2nd Annual Challenge of Travel:: South Portland, ME

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Challenge of Travel - Staycation Edition, hosted by the lovely Miss Erin Prais-Hintz of Treasures Found! Thanks for stopping by!

Miss Erin challenged us to make something inspired by where we live - welcome to SoPo as we fondly call it! South Portland is on the Southern Coast of Maine, a suburb of Portland, Maine's largest city. SoPo was a blue collar bedroom community for a long time. It's a bustling community of approximately 28,000 people. We have five elementary schools that were renovated or rebuilt at the turn of the century (it sounds so long ago when said that way), two middle schools and one high school (home of the Red Riots) which is currently undergoing a $40 million renovation (it's a lot further along than the facebook page indicates). I work as a secretary in the Superintendent's Office and, when my kids were growing up, I was on the School Board for 9 years. My husband and I both grew up here and are proud graduates of SPHS (and members of the class that created the Zoo Crew)!

 Spring Point Light on the left and Bug Light on the right

It's home to three marina's one of them the largest service marina in the State of Maine. We have two lighthouses - Spring Point Ledge Light on the campus of Southern Maine Community College (it's a beautiful campus - can you imagine looking out your classroom window at a beautiful bay and its islands?) and Portland Breakwater Light, affectionately known as Bug Light because of its small size. Bug Light sits on an 8 acre park which was formerly two ship building yards during WWII. My grandmother Dorothy Bowring was a Rosie the Riveter during WWII at one of the shipyards.

 Fisherman's Point at the far right end of he beach and a lifeguard chair looking to the left of the beach

SoPo has two public beaches, Davis Beach (it's a public beach most don't know about; it's accessed by a stairway on private property, and where I find most of my pottery shards) and Willard Beach (three if you count the beach that appears at low tide beside Spring Point Light). Willard is in a nice little cove, I didn't realize I didn't have good shots of the whole beach, I'll have to work on that. I spend a lot of my free time walking these beaches picking up my treasures (sea glass, heart shaped rocks, pottery shards), though sadly, not too much time this summer (insert sad face). My favorite time to walk our beaches is fall, winter and early spring - winter especially, it takes a hearty soul to spend serious time on a beach in Maine in the winter. It's peaceful, and mostly mine. Willard Beach is my favorite place on earth! My Uncle Chick was the lifeguard there for 38 years and it's the beach my mom and dad met on. My husband and I spent lots of time there when we were kids and I took my kids several times a week when they were growing up. It's small, but beautiful!

The Greenbelt Walkway is a paved, six mile trail that extends from Bug Light in the east to the Wainwright Recreational Complex in the middle of the city. Year round folks can be found walking, running, biking and skating along this beautiful  trail. It's part of the Eastern Trail System.

 Photo from the SP Land Trust websiste with the old bridge and gazebo (the gazebo has been replaced too)

We have a very active Historical Society, located on the grounds of Bug Light Park, and a very active Land Trust ensuring that we continue to have beautiful green space (there are more than I'm going to list here). Hinckley Park in the central part of the city has walking trails and two ponds that my boys fished in every summer. They and their friends would grab their pop-up tent, poles, backpacks full of snacks and entertain themselves for hours! Clark's Pond in the western end of the city is where residents cut ice blocks in the winter months before we had refrigeration. Several years ago a walking trail was built around it. In the heart of the city is Mill Creek Park. It's beautiful, and it's difficult to believe that it was formerly the city dump. It has a pond we call the Figure 8. Until a few years ago there was a beautiful bridge across it - I miss that bridge. Many brides walked across that bridge to reach their groom at the gazebo on the other side on their wedding days. Three of my four children had their prom pictures taken at Mill Creek Park. The city hosts summer concerts on Wednesday evenings - ending each summer with a concern by a local band, Motor Booty Affair. Motor Booty is a 70's tribute band - the park rocks out to the boys from Planet Funktar each summer, it's a blast. Mill Creek Park also hosts our annual Art in the Park each August. For the most part the weather is lovely for this beautiful day for artists to sell their creations (last year - not so much). New this year are family movies on a big screen on Thursday evenings at Bug Light Park. I haven't been, but I've seen friends' posts on facebook about the fun they're having. Thomas Knight Park is at the end of the road which connected to the old Million Dollar Bridge, which connected South Portland and Portland across the Fore River. It was replace in the late 90's with the Casco Bay Speedway Bridge. It caused quite a bit of controversy when it was built, but I think we're all used to it now.

