Round Robin bracelet project...

Daisy Fields picture 

 

 

 

 

One quick project I had to finish tonight before leaving for Tucson, my round robin bracelet project.  I am working with a couple friends on a journaling/jewelry journey project with each of us making part of a bracelet and a journal and a photo of inspiration.  This is my inspiration photo and though my bracelet doesn't have daisies in it, it is filled with Lucite flowers and crystals.  Can't wait to see what Pam and Carla add to it!  Well, packing calls, and time is short!  Bye!

Away We Go...

Airplane clipart

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BLIZZARD CONDITIONS

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Leaving early for our Tucson Trip!  

We are heading to Omaha tomorrow in order to get ahead of the storm to be able to reach the airport on Wednesday morning.  I hope that all of you have a great week, and I will see you here next week!  In the meantime, Chris and Mina will be filling in for me here!  Stop by to see what they have to say!  See you soon with lots of trip pictures and pictures of my new acquisitions!

Honored and Amazed

I happened to check my blog visitor counter today!  Oh My Goodness!  This week, 282 people have visited here!  Altogether, 11726 visits have been logged in the past year and a half - ish that I have used this counter (wish it would add them altogether, but it shows them as page loads/page visits, then I add them together).  Another interesting point, the counter shows me that the people are coming directly to my blog to read it instead of coming from a linked blog.  My favorite part of the counter system is a world map that shows where all of the readers come from.  Current visitor info shows readers from the United Kingdom and India, besides all of the wonderful people from the U.S. reading my posts.
Thank you!  I am humbled and honored to have you stop by to check in.  Happy Weekend!

Bead Soup Mix for My Partner, Shea

Lampwork by Chris

These are pictures of the Bead Soup mix I sent to my partner, Shea in Pennsylvania.  She had received it earlier in the week, but hadn't opened it so I didn't want to spoil her surprise!  Shea informed me today that mine is on the way to me, and she rushed home to open her package (I admire her willpower!)  The Soup Party has few instructions.  Must send a nice clasp and a focal and the rest is up to the sender's decision.  The same goes for the jewelry end of the project.  Artists must use the clasp and the focal sent, but the rest is up to their discretion.  Chris made Shea a beautiful violet focal bead with a mix of coordinating spacers and frit beads to compliment it.

I LOVE crystals so I sent Shea a mix of lovely Designer crystals and 3 briolette cut quartz crystals.

Two more of my favorites came next, seed beads and Lucite leaves!  The mix came from Glass Garden, and the leaves are from my favorite Lucite store, The Hole Bead Shoppe.

Foundation materials, a lovely silk cord that matches the focal, some silver plate chain, and a lovely heart toggle (one of my favorite styles).

The mix just before packaging, very pretty and Spring color abundant!

All packaged up and ready to go!  Love the pretty Valentine bags and I really like my Pixybug stationary (from VistaPrint).  I can't wait for my package to arrive, and to see what Shea creates with her mix!

My Bead Soup Ingredients!

 Lovely, Lovely, Lovely!  These are my wonderful Bead Soup ingredients sent to me by my fabulous beading partner, Shea.  Shea is a metal working Goddess!  Her handmade Argentium Silver components are not only well done, but fun and functional for designing with.  In this picture you see the handmade balled headpins, oval and square soldered links, and three sizes of jump rings!  There are also lovely pieces of turquoise, Swarovski Baroque pearls, and other natural stones in aquas, pale green, and deep green.  You can just see them in the corner, I really loved the square stones with the square links. 

 All of my soup ingredients.

 The Main Dish-the handmade S clasp and the handmade flower pendant designed and created by Shea!  I really, really, really love the pale aqua and the pop of the deep orange red fire agate.  Gorgeous, my pictures don't do the pendant or the clasp justice!

Another photo of the larger beads and the pearls.

Shea was even thoughtful enough to send handmade earring wires so I can make a matching set with my Bead Soup ingredients!

