What to do for Father's Day?

It's coming up in a few short weeks....3, to be kinda precise.

This year, I really feel under the gun. Not only do I have my hubby around to pester me, my mother and stepfather are coming out to visit us that weekend too. We'll all be sharing a beach house for that Sunday, as a matter of fact.

So - TWO guys to plan something for. And while the kids will no doubt do their normal burnt eggos and milk at 6am - with handmade cards! - I'm expected to pull something off a bit more...shall we say upscale.

Which lands me here, desperately trying to think of something that will please these two guys. Here's what I've got so far; any suggestions would be welcome!

1. 1. Golf. My stepdad loves it, and would enjoy 18 or 19 holes...but hubby can barely squeak by on Wii golf. Scratch that one.





2. Ocean Fishing day trip. Pricey, but can be fun. Except if they actually catch anything, then we have to eat it that night. I'm not a fish fan, and the kids tend to turn up their noses too. Plus, if the Pacific is rough, this might be 8 hours of seasickness. Next.




3. Chinook Winds Casino time. Nice Indian casino not far from our rental house - actually sports table games, buffet, shows, etc. Both my guys like gambling of various sorts...but if one or both has a bad day, it could be a short and/or painful experience. I'm thinking no.




4. Fancy dinner out. Hmmm, what could go wrong here? Nice restaurant, 4 children, long wait for food. Don't forget the enormous check and automatic gratuity for a party of 8!





5. Ok, I'm stuck - can't even think of an option #5. Help!

Did You Know I Can Draw Too?

Yep, I can. This fact amazes even my hubby, who’s seen my Darth Vader and Mystery Machine free-hand drawings at previous kid birthday parties. (So he should know better!)

Yesterday, in the middle of a completely boring teleconference, I started drawing. Not mere doodles…not for this conference. I had a solid 15 minutes of nothing worth my time, so I decided to actually DRAW. I took pen to paper, and created the mini scene in front of me…annoying phone, stack of notes, and cup of Pepsi. For a 2” x 2” drawing, it’s actually quite good – I even mockingly named it “Tele-Blather” and affixed it to a large yellow Post It. It’s now decorating my cubical wall.

Which got me to thinking…about a little mini series of drawings, all work-related. I wonder if anyone would be interested in it. I could even mat and self-frame them, attach them to cubical “tape” so they’d stick to those annoying fabric walls. Hmmm…

Along those lines, I’m also thinking of doing my first blog giveaway. Unless someone wants to volunteer an item (and I’d promote your store/blog like crazy for it – even create free ad space)…I’ll have to generate the item. Would people prefer a small jewelry item, or perhaps one or two of the mini-scenes I’m thinking of? Perhaps I should run this as a poll.

On to my next creation...but details are fuzzy!

I have some creamy pearls, peridot pieces, and really nice amethyst chips remaining...I have a few vague thoughts about what to make, but can't really decide!

One idea is a pearl bracelet, but put amethyst chips between the pearls. Maybe even amethyst AND peridot alternating. That would keep it very modern and unstuffy...yet classic too. Finish it with sterling silver findings.

Or, to get more funky, a 2 or 3 strand necklace with randomly spaced pearls, peridot, and amethyst - maybe even a few dangles? A very nebulous idea...I'm wondering if the gray pearls in my collection would work better, since I'd be using sterling chain for the necklace. Hmm....

Either way, both will be a bit higher priced ($50 to $90) - and since I've not sold on etsy yet, I'm just a wee bit nervous about adding higher priced items!