There are many, many more things I could tell you about our beautiful spot on the earth, but I think you came to see what I created too! So, I present - "Second Time's a Charm":

Why Second Time's a Charm, well this isn't the necklace I set out to make several weeks ago.  Let me just tell you that raw polymer clay touching metal that has been colored with alcohol inks (and is unsealed) is a disaster, as is rushing to fill bezels (can you say over-fill and air bubbles). You must add your resin slowly so that it has a chance to settle. That perfectly domed bezel that you rushed to fill will inevitably run over the edge of the bezel - trust me. It's another post altogether.....
So, last night (yes I'm ashamed to say I was so frustrated from the first attempt I waited 'til the last minute to create my piece) I went with the K.I.S.S. philosophy. I hauled a boat-load of stuff out of my studio to the dining room table, but went with simple instead.. As I said earlier, I spend a lot of time on the beach. I have LOTS of sea glass (unfortunately the vast majority of it is craft grade, not jewelry grade) and pottery shards (as well as heart shaped rocks and tumbled pieces of brick...and driftwood). I had pulled several pieces out of my collection a year or so ago intending to make a necklace, so that's what I finally did. I like it a lot and I think I'll wear it later today!

I used copper foil and soldered the pottery shards with a sterling silver bearing solder and connected the pieces with  jump rings. The textured, base metal chain (I think I got it at Michael's a while ago) reminded me of rope as did the sterling silver toggle clasp. Not bad for a last minute decision.

So, grab a cuppa' and hop along to see what the other artists have created! Have fun and thanks for stopping by! A great big thank you to our hostess, Miss Erin Prais-Hintz! I haven't yet figured out the Linky tool, so 'til I do visit Miss Erin's blog for the list of participants!

When they built you brother, they broke the mold...

IN MEMORIAM

In Loving Memory Of

T.J. MICHAUD 
Who Passed Away May 9,  2004 
♥♥♥

Well they built the Titanic to be one of a kind,

but many ships have ruled the seas

They built the Eiffel Tower to stand alone,

but they could build another if they please

Taj Mahal, the pyramids of Egypt,

are unique I suppose

But when they built you brother,

they broke the mold

Now the world is filled with many wonders

under the passing sun

And sometimes something comes along

and you know it's for sure the only one

The Mona Lisa, the David, the Sistine Chapel,

Jesus, Mary and Joe

And when they built you brother,

they broke the mold

When they built you brother,

they turned dust into gold

When they built you brother,

they broke the mold

They say you can't take it with you

but I think that they're wrong

'Cause all I know is I woke up the morning

and something big was gone

Gone into that dark ether

where you're still young & hard & cold

Just like when they built you brother,

they broke the mold

Now your death is upon us

and we'll return your ashes to the earth

And I know you'll take comfort in knowing

you've been roundly blessed and cursed

But love is a power greater than death,

just like the songs and stores told

And when she built you brother,

she broke the mold

                            -Bruce Springsteen

♥♥♥
We love you and miss you every day, T.

Dad, Mom, Caiti & Josh, Matt & Katie, Gabi  

   

Remember.....

Remember. Memories. Some are sweet, some are sour, some are painful. This is a difficult time of year. I haven't talked about it in depth here. It's always in my heart, always under the surface of a smile. Always. I'll never forget. Ever.

