One Kiss Creations Beaded Jewelry

Bread Part II

2012-03-09T20:51:00.003-05:00

It took me almost 2 months to make bread again. My intention was to make it weekly. C'est la vie!
I used the same basic whole wheat recipe and put it on cookie sheets this time instead of the loaf pan. I was hoping that the freedom of the cookie sheet would give it a nice crust. It did not disappoint~still a good, hearty bread and now with a crunchy crust! Oh Yeah!

The Birdman made his favorite potato and spinach soup for these babies! It is as good as it looks!

What are you eating this weekend?

Another Bracelet for 7000 Bracelets of Hope

2012-03-06T11:35:00.002-05:00

This is The Bug's contribution to the 7000 Bracelets of Hope Campaign. She didn't get it done on time for the Hop but I wanted to post it anyway. I am really proud of her! She wrote a really beautiful, heartfelt letter to the recipient...mine pales in comparison.

Thanx Bugalicious, Chugga-Bugga, Bugga-lugga-ding-dong! I believe in you and in everything you do :-)

Challenge of Music Blog Hop

2012-02-28T22:11:00.019-05:00

This Hop, hosted by the very talented Miss Erin over at Treasures Found, seemed to be right up my alley. My only two obsessions are jewelry and music. I weaned myself off my shoe obsession so I could afford more CDs and concert tickets and beads. I figured I sit when I bead and I sit when I pour over the liner notes while listening to CDs so I really didn't need the shoes anyway.

Challenge of Music.
I didn't think it would be much of a challenge.
I was wrong.
When certain things click and flow, something else is bound to trip me up.
In this case, it was the photography...a geode slice, Swarovski crystals, freshwater pearls, matte hematite rounds, steel size 15 seed beads, and a silver tone button. Not easy to photograph all that grey and sparkle. I could write a short story on the photo session this necklace and I had. It was a 3 day affair. The dog was even in on it.

Onto the Music and the Beadwork. It has been a few minutes without either one and I am needing a fix.

"Now I could sing you, um, a really tender song filled with despair, or a really weary song laced with hope. What's your pleasure?" ~ Jackson Browne

Well, that about sums up my musical taste right there.

I could write a post a day for the next several years on the musicians I escape with every day. I have a very incomplete list on the profile page of my blog, but it will give you an idea of what fuels my days and nights.

For this hop, all the pieces fell right into the guitar strings of two of my many loves: Gram Parsons singing "A Song for You" and Jackson Browne singing "The Times You've Come". Gram has long been my Muse. When I can't get anything right or lack any original thoughts, I put Gram in the stereo and a door opens wide. His lonely, aching voice sounds like a tear rolling down my cheek. He is loveliness and tragedy. And looked real good in a Nudie Suit! Google Image will show you what I mean!

Jackson just reaches in and takes hold and is full of poetry and beauty and double entendres. What comes out of his guitar and mouth truly is a window to my soul. Seeing him in concert, once with just him and his 30+/- guitars, another time with David Lindley and the rest of his band, was as close to Nirvana as I can hope to ever come. Nothing in the music world can top that experience. It was as much about the music as it was about the stories between songs and how he encouraged audience participation and his fantastic sense of humor. And the way he pronounces his "R"s gets me every time :-)

The piece itself came together with relative ease. I actually wanted it more stripped down than it is, but opted for a very brief pop of color and complexity. Maybe that is where Emmylou Harris joins Gram in the song or where Bonnie Raitt joins Jackson singing "You might try to find your way up around it, but the need for love will still remain". The weaving just came as the chords on the guitar. It was a natural chord progression in my mind. And the Geode...a glimpse into the soul. The darkness and shine and jagged edges. And maybe the camera knew what it was doing, not letting me capture that geode in all its subtlety and glory. Because we can never really see all the parts of someone's soul. We can only hope to catch tiny bits of the depths and sparkle.

"The Times You've Come"~~~Jackson Browne

In the time we've known that we each are a part of one another
We've lost as much as we have won
And as our lives have grown we have found that it only brings us pain
To hang on to the things that we have done
Still I love the times you've come

When you went away taking all that
I'd built my false road on
I dropped my life and couldn't find the pieces
Now you come and go and it's hard but I feel my strength returning
We'll see how far this new road reaches
We'll see a little more each time we come

Now everybody's gonna tell you it's not worth it
Everybody's gotta show you their own pain
You might try to find your way up around it
But the need for love will still remain

Now we're lying here so safe in the ruins of our pleasures
Laughter marks the place where we have fallen
And our lives are near so it wouldn't occur to us to wonder
Is this the past or the future that is calling
You know I've loved these times you've come

(skip to minute 2 in the video then enjoy the song and where he messed up. reminds me of tearing apart jewelry and starting again)

"A Song for You"~~~Gram Parsons

Oh my land is like a wild goose
Wanders all around everywhere
Trembles and it shakes till every tree is loose
It rolls the meadows and it rolls the nails
So take me down to your dance floor
And I wont mind the people when they stare
Paint a different color on your front door
And tomorrow we will still be there

Jesus built a ship to sing a song to
It sails the rivers and it sails the tide
Some of my friends don't know who they belong to
Some can't get a single thing to work inside
So take me down to your dance floor
And I wont mind the people when they stare
Paint a different color on your front door
And tomorrow we will still be there

I loved you every day and now I'm leaving
And I can see the sorrow in your eyes
I hope you know a lot more than you're believing
Just so the sun don't hurt ou when you cry
So take me down to your dance floor
And I wont mind the people when they stare
Paint a different color on your front door
And tomorrow we will still be there
And tomorrow we will still be there

I am laughing at myself right now. All I was going to do was post song lyrics and pictures. I guess I just couldn't help myself!!!

Up Next at the Hop:

Erin Prais-Hintz
Marcie Abney
Christine Altmiller
Elisabeth Auld
LJ B
Lori Bowring Michaud
Shannon Chomanczuk
Cece Cormier
Jenny Davies-Reazor
Malin de Koning
Beth Emery
Michelle Escano-Caballero
Erin Fickert-Rowland
Therese Frank
Amy Freeland
Tanya Goodwin
Stephani Gorman
Amy Grass
Beth Hemmila
Kristina Johansson
Jennifer Justman
Tari Kahrs
Susan Kennedy
Ema Kilroy
Kathleen Lange Klik
Kirsi Luostarinen
Paige Maxim
Beth McCord
Natalie McKenna
Alice Peterson
Cat Pruitt
Bobbie Rafferty
Johanna Rhodes
Cynthia Riggs
Sally Russick
Sarah Sequins
Amy Severino
Staci Smith
Kristen Stevens
Lola Surwillo
Stefanie Teufel
Sandi Volpe
Holly Westfall
Shaiha Williams

7000 Bracelets For Hope Blog Hop 2012 is Today!

2012-02-24T13:59:00.014-05:00

Hop day is here! Yahooo!
A big THANK YOU to Erin at Elysian Studios for being a patient and understanding partner in this. She made all the buttons and banners and talked me through a lot of technical stuff. I learned a lot from her over the past couple weeks...no easy task on her part! Thank you, my dear, for not giving up on me!

