Focus on Life: Week 30 ~ Catch the sun

Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime is hosting a year long challenge which is... sublime... as you'd expect with such a studio name. The challenge is named 'Focusing on Life' and every week Sally is sending a prompt on what should we focus the following week.

This week Sally urged us to 'get outside and capture the beauty of the sun'.

Outside we got a lot this week, and we had tons of sun too... but I didn't capture any... I was just ready to give up (yes, I do have my moments) until I glimpsed at a picture on the internet and it gave me an idea!

I am not sure if you can recognize what is it in this pictures:

I wonder how many of you have ever had a taste of what is in my picture :) please leave a comment if you ever did (or if you, at least, knew what it is)!

OK, ok, no more suspense! It is honey in the comb :) Our family loves it - you can chew on the wax and it is very sweet and flavoured (we sometimes use it as chewing gum :) ). The honey is the purest - there has be no processing whatsoever, just a knife cutting through the comb. It is one of the best natural treats we can have... and we have it often! I discovered a few sources for it: I even have my own farmer at the market, he brings me some boxes every time I ask for.

My grandfather kept bee hives in his yard - among those flower patches, and veggie patches, I can still see the 2 boxes by the fence. In the late summer he would open them and take the frames out, and he would cut a piece for me - I think it was the tastiest of all treats ever! He would save some of the comb (we always had a jar in the pantry) and extract the rest of the honey... I am not sure what he did with the remaining wax (maybe sell it for candles?!) and I don't remember how he knew when it's time to get the honey out - he explained it once to me, but I was too young to retain that information...

Here you are - with my 'Liquid sun' :)

To enjoy the warmth of this week's focus make sure you visit the sunny community, we have gathered at Miss Sally's, as usual

Echo Creative Club - July 2013

This month I am participating again in the Echo Creative Club, hosted by the lovely Jeannie Dukic (she makes beautiful polymer clay art beads, make sure you check her store!)

For this month I have picked the little light blue tweet and I started my adventure...

Interestingly enough in the past few weeks I kept stumbling (on the internet) over pieces with a similar bird; I think it's one of Murphy's law: you start observing what you are focused on :) And the more I saw, the more trouble I had - I wanted my piece to be an original idea, something I could call my own... So I did what I thought was best - left the little tweety for a while, hoping inspiration would strike.

Of course inspiration doesn't strike just like that, you're supposed to help it. As it is still very hot up in the studio, I brought 2 boxes of beads downstairs... rummaged through them until I found what I wanted.

First, I wire-wrapped the bird and gave it just a bit of extra 'oomph':

I have used the bronze wire I had left (probably a foot or so) from the very first Artisan Whimsy Test group, from Melinda, and a couple of died jade beads in a perfect yellow (just like the beak of the bird)

Then I completed the focal piece, using more wire and more jade - adding a 2nd shade, a teal-turquoise to match the actual bird, and some chips of a blue-white stone (no idea what that stone is):

OK - now what?! I had no more bronze wire, so couldn't wire wrap the jade... I had one strand of those chips and more jade... but how to use it for the neck-piece?!

As I have started on my Christmas gifts (a granny square lap-throw) the answer came quite quickly: why not crochet the neckpiece? I haven't bead-crochet in a while (that's how I started all this jewelry making business), but I always love to put the hook to good use! The only question I had now was - what to use as a base? Can't use wire... so back to my embroidery floss box to find a shade to match the wire - and match I did!

I used 2 strands with the chips and one with the blue and yellow jade beads (mixed asymmetrically and in 2 sizes).

And now - all together:

It is long, no need for a clasp (I used the last bit of it anyhow). It is not perfect (the thread areas on the right is less compact than the one on the left), but I fell in love with it instantly. It is very different from what I've done before, however somehow I see myself in it. And I simply love the colours!!

Oh - the best part?! I have a dress in light blue and yellow which I love, and both Echo Creative Club pieces so far are perfect for it!

The worse part? I simply cannot part with it - I thought I should list it... but I can't - I love it too much :)

Thank you, Jeannie, again, for your generosity - she sends us the art beads for just the shipping cost! Her beads are just beautiful and I love working with them!

Please make sure you visit everybody else - there will be fun to see what these very talented ladies have created for July!