Nine years ago we lost our oldest child, our son T.J. It's not just a day, the day that he was declared brain dead - Mother's Day, May 9, 2004. It was a week of events, more if one starts to think about the last times before he died and then the first times after he died. T.J. was just past 19 when he died as a result of a traumatic brain injury he sustained when the defective tailgate he was sitting on collapsed. Nineteen. He had really just started living, though I'm grateful we had 19 years with him. So many parents have less time with their children.

T.J. didn't have an easy life. He had a full plate of neuro-biological disorders and learning disabilities. Every day was difficult for him. Some days were dark. Always, he tried. He tried to be the best person he could be. He tried to be the best student he could be. The best brother, son he could be. Some days he was successful, some days - not so much. He had a smile that would light up a room. He was curious - I had oatmeal stuck to my dining room ceiling for a while as a result. T LOVED Legos. Loved them. Any Lego that came into the house, ultimately ended up in his room. He loved his family deeply - he was fiercely proud of his brother and sisters. He wanted people to love him, like him. That wasn't so easy, especially for those who didn't know him/love him.

The night before T.J.'s injury, Wednesday, May 5, was not our proudest moment as a family. World War III broke out over soup and someone sticking their finger into someone else's soup. Yelling ensued - everyone in the house, at everyone in the house. A fist-fight broke out. My youngest son tells me that I told both boys that I hated them. I don't remember that, but it could be selective memory - I'll own it. What I would have intended, I believe, is that I hated how they were behaving - my children are my life. I sent everyone to bed.

 The next morning, May 6, I did not say goodbye to T.J. when he left for work. We always said goodbye. I was still angry. I'll live with this for the rest of my life - the last words my son heard from the people who loved him the most were angry words. That day was a beautiful spring day - sunny, a bit cool. I spent the morning cleaning the house then sat down at the computer to work on a project. The phone rang a little after eleven - it was Jeff, T.J.'s boss. "Mrs. Michaud, T.J.'s been hurt. Call Tim and have him bring you to Maine Med." I asked Jeff what happened, what was wrong. He said he didn't know. I called Tim and told him to come get me so we could go to the hospital. I tend to over-react so I was trying to calm myself down. I thought maybe he had a broken arm or broken ribs. When we arrived at the emergency room, T.J. wasn't there. It's not a good thing when you give your name, your child's name and they escort you to a private waiting room. While we were sitting there we could hear a doctor and nurse talking in the hallway. They kept talking about the "patient". They had "lost him" several times on the way to the hospital. I wanted to scream that he wasn't a "patient", he was my son, he had a name.

We heard the ambulance, and stood in horror as the paramedics rushed him past us to the exam room. One of the paramedics was gripping T.J.'s fist. His breathing, it seemed to me, indicated he was fighting pain. I was told later that wasn't the case. I will never forget that scene. We wanted to see him, to touch him and tell him it would be okay. To tell him that we loved him. They told us there wasn't time. They cut his clothes off him and rushed him for testing. The owner of the company T.J. worked for arrived with tears in his eyes. I called my parents and my in-laws, it was surreal.

When they finally escorted us to the special care unit, SCU, a nurse asked question after question, "How many stories in your house?", "What floor is T.J.'s bedroom on?", "How many steps up into the house?", there were others..... I remember that when we arrived to the doorway of the SCU, we were asked to wait in the hallway and the doctor would be out to speak with us. My mother was relieved when the doctor came through the door. He was a neurosurgeon, and she knew his name and that he was one of the best. Dr. Barth indicated that T.J.'s brain was swelling and they had placed him in a medically induced coma to limit the stimulation to the brain to, hopefully, help reduce the swelling. He didn't have a prognosis for us at that time, he said T needed time.

I had to call our kids. Our youngest, Gabrielle, had a softball game that afternoon. Tim and I were always at the kids' events. I called Caitlin and told her that I needed she and Matt to go to Gabi's game. T.J. had been hurt and we were at the hospital. That he'd be okay and we'd update them later. After her game, Gabi asked Caiti and Matt what happened to T.J. She knew, without being told, that something had happened to her brother. There really is no way to prepare your children to enter a critical care unit so see their brother tethered to multiple machines. We still had to tell his girlfriend Gillian. She had been away working on a senior project. Her senior prom was scheduled for May 8. 