I have to thank Shea for being such a wonderful partner, we complimented each other quite nicely!  I am normally a BIG fan of BRIGHT (wait til you see what I purchased in Tucson!), so Shea's beautiful mix of soft green and aqua complimented with her wonderful handmade creations was definitely outside my beading zone.  However, that was really part of the fun, and as it turned out, that was the case for Shea.  We sent her a group of bright beads and handmade lampwork which she really loved, but weren't her normal range of colors either!  Another BIG THANK YOU goes out to Lori Anderson, for her brilliant idea, amazing management skills, and for including me in this fun and challenging project.  I don't know how she did it, but I was matched with a beader who does work which I love and want to do more of.  At the same time, linked Shea to us, a beader and a lampworker, which provided her with materials she loves also!  Thanks Lori!  You ROCK!

Posted by Pixybug Designs at 9:32 PM 3 comments Links to this post 

Bead Soup Party REVEAL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome to the 3rd Bead Soup Blog Party!

What is a Bead Soup Blog Party?

 Each beader was paired up with another jewelry designer and tasked with sending the following:

~ A focal
~ A special clasp (not just a lobster claw)
~ Some coordinating spacers or beads

Using the focal and the clasp was mandatory, but we could use anything from our own stash to round out the rest, and choose to use the coordinating beads or not.

Here's what I made!

 Picture taking here was kind of sketchy this week as the weather wasn't always helpful.  This is my gorgeous creation displayed in nature (aka the deck railing).

 The set in a more professional setting.  I focused on the beads Shea sent but I added the faceted carnelian beads that wrap around the big rondelle in the front, some aquamarine, and a few bright green pearls.  Shea created the gorgeous pendant and all the metal pieces (all Argentium sterling) including the simple, but really lovely S clasp which I displayed on the side of the necklace.  I used some of the rings Shea made as spacers, but had plenty left to make a really fabulous pair of earrings.  I really love them!

My husband, Chris, made me model my creation, so here I am!  I did the bead and wire work above Shea's pendant, using some of the darker aquamarine and the Swarovski Baroque pearls Shea included.

These are my earrings in their own photo. 

Now for the Giveaway!  

 One lucky winner will win a pair of earrings similar to the ones above!  I will use the rest of Shea's metal pieces to create a pair of earrings  for the winner! 

One lucky winner will receive a Violet Garden focal made By Chris similar to the one he made for Shea's Bead Soup Mix.  Of course, they are handmade and one of a kind, so yours will be a bit different than this one.  To qualify you must sign up by Sunday, February 27th at midnight (U.S. Central Time).  I will draw the winners (one for the earrings and one for the bead) from the qualified entries on Monday, February 28th using a random number generator.

To enter, comment on this post.  That's all you have to do!  Please be sure that somewhere in your comment, you leave your name and email address so I can contact you for your mailing address. 

Now that I have WOWed you with my fabulous creations, be sure to start hopping over to visit all the other Bead Soup Party Blogs!!

