Well, I'll leave today with a crafty post. This card is for a friend who is recovering from chemo. I this cute stamp and saying from Unity Stamp Company always makes me smile. 
I hosted bunco last night and have taken this whole week to get ready for it. Look for the trip recap to resume next week!
What a klutz!
This first pendant is cutout by hand and enamaled. Chris decided the enamal is not his technique of choice... I think it's BEAUTIFUL!!!
His next student choice project is... you guessed it... another ring! I can't wait to see what he's going to create!
Jena is telling Jammer not to worry.
After a rousing play date, it's time for a rest.
After six days... LOOK! They're sleeping!!! HALLELUJAH!!!
Here's Chris giving Jena a little break from Buddy. BJ and Jena chase each other and play a lot, but Buddy is the alpha dog. He likes to "assert his dominance" over the other two. I'm sure glad that they are all fixed!
Doesn't Jena look happy? I think that she really enjoys having company over! 
And I thought Jena was BIG! Look at the SIZE of those guys!
That is definitely a LOT of DOG! They get along great with Jena... Jena especially loves the younger one, BJ. They've been chasing each other all over the house and yard. 
BJ and Buddy play rough. Jena hangs back when they really get into it. I'm sure glad that Chris's birthday was last weekend and not this weekend! lol!
Buddy and BJ will be here for a week. Stay tuned!... more Buddy, BJ and Jena photos to come!
Chris is really rocking the jewelry! Look at this gorgeous ring that he made for Cheryl! The stone is turquoise. The setting is brass and nickel, with fine silver accents. I love the wire band, it's so delicate looking. He got extra credit points on this ring. It came out GREAT, and Cheryl LOVES it! Here's another new project... chain maille! He spent days weaving this chain maille bracelet!
Here's a close up...
He found the perfect clasp for the back! He started another bracelet in European chain maille, and he has an etched cuff in the works. He is having a great time making jewelry!
Jim was born in the year of the Rabbit. He thinks he's a Dragon because he was born in 1952, but he was born in January before the Chinese New Year changed. So, sorry honey, you're a Rabbit: Timid and attractive, the Rabbits of the Chinese Zodiac tend to act more like bunnies, whether they like it or not! Sorry, Rabbits aren't macho... 
Cheryl on the other hand is a Snake! Snakes are diplomatic and popular, the Snake has the sensual art of seduction down. This Sign is an interesting mix of gregariousness paired with introversion, intuitive reasoning paired with savvy business skills. Does that sounds like Cheryl? Sensual art of seduction?!!!
Here's Chris. The Rooster is the strutting peacock of the Chinese Zodiac! These quick thinkers are practical and resourceful, preferring to stick to what is tried and true rather than taking messy, unnecessary risks. That sounds like Chris... he's rock solid!
And there's me... the stupid Pig... The Pig of Chinese Astrology may be the most generous and honorable Sign of the Zodiac. Pigs are nice to a fault and possess impeccable manners and taste. They have so much of the perfectionist in them that others may be inclined to perceive them as snobs. Hey, it doesn't sound too bad being a pig, when it's put that way, lol!
Next here is Jena's Christmas stocking. Yep, Jena has a Christmas stocking... She got presents from Santa too. I made the stocking completely out of scraps of felt, added some trim, AC Thickers, and woolies from Basic Grey "Max and Whiskers."
Next, here is the annual Christmas ornament. I make one of these every year with photos of the kids. This is a simple design... I cut six circles using my largest Spellbinder's circle; folded the edges of the circle up and glued them together. Then I cut some photos out using a Spellbinder's square die so it will just fit on each side. A Shrinky Dink star (with date) and a jingle bell top it all off:
My next share is a crochet hat. Yep, I decided to crochet a hat... RED and FESTIVE!
My last share today is Candy Cane Biscotti. I got the recipe from Mara's blog. They are just as yummy as she promised they'd be! Mine aren't are pretty as hers... I think I need more practice, hehehe.
Christmas Bunco! Our neighborhood Bunco group meets every month for a girls night out. December has always traditionally been Kate's month. She puts on a wonderful Christmas party and gift exchange in place of our monthly bunco.
I didn't use sticks.... As a result, the chocolate puddled around the bottom, and our snowmen look like they are melting. I couldn't find the matching cookies or the candy coated sunflower seeds for the noses, so we substituted moon and star sprinkles. The cookie hats were replaced with Butterfinger bells.
Here are my snowmen helpers hard at work! Chris was putting on the hats and the arms. Cheryl was putting on the nose and the buttons. AND this all needed to be done before the chocolate hardened. They were purposely getting in each others way. We laughed and laughed! Then we ran out of white chocolate and had to use milk chocolate, so we have racially diverse snowmen. Cheryl tried giving the milk chocolate snowmen dreadlocks! lol!
On to Bunco night where there was lots of food, fun, and laughter. Kate's tree (posted above) was beautiful, and her entire house was decked out for Christmas! Look at the great appetizers shared by Stephanie, Tina, and Anne.
Kathy, Julie, Connie, Anne and Kate are digging in for dinner! Dinner was pot luck and everything was WONDERFUL! I was so stuffed!
Here's our Bunco Babes. First there's our Bunco queens, Stacy and our hostess Kate!
Lorraine, Tammy and Kathy, all with beautiful smiles!
Anne and Iris, looking very festive!
Another picture of Stephanie and Tina... Looking gorgeous, ladies!
It's me getting into the picture with Nora.
Here's a few photos after the gift exchange... First of all, here's Kate getting FIT!
And Tina, looking FABULOUS in her new wrap!
And here are Julie, Connie and Lorraine admiring Tina in her new wrap... or is that smile on Julie's face from the chair?
I don't know what time I stumbled back home from next door, but Chris said it was at least 11:30pm. A wild late night for me, hahaha!
Chris didn't like how this came out, and he said that he lost points on it because the design was so simple. I said that I LOVE it, so he gave it to me! Won't this go great with my Christmas outfit?
It's kind of hard to get a picture of since it's curved, but the front is the word "surf." There are two scroll design elements on each side of the word. Then layered on top of one side is a plumeria flower.
And layered on the other side is a sea turtle. 
Cheryl said that she wants one, and placed her order, lol! Too bad, Cheryl, this is a one of a kind "original"!!!
We admit it! We have World Cup Fever! Two games yesterday and three games today, ending with the England vs USA game! YAHOO!!! I feel sorry for the English goal keeper. He's going to hear about that fumble for a long long time. USA ties England! Cheryl's little girls have a tournament this weekend. The tournament setup a World Cup watching room for the coaches so they could all see the England vs USA game. Cheryl said there was a Galaxy player sitting behind her. This guy was coaching his son's team at the tournament. 