The next several days were a waiting game. They told us we couldn't talk to him or touch him because it would stimulate his brain - they needed his brain to rest. I remember praying to God, repeatedly, that he take me and give us back a healthy T.J. At some point on Friday or Saturday we were introduced Carla Cutting, a nurse coordinator for organ donation. They/we were still hoping for a positive outcome for T.J., however, T.J. was potentially a good candidate for organ donation. He was strong and healthy and only his brain was affected by the injury. I can't really convey what it's like to go through a list of organs, bone and tissue and discuss which you can and cannot bear to donate. Carla was, is, incredibly compassionate. Ultimately, the swelling did not subside and we had to make the decision whether to operate or end medical treatment. T.J. had a 1% chance of surviving the surgery and if he survived, the prognosis was not good. Existing is not living. T had worked far too hard in his life to be independent, to be subjected to an existence of totally dependent living was not an option.

When we decided to end medical treatment we were finally able to talk to him, to touch him. I hope he could hear our words of love. Can you imagine what it was like to go home in the middle of the night and tell your kids that you've ended medical treatment and that their brother was dying? It's horrific. T was declared brain-dead at 11:20 a.m. on Sunday, May 9, 2004 - Mother's Day. We then spent the rest of the day waiting for the testing, and the calls to be made to transplant teams. It was a difficult 12+ hours. I can't explain to you how we felt listening to the sound of our steps echoing down the hallway as we walked alongside T.J.'s bed to the silver elevator doors that would take him away from us to the awaiting surgical teams. I don't have the words to express the gratitude we feel for the many medical professionals who cared for him over the 3 1/2 days he was hospitalized; to our friends who worked in the hospital and cared for him - Andrea, who performed his last CT Scan - her boys grew up and played with ours, and Michelle who prepared him for his donation surgery.

The days after we planned a funeral, held a wake, then held a funeral. In all, it's a week every year that I relive. Every moment. People don't realize, the world goes on. I know it does, and I'm grateful for it. However, the pain is always just under the surface. I have zero patience this time of the year. Zero. I don't wallow, generally. We live the happiest lives we can, we see the joy and beauty in many things. I just have zero tolerance at present.

While this has been a long post, and I thank you if you've read to the end, there's a lot I've left out. T.J. is our hero. Five people who were dying are alive today because of his major organ donation. His heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas were transplanted. His lungs had developed a slight infection from being on a ventilator so he couldn't donate them. His pancreas was ultimately rejected by the recipient's body, but it kept the man alive long enough to receive another transplant that was successful. Two people who were going blind can see because of T.J.'s donation. Countless others have received bone and tissue donations. If you aren't an organ donor, won't you consider it? It's a very easy process that you can take care of when you renew your drivers' license. You can also register online at Donate Life America.

Bead Soup Blog Party 7 Reveal

Good morning. Thanks for joining me for the first reveal (of three) of Lori Anderson's 7th Bead Soup Blog Party reveal! A huge thanks to Lori for once again taking all of the time and effort required to coordinate and host such a large event.

For this go-round Lori paired me with the very lovely Sumi Rani of Designs By Sumi and the blog HundredColors. Sumi is such a sweet and lovely young woman and I felt such a strong connection with her right from the start. She, her husband and young daughter moved here to the U.S. all the way from India. I am in awe of her strength and courage, I could never move so far away from what and who I know and love. Sumi is such a talented artist, on so many levels. She is incredibly giving and gracious. She has a degree in Electronics, a Master's in Computer Science and is an interior designer and very talented jewelry designer. Incredible. After absorbing our connection and enjoying our email conversations Sumi let me know that we had another connection - her daughter and my oldest child shared the same birthday, February 28. Kismet.

