Macro Sunday

Curt and I went to the Newport News Fall Folklife Festival yesterday.  In the midst of craft booths, funnel cakes, and muddy walkways Curt saw this really cool fungus among us.  It's kind of gross and kind of beautiful all at the same time, so that's my close-up shot for this week's I Heart Macro Sunday post.

The follow-on activity from any fall festival is the cozy couch nap...my boys have perfected their napping skills.... 

And this photo was an accident from yesterday when my friend, Jeff, was trying to explain white balance and I got tired of listening...cracks me up because I apparently look like this most of the time. 

Hop on over to Studio Waterstone to see the latest up-close interpretations of life...

Happy Anniversary, Honey!

The secret to a successful marriage:  separate households!  haaaaaaaaaaaaa

I can't believe it has already been two years.  

It's gonna be fun to see what happens in the next two...four...six...

Love you,

Jen :)

So Little Time

I just feel like I don't have enough time in the day to do all the things I want or need to do.  I should be finishing up my taxes right now, but I'm watching Chopped All-Stars and playing with pictures and blogging instead.  I made a resolution as of April 1st that I will spend more time doing things that I need to get done to take care of myself and my family.  I tend to get 150% involved at work and then never take care of the things I need to do...I had a folder sitting next to my computer for three weeks reminding me to call the Bedford Springs to sort out the details of a big party we're having in April.  My mom was getting so irritated with me for not calling them that I was afraid to call her because I didn't have any new progress to report.  Heck, I still have to call the florist and I know I have to do that before I even try to call Ma or she'll kick my ass.  I told her that I'd like to spend a day hanging out with her and shopping to get her a new dress for the party in return for all the work she's done on it...she let me know that she didn't think we'd find anything expensive enough!  haaaaaaaaaaaa  I love you, ma!!


Anyway, I spent a great weekend with Curt and we took a hike on the Noland Trail which is a local park here in Newport News.  I'm mentioning this because I took my camera along.  Not only did I get some good pics, but I could randomly stop and pretend to see some need pattern in bark just so I could catch my breath and stretch a bit.  Curt thought I was being all artsy and I'm going to let him keep thinking that instead of knowing the truth that I was just plain tired.  


My bark pics actually came out pretty cool, but the shot I like best is this one....





For my bead friends out there...this is going to be part of my inspiration for the Art Bead Scene Monthly challenge that has a lovely Asian-inspired bamboo feeling.


As we wended our way out of the woods, we finally saw some trees with blossoms.  A little dogwood flower has some fun little purple tips.  So pretty!  The best part about this picture is that I had Curt trying to hold the branch still so the wind wouldn't move it so much.

He's such a good assistant.  

I'm going to grab another beer as this cooking show finishes up and the cat snores next to me.  I have another day of crazy taskers ahead of me tomorrow and one of my friends from the office has challenged me to try "yogafusion" class during lunch.  If I end up paralyzed you may not hear from me tomorrow.

Dorks & Champagne

I haven't been out and about in blog and crafty land much lately but it's for a good reason...

My husband is home!

We had a fantastic weekend in Baltimore when after he arrived at BWI.  We stayed at the Hotel Monaco which is just gorgeous in and of itself and even moreso when there's a man in a zebra robe with a bottle of champagne ready!      

We're not going to be living in the same place for at least another year or so, but at least he's only a few hours away now.  He was here this weekend and I got him to help with some more copper etching experiments.  He's sort of a dork, so he was excited with all the acid and chemical reactions and such.  He became very skilled with the steel wool and even oooohd and aaaaahd at the right times when I started playing with a torch and different heat effects.  

Add that to the fact that we take a traveling Scrabble out with us and play at bars and restaurants and you'll understand that we are both dorks.  I guess that's how we ended up together.  haaaaaaaaa  p.s. I usually beat him at Scrabble.  :)

Boys--A Great Reason for a Blog Break

Well, it's just one boy...and one boy cat.  :)

I've been off the blog for a while because my sweet husband, Curtis, has been home for a while on his R&R leave.  We've had lots of good time to catch up and lounge around together--since we've been married we've only really spent about two weeks in the same house, so it has been wonderful to have him here.  But, alas, he leaves again this week for another four months of his Afghan adventure. 

