Something Sublime Christmas Ornament Blog Hop Party 2015!

Well hello there! It's been a long time since I've visited this little online home of mine! Let me dust off the cobwebs so we can sit and chat!

Deryn Mentock of Something Sublime is an incredibly talented artist I've admired for a number of years now. I have had the privilege and pleasure of taking two courses in person with her (my 50th birthday present to myself!) and several online classes with her (it's just like being with her in person, she gives that much attention to the detail/quality of her online classes and discussion forums). Last month she launched the first of an annual online class series devoted to handcrafting artisan Christmas ornaments. Be still my heart! I mean, my blog is named Artfully Ornamental for a reason after all - just ask my Caitlin (who secretly has her name on a large selection of my Christmas ornaments - I'm sure she'll have to fight her brother and sister for some.....). The first of this series is The Merry Men of Winter. Love! I've scored a couple of resources for this project as Goodwill this week. They'll be gracing my tree and in a couple of vignettes next Christmas!

Deryn inquired in her Facebook group if anyone would be interested in a blog hop. Count me in (though I'm late to the party with my posting - work.....)! I have multiple ornaments for my kiddos in process, but none are finished. So, I've chosen this sweet little ornament to share with you.

The main medium I work with is stained glass and paint. This sweet little birdhouse is a tiny bit wonky (you'll see when I show you the back). It's the first 3-D ornament, or any stained glass item, I've made. I've embellished her not only with paint, but with contemporary and vintage glass flower beads and a sweet vintage Swarovski connector as an entrance hole. That an entrance with style!

You can see a little bit of the wonky on the front roof line..... A tiny bee is interested in these lillies.

A sweet little ladybug is interested in this colorful flower patch.

A bluebird is visiting a neighbor's house.

And a snail is out taking a stroll (this is where the wonky is at its worst...). Hopefully the next one I make won't have as much wonk, but my home isn't perfect - I suppose most aren't. Thankfully it's in the back!!

Thanks for stopping by my little spot on the internet! Please check out the others who've participated by visiting Deryn's post about the ornament hop and clicking on the links at the bottom of the post to see the beauties the other participants have created! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!!

2013 ABS Ornament Blog Hop

Well hello! Welcome to the fourth annual (my third) Art Bead Scene Ornament Blog Hop! A great big thank you to the lovely Heather Powers of Humblebeads, Art Bead Scene and Earrings Everyday for hosting this fun hop! I love, love, love collecting and making Christmas ornaments - thus, Artfully Ornamental.

Nearly every ornament on my tree is handcrafted either by me or by an artisan who I bought the ornament directly from. I love that! I have sent two boxes of ornaments away with two of my children, now that they've established their own homes. I have the ornaments of my other two still on my tree. It's fast becoming too full! Next year, I think I may buy - I can't believe I'm going to say this - a tall, narrow artificial tree (the hubster and I have only ever had a real tree) to put in another room with one of my ornament groupings on it. Not sure yet which grouping - ocean themed, trees, angels - there are other collections but those 3 are the largest, will go on the tree. We'll see!

The ornament I created for this hop has been on my mind for over a year. I just had to figure out the mechanics of it, and find the time to create it! I present: Walking In A Winter Wonderland

This is a sweet little snowboy snow globe! I also painted snowflakes on a red resin bead attached to the ornament hanger.The sweetest part of this ornament for me is that it's interactive - it works like a snow globe! I am so, so happy with how this ornament came out!

See the glitter at the bottom of the globe? See how it's in a drift on the right side of the ornament in the picture above this one, and how it's in a drift on the left in the photo above? Squeeee!!

See!?! The glitter moves!!

I also painted a snowflake on the back (which I'll be removing and repainting, it's a bit too scrunched together - easy fix though). Sigh...

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you enjoy your hopping today and are enjoying a cup of hot cocoa while you hop (click here for links)!