Our lovely host: Jeannie K Dukic  http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog 

Alicia Marinache  http://www.allprettythings.ca/ <-- you are here
Charlie Jacka  http://clay-space.com/
Kristen Stevens  http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com/
Maureen Connolly  http://mrsbeadsley.blogspot.com/
Patti Vanderbloemen  http://www.myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com/

P.S. Happy birthday to a special friend - Monique, this is made with you in mind :) Maybe you can find it a name!

YaY! Jewelry: What To Wear Wednesday

Kristin from Yay! Jewelry had a wonderful idea - a series of 'What to wear...' articles where she features various artists. I was one of the lucky ones this week - check her article below for a peak at how she suggested to wear one of my etched brass earrings!

YaY! Jewelry: What To Wear Wednesday: What To Wear Wednesday I do like to go back to Garnet Hill's fashion as I think it pairs so nicely with jewelry.  It is simple, tail...

Thank you, Kristin, it is much appreciated!

Summer days (with a smile and a sweet breakfast)

Summer has been upon us for a little while now. In our family we are all tanned and tired from the crazy summer days. After the super-scorching days of last week we had the super-freak storm on Friday (remember the cedar branch I was telling you it almost fell on me?! we've discovered it was actually one of the cedar trees - it simply snapped in two!)... so on Sunday it was a perfect day to go...

 ... picking raspberries! Yes - it was cloudy, not very hot, with a pleasant breeze - perfect day!

We went to Hutchinson Farm, one of the 'Pick-your-own' farms in the area - and we filled 2 baskets quite quickly (despite their warning that picking is very slow due to the storm blowing away most of the berries):

We ended up with about 8 pounds (after cleaning)... so we continued our work and...

This is the golden 'life' of our raspberry confiture - the sugar syrup

Add the fruits...

Wait for it... wait for it...

Oh.... almost ready... the house smells wonderful and I am so looking forward to tomorrow's breakfast: Crepes with Raspberry confiture! Oh, yes!

How are you spending your summer days?!

P.S. Last night I posted the 'mystery'  picture of the golden syrup on Facebook, asking my friends and followers what they think it might be. I had a few close encounters like 'honey', 'caramel' or 'peanut brittle before the peanuts are added' - all close enough to the real syrup.

However, the award for 'the most creative and funny answer' goes to my Canadian friend Emma from A Polymer Penchant. She insisted her final answer will be "a hippo having a caramel beer". If that is not making you smile... I don't know what would!

Conversation to ponder

[Disclaimer: it came in the mail, author unknown - but it is beautiful nonetheless]
You can replace 'God' with whatever you believe in - it will still hold true :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Me: God, can I ask You a question?
God: Sure
Me: Promise You won't get mad
God: I promise
Me: Why did You let so much stuff happen to me today?
God: What do you mean?
Me: Well, I woke up late
God: Yes
Me: My car took forever to start
God: Okay
Me: at lunch they made my sandwich wrong & I had to wait
God: Huummm
Me: On the way home, my phone went DEAD, just as I picked up a call
God: All right
Me: And on top of it all off, when I got home ~I just want to soak my feet in my new foot massager & relax. BUT it wouldn't work!!! Nothing went right today! Why did You do that?
God: Let me see, the death angel was at your bed this morning & I had to send one of My Angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that
Me (humbled): OH
GOD: I didn't let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that would have hit you if you were on the road.
Me: (ashamed)
God: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick & I didn't want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn't afford to miss work.
Me (embarrassed):Okay
God: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give false witness about what you said on that call, I didn't even let you talk to them so you would be covered.
Me (softly): I see God
God: Oh and that foot massager, it had a shortage that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn't think you wanted to be in the dark.
Me: I'm Sorry God
God: Don't be sorry, just learn to Trust Me.... in All things , the Good & the bad.
Me: I will trust You.
God: And don't doubt that My plan for your day is Always Better than your plan.
Me: I won't God. And let me just tell you God, Thank You for Everything today.
God: You're welcome child. It was just another day being your God and I Love looking after My Children...

