My Country 'Tis of Thee Blog Hop

I have totally disappointed myself this week.  I expected to be able to work on my project while I was teaching drama at camp, and this was a COMPLETELY foolish expectation.  I barely had time to sleep, much less bead.  So I am not done yet.  I have my inspiration, an idea and a goal, but it is not complete.
*****

I studied France because my mom's family fled France to escape religious persecution.  They were French Huguenots (similar to the AnaBaptists at the time) and were escaping death. Approximately 500,000 French Huguenots were put to death by the Catholic church in France.

I am proud of my French heritage and have studied the language and the country, but researching why we left was a little shocking.  Since most of my jewelry is inspired by nature- flowers, leaves, butterflies-  I thought it might be better if I looked in that direction.  After discovering the national flower of France, I felt more confident.

The national flower for France is the Iris.

Which is represented by the Fleur-de-lis or "flower of lily".

This one is fun since it also shares the French flag colors: 

Blue, White and Red or simply the Tricolor.

So, I have my inspiration, and some ideas percolating in my head.  I expect to have a finished piece soon.  I am so sorry I don't have it finished!

Please visit all the other bloggers participating in this challenge.  The listing is here on Wired Nan's Blog.

Saturday Smiles

On Saturdays I post about a few things that make me smile over the last week.
*****

1) Bingle MADD Camp
I got to teach at a Music/Art/Drama/Dance camp this last week!  I loved teaching and working with the teenagers. I taught drama and script-writing, worked my behind off, and had a blast.  I got to do this last year and loved it then, but this year was better for a couple of reasons.
The primary reason was that my husband came, too.  He taught a song-writing class and worked with the worship team.  What a joy to spend our free time together!  I love getting to hang out with my Jake, doing fun things and sharing the beauty of Alaska together.

Jake leading worship with one of his students

The other reason this was such a great year was that the director gave the counselors an option to choose classes, too, which strengthened the relationships this week.  By the end of the week we had spent a LOT of time together and seen each others' strengths, weaknesses and sheer goofiness...

I've got more pictures of this week, but I'm so tired I'm not finding them on my phone. =)  I'll share more when I'm more coherent.  I slept a lot today, but apparently not enough...

2) My kitty
My poor Luna missed me so much while I was gone.  She has not left my side since I got back.  She's behind me on my chair right now.  Poor lonely girl.

3) The cool of Fairbanks
Ha!  Never thought that would make me smile!  It was about 85 degrees out at the camp this week, and while it's still hot here, at least our house has good windows and a few fans!  Our cabin would get up to about 95 at night, and we didn't dare leave the door open because the mosquitoes this year are voracious, plus they swarm.  We've had a particularly bad case of mosquitoes because of the relatively warm, long and wet winter.  (It only got down to -50ish this last winter and it didn't last long, plus our spring took forever.)   I've got 22 mosquito bites on my right leg alone...

Summer Elements Blog Hop

I feel so lucky to participate in a SUMMER Blog Hop!
My favorite season is summer.  Probably because I live in Alaska and love the long summer nights we enjoy, and favor them as a response to the dark, dreary winters.  And this year summer took so long to arrive!  Seriously, we had snow only a month ago... It snowed the first two weeks of May, and that is NOT NORMAL!!!.

I am so thankful for summer here in Fairbanks.
I love the flowers that grow here, I love spending time with my family outside, I love my camping memories.
My dad was a forester, so as soon as August would hit and the tree-culling season was over we would go camping.  Some of my favorite childhood memories are of camping and exploring the woods during late summer.

My dad, my sister Beth, and me

Now, I love biking with my girls and hanging out on trails with them.  This is one of my favorite pictures of my girls and me.  We're watching ducks on the river walk in Fairbanks.

Deborah, Abigail, and me behind Pioneer Park several years ago

The best way to welcome summer is with a barbecue, friends and s'mores.  We got to hang out with our Life-group a couple of weeks ago, and just enjoy the arrival of the mosquitoes and the sun.

This great photo was taken by my friend, David at our Barbecue

Maybe because I grew up with a botanist for a daddy, maybe because I love to garden, maybe because God has continued to use butterflies powerfully in my life to remind me of His plans for me...  for whatever reason, I am drawn to Botanical imagery.  Flowers, leaves and butterflies are a constant theme in my jewelry and in my personal life.

I finished this one this week, and it sold within a couple of hours of putting it out.  

I didn't even get to take a decent picture.

I love Lucite flowers, particularly combined with Swarovski crystals.

Flowers and butterflies, leaves and outdoors...  That's what summer means to me.

These earrings are my latest summer project.

Silk flowers, Swarovski crystals and butterflies.