Thank you to Lori at Pretty Things for doing last year's hop, which brought me into the blog world.

And a Huge Thank You to all of you for signing up! Now, let's get Hopping!

I used to make bracelets with floral fringe and leaf fringe. People loved them! I wanted to make more and never got to it. So I jumped at the opportunity to make one for this hop. What woman doesn't want a bouquet of flowers?!

Here is a second bracelet. A simple triple strand bracelet of Blues and Blacks.

And Here is the List of all the Lovely Ladies who signed on for the Hop. Pour another mug of what warms you and take a look at what they made :-)

Elysian Studios and One Kiss Creations

The Studio Sublime

Crafty Hope

The Gossiping Goddess

SilverRose Designs

Firefly Visions

Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Michelle Mach

Pine Ridge Treasures

Backstory Beads

Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

Carefree Jewelry by Lisa

Sue Beads

MiShel Designs

Created Treasures

Taralinda Muses

My Life Under The Bus

Elizabeth Creates

SilverNikNats

Erin Siegel Jewelry

Carolyn’s Creations

My Life…one bead at a time

Fresh Baked Designs

Songbeads

Sunshine Bliss

Lori Anderson

Rainy Days Designs

Pat Barden Jewelry

Tell Your Girlfriends

Therese's Treasures

Windrock Studio

Bead Lola Bead

Spice Box Designs

Antiquity Travelers

Vitamin C...A Daily Dose of Creativity

Beads and Bread

Sharyl's Jewelry and Reflections

Ahtee's Blog

Thoughtful-Notions

Beads for Brains:365

Wild Sally Road

All The Pretty Things

Skye's Creative Chaos

My Addictions...Handcrafted Jewelry by Patti

Lindy's Designs

Falling Into The Sky

Star Hitched Wagon

Mama's Got to Doodle

10KDgroup

Chickadee-dee-dee-dee

2012-02-17T15:42:00.009-05:00

The Colors of My Morning

2012-02-15T11:54:00.014-05:00

From Bed at 7am

From the Porch at 7:30am

Please Join the 7000 Bracelets of Hope Blog Hop 2012

2012-02-03T13:06:00.057-05:00

Erin over at Elysian Studios and I are doing a Blog Hop for the 7000 Bracelets of Hope this year. We really enjoyed the last one and heard of people who wanted to make the bracelets again but had not heard of anyone putting together a Hop. So here we are~First time Hop Co-Hosts!
7000 Bracelets of Hope is run through the Global Genes Project, a rare disease group for children. The bracelets are donated to the mothers and caretakers of these children, as a way to give them a little support and lift their spirits.

The Blog Hop sign ups are today through February 11th. The Hop itself is February 25th.

If you would like to participate, here's what you need to do:

1. Leave a comment here or on Erin's post with your blog address and e-mail address.

2. Grab the button for the Hop on the Top Left of my page and put it on your blog.

3. Make a Bracelet with Blue as your primary color. The Global Genes Project uses the theme of jeans/denim, so think in those shades of Blue when you are picking out colors. Think casual and make it so it can fit any wrist size (approx 7-9")

4. Post a picture of your Bracelet on February 25th along with the link of participants Erin and I will send you.

5. Mail your Bracelet and a nice note to the anonymous recipient to the following address:
Children's Rare Disease Network
24701 La Plaza Suite 201
Dana Point, CA 92629

It was the 7000 Bracelets of Hope that started my blogging days last March. I wanted to participate and needed a blog to do it. So, being the techno-flunky I am, I went stripped down and simple with this blog. My 7th post was the Hop. I didn't know how to link and now I usually know, so I have made a wee bit of progress. I have met some wonderful, inspiring and supportive people in this past year. The technical side of this journey continues to be a struggle, but the pay off is all of you! So thank you for a year of laughter and warmth and story telling. I am glad I came to this party :-D

Blog Hoppers:

Elysian Studios and One Kiss Creations

The Studio Sublime

Crafty Hope

The Gossiping Goddess

SilverRose Designs

Firefly Visions

Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Michelle Mach

Pine Ridge Treasures

Backstory Beads

Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

Carefree Jewelry by Lisa

Sue Beads

MiShel Designs

Created Treasures

Taralinda Muses

My Life Under The Bus

Elizabeth Creates

SilverNikNats

Erin Siegel Jewelry

Carolyn’s Creations

My Life…one bead at a time

Fresh Baked Designs

Songbeads

Sunshine Bliss

Lori Anderson

Rainy Days Designs

Pat Barden Jewelry

Tell Your Girlfriends

Therese's Treasures

Windrock Studio

Bead Lola Bead

Spice Box Designs

Antiquity Travelers

Vitamin C...A Daily Dose of Creativity

Beads and Bread

Sharyl's Jewelry and Reflections

Ahtee's Blog

Thoughtful-Notions

Beads for Brains:365

Wild Sally Road

All The Pretty Things

Skye's Creative Chaos

My Addictions...Handcrafted Jewelry by Patti

Lindy's Designs

Falling Into The Sky

Curry Chaos

Mama's Got to Doodle

10KDgroup

What the Wednesday?!?

2012-01-25T14:00:00.008-05:00

Beading around the Cab.
Most Beadweavers do it.
I tried in once a few years back...and left it in the unfinished pile.

So this new year, it is one of my goals to learn it and do it well. I started with beautiful ceramic cabs, using a peyote stitch around it. I tried and tried and tried. I ran into the same problem every time of not making the peyote rounds big enough. Frustrated, I put the needle down and thought about why I want to bead around the cab. It is because I want to bead around river rocks that are too thick to drill. So I picked up some rocks, switched to a herringbone & netting technique and here are the results. The first rock is from Twin Lakes, Colorado. The second rock is from the shores of Lake Michigan.

Tell me what you think. And let us know what you are working on and if it is turing out as you had hoped.

"A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou." --Omar Khayyam

2012-01-19T11:11:00.043-05:00

I have also seen this quote with the jug-o-wine listed first. Either way, it is all I need for a good meal. Bread, wine, and someone to share with.

Last year I decided that I wanted to learn how to make really good bread from scratch. And I want to make it often. Whole Wheat, Whole Grain, Sourdough, Rosemary, Cheddar, Challah.....And I never even made one loaf. Not one. So today is the day. I need fresh bread in my house and in my mouth. The smell of baking bread is the most comforting smell in the world. The taste of bread is the most comforting taste in the world. And Mama needs a little comfort right about now.

I dropped the kids off at school and came home to get baking and this is what I found. It is from my Sunshine Girl. She leaves note all over the house. They make my day! The Bug will occasionally leave affectionate notes too. Love those!

The dough is supposed to be rising as I type this. But after 60 minutes, it isn't. So I looked up some possible solutions to this dilemma. One was to put it in a slightly warm oven. I transferred the bowl to the radiator, hoping it would help. Here are before-the-radiator and after-30 -minutes-on-the-radiator pictures. I am not sure if I am seeing a difference or if it is just wishful thinking.

