The Adventure Project

 Have you heard about The Adventure Project? No? Well, let me tell you a little bit about them. From their website, because they can say it better than I can: "The Adventure Project is a non-profit organization established to increase investments in positive social enterprises around the world. Founded in 2010 by Becky Straw & Jody Landers, who met while traveling through Liberia, West Africa. They have joined forces to raise awareness and funds to support the world’s most-effective social ventures. Our vision is simple. We believe we can end extreme poverty in our lifetime by reinventing how we give. Ways that spur economic opportunity, promote dignity, & save lives."

I found out about The Adventure Project through a blog I read regularly - Meg Duerksen of Whatever. Meg is who I'd like to be when I grow up, except that I'm a lot older than Meg. Meg is a woman of faith who loves her family and gives back. She's traveling to Haiti soon to witness first-hand what the folks at The Adventure Project are doing. Meg has previously traveled to Africa, Sierra Leone, with Jody and a group of women. Now, she's traveling to Haiti. Have you forgotten about Haiti and the devastation from the earthquake that happened just over three years ago?

There are several different causes you can donate to through The Adventure Project. The project Meg has blogged about, and her reason for traveling to Haiti, is to raise money for efficient coal-burning stoves to help the air these folks are breathing in, create jobs, and help them save money. A $20 contribution purchases one stove. Most everyone I know, even those with not much money, can afford to donate $20. It can, will, change lives. This is the perfect day to make a donation to do something to change lives, the Inauguration of the President of the United States and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. And you know what, I received a personal thank-you from Jody. That really touched me, I didn't expect it.

We live in an age where we're riveted to and dismayed by what what we see on the news. It's then replaced by the next event that happens. However, the devastation and struggle still remain. Over 500,000 - half a million - people, folks are still living in tents in Haiti. They have no plumbing, no electricity. It's difficult to comprehend living in this country that we are lucky enough to live in. Our country isn't perfect, but we are so blessed - and take so much for granted.

Please, go here and donate. Create your own page and donate, or go to Meg's page and donate in her name. You'll feel great and make a difference all at the same time.

Memories and Thanks Blog Hop

Some people come into our lives and quickly go.

They stay in our lives for awhile,
leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.

T.J. 1 week old. 

And so it is when you give birth to your first child.

Good morning and welcome to the reveal of Lori Anderson's Memories and Thanks Blog Hop. If you're not family with the story about why Lori initiated this blog hop, it's heart-wrenching. Lori Marianna wished to participate in the Bead Soup Blog Hop but didn't have a blog. Lori helped her with this and Mari began blogging. When the date for sign-ups came and went, yet Mari hadn't signed up, Lori became worried and sent her several emails. Then one day her daughter contacted Lori to let her know Marianna had passed away unexpectedly. To say it threw Lori for a loop is an understatement.

Marianna's daughter forwarded a package to Lori that her mother had intended to send before her death. Lori had known about the package. She hadn't been prepared, though, for each bead/set in the box to be individually wrapped with a note in Mari's handwriting about each bead. That's when Lori decided to make a very special piece using these treasures and to invite anyone who would like to remember someone living or passed to participate in this very special blog hop. I knew, immediately, that I wanted to participate. I knew who I wanted to remember and I knew with what. This is something that is very near and dear to my heart.

T.J. at 15

We lost our beautiful 19 year old son T.J., our oldest, 8 1/2 years go, very suddenly, very tragically. I've written about T, briefly, on his own page here on the blog. T was big, strong, and healthy. The irony was not lost on us that the only part of him that was injured was his brain, his brain was the part of him that didn't "function" right. T was an organ donor; 5 people who were dying are alive today because of his gift of life, 2 people who were going blind can now see. Countless others will be healed with his gift of tissue and bone.

T had a huge heart. All he wanted was to be happy and love/be loved. He didn't think that anyone other than his family loved or cared about him. He was so wrong about that. The funeral home stopped counting at 1,400 the day of his wake; the church was filled to overflowing - he touched so many lives in so many ways. He still does. We love him and miss him every minute of every day, but we go on and we try to do it with as much happiness as we can muster, because it's what he'd want.

When I saw this heart pendant on Ebay in 2005 I was immediately drawn to it. It was made by Aimee of Lakeside Lampwork. I'm not sure if she's still making beads or not, I couldn't find any active links. It's a beautiful sculpted, electroformed lampwork heart with a citrine chip dangling in the middle of the opening. I believe the heart was formed on a heart-shaped mandrel - it really is so perfect.