Bead Hoarders - Blog Hop

Lori Anderson of Pretty Things had an amazing idea - as an avid jewelry artist she realized we are all quite the same: bead hoarders! How many times have you bought beads you don't really need just because you love them? And how many times have you gone back again and again to the store and buy more, before using the previous ones?!

Lori's idea was simple: use some of those beads you love and never designed anything with!

I don't know about you but I have boxes full of such beauties. The ones that wink at you from their store boxes and whisper 'take me home! take me home!'... the ones right there in the store you had an exact idea of what they'll become... but once home you had to do something else and got out of the mood and then days pass, weeks pass, months pass... you find the beads and cannot recall what they meant to be. And the muse is again on vacation right then and you put them back...

Last year about the same time (July 2nd, to be exact) I participated in one of Lori's Bead Swaps (the Pantene Bead Swap) and I got a lovely package from Dee Torcherer Elgie, of Cherry Obsidia.

I used some of her beauties - but not all of them. Still hoarding :)

So this time I decided to pick some of her gorgeous lampwork (very bright and cheerful) and, as luck with have it, I realized the sari silks are a perfect match! Lampwork and sari it will be.

As a professional procraftinator (that's a term I just read about a couple of days ago, another perfect match: for me this time!) I watched the beads for the whole week... until there was no more time for watching, but a desperate time for action.

I have to admit once again: I like the look, but I truly hate working with brass wire. I must find some dead-soft wire, the one I have is God knows what strength, but one that's killing my fingers.

I wrapped the large bead 3 (three) times until I was somewhat happy with it. Funny part is that by the 5th (and, of course, last) one I managed to like the wraps. I still had time to re-do them, but I had no heart for more pain, so the wraps are a tad on the messy side :) We'll call it 'by design' - shhh, don't tell anybody else!

I agonized twice as long as the wire-wrapping took me - over what?! Over how to link the little balls of colour and cheer. I scratched about 4 ideas until one crawled into my mind... and this is the result:

It is aptly called 'Summer Heat' - it reminds me of the scorching weather we've had for the past week!

The neck part is a braid of brass wrapped in sari; the links between the lampwork are wire-wrapped 'bows' made of sari again. It has this ruffled look, like a beauty just awoken who hasn't combed her flaming hair yet.

It can be worn on both sides, as the wire wrapping is not regular and shows differently on either side :)

There you have it - my 'little' Summer heat: with lampwork by Cherry Obsidia, brass wire, and sari silk, lovingly wire-wrapped into an ooak necklace :)

Thank you, Lori, for organizing this beautiful challenge (please make sure you stop by her blog and wish her well - she had a health scare this week, but brave as she is she keeps going on!). Thank you, Dee, for the package - as you can see I am slowly, but surely, using it!

And last, but not least, thank you, my readers, for stopping by and sharing your thoughts on my 'Summer Heat' :)

For more results of the bead hoarding please make sure you check below the list of participants. I am sure it'll be a feast!

1.  Lori Anderson, Pretty Things <-- Your host
2. Nancy Dale, NEDBeads
3. Roxanne Mendoza, Roxi Designs
4.  Melissa Trudinger, beadrecipes
5.  Rana Lea, Rana Lea Designs
6.  Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
7.  Rita Avila, Jewel School Friends
8.  Linda Anderson, From the Bead Board
10.  Erin Guest, Renlish

11.  Joan Williams, lilruby jewelry
12. Diane Hawkey, Diane Hawkey
13.  Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation
14.  Sue Kennedy, SueBeads
15.  Lisa Cone, Inspired Adornments
16.  Kari Asbury, Hippie Chick Design
17.  Nichole Byers, Nichole Byers
18.  Lori Jean Poppe, Adventures in Creativity
19.  Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings
20.  Lori Schneider, Bead Addict

21.  Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me
22. Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
23.  Niki Sayers, Silver Nik Nats
24.  Elsie Deliz-Fonseca, Eliz-Eliz and All That Craft
25.  Amber Dawn, Inventive Soul
26.  Heather Powers, Humblebeads
27.  Sarah Goode, Pookledo
28.  Monique Urquhart, A Half-Baked Notion
29.  JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions
30.  Cheri Reed, Creative Designs by Cheri