A lot of time has come and gone and it finally rose a bit. So I am now on to the next step of forming it into a loaf, putting it into a well oiled loaf pan and letting it rise again. This loaf it itty bitty! I am not sure if it is supposed to be this small or if I ate too much dough. A piece here and there would not conform to the overall dough blob, so I ate them. More and more pieces popped up. I ate more. And more. I am feeling a bit stuffed now and not sure if I can hit the treadmill today. Here it is, seeming lost and small, and you can see all the flaps of dough I didn't eat.

The Inspector.

It puffed up a bit, so into the oven it goes! 40 minutes uncovered, 20 minutes covered. FINGERS CROSSED!!!

The moment of truth.

(making guacamole in the background)
I cut right into it. It tastes pretty good! Kinda dense. I like bread dense and I like it airy. I like it hot and cold. I like it fresh and I like it stale, so it is hard for me to be objective about it.
Sunshine Girl says, "It's the best whole whole wheat bread I have ever had, but you know I like sourdough."
The Bug says, "Yummmmm! It is good! I love this bread! It is kick butt bread!"
The Birdman, being more polished than normal, as he knew he was making it into the blog, says "A hearty, wheat bread that would compliment a bowl of soup."

Overall, I would call this a success with room for improvement. I want to make it less loaf, more round and welcoming. I want to try buckwheat honey instead of clover honey. I want it to rise more. I want to do so many things but this is a good place to start. I will make it again and again this same way over the next few weeks and see if I can do better with this particular recipe before I go getting fancy. But YAY! I made EDIBLE bread!!!

Do you have any nuggets of Bread Wisdom to share? What is your favorite bread? What kind of foods do you make really well? What foods have you completely botched?

Giveaway on my Facebook Page. C'mon over!!!

2012-01-06T14:30:00.004-05:00

Just a quickie to let you know I am having a little Giveaway for those that "Like" One Kiss Creations Beaded Jewelry on Facebook

Check it out!

First of the Year

2012-01-01T11:45:00.007-05:00

Happy 2012 Everyone!!!

I did a little bead shopping over the holidays. My Mom, the Bug, and I went to Pennington, NJ to Artful Beads. Here is what I bought!

This winter, my goals are to take a clay class and learn how to make clay beads (my Sunshine Girl inspired me!), to bead around the cab, and to learn RAW. My other goal is to post on Etsy once a week. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.....but for today, my goal is to make cookies for the neighbors and plant an Amaryllis.

Here is a pix of what The Bug made me for Christmas. I love it!!! I wore it all week!

What about you? What goals do you have for the coming months? What were some of your favorite gifts that you gave or received?

Ornament Swap Blog Hop

2011-12-16T10:53:00.011-05:00

Sally of Wireworked put together this fabulous Ornament Swap! She is talented and funny and generous with her time and knowledge and I am honored she is my friend. Thanks Sally!!!

My partner for this Blog Hop is Jenny Davies-Reazor. Please go to her site, because OH MY is she talented!!! Her tiles and shrines and pendants are all gorgeous and earthy and completely unique.

Here is what she made for me.

I am not sure if I can express all the reasons why I love this. But I will try. I am more of a seasonal person than a holiday person. We celebrate holidays with family and presents for the kids and way too much food and drink, but when it comes to decorating or just "feeling it", I gravitate to the seasons and not the designated holidays they encompass. And the shrine Jenny made is for the season and will be in my window seat all season(or longer!), not just for a week or two during the holidays. I love the textured and sparkling polymer, the beads as berries, and the bottom fringe! The fringe consists of rocks Jenny drilled (my passion!), crystals, gemstones, and a medallion she made. They dance! They clack! They bring Joy! The center of the shrine is a beautiful Angel. She is soft and feminine and lovely and peaceful. I find myself gazing at her for long periods of time :-)

I sent Jenny a seasonal ornament as well. I used a piece of driftwood that was laying around my kitchen for longer than I want to admit. And I beaded snowflakes to hang off it. Each one different from the next. I hope Jenny has a better picture of it than I do. After 3 days of 4 photoshoots, this was the best I could come up with. Sometimes the spirit of an item just cannot be captured in a photograph.

Please take the time to Hop over to the other lovely blogs and see what all these talented women made. And...HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!! Thanks for stopping by :-D

Partner List for the Ornament Swap/Blog Hop

Erin Prais-Hintz and Alice Peterson

Sally Russick and Kim Hora

Susan Kennedy and Kathleen Lange Klik

Patty Gasparino and Cindy Wimmer

Hope Smitherman and Melissa Meman

Jennifer L. Justman and Sandi Volpe

Jenny Davies-Reazor and Christine Altimiller

Rebecca Anderson and Jen Velasquez

Jeanette Blix Ryan and Tamara Soper

Holly Westfall and Mallory Hoffman

WhatTheWednesday?!?

2011-12-14T11:49:00.009-05:00

When I have a question or a problem that I would appreciate some feedback on I am going to put in a "WhatThe" in the title...and maybe a photo of this guy here because I love him and he lightens my frustrations when I look at him. Anyone want to join in on the "What The?!?", be my guest and you can borrow the image too :-) I got him at the Etsy store PhenomeGnome. Check out the store. It might just put a smile on your face :-D

My dear Bug (also known as Bugalicious, ChuggaBugga, BuggaLuggaDingDong)gave me her first Kumihimo piece. I love what she made! She bought the kit 2 years ago and has been working on it ever since. She gave it to me 6 weeks ago as a gift...one that I have to finish. So my dilema, as you see, is that the end I need to make a loop on has very short strings. The end she finished with the button has all the strings I need...for the other end! Ain't that the way it always goes?!

Do you see any solutions to this? My brain is stuck.

An Oh So Lovely Surprise!

2011-12-08T13:22:00.005-05:00

I received a package in the mail. The timing was perfect. I was feeling low. I was feeling overwhelmed. It was the tail end of a rough month. One I was glad to leave behind.
I turned the calendar over, finished up some projects that had deadlines, reopened the package and learned something new!
Karen Williams at Skunk Hill Studio send me a care package ~she thought she was just sending me beads, but she really sent me comfort~ filled with beads, an iridescent dragonfly button, instructions, a lovely note, and sea glass (i have plans for that too!). Confession time: I weave pretty much everyday and I have never learned RAW. All the classes were offered at times I could not make it and I do not learn well from written instruction. So when I saw that Karen sent me instructions for Random RAW, that warm fuzzy feeling cooled ever so slightly. But then I decided the Universe was easing me in to RAW so I embraced the project! Karen's instructions were perfectly clear and easy to follow. No problems whatsoever. I finished it late last night and am starting another one tonight. I loved the process, the lacy look, the individuality, the way tiny seed beads make such a statement, the whole feel of the bracelet in my hands. And it looks fabulous on my wrist! Thank You Karen~I greatly appreciate your kindness and generosity :-)

New in the Shop

2011-11-28T12:21:00.006-05:00

Two of the Four new Items in the Etsy
Shop

Hope you all are doing well! I miss visiting your Blogs and will get back to them once I get past this week :-)

Etsy

2011-11-23T10:24:00.004-05:00

Free shipping on my Etsy Site until January!

