It's less than two weeks until Thanksgiving, somewhere between 39 and 41 days until Christmas (amazingly, that's what I found as I searched the Web, and I'm so amused by the variance that I just don't want to count for myself), and 47 days until New Years Eve (which is not a big celebration date for me personally, but I know some people get nutty about it).

For the record, though my goals were lofty last Friday and the week before that, I didn't get those projects started. However, I did get the living room rearranged, the cardmaking and stamping station set up in my living room (it had to come in from the unheated sunporch), the leaves raked, two visits to the gym logged, and evenings with my favorite little one and with a date squeezed into those two days, so I shouldn't be hard on myself. Maybe this weekend I'll make some gifties, but I'd hate to jinx it. First, there's brunch with friends in Appleton, maybe a visit with my bff Janet and her brood that afternoon, and then, of course, those gym visits.

I have to say, there is something about forking over the money for the gym membership that has motivated me to getting there. Plus, and I know this sounds cliche, I really do feel more energized and less jiggly already, so I'm going to keep it up. Counting from Saturday to Friday (today) as my first "real" week, I've been there four times and might go tonight as well. And each visit has been about an hour or so, so that's good, right?

Though there's been lots of gym progress, the lack of Christmas gift progress triggers a wee bit of anxiety about getting all of the homemade gifts I want to get done completed in time. And, as usual, there's laundry to do, produce that needs to be cooked up before it crosses over to inedible, and apples to be put up. (Yes, I got a notion to make applesauce the other day at the grocery store--what was I thinking? Oh yeah, I was thinking that I have my mom's super-cool apple peeler, corer, and slicer and her applesauce press.) But no worries. I'll figure it all out. Meanwhile, take a break from YOUR busy weekend and check out my blogging friends.

Melissa at Strands of Beads remembers an important trip through the (what else?) beads she collected.

Jennifer at Jennifer Jangles Blog is showing a easy brooch project.

Cyndi at Jewelry & Beading doesn't often play with clay, but she figured out how to make a really easy pendant that she really likes!

Carmi glams up some old poker chips for Carmi's Lucky Chips Necklace.

Take a tour of Art Bead Scene Editor, Lynn Davis's sticky studio! She's exploring resin.

And Naomi from BeadStyle visits Target and suggests that you can create jewelry that is as current as theirs.

With slightly more seasonal projects: 

Savvy Crafter-Candie Cooper has a project to warm up your Thanksgiving table--festive fall candle holders. (Image, right.)

And check out Katie's Venetian Glass = Yummy! blog, which talks about adding Venetian Glass into the mix to create a new fall favorite.
  

Jean at Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! is all kinds of entertained reviewing Jennifer Perkins' book, The Naughty Secretary Club.

And Jen at Naughty Secretary Club asks "Do you tune in to watch Mad Men each week? Ever pay attention to the jewelry the ladies in the office wear? You might just spot a Naughty Secretary Club Pencil Pusher Necklace."

Carter Seibels for Divali Glass Jewelry talks about the importance of getting yourself out there!