1.  Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

2. Kitty Durmaj, Perles and Life 

3.  Michelle Heim, Life In the Bead Lane 

4.  Lisa Petrillo, Lucid Moon Studio

5.  Anitra Gordy, Leelu Creations

6.  Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs

7.  Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things

8.  Cheryl Roe, BeadRoe

9.  Heidi Post, Ex Post Facto

10.  Cindy Wimmer, Sweet Bead Studio

11.  Terri Gauthier, Blooming Ideas

12.  Rachel Walsh, Balanced Crafts

13.  Marian Hertzog, M's Place

14.  Mary McGraw, MK's Musings

15.  Sarabeth Burke, Chronicles of Sarita

16.  Deci Worland, Gem Trails 

17.  Erin Prais-Hintz, Treasures Found

18.  Laura Zeiner, Stick Lizard Designs

19.  Kristin Latimer, MJM Jewelry Designs

20.  Cathryn Brooks-Williams, Chile Cats

21.  Holly Westfall, Silver Rose Designs

22.  Janna Harttgen, Palima-Lim 

23.  Libby Leuchtman, Libby Leu

24.  Rebecca Anderson, Songbeads

25.  Deb Hunter, Living On Air

26.  Diana Ptaszynski, Suburban Girl Studio

27.  Jennifer VanBenschoten, VanBeads 

28.  Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter

29.  Cyndi Lavin, Beading Arts

30.  Courtney Breul, Beads by Breul

31.  Stefanie Teufel, Stefanie's Sammelsurium

32.  Patricia Gasparino, My Life Under the Bus

33.  Tari Khars, Pearl and Pebble

34.  Kristi Bowman-Gruel, Kristi Bowman Design

35.  Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle

36.  Becky Fairclough, Chameleons Designs

37.  Evie and Beth McCord, EB Bead & Metal Works

38. Lynne Bowland, Islandgirl's Insights

39.  Barbara Lewis, Painting With Fire

40.  Lorelei Eurto, Inside the Studio

41.  Stacy Hartis, Sissy & Jack's

42.  Jennifer Cameron, Glass Addictions

43.  Marcie Abney, La Bella Joya 

44.  Johanna Rhodes, Fire Phoenix Creations

45.  Nan Emmett, Spirit Rattles 

46.  Melissa Mesara, One Eared Pig  

47.  Amanda Davie, Articulations

48.  Cherin Poovey, Lanyard Lady

49.  Virginia Joste, ViviBijoux

50.  Andrew Thornton, The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
51.  Lori Dorrington, Lori's Glassworks

52.  Melanie Brooks, Earthenwood Studio Chronicles

53.  Kate Gardenghi, Tropical Blonde

54.  Serena Trent, PinkIce Jewel's Blog

55. Malin de Koning, Beading by Malin de Koning

56.  Shai Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings

57.  Francy Inman, 8 Second Studio 

58.  Amy Freeland, Copper Diem

59.  Lisa Liddy, Joolz By Lisa

60.  Sandi Lee James,  Do Be Do Bead Do

61.  Mary Harding, Mary Harding Bead Blog 

62.  Stacey Curry, Star Hitched Wagon

63.  Leslie Gidden, Mad Maggie Designs

64.  Elisabeth Auld, Beads For Busy Gals

65.  Niky Sayers, Silver Nik Nats

66.  Linda Djokic, Lutka and Co.

67.  Tracy Bell, Copper, Glass, and Recycled Trash

68.  Laurel Steven, Rue's Daftique

69.  Ingrid McCue, Wrapped In Silver

70.  Birgitta Lejonklou, Create With Spirit

71.  Diana Hawkey, Diana Hawkey

72.  Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas

73.  Jeanette Ryan, Jeanette Blix

74.  Jackie Ryan, Silver Lodge Gems

75.  Jean Yates, Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading to Be Done!

76.  Debbie Goering, Prairie Emporium 

77.  Valerie Norton, Hot Art 

78.  Jana Trupovniece, Stories of the Secret Garden  

79.  Amy Severino, Amy Beads 

80.  Emma Thomas, Fred Beans Nook

81.  Karen Zanco, Everyday Gypsy

82.  Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beadphoria

83.  Janet McDonald, Singing Woods

84.  Dana James, Dana's Jewelry Designs

85.  Kristina Johansson, Wild Roses and Blackberries

86.  CJ Bauschka, CJ Bauschka

87.  Angela Barribea, Re: Angela Rae

88. Marcy Lamberson, Studio Marcy

89.  Tanya Floyd, Glass Migrations

90.  Lisa Kavanaugh, Beading Bliss

91.  Sue Hodgkinson, Hello Gorgeous 

92.  Jenni Connolly, Jenni's Bead 

93.  Nally Parfyonova, Nally's Creations 

94.  Karyn White, Releases By Rufydoof  

95. Emanda Johnson, Artemisia Studio 

96.  Sandy Richardson, Sandy's Coloring Box

97.  Cindy Dolezal,  Cindy Dolezal Designs 

