I got it! I got a 120 gallon aquarium with a stand, lights, glass top and canister filter---and thanks to Craigslist, I got all that for a steal! It fits perfectly in the office, right next to the television center. At 4' long, it's not too space-grabby and is an equal depth to the tv stand (though I need to bring it out from the wall a little before we add water!).

I haven't decided one hundred percent, but I think this is going to hold angelfish. *sigh* I love angelfish! They are so beautiful, especially in a really natural tank with live plants. But, they tend to do better in an aquarium with a lot of vertical space and this tank is only about 2' tall. So, I haven't decided one hundred percent. But, I think... (you see where this is going, right?)

During my browsing of Craigslist, I found a 45 gallon acryllic with a stand for only $50---and Nicky jumped on that like white on rice! In the end, that one is getting set up in the dining room (oh, darn...). He used the gravel which came with my aquarium and added a color mix from his first aquarium and some decorations from his first aquarium. He's got a filter and a heater from our stash of aquarium supplies and is currently borrowing one of the two lights which came with my set-up (I'm not sure if I'll need both or not yet). His tank is already full of water and I think the heater is running as well.

My tank is moving a little more slowly---I'm excited, but the body can only do so much while recovering from this blasted cold. Yes, believe it or not, the scorpion sting is already a thing of the past. The cold, not so much. I went to Urgent Care on Friday and the doctor there did an in-office breathing treatment, put me on some kind of a steroid and prescribed an inhaler for a touch of asthma. I'm just taking it slow with any physical activities---it's probably a good thing it's Sunday evening and I can't go store hopping for cool aquarium things.

Additionally, the beginning of the work-week gives me a chance to let the tank stand with water and begin developing all that yummy beneficial bateria it needs for a balanced ecosystem. Assuming I get water in the tank tonight. If water does go in tonight, I've got 2 large pieces of driftwood and three pieces of glass that I can't wait to put in. I've had these from our last aquarium and packed them across the country and back... and now they'll finally be back in water!

This is exactly what I've been hoping against all hope for, for my birthday. I am so thrilled to have been able to get such a large tank right off like this---gotta love Craigslist, especially in larger areas!

If things go well, I'm hoping to speak to the lady I bought my aquarium from in a couple of weeks and buy a smaller complete freshwater set-up from her, with two stunning discus in it, for Randy. He adores Discus. And if you've ever seen them in person swimming in a tank, you'd quickly see why. Such beauty, combined with such shyness... it brings out his protective nature and the aquarist in him, wanting to do right by them.

Meanwhile, I'm still updating my various destash pages from recent sales (thank you all!). There's still a lot left to select from, especially in the beads category, so drop me a line and let me know what you want from me! *smile* Since the pages are image-heavy, I have been updating and removing photos no longer needed in these long posts.

These are the posts to check out: the Bead Destash, the Czech Glass Bead Destash, the Jewelry Book Destash, and the Cross-Stitch Destash. ETA: Doh! I forgot the Yarn Destash, which started it all! I am most willing to combine shipping across the destashes, so please get a group of friends together if you want to buy my stuff! *grin*

I should begin taking pictures of the house here this week, if not tonight! Once I get photos I actually like, I'll upload to my flickr account and begin posting about what each room is and how it relates to the other rooms.

One last (not-really-tragic, but still sad) note: I can no longer find Kroko plushes! Kroko was once a patient at The Asylum: Psychiatric Clinic for Abused Cuddly Toys. Nor can I find Dolly plushes. This makes me sad. Especially since they were the first two patients I cured! And I had fully intended to adopt one (both) of them... *sigh*

Yes! I'm alive! I've just been in a ho-hum kinda mood and not really been motivated enough to blog about it. But things have happened, so there's much to talk about.

First, the current worry on our plate: Elijah Benjamin (second from left in the banner at the top of the page), fell from the dining room table yesterday at about 15:30 hours. He's been unable to walk on his left hind leg since then. We had a "fear evacuation" (bowels and bladder empty NOW!, sorry for the TMI) that scared us 'cause it looked like there was blood in it. He's been cooped up in a smaller single-level cage, laying in a cuddle cup with fleece blankets. He can't quite get into the litter box 'cause that back leg is not working.

