Reveal - Holiday Bling Blog Hop 3, February/March

Well good morning to you. Welcome to the reveal of the Holiday Bling Blog Hop 3! Are you ready to hop?! I am, well, almost. I've finished one of my projects for this sweet hop, the other is in process. I had a pleasant evening planned for last night - dinner out with the Hubs, finishing my project, hearing from my youngest that her plane was on the ground at Logan from Dallas and then going to bed, knowing she'd soon be home after the bus ride from Boston.

Whelp, when God gave out the Luck 'o the Irish, He skipped this Irishman (I think He mocks me sometimes). As a mother, you never want to have this text exchange with your baby (no matter how old the baby is): Gabrielle: "Our plane is delayed."; me: "How long?": "an hour", "ok, keep me posted-love you". Gabrielle: "Can you call Concord to see if they can hold the bus, we're going to land just before the last bus to Maine for the night?"; me: "No go, you'll gain a few minutes because you're the third pick-up. Run to the bus stop when you disembark." Two hours later: "We haven't even boarded yet, we're not going to make the bus (next bus is at 5:55 a.m.). Matt is going to come get us."

Matt, God love him, is my younger son. So, the Hubs and I, after dinner, had to go pick up her car, which we had previously dropped off at the bus terminal, fill the tank, drive it to our son and his fiance' Katie in the next town. In the process of doing this I receive another text (there had, of course been a fair number in between with me continually telling her I love her - I'm sure she got sick of that, I didn't.); Gabrielle: "We still haven't boarded. Something is wrong with the plane."; "Oh. Good. Lord!" (that was me); "With the fuel connecting to the engine.".......... Sick. To. My. Stomach. Holy. Maccaroni..........

3+ hours later, she was on her way home. I was in no state to work on project 2. Sorry Sherri, I will finish it today and post later. First, a great big thank you to both Marlene and Shelley for creating this fun hop. My partner for this swap is the lovely and extremely talented Sherri Stokey of Knot Just Macrame. I cannot begin to tell you how incredibly talented Sherri is. I do not have the patience or the vision to create the tiny, intricate works of art that she creates. Just amazing! I received a lovely assortment of handpainted lucite flowers (lucite is one of my favorites having worked at The Beadin' Path and having been a long time customer), and micro-macrame components. After a series of emails Sherri had suggested spring themed components. Fab! She also, cleverly, came up with our holiday: Everything You Do Is Right day, which is celebrated on March 16. Perfect! How sweet is that?!

These are the sweet components I received from Sherri:

The project I have completed was made from the micro-macrame components. I was a bit unorthodox / unconventional with them. I hope you don't mind Sherri. While I thoroughly enjoy making jewelry, I'm an ornament girl. I'm always collecting. I have Easter ornaments, Halloween ornaments, boat-loads of Christmas ornaments, Valentine's ornaments ...... So, I decided to make ornaments with them. I have an Easter tree (which we, suspiciously, can't find - or my collection of ornaments.....), and I've bought them for my girls and started them with a collection. So, without further ado - my Easter ornaments:

I used polymer clay, stamps, pearl ex powders, Swarovski flat back crystals and pearls, and lucite leaves. I love them. I'm not overly thrilled with the color of the purple, I had tried to mute it a bit by blending it - it's still a bit bright. I need to come up with something to soften the color a bit. Other than that, though, I love them.

So, what's a girl to do when she can't find her Easter tree? Make a temporary one. I have a plethora of "stuff", so I used a few of my driftwood pieces, some raffia, and my white beach stones. Voila - an Easter ornament tree!

Please check back later today to see the other piece I'm creating with Sherri's beautiful lucite flowers. So, grab a cuppa' and hop along to see the other holidays being celebrated in February and March. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Alicia Marinache All the Pretty Things
Catherine King Catherine's Musings
Chris Schlicht Non-blogger HBBH Partners
Cynthia Machata Antiquity Travelers
Dyanne Everett-Cantrell Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
Gina Hockett Freestyle Elements
Jennifer Reno Musings of a Crafty Jenny
Laura Reed Non-blogger HBBH Partners
Leanne Loftus First Impression Design
Lennis Carrier Windbent
Lori Bowring Michaud Artfully Ornamental - you are here
Marti Conrad Marti C's Clay Blog
Mary Govaars MLH Jewelry Designs
Renetha Stanziano LamplightCrafts
Rita/ Toltec Jewels Jewel School Friends
Sandra McGriff Creative Chaos
Sarah Goode Pookledo
Sherri Stokey Knot Just Macrame - my partner
Sonya Stille Dreamin Of Beads
Tammie Everly TTE Designs
Therese Frank Therese's Treasures
Tiffany Goff Smith Southern Gals Designs
Marlene Cupo Amazing Designs
Shelley Graham Turner Fabric of My Life

Hopping Along.....