31.  Robyn, Museiddity
32.  Catherine King, Catherine's Musings
33.  Jacquie, Bead Gypsy
34.  Janet McDonald, Singing Woods
35. Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreations
36.  Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti
37.  Hannah Rosner, Good River Valley
38.  Rochelle Brisson, A Creative Chelle
39.  Nelly May, Smelly Nelly
40.  Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads

41.  Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool
42.  Christie Murrow, Charis Designs
43.  Leanne Loftus, First Impression Design
44.  Valerie Norton, Hot Art
45.  Judy Riggs, Rigglettes
46.  Crystal Thain, Here Bead Dragons
47.  Terry Carter,  Tapping Flamingo
48.  Sue, Mid-Life Great Expectations
49.  Nan Smith, Wired Nan
50.  Miranda Ackerley, MirandAck Arts

51.  Marie Covert, Creating Interest
52.  D'Arsie Manzella, This Here Now, Mamacita
53.  Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs
54.  Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
55.  Johanna Nunez, The Lovely One Design
56.  Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
57.  Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs
58.  Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things <-- you are here
59.  Debbie Rasmussen, A Little of This, A Little of That
60.  Nat, Grubbi Ceramics

61.  Marjorie Savill Linthwaite, Bennu Bird Rising
62.  Cheryl McCloud, One Thing Leads to Another
63.  Heather Otto, The Crafthopper
64.  Candida Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks
65.  Tracie Dean, Dean Designs
66.  JuLee Wolfe, The Polymer Penguin
67.  Ginger Bishop, Lil Mummy Likes
68.  Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
69.  Jeannie Dukic, Jeannie's Blog
70.  Dini Bruinsma, Angaza by Changes

71.  Birgitta Lejonklou, Create With Spirit
72.  Shalini Austin, Jewellery by Shalini
73.  Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle
74.  Ile Ruzza, Ilenia's Unique Beaded Jewelry
76.  Annita Wilson, AW Jewelry 
77.  Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame
78.  Hannah Trost, PZ Designs
79.  Linda Inhelder, Must Haves Jewelry
80.  Miri Agassi, Beadwork

81.  Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
82.  Dyanne Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
83.  Susan Bowie, Susan Nelson Bowie
84.  Megan Milliken, MaeMaeMills
85.  Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry
86.  Ambra Gostoli, Chic and Frog
87.  Lori Lochner, Bloghner
88.  Gerda Jurimae, Gerda's Crafts Blog
89.  Susan, Mistheword
90.  MaryLou Holvenstot, MaryLou's time2cre8

91.  Mary Shannon Hicks, falling into the sky
92.  Karin King, The Sparklie Things Blog
93.  Christa Murphy, Adventures of One Beady Woman
94.  Jenny Davie-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor
95.  Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous
96.  Mallory Hoffman, Rosebud 101 - For the Love of Beads
97.  Danielle Kelley, Imbue the Muse
98.  Kym Hunter, Kym Hunter Designs
99.  Dolores Rami, CraftyD's Creations
100.  Marcia Dunne, 13 Alternatives

101.  Marlene Cupo, Amazing Designs
102.  Emma Todd, A Polymer Penchant
103.  Wendy Holder, Jewelry by WendyLea
104.  Michelle Escano, The Cabby Crafter
105.  Louise Glazier, Lily and Jasmine Treasures
106.  Dana Hickey, Wind Dancer Studios
107.  Lennis Carter, windbent
108.  Anne Betenson, Crystal River Beads
109.  Audrey Belanger,  Dreams of an Absolution
110.  Lisa Stukel, Carefree Jewelry by Lisa

111.  Janine Lucas, Travel Stories
112.  Claire Lockwood, Something to Do With Your Hands
113.  Kathy Engstrom, Catherine's Dreams
114.  Paula Hisel, Simply Beadiful
115.  Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
116.  Mischelle Fanucchi, Micheladas Musings
117.  Kim, Cianci Blue
118.  Linda Sadler, Ida Louise Jewelry
119.  Karen, Spokalulu
120.  Jennifer LaVite, Dry Gulch Bead and Jewelry