The pet sling I bought on Etsy has really come in handy---either Randy or I have been cradling Elijah almost non-stop, with several hours spent in the cuddle cup yesterday afternoon and three hours last night. (Yes, I'm running on 3 hours sleep right now!)

We can't get to the "exotic" vet until 15:00 hours today---almost 24 hours after the initial trauma. There's a bruise on the knee of his left hind leg. I can't feel any breaks (but there's a reason I didn't major in medicine: squeamish!).

While worrying about Elijah, I have other things on my mind: moving! I want to go home. This year. Before the March blooming of the citrus trees!

We're job hunting, which is no fun considering the economic condition of America in general. But what I think is pretty gosh-darn cool is that Randy has such a good relationship with his current boss that he(Randy) can talk to him(boss) about the job hunt. When we were courted by LucasFilm, Randy talked to him(boss) about it. Why didn't we take that job? Two reasons: ferrets are illegal in California and they offered a decent salary....if you didn't live in the Bay area (where the freaking job was!).

I'm ashamed (now) to admit that we actually considered trying to live in California with ferrets. I mean, isn't keeping ferrets the worst-kept secret in the state? Well, after reading this (warning: annoying pink background!), I can't ever consider living in California, as long as ferrets are illegal.

So, we're job-hunting for a computer/geek/nerd...ahem, "Software Engineer" position that isn't sucking Bill Gates....er...well, yeah. That. My geek is a Unix geek. A Linux geek. A real geek. *wink*

In the meantime, I'm trying to kick up the "let's pack what we're not using" campaign, all the while asking, "If we're not using it, do we need to keep it?" The last move (January 2005, when gas prices weren't already at $3 a gallon (though they had come close a couple of times)) cost us almost seven thousand dollars. Figure that again (plus some), add the cost of gas for us to drive west, the deposits on the new place, any fees on the old place.....you can see how throwing out stuff we just don't use could start making a difference!

For that reason, allow me to highlight a couple relevant posts from 2007. There was the Bead Destash, the Czech glass destash, the Jewelry Book destash, the Cross-Stitch destash....and I still have way too much stuff (despite my Mom buying $100 worth of yarn off me! Thanks, Mom!). Save me from having to pack this stuff! Help me pay for ferret medical bills! Buy my stuff, please! if you know someone who would be interested, point them my way, post on your blog about this de-stash... It's now a double-duty destash: less to move and money to fix Elijah up, whatever the problem is!

In other news....Oh....I'm such a dork. (No, that's not the news, just the preface to the news!) I found out that I could put way-cool progress bars up on my blog, from Ravelry. Casey, the resident code-monkey who makes Ravelry all that it is, put forth the script we needed to use. Those who are testing it paste the code into their blog and....like magic, progress bars.

Uh, where's mine? I see the block I put the code in. No progress bars. I looked at other sites. See, their bars work... what's wrong with mine? I mean, I want you to be able to see the progress on the WIPs I have over on Ravelry. Projects like.....oh. Maybe that's why I don't have any bars: I don't have any WIPs listed on Ravelry! Doh!

Here I thought it'd be so cool---I wouldn't have to do anything to my block code to update my progress bars....just update my project on Ravelry and again with the magic. Except that I'm apparently as lazy getting my projects into Ravelry as I was getting them on my own "On the Needles..." block. *sigh*

I've got to be ready to go at 14:00 hours so we can take Elijah to the veteranarian. Zzzzzzzzzzz. Maybe I should go cat-nap before then?

I've been meaning to do this for some time....and I am finally getting around to listing all the data here for some books I want to sell off. These are jewelry-making books.

All for of these books will fit in one flat-rate box for USPS. If you buy all four books and the three magazines, I'll pay shipping.

