The March Hare is here and some Lampworking News

March 1st is today and she is certainly a take charge woman...taking out the old and bringing in the new! Here's an Ode to March!

March

March marches to the beat of her own drum,

Angry in the way of eager youth,

Rebelling against what she will become,

Challenging the too-long-frozen truth.

How beautiful, this month of rage and ruth!

Nicholas Gordon

And who is the March Hare?

According to Alice "The March hare will be the most interesting, and perhaps since this is May he wont be raving mad~at least not so mad as he was in March"!

"Mad as a March hare" was a common phrase in Lewis Carroll's time.. And it is based upon popular belief that hares' behaviour at the beginning of the long breeding season lasting from February to September in Britain. Early in the season unreceptive females use their forelegs to repel over enthusiastic males. It used to be incorrectly believed these bouts were between males fighting for breeding supremacy.

So like the famous friend The Mad Hatter the male feels compelled to always behave as though it is tea~time because the hatter supposedly "murdered the time" whilst singing for the Queen of hearts. Sir Tenniel's illustration also shows him with straw hat on head, a common way to depict madness in Victorian time. So thus we see the beginnings of why the hatter is considered mad!

I am reminded today of My Mother she is 88 years young now still with us Bless her. Here's a beautiful cup and saucer from the China dishes she has given me. Its called "Beverly" and very lovely. The rabbit I gave to her when I was a 12. We treasure the things we hold dear to our hearts...don't we?! When I set this set out for a special dinner I am one again a young girl!

Wonderful News!

After 3 long years of waiting yes three years! I've gotten the monies to make buy my lampwork supplies. Is this a happy woman? Oh yes Sir...a wing and a prayer have been answered! The Lord is good! Ive considered this for awhile and taken two classes and still want to do it. How can a dream die that is some how planted? It cannot. Are there many people doing lampwork? Yes. Lots and lots. But I've got my own ideas and I will be pretty happy when I have learned to make better and better beads. We all have to start some place! And today its March 1st and the March hare is about and I shall go have my cuppa tea today in my Mother's china cup and rejoice!

Have a wonderful March~hare day!

PS When I was a child I used to stand up in the mirror on the vanity in the bathroom thinking I could actually walk thru the glass into Wonderland. It never worked lol. What a world that would be?!

Be patient....

Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer. - Rainer Maria Rilke 1875-1926

Some Etsy items finally and am I the Only one?

Here are two necklaces in my shop. Ive used some of Mary Ann Carols nice ceramics on the very top above wire wrapped necklace...intertwined with some lampwork , rondells Green Girl focals, swarovski crystals and some wonderful hand dyed ribbons. This next necklace is lovely with alot od brass, lampwork and Mary Hardings beautiful focal. I dont know what we would do without talented artisans who create these fantastic ceramics.

* Am I the Only One?

Does anyone else suffer with taking pictures and the whole process?

It takes me forever to:

1 Take pictures. (then find that the cat jumped up and I did not see the hair in the picture...then I want to scream) This happened last night and today. *sigh* It seems like I haven't gotten much done today. No I haven't.

2 Load them. Find them and edit them.

3. Re do them.

Does it take you long am I the Only one? It is frustrating and very tiring. I was up till 1 last night and still was taking pictures today. *sigh*

Finally Ive got some jewellery made to sell. Ive been keeping it or giving it away. Now at least Ive got some things in my Singingwoods shop! YeY bc this has taken some time. So I'm tired now wouldn't I be lucky if I had a husband that cooked... So I'd better get off to that shortly...but my backs hurting now oh how Id like a good lie down.

I'm wondering what the weathers like North of us as the TV speaks of snow snow snow!

Well I hope you have a great Relaxing evening!

Another FREE Giveaway...check this out!

Barbara Lewis makes really lovely torch fired enameled metal Jewellery findings and she is having a FREE giveaway! Here is her Blog <--------click here!

This giveaway she is offering to the person who is Ramdomly picked...3 SETS

and Each grouping will consist of:

4 - Head pins
2 - Pierced Bell Bead Caps, 17 x 11 mm
3 - Pierced Temple Beads, 14 mm
1 - Arabesque Bead, 20 mm
3 - Ridged Beads, 12 mm
2 - Daisy Bead Caps, 16 mm
3 - Ridged Beads, 6 mm

Generous!! Barbaras jewellery findings are so earthy and versatile I know I need to purchase some of her wonderful work!

Bunnys and Eggs!

Good afternoon or will I say Good evening now! Ive taken so long it seems to take pictures and load and upload a tiring thing! But rewarding none the less. Well its Spring timey weather here Ill have to go and search for some Crocus and daffodils soon. Meanwhile I guess Ill just have to settle with this necklace of Bunny's and eggs. Ive wire wrapped it in 22 gauge Sterling Silver its lampworked and a handmade Sterling toggle. Sellings a hard thing to do sometimes 'specially when you like what you've made and don't want to give anything up!