I love me some sparkle and vintage beads so I've included Swarovski crystals in purple velvet and crystal copper, vintage amber colored lucite, some beautiful iridescent copper/iris pearls, some Unicorne Beads drops, amethyst rondelles and some amethyst and copper beads. Amethyst is T.J.'s birthstone, I think it's the perfect accent for the copper and amber. Copper is healing and increases energy - necessary on so many levels.

 Heart of My Heart

Sorry for the dark pics, it's overcast and rainy this morning. Thanks for stopping by! Please visit these other wonderful artists to read the stories behind the art they've created in memory of someone they love.

  Hostess, Lori Anderson       Pretty Things

 Adlinah Kamsir                   Dream Struck Designs

 Aimee Biondolillo               Aimee's Jewelry Treasures

 Alicia Marinache                 All the Pretty Things 
 Andra Marasteanu               Handmade by Indra Marasteanu 
 Andrea Trank                      Heaven Lane Creations
 April Grinaway                   Brooklyn Bead Goddess

Barb Solem                         Vivi Magoo Presents

Becky Pancake                    Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Beth Emery                         Stories by Indigo Heart

Bonnie Coursolle                Jasper's Gems

Cassi Paslick                       Beads: Rolling Downhill

Catherine King                    Catherine's Musings

Cece Cormier                      The Beading Yogini

Chandra Leitz                     Juniper Goods

Charissa Nesler                   FireStorm Designs
Charlie Jacka                       Clay Space

Christina Hickman              Vintage Treasures Jewelry

Christine Stonefield            Sweet Girl Design

Chrizette Bayman               Bead Soup Mix

Cindy Wilson                      It's My Sea of Dreams

Crystal Thain                      Here Bead Dragons

Cyndi Lavin                        Beading Arts

Debbie Rasmussen             A little of this, a little of that

Denielle Hagerman             Some Beads... and other things I like
Diana Gonzalez                  Arte y Poemas

Diane Hawkey                    diane hawkey

Dita Basu                            ankarshilpa

Donetta Farrington             Simply Gorgeous

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     Deeliteful Jewelry Creations

Emma Todd                        A Polymer Penchant

Erin Kenny                         beadiful therapy

Erin Prais-Hintz                  Treasures Found

Gina Hockett                      Freestyle Elements

Gloria Allen                        Innovative Dreams Jewelry

Heather Marston                 CSW Designs

Inge von Roos                    Inge's Blog

Jacqueline Marchant          Fiddledeedee Jewelry

Jami Shipp                         Celebrating Life!

Jean Yates                          Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading to Do!

Jennifer Reno                     Musings of a Crafty Jenny
Jenny Robledo                   Peppa's Dream

Jennifer VanBenschoten    Jewelry, Art and Life
Jessica Klaaren                  Cellar Door Jewelry

Jessica Murray                   Whimsical Monkey

Joan Williams                     lilruby jewelry

Jo-Ann Woolverton            It's a Beadiful Creation

Joanne Browne                   josjewels1

Jodie Marshall                    Jodie Marshall Lampwork Beads Wearable Art

Johanna Rhodes                 Fire Phoenix Creations
John Rasmussen                 Rasumussen Gems and Jewelry LLC

JuLee Wolfe                       The Polymer Penguin

Julie Bean                           Blue Pig Blog

Karen Mitchell                   Over the Moon Designs

Karin King                         The Sparklie Things Blog
Karin Slaton                       Backstory Beads

Kat Douglas                       Washoe Kat's
Kay Bolton                        Toodles and Binks

Kelly Hosford Patterson     The Traveling SideShow

Kim Ballor                          Vitamin C ... A Daily Does of Creativity

Kim Dworak                       CianciBlue

Kim Houston                       The Pink Martini

Kym Hunter                         Kym Hunter Designs

Laren Dee Barton                Laren Dee Designs

Lea Avroch                          LA Jewelry Designs

Leanne Loftus                      First Impression Design

Lena Adams (Mari's daughter) -- TBA
Liddy McLaughlin               Liddy McLaughlin Art

Linda Florian                       Lily's of the Valley Jewelry & Creative Creations

Linda Inhelder                     Must-Haves Jewelry

Lisa Hamilton                      Simply Irresistable Jewelry
Lisa Suver                            Fancee That

Lori Bowring Michaud        Artfully Ornamental

Lori Poppe                           Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

LouAnn Elwell                    Southpass Beads

Mandi Effron                       Craft-o-licious

Marcia DeCoster                 MadDesigns

Marcia Dunne                     The Alternative Foundry

Marie Covert                      Creating Interest

Marjorie Savill Linthwaite     bennubirdrising

Marlene Cupo                        Amazing Designs by Marlene

Martha Aleo                           Ornamento

Marti Conrad                          Marti's Buttons -n- Beads

Mary Ellen Parker                  BeeTree by m.e.