If you're new(er) to reading my blog, check other posts under the Destash tag and you can pick up some beads to use with these books.

Terms: I prefer PayPal (it's so fast!) but will accept Money Orders as well. Items will be shipped when money is received (or MO cleared). Shipping costs will be as accurate as I can get them and errors will be my problem. I'll probably use USPS Priority flat-rate boxesas much as I can stuff in one box for $8.95, so buy as much as you want. Please! *smile* Please query for international shipping. Contact me by email tinker at galacticlore dot com or leave a comment.

	Title: 100 Beaded Jewelry Designs: Easy-to-Bead Necklaces, Bracelets, Brooches, and More (Paperback) Amazon price: 14.93 Will sell for: 11.50 + Shipping
	Title: Complete Beading: Jewelry & Accessories (Spiral-bound) Amazon price: 18.96 Will sell for: 14.50 + Shipping
	Title: Stringing Style: 50+ Fresh Bead Designs for Jewelry (Paperback) Amazon price: 11.53 Will sell for: 9.50
	Title: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Beading, Illustrated (The Complete Idiot's Guide) (Paperback) Amazon price: 12.89 Will sell for: 9.50 + Shipping

I also have three magazines: BeadStyle Jan 2006, Beadwork Dec2005/Jan2006, Beading Basics: Color (this is a special issue from Bead&Button and BeadStyle magazines). They sold for $5.95, $5.99, and $6.95. I'll sell all three for $8 + shipping or each for 1/2 off + shipping.

I just found a....eh, pamphlet? No, it's more like a pattern booklet (19 pgs with cardstock cover), called "Great Beading Projects from Beginner to Advanced!" It's by Dawn Marvin and Deb Bergs and has "Simply Beading" across the top. I count 21 projects detailed inside. The outside covers show these projects in color. The inside covers show them in black-and-white and point to the page for the instructions. I'll toss this in free to the person who takes it all!

Whew. It's 11:30pm on Sunday night and I've been staring at beads for a few hours now. Some are easy to put price tags on---I can look them up online and do a basic markdown from there. But others....I have a talent for picking out rather unique beads which can't be found online! So, I'm stopping my endless hunt for numbers and guesstimates and I'm going to knit.

Oh, wait! My Ravelry invite came in!!!! Well....now what should I do? I'm really having a blast working up this sock pattern---I've completely ditched the pattern I wrote up and am working as I knit. I sure hope I can read my knitting later and work up the pattern from it.

I'm gonna need a right-handed knitter to tell me if I'll need to reverse my stitch directions or not....I still can't figure that out! Anyone wanna volunteer? I think I'll try to get some yarn that's easy to see and do some pictures of what my ssk, k2tog, skp (is that slip, knit, pass slip stitch over?), and such look like.

As an aside, Randy made his first try at Ethiopian food tonight.... yum. Is it too late for seconds?

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I put my
Ultimate Sweater Machine Deluxe up on Ebay. It has just under 5 days left before some lucky person gets it. I have to say I'm sweating bullets here 'cause I listed it at 99 cents---knowing that people would bid it up---and no reserve ('cause I hate people that do low opening bids and then put a reserve on it!). Right now, it's sitting at $2.91 and I'm trying so hard to believe it'll go for more!

I'm finally getting some pictures of my jewelry supplies. Please remember I am really bad with a camera (!). If you need a better image, I can re-take it or try to meet with you online with my webcam (if that even works!).

I'm getting pictures up but I'm not putting prices on these. If you see something you want, make me an offer (and be clear if that offer includes the cost of postage). I'll get back with an answer as soon as I can.

What I'm about to post is various beads and findings. All findings are sterling silver, to the best of my knowledge. I've got Swarovski crystals, some semi-precious stones (malachite, lapiz lazuli, amethyst, jasper, tiger's eye, red tiger's eye....), hematite, some pearls. I can't remember all of it. I'll caption each photo with a "tag" so you can refer to them in an email.

