And that's all the randomness that's fit to print

I should've done posts called "25 days of Christmas socks" since I have enough to wear a pair for 25 days.

I think the new Chocolate diamonds are ugly. There. I said it. I think they look brown, dirty and cheap rather than elegant. Nasty.

I'm obsessed with the TV show Criminal Minds. I can kill you in about 50 ways and never get caught. Other than the fact blood is icky. I wish Cold Case and Without a Trace reruns were on here.

How lazy am I that I bought a fudge making kit rather than all the separate ingredients? All the stuff came in one box, with a pan. It's supposed to make 1.5 pounds. I thought a kit to allow me to make that much fudge at once is a good thing.

There's a student, a young man, who works with me in the library in the mornings. I want to give him a little Christmas gift. Any ideas? We have so many regulations I'm at a loss. I might just email his case worker to see if he has any suggestions. Cologne?

I organized a cookie swap at work. Seven people other than me agreed so I'll come home on Thursday with 7 dozen different types of cookies. I think I'm going to make 'Snowball Surprises.' These are a mildly sweet dough cookie with a Hershey kiss inside. YUM!

Speaking of cookies, the first week of my Christmas break I'm going to bake- cut out cookies are first on the list. And I'm going to try cranberry bread. And maybe make some mini whoopie pies.

Speaking of Christmas break, I have some serious shopping left--- but that's for a different post!

I had nothing to do this whole weekend. No solid plans where I was expected to be anywhere. I didn't even get called to sub on Friday so I basically slept and watched TV for the last 2 days. I haven't the concentration or patience to read or craft so I just camped in front of the TV and watched a bunch of TV. I haven't even tried to focus on a movie.

It was cold today. It never got above 25 degrees. Since I lived in the Wild West, I could say that's really not a big deal but it felt cold to me. The house was warm and comfy but I just felt cold which seems silly.

Mac saw the commercial for wateraid.org and he associated it with bad water in Africa. And he's decided I'm going to get dysentery if I go to Africa, and die, unless of course I get kidnapped, raped and killed by the freedom fighters first. Ugh!

Maggie

32. Take a jewelry making class

I really wanted to go and take an actual workshop to make jewelry but I think this is going to suffice, and I will cross this task off the list!

A few months ago a local artist came to Alcatraz and did a jewelry making workshop. She's published several books about the art of jewelry making and she... well, she makes a living as an artist and this is one of her skills. I will lucky enough to go to high school with her and begged her to come do this, and she did! Because this was one of my ideas and library activities, I got to participate, too!

Above are some of the supplies. The blue handled gadgets are tools to punch holes in metal. In the wooden leaf bowl is foreign money and then the middle container is all beads.

We all had a chance to make "pirate necklaces", since we did this the week before Pirates of the Caribbean 4 came out. The kids all thought I put the workshop instructor up to it since they know of my obsession with Johnny Depp! Too funny!

Anyway, each of us was allowed to select a coin, a few beads and some cord. We also had to have clasps and hasps to put it all together.

Below is a picture of one of the workshop attender's punching a hole in a coin.

Above is a picture of one of the attendees flattening the hasp and taking the shine off it, so it looks more pirate-y!

Here is a picture of all the necklaces we made that day!

And finally, here's the necklace I made. I gave it to ITSam because I thought it looked manly. And because I'd never given him jewelry.

It was a good time and I liked doing it. This artist does workshops all over the country and she does some that are fancy and expensive and other times she does small ones that are affordable. I want to take one where I can do something extensive with beads, maybe a beaded necklace or a bracelet?

But it was fun to make our pirate necklaces and it was clever to use her left over foreign money and the kids had a good time, and do did I!

Love,
Maggie

Tiffany's *

I love Tiffany & Co Jewelry. I do. I just LOVE it!

