Yes, I am a Stoner, a Rhinestoner

I help design, rhinestone and decorate the girls ballroom dresses/costumes and jewelry. It is fun to take an idea of a design, type of fabric, color possibilities, and stones to create a costume.

Most of your ballroom dancers use Swarovski Austrian Crystal rhinestones, they are the best for color and sparkle. Yes, each stone goes on one at a time. But the end result is amazing. I love doing it.

The tools of my work

.

20ss Crystal AB stones

I paint the jewelry first the color we want them, then stone them

(I use model paint from a hobby store to get the great colors)

The BYU Tour Teams Latin Medley Shoes

.
Alissa's white dress with pink jewelry and
original design for her necklace
.

.

Katie's Standard Gown, with flower motif

.

Mary Poppins Dresses for the Standard Medley for Provo High

.

.

Donny & Kristen

The dress, brooch & buttons

This is a piece of very old vintage lace I dyed
and stoned completely with three different stone
colors in three different sizes
(this is her neck piece and it has matching arm bands)

Alissa's standard gown

Sometimes we choose bracelets and sometimes we do bands
- each have their own look

Alissa's signature "Fire Dress" for Latin
Those are strands of glass beads, strung by hand

(what was I thinking, I have to replace about 250 - 300 strands each time she dances in it)

(This is just a sample of some of the things I have done)

Mad Women - Christi

Here's the deal. Although this picture was taken years ago, this was me last night. They have been changing my medications and I am going through an internal detox. I wanted some candy, sugar or chocolate, I "needed" it so bad. I searched high and low, in drawers and closets, in every nook and cranny. I even looked in the bottom of my purse, you know the lone piece with stuff stuck all over it - Yes I was going to wash it off and eat it. But I found NOTHING. Maybe it was for the better, but it wasn't pretty.

Lisa's Funny Family Inspired Cartoon

From Lisa's Blog (Lisa is my sister);

Our funny family inspired a funny cartoon, so check it out at BeckstromBuzz. He also has some other "comical" websites, inspired by LDS culture. (Because of this, I'm now re-thinking the idea of going private--I mean, I'm the last person who would want to inhibit our chances at fame.)

From BeckstromBuzz Blog;

I was skimming through the blogosphere the other day, and I came across "Ode to the Owens", and there was one entry that caught my eye: one of her sons said that his ambition as a grownup was to wear a suit. That got me thinking, and I took it to another level. So, props to lisaowens and her progeny for the inspiration!

Provo High Homecoming - Katie - 08

Katie went to the Homecoming Dance on Sat Sep 27th with Kyler Hamilton. They had a great group and they all had a great time!!


Pinning on the Boutonniere
(I have had to pin the boutonniere on all the girls dates
after they have "taken" the picture")

Some of the Group. (Looking Great)

The Girls

Kyler and Katie

Dinner at P F Chang's (yummy)

Flash Back Friday - Jason

Jason & Christi

My brother Jason and I are 18 months and 1 day apart. Growing up I always thought I was the boss (who me) and Jason always hated that. We would fight sometimes; I mean punch and hit fight. (We have stories) But we knew we loved each other. So as tomorrow is Jason’s Birthday I wanted to say “I Love You” and that I don’t think we’re just getting older, but that we are getting better.

I've Been Tagged - The Photo Tag

The Photo tag: You have to take all these facts about yourself and type them into google image search and then pick your favorite pic from the first page of results only.

.

Name:

.

Favorite Food:

.

First Job:

Nickname:


Where was I born:


Favorite Color:


College: (of Life)

.
Bad Habit:


Favorite Place:


Favorite Animal:


Past Love: (I can still do it)


What am I doing right now:


Where I live:


Favorite Object:


Grandmother's name:


How old am I:

1965 - Ford Mustang
.

I tag Lois, Athena, Tammy, Magen & Beth - Have Fun!!

A Walking, Breathing Miracle - My Nephew Chase

Devin, Donny and Derek - Sep 29th, 2007- Provo, UT

Last year on Sep 29th, 2007, Derek and Devin were baptized and confirmed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The morning was wonderful surrounded by family and friends. When it came time for the confirmation many took part including my 18 year old nephew Chase. What a great experience and great example for my boys. What a sight, all those men who loved and cared about the boys so much, dressed in white shirts exercising the power of the priesthood.

We then enjoyed a get together with everyone with great food and laughs.

Donny’s Mom and Dad spent the night with us so they could attend church with us the next morning. About 1:00 am Donny’s Dad came up the stairs opened the door and said Chase has been in an accident. Chase and his roommate had headed back down to Dixie so they could attend church the next morning. They had rolled the car just south of Nephi. We rushed to the hospital and waited for his arrival. He was alive but in very bad shape. We were able to see him for just a few minutes before he was taken into surgery, he had a crushed skull, but worse then that he had broken his neck. A C3 break. It was a long night, his recovery was not easy but went faster then expected. With many prayers and blessings Chase did recovered.

In the ICU

Devin, Chase and Derek

Chase at home with his Mother Cherie, October 11, 1987
Chase's 19th birthday - just a little over 2 1/2 weeks after
the accident.

Christi, Donny, David, Cherie, Chase, Val, Justin

Sep 16th, 2008 - Mt. Timpanogos Temple

.

We had the opportunity to go to the temple with our nephew Chase on Tues, Sep 16th, 2008 the night before he reported to the MTC. He will be serving in the Riverside Mission, which bumps into Ashley's old mission area of Anaheim. Miracles still do happen everyday; we can see the Lord's hand in our life. I am so grateful for the power of the priesthood and the power of healing. Chase you're going to do great things! Now go and Serve.

The Boys Turned "9" - Sep 20th

Happy Birthday Devin & Derek
Devin, Linday and Derek

Some of the Sisters
Sierra, Kristen, Shelby, Katie

Devin and Derek are "9"

(We went all out on a cake. LOL)

.

As life rushes by, the biggest difference we see is in our kids, that is if we are looking at all. It seems that one day you turn around and they are grown. How did that happen? I told the boys the morning of their birthday that "9 years ago today, they cut me open and ripped you out of my body", they both made a really funny face. But it was true.
.
The boys had their 9th birthday on Sat the 20th. It's really hard to believe they are 9. They got a set of Walkie Talkies, great scooters, things for scouts and few other little goodies. I love my boys so much!
.
(I know I have posted these pictures before, but here they are again)

This picture was taken on Sunday Sep. 19th

I went to church that day and had the boys at 1:00 am that night

.
This picture was taken in the NICU; the boys are 5 days old
and this was the first time they had seen each other since birth.
It's hard to see in this picture but Devin is holding on to Derek’s arm. They missed each other! Devin stayed 5 more days and came home weighing only 3lbs 11 oz, he was so little.

Looking Back a Little - Back To School

Shelby is in 7th grade

Devin and Derek started at a new school,

They are in third grade

The boys ride their bikes to school now,

we will see how well the works in Winter.

When I grew up we started school the Tuesday after Labor Day. So to me September means the start of school. Here in Utah and in many others places back east, school starts in Aug, to me Aug is still summer. So getting back into the swing of things is a little difficult. School began on Aug 18th, that's crazy to me!

I have a wide range of kids at different schools, I have one at BYU, one at UVU, two at Provo High, one at Dixon, and two at Lakeview, and still one at home.

Derek and Devin attend the newly built school, it's beautiful and large. Lots of play area and they get to ride their bikes. They are loving it right now, we will see how fun that is in the winter.