I'm still in the process of deciding if I like them enough to make more but I think I'll be making a few more just to see what happens.  I have a yellow pair, and a pink pair. They are certainly a fun mix of high/low elements, and they have wonderful movement and sparkle.

Thank you for hosting the Summer Elements Blog Hop, Toltec Jewels!  Thank you for allowing me to participate. =)    

Dear reader, Go forth and discover some other wonderful Summer Blog fun!

The Summer Elements Blog Hop Participants: 

Toltec Jewels (Hostess)     http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/

Marlene Cupo                   http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com/

Cheri Reed                        http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/

Ailsa Cordner                    http://www.bramalfiebeadsetc.co.uk/

Nan Smith                         http://www.wirednan.blogspot.com/

Sherri Stokey                     http://www.knotjustmacrame.com/

Christie (Charis Designs)    http://charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com/

Carolyn Lawson                 http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com/

Susie Harris                        http://jewelleryjunkie.blogspot.com/

Andrea Glick-Zenith           http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/

Nelly May                          http://smellynelly.blogspot.com/

Melissa Trudinger               http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com/

Dini Bruinsma                     http://angazabychanges.blogspot.com/

Kathy Lindemer                 http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/

Cory Tompkins                  http://tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com/

Robin Reed                       http://willowdragon.blogspot.com/

Gina Hockett                     http://freestyleelements.blogspot.com/

Karen Martinez                 http://www.fairiesmarket.blogspot.com/

Liz                                    http://beadcontagion.blogspot.com/

Jasvanti Patel                     http://jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com/

Solange Collin                    http://www.blog.ahowinjewelry.com/

Gerda                                http://gerdascraftsblog.blogspot.com/

Karla Morgan                    http://texaspepperjams.blogspot.com/

Anindita Basu                     http://alankarshilpa.blogspot.com/

Alicia Marinache                http://www.allprettythings.ca/

Andrea Trank                    http://heavenlanecreations.com/

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com/

Mischelle Fanucchi             http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com/

Tanty Sri Hartanti               http://tjewellicious.blogspot.com/

Shaiha Williams                  http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/

Mary Govaars                    http://mlhjewelrydesigns.com/

Becca Sirevaag                  http://godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com/

Lennis Carrier                    http://windbent.wordpress.com/

Regina Wood                     http://www.gina-design.blogspot.com/

Sue Kennedy                     http://suebeads.blogspot.com/

Kathleen Breeding             https://www.facebook.com/99BOBOTW

Saturday Smiles

On Saturdays I post about a couple of things that have made me smile over the last week.
*****

1) I really am better.
I missed posting last Saturday because I was still pretty messed up from the car accident. No, I'm not at full strength yet and I'm going to be doing some doctor visits for a while, but I really am better.

2) I've sold two of my pearl vine necklaces in the last week.

A white pearl necklace completed and lovingly photographed

A cranberry pearl necklace in progress on my bead tray

One of the ones that sold had turquoise pearls, which look like blueberries, while the other was the cranberry style.  It's great they sold, but it means I need to get cracking...  I just didn't get much inventory built over this last winter. I don't know why....  Some winters I'm fantastic at trying new things and just get tons of stuff made, but not this year.

3) The girls and I spent some time at Pioneer Park on Tuesday and had a blast.

Abigail on the new rope climbing tower

YUCK

I was in a car accident today.  It's not a terribly severe one, but it is the most severe car wreck I've ever experienced.  My girls were in the car with me, and both of them were pretty shaken.  Maybe at how shaken I was?  I don't know.
We had to wait FOREVER for the police to show up.  I don't know if it was shift change or just what, but they didn't get to the scene for about 40 minutes.  Nobody was severely injured, so it was just frustrating, not life-threatening.
I've got mild whiplash (which is pretty freaky when you have a metal plate and screws in your neck), and Deborah has a pretty bad seat-belt rash.  Abigail is fine for now, but we are waiting to see how she feels tomorrow.
The accident was totally my fault and I feel so STUPID!

Thank you, God for watching over fools like me!

Saturday Smiles

On Saturdays I post about a couple of things that have made me smile over the last week.
****

1) Summer Break!
We've had 80's and sun, sun, sun.  My girls and I have spent most of the week outside, and we've had a lot of fun.

Summer Fun with our Life Group friends

2) Deborah's Birthday Party
A couple of friends from school and a lot of friends from church met us at a park.  The kids played, ate cupcakes while the parents chatted.  Fun was had by everyone involved.

3) VBS Decoration
Vacation Bible School is next week and we've been setting up and getting ready for the big day.  I LOVE VBS!  And I'm excited to get to work with kids all week.  I get to do science experiments and hands-on activities with the pre-schoolers, and it's just plain fun.  We're doing a castle, knights, queens, and princesses theme, and it promises to be a blast.