98.  Stacie Stamper, Park Avenue

99. Mallory Hoffman, For the Love of Beads

100.  Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings

101.  Nicole Valentine-Rimmer, N. Valentine Studio

102.  Jacinta Meyers, Jamberrysong's Creations 

103.  Charlene Gary, Gray Girl Studios

104.  Rubiee Hayes, Glitter and Keys Galore

105.  Marge Beebe, Rock Creek Creations

106.  Elizabeth Freeman, Turquoise Sky

107.  Shelby Foxwell, Sundown Bead Designs Rhetoric

108.  Lynda Moseley, Diva Designs

109.  Grace Danel,  Grace Beading

110.  Lois Moon, Que Onda Quitman

111.  Agnes Shapiro, Beader Bubbe 

112.  Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo 

113.  Judy Glende, Judith B. Designs

114.  Mary Ellen Parker, Bee Tree By Me

115. Barbara Bechtel, Second Surf

116.  Charlene Sevier, The Bead Dreamer

117. Alice Craddick, Alice's Beads and Baubles 

118.  Cory Celaya, Art With Moxie 

119.  Ronda Adams, The Ravished Heart 

120.  Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe Designs 

121. Anna Lear, The Laughing Raven 

122. Susie Hibdon, Vintagesusie & Wings  

123.  Amanda Austin, Sea Shore Glass 

124.  Jennifer Velasquez, Jen Judd Rocks 

125.  Hazel Ward, All Those Things 

126.  Brenda Salzano, Salzanos 

127.  Dee Gordon, Runako Designs by Dee 

128.  Anna Denisova, Anita-M 

129.  Margaret Saari, Mags-Jewelry

130.  Genea Crivello-Knable, Genea Beads 

131.  Penny Neville, Copper Penny

132.  Angela Blasingame, Hopemore

133. Helena Fritz, Beadwork by H's Blog

134. Stephanie LaRose, Confessions of a Bead Hoarder

135. Stephanie Haussler, PixyBug Designs YOU ARE HERE!!!!!!

136. Diane Cook, Rosa & Josies  

137.  Maryse Thillens, Glass Bead Art

138.  Jennifer Pride, Jewelry by J.P.

139.  Shannon Chomanczuk, For My Sweet Daughter

140.  Lisa Godfrey, Bead Happy

141.  Heather Pyle, Welcome to My  Muse

142.  Regina Santerre, Regina's Writings

143.  Liz DeLuca, Creative Arty Facts

144.  Sig Wynne-Evans, Beaded Bear's Nonsense

145.  Loretta Carstensen, Loretta's Boutique

146.  Raida Disbrow, Havana Beads 

147.  Amber Dawn, Inventive Soul 

148.  Shelly Graves, Stars Dance With Me  

149.  Jess Italia Lincoln, Vintaj Blog 

150. JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions

151.  Carrie Tahquechi, Carrie T

152.  Staci Smith, Staci Louise Originals

153.  Katarzyna Kwiatkowska, Quiet Area 

154.  Ema Kilroy, Ema K Designs

155. Magdalena Sikora, Poranna Gazeta

156.  Nicole Keller, Nicki's Reef

157.  Ann Rishell, My Critical Eye

158.  Noemi Baena, Fire, Metal, and Color 

159. Christa Murphy, Adventures of One Beady Woman 

160.  Barbara Blaszczyk, Labotorium Flory

161.  Collette Collins, Firefly Myst

162.  Carola Greiser, Polymer Clay Shed

163.  Joanna Kopijczuk, Bizuteria z Filcu

164. LeAnn Weih, Summers Studio 

165.  Cassandra Watsham, Design by Cassandra

166. Anna Motz, Stunning

167.  Shea Zukowski, Gr8findings

168.  Susan Kennedy, Sue Beads

169.  Lisa Boucher, Lisa's Clay Happenings

170.  Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope

171.  Alison Crenshaw, Beads by Earth Tones

172.  Dorcas Midkiff, Wondrous Strange Designs 

173.  Melissa Rediger, Sea of Glass 

174.  Marina Dobrynina, Savon Feutre  

175.  Julie Nordine, Julie Nordine | Credit River Art Glass 

176.  Menka Gupta, Menka's Blog

177. Patsy Evins, Patsy Evins Studio

178.  Cherrie Fick, En La Lumie're

179.  Suzette Bentley, Ellie's Bijoux

180.  Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me

181.  Lyn Foley, Lyn Foley Wearable Art

182. Tara Plote, The Newbie Beader's Blog

183. Natalie Schuetz, Natalie S Perlen 

184. Kim Hutchinson, Running on Ink

185. Haley Frank, Wide Eyed Smilin 

186. Grace Caputo, Suddenly Last Summer

187. Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp, Skye Jewels 

188. Erin Siegel, Erin Siegel Jewelry 

189.  Janea McDonald, Organized Chaos

190.  Kristi Evenson, Colie Bug & Co.

191.  Linda Inhelder, Must Haves Jewelry

192.  Hilary Frye, FryeStyle