121.  Andrea Glick-Zenith, ZenithJade Creations
122.  Karen Martinez, Fairies Market
123.  Robin Reed, Artistry HCBD
124.  Amy Bright, LABweorc
125.  Jasvanti Patel, Jewels by Jasvanti
126.  Tammie Everly, TTE Designs
127.  Karin Slaton, Backstory Beads
128.  Natalie Moten, Running Out of Thread
129.  Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections
130.  Jenny Kyrlach, Wonder and Whimsy

131.  LiliKrist, Handmade by LilK
132.  Jessica Klaaren, The Truth Space
133.  Cynthia Abner, Created Treasures
134.  Beth Emery, Stories by Indigo Heart
135.  Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads
136.  Jeanne, Gems by Jeanne Marie
137.  Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
138.  Laren Dee Barton, Laren Dee Designs
139.  Steph, Confessions of a Bead Hoarder
140.  Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

141.  B. R. Kuhlman, Mixed Mayhem
142.  Patty Miller, Cabari Beads
143.  Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads
144.  Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things
145.  Lizzie Clarke, The Need to Bead
146.  Christina Miles, Wings 'n' Scales
147.  Patricia, The Color of Dreams
148.  Marde Lowe, Fancimar
149.  Ev Shelby, Raindrop Creations
150.  Sarah Small, By Salla

151.  Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
152.  Laurie Vyselaar, Lefthand Jewelry
153.  Pam Traub, Klassy Joolz
154.  Lisa Harrison, Daisy Meadow Studio
155.  Anzia Parks, Anzi-Panzi's Work Shoppe
156.  Ingrid, Lilisgems Handcrafted Jewelry Inspirations
157.  Andra Weber, Andra's Joyful Journey
158.  Kelly Hosford Patterson, The Traveling Side Show
159.  Adlinah Kamsir, Dreamstruck Designs
160.  Marci, That Nothing Be Wasted

161.  Kris Lanae Binsfield,  Cherish Designs
162.  Stephanie Perry, Mustard Bead
163.  Birgit Klughardt, Gites Beads
164.  Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog
165.  Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
166.  Sandy Markley, Gypsy Spirit Designs
167.  Elena Adams, Lena's Beady Blog

Focus on Life: Week 29 ~ Routine

Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime is hosting a year long challenge which is... sublime... as you'd expect with such a studio name. The challenge is named 'Focusing on Life' and every week Sally is sending a prompt on what should we focus the following week.

This week we are to photo-journal our daily routine. 

Well... my life is crazy... so much crazy that there is no routine other than waking up and going to bed every day, and pretty much goes in between :) 

But there are 2 things that I cherish (even if I don't get them *every* single day!) so I will consider them routine. One I talked before about, in one of the early weeks of Focus On Life (those weeks when we really got to know each other :) ): it's reading and you can read (pun intended) about it in Week 3: Time for yourself.

The other is pictured here: 

I've always loved drinking tea... after crossing the ocean I stopped for a while, because everywhere I turned I only found black tea and that I cannot drink (makes me sick pretty quickly). A few years back I had the pleasure of finding a gentleman who was selling whole leaf teas. I followed him at all the fairs and markets in the area until he disappeared... then I discovered Teaopia... they had lovely tea sets (the one in the picture above) and amazing teas. Unfortunately the owner sold it to Teavana - and I cannot stand their teas. They are OK, however I do drink tea unsweetened and pretty much instead of water (as in extra-large quantities)... and I believe they use to much base tea and too little of the flavours for my taste. 

I have been sad for a little while - until I found yet another Canadian company (Tealish) right in Toronto... now I order from them my teas and I am as happy as one can be. 

And that is a little bit of my routine: making myself a nice tea, with something sweet (I have to get into tea sandwiches one of these days) or not... and just relax for a few minutes. 

It's amazing what a nice cup and a lovely golden tea can do to one's spirit! 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea :) For more on what our group's members' routine is - please make sure you visit Ms. Sally, we have gathered there for a chat as usual.

Focus on Life: Week 28 ~ Patterns

Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime is hosting a year long challenge which is... sublime... as you'd expect with such a studio name. The challenge is named 'Focusing on Life' and every week Sally is sending a prompt on what should we focus the following week.

This week she asked us to focus on patterns.

We are again away for a couple of weeks - same place, central Pennsylvania, Dalmatia to be precise. In the middle of nowhere... where would I get patterns from?!

