Win some Goodies

Head over to Andrew Thornton's Blog to win some FABULOUS goodies. He gives something away every Thursday, and I have him listed in my sidebar, but this week he has a huge cache of beads and stampings and .....

View, Click and Comment

I'm on a big push to get people to Andrew's Treasury page. We've sold 4 items off of it already, but we need more people to view it, click on the items, and leave comments to keep it towards the front of the Treasury where it will be seen. Click here to magically be transported through cyberspace to the Treasury. There are lots of items of all differant price ranges  to choose from and they would make great Christmas presents for you or someone else.

A Mermaid for Andrew

My blogger friend, Andrew Thornton recently underwent surgery for skin cancer and has been flooded by hospital bills. I remember when I was diagnosed with cancer. I wasn't afraid of the treatment, and I wasn't afraid of dying, but I was terrified that I would bankrupt my family. Luckily, I recieved some help which put my mind at ease. So helping Adrew get a little bit of peace of mind is my way of "giving back".
I have created this necklace, using a ceramic cabochon from Spirited Earth and have it listed now in my Etsy shop. When it sells, all proceeds from it will go to Andrew.
I also sent a message to the Etsy Beadweavers Team (I belong) and many of them have also donated items in their shops to help defray Andrew's medical costs.
I'll be creating a treasury on Etsy on the first of November with all of the donated items. So check back often; I'll keep you updated. Be thinking about Christmas and Hannukah presents or a little something for yourself that will be steeped in good energy because it was part of a great effort among many friends.

Under Lock and Key

I have always been fascinated by keys. They unlock such wonderful mysteries - Secret Gardens, pirate chests, big creaking doors...

So one of my favorte things to bead around are keyholes and keys.

There's just something special and mysterious about them.

Most of these are in my Etsy shop for sale.

This isn't anything involving a key, but wanted to show you anyway.

My neice, Katie just had a birthday and she wanted a necklace in autumn colors, so this is what I made her. I like it so much I'm going to have to make something similar for myself!

Halloween Beads and a Scrumptious Pendant

A few months ago, I won Cindy Caraway's blog give-away and recieved not only this fabulous handmade pendant...

But Cindy also sent me some delicious Halloween beads....

And so I made a couple of Halloween Necklaces out of them....

Paired with my Day of The Dead Skulls, I'm ready for the Holidays!

Teddy Bear Benches and Sea Treasure

I never feel the urge to clean in the Spring, but it hits me quit hard in the Fall. So as I have been "destashing" my house, I have found a couple of interesting items that I listed on my Etsy shop. One of them is this adorable Teddy Bear Bench. I bought it 20 or so years ago and it was old then. I displayed it in the depot at the Village Green for years, but now I have it back and I'm ready to part with it permanently.  I put a coffee cup in the picture so you could see the scale.
I also found this nightgown that was my auntie's. She had it custom made for her in the 1960's and then never wore it.  All the cutwork embroidery was made on a home sewing machine - back in the days before sergers or computerized sewing machines.

It has a matching robe that goes with it. Size Small.

I've also been making and selling lots of beaded brooches. The Sugar Skull brooches have been popular for people getting ready for Halloween and Day of the Dead.

I recently got another stash of wonderful clay cabs from Nan at Spirited Earth. I posted earlier about the Chalk Horses, But now I have finished a couple more.

I've always been very fond of bees.

And I have never been known to turn down Sea Treasure.

So other than beading, I have been trying to get some last minute gardening done. My son is moving out of my studio and I'll be having Studio Sales in it during December, so the path to it needs to look nice.

I'm a little stressed about doing the studio sales. Haven't done this in a very long time. I always have the nightmare that I'm going to throw a party and no one shows up. It's right up there with the nightmare where I'm naked at school and I can't find my locker.

The Gift

This is a profound video that expresses exactly how I feel about having Breast Cancer. It is something I would never wish on anyone, yet it opened my eyes and my mind in a way that nothing else could. My life is better now because of it. Please watch it.
Sorry that part of it is cut off. I don't know how to fix it, but I think you can get the message without seeing the whole picture.

Chalk Horses and Sugar Skulls

A few years back, I visited England and was amazed by the Chalk Horses that are carved into the hillsides there. This one was on the Salisbury Plains.

So I asked Nan Emmett at Spirited Earth if she could make me a few Chalk Horse cabs to bead around and she made me 3 stunning examples. Here are 2 of them already beaded  (I haven't done the third yet).

I think she did a great job of capturing the magic and beauty of the Chalk Horse.

I've also been making beaded Sugar Skulls for all of my friends who celebrate Day of the Dead (November 2nd). I love this holiday for it's reverence of our ancestors and our loved ones who have passed on, and it's a most colorful and creative celebration.

I'll have these brooches and more on my Etsy shop momentarily. Please stop by.

Also - Congratulations to Mermaiden for winning last months Giveaway  (Beading Book). This month's giveaway is this Sepia Heart Brooch made with another fabulous cab by Spirited Earth.