And once I hit 70 likes on Facebook, I will have a giveaway of some type, for those interested :-)

Hope you all have a Mouthwatering Thanksgiving!

Sunshine Girl Beads

2011-11-14T14:17:00.003-05:00

Just a quickie to show you what I did with the Handmade Beads my Sunshine Girl made me for my Birthday! She wanted me to use the metal flowers and the turquoise. I wanted the bone discs. I wanted to make something short enough for her to wear if she wanted to...even though it is all for me!

There is a small chance I might take it apart for a 9th (yes, 9th!) time. But I am testing the waters here.

Handmade

2011-11-06T10:15:00.009-05:00

My 10 year old Sunshine Girl made me these beads and the box and lid that contained them. It was a complete surprise! She said she didn't want to glaze them. She wanted them natural and Earthy "just the way you like things, Mama."

Best. Gift. Ever.

ROCKS in the MailBox

2011-11-03T14:33:00.002-04:00

My Bead Soup Blog Hop partner Amy from Copper Diem went to New England recently and sent me these Super Cool Rocks she got on Cape Cod! WOO HOO!!! I am a very VERY happy Girl! What I love most about these (aside from receiving such an awesome package at a time when I really needed it) is that Amy has a great feel for the shapes and colors I look for when I rock hunt. It's like she has seen my stash. AMY! YOU ROCK (had to say it)!!!

Catch Up

2011-11-02T15:19:00.004-04:00

I am having a really hard time catching up these days and I hope to be back to visiting blogs by the end of the week. Mama needs a vacation! These kids are running me ragged. It is a good thing they are so darn sweet :-)

In the meantime, I finally added to the Etsy Shop. Only 5 items but I will get more up later in the week.

Ornament Swap Blog Hop

2011-10-27T10:19:00.003-04:00

Sally at Wireworked put together an Ornament Swap Blog Hop. I have no idea how to make an ornament, but I will give it a whirl. Throw your winter hat in the ring and join the party!

Sally is also having a giveaway...check it out while you are there!

Also, Erin at Elysian Studios is having a Giveaway of My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software. There is still time to sign up for it!

Hope you all have a great weekend and I hope you win :-D

Got a Little Something in the Mail Today

2011-10-20T18:08:00.004-04:00

I won a Simple Truths pendant from Erin over at Treasures Found!!! It arrived today and it was a nice reminder on a day that I was starting to let the little things bother be again. We do seem to get what we need when we need it, if we would just open our eyes and hearts a little more.
Please go visit Erin's Etsy Site to see more of her Simple Truths. Aren't the Owls ADORABLE?!?!?

Have a great weekend and as The Simple Truth reminds us, "every thing is beauty full". Make your life Beauty Full :-)

And the Winner is.....

2011-10-11T09:14:00.007-04:00

YaY Susan!!! You can have the earrings in the video or my version of sage and gold. Just let me know :-)

I wrote the names on a piece of paper and put them in a hat. I should have known Susan was coming out of the hat. Everything has been coming full circle lately, or at least 3/4 of the way around. And this giveaway is no different. Back in 2000, my dear friend Paul encouraged me to put a few pieces of jewelry out there for sale and see what happens. So the seeds of One Kiss Creations were sewn.
Fast-forward to this past April. That is when I first visited Windrock Studio's blog during the 7000 Bracelets of Hope Blog Hop. I had only started blogging a couple weeks before that. When I clicked on Susan's Bracelet, I was blown away. It spoke to me in so many ways. Because good things come in little packages. Because small things matter. Because one woman's small may be another woman's big. Because it is lacy and delicate and warm and loving. Because the details are simple but necessary and beautiful. Because it just spoke to me. In the following weeks, I checked in to Windrock Studio's blog and explored Larry and Susan's detailed sculptures, fabric frames, mud huts (LOVE EM!) and leather work (want to wear each purse!). Take the time to look at them too. They are just so earthy and uplifting and evoke feelings of true home, which is really in our hearts and not a physical place. And Susan has a great love of capturing town. People, animals, plants, structures. Her photos are a wonderful slice of life~in all it's beauty and brightness.
So as I was enjoying Susan's blog and feeling my way around the blogosphere, I decided to have my first giveaway. Paul won! Legitimately! I swear!!! For this giveaway, I decided to have the drawing today, on Paul's Birthday. Susan won. Paul and Susan live a stone's throw from each other and 2000 miles from where I physically reside. See?! Circling Around!!!

Tomorrow's Giveaway

2011-10-10T13:31:00.004-04:00

It is still not too late to enter tomorrow's giveaway!

The rules are simple:
*have your name on the follower list
*post a comment
*tell me what colors you like

I got my earrings back from Bead Trends today, so if you win, you can have the earrings shown HERE (at about 2:14 into the clip)

OR

Earrings in some shade of the colors you like. The choice is Yours!

Did a little bead shopping this weekend :-)

WTFridays

2011-10-07T09:30:00.002-04:00

Testing the waters...I have lots of Rocks and lots of Sari Ribbon.

Thoughts?

Lovely Blogs...15 of Them!

2011-10-04T11:13:00.006-04:00

Janet, from Honey from the Bee, nominated my little blog as one of her 15 lovelies that she often follows. I was really surprised and giddy, as I hold Janet's blog, writing, jewelry, and photography in such high esteem. You know when something just speaks to you? That feeling you get? I get that feeling at Honey From the Bee. I don't comment a lot but I always visit. I like it there.
I will make a list of 15 shortly and would love to put Janet on my list, but instead of looping, I will continue to pay it forward.

So when you are nominated, the rules are as follows:

1. Thank the person who nominated your blog. THANK YOU JANET!!! I appreciate your kindness and your warmth.

2. Tell 7 facts about yourself.

3. Pass the award on to 15 newly discovered blogs. Since I have only been doing this for 6 months, it is a sliding scale as to what I consider "newly discovered".

7 facts about me:

*I am a sucker for a redhead & a big, long, skinny nose. If he had red hair, I dated him. I cannot help it. When my husband grew his beard, it came in red and I was elated that I married a redhead and didn't even know it. JACKPOT!

*I have had the same haircut for 30+ years now. BORING, but easy. I hate spending time getting myself ready to go out, so it works well for me. And I love the grey color!

*I am not competitive in the least. Unless I am playing cards. Then I play to win.

*I have a scar at the base of my neck. I like it. It is turned up, like a smile :-) I love scars...they add character, tell a story, show resilience. I hate to have my neck touched so it figures I would have to have my thyroid removed and all sorts of people would be poking my neck.

*I never forget a voice. I may forget a face, I usually forget a name, but never a voice.

*I have 2 things I spend money on without thought to how much it costs...music and beads. I cannot get through the day without music. I recently noticed a pattern. I get completely immersed in a musician for a year or more-buy all their cds, books, dvds, pour over liner notes, go to shows (if they are still alive and touring in my area). Then after that, I still love them but can just enjoy them in the mix. Even when I am into my musician of the year, I still listen to others. My most recent string of Lust includes: Gram Parsons, Steve Earle, Leonard Cohen, Warren Zevon, Woody Guthrie, and Jackson Browne. Yeah, I know...all men.