I've got well over $1500 worth of beads and findings. Name your price and don't wait. I know a couple people have asked for "first dibs" on what I'm selling. First come, first served.

This post will be heavily edited throughout the next few days (depending on my free time this weekend). Check back for updates.

Terms: Paypal only please. I found out that my local bank has no Saturday hours. Ugh. PayPal let's you use any method of payment you've got (bank, credit cards) and I don't ever see any of your financial account numbers. Good for you; good for me. Postage will be calculated to the best of my ability; errors on my part are my problem. I will probably ship via USPS, insurance is highly recommended. Pictures to come very soon (if I don't fall asleep at my desk).

1. Charlottes and other small beads, on temporary strands. Will not separate hanks.

2. Hanks, greens, purples, cubes. The cubes is available in 2 hanks. The far right has a full hank and a partial hank.

3. Swarovski crystals, bicones

• Not currently shown ?mm (need to measure), amethyst, (need to count)
• 3mm? (I'm getting 3.36mm?)
  • teal-green (10)
  • emerald-green (9)
  • beige-yellow (55)
• ?mm (these suckers are tiny!): baby-blue, kind of a "squashed" bi-cone (28)

4.5 Glass triangles I'm inserting this picture here, to go next to the cubes. I'm pulling them out now to size them. These triangles are about 5mm long and about 5mm on a triangular side (again, not all are "perfect", so some variation should be expected). These come in a frosted and a polished variety. The same 9 colors are available in the triangles. I'm estimating about 45-50g of each color---but that's a real guesstimate! I'd really like to get $30 for all of these, but I could possibly be talked down.

5. Marcasite findings and focal piece.

2 Double-open clasps Opens from both sides. I haven't seen anything like this elsewhere! Asking $15 each (and I'm pretty sure that's a steal!).

2 box-style clasps. Two security loops keep the clasp closed. A simple press of one side and slide it out of the other side. Asking $12 each.

1 purse: Opens; back of purse is not done in marcasite, but has a design of flowers which I'm having trouble capturing with the camera. $20 firm

Silver twist bugle-beads: 8mm long, approx. 20g total. Asking $10.

SOLD! 2.5mm (?) Silver ball beads: This is approximately 30g of beads. I'm asking $12 firm.

7. Silver findings. From left: a new-style ear wire (you use the short post to thread it into your ear and it dangles in the back; small loop for adding bead or charm); crimping tubes; the only non-sterling silver piece I still have: generic clasps for necklaces or bracelets; French wires for earrings; a single toggle clasp SOLD!; really unusual ball-and-cage clasps; various styles of lobster clasps; barrel and magnetic clasps SOLD!.

SOLD! French ear wires

That's all I'm putting up tonight---it's 3am and I can barely see the text as I type it. Good night, all.

Okay, it's time to add more items to the destash pile. For those cross-stitchers out there who've been waiting for me to get to this point, make your lists. I'm not pricing anything, just listing what the items originally sold for. Many of these designs aren't on store shelves any more and would require special order---if available at all! Make me an offer. I'll take 1/2 price, how's that sound? Let's negotiate! And remember: a USPS Priority Flat Rate Box is only $8.95...and could hold everything I've listed below!

Terms: I prefer PayPal (it's so fast!) but will accept Money Orders as well. Items will be shipped when money is received (or MO cleared). Shipping costs will be as accurate as I can get them and errors will be my problem. I'll probably use USPS Priority flat-rate boxesas much as I can stuff in one box for $8.95, so buy as much as you want. Please! *smile* Please query for international shipping. Contact me by email tinker at galacticlore dot com or leave a comment.

SOLD! Top left is "Garden Fresh".

Top right is "One Nighters: 69 Tropical Fish". These are great little patterns for newbies to work up to larger patterns. These are also great for using with waste canvas, to decorate collars, purses, backpacks or for making luggage tags. This is a cardstock-weight pamphlet. It's #445 and sold for $3.50

SOLD! Bottom left is Leisure Arts Leaflet 2766 "Scripture Bread Cloths", by Deborah Lambein.