Next is a necklace I made with Carved pink Coral with a Green Girl Studio "Unbreakable" Heart I think its really feminine and speaks for itself on that. Its Wire wrapped in 22 gauge Sterling Silver with my handmade clasp. By MOI.

Next I made this Cool Lampworked Heart Necklace of matt chain. The lampwork is wire wrapped with 18 gauge wire.

The Bunnys on Etsy and the other ones will be on later this eve....

Well Id better get off of here as I haven't really gotten much done but pictures, uploading and edit edit edit!

Have a Lovely Evening everyone!

I was picked Winner for the ART BEAD SCENE

I was picked for the winner of the Art bead Scene!

ART BEAD SCENE BLOG

Celebrating art beads, inspiring those who use them.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2010

Monthly Challenge Winner!

Snow birds JANABS
Originally uploaded by Janet Snowden McDonald

Thanks to all who entered this month, your designs are truly inspiring and beautiful.

Congratulations to Janet Snowden McDonald! Her entry was picked randomly from all the qualifying entries this month.

Janet will receive beads from our three sponsors:Mary Ann Carroll, Humblebeads and SueBeads.

Join us tomorrow for our new monthly challenge!

I would like to thank the sponsors for their lovely beads! Above are Sue beads, Humblebeads and Mary Ann Carols ceramic beads. Ive received them and they are just wonderful! Thank you!

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day!!

Here's Wishing all of You a Lovely day today filled with Love affection and Romance!

xox

I made this at Michaels where I work. I made this for a workshop with the kids...a foam mailbox and all sugar~plum decorated...It has some little cards and treats inside for my kids!

The Bead Soup Party Roll On!

First off The BEAD PARTY was hosted by Lori Anderson! <------- (click here to see her page) And what a GREAT idea!!

Today all eighty three (plus) participants get to see what everyone else has done with the big bead exchange! I am so excited to get this picture up, a bit late due to computer problems. The bead party picture is of my beads from Kristie Roeder. She sent me this beautiful focal and set of beads. I've used some of her beads along with some of my own, due to wanting a lighter look to the piece. I wire wrapped this with copper and handmade the clasp closure. Check Kristie out, she has some great focals on her page available!

What else have I been doing? I created this fun lighthearted cloud necklace with lamp work for my Granddaughter. It is meant to be sweet and young not much bling as she is only nine years old. I wire wrapped it with brass and also made the toggle clasp by hand.

On a personal note, I am saddened my former boss has lost her job- due to a failed store audit. She had a tumor the size of a grapefruit taken out. In her place a newbie manager had taken over for a short time *two months*. Because of his lack of running the store properly, the store failed the audit. We all had much respect and she was well loved by us all, such a shame when jobs are so hard to find. So, I have made her this necklace, out of my beloved collection of lamp work beads. I wire wrapped the whole piece with sterling silver and a lovely pewter focal from Green Girl Studios. She is a 'biker chick', and I felt she would just adore something like this!

I have also had a fractured tooth. I WAS QUEEN FOR A DAY!! Receiving a crown from the dental office! Along with camera problems.. I am finally back to blogging again!! Now I am off to look at all the bead party pictures!

Look at what Kristie sent!!

Kristie from Artisan Clay sent me this lovely handmade focal and beads for the Bead Party exchange! Really lovely combination of colours. The deadlines soon approaching February 11th, at which time many people will be running about seeing what others did with the beads sent to them. Will be lots of fun. And 83 blogs to look at! So I will be working on putting something nice together soon...

The Soup is getting hot!

My Bead party partner has received her beads for the BEAD PARTY! There are 83 people involved in this party and its a fun and exciting thing to be involved in, getting to see other peoples work and seeing the things they sell. But also making some new friends along the way. My partner is Kristie Roeder of Artisan Clay a very talented and vibrant woman who makes beautiful ceramic focals and beads! Some of her focals are so juicy as if they could be eaten as a little treat! Check her out here.

It was a hard call not knowing what to send Kristie but I chose this bluebird focal above by Heather Powers of humblebeads and I'm so happy she liked them! Also Id included a few lampworked pics and some wooden beads also a handmade toggle made by me. It will be great to see what she does with them. I cant wait to see what Ms Kristie sends me too!

Have a lovely day everyone !

Happy beading!

This is the day that the Lord doth made let us rejoice and be glad in it!

A Great Giveaway!

See these lovely Crabs?

Ive found this great Giveaway ! I was surfing for polymer clay

yesterday on Etsy and found this lovely young woman from Toronto named Afsaneh and here is her shop //www.joojoo.me/ She makes the loveliest

polymer clay creatures! The giveaway will be January 18th. Hurry because her little crabs would love to adorn your home! Her Etsy Shop is http://www.etsy.com/shop/joojoo

There are 63 comments so far!

