Our Neighbor, Joplin, MO

Joplin, MO is 40 miles from here. I'm sure you've heard that they were hit by a devastating tornado last Sunday.  Joplin is the closest city to us for shopping and medical needs. If you want or need anything, you go to Joplin. If you need a specialist, tests or hospitalization, the majority of people from our area go to Joplin.  Dining and entertainment, Joplin.

It is heartbreaking. We hear stories daily about people who went through it. So many lost literally everything, their family members, homes and vehicles. I believe the current statistics are 132 deaths, 750 injuries and 156 still missing. Winds were in excess of 200 mph, it was 3/4 of a mile wide, lasted for 6 miles and moved at the slow speed of 25 mph. Many of our local law enforcement, first responders and fire departments have been over there helping and have seen the devastation first hand.

I just don't have the words to express the sorrow and horror that we're feeling for the people who have been affected by this. People have seen things that they will never forget. Lives have been changed forever.

The outpouring of generousity in times like this never ceases to amaze me. There are drop off points all around us for donating items. People from all over the United States have offered help. People have donated money, their time and equipment, businesses have donated items....the list just goes on and on.

Please keep these people in your prayers. I have included a link to the American Red Cross. If you wish to donate, please click here.  They say what is needed most right now is cash donations.

Jewelry making with my Granddaughter

I've seen a few things about making "fingerprint" jewelry with clay.  My granddaughter and I love to craft together and I thought this would be a fun project for us.  She was here yesterday and we made this necklace for her Mama.

We pressed black clay into a metal frame and she inked her thumb with silver pigment ink and pressed it into the clay.  She used letter stamps on the back to personalize it with her initials and the date and added a bedazzler jewel.  Much to our surprise, everything worked perfectly the first time....no redos!  We baked it and sealed it, then added it to a chain.  She picked out a peace sign charm and a crystal to add.  She's really into peace signs so I think it will be a special reminder of this time in her life.  We had a good time making it together and her Mom loved it!

~Today's Quote~

HAPPINESS is when you've gotten really good at being you.

Blogging with Artbeads ~ What's Old is New Again!

"Who will hold the key?"

Artbeads' blogging challenge this time was "What's Old is New Again".  For this theme we were asked to "seek inspiration from the past by incorporating old, vintage or antique items into your designs and combine them with modern elements."  I love this theme and you would think with all the junk good stuff I've got around here I would have thought of something right away.  I thought and thought and couldn't come up with anything that I wanted to use.  On a flea market trip with a friend, I found these chandelier prisms.  The design fell into place when Artbeads featured the little heart and key charms on their blog.
I ♥ them!

I was able to make a matching necklace, bracelet and earrings from the supplies I received.  I used Vintaj bronze wire and antique brass findings.

The necklace is long, about 28".  The shorter strand is crocheted with a small hook and the 5mm crystals, then pulled tight to resemble an old chain.  I added the smaller prism from the chandelier crystals and dangled the charms from it.  The longer strand is spool knitted with the 6mm crystals so it would be a little heavier for the large prism which is connected with an "intricate scroll" bail.  The "round glass box clasp" has a sparkly glass center and is a perfectly "antique" finish! 

For the bracelet, I used the 5mm and 6mm crystals and added a crocheted loop closure.  It fastens around another of the small prisms.

For the earrings, I used "curly triangle" chandeliers and added simple crystal drops.

These next two pictures show a little more of the details including the clasp, the bail, and the words on the charm.

You can find all of these components at Artbeads in the following sections:

Swarovski crystal beads:  5mm & 6mm Swarovski crystals

 Charms:  Heart Quote Charm and Key

Findings:  box clasp, bail, chandelier earring findings, earwires, jump rings

I give a big "thumbs up" to all of the things I received! 

Thank you, Artbeads!

Disclosure: I am a Blogging for Beaders partner with Artbeads. The above noted items were provided to me free of charge, to be used for design purposes, or for my honest review of them. I have not been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received.

In an Etsy Treasury!

One of my crocheted items was featured in this "Mad for Mugs" Etsy Treasury!

I mentioned in an earlier post that I had been doing a lot of crocheting and knitting with yarn lately.  I sold a lot of knifty knitted scarves locally at Christmas time and have sold quite a few baby cocoon and hat sets on ebay.  I've really been enjoying it and decided a couple of months ago to open another Etsy shop for these items.  It's mostly baby things which can also be used for photo props.  My sister is a photographer so she kind of got me into making these.  When fall hits, I plan on making more scarves.

It was so hard to come up with a name cause all the good ones are taken already!  I ended up using "the Hip Grandma" cause my granddaughter says I am!

Here is a collage of some of the things that I've made.  Some have sold and some are still in the shop.

the Hip Grandma Etsy Shop

So go check it out if you'd like.  I was pretty excited to see the mug cozy in a treasury!

~Today's Quote~

Grandparent:  A thing so simple, even a small child can operate it. 

For you, Mom

Look what popped up...one of Granny B's Irises

This is a special day to celebrate Moms,

but there isn't a day of the year that you're not special to me!

Happy Mother's Day!

I love you!

~♥~

One of my favorite quotes...

(This free downloadable Word Art can be found here.)

Hope your week is going great!