*I do not work well with others. Give me the task and the deadline and LEAVE ME ALONE.

And now, the 15 blogs I am nominating and I hope you check out:

1. Sally ~ Wireworked

2. Mandy ~ Beads for Brains 365

3. Hope ~ Crafty Hope

4. Amy ~ Copper Diem

5. Susan ~ Windrock Studio

6. Erin ~ Elysian Studios

7. Erin ~ Treasures Found

8. Lori ~ Pretty Things

9. Doug ~ Dilettante Cocktailer

10. Heather ~ My Muse, Aquariart

11. Holly ~ Silver Rose Designs

12. Patty ~ My Life Under the Bus

13. Sharon ~ Livewire Jewelry

14. Therese ~ Therese's Treasures

15. Tamara ~ Vanishing Pearl

Happy Hopping!!! Hope you find a few more blogs you will be interested in following :-)

One last thing to say: My Giveaway event is still happening. I forgot to give a date for the drawing...October 11th. Paul's Birthday. Appropriate since he was the one who convinced me to start One Kiss Creations Beaded Jewelry back in 2000 and appropriate since he was the first winner of my first giveaway. So keep the entries coming!

Have a great week!

Giveaway

2011-09-29T09:25:00.006-04:00

A Very Big Thank You to all the kind people who visited my blog and left lovely comments during the Bead Soup Blog Hop! The response was overwhelming...in a good way :-) Thank You Thank You!!!

My Round and Round Earrings are in this YouTube Video :-)

Lori Anderson has a necklace in the video too!

YAY!

I made a Facebook Announcement a couple weeks back that once I hit 40 followers on the blog and 70 followers on Facebook, I would have a giveaway on each site. Since the blog hit its number first, the giveaway will be here first.
I will give away a pair of earrings in the same style as the ones in the YouTube video (soon to be in Bead Trends!). Only the color will be different.

Here's how to win:

Be a follower, Post a comment, and Tell me what Colors you like.
Keepin' it simple :-)

I wish I was computer literate to put the actual video in the post, but I am not. Maybe someday.
In the meantime, enjoy this picture of my Sunday :-)

Bead Soup Blog Party

2011-09-17T00:01:00.016-04:00

The day is finally here!!! My fabulous and inspiring and hilarious partner Amy at Copper Diem sent me the greatest stash! She did not know it, but I have had an obsession with Vincent van Gogh since before I could talk. When I opened the package she sent me, all I saw was van Gogh, van Gogh, van Gogh! I think I may have shrieked. And I know I did a happy dance! All I added to the stash was 6 Swarovski crystals and the size 15/0 orange Miyuki seed beads.
The earrings were something fun and entirely unplanned. Both my daughter and I think they look like the banana plant that was once in her fish bowl.

Hop on over to Copper Diem and see what Amy made with the stash I sent her!

And after that, go see Lori Anderson at Pretty Things, the organizer of this fantastic event! See what she made and check out the entire list of 362 participants in this Bead Soup Blog Hop!!!

Michigan Rocks!!!

2011-09-14T18:09:00.005-04:00

The First Michigan Rock is making her debut! So many of the rocks I collected there this summer were too small to drill. I collected them anyway. And whipped out the E6000, fried my brain, and made this little beauty. She was the first to be made and the first to be strung. Some E6000 oozed out from under the center rocks, so for the other ones I made that day, I used far less of the stuff and it all stayed underneath where it should be. When it dried, I could still see some of it on this first one, but I don't care. I love this one and her colors and that she was my first. Imperfect and lovely.

Good Lovin'

2011-09-11T12:26:00.004-04:00

I tell them every chance I get :-)

Rain Rain Clouds the Brain

2011-09-08T14:44:00.008-04:00

I feel thick and dumb and tired with all this rain. And entirely unmotivated to run my errands (who wants to be out in this relentless wetness?!) or get my haircut. And I am a month overdue in getting it cut. My hair grows up, not down. I currently look like Don King's twin sister. The kids don't want to be seen with me. They come home every day and say "You STILL didn't get your haircut?!" I tell them the beads don't mind my hair. They tell me to not to make excuses. I tell them I am going to start teasing it out and see how big I can get it. They remind me Back-to-School night is next week and they URGE me to not meet their teachers looking like THIS. I am kind of enjoying watching them squirm. How high can I take it?

So while I am avoiding the hairdresser and the bank and the grocery store and the liquor store, I am not doing nothing. I am beading. And listening to music. Daniel Lanois helped draw this one out of me.

Who do you listen to when you create?

August Reader's Challenge

2011-08-27T09:54:00.030-04:00

RED is my Muse. Well, Red and Gram Parsons. Unfortunately, there is a limited amount of Gram Parsons to to had, while Red is endless. Every time I shop for beads, I buy a small stash of Red. I never have any ideas for them, no vision for how to use Red. I just like having them around. This new school year,(which coincidentally starts today)one of my many self-induced challenges is to use Red. A lot. So when Sally sent me the info for the Andrew Thornton August Reader's Challenge, I knew I had to climb on for this ride!
I opened the package and instantly saw two separate necklaces. The "Magic" needed to be fringe and a bit bohemian and reminiscent of the early days of my beading life. And ALL RED.
The Copper Sunburst Pendant made me squeal when I opened it~what an understated beauty! I collect Rocks and when I saw the pendant I knew I had to use a Rock as the backdrop. And I had the perfect Rock from my recent visit to Michigan. I added some of my own earthy size 15/0 seed beads to make the Red pop. These gorgeous lampwork beads and rich colored Swarovski were alternated with jasper rounds and freshwater pearls. I love blending Earthy and Elegant.
Long ago, my Mom told me that some quilters see Red as a neutral color. I may have to explore that theory this year. Next stop for Red?! Check back soon and see where I take the her.

Please take a few moments to see what the other participants did with their Red packages.

Jessica Nelson
Andrew Thornton
Leslie Todd
Holly Westfall
Alice Peterson
Cilla Watkins

Sally Russick
Beth Emery
Patty Gasparino
Jeannie Dukic
Norma Turvey
Rebecca Anderson

Darby Lohrding, Marian Howarth, and Kari Asbury will all have pieces featured on Andrew Thornton's blog

Simmering Soup

2011-08-19T15:07:00.005-04:00

My beads arrived from Amy at Copper Diem~check em out!!! I am so excited to be paired up with Amy, who is witty and welcoming and very talented. The colors are Fantastic, aren't they?! I had an idea as soon as I spread out all the beads. Now let's see if I can implement it. Chances are it will become something completely different than what is in my head! More to say but I will save it for the September 17th Bead Soup Blog Hop. Hope to see you all then!

What about you---do most of your creations come out the way your mind sees them or as something totally different? These beads we work with have a mind of their own sometimes!

The Garden.