Mary Govaars                        MLH Jewelry Designs

Mary Lindell                          Mary Lindell Artisan Jewelry

Maureen Connolly                 Mrs Beadsley's Workshop

Maybeline Tay                       The Jewelry Larder

Melissa Elgin                         The Addicted Beader

Melissa Mesara                      one-eared pig beads

Menka Gupta                         Menka's Jewelry

Michaela Pabeschitz              la mar de bonita

Mischelle Fanucchi               Micheladas Musings

Mona Rae Baroody               Who Does She Bead She Is?

Nan Emmett                          Spirit Rattles -- Spirited Earth

Nancy Pedersen                    Something Heartfelt by Nancy

Natalie Davidson                  NorthShore Days
Nikki Douglas                      Bead It and Weep

Pam Farren                           re-maker

Pam, the Crazier Sister        The Crazy Creative Corner

 Priya Krish                           Hellopalz 
Rebecca Anderson               Song Beads

Rebecca Sirevaag                 Becca's Place

Robin Kae Reed                   Artistry HCBD

Rochelle Brisson                  a creative chelle

Sabine Dittrich                     perlendschungel

Sandi Volpe                          Sandi Volpe

Sandra McGriff                    Creative Chaos

Sarah Goode                         Pookledo
Sarah Singer                         String a Song of Sixpence

Serena Trent                         All Things Made Jewelry

Shai Williams                       Shaiha's Ramblings
Sharon Palac                        Sharon's Jewelry Garden

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson    Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections

Sheila Davis                         Stone Designs

Shelley Graham Turner        Fabric of My Life

Sherri Stokey                       Knot Just Macrame

Sherry Baun                         Unicorns Jewels

Skylar Bre'z                         Brising Beads

Stephanie Haussler              Pixybug Designs

Tania Spivey                        Moobie Grace Designs

Terri G.                                Blooming Ideas

Terry Carter                         Tapping Flamingo

Terry Matuszyk                    Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Toltec Jewels                       Jewel School Friends
Tracy Kruse                         Goldkisses Art

Tracy Martin                        Nutkitten's Jewelry 

Zia Parks                              Anzi~Panzi's Work Shoppe 

Zoe Marcin                          Beads, Tea and Sweets

Art Bead Love Tour - The Winner!!

Renetha of Lamplight Crafts!!

Congratulations Renetha! I've sent you an email for your address so I can get this sweet package moving along to you!

Thanks to those who stopped by and commented - good luck to you in the next round!

One Little Word - 2013

Hello! I've watched over the last several years as a number of artists whose blogs I read have chosen a word to focus on and grow with throughout the year. Ali Edwards started her "one little word" back in 2006. I have to admit, initially I thought it was silly. However, I've watched these women embrace their words, and grow and thrive. I feel in a rut. I have for quite some time. When I'm at work, I'm thinking about what I'd like to be doing if I were home (don't worry, I get plenty of my work done while thinking about being somewhere else ;) ), yet when I'm at home and could be working on all (or some) of the projects that I have swirling around in my head and heart I don't focus my energy. I sit on the internet, shop, watch tv, perform piddly projects at home. I want to lose weight and exercise, yet I do nothing about it. You get the picture, right?

I've had a business in my mind for a lot of years; I make things that I haven't seen elsewhere. Do I create them and sell them? No. Well, it's time. I'm 50; my life is, most likely (though my grandmother will be 97 next month!), more than half over. I had wanted to firmly have my crap together by the time I turned 50. I certainly have lots of it together, but there's lots I don't. I'm the only person who can create the life I want - it won't happen while I sit back and watch. So, I'm picking a word for this year and I'm going to join Ali in a year-long One Little Word 2013 journey.

My word? FOCUS!

Art Bead Love Tour - Your Chance to Win!!

Are you ready to be the next stop on the Art Bead Love Tour and hold this beautiful chain in your own two hands?!?! Here's your chance! Please be sure to read all the way through, it's long but you must be able to comply with all of the rules. 

I received the chain last week just before we left for northern Maine to visit our daughter for a long weekend right before Christmas. I forgot to take a picture of the chain when I received it. This is what it looked like this morning after I had removed my choices from it:

Here are the pieces I selected along with the pieces I'm adding back to the chain (the pieces I removed are to the left and the pieces I'm replacing them with are just to the right and below):

an SLK bezel clasp with sea glass chips in ICE Resin, by me
a  handpainted, stained glass snowflake charm, by me
a Green Girl Studios pewter butterfly pendant
an intricate lampwork bead by Juli Wong of Ugli Beads

a beautiful lampworked amphora vessel pendant (I can't find the card for this, I had it last night. I'll update the artist name as soon as I find it.)
a handpainted, stained glass cardinal connector, by me
a pair or lampworked beads by Adriana Sauceda
2 pairs of ceramic beads by Andi Woods-Fasimpaur

I've also added a few extras:

A resin bead with a handpainted zinnia by me, a lampwork bead by Corina Tettinger, drilled sea glass chips by me, a ceramic button by Beadfreaky, and an enameled metal bead by Keri Lee Sereika

 

WINNER WILL BE DRAWN ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 5TH AT NOON.