I didn't panic, I knew it'll just come to me one moment and with the 21st century technology one is always with his/her phone, which 99% of the cases means with a camera too :)

On Tuesday I decided to take a break from training and take the child to Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland. It is on our way back home, but we never know what time we leave and what time we can get there (we camp about an hour from Reptiland) and we also thought it's the last time we come this way this summer... and the child really wanted to see the Komodo Dragons (we've been visiting Reptiland once a year for the past 3 years, we know all the other animals by heart, although it's always a pleasure to go through the mini-zoo).

I can hear you thinking I lost some (or all) of my marbles - what do my vacation plans have to do with patterns?! Well - it turns out they have something in common!

We stopped as usual at every single reptile, read the info, said 'hello' to turtles, lizards, snakes... my mind was wandering until a phrase came through from William:

Mommy, look at this python, lovely pattern on its skin!

Hmmm... patterns you say?! There you have it - this week's focus on life comes (unknowingly) from my son!

I know many of you won't be very fond of my pictures (or some of the pictures, at least), but try to see beyond the animal (by the way, snakes are truly beautiful animals! if you're creeped by them, try to get to a zoo where they allow you to touch them, it is one of the most beautiful to touch skin!)

Look at the art on that skin - isn't it beautiful?! This is a Reticulated Python (if I haven't mixed my memories, which I might very well had).

Same snake - the head. It was very active (one of the few), slithering along the encase with incredible speed. He (she?!) came to the window to watch us (maybe we were being sized as its dinner :) ) and we spent a few moments in 'conversation' (keep in mind William is now reading Harry Potter as well!)

I must admit I can't recall the name of this one :) but it sure gave me some ideas for a necklace...

If snakes aren't 'your thing' (and I can't blame you) I'm moving outdoors, to the Pond Slider turtle - a cute little thing :) Look at those patterns on its neck!

This is Henry, an Aldabra Tortoise - the largest tortoise in the world. They can live to 150 years old and Henry and Anne have hatched in 1969 :) Teenagers, eh?

This is Anne's leg - absolutely huge, and with incredible patterns.

Henry and Anne, enjoying their morning

The reason for our visit: the newest attraction (they opened this exhibition just last month!) ~ the Komodo Dragons.

Small fierce and vicious animals! I was reading the info and watching the video - and I realized I would not want to be face-to-face with one :)

A curious one, it came to the glass and tried to 'sniff' us :)

Well, there you have it: 2-in-1 - a vacation adventure and the patterns Sally was looking for.

I hope you have enjoyed my picture-journal and please make sure you get to Ms. Sally's where we have all gathered to chat about patterns!

The Seasons blog hop

Lisa Lodge from Grateful Artist is hosting a few blog hops every now and then - she makes packages of beads and sends them out, and you need to create something with what she sent.

Thus the 'Seasons' blog hop came to life, where one can pick a seasons: either a weather-related one or a life 'season'.

I received my package looooooong time ago - beads in a gorgeous shade of purple! Purple, one of my favourite colours!

Of course I forgot to take a pictures of everything *before* starting to work on them :) There were a few lovely glass pearls, some silver spacers and bead caps, lovely crystals (one pink, you see it at the bottom), those snail shell-like beads in a gorgeous purple shade, some miniature seed beads (15 I believe), and a gorgeous ceramic 'pillow' bead. I added the 3 large rings you see left-top.

Forced by my own procrastination I added *nothing* from my own stash other than the wire (24ga and 20 ga). Forced by the same procrastination I was staring at the beads just 2 nights ago... and staring...

I had no plans, no ideas, no story :) What season is purple, after all? None or all :) What season of my life is purple? That's easy: pretty much all - since purple is a royal color, a color of power and positive. And that's the story of my life: trust in myself (power, in a sense) and keep positive. That's every day: trust, believe, and make it happen.

I wasn't this way as a young child or adult - I used to question every choice I made, until one day I understood it is only I who can make myself happy. Not in a selfish way, in a positive way: believe you can be happy and you will be happy. So this piece is going to be the representation of my road to happiness and content!

It started with links - in jewelry like in life you need links:

Wire wrapped crystals, 'shells', bead caps and spacers - to make one happy link after another.