Bottom right is Leisure Arts Leaflet 407 "20 Backstitch Alphabets Mini Series #2" by Anne Van Wagner Young. There are 9 more on the back cover (I can get a better picture up later on...) Of note are an upper and lower case italic-looking script, an upper case with hearts, an upper and lower case with color blocks that makes it very kid-friendly and "fun". This originally sold for $3.50.

Top left is Leisure Arts Leaflet 210 "Perpetual Calendar charted for Cross Stitch", designed by Patti L. Sykes. 10 pages, with common holidays (including Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah), Easter Sunday, Passoever, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Indpendence Day and others. A Basic number set and two alphabet sets (one large, one small) are included. My son got to this when he was younger, so there are some scribble marks on the inside cover. I also have an almost-completed set made up (pictures on request). This originally sold for $2.50.

Top right is ColorCharts Volume #20501 "John Pomeroy's Dinomites". Four color patterns for "T.r.", "Bronto", "Little Tops" and "Steggie". Steggie is wearing a diaper; Little Tops is wearing a t-shirt; the other two are wearing overalls. Originally sold for $5.50. In excellent condition.

Bottom left is Leisure Arts Leaflet 842 "Man and Wife". I stitched this entire design for my sister's wedding in 1994 so it has come apart at the fold. This isn't a problem for working the pattern as Leisure Arts stops the patter above and below the fold, with one line duplicated (below the fold) and marked clearly. This could easily be put in a sheet protector and worked. I've marked on the pattern to create the word "Husband" as my sister wanted it to say "Husband and wife".
The pattern is in color. Originally sold for $2.50.

Bottom right is Leisure Arts Leaflet 918 "Teddy Bear Reunion" by Heartprint, Inc. This full-color pattern is in excellent condition, despite my having used it (I never did complete this design!). It appears this copy was cut funny as the top border and outside edges don't appear square. Originally sold for $2.50.

Top left is Cross My Heart, Inc's "The Lighthouses". Inside are black-and-white (except for one pencil-colored by me) patterns for: Coquille River, Marblehead, Bass Harbor, Newcastle, and Portland Head. I may need to photograph this one again as three of the designs are shown on the back cover. Front cover shows Marblehead, Newcastle and Portland Head. Originally sold for $6.00.

Top right is Leisure Arts Leaflet 2012 "Seaside Patterns" Book 7 by D Morgan. Inside are ten shell patterns as well as two "scenes". One says "When I see the miracle Of a shell, I know God and nature... ...Must Surely Touch Hands." The second one says "Each new wave Rearranges the patterns in the sand... ...So we may pretend Our footsteps Are The First." Pattern is in excellent shape. Color pattern. Originally sold for $4.00.

SOLD! Bottom left is Leisure Arts Leaflet 2769 "Mother's Gingham Altar" by Camille Harrison.

Bottom right is Leisure Arts Leaflet 2106 "Chandler's Cottage" by Thomas Kincade. The piece is 179w x 144h. This is a very interesting piece: every single square is worked! The sky is single strand half-stitch, giving a very light appearance and contrast to the flowers and cottage. This is not a pattern for the faint of heart. Except for the sky, you will be changing colors every several squares! Some wear on the center fold and some trimming on the outside edges (probably to fit a sheet protector). Color pattern. Originally sold for $2.50.

This pattern was given to me as is. It's been folded, probably came from a kit as there's no "model" picture of the completed work. It has been colored in areas with what appears to be colored markers. The design is called "Nantucket Rose" by Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum. It appears to have been published (?) by Lavender & Lace of Cortland, Ohio. The pattern uses almost 4 full 8.5x11 "pages". The dimensions are 167 wide by 228 tall. The majority of the design is actually only 150, but the woman's dress goes outside that frame in the left. The dress appears to extend past the frame to the bottom as well, but almost all the way across. There is significant wear at the folds in some places. L&L20

This is kit #41544 by Bucilla, called "Heavy Going Grizzly". It came with two copies of the pattern, one of which I began coloring with colored pencils (since I preferred to work with colored diagrams). Included is 14-count aida (white), cotton embroidery floss, and instructions. The kit originally included a needle, which I don't see. There's no price tag to show what I paid. Current prices for this kit are between $20 and $22.