As a treat for you, I'm sharing a recipe I've made for years: Hot Fudge Sauce! It's a recipe my friend Julie shared with me. Last Christmas I gifted small containers of it to my co-workers, they loved it (I used the small snack sized Glad containers)! My family is disappointed when it's not in the fridge. I always double it (or more.....), but this is the standard recipe (and yes, I made a double batch last night - yum):

Hot Fudge Sauce

1 1/2 squares unsweetened chocolate (I use Ghirardelli 60% cacao)

1/4 cup unsalted butter (I use Land 'o Lakes)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup light cream

1 teaspoon vanilla (use good quality real vanilla, not artificial)

Melt the butter and chocolate in a medium sauce pan over low heat. In a bowl, mix cocoa powder, sugar & salt (I whisk them together, it breaks up the cocoa powder). Remove pan from heat and add cocoa mixture to the pan, mix well. I add the powdered mixture to the pan in either 1/2 or 1/3 increments, stirring 'til blended - this will be thick. Add the light cream slowly and stir 'til smooth and blended. Again, I add the light cream in either 1/2 or 1/3 increments. I've found this is the best way to easily incorporate it into the thicker mixture. Return the pan to heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir to mix. Pour into your container(s). Cool, then refrigerate and keep refrigerated; it thickens as it cools. I portion out a couple of spoonfuls and zap it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to pour over my ice cream. Enjoy!!

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

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

2012 Art Bead Scene Ornament Hop

Good day to you! Is it though, I'm not sure - think I should have stayed in bed this morning. I had a lovely update written to replace my ABS Ornament Blog Hop sneak peek with my reveal at 7:00 this morning. Just as I was uploading my last picture so I could click "Update" my internet went down. I franticly tried to copy and paste into Word so I could repost, but that was to no avail. Thank you Road Runner.....Anyhoo, I'll try it again.....

Thanks for stopping by to see the ornaments I created for this wonderful hop hosted by the lovely Heather Powers of Humblebeads, Art Bead Scene and Earrings Everyday. Handcrafted Christmas ornaments are near and dear to my heart. Our tree is covered with them each year. I love looking at our tree and remembering either where and the artisan I purchased an ornament from, creating them myself, or with the kids. We have some lovely ornaments our beautiful TJ's Godmother created for him when he was a little boy.

Back at the beginning of October I attended Art is You...Stamford and took a mini-class with Laurie Mika. It was wonderful and introduced me to a new obsession - polymer clay. The class was wonderful, Laurie is a fabulous teacher, and the techniques were stunning yet quite simple. These ornaments, though nothing like those from the class, are very simple yet oh, so sweet!

I created these gingerbread folk using a special ingredient. My girlfriend Roxanne's grandfather, Wilfred, died a number of years ago. Wilfred and Arlene, her grandmother, raised her. They were l ovely people. We watched South Portland's annual Memorial Day parade every year from their front lawn. Some of my favorite memories from childhood right through to this past Memorial Day - we still watch from there even though Walter and Arlene have passed. Roxanne moved far away years ago as well. When Wilfred was at the end of a battle with cancer, Roxanne came and stayed with my family in order to spend time with him, and then make his funeral arrangements and everything associated with the home she grew up in. It was a whirlwind of activity and a bit overwhelming. We helped her some, my husband and boys moving the things she wanted to keep, but she handled the bulk of the Herculean effort. I say Herculean because Wilfred had owned a vacuum cleaner repair business since leaving the miliatry. Man, was there stuff!

Rox sorted through the things she watned to keep, sell and trash. There were a few things she didn't want but the hoarder collector in me, couldn't let them go - so I saved them waiting for the right time to make something with them. These ornaments are the first. The "icing" on my gingerbread folk are freshwater pearls from a multi-strand necklace Arlene wore. The pearls still smell of her perfume. Other ingredients I used are Swarovski flat-back crystal pearls and crystals (in Light Siam for the Mr. and Indian Pink for the Mrs.) as additional decoration. Believe it or not, the hangers took longer and were more difficult to make. I used pearlized lampwork beads by Adriana Sauceda of San Antonio, Texas to decorate the hangers. I truly hope that was German silver wire I was using instead of my sterling - there was a lot of scrap!