193. Whitney Lassini, Whitney Lassini

194. Nancy Schindler, The Rabbit Muse

195. Pam Brisse, The Blue Between

196. Beth Bricker, Vintage Sweets

197.  Ruthie Stickney, Rose Works Jewelry and Gifts

198.  Rose Noble, Lady Noble Designs

199. Karen Williams, Baublicious

200.  Claire Maunsell, The Next Bend

201.  Christine Damm, Stories They Tell

202.  Kerry Bogert, Kab's Creative Concepts

203.  Wendy Blum, Sand & Sea Designs

204.  Juli Cannon, Julsbeads

205.  Jenny Robledo, La Dona Boutique

206.  Krista French, French Elegant Jewelry

207.  Pam Krinski, Ewa Beads

208.  Melissa Meman, Melissa Meman, Art, Life, Love

209.  Dana Jones, Dana's Jewelry

210.  Shirley Moore, Beads and Bread

The next party's sign ups begin August 1-3, 2011.  Don't miss it!
Thanks again to Lori Anderson for all of her hard work putting the Party together and to all of the other beaders joined together through this experience!

Friday, February 25, 2011

It Is ALMOST time!!! Bead Soup REVEAL Tomorrow, Until Then...

Bead Soup Participant Map

I have never participated in a Bead Soup activity.  I am thankful that I was able to get signed up to participate with this one, it has been fun and provided me with an opportunity to expand my jewelry abilities that I wouldn't have had otherwise.
My Bead Soup Observations:

• With 210 participants, I give my thanks to Lori Anderson for all of her organization and what a terrific idea she had!
• I love the pieces I created with my soup mix from my partner Shea.
• I didn't have as much trouble working with a neutral color palette as I expected I would.
• While the map above was my idea, Lori did all the work!  I find it fascinating to see where we live and where all the others are.  When I look at my blog stats, the map is what fascinates me most (and that I have anything interesting enough to write to keep people coming back!)
• I can't wait until tomorrow!  Sadly I have to work, so won't be able to surf all the blogs until later!

Be sure to come back here tomorrow, not only to see what I created with my Soup Mix, but Chris & I will be giving away 2, yes I said 2, items for readers signing up over the weekend!  See you tomorrow!

Posted by Pixybug Designs at 7:53 AM 1 comments Links to this post

Venturing into New Territory

I have become fascinated with Steampunk Style Jewelry.  For a long time, I have loved doing mixed media with my jewelry designs, adding things that would not be considered a "normal" bead.  I made this bracelet Friday night, and it is one of my first pieces of 2011. 
Chris and I take a break from the jewelry business demands this time of year because, WE ARE EXHAUSTED!  We counted and last year we did 14 shows plus the Highland Park Farmers Market every Saturday from 4th of July until the middle of October.  Makes me tired to think about it!  This year is looking good show wise too, we just got info today for a new show coming to Grand Island.   I haven't really beaded since the week of Christmas when we did about 15 special orders in the space of 2 days, and I ended up with tendinitis in my left hand!  So I have been on anti inflammatory pills and wearing a wrist brace. Thankfully the treatment worked.  

BeadStyle Magazine

 

In November, I was inspired by this edition of BeadStyle Magazine.  Loved the projects, adapted one for Julie's C-Koop trunk show, which also was in November.  I really loved the bracelet Monica Han designed using Tim Holtz Idea-ology Scrapbooking Sprocket gears. 

Tim Holtz products from Scrapbook.com

I set about looking for these at the best price and found them at Scrapbook.com.  I ordered them, and played with them for 2 months before making my bracelet!  I used Monica's idea as my inspiration, but went with a single strand bracelet and added embellishments to the gears.

I used Tim's Game Spinners as the hand in the center gear, and mixed the metals so they weren't beside the same metal  I used silver plate jump rings to hook them together.  The clasp was an issue.