2011-08-16T17:33:00.010-04:00

Our garden is not nearly as plentiful as last year. Our only consolation is that a farmer nearby and a local greenhouse both told me their gardens are a bust too. So I don't think it is something we did. Our cherry tomatoes are plentiful and ripe, but splitting. Our big tomatoes are big and plentiful, but green and don't seem to be in any hurry to turn red. Our lettuce was less than stellar. Our jalapenos and cherry peppers were eaten by a resident pigeon, who was in turn eaten by an owl. I was a bit startled to find a headless pigeon not too far from the shredded pepper plants that morning! Here is a picture of one pepper out of two that struggled to grow after that feeding frenzy.

The success stories were sugar snaps and beans, though they were not as abundant as usual. Our radishes were awesome-nice and spicy! And the cucumbers-they seem to know no end and no boundaries. I came home from Hot Yoga last night to find The Bird Man making bread and butter pickles! A first for us! We are hopeful that the onions and potatoes are doing well. We harvested the garlic. Can't wait to use that! This was our first time planting garlic. And the Butternut (LOVE that word. Butternut and Sugar Snap...great sounds and great visuals...and they make my mouth water)is plentiful!!! WOO HOO!!! We devoted a lot of the garden to butternut squash last year and harvested two. This year, we gave it a few square feet and it took over and there are so many baby and teenage butternuts on there already. Butternut Risotto is on the menu when the first one is ripe! Butternut Risotto and a bottle of Gewurztraminer. I can taste it now :-)

What is growing in your garden this summer?

p.s. i used the word "plentiful" 4 times!!! FOUR times. i need to dust off my old college thesaurus.

My First Bead Soup

2011-08-09T10:30:00.002-04:00

I am participating in Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party, with the Big Reveal on September 17th.
My partner is Amy of Copper Diem. Check out all her Beautiful Jewelry! I love her color choices and ease of transitioning from beads to wire. I admire people who can do that. There are a few items I have already made my favorites on her Etsy site.
I have First Time jitters!!! But I keep telling myself, as I do with every piece I have ever made "It's Just Beads."
Hope to see you all at the Hop!

Found Time to Bead!

2011-08-04T10:57:00.004-04:00

Fate smiled on me and I found time yesterday to bead! My mental state has been restored.
I wanted to do something totally new to me and something I could finish in a day. I was really turned on by Mandy's Beads for Brains:365 washer project. Actually, I am turned on by all of Mandy's projects. She is doing a new beading technique every day for a year. How's that for commitment?!? Mandy got her info for the washer project from Tamara at Vanishing Pearl. Isn't her work gorgeous?!
Here is my attempt at washers. I love the flow and fun and endless possibilities. I am going to cluster some together next. See how that goes. I used copper washers that I bought almost a year ago for other jewelry ideas. Can't wait to try the rubber washers when I get my hands on them. Very fun! Very easy! Very much want to make MORE!!!

Summertime Tease

2011-07-30T10:26:00.007-04:00

I bought all these great beads (and Buffalo pin because I have a thing for Buffaloes and buy them when I can)at Nawbin Beads & Curiosities in Traverse City, Michigan last month. When you go to the link, check out the Fordite!
These pretties are just hanging around for the summer I guess. I am enjoying summer or rather, enjoying the inside of my vehicle this summer and beading is on hold for one more month. I may eek something out in the dead of night one of these days, though. Ya never know.
I seem to have a color scheme going on. It was completely unplanned. I just got what my wallet would allow and what spoke to me that particular day. All I can say is: Welcome Back Turquoise!!! I have missed you the past few years.

Keep it Simple

2011-07-21T16:17:00.005-04:00

Our community is now without a bookstore.
I feel dumber already.
Browsing through the titles, sitting down on the floor in front of the shelf with the intent of leafing through a book only to be there hours later, completely engrossed in it. The conversations with strangers, the coffee that tries to be good, the cookies that look good but are not(but we occasionally buy them anyway), the recommendations the guy at the cash register always offers. Where will I get all that now? Where will my whole community get all that? It is so much more than it appears. This will force me to start using the Library again. And I am sure I will have more money in my pocket since I won't be buying, just borrowing. But it just won't be the same. I can't talk in a normal voice and truthfully, the Librarian here isn't so nice. And they don't allow food and beverages...unless you are a toddler attending story hour.

So in my yearning for what was, I soothe myself temporarily by making jewelry. I decided to keep it simple. As simple as opening a book.

The Sweet Smell of Vacation

2011-07-05T00:34:00.010-04:00

Golden Moments

2011-06-17T09:54:00.003-04:00

I am a bit overwhelmed with jewelry that has to get done by Wednesday and some family matters I have to attend to by that day as well...fun family matters, but it starts out as work nonetheless. I am having an extremely difficult time focusing and feel scattered. Then there is the phone. Which won't stop ringing. I have tried to pinpoint the time in my life when when I went from joyously leaping for the phone to cringing when it rings (and it has nothing to do with the caller). I think it was around the birth of my second daughter. I am not a multitasker, so when I have to do more than one thing at a time, I get rattled. I always pull it together, always get the job done, always breath a sigh of great relief, always enjoy the after-moment. I let my head wander when I am stressed, to my happy place...it always involves water. My go-to place is the cove on my parents lake. When I get my new camera, I will show you. I can never go in the cove without thinking I will see Kermit on a log, playing banjo. I am genuinely a tad disappointed when I don't see him. My other happy place has always been Colorado. It wasn't until last summer that I knew exactly where in Colorado. It only took me from when I was 3 years old to figure it out...I take my time :-) Creede, Mineral County, Colorado. Rio Grande winding through the region. Rich Dark Western History in the old mining area. Nothing but Beauty. The town has a fabulous Repertory Theatre, art galleries, a true treasure of a place. It is the only town in the whole county. A perfect place for someone who gets crippled by indecision. My other happy place. I go there often in my mind. I am drawing from it right now. I go back to this image in particular~the Bird Man, my Bug, and my Sunshine Girl, enjoying what the Rio has to offer before the rain comes. A warm, refreshing, cleansing rain.

Global Esty Craft Party

2011-06-06T17:09:00.006-04:00

Hello Hello!

Busy weeks around here. Great Arts on Fire Festival this past weekend with Sally Russick of Wireworked. School year wrapping up, summer schedules to negotiate, jewelry to be made. So as soon as I start a Blog, I seem to have neglected it. I need to get through the next few weeks then I can devote more time to updating jewelry posts, etsy posts, food posts, crazy Mama posts. And when I get my new camera, I will have some pretty sweet pictures to post of the veggie garden, jewelry, pets, nature, kids, the Bird Man. In the meantime, I cannot take a picture of the latest news here: a Carolina Wren has built a nest in our boat and the eggs have hatched. So the Bird Man is beside himself that we cannot use the boat until the babies fly off. And the boat that the nest is in is leaning up against the dog kennel that belongs to our English Pointer, Ruby...ya know, the bird dog! I keep reminding him that we have kayaks and we don't need that old fishing boat to have a good time...just a little arm strength and good balance.

I am off to sweat my yaya off in Hot Yoga. But I will leave you with the latest show info:

This Friday from 6-9pm, there is an Etsy Craft Party at New Visions Studio and Gallery at 201 Vine Street, Scranton. All kinds of handmade goodies will be available to purchase, so come on down, say hello, see what the vendors have been making and enjoy the Gallery!