These are two books of Precious Moments designs by Gloria & Pat. One is Boom PM-1 (bottom) and the other is "Sew In Love" Book PM-2 (top).

Some wear and markings in the books. The centerfold is free of the staples in Book 2. Each originally priced at $4.00.

ETA: Here's the last group of patterns:

Top row left is 3 December (hey, Nick's birthday!) 1985 (but I was still in high-school then...) Family Circle. I have no idea why I have this magazine. The "Free inside" collector's ornament is gone. The ads are a little scary, being from the mid-80s. If there's something specific you want to know about this issue, I'll be glad to look it up.

Next is the 3 April 1984 *shudder* issue of Woman's Day. There's "Great-to-Make Ideas" on "Darling Dolls to Sew from Socks", "Frankly Feminine Sweaters to Knit and Crochet", "Country Embroidery, Perfect Planters, Gifts Galore". An article (likely outdated) on "the ectopic pregnancy epidemic".

Next is the July 1981 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. "100 Ideas under $100"---probably won't be that cheap today, what with the dollar being equal to .99 CAD now! Wait until the publishers of books and magazines catch up on *that* one! There's lots of neat projects in this one. Am willing to look through it for interested buyers. (Otherwise, it's just too scary! *grin*)

Next is a cross-stich leaflet by One Nighters called "46 Bird Houses". Another bunch of minis that are great for waste-canvas or learning. This would be a great way to teach a young or impatient person to do counted cross-stitch. Also, for a bird lover, these would make wonderful tree ornaments. Excellent condition. Originally sold for $3.50.

SOLD! Going down the left column now, I have the premiere issue of "For the Love of Cross Stitch" by Leisure Arts.

SOLD! Continuing down the left column are three issues of CrossQuick: Feb/Mar 1989, "Premiere Issue", and Dec/Jan 1989.

SOLD! Finally in this column is Leisure Arts "Leaflet" 1762 "Plastic Canvas Stitch Dictionary".

Next column (under the Woman's Day) has 5 issues of "Needlecraft for Today": Mar/April 1988, May/June 1988, July/Aug 1988, Sept/Oct 1988, Nov/Dec 1988. Inside there's cross-stitch, knitting, crochet, embroidery. The Jul/Aug issue highlight Quilting Classics. Sept/Oct has a "Christmas Classics" section. Nov/Dec higlights Cross-stitch. Excellent condition. Each originally sold for $2.95.

SOLD! At the bottom of this column is a single issue of "Leisure Arts The Magazine" from June 1988.

SOLD! The column under the Better Homes and Gardens issue has 3 issues of Cross-Stitch and Country Crafts: Mar/Apr 1987, Jul/Aug 1988, Sept/Oct 1988.

SOLD! Finally in this column is a booklet called "Sweet Memories cross-stitch".

We're down to the last two items!

SOLD! First is American School of Needlework's #3588 "Cat Purr-sonalities in Cross-stitch" by Linda Gillum.

And finally.... NeedlecraftShop's #844931 "Plastic Canvas Fun Time Coasters". 8 sets of coaster patterns for plastic canvas, each with a thematic storage for the coasters: paint bucket holds paint brushes, oriental box holds kimonos, stamps held in an envelope, kites kept in a tree, t-shirts (including camoflauge and tye-died!) stand in a "pair of jeans" (torso portion only), feet (with painted toes!) store in a sandal, sheet music stores on a music stand and cow-patterned coasters store in a carton of milk. Excellent condition. Originally sold for $5.99.

Whew! That's it. I'll be hunting down aida cloth and floss to de-stash next---but it's going in a new post. I've decided (after seeing today's costs for these things) to keep the cloth and floss. At today's prices, I've got over $200 worth of floss!