I didn't like the looks of a standard lobster style clasp, but wasn't sure what to use that would stick with the theme.  I ended up using an open gear and another game spinner wire wrapped with a crystal for the toggle bar.  I need to adjust it a bit as the round end of the bar slips through and then it falls off.  So back to the design table on that, but it is the first toggle I have designed myself!  Really loving the Steampunk style, so much so I ordered more gears and bobbles from the Idea-ology line!  Stay tuned!

Trial run for a guest blogger...

In 9 days I leave for Tucson Bead Show circuit!  Can't believe I am getting to go with my boss, Julie and co-workers Trish and Mary, from the bead store I work at part time!  While I am gone, I doubt I will be able to blog since I will only have my camera and iPod Touch, so Chris has been drafted to fill in for me!  Here is his first attempt at blogging.


Greetings!  I am doing a trial run at blogging to be prepared for when Steph runs away from home for a few days.  She wants me to keep everybody updated while she is on her Tuscon trip.  I have given her instructions to take lots of pictures.  The new little camera she has will shoot 200 pictures to a battery charge and the memory card will hold about 1200 pictures.  Hopefully she will have lots of wonderful pictures to share with all of us unlucky enough not to be going to Tucson!

Cool! Free tools!

 Lori Anderson, powerhouse behind our Bead Soup Party, is running a give away for a set of metal letter stamps from PJ Tools (I would love to win these!).

  Interested?  Read her blogpost here!
http://lorianderson.blogspot.com/2011/01/metal-stamp-giveaway.html

New Designs

These special items were done as an order for a customer, which ended up not getting picked up.  Anyway, they will be easy to sell, as we have sold quite a few in these styles already.  "Fur"st up is a calico kitty.  Chris has had issues with making a cat that is up to his quality standard, but people love the ones he makes! 

 A beautiful piece in our new Hearts of Glass line.  We have sold many of these at our December shows, and each one is prettier than the one before, making choosing a favorite difficult!  Chris makes these in the style of his marbles using frit to add the detail swirl.  I did the wire wrapping and added the gorgeous Swarovski heart crystal to bring a bit of bling to the design.

 Another in our Hearts of Glass line.  This is really pretty with just a hint of pale rose and grassy green.  Really delicate an pretty and a Swarovski rose crystal pulls out the pink in the design.

This beauty is a large dichroic glass pendant made by Chris and I did the wire wrapping and dangle.  I love it when my crystals match his projects!!  I really love how this turned out, and we will be making more!

Internet Connections

Want more info?

I am continually amazed at the capabilities of the internet.  I have become acquainted with people all over the world through beading and writing about it here and on Facebook.  I think that is SO cool!  I began following Lori Anderson's Pretty Things blog last year after coming across it through posts from another beader I follow, Maria Grimes (her company is Garden Path Beads), while Maria was writing about her adventures with last year's Bead Soup Party.  So this year, when sign up came around, I was in the know because I get Lori's (and Maria's) blog posts/newsletters in my email.  With all that I read, this is a convenient way for me to stay connected to those blogs I follow.  Lori wrote that her party increased to 210 beaders this year!!!  That is amazing, and so amazing that Lori has been asked to write a book about her parties which will come out in the fall of next year, and for all participating beaders, will have a link directing people to all of the blogs/beaders  involved!  I will have exposure I would never have dreamed of!  I have already added readers just from the other bead soup beaders checking out each others' blogs.  Very interesting, how one connection quickly links you to possibilities you never expected to have!  There are so many ways to promote your business or writing or hobby on the internet it makes my head spin to think of them! 
My Bead Soup Partner is Shea Zukowski of gr8findings!  Shea does metal working (love it) and loves lampwork (convenient that I have my own lampworker).  Stay tuned for more about my adventure!