Namaste everyone!!!

Arts on Fire Festival

2011-05-30T20:39:00.002-04:00

Sally of Wireworked and I will have a tent at this Saturday's Arts on Fire Festival. We are really excited to be participating in this event:-) Come on down and see what is going on!

Of Kindness and Passion and Plain Ol' Good Heartedness

2011-05-26T11:48:00.006-04:00

A few weeks ago, my daughter and I finally made our pilgrimage to Earth and Wears, Lyn Carey's shop at 68 Main Street in Dallas, PA. Lyn makes beautiful pottery and ceramic jewelry. I am a very proud wearer of one of her pieces I fell in love with last year. See me and the Gorgeous Necklace?! She also makes really cool mugs. I really wanted to buy one, but if I came home with one more mug, the Bird Man I live with would change the locks. He doesn't understand when I pick a mug to drink out of based on my mood. And he doesn't understand why we bought a matching set all those years ago, if I was just going to add individual mugs to the cabinet anyway. So instead I bought oil and vinegar containers. Been looking for just the right ones for years. Who knew I would find them in Lyn's tiny shop?! And it is tiny! Teeny tiny, in fact. But you know what Grandma always said...Good Things Come in Little Packages! As small as it is, it is not cluttered and I never felt claustrophobic. Lyn's jewelry is so beautiful and earthy and very unique. Lyn has other people's pottery in her store too, all very beautiful and creative. I love seeing people's different styles side by side like that. There was other artists' handmade creations: jewelry, accessories, handbags, change purses, and beautiful journals. Sally of Wireworked gave me one of the handmade journals from Lyn's shop as a gift. She said she was drawn to it and wanted to give it to me. It is one of the most cherished gifts I own. The color and feel and size...great dreams and ideas seem possible when I hold that journal and write in it. When I walked into Lyn's shop for the first time, I had the same feeling---Greatness was all around me and I needed to take my slow time and soak it all in. Lyn welcomed my daughter with open arms and an open heart, answering all the pottery questions she had, making her feel special. The whole ride home, my Little Sunshine Girl talked non-stop about wanting to feel the clay in her hands and really create something lasting. Who knew a visit to a teeny tiny Handmade Shop could spark such a passion in us? I came home and filled the vessels with EVOO and Balsamic Vinegar. The Bird Man thought they were perfect---"Just what we needed!" he said. And he really meant it :-)

Do Over Challenge

2011-05-25T00:02:00.002-04:00

I participated in Jeannie's Do Over Challenge as did all these Talented Bloggers. Check 'em out!!! Jeannie sent us a piece of jewelry she made long ago and we had to use at least 50% of it and make it into something new. Happy Hopping!

Sally http://www.wireworked.com

Dagmar http://kokopellidesign.blogspot.com

Donna No Blog

Lisa http://lucidmoonstudio.blogspot.com

Christine http://www.onekisscreations.blogspot.com

Erin http://treasures-found.blogspot.com

Leslie http://www.madmaggiedesigns.blogspot.com

Shannon http://www.formysweetdaughter.blogspot.com

Niky http://silverniknats.blogspot.com

Diane http://www.dianehawkey.com

Barbe http://www.barbesaintjohn.blogspot.com

Elisabeth http://www.beadsforbusygals.com

Lori http://www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

Linda http://lindalandig.wordpress.com

Jamie No Blog

Pam http://ferrarioriginals.blogspot.com

Patty http://www.mylifeunderthebus.typepad.com

Nancy http://nedbeads.com

Kim http://www.kimmykats.blogspot.com

Marci http://www.moosepetals.com

Charlene http://clay-space.com

2011-05-21T09:27:00.003-04:00

I see so many of you do BTW and I was thinking of making up my own called WTF?!? Or so as not to Offend, WTH(eck)?!? Or maybe simply WhatThe?!? or WhatNow?!? Or, or, or. Because we all have those projects that are started but then what? Or at least, I have those projects. What I wanted to do isn't working and nothing is coming to me. Or I just don't know how to get from where I am to where I want to be. Or I just lose my umph. Then there are those projects that are completed the way I saw them in my head and I think "Hmmm. I thought I would love it more" With these pieces, the question is: Sell? Cut? Will someone else love it? I tell myself over and over "You only wasted time and thread" as I cut it apart.
This is one of those pieces. The rock came out of the Susquehanna River when we were kayaking (back when the Water was warm enough and the Sun actually liked us). I did everything I had hoped to do. But I am just not sure. I really like it, but it didn't grab me the way I had hoped it would. Thoughts?

And the Giveaway Winner is.....

2011-05-15T09:28:00.002-04:00

Four More Days

2011-05-12T00:10:00.000-04:00

Four Days until the Giveaway! 8 additional followers came since I got so giddy over the 13th follower! Yippeee! To see what is being given away, look at the Post called "Bakers Dozen".
I will announce the Winner on Sunday. Hope it is YOU!

Loving the Sun and warmth this week. The Garden is being prepped and a few veggies have been planted. Potatoes, radishes, lettuce, onions. We are going to my friend's greenhouse this weekend to get the rest of the veggies.

Here is an oldie but a goodie---reminds me of planting rows of seeds. Can't wait to sink my teeth into a sweet cherry tomato :-)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

2011-05-07T20:26:00.004-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all you other Mothers out there!!! We deserve a huge round of applause for all we do in the name of Love. We also deserve delicious food, a quiet house and a stiff drink.

This is for you, Mom. This is your gift. I hope you like it!
I am looking forward to you showing us how to make those beautiful dried flower wreaths I remember from my childhood. I left the baby's breath out of this one :-) I love you.

They Spoke, I Listened

2011-05-06T14:09:00.004-04:00

Sally gave me some beads the other day(go check out her website. You'll drool!). I took them home and strung them the very next day. Then the strangest thing happened. Today, I was in the middle of getting some projects done-ones with deadlines in a couple days- and I stopped what I was doing, cut apart the bracelet I made with Sally's beads, and made this with them instead! Now I know it is not the best piece of wire jewelry you have ever seen, but coming from my hands, it is not too terrible. I really can't stand to use wire. Sally has tried to teach me. I have tried to learn. But once I leave class, I am lost, uninspired, all thumbs, cursing my lack of skill and the money I spent on tools that I could have spent on beadweaving supplies. I waste more wire than I use. It is just a constant source of frustration. So where did this come from?!? I really do not know. Maybe it was the beads themselves. The tan colored ones, Sally called Buddha Beads. Maybe that has something to do with it.

Flowing

2011-05-04T14:18:00.003-04:00

Closed my eyes today and saw myself wading in the Rio Grande, picking rocks. Green, Red, Yellow, Rust, Purple, Maroon, White, Grey. Quite the palette lying at the river bottom and along the banks. Don't forget to look down. You never know what you might find. And never be afraid to get wet. And always wear good river shoes :-)

Bakers Dozen

2011-04-28T15:22:00.003-04:00

I see that the followers to my blog have reached a Bakers Dozen. It might seem small to you but it feels good to me! And it makes me think of that bonus ear of corn the Farmer gives me when I buy 12 ears. And the extra bagel thrown in the bag at the Bakery. Who doesn't want another bagel?