First, the soup Sumi sent to me:

How beautiful is that?! The Om pendant is so perfect. The vibration of "OM" symbolizes the manifestation of God in form ("sāguna brahman"). "OM" is the reflection of the absolute reality, it is said to be "Adi Anadi", without beginning or the end and embracing all that exists. Love it! The burgundy cloth that my soup is resting on came in a later package from Sumi. It was a gift within a gift. Sumi sent me a love necklace she created for me and it was wrapped in the fabric. This piece of fabric is very special and I'm so honored that she gifted it to me. I have a plan for it that includes the polymer piece from the picture above which I believe Sumi made (I forgot to ask her, I need to!). I had hoped to have both pieces completed, but as always, time gets away from me. Since moving  here, her idol of God has been draped in the fabric. Again, I am so honored Sumi shared this with  me.

Here is the necklace she created for me:

For my piece today I used the Om pendant, the clasp and a lot of the beads Sumi sent to me. I added some vintage brass corrugated rounds and small glass rounds from my favorite bead shop The Beadin' Path (Heather and Jan are closing their in the next month, I'm so sad. It has been the BEST bead store in Maine for about 20 years. I'm not in complete despair though, they're remaining a strong online presence.). It's a soothing palette. Without further ado:

The pendant is washed out in the photo and the beads aren't as bright as they are in real life. Some day my jewelry photo skills will improve, I hope. Here is a detail of the pendant:

Here's a tip for you, one that I know but chose to ignore, until I had to restring the necklace twice (and will a third time - I need to make it a couple of inches longer): the best crimps to use are sterling silver crimps from Soft Flex. Don't use anything else, truly. Cover the SS crimps with a crimp cover to match your metal or a large hole bead. Using anything else is a waste of time, unless you enjoy picking your beads up off the floor.....just sayin'. Thank you Sumi, for sending me such a lovely soup (I'll let you know when I finish the second piece).

Here is the soup I sent to Sumi. I was inspired to stamp "bloom" on the pendant as a result of one of the email conversations Sumi and I had where she said "bloom where you're planted" regarding her move to the U.S.:

Be sure to visit Sumi's blog to see what she's created from the soup I sent to her, and be sure to check out what the other participants of the first reveal have completed:

