{Smile}

There's a cute e-mail going around that I wanted to share if you haven't seen it already.  It says:

"I don't want to brag or make anybody jealous or anything, but I can still fit into the earrings I wore in high school."

I actually did wear these in High School. 

Hey, what can I say?  It was the 70's!

They were one of my favorite pairs and somehow I've managed to hang on to them all these years! 

Well, until next time...

Peace & Love!

"Summertime" with Artbeads Necklace

Artbeads and Summertime Blogging Fun

As a design partner with Artbeads I got to choose items from their huge selection of pendants, charms and glass beads for the theme, "Summertime".  It was such a hard decision because they have so much to choose from.  I looked and looked but just kept coming back to this stoneware peace sign pendant.  I just love the bright flowers and little lady bug (and the peace sign!).  This is such a fun pendant!  The colors are so bright and it has a nice glossy finish. 

I wanted to incorporate all the bright colors in the pendant, so to complete the necklace I chose the following from their selection of glass beads:

Stoneware Small Cube Bead - Red

Stoneware Small Cube Bead - Yellow

6/0 TOHO Seed Beads Orange/Blue/White Stripes

8/0 TOHO Seed Beads in Opaque Cherry

8/0 TOHO Seed Beads in Opaque Shamrock

8/0 TOHO Seed Beads in Dark Yellow

8/0 TOHO Seed Beads in Sunset Orange

8/0 TOHO Seed Beads in Opaque White

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.

Checkout Artbeads' "The World Greatest Bead" Sweepstakes.  Click here for details!

~Today's Quote~

How do we change the world?

One single act of random kindness at a time.

~from the movie, Evan Almighty

Thank you, Rose & Jessica!!!

Exciting News!!!

I have received the Kreativ Blogger Award!  It's my first and I received it from Rose of  Ahtee's Blog  and Jessica of  To Bead or Not To Bead What A Question!  Please check out these lovely ladies' blogs!

Here are the rules for the award:

1. Post the award on my blog

2. Thank the person who gave me the award

3. Link the person who gave me this award

4. Share 7 things that you probably don't know about me

5. Choose 7 great bloggers to give the award to

6. Share a link to their blogs

7. Leave a comment on their blog

 

OK, for the things you probably don't know about me...

 

1.  My husband and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary this year.

 

2.  My parents had two daughters, eight years apart.  I had two daughters, eight years apart.  What are the odds of that happening?!

 

3.  I'm basically shy.  I hate being the center of attention.

 

4.  I ride a Harley Trike.

 

5.  I hate winter!

 

6.  I have a sweet tooth.  I'd rather have dessert than the meal!

 

7.  I have always loved doing "crafty" things.

 

The 7 Bloggers that I give this award to are:

 

1.  Lisa at A Bead A Day.  I look forward each day to Lisa's post! 

2.  Pearl at The Beading Gem's Journal. So much helpful and interesting information on this blog!

3.  Keirsten at The Cerebral Dilettante.  I love her style!

4.  Dawn at Designs by Dawn Marie.  Always upbeat and full of helpful information!

5.  Jewelry Mama at Jewelry Mama.  She has invited us to join her journey into jewelry making!

6.  Cindy at Sweet Bead Studio.  Love her wire wrapping and the glimpses into her life!

7.  Erin at Treasures Found: Inspiration is Everywhere.  Erin and her blog are full of Inspiration!

 

Take a look at the blogs of these "kreativ" women!  They all make beautiful jewelry! 

 

I love that the internet and blogging has made it possible for strangers to connect, share their inspiration and become friends without ever meeting!

 

~Today's Quote~

 

Your whole life comes alive when you have the courage to follow your dream, to create change, and to do what is right over what is easy. 

Red White & Blue Bling Bracelet

I saw a bracelet using sequins in one of my books and being a lover of "bling" I wanted to try it!  I bought a mixed bag of sequins and as I was sorting them, the red, blue and silver ones just caught my eye.  I was hoping to have it finished for a Memorial Day post but didn't get it done in time. 

 It also includes silver lined clear seed beads and red bugle beads.  It's actually pretty wide, about an inch and a half, including the sequins.  I really think I'd prefer it on a smaller scale, but it is pretty and sparkly and has lots of Bling!

I think these would be neat for twirlers or school spirit bracelets.

What do you think of it?

~Today's Quote~

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.

 ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Inspired by Wedding Flowers and The Wedding Story

Erin of Treasures Found::Inspiration is Everywhere does a monthly challenge.  The challenge this month is to create something “Inspired by Wedding Flowers".   I decided to use my daughter’s wedding flowers as my inspiration. 

Please note that I didn't properly follow the rules for this challenge.  I just used it as a starting point for my own enjoyment!  If you're interested in joining the challenge please read the rules!