His kitty, Brando, was happy to have him home, too...can't you see the joy on his little one-eyed face!  haaaaaaaa

It hasn't all been just the two of us holed up here in the apartment...there has been some on-the-road adventures...and some beads.  We went out to Kansas City and had a wonderful visit with his family.  It was a quick trip, but we got to catch up with his Mom, Dad, brothers, sisters, and some fun nephews.  Plus, I was able to get the girls to stop into a couple of bead shops around the city--I have some serious goodness to share later on. 

The amazing discovery of the trip wasn't the bead shops, though, it was frozen margarita popsicles called Shark Attack Margaritas!!!  They're like those freezie juice things that you buy in a plastic sheath as liquid and then freeze.  They're only available in Kansas and Missouri at the moment, but watch out...they are awesome! 

I'm trying to get myself some projects set up for when my sweetie's gone and I get all sad and lonely...

- Teaching at Bead Haven on the 16th & 17th, so if you're around here in Hampton, come on down and get your beadin' learn on. 

- I'm in a jewelry swap courtesy of the greatest group moderator, Lori Anderson...I'm paired with Ms. Erin Prais-Hintz,designer extraordinaire.  We get to send each other a piece of finished jewelry from our stash--one that's okay, but just not awesome--and then tear them up and remake them into something new.

- I'm off to my cousin, Jacey's, wedding in Pennsylvania next weekend--I'll share the pretties that I contributed to her event afterwards when I have the full complement of pics.

- Oh, and there's the Fall Foliage festival back in my hometown...think orange & yellow leaves all over the place, the sound of a cider press, and the smell of funnel cakes. 

- I guess I should think working out, not funnel cakes...oh well!!  haaaaaaaaaa

The Lion in the Valley

This post is dedicated to my my fellow servicemembers who are doing the good work for America and its Allies...especially Curt and the rest of the PRT in Panjshir.  :)

With Afghanistan on my mind most days, this is my lapis and lion piece that I designed with Curt in mind.  I picked up the lion beady from Artybecca who posted a few more feline pics the other day.  Plus, the color inspiration for mixing the smokey quartz with the rich blue Afghan lapis came from Cindy Gimbrone who had a great post on Monday featuring that color combo.

Here's a recent photo from Panjshir...

(Left to right) Mohammad "Marshal" Qasim Fahim, Afghanistan first vice president; James DeHart, U.S. Department of State and Provincial Reconstruction Team Panjshir director; Khalid Siddiqi, PRT Panjshir political advisor; and U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Curtis Velasquez, PRT Panjshir commander, talk during a May 20 meeting at Fahim's home in the Khenj District.

You can read more about this meeting and tons of other things happening in Afghanistan and around the world at the DVIDS website.

I'm not the only one with my mind on the comings and goings of folks in Afghanistan. Over on Summers Studio blog, you'll hear the love and concern of a mom whose son is in the Kunar Province.

Many thanks for your prayers, good wishes, and support. 

Jen

A Treasury Tribute to My Sweetie and His Team...

My husband, Curt, is still in Afghanistan. This morning I was thinking of him as I spent some time looking for lions and lapis...things that make me think of Afghanistan and, specifically, the Panjshir Valley.

Here's a screenshot of the Treasury I came up with...

Curt's Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) is working hand in hand with other U.S. agencies and local Afghans within the Panjshir Province of Afghanistan.  Why lions? Panjshir means "five lions" and is noted as the home to Ahmed Shah Massoud, known as the "Lion of Panjshir."  Why lapis?  It's pretty!  And, he sends me some, occasionally.  :)

If you're interested in seeing more about the PRT mission in Panjshir, here's a recent video that shows the importance of the relationships between the PRT folks and the local security forces.

Panjshir Valley - He's there!

I got a phone message yesterday confirming that my sweetie's arrived at his final destination:  The Panjshir Valley, Afghanistan. 

My husband, Curt, is going to be in command of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in the Panjshir Province.  I've been studying Afghanistan for the last few months here at Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) and there is still a great deal I want to learn about the country and it's culture--or variety of cultures.  I hope to share some of my newfound knowledge so you can understand a little better, too. 