Snowflake Perfection

Over the weekend we had snow.  LOTS of snow (Chris measured a foot in the yard this morning).  I am not a fan of winter, not enough sunny days and short on daylight sets off my S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder).  I am doing much better this year, having visited with my doctor after the horrible winter I had last year.  While I am not fond of winter, I do love living where the seasons change and there is beauty in each season.  We experienced that beauty this weekend.  It snow slow, and often had big, lovely snowflakes.  It is a wondrous thing to behold each perfectly shaped snowflake, a tiny art piece that melts away in an instant.  The awe that it inspires always brings the deep, ponderous questions to my mind, most of them religious in nature so I will not extrapolate (my big word for the day :0) )here.  I really am amazed by the beauty of nature, and often have wished for the talent of painting or sketching to recreate that beauty.  Alas, I do not have it, though if a doodle is desired, I am your gal!  My lovely daughter was given the gift instead, being able to almost replicate an image in front of her!  I have to be content to add nature elements to my jewelry and beading designs instead. 

Silliness

Don't be fooled by the cute face!

 

 When we first got internet, I was appalled to receive the "threat" emails.  You know the ones I mean.  It has lovely pictures, wonderful uplifting sayings, and then you hit the end and it says "if you don't send this email to a dozen of your friends in the next 3 seconds your head will explode"!  Ok, so maybe I don't have the phrasing quite right, but you get the drift.  I see similar posts on Facebook, saying how much you love your friends, children, pets, neighbor's garden gnomes, etc, and that if you feel the same you will repost it on your status update, but if you don't you are a yellow, bellied chicken.  BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!  Don't we have enough guilt in our lives without adding to it with this kind of nonsense?  I think so.  A college friend posted this to his status last night and I love it!  Wanted to share it with you, and it gave me an excuse to vent my opinion, and rid myself of years of email guilt!  Happy Thursday!


PLEASE put this as your status if you know someone who has been eaten by dragons. Dragons are nearly unstoppable and, in case you didn't know, they can totally breathe fire. 60% of people won't copy and paste this because they've already been eaten by dragons. 38% of people are sitting in the shower armed with fire extinguishers, and the remaining 2% are awesome and will re-post!

Possibilities

Sorry for the long absence, amazing how time gets away from you!  Here is an update on what has been happening in our lives:

• Mina's Christmas break has come and gone!  She went back to school today, but during the past two weeks she spent time with 3 of her best gal pals, spent time with her Grandpa & Granny, spent time with her Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, and a favorite foreign exchange student, and spent time with her friend Nita's family.  Mina apparently has spent time with everyone, but her parents!!! Huh, weird! :0)
• Chris hurt his shoulder on an icy day at work, slipped on a step and stopped himself from falling, but put all of his weight on the one arm that grabbed the hand rail.  Consequently, he has visited the orthopedic surgeon, the physical therapist, and soon an imaging specialist for an MRI.  Chris also visited with the folks at the Red Cross last weekend, when he donated Platelets for the second time.  Apparently, Chris is a platelet overachiever, he has so many platelets that he actually was able to donate more than the normal 3 units.  He is a dedicated blood donor, having given several gallons since he was old enough to start giving, and I think the platelet donation will also become a common occurrence. Having needed a blood transfusion in my life, I appreciate all whom can donate.  I have lousy veins, so not only is it tough to give blood just for a doctor's test, but it was pretty tough for them to put it back into me too!  
• I have been busy making contacts with new opportunities!  I joined the Bead Soup Party group that is managed by Lori Anderson and I have been asked to be a compensated blogger for Auntie's Beads!  I love the Chinese Crystals and Pendants from Auntie's!  They are one of my favorite bead suppliers, because living in Nebraska, Auntie's Beads are located in Texas, so the beads arrive quickly, and they have a lovely variety of beads.  
• I was also given a lovely gift by my boss, Julie, at Julie's Xpressions in Hastings.  She is taking me (along with Trish and Mary, who are also a part of the scene at Julie's) to Tucson in February to attend the Bead Shows to buy beads for the shop (and for ME)!!!!  It is so exciting, I just about can't stand it!  We fly out on February 1 and return on February 7 and this is the RESORT that we are staying at!  Though I imagine, that each day after our bead purchasing, we will likely just return there to pass out or soak our aching feet!  I have purchased new luggage and FLIP FLOPS!  I seem to be getting a lot of raspberries blown at me from my co-workers at my other job and from Chris and Mina!  Strange! ;0)

I hope 2011 is presenting you with lovely POSSIBILITIES too!  I feel a wonderful year coming on!