Where has the time gone? It's been almost a month since my last post. I don't think I can say that I've done a good job with my word "Focus", unless you consider that all of my focus has been on work. That is not what I want to focus on. So today, I'll focus on the creative opportunities I have upcoming - two swaps/blog hops!

First up is the Holiday Bling Blog Hop 3. Once again, Marlene & Shelley of Swaps by Marlene & Shelley have come up with a terrific idea! Partners who will swap surrounding an upcoming holiday in February/March. I've been paired with the lovely Sherri Stokey of Knot Just Macrame. Holy Maccaroni! This lady is talented! We have come up with the concept of trading components that we've made ourselves. The holiday we're representing? Sherri is a hoot! She found a holiday on March 16th - Everything You Do Is Right Day!!! I. LOVE. IT! We're swapping spring themed components - it will be perfect so stay tuned. Reveal day just happens to be on our holiday - how fab is that?!

Next up is the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party hosted by the amazing Lori McDaniel Anderson of the Pretty Things blog. My partner for this swap is the very sweet Sumi Rani of the HundredColors blog. Our reveal date is March 30. Sumi is from India and I'm having a great time getting to know her. I've received my soup and I'll post about that tomorrow. I think she may have received my soup this past Saturday - I hope.

Now, to focus on things I need to get done today on this President's Day holiday so I can get into my studio for a bit this afternoon and work on these two creative opportunities! Have a great day!

Holiday Bling 2 Blog Hop

 Good day to you! Welcome to the Holiday Bling 2 Blog Hop hosted by the lovely Shelley Graham Turner and Marlene Cupo. Thanks, ladies, for hosting such a fun event so very close to my heart! This go-round I was paired with Chandra Merod of Juniper Goods from sunny California. It's finally decided to be winter, temperature wise, here in Maine. I think I'd prefer the temps in California better (at least after Christmas - we may have a white one this year!)!

Chandra is both an artist and shop owner - how wonderful is that! I'd love to be able to create all day! She sent me two beautiful felt ornaments - love them! I just love adding new handcrafted ornaments to my tree each year. So much more special when someone makes them just for you! She sent me a sweet little gingerbread house. So special! My girls decorate a gingerbread house together every year and my youngest daughter had, what I refer to, gingerbread palooza at our house when she was a sophomore in high school - 20 girls decorating their hearts out! It was bedlam, yet a wonderful memory!

As the person who makes the special ornaments for my family every year, it's nice to be the recipient of lovely, handcrafted ornaments! The second ornament she sent to me was a beautiful little tree. Again, so special because I just love my tree each and every year. I love to get up early in the morning and sit and enjoy the tree lights while drinking my coffee. Such a wonderful way to start the day ('course it makes it hard to leave for work too!)!

This year's tree. Sorry for the bright flash, but it wasn't showing up any other way. Presents are not wrapped and under the tree yet.

Last year we had a family craft evening and made ornaments for my daughter Caitlin's first tree away from home. It was fun (well, hilarious actually). We did it again this year for my son's first tree away from home with his fiance in the home they've just purchased (tree's going up this weekend!). I think I'd actually like to make it an annual date with my family. 

Sneak Peek of the ornament I made for Chandra! Hop on over to see it!

Now, go hop along and see what these other lovely ladies have sent and received! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!

Shirley Moore http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com
Lori Bowring Michaud http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com - You are here!
Catherine King http://catherines-musings.blogspot.com
Dyanne Cantrell http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com
Sonya Stille http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com
Elaine Ray http://elaineray.blogspot.com
Gina Hockett http://freestyleelements.blogspot.com
Jo-Ann Woolverton http://itsabeadifulcreation.blogspot.ca
Debbie Rasmussen http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com
Renetha Stanziano http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Ginger Bishop http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com
Miranda Ackerley http://mirandack.com/category/thoughts
Sandra McGriff http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca
Tammie Everly http://ttedesigns.blogspot.com
Alicia Marinache http://www.allprettythings.ca
Melinda Abrahamson http://www.firstreetcrafts.com
Rita/ Toltec Jewels http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com
Chandra Merod http://www.junipergoods.blogspot.com
Mary Govaars http://www.mlhjewelrydesigns.com
Kelley Fogel http://www.mylifeonebeadatatime.blogspot.com
Tiffany Goff Smith http://www.southerngalsdesign.blogspot.com
Heather Rats Otto http://www.thecrafthopper.com
Anitra Gordy Boyers www.leelucreations.blogspot.com
Marlene Cupo http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com
Shelley Graham Turner http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com

Holiday Bling Blog Hop - Reveal!

