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

The Goodies Arrived

Hi! A couple of weeks ago I received several lovely packages in the mail. I am participating in two upcoming blog hops and have been paired with sweet partners! The first reveal will be this Saturday, March 16 (the day before St. Patrick's Day - my fave!). My partner for the Holiday Bling Blog Hop 3 is Sherri Stokey of Knot Just Macrame. Sherri came up with the fun, new to me, holiday Everything You Do Is Right Day, which is celebrated on March 16 - perfect!! We settled on swapping spring themed components, a quantity that could fit in the palm of one's hand.

Here are the amazing components Sherri sent to me:

Oh. My. Goodness! I have done a little bit of bead macrame (classes with Stephanie Sersich), but nothing like the work that Sherri does. Can you see how tiny the beads and macrame are in these components? Amazing. I do not have the eyesight to be able to make things like these. 

 And these painted lucite flowers? Oh my.

 I recently tried my hand at painting some of my stash of lucite as well as some polymer. Such fun! I have a couple of ideas brewing, one of them a little bit unconventional. I hope Sherri won't mind - I don't think the creator of the last component challenge I participated in was thrilled with what I did. Oh well.

These are the components I made and sent along to Sherri:

The photo is not spectacular, we haven't had lots of sun the past month, and when we have - I've been at work.A few of them are beachy, but the beach is seasonless in my world! I hope she likes them and can't wait to see what she makes!

The second hop I'm participating in is Lori Anderson's 7th Bead Soup Blog Party with a reveal date of March 30. I have been paired with the very sweet Sumi Rani of the HundredColors blog. Sumi is such a sweetie and I'm having a great time getting to know her. She is so brave, in my opinion, to up and leave your homeland, travel across the world and settle in another country with a small child.

This is what Sumi sent me (including the beautiful piece of poly-silk they're on):

and, here is what I sent to Sumi:

There's more to come so stop back on Saturday to see the reveal for the Holiday Bling Blog Hop 3! Thanks for stopping by!

Happy 28th Birthday

When you were born you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die the world cries and you rejoice. - Cherokee expression

 Timothy J. "T.J." Michaud, Jr.

2/28/85 - 5/9/04

That you did sweet, beautiful boy. Happy 28th Birthday T. Wish you were here to celebrate the day with us. We love you and miss you more than words can say.

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!

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!