 A huge thank you to all who've had the chain previously and have added such beautiful, handcrafted art beads to to keep this train steaming on!

Here's the Scoop:The Art Bead Love Tour is an ongoing project to spread the love of handmade to new and exciting places.  It's a way to reach people who may have never stumbled upon your blog on their own, and give them a chance to share the love of handmade.  A chain was chosen to link beads as a symbol of how this project links us all together ~ in our unity to stand behind handmade.

The winner of the chain will be allowed to take up to 30 beads from this chain. They will then replace each bead they took with another handmade bead, charm or pendant of equal quality.  (So remember-----You're not winning the ENTIRE CHAIN---just a chance to take some beads from it!)

 

It is so important that the quality of the beads be maintained, so we can keep the Art Bead Love Tour alive.  We want to share consistent quality with the next winner.  If you make your own handmade beads or components, it's a great way to get your beads into the world for people to try them out, or, if you hoard collect art beads it's a great way to share your collection and get some new additions as well.

Art Beads should be handmade by an artist, and not mass produced,
such as Hill Tribe Silver beads or others like them.

Remember, the focus is on replacing handmade with handmade, and beads/components taken should be replaced with beads/components that are made by an individual artist - not an organization.

Here's where the chain has been:

Love My Art Jewelry

Lorelei's Blog

Shaiha's Ramblings

Jen Judd Rocks

Silver Rose Designs

My Life Under The Bus

Ex Post Facto Jewelry

Beading Mommy

Alice Dreaming

Pretty Things

Moobie Grace Designs

Suburban Girl Studio

ferrarioriginalbeads

Baublicious

Devine Designs Jewelry

Chinook Jewelry Designs

Genea Beads
Keepsakes by Kristi
baubles, beads, & other curiosities
Artfully Ornamental - you are here!

HOW IT WORKS:  (Please read the entire post before entering!)

1. The winner of the chain will be allowed to take up to 30 beads from this chain.  They will then replace each bead they took with another handmade bead, charm, or pendant of equal quality.

2. The winner will post pictures of what was taken and what was added, in order to keep an account of the chain's progress and to keep our followers drooling.  Please be sure to give credit to the bead artists as well (if you know them).

3. The winner will then have a giveaway, just like this one, to keep passing the chain on and on.  Rules can be copied and pasted from here.

4. When you repost your giveaway (remember you can copy and paste from here) - a list should be added to show where the chain has gone, with links to each previous blog.  Ultimately, this will end up a very long list!

5. Chain must be shipped to its new home via Priority Small Flat Rate box with delivery confirmation. Please package it carefully.

6. There will be a button on the Love My Art Jewelry website that links to the current blog and giveaway, so if you have the chain it will link to your blog.  That way our followers can have another chance to win it!

7. You MUST exchange your beads and have your giveaway completed within two weeks of receiving the chain.

Please, please, please, if you cannot adhere to the above rules, do not
enter the giveaway at this time. It will go on and on and you can always
 enter at a later date.  There will be a button on the side bar of our blog
so that you can track where the chain currently is.

HOW TO ENTER:

1. You must have an active blog to enter.

2. Leave a comment below.  Make sure your email is linked to your blog or leave it in the comment.  Entries without emails will not qualify.

3. Share on Facebook, Twitter or your blog for extra chances to win.  Leave a comment for each way you share, with a link if possible.

4. Winner will pay shipping and will be billed through PayPal.  Package to be shipped via small priority flat rate box with delivery confirmation, $6.00.

5. Open only to our readers in the United States due to problems with tracking and shipping overseas (sorry).

GOOD LUCK!!

WOO-HOO! The Art Bead Love Tour is headed my way!

I am over the moon excited! The Art Bead Love Tour chain started by the lovely ladoes of Love My Art Jewelry is on its way to me!! I had a lovely surprise facebook email from Mimi Gardner of baubles, beads & other curiosities, the most recent holder of the chain, yesterday suggesting I take a peek at her recent blog post - I am ecstatic! I cannot wait to hold that beautiful piece of art in my hands and gaze upon it with my own two eyes. I'm not yet sure what I'll add to it, as I'd like to see what beauties I'd like to remove from it first! Stay tuned folks, your chance to win is coming up soon!