Alicia Marinache	http://www.allprettythings.ca
Amber Dawn Goldish	www.InventiveSoul.blogspot.com
Barb Solem	http://www.vivimagoopresents.com
Bev Breisinger	http://countryfrogcreations.blogspot.com
Birgitta Lejonklou	www.lejonklou.blogspot.se
Breana Fry	www.vault31.blogspot.com
Brenda Sue Lansdowne	http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com
Bridget Torres	www.Shears58.com
Carol Dee Myers	http://caroldeezigns.blogspot.com
Carolyn Chenault	www.carolynchenault.wordpress.com
Cassi Paslick	http://cassisbeads.blogspot.com/
Cece Cormier	Http://www.thebeadingyogini.com
Cheryl McCloud	www.cherylmccloud.blogspot.com
Cindy Wilson	www.itsmyseaofdreams.blogspot.com
Crystal Thain	http://beaddragons.blogspot.com
Cynthia Riggs	http://cynthsblog.blogspot.com
Dana Hickey	http://magpieapproved.blogspot.com
Dana James	http://danasjewelrydesign.blogspot.com
Darlene Fortier	www.darliciousrejuvenations.blogspot.com
Deana Hager	http://justdeesarts.blogspot.com
Deanna Cox	www.deannaaki.wordpress.com
Deb Brooks	http://www.fromtheheartcreations.blogspot.com
Debra Behrends	http://www.hopefuljourneys.blogspot.com
Denielle Hagerman	http://www.somebeadsandotherthings.blogspot.com
Denise McCabe	www.cabewoman.blogspot.com
Diana Frey	www.dianafrey.blogspot.com
Diana Welte	http://lilyweeds.blogspot.com
Dini Bruinsma	http://angazabychanges.blogspot.nl
DiYana Alcalde	http://agapecreationsjewelry.blogspot.com/
Dolores Raml	http://craftydscreations.wordpress.com/
Donna Millard	http://fyrebeadz.blogspot.com/
Dot Lewallwn	http://speediebeadie.blogspot.com/
Duane Clark	http://biz-e-bead.blogspot.com/
Dyanne Cantrell	http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com/
Eleanor Burian-Mohr	http://cornerstoregoddessjewelry.blogspot.com/
Elisabeth Auld	www.beadsforbusygals.com
Elizabeth Owens Dwy	www.1996shabbylane.blogspot.com
Emily Greer	http://www.gaiacopia.com/blog-2/
Enikö Fabian	http://perleni.blogspot.co.at/
Erin Grant	http://ErinsJewelryCreations.blogspot.com
Eva Kovacs	http://ewagyongyosvilaga.blogspot.hu/
Eva Sherman	http://evashermandesigns.blogspot.com/
Gina Hockett	www.freestyleelements.blogspot.com
Grace Rotenberg	http://rivkasmomcom.blogspot.com/
Gretchen Nation	www.artfoodlodging.blogspot.com
Hannah Rosner	http://goodrivergallery.wordpress.com
Heather Davis	http://www.blissfulgardenbeads.com/
Heather Marston	http://www.cswdesignsbyhehe.blogspot.com/
Heather Powers	http://www.humblebeads.blogspot.com
Ingrid McCue	www.wrappedinsilver.com
Jacqueline Marchant	http://jaacquelinesjewels.blogspot.com/
Jan Petek	www.janpetek.com
Janeen Sorensen	http://wildvanilladesigns.com/
Jane-Michael Stallings	http://www.craftvacuum.blogspot.com
Jasvanti Patel	www.Jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com
Jayashree Paramesh	www.nchantme.com
Jayne Capps	http://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com
Jean Yates	http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Cameron	http://glassaddictions.com
Jennifer LaVite	http://www.drygulchbeadsandjewelry.blogspot.com
Joan Williams	www.lilrubyjewelry.com
Jodie Marshall	www.Marshalljodie.blogspot.com
Judy Riggs	www.rigglettes.blogspot.com
Julie Anne Leggett	www.thepeacefulbead.com
Kat Barron Miller	http://mkpbeadart.blogspot.com/
Kathy Lindemer	http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/
Kim Hora	www.kimmykats.com
Kim Houston	http://thepinkmartiniboutique.blogspot.com
Kim Sparks	http://beadabunch.blogspot.com
Krafty Max	http://kraftymax.blogspot.com
Kris Lanae Binsfeld	www.cherishdesigns.wordpress.com
Krista French	http://expressyourfaith.webs.com/apps/blog/
Kristen Stevens	http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com/
Kristi Harrison	http://kristibasket-itsanewday.blogspot.com
Kumi Fisher	http://maliekaidesigns.blogspot.com
Laren Dee Barton	www.larendeedesigns.blogspot.com
Laura Bracken	http://laurabrackenblog.blogspot.com/
Laura Demoya	www.Thebeadtherapist.blogspot.com
Laurie Hanna	http://jewelrybylh.blogspot.com/
Laurie Keefe-Cecere	http://treeofliferootedinmysoul.blogspot.com/