Check her out!

The Bead Soup Party

Bead Soup Party and Bead Swap!

Im still sick...but the show must go on! Lori Anderson of Pretty Things" is having a Bead Party as many already know! This was prompted by the Art Bead Scene by Heather Powers.

*You need a focal

*Spacer beads

*a clasp but not a lobster

* a Blog

There are 83 Party goers!

I decided at the last minute to join the Party. Party's are so much fun...I'm excited about this one! So today I'm sending off my packet to my Recipient Kristie of Artisan Clay. It will be so Interesting to see what she and I do with the beads we send each other. Our Bead Party pieces will then be shown on all of our Blogs February 10th!

Woopee!

I hope everyone's staying warm and not getting sick!

Getting sick means no Jewellery money!

It is so cold out!

I think Ive been away too long from the Mountain's of Virginia as I'm not so used to the blustery winds and cold were having here now in Texas! But I'm enjoying it alot nevertheless. I feel tho for the rest of the country as there are record Snowfalls all across the USA. So in essence being this far south we are spared. The most loss I think I might have is my Lemon tree and some Hibiscus. I have wrapped them tho. My Mum~in~law in Scotland said today as we spoke on the phone they are having record snowfalls as well. In her backyard the snow is up to her waist!

So tonite will bring a big chicken soup Ill have to start soon...maybe some homemade bread too?

Here's a Wintery necklace Ive made for the Art bead Scene monthly challenge. In the late 1860s Monet painted a picture of a mag~pie in a very cold Wintery scene. Thus the challenge is to create a piece inspired by Monet's painting.

Ive called this Snowbirds. Ive used a Green Girl Studios pendant and various lampworked beads. See the little acorn? Toggle handmade by self.

Stay warm everyone! I'm pretty darn happy Ive got an electric blanket for tonite as it will get even colder....

My fave and I sent it away to South Carolina

This Butterfly necklace was just sent to South Carolina! Its hard sending somethings off that you really loved...shucks!

Happy New Year everyone and be Blessed in 2010!

xox

Merry Christmas!

At Christmastime I am reminded of my husbands home of Scotland how in winters icy grip out would come the snowdrops and how Majestic they were. The delicacy and beauty of them how can one not feel overjoyed when you see something like them?! They reminded me of summers princess lace the utter beauty of them.....Then came the daffodils which also at times came up in snow so very winter hardy. Do we have a Infinite Creator...ah yes we do.

Well I think if another two weeks could be added to Christmas the holidays that would be fine with me! Finally things are getting back to normal....husbands feeling better and today I finish getting my house clean. Hate a not clean house! Its warmed and it feels about 68 degrees here....I miss the really cold winds and icy chill! Maybe it will come back!

I am Wishing all of you a very lovely Christmas and Blessed new year!

xox

A new day

Today's a New day and a Wonderful day! My husband was diagnosed with a 99.9% blockage in a main artery in the heart...by accident this was found. I so rejoice he is still with me. I'm so thankful to my Lord...it was only by accident that this was found out. His old cardiologist had moved and they couldn't get his number. So they sent him to another one. This new Dr said right your going in for an angiogram right away. The Providence of the Lord! He was with the Indians and the settlers when they began and He is with me and my husband today...this is my Christmas...

So finally I made a few pieces of Jewellery! Ive been so busy and tired and now the TOP 1/3 of my tree is out. Gotta love these problems they are nothing tho...lol. And all the stores are out of lights but we did find some @ Target on a late night romp shopping last night. Sometimes me and Kibbie go out and shop late its fun to run out while everyones asleep and put thine self to magic!

Im so happy today...

Have a lovely day xox

I just had to write this

No this is not about Jewellery...

Ive got this friend, hes an internet friend and he is well educated college admin campus recuiter etc.. His name is Dai and he lives in Katmandu. I feel so utterly BLESSED to have so much so much richness so much bounty in this country. And his blog entry really reminds me what we can so easily take for granted. So here is a bit of what hes written. It really touched my heart....this is what he said...

"I think I am getting a bit depressed by all the negative news coming in from every direction. The electric goes off when we need it most every evening after work and there are queues at the public water tap here. Nepal is as usual in huge political chaos with strikes, demonstrations and forced shutdowns. Burning tyres in the roads with clouds of acrid black smoke is the norm here. And it's freezing cold here with no heating in Kathmandu's buildings. People have to queue for hours to buy petrol and it is in very short supply.

As far as the office is concerned, the news is depressing also since the UK Government is set to severely tighten the rules for Nepalese students wishing to study in the UK and this is going to drastically cut the number of students applying. We have now started to teach IELTS preparation classes here. It's so cold to study I think.

