54 Shopping Days Until . . .

Christmas!

1st Ornament for 2010
made with Swarovski Crystals and Pearls

Ok, ok – before you throw a sneaker at the screen, let me quickly say that I am not rushing the season.

In fact, I really don’t like to blog about Christmas before Halloween is officially over . . .

but since most of us are probably eating the leftover candy by now, I figure it’s safe to broach the topic. 😉

54 days is really not as long as it sounds.

“What”? (You scoff.)

I’m serious. Doesn’t it seem as if we just turned the calendar to September?

Uh-uh . . . that was 61 days ago! So, if you want to make a few gifts or maybe some ornaments, or you have packages to mail – it’s not too early to get going!

Who am I trying to convince, here, you or myself?

Both, actually! 😉 (I definitely need to get busy a.s.a.p!)

weekly question:

Are you a Christmas elf? Do you like to start early or do you thrive on the last minute holiday rush?

Hugs,

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Giveaway – Sugar and Spice Earrings

I’m baaaack! 😉

Whew, Kids! It was quite the week off….

Shall I tell you about it?

When you’re a kid, there are times you hear adults talking, but don’t really understand what they’re saying . . .

I can remember listening to my parents and their friends as they discussed vacations. They said that one week just isn’t enough – you need two weeks in a row. They insisted you only begin to relax during the first week, and it’s not until the second week that you are able to fully absorb the benefits of time-off.

After the week Sir Beads and I just had, I think I finally understand exactly what they were talking about!

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This year, we’ve had 2 vacations – one week each – and come to think of it, neither turned out to be very restful. I suppose the fact that they were “staycations” may have been a contributing factor, because we did incorporate household tasks into the mix. We probably should have planned to take both weeks together. Maybe, next time!

With respect to last week though, besides more days-off, we could have used fewer instances of Murphy’s Law! (You know – “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.”)

“What the heck are ya talkin’ about, Crystal?” (You ask. 😉 )

Well, I guess I’m trying to say that I feel as if I need a vacation after the vacation I just had. 😉

First, there was the weather


Holy Moly! We had scorching hot days, some of which were 100 degrees plus! And the humidity – ouch! The air was so soupy that our little air conditioners groaned as they valiantly tried to keep up.

Next, there was the plumbing repair gone haywire
.

We thought it would be convenient to let a plumber replace the bathroom shower/hot water mixer, faucet, and drain plug in our bathtub. Sir Beads is very good at home repairs, but we were looking for a quick fix this time – no searching for parts or having to buy a new tool. The plumbers arrived and what should have been a 2-hour job turned into two long days! What went wrong? Everything it seems. Ay-yi-yi!

No good deed goes unpunished . . .

We promised my parents we’d spend time doing chores for them. We wanted to accomplish a lot, so we set aside an entire day. Our daughter wanted to help, too, so she took a vacation day from work to join us. Wouldn’t you know; the temperatures soared to 103 degrees that day! Since we had plumbers coming later in the week and dear daughter had arranged for the time off, we decided we had to keep with our scheduled day – even though it was going to be hot, hot, hot! Can you say nightmare? 😉 We did finish a portion of what we had intended to do, but were as wilted as dishrags by sunset.

“Gee, Crystal, can you please get back to talking like your cheerful old self? We don’t want to hear you whine!”


Yes, of course, kids – sorry! It must be the heat talking (still brutally muggy, here.)

All of you were in my thoughts and I’m happy to be back with a new question and a new giveaway! 😀

During July and August, I’ll have the weekly questions, as usual, but it will be a “monthly” giveaway until autumn.

Sugar and Spice

For July’s giveaway, I have a beautiful pair of pearl earrings. They feature Vintage Swarovski round faceted beads in a gorgeous shade of forest green aurora borealis called “Turmaline AB”. The aurora borealis flash makes them twinkle like a rainbow of stars on a clear night.

I’ve added Swarovski clear crystal rondelles and also Swarovski tear-drop shaped glass faux pearls in creamy white.

ALL metal components are STERLING SILVER, including the elegant artisan-crafted earwires! Overall measurement is just over 2 inches in length.

Contest Rules and How To Enter

You can have multiple chances to enter!
Any day you leave a comment on this blog – it is counted as a chance to enter the current giveaway.

For example, if you answer today’s question (you’ll find it below!) that will give you one chance.

But if you then come back another day and comment on a different post – you will have earned a second chance! Visit again and comment and you’ll have 3 chances, and so on.

(When you comment, you do not have to mention that it’s an entry in the giveaway. My blog program shows me all of the “comments” as they come in – so I do not miss any of them, and all will count to be entered into the drawing!) 😀

Today’s question is:

Describe the most enjoyable vacation that you’ve ever had. It can be anything from a relaxing week at home with no schedule, to a day-trip to the beach, to a sightseeing tour of another country. Please tell us about the vacation that was the most fun for you! 😀

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The Boring Stuff . . .
You must be 18 yrs. old. After the completion of the contest, the name of the winner will be listed here. The winner will also be notified by email. If the winner fails to respond to email within 3 days from the time notification email has been sent, the win will be null and void and a new winner will be chosen. The prize will be mailed via USPS First Class Mail

All entries must be received by 9:00 p.m. EST on 07/30/10, and the winner will be selected on or about 07/31/10.

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