So in the Spirit of the Bonus, I am doing that bloggy thing and having my very first GiveAway! Become a follower and your name will go in the hat and we will have a drawing May 15th. For those of you already followers, your names will go in the hat as soon as I stop typing :-)

This is what you might win! Good Luck!!!

Time to Grow

2011-04-22T09:59:00.000-04:00

Growing Season has to be around the corner. It just has to be. The temps and the weather indicate otherwise. But for my 42 years, Spring always has followed Winter. Always. Sometimes it is abbreviated and Summer takes over pretty quickly. Not sure what is up with it this year. Each Winter we flirt with the idea of starting our veggies and herbs but we have yet to take that initiative. So along comes Spring (presumably) and we are kicking ourselves again for not starting our plants in the Winter. Quite the little dance. Last Spring we decided to do Square Foot Gardening. We have the space, but our soil is crap. And we were tired of dumping so much time and money into a garden that was hit or miss. So we made our boxes and mixed approximately 2 tons of peat/vermiculite/compost. We were filthy and it felt goooood. We were so confident in our new soil so we planted tomatoes, cucumbers, sugar snaps, string beans, lima beans, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, peppers, corn, potatoes, onions, carrots, radishes, butternut squash, zucchini, yellow squash, cilantro, parsley, chives, dill, basil, rosemary, and nasturtiums. It took off like wildfire! Our garden was finally something to be proud of :-) All this waiting this year--waiting to just prep it--is driving us a little crazy. Our mouths are watering over the idea of fresh salsa and bruchetta, butternut risotto, grilled squash & onions.....we decided to finally plant garlic last fall(after years of saying "we should") and they are poking up now, so that is hopeful! The chives have me concerned, though. Usually they start growing the first warm day of the year. But this year, nothing. If chives are my indicator of Spring, it is still a LONG way away. A few changes this year. After several years, I have convinced Crow (my husband) that the corn takes up too much space and doesn't yield more than one meal. So the corn is out. We will buy that from the Professional Farmers at Farmers Market :-) And even after the Square Foot Miracle Mix, my carrots are still not worth the space given to them. So they are out. That leaves room for more successful veggies. Last year was the first year we planted potatoes and they did great! We had a potato contest---whose box grew the most. Winner got bragging rights. It was a tie :-) We are thinking of canning. Just thinking about it. It could take a few more years before the thought becomes a reality. Truthfully, the idea scares me. But I may warm up to it. There is a lot to learn from a Garden. A whole heck of a lot.

Sally at Wireworked has a Giveaway---Check it out!

2011-04-20T16:12:00.000-04:00

Sally's Jewelry Blows Me Away!!! Absolutely blows me away. What comes out of her head and heart and hands has passion in every little twist of wire and color choice. She is having a Giveaway. Post a comment and become a follower and you might win a pair of earrings shown here!

7000 Bracelets for Hope Blog Hop

2011-04-15T12:21:00.000-04:00

Here is THE LINK you need to find all the fabulous jewelry artists who are participating in today's Blog Hop! There are 112 of us! Lori Anderson is the force behind this event. Info on the Global Genes Project can be found via this link too. 7000 Bracelets for Hope raises awareness for people (particularly children) who are living with rare diseases.
http://lorianderson.blogspot.com/2011/04/bracelet-blog-hop-7000-bracelets-of.html

I am brand spankin' new to blogging and have not quite found my way beyond inserting a picture, so please forgive my lacking blogging abilities. I will get better. At least I hope I will!

Treasure Tins

2011-04-11T11:16:00.001-04:00

My Friend Lindy is an Artist.
She recently made these Treasure Tins and asked on her Facebook page "what tiny treasures do you carry with you?" It was hard for me to answer. Sometimes it is a tiny piece of driftwood. Sometimes it is a pebble. Sometimes it is a wheat penny. Sometimes it is a bead. Sometimes a concert ticket stub. Sometimes a button. I will carry something around for several weeks or months, never knowing why. Sometimes it is some little item my kids give me "for good luck", when I am in extra need of that. I won't yet tell them we are all in need of that on a daily basis.

If you are interested in these little Treasure Tins, for your beadwork or needlework or lucky charms, please contact Lindy through her website: www.lindyivey.com.

First Friday Art Auction

2011-04-06T10:41:00.000-04:00

Home with a sick kid for 3rd day in a row. Not feeling too articulate.
But wanted to get this info out there:
This Friday from 6pm-9pm(as in 2 days from now), the MAC Gallery at 123 Wyoming Ave is having an Art Auction to benefit First Fridays in Scranton. Rumor has it this bracelet of mine and a gorgeous piece of Sally's will be auctioned off. There are many other items being auctioned off. I may not make it there (too much on the agenda), so if you go, tell me all about it!
Hoping for better weather and good health!

HayWire

2011-04-01T14:32:00.000-04:00

Sally tries really hard to teach me wire. The problem is me, not her. If you check out her blog (see sidebar: Wireworked), you will see what a beautiful and creative jewelry artist she is; and she is a great teacher, as her sold out classes prove. The problem is clearly me. The center pendant in this picture, I made back in the fall. I decided I would take what I learned in Sally's recent wire class and in the freedom of my own home, with no one watching, I would wow myself by making a ring to wear on my right hand. Well, the wire disc you see in this picture is my "ring". After a few days passed, I licked my wounds and used it to make this pendant. I made a couple more yesterday, after putting the first one out of my mind for several months. My family (aka: my biggest critics) love them, much to my surprise. My oldest did give me a few suggestions as to how to tweak it to make it better. I will try her suggestions in the next round and see how it looks. Not sure if these are winners or not. Just putting them out there.

Cherry Pickin'

2011-03-30T16:11:00.000-04:00

Guess my thoughts are looking forward to warmer times. I need to feel the Sunshine and taste the sweet fruit of Summer. This winter is endless. I got outside for a bit today. Wanted to take some pictures of these rich colors in the daylight. More snow is on the way for the next few days. Can't decide if cope should take the form of yoga, chocolate or whiskey.

Tickling Those Ivories

2011-03-28T13:27:00.000-04:00

The only thing I love more than Beads is Music. And Music is bound to show up often in my posts. It twirls around my whole day and influences what I make and how a piece turns out. I am drawn to the sound of strings. Though the piano is starting to pull me in. And makes for a lovely piece of jewelry.

Here's Hoping!

2011-03-24T14:21:00.001-04:00

So much to Hope for at the moment.
Hoping for the snow to melt and the temp to rise and Spring to finally appear.
Hoping for my Red Japanese Maple to show us she survived the abuse Mother Nature has inflicted on her the past 2 years.
Hoping for some steady work.
Hoping I can keep up with a Blog, Facebook site, Etsy Site, Flickr site, AND still make Jewelry.
Hoping I find some gorgeous rocks to drill on our Michigan vacation this summer.

Hoping I do these little beauties justice when I string them.