So things are not so good here right now and I was hoping to find some bright things to write about. There are so many negative things going on that I can't get into any festive mood for the approaching Christmas and New Year period."

Daunting words for this world...worldwide. It made my heart very heavy. I pray and I pray.

I will post some Jewellery pics soon...Ive been so tired, a house full of family and too much to do! But Thank you Lord for it ALL.

Bright Blessings today!

xox

Happy Thanksgiving from Texas

Here's wishing everyone a Blessed Holiday with Peace and the spirit of thankfulness. Were so blessed in this country with such a bountiful horn a plenty of food, a warm home to shelter under and a gracious Heavenly Father who watches over us all. We may have hard times but He gives us courage to soldier on and brave this life's trials.

Its finally gotten coldish 45 is getting cold here in Texas. A respite from the hot hot forever to forever warm. How I love the cold! I will be finishing some wire wrapping today then on to this messy house. Pies to make yikes I'm already out of time!

I will be thinking about my loved ones as I straighten the messes here with love and thankfulness that they are in my life. Even the people I don't know but care for very much on this Internet.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone over this beautiful land we call Home!

xox

A tithe for the fae

Well I just announced that I was taking a break from Jewellery making

and then I made this piece! How can one stay away from their passions the things they love? They cant just plain and simple. As my wire wrapping is rusty it took a while to make this. But all beginnings are good beginnings. So without further ado here is "A Tithe for the Fae" as Ive titled it for the November Art Bead Scene. No more stuffy designs. I feel like Ive had a breakthru and thank goodness for those!

Here is a Mary Harding focal, Gaea ceramic rounds, some lampwork, brass chains and a green Girl Studio bird. Isn't life grand!

Cheers!

A different twist to the Orininal "Snowman" from Iron Bru the makers of the British soda

Watch this link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR1Ln-ctn5E&feature=fvw

As my husband is British so I am fimiliar with the soft drink Iron Bru!

Do you remember "The Snowman" video and book?

Well Iron Bu has a really cute video ... so GO and watch this!

A differnt inventive advert of a twist!

Happy November 11th!

Dear Today and the Secrets it unfolds....

Right now I'm listing (a bit early I know lol) to some on-line Christmas music...it came in my e-mail so I figd why not? So here I am and just finished my coffee. There are still warm days here and the other night I wore sandals to the store. I am such a old fashioned person when its November I want it cold, I want to wear sweaters! It is chilly this morning. I sure miss Virginia and all its coldness and stark beauty. But I am here and we must soldier on. So many people lost jobs and my man has a great job...so bloom I must were planted.

Ive lived in rural Virginia for so many years as my Father had a farm there, a big stocked pond oh those were the days. Sadly he came down with a very rare form of cancer and he couldn't keep up with it. I remember frosty mornings and the cold Mt air with the Mt's always to greet me as they were on all sides of his house. He was not isolated tho as you could see the sprinkling of some houses here and there. The horse was always waiting to be fed. There were vineyards below it was very beautiful like a patchwork. The farmer across the way put fathers hay up and it always was a fun time. Country life has a richness and Id loved to of even put up Maple syrup but we never had those trees! He owned 50 acres.. fields a stream pond and mountainside. That was a gift a legacy he gave my children too to carry on the memories...to savor like your hot choc late. (inserts smile here) My child Kibbie always said "Grandpas so rich" it was nice and I felt pride with that lol. Going to town was a treat, something special. I liked being separated a bit from things...they weren't so in your face (like Houston). You went to things when you wanted or needed to. You made the choice and in that choice you bc stronger...empowered. The stillness the birds cold air the dried flowers everything seeps into you. Its a beautiful life in ruralness. Maybe you wont feel all of that But I think you will.

I am enjoying Cynthia's Thornton's book "Enchanted Adornmens" book!. How generous she was to have given so much spilling over. Hopefully I can do somethings.(Later how I don't like that word. My family's here and taken all of the rooms. When I get annoyed tho I am thankful I have them all again for I know a short time and it is already like a cherished memory them being here. One last song of being a Mom.) I see how shes described to make a mold and everything. I hope she does very well in selling her book, but I'm sure she will.

I am not really a morning person but have come to appreciate it the earlier it seems the more lovely the time is! Untold secrets linger in the early morning shadows of "might what might unfold today"! (I could almost go back to bed. But the day awaits and I must go drive up to Humble to take care of an urgent matter.) So with that I wish you a good feeling day and the beauty of stillness!

Taking a leave...

I am taking a leave just now from Jewellery making...and leave you with this beautiful image of the Lords Creation! My familys all moved into our home for now and Im just out of room to do much of any creating...hopefully I will return with much Vigor! I shall still Comment and read some of yalls Blogs!

Huggs

Janet