These, along with a few other things, will be winging their way down to Roxanne in South Caronlina shortly. Thanks so much for stopping by, and a HUGE thank you to Heather for hosting such a sweet hop! Now, go visit these other lovely artisans to see what they created!
Art Bead Scene
Humblebeads
Treasures Found
Song Beads
Viki O'Dell
Sue Beads
Modern Nature Studio
Diane Hawkey
Suburban Girl Studio
Jen Judd Rocks
Ellie's Bijoux
Island Girl's Insights
Life By The Seat Of My Pants
Too Aquarius
Shelley Graham Turner
Artfully Ornamental
Charis Designs Jewelry
Harrison Hollow Designs
Silver Nik Nats
Bead Soup Mix
Toodles and Binks
Bead Recipes
Play Sculpt Live
BeeTree by M.E.
Billi RS Rothe
A Half-Baked Notion
Kimis Jewelry and Gifts

And the winner is.......

Were you expecting to find out who the winner of the Mrs. Snow ornament was yesterday? Me too! I, however, have been sick as a dog for the last several days and have spent what energy I've had laying in bed or on the couch watching the History Channel, BRAVO (Lord help me), HGTV and the Food Network. I finally have enough energy to sit up for a while. Sorry for the delay!

I had indicated in my previous blog post that I'd accept comments 'til 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday (10/30) and announce the winner of the Mrs. Snow ornament on the 31st (again, I'm a day late and a dollar short.....), the same day Jennifer announced who won Mr. Snow on her blog. However, Jennifer had a glitch on her blog last week and the giveaway post was down for a number of days. She's extending the giveaway date for Mr. Snow 'til November 7. Because of her re-post I received a number of comments after Tuesday evening. So, this is what I'm going to do - Today I've drawn a name from the 8 comments I received by 10/30 at 9 p.m., AND I'll draw a second winner from ALL comments received ON THIS POST (go the original post to comment) including the 8 today on Tuesday, November 6. Your comment MUST be date/time stamped by 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 6. I'll post the winner's name on Wednesday, November 7. I don't know what that ornament will be yet, but I'm thinking it will be a snow person of some sort to keep with the theme. I have a couple of ideas running around in my head - we'll see how they turn out this weekend when I have some time in the studio. Sound good? Make sure you either leave your email address in your comment, or have the ability for me to contact you through your blog!

Now, drum roll please..... the winner of the Mrs. Snow ornament is - Jodi-usairdoll (Jeanne Gwin)! Congratulations Jeanne!! I've sent you an email!

A Giveaway at Jangles!!

Have you met Jennifer Heynen, aka Jennifer Jangles yet? Well, if you haven't, you should! Jennifer is the creative force behind Jangles - she's a multi-talented artist from Georgia. She creates the most colorful, whimsical clay beads, buttons and components for jewelry artists, mugs, ornaments and other pottery, she is an author, and most recently she has been designing playful fabric lines and sewing patterns. How she does it all, I don't know - home, young family, business...my family is grown and I can't begin to accomplish what Jennifer does!

I've been reading and being inspired by Jennifer's blog for several years. Each year in the fall she sends out her Holiday Projects Newsletter, ten weeks of newsletters, and hosts giveaways for her readers as part of the fun. This year she asked her readers if they'd like to contribute prizes for some of the giveaways. Well, I took a huge leap, for me, and sent Jennifer an email with pictures of some of my hand painted, stained glass ornaments - ornaments I've been making for my family and friends for years. She said yes, and here we are!! Thank you for this opportunity, Jennifer!

Today is my giveaway! Hop on over to Jennifer's blog and leave a comment and you could win my Mr. Snow ornament! The winner will be announced on her blog next Wednesday, October 31st! Don't forget to sign up for her Holiday Projects Newsletter while you're there (the newsletter sign up is on the right side toolbar on her blog)!

I'm in the process of creating items for my Etsy shop, but please check back - I'll hopefully have some ornaments listed by this weekend!

As an added bonus, I'm going to host a little giveaway here as well! Leave a comment below and I'll pull a name out of the hat ('cause I'm all low-tech like that) next Tuesday evening (cut off at 9 p.m.) and post the winner's name on Wednesday, October 31 (make sure your comment either links to email or you leave me your email address so I can contact you)! The lucky winner will win Mrs. Snow:

Holiday Bling Blog Hop - Reveal!

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