Lea Avroch	http://www.LAJewelryDesign.blogspot.com
Leanne Loftus	Http://firstimpressiondesign.blogspot.com
Lee Anne Messerschmidt	http://wiredhammerednworn.wordpress.com
Leslie Schenkel	http://twistedchicken.wordpress.com/
Linda Anderson	http://fromthebeadboard.blogspot.com/
Linda Djokic	www.lutkaandco.com
Linda Murphy	www.bonitabead.blogspot.com
Linda Sadler	http://idalouisejewelry.blogspot.com/
Lisa Liddy	http://lisaliddy.wordpress.com/
Lisa Suver	http://fanceethat.blogspot.com/
Liz DeLuca	http://www.creativeartyfacts.blogspot.com/
Liz Engriser	http://www.beadcontagion.blogspot.com/
Lola Surwillo	http://www.beadlolabead.blogspot.com
Loretta Carstensen	www.designsbyloretta.blogspot.com
Lori Anderson	www.PrettyThingsBlog.com
Lori Bergmann	www.LoriBergmann.blogspot.com
Lori Bowring Michaud	http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
Lori Poppe	http://lorillijeanscreativecorner.blogspot.com/
Lori Schneider	www.Beadaddicted.blogspot.com
Lyn Foley	www.lynfoleyblog.com
Maddison Langford	http://maddy-moo.blogspot.com
Magdalena Sikora	http://porannagazeta.blogspot.com/
Mallory Hoffman	http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com/
Marcella Austenfeld	www.goodtogojewelry.blogspot.com
Marcy Lamberson	http://www.StudioMarcy.blogspot.com
Maria Clark	http://sweetwillowdesigns.blogspot.com/
Maria Rosa Sharrow	www.willowstreetshops.blogspot.com
Marianna Boylan	www.stargirlshop.blogspot.com
Marie Covert	http://thistledown-and-swaddlings.blogspot.com/
Marti Conrad	www.marticsclay.blogspot.com
Mary Ellen Merrigan	http://www.MaryEllenBeads.com
Mary Harding	www.maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com
Molly Alexander	http://beautifullybrokenme.blogspot.com
Nan Emmett	http://spiritrattles.blogspot.com/
Niky Sayers	http://silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk
Pam Chesbro	http://afortunatesoul.blogspot.com/
Pam Farren	http://www.re-maker.blogspot.com
Pam Sandy	http://pamseclecticstuff.blogspot.com/
Pam Traub	http://www.klassyjoolz.blogspot.com
Pamela Gangler	http://shealwayslovedpink.blogspot.com/
Patricia Buchanan	http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/blog/braceletstoo
Patricia Johnson	http://patricialjohnsonglassart.blogspot.com
Patty Miller	http://cabaribeads.blogspot.com/
Paula Hisel	http://simplybeadiful.weebly.com/simply-stated.html
Peggy Gabrielson	http://georgiamountainarts.blogspot.com
Perri Jackson	http://shaktipajdesigns.com/blog/
Rachel Baron	http://www.rbarondesigns.blogspot.com
Rachel Stanley	http://2catchahummingbird.blogspot.com
Rain Hannah	http://honeyandollie.com
Rana Wilson	http://ranaleadesigns.blogspot.com/
Renetha Stanziano	www.lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Robin Reed	www.willowdragon.blogspot.com
Rochelle Brisson	http://www.acreativechelle.blogspot.com
Rose Rushbrooke	www.roserushbrooke.com/blog/
Ruth Szapa	www.trudicrufus.blogspot.com
Sally Russick	http://thestudiosublime.com
Sandi Volpe	www.sandivolpe.com
Sandra Pendragon	http://sandrapendragon.blogspot.com/
Sandy Richardson	www.SandysColoringBox.blogspot.com
Sarah Small	http://bysalla.blogspot.com
Shannon Hicks	http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/
Shari Replogle	www.playswithpaper.blogspot.com
Sheila Daniels	http://www.cheekymagpie.com
Sheila Davis	http://www.stonedesignsbysheila.blogspot.com/
Shiraz Biggie	www.secretsongdesigns.blogspot.com
Shirley Moore	www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com
Skylar Bre'z	http://brisingbeads.blogspot.com/
Staci Smith	www.stacilouiseoriginals.com
Stacy Pomerleau	www.craftenvilleblog.com
Stephanie Weiss	www.uniquelymebwd.blogspot.com
Sumi Rani	www.HundredColors.blogspot.com
Susan Sheehan	http://susanasheehan.blogspot.com/
Suzette Bentley	http://elliesbijoux.blogspot.com
Tamera Norris	www.beadsinspireme.com
Tracy Choy	www.bumblebeadsdesigns.Blogspot.com
Tracy Stillman	www.tracystillmandesigns.com
Valerie Norton	www.hot-fused-glass.com
Vicki Holliday	http://flopcatdesign.blogspot.com/