Friday, July 26, 2013

Saturday Smiles

On Saturday I post about a few things that have made me smile over the last week.
*****

1) My girls have gotten along really well this week.
The difficult neighbor girl has been gone all week, so my girls have played with each other and had a delightful week.
Okay, so here's the honesty...  We have a neighbor girl who plays my girls off of each other.  She'll be friends with Abigail one day, and say that Deborah is horrible and come up with an idea for a club so that they can leave Deborah out.  And then she'll do the opposite the next day.
I want them to learn how to get along with difficult people so I have not forbidden them to play with this girl. BUT.  I wonder sometimes if I should.
That's bad, isn't it?  I should be the "nice" mom or the pro-active 'soccer' mom, but really, I just want everybody to get along and stop being so mean.

2) More new jewelry
My camera is still MIA...  So no good pictures.  But, believe me.  I've made a lot of new stuff, and I'm happy with it all.

3) Fun Movies



During the summer, Beth and I watch movies and bead like crazy people in the evenings to keep up with the demand of Farmer's Market.  Over the last week we have re-watched the Harry Potter movies and had a lot of fun.  I discovered I never saw the third one, and she never saw the last one.  It's fun to watch them again, and see what we missed the first time.  It's great to watch them straight through and see the over-all story-lines.  Plus, they are good beading movies because we'd already seen most of them.
We've also re-watched the Spiderman movies and the X-Men movies.



Saturday, July 20, 2013

Saturday Smiles

For the Bead Hoarders Blog Hop post, please go HERE.

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

1) I had a good market week.
I sold quite a few things last Saturday and Wednesday!  Which meant...

2) I made a LOT of jewelry this week.
I normally make jewelry like crazy during the summer to keep up with the demand, but it seems like I never can quite keep up with the special requests.  I was able to make quite a few pieces this week and have fun, too.  I'm not ahead, of course, but I might just be caught up finally.

3) My girls were baptized last Sunday!
I wanted this to be something they chose, something that would be meaningful to them and mark a day they could remember.  Jake and I talked with them and explained how baptism is a picture that shows their choice to follow Jesus and live for Him, and they got it. They talked to me and to our Children's Minister about wanting to be baptized like Jesus.  And we got to do it in the Chena River last Sunday!  My heart is so happy when I think about their baptisms.

Abigail

Deborah

The prayer afterwards with Pastor Andy Ekblad and Children's Minister Emily Miner.

Bead Hoarder's Blog Hop Reveal

My friend, the talented Lori Anderson of Pretty Things has done it again. She has created a brilliant blog hop and invited all her beady friends to participate with her.  This time she came up with the idea of using all the special beads and pendants that you're too in love with to actually use...  Your special hoard of bead treasures.  For more about this particular challenge, go HERE.



Oh, my...  Am I a bead hoarder...  In fact, I'm completely unwilling to show my bead stash and storage methods because it is OUT OF CONTROL.  I still have kids who get into stuff so my beads are mostly corralled in the hall closet, but they have escaped and spilled out...  I find beads most everywhere- under the dining table.  In the couch.  In the bathroom...

I chose to work with a very special pendant my sister gave me two Christmases ago.  The pendant is a butterfly wing under glass, and I've been too in love with it to do anything.  I also felt guilty spending time on a piece for myself.  Isn't that silly? Thank you, Lori!  I don't think I would have stopped and made something for myself if you hadn't come up with this wonderful idea.

I'm delighted with the piece, but incredibly frustrated with the pictures.  Somehow I've misplaced my camera, (my girls probably 'borrowed' it again) so I used my I-Phone to take the pictures, and they are horrible. Really horrible.  The color is a little odd, and they are out of focus.  I hope I can find my camera tomorrow and replace these pictures!

On the Wing

I wrapped a wire frame for the pendant and added a pearl and a Swarovski butterfly to accent the wing. Then, I wire wrapped crystals and some of the butterfly beads I've been hoarding and turned them into a rosary style chain.  I added more chain to add space and light to the piece and also to draw the eye back down to the pendant..

On the Wing


I'm so pleased with my butterfly wing necklace.  Thank you, Lori!  

To see Lori's post and the list of participants, please go HERE.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Saturday Smiles

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

1) A week of No Expectations!
Okay, so I LOVED being at camp and teaching drama, but wow.  I came home exhausted, and I'm finally rested after this week.  I didn't have many appointments, and we skipped Farmer's Market on Wednesday so I am feeling lazy and rested.

2) My girls have had sibling bliss for most of the week.
Deborah & Abigail have had very few arguments and have played well together most of this week. I'm loving it.  I can't tell if it's a left-over from camp or just growing up, but they are getting along.  We've all enjoyed the peace and quiet.

3) Bead Creativity
I've had a lot of fun making new things this week.  I need to take pictures of the new material, but I'm delighted with the amount I've gotten done and the fact that they are pretty and that they worked.  I completed about ten pieces this week and I like them, which doesn't always happen.  Sometimes when I'm done with a piece, I'm just glad to be done with it.
I was talking to my sister this week about the fact that I don't do the same thing over and over and over because I get bored very quickly.  I like to try and make something completely different every time.
No, I don't achieve a wonderful and unique piece every time I start something, but I don't want to do the same thing over and over.  I don't know how artists can do it!  I know that we have to eat, but I made about five forget-me-not necklaces and I was done.  I never wanted to make any more again.  I might actually be in a place where I'm willing to do some more soon, but then again...