of Wiggles music so we snacthed that right up for her. She has already listened to it twice!

This year I thought I would help out by putting the lights on the tree, usually John does this for me. I tested all of the strands and each worked, of four total. I put them all on and plugged it in and sure enough one of the middle strands was out!! Don't you just hate it when that happens? Well, John was able to fix it, as he does most things around here. I don't know how many times I've said to A. during the day, Daddy will fix that when he gets home.

Above are pictures of Ashley putting a star on top. It was entirely her idea, we usually put an Angel on top but I liked her I idea and I think it looks nice, so we'll keep it. The other picture is our refurbished frosty, he has been a snowman twice. He is now on stilts. :-)

Laura's Jobs Explained

A lot of people don't get what I do for my jobs. So this may take a while to explain but I am going to tell you or attempt to tell you what I do to contribute to society and my family. :-) So now I can say, go read my blog. :-)

Job #1 - I am an adjunct professor for two colleges Saint John Fisher and (SUNY)Potsdam College. Potsdam is also my Alma matter, thus in one part, kinda sorta, why I have the job with them now. A lot of people don't get how I can work for a college that is FOUR hours away, I have been asked if I commute, I have been asked if I drove all the way down here (meaning to Rochester), people don't get that I work remotely for them, sometimes even after I tell them they don't always get it. Now what exactly do I do for the colleges? I am a SUPERVISOR of student teachers. I get a new group of student teachers each semester, the following is a link to the website address for Fisher which lists all of my responsibilities, http://soe.sjfc.edu/studentteach/collegeSupervisors.asp then times that by 2 for both colleges and that is what I do. However you should know that both colleges do have some variations in the assignments and requirements of what student teachers need to do and grading varies too. For instance Potsdam uses an online program called TaskStream in which students submit papers, lesson plans and so on and I go online and grade their work. So I also keep that all straight too. If you don't want to read the link above which is the comprehensive list (which I wouldn't blame you, its kinda long) Here is the shorter list of what I do:

• Eight visits for each student teacher per a semester, 6 out of 8 are formal observations (a write up and meeting with the student teacher each time, plus four visits with the sponsor teacher and student teacher to go over a mid term and end term evaluation of the student teacher) Each student teacher has two placements a semester, one in a high needs school district and one in another school district if they are lucky.


• Seven (2 hour) seminars for Fisher (not Potsdam here folks, I don't go up but I have once)


• Meetings at Fisher for Supervisors Training


• Read Journals via email, read lesson plans via email, (the student teacher needs to hand these in each week)


• Grade Unit Plans, and other papers that show a student teacher is capable of understanding a student's work and analyzing that work.


• Post Grades on TaskStream (Potsdam only)


• I get paid by the student teacher, so the more I take on the more I make


• I do get reimbursed for travel from both colleges
  

Job #2 is I work for the Rochester Museum and Science Center as a Technology Mentor. I help support Science Linkages' "Co-Explorers Everyday" program, designed to engage childcare providers and children in fun, high-quality, inquiry-based science, math and technology activities, however I only work as a Tech. Mentor, so I am involved in the tech. part of this program. I mentor 6 NYS licensed in home daycare providers, I make approximately 4 visits to each home, I work with children and the provider. I attend three all day workshops with all of the Providers where we train them in The Basics, The Internet and Software, to use in their childcare program. As part of the program they earn a refurbished computer from Micrecycle (another very cool program and resource I might add). They provide computers at a discounted rate to people who would like one. This is a contractual job.

So I currently have 6 daycare providers X approx. 4 visits each might be 5 = 24 plus

I also have 6 student teachers X 4 visits = 24 visits.

The semester if four months long, Sept. to Dec. 24+24=48 visits

Job#3 - Which I don't really count, but I'll throw it in for good measure because I do get paid for it and it takes time, I work at JoAnn Fabrics in Webster, I teach craft classes in jewelry making and polymer clay, I teach classes for kids and adults. This is a contractual job.

Job#4 - Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister, House Cleaner, Menu Planner, Grocery Shopper, Chef in kitchen, Friend, Polymer Clay Guild Member, Church Goer...

Elvis Salt and Pepper Shakers

This is one of my all time favorite custom orders that I made for a friend of mine whom has an Elvis theme in her kitchen. All four sides of each shaker have a picture of Elvis that is photo transferred onto the clay.

Gingerbread Man....