The Wedding Story…
Once upon a time there was a 16 year old girl who fell in love with a 25 year old guy.  They decided it was time to tell the parents. The young man came to talk to my husband.  Now my husband is a big guy so you have to admire the courage it took for this young man to tell him that he was in love with his daughter!  Well, my husband told him in no uncertain terms to stay away from his daughter!  We knew him and didn’t have a problem with him personally. He’s a nice young man and we approved of him, but as parents had a problem with the age difference since our daughter was still in high school.

Well, they continued to talk on the phone, but I’m sure they didn’t see each other because that was forbidden.  (Uh huh, I’ll just keep on believing that!)  The subject of them dating kept coming up and finally my husband agreed, with strict conditions!  They continued to date through her high school years and the day came that he proposed.  The wedding plans began!


We planned an outdoor wedding for May 6 at a garden a few miles from here.  Imagine walking through a vine covered canopy, down a lovely wooded path, past a small waterfall to arrive at the wedding site.  It was going to be beautiful!  Her flowers were Stargazer Lilies.  The wedding colors were hot pink and lime green.  She walked down the aisle to "Beautiful Mess “ by Diamond Rio.  A little unconventional but that is “their” song.  That’s what I love about weddings now days.  You can be unique, you can be you, you can do anything you want to do!


We planned to have the reception there, also.  I envisioned this lovely “afternoon tea” setting with guests lingering, enjoying the beautiful gardens, while having their cake and punch. Well, that was not to be…


It rained and rained and rained.  All day.  It wasn’t sprinkles, it wasn’t pouring.  Just a nice steady shower.  There was a small chapel on the property and that was our back-up plan if necessary.  We knew it would be very crowded but it would work.  She was so disappointed and determined that she wanted to be married outside.  Luckily, one of the guests was a Boy Scout leader and, “always being prepared”, he arrived early AND he had a canopy with him! They quickly set it up for the wedding party.  We sent someone to town to buy all the umbrellas they could find and she was married in the garden!


It was a quick ceremony due to the rain.  The unity candle and reception were moved to a hall they had rented for the party afterwards.  Due to our oldest daughter “knowing people” we were able to have an arch and yards of tulle and twinkle lights delivered and managed to set up a very pretty backdrop for the reception table!

As they say, “All’s well that ends well“.  It wasn’t exactly the wedding of her dreams but it still turned out beautiful and they just celebrated their 4th wedding anniversary!

I put together a little slide show with some of the wedding pictures.

And now for the jewelry:

"Katie's Bouquet"

I used small white seed beads with a pearl finish, and pink, green and yellow seed beads as accents on black wire.  I added some Czech Fire Polished beads. The color in these beads ranges from the palest pink to dark pink.  The pendant is from a garage sale find.  I think it resembles a lily.  If I had shopped for beads for this project it would have been more elaborate, but due to the distance of the nearest bead shop and the temptations involved with ordering online I just used what I had on hand!

  I enjoyed this trip down memory lane and hope you did, too! 

~Today's Quote~

"Some see age as a restriction, some see age as a number, I see age as mind over matter.

 If you don't mind it don't matter!"

The Beauty of Spring

"Lilacs in Bloom"

When Artbeads announced the theme, "The Beauty of Spring", the first thing that came to my mind was lilacs!  I've always loved them.  They're one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring and they smell soooo good!  I have a lilac bush outside my kitchen window.  I see the first little buds on the bush and within a couple of weeks those tiny buds are lilacs in full bloom!

I made a matching set~ necklace, bracelet and earrings.  To create this set I chose the following from Artbeads selection of Swarovski crystals and used Vintaj bronze wire to represent the bark :

5301 5mm Faceted Bicones in Lilac 

(These must be out of stock.  I don't find them on the website now.  I'm guessing this is due to Swarovski phasing out the 5301 and replacing them with the XILION bicone)

5328 4mm XILION Bicone in Lilac

5328 4mm XILION Bicone in Light Olivine

I wish you could see the sparkle of these crystals.  There's just nothing prettier or sparklier than a Swarovksi crystal!

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.

~Today's Quote~

Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.

 ~Kahlil Gibran

I'm the lucky winner of this beautiful bracelet!

One of my favorite blogs is Rose Binoya's blog, Ahtee's Blog.  She says that "making pretty things is what I love doing" and making pretty things is what she does!  She offered this beautiful bracelet as a giveaway on her blog and I was lucky enough to win!  It arrived Monday and it is SO pretty! 

 I love her logo and packaging...

It was in a pretty box and tied with ribbons. She also enclosed a sweet handwritten note.  I told her that I had just ordered a new turquoise top and that the bracelet would go perfectly with it.  She surprised me with a matching pair of earrings!  How stinkin' cute are they?!  The bracelet and earrings both feature buttons!

Hop on over to her blog where you can shop her Etsy shop, become a fan of her Facebook page and follow her on Twitter!

THANK YOU, ROSE!!!

I LOVE THEM!

~Today's Quote~

True contentment is not in having everything, but in being satisfied with everything you have.