Then it continued with the tiny seed beads 'strung' on 24ga wire... The 3 rings were wrapped together in a special 'bond' and beautified with one of the big pearls. All wrapped together in a free-form 'flower', much like real unplanned life. I decided to add the ceramic pillow as an anchor, to balance the light design and give it some weight. Working on the main part was very interesting, the piece really worked itself into this:

It needed only a few more connectors (simple looped shells) and the closure:

Thus I present you my Road to Happiness:

I am unusually happy with this piece, it just presented itself to me and it was easy to listen and follow it where it wanted to go. Another level of self-trust - something I've learned a lot through my other love (trapshooting), the moment when you can let your inner-self come out and take control. Which doesn't mean you are not in control, just the opposite: you are in such a deep level of control it becomes a true joy.

Enough about me and my purple moment :)

Thank you, Lisa, for organizing this beautiful virtual get-together, it's always so much fun to be part of your events!

Thank you all for stopping by and sharing your thoughts on the 'Road to Happiness' - and please make sure you'll visit the other participants, and check their take on a season.

Your Hostess: Lisa Lodge, Grateful Artist

Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Cassi Paslick, Beads: Rolling Downhill
Stephanie Sanner Haussler, PixyBug Designs
Leah Mifflin Tees, My Beady Little Eyes
Karin Slaton, BackStory Beads
Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution
Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design
Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life
Alicia Marinache,  All the Pretty Things <- you are here
Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera
Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz
Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
Toltec Jewels, Toltec Jewels for Jewel School Friends
Lennis Carrier, Windbent
Tanya Goodwin, A Work in Progress
Renetha Williams Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts
Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry
Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes
Shirley Jones Moore, Beads and Bread
Charlene Bausinger Jacka, Clay Space
Tara Plote, The Newbie Beader's Blog
Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks
Lori Jean Poppe, Lorillijean Creative Corner

Erin Kenny, Beadifultherapy

Cilla Watkins, Tell Your Girlfriends

Sierra Barrett, Giraffe Can Has

Dawn Horner, Northern Adornments

Miranda Ackerley, Daze and Days

Focus on Life: Week 27 ~ Texture

Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime is hosting a year long challenge which is... sublime... as you'd expect with such a studio name. The challenge is named 'Focusing on Life' and every week Sally is sending a prompt on what should we focus the following week.

The prompt for the week as 'focus on how things feel'.

It might seem cheating - but I actually got to feel the 'object' in the next pictures. Not this week, some long time ago when I was climbing the mountains back in Romania (something we did every summer!) - I still remember that day when we were on the mountain crest, a thin trail going just on top, with 2 deep drops on each side (we are talking 9,000 ft or 3,000 m height here!). And out of the blue a cloud dropped on us.

Now the problem was two-folded: one: we couldn't see a thing, and two: on that trail when the rain starts you better get off the trail in no time (lightning anyone?!). We did get off the trail as quickly as we safely could (not before being drenched to skin, though) and we lived to tell this story :)

You're probably asking yourself what does that have to do with texture. Well - here it is:

Driving through the Pennsylvania mountains we got through a couple of storms... and out of one - these beauties

Have you ever 'felt' a cloud? It's interesting - it feels like you breath water, pure water :)

Do you see the baby in the 2nd last cloud? or the girl in the last cloud? Maybe you see something else :)

Thank you for stopping by and watching the clouds with me - and please make sure you visit everybody else. We are gathered at Miss Sally's as we share our textures this week.

Bead Chat Magazine - July 2013

A new edition of the Bead Chat Magazine has just been published!

Lots of the friends I made in this community are featured, and Melinda created a gorgeous 'Contributors' page too :) You need to check the magazine:

Enjoy!

Echo Creative Club - July

I have 3 more installments of the Echo Creative Club - the lovely brain child of Jeannie Dukic. Which means I have 3 more beautiful art polymer clay elements - and it's incredibly hard to choose!

For July I chose the pretty turquoise bird:

Isn't this delicious?!The colours are as bright and happy and cheerful in real life and I love the heart elements on the wing :)

You'd have to come back on the 25th of July to see what did the little bird became :)

In the meantime, to get one of the lovely art beads handcrafted by Jeannie you can check her store:  Jewelry by Jeannie.