For last Christmas, the now ex Sam (formerly referred to as ITSam) bought me my very first Tiffany's gift, a heart key and the heart is pink. I love it; and I did NOT give it back at the break up. I can't believe I went 39 years without ever having a piece of Tiffany's jewelry. What in the world was I waiting for? Well, okay I was waiting for Prince Charming- Enough- to- Buy- Me- Tiffany's, and he did. Here's what it looks like:

Now that Prince Charming is not so Charming (nor Prince like), I wondered, can I buy Tiffany's for myself? I browsed the gifts under a $100 and if I can shop there for myself, I'd get this because it's only $30:
I want to point out that it also comes in the infamous Tiffany Blue Bag. *Ahem*

The other thing I like is this:While I don't think it would behoove me to get this for myself, I still think it's beautiful. It would've made a gorgeous wedding ring, or a "just because" piece. I'm not such the narcissist that I'd acquire this on my own. But's certainly stunning.

And soon, I'll be posting about why I'm so Holly Golightly!

Maggie aka Holly

*This post was inspired my recent viewing of Breakfast at Tiffanys!

And she wore a pink....

Here's the sweet surprise I got from ITSam on Christmas!!!!!

As regular readers know, I have an obsession with Tiffany & Co. so this was just an amazing treat and a wonderful surprise! I think people could hear me scream from the shock of opening a REAL Tiffany & Co. bag! I adore the Tiffany keys and to have a genuine one and with a hint of pink, and on a pretty chain to wear around my neck... well, ITSam did very well!

Happy Pink Saturday- thanks Beverly for hosting!!

This diamond ring doesn't shine for me anymore

When ITSam started talking about getting married, you know back when we were together, and thought I was wrong to go along with it and I didn't listen to the little voice inside my head telling me "no", I did go with him to jewelry stores to try on rings. I am human. I am a woman. I do LIKE things that sparkle. Hel-LO! Wrong yes, but I did it anyway.

So we went to stores together and I tried on rings. I have no idea what protocol is for this adventure. Am I supposed to point out what I want, be meek and mild and let him do the talking? Should I have demurred? I have no idea and these trips were uncomfortable and awkward. That should've been a sign.

We never did find anything that just jumped out at me, or him. He said he didn't care what I got as long as I liked it. He wanted me to come along and pick it because he felt he could never capture the taste of what would fit my personality. Okay... being the control freak that I am, I did like that.

One day I saw an ad for a privately owned little place about 20 minutes from here in the town where I happened to go to University. I ran up there after work one day, to see if they had anything. OMG- they did. It was the perfect ring. It was an estate vintage piece and it was just what I wanted, in the diamond world. It was affordable as well.

The next day ITSam went with me and we looked again. He liked it quite a bit and said it was fine. We did some discussing and haggling and all was well with the ring.

Then everything with us went to hell.

Then last Friday the jeweler called me about the ring and left a message. I didn't do anything, thinking maybe she would look at her phone list and see she called me and then try and call him. Wrong. She called and left me another voice mail. This time, through texting, I told Sam she was calling and he needed to call and take care of it.

She called again. I text Sam again. Today he sent me a text and told me that "contacting the jeweler is completed." Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

I have no idea if Sam had bought the ring or was making payments or what the deal was. I honestly don't know. I don't care what HIS plan was for the ring.

What I think really sucks is that I want that ring. I found it myself. And what is sad, is that it wouldn't even remind me of Sam or a bad relationship. it would be the awesome, vintage, estate piece I found in a quirky, funky little jewelry shop. I don't have a grand to buy it for myself. And what do I do with it once I get it, I guess would be the next logical question. It is an engagement ring. It looks like one so I can't even fake that. I could wear it on my right hand. I can't exactly save it in a box and hope if some guy comes along (yeah right) and wants to get married (yeah right) that I whip it out and say "I just happen to have an engagement ring right here." I think not. That's like the woman who buys the Vera Wang wedding gown on sale and keeps it just in case. Pathetic.

But it was SUCH a perfect ring, and just what I wanted, and sparkly. I'd rather have the ring than the guy, dang it.

If anyone has a grand laying about and wants to buy me a diamond engagement ring... well, it doesn't mean we have a commitment or anything. I promise. Really. I do!

Mags