"Run, Run, as fast as you can, You can't catch me I'm the Gingerbread Man!!!!" OK this is one of my best sellers from last years craft season and this years. There is a funny story that I need to tell you about my DEAR Daughter from today. We went to the library tonight after I picked her up from daycare. She has recently picked up from http://starfall.com/ the catchy Gingerbread Man, song. If you go to starfall.com click on the Gingerbread Man and follow the directions, he does the song and dance at the end. We sing it and run around the house and I chase and catch her, well that IS VERY FUN at home. However tonight she decides to do this on the way to the check out in the library and she runs past the electronic entrance singing the catchy tune, too loud for the library, I might add and well, I can't catch her because I have the big heavy bag of books and DVDs (Five Wiggles ones to be exact!) and I can't run past the entrance or the alarm will go off. Hmmmm....what is a mother to do? Well I got out my teacher look and my finger and motioned for her to come to me, plus she was going to hand the library card to the lady for me. Luckily she complied. By the way if anyone needs any more ornaments, I have a few left, I also made candy cane ones too and they are the same size.

Also I am putting a call out for you to let me know if you have a good, fast, easy gingerbread cookie dough recipe to share with me. I have always wanted to try making them. Thanks in advance for sharing with me.mailto: mailto: labbett@rochester.rr.com

Winter Wonderland...

You know you live in Rochester New York when the National Weather Service puts out a message that says "Hazardous Road Conditions" and everyone and their brother gets up the next morning and goes to school and work. (he he) After all we DO live in Rochester people and we are New Yorkers through and through and well hey, we have things we need to do, places we need to be, and things that need to get done. :-) I personally found it ironic that north of the Thruway was supposed to get pounded and I think some areas did, however it was SOUTH of the Thruway where schools were closed this morning and they didn't get as much snow as we did. However it was very windy.

Windshield Wipers: I have been having a problem with my windshield wipers making this horrendous noise, which has been really annoying since I drive a lot for all of my jobs. For 20 minutes at least the wipers were making this loud rubbing on the windshield noise, even when it was wet. Plus they were smearing right in my field of vision - don't you just hate it when that happens! So I literally slid into the parking lot at Auto Zone (in the middle of my busy day I might add) I went in and told the guy my two problems. I also explained that I had bought wipers not that long ago, or so it seemed. So he helped me pick out blades and he helped me pick out different ones than I already had, he suggested the ones that are treated with RAINEX. So I said my husband will kill me if he has to install these tonight (it is a pain in the rear to install these) So, they had someone do it for me and it took him less than two seconds to do it, since they do it all the time. I went out and started my wipers - it was HEAVEN, no more noise and no more smearing in my field of vision. YAHOO! I highly recommend the Rainex wiper blades.

We Missed You...

We missed you Jeffery!!! Over Thanksgiving since Ashley was sick we had to cancel our plans to see our old neighbors whom were in town visiting all the way from Colorado! What a bummer that we missed them. It may be a while before they come back this way. Here is a pic. of A. and J. whom are the same age.

Going Green...

In an effort to "go green" I purchased the black canvas shopping bags that Wegman's now offers. There is only one problem, remembering to bring them with me to the store! Does anyone have any suggestions to help me remember to bring them to Wegmans? If yes please comment, thanks.

Menu Plan Monday

There is a trick to my meal planning this week, if you can figure it out leave a comment, its not that hard.

Monday: Meat night for John, DH, Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and a Veggie

Tuesday: Taco Night (I love Taco Night)

Wednesday: Waffle with Fruit Night

Thursday: Turkey Pot Pie for John,

Friday: Frozen Food Night

Saturday: Soup Night

Sunday: Stir Fry

Holiday Sale...

On Saturday I will be selling my wares all day at the UMC in Webster from 9-3pm. Stop by to see me and pick up some handmade Holiday gifts. Ashley seems to be on the mend. Today I spoke to my neighbor friend Amanda (who just so happens to be - you guessed it a Pediatrician!!!!!) We are sooooo lucky to know Amanda!!!! She made me feel better about what is going on with Ashley, basically she is going to be coughing for a good long while and that is OK. As long as no fever comes back. I love Drs. they quote research, very cool! :-)

By the way if you saw my post on the identity theft, I did get one more CD in the mail, but this time I didn't open it, put it right back in the mail box with the note "Refused, Return to Sender." on it. I did get another Entertainment Weekly magazine, I'd like to pretend that someone just LOVES me enough to go out and buy me a gift right, well that would be in my ideal world, plus if they really knew me then they would of gotten me the "Taste of Home" magazine instead, or "Art Jewelry". Also the Enfamil has already been spoken for! Barb - more coupons came in the mail again today, I will save them for you. I'm still thinking about that Alisson Krauss CD - I'll have to put that on my Christmas wish list - hint, hint.