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Time Flies!

Where does the time go? I haven't posted in 6+ weeks, not that many read the blog (my kids do - hi!) very often. It was summer the last time I posted! I had made a promise to myself that I'd post at least once a week; I so look forward to reading new posts on my favorite blogs and am sometimes disappointed if a blogger hasn't posted in a while. This is my busiest time at work and I'm mentally drained when I get home. It doesn't leave much time for being creative. Oh, how I wish I could work from my studio full-time - perhaps someday.

I have, however,  managed to fit a small amount of creativity into the last few weeks though! Saturday, October 6 is the reveal day for the Holiday Bling Blog Hop ornament swap hosted by both Shelley Graham Turner of The Fabric of My Life blog and Tori Sophia, and Marlene Cupo of the Amazing Designs blog. Well, this is right up my alley! My blog name is in large part due to the fact that I love handcrafted Christmas ornaments. I've been making them for my kids and giving them to family and friends for years.

 Gabi's original plaid skirt ornament.

When my youngest graduated from high school several years ago, each girl in her class received as part of her graduation present from the school an ornament that I designed. Gabrielle attended a small, all-girl Catholic high school and part of her uniform was a plaid skirt. This ended up being a group effort involving family and friends gathered around my dining room table working on a  project they hadn't signed up for. While there were only 59 girls in her class, I had bit off a bit more than I could chew. I had a plan and drew up a calendar - knew what I needed to do, broke it down into small pieces..... In the midst of this I had surgery. I thought I'd be physically able to do more than I ended up being able to do.

The production crew. You can't see the supportive husbands drinking beer in the living room! 

I was WAAAYYYY behind the 8-ball. I mentioned it to one of the moms, who rallied a couple of our friends, who brought several daughters along with my mom and oldest daughter. Each person had a task and each ornament was passed from person to person to complete each assigned task. It was wonderful! At the end, each girl had a very special, unique ornament to remember her high school years with.

Why are there 3 additional, different ornaments? Gabrielle already had a skirt, blouse and lion face so I made her a mortar board. Another friend had a skirt and blouse so she got a lion face and a third had a skirt already so she received a blouse.

Sneak peak of the ornament I've sent to Heather

For this swap I have been paired with the lovely Heather Otto of The Craft Hopper blog and Mama's Craft Room. I so hope she likes her ornament, sent with love all the way from the crisp fall air of Maine to the still very warm state of Texas! Heather describes herself as having CAADHD - Crafty Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - whelp, that about sums me up. I haven't met a craft I didn't like! I have the materials to do a good many things I haven't attempted yet. I can't even list them for you because it's so embarrassing. I need to win the lottery so I can stay home full-time again and just create. I feel like Heather and I are kindred spirits - we are both married to Tims, I too stayed home with my kids when they were young, we both have a bunch of kids close in age (I managed to fit one more into the mix), and we both love to dabble. So, stop back on October 6 for the reveal! I've received my ornament from Heather and I'm blown away at the artistry and craftsmanship. As many ornaments as I've made and gifted, I've never had an ornament made just for me. It is so lovely I just want to cry!

I'll have to write and schedule my post because I'll be at my first ever art retreat, Art Is...You in Stamford, CT! I am so excited I can't stand it!!

Photo and earrings by Diana Ptaszynski

Following all that excitement is the Mismatched Earring Swap reveal on October 16 hosted by the ever lovely Diana Ptaszynski of  Suburban Girl Beads and Suburban Girl Studio. This was a challenge on multiple levels. Not only have I never made a truly mismatched pair of earrings, but I am paired with Lesley Watt of Thea too  her handcrafted metal clay jewelry component shop and THEA jewellery her artisan jewelry shop. Lesley is one seriously talented woman. She is an amazing jewelry designer, it's a bit daunting. Each earring must contain at least one art bead. I made mine, again daunting. I so hope she likes the earrings I've sent to her. Gabrielle liked them (and wanted them) so that's a plus in my corner! Please be sure to check back on October 16th for the reveal!

Sneak peak of the earrings I've sent to Lesley

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!