First things first...here's a map

And, just to show you that there's more going on than the Marjah offensive that you may see on the news, I'd recommend checking out this link to the U.S. Central Command (they're in charge of the area of the world that includes Iraq and Afghanistan) page and this document on Counter-insurgency or COIN.  This is a different sort of activity for the U.S. military and its Coalition partners than you might think of when it comes to a "war-fighting" organizatoin.  You may have seen Gen Stanley McChrystal on the news...he's the commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) over in Afghanistan.  This newsletter includes his directions on how COIN should work.

A PRT is part of the COIN effort because they're focused on security and stabilization in each of their assigned provinces.  Curt and the team in Panjshir--which is more than just U.S. military--is ready to take the reigns in helping the provincial government move forward.  I'll explain more as his assignment goes on.  :)

Thanks for the support!

Jen

p.s. if you're looking for some relationship to beads and such...think lapis lazuli!!! 

"Hey, this is what I do."

There are a lot of different roles a girl can have: wife, cat-mom, jewelry designer, coffee drinker, craft addict, or Air Force officer. But, if you ask me, there's room for all of them. It just takes a little bit of work to get the balance right. I'm not saying I'm actually doing it perfectly, but I've been able to do lots of things I love all while serving my country.

So, here's the story. Last summer I was out on a Friday night at happy hour at a bar in Alexandria, Virginia celebrating one of my pieces being published in Stringing. I also happened to be in uniform since I was on my way home from work on the Air Staff. Well, there was a writer from the Army Times sitting next to me and she got caught up in my celebration; we exchanged business cards and that was that. Or so I thought. She contacted me a couple of weeks later to ask if I'd be interested in sharing my story about my part-time business in her company's new publication called "The Edge."

Several months later, after I moved from Virginia to Alabama, I got a call from the interviewer and we spent about an hour chatting about my business ventures. Then, a local photographer came over to my house to do a full-up photo shoot. It was hilarious! I had so much fun!

Cut to a couple more months later...I get an email at work from an old boss who has seen my picture in the magazine, which comes free once a month with subscriptions to Air Force Times. I ran over to the library to find a copy, I ask if I can have it, then run back to my classroom where my 12 classmates are wondering what I'm all wound up about now. I hand it to one of my buds and he starts to read...

"It took a lousy love life..." I start laughing hysterically thinking that he's joking. But, no, the article, which is a feature about three different people who "moonlight" at other jobs, actually says that about me! A lousy love life! haaaaaaaaaaa I was dying laughing!! When I did the interview, I was being pretty flippant about how the dating scene in D.C. was such a wreck I didn't really want to waste any more time on it so I started being more productive doing something that was actually rewarding, making jewelry. Apparently, that stuck in his mind.

Plus, the other great quote he picked up on is, "hey, this is what I do." That's exactly how I tell my supervisors and co-workers that I have an arts and craft business. haaaaaaaaaa Can you imagine?! Yes, I'm a little outspoken, but I'm not crazy! haaaaaaaaaa

Anyway, if you want to check out the article, it's here...Military Times article. At least the picture's pretty good...

And, I'm thankful for that lousy love life that settled me down into crafting and helped me realize that the love of my life was sitting in the cubicle right next to me, patiently listening to all my crazy dating stories, and waiting for just the right moment to sweep me off my feet. :) Take note that in the magazine picture there's a photo from our wedding day. haaaaaaaaaa I get to see him tomorrow! I'm so excited!!!! Because, "Hey, this is what I do!" haaaaaaaaaa

Pic Me Up - A little Kansas City

It's a Saturday morning and I'm chilling out just thinking about my sweetie who's out practicing base defense somewhere in Indiana right about now. I decided to use some pictures from our recent Kansas City trip as a little happy memory. I was trying to fancy myself a photographer during this trip so here are some of my takes from around our hotel:

A view of the plaza from our boutique hotel, The Raphael

Some "sole searching" for inspiration.

(I laughed for 10 minutes after that comment...Curt didn't think it was quite that funny.

A little trip to the antique shopping area...but it was just a drive by because it was soooo cold and snowy!

Inside the Raphael, there were these lovely beaded chandeliers...pretties are everywhere!

It's the start of our first new year together...complete with me jamming his head into our self-portrait and making sure my necklace is visible. haaaaaaaa

The view of the plaza from our room...playing with the exposure to turn the bright lights into lovely hearts (or upside-down butts) :)