Almost 2009!!!!

Happy New Year to each and every one!!!! I have been very busy...I took down and put away all of the Holiday Decorations and I have been miserable every since with a very bad backache. Ugh! While setting or laying around and letting my hubby wait on me I have been working on this lace bracelet. It turned out very Victorian and girly. I used an antique pin that I had purchased a long time ago. It was extremely time consuming! I worked on it four or five days and I am just glad it is done. It is not difficult but just time consuming. The hardest part was finding the end of it. In between times when I just had to have a break I made this simple cross out of crystals and pearls. It is a relaxing thing to create out of a few simple beads and the reward is seeing it come to life in the making. I use two needles and have to weave back and forth to attach it together.

Melissa came over this evening and hooked me up to FACEBOOK! It was so much fun seeing several of my friends from years ago and catching up on their lives. The friends

that had babies when I lived in Des Moines now have grand babies!!! Where did all of the time go? It was only last year, right? Anyway it brought back such good memories and I think I found an old girlfriend has gotten married. I had totally lost her and tonight I found her via computer!

Dirty Dishes

I have been cleaning house all day long and putting up the Christmas decorations. Boy, what a huge job! Of course the decorations have been up since Halloween for the open house and every thing is covered with dust. A good cleaning is in order besides packing up the goodies. Of course, I had to put Christmas in every room.... dumb me. We live in a split level house (BIG mistake) and the storage is downstairs so that means; up with the boxes, down with the decor. My back is nearly broken in half and I was complaining (along with the muscles) and I came into my art room to just set for a while and I set down at the computer and I saw this little clipping from my dear Mother. I just had to share it with you. It says so very much and was a little bit of a rib punch when I started to complain to the Lord about my weary bones. In "MY", Christmas was very easy work....Melissa cooked EVERYTHING and even cleaned up for me! What a blessing she was to me this year; more than any other time, I appreciated all of her delicious labors on my behalf. So we have left overs and I could just get undecorated. What a gal!!! That's all for now. I am headed to bed and it is only 8:30pm. Night everyone!

Purple Passions & Mauve Splendor

This is the set that I wrote about in my last blog. It is absolutely beautiful in purples and dark greens. The pictures are not a good reflection of the quality that this choker actually is. I am going to experiment with different lighting and even possibly making a soft box so that I can get truer colors. The crystals are two different colors that pick up the purple leaves. I wish you could see it up close.

This is another bracelet that I made this week of the herringbone weave where I added 6 Swarvoski Crystals in the center and three on each side. The picture is not a true color. It is actually a mauve with gold tones and the center crystals are an amber. It turned out so very nice and once I get my Etsy Store set up I will let you know where you can purchase any of my jewelry. In the mean time you can email me at saf47@yahoo.com and I can let you know if any product is still available or you can order the same style in the colors of your choice. I am always so surprised at how different the pieces are when they are designed with a variety of colors. Be sure to check back on my previous blogs to see some of the others I have created and are still looking for a great home!!! Thanks a bunch! Sharon

Christmas Wonders

Look at my lovely lovely bracelet!!! My beautiful Daughter-in-love sent me this wonderful creation that I absolutely adore! It is all beaded on a single row of hex beads with copper (my new favorite color), gold and silver seed beads and bugles on black hex size 8's. Isn't it gorgeous?

Then I opened up my gifts from my daughter and I found this beautiful ring!!! I am so very very blessed to have two creative gals that love me!

Then I was so surprised to get this bracelet too! We all love the creative high from making something out just a little bead and a little fish line. Besides all of the work she did my daughter gave me a kit to try it out for myself and the pink rose ring was a blast to make. Now I am hooked on rings too. (I am glad I didn't have the pattern before Christmas because I would have not gotten any sleep at all) I did get a bracelet made and a necklace and earrings too but they will be for my inventory and I will publish those later. I was just so excited about the gifts that I had to share them with you all. I pray each one of you had a wonderful birthday party for our Lord. Last night we went to our Christmas Eve service and it was just wonderful! The church was packed with people standing too and what a festive time to Praise the Lord. The music was so wonderful and the candle lighting was beautiful. My two wonderful grand daughters went along and we wished everyone a Merry Christmas.

Christmas Memories

I am having the Christmas Blues. I am missing my Momma today. It has been only two years since her passing to her reward. I KNOW I should be so happy and rejoicing for her but I miss the "person" and spirit that she can no longer show me. Yes, I will see her again but in the mean time I miss her mischievousness, her sweet kindnesses, her cooking. Yes, I even would relish her corn bread (which I never cared for but always pretended I loved). After her passing at this time two years ago I admitted to my older sister that I did not care for Momma's cornbread and we BOTH had a good chuckle because she didn't like it either. One time when I was in Florida and so very homesick she mailed me YEP! cornbread but she also enclosed a dozen lilacs in full bloom. She was always so very thoughtful and sweet about things like that. I still look for that card, that note of love and even wait for her to call. Enough said. I just miss my family this year more than ever before. ( I found this note in Momma's purse after she had gone on to be with her Lord and I thought it was perfect for my thoughts and my mood for today. Sorry for the sad parts; now I am keeping busy. I made this purple and green bracelet for a girlfriend of mine for Christmas. It is a sweet bracelet just like she is. She does not know yet and I thought I would give you a sneak peek. I also made this Faux Jabot set from overy 100 Czech crystals. I wish you would leave me a note and let me know what your ideas are concerning the several pieces that I have enclosed. Is there anyone out there who reads this? Just curious..... Blogland is so very new to me and I need to know IF I have any followers. Also while I am at it did you know that you can check back to the older blogs to see some of my other creations? Today I got a call from a loved one and she asked me to hold the Real Pearls and Swarskovki Crystal necklace for her. It was so good to hear from her and was so very special to want a piece of my work!!!! It is so important to me that my work is cherished more than being just worn.
I made this Ruby Red bracelet for my lovely sister and she opened it already! The gift was made with alot of love and thoughtfulness toward her favorite color pallets. She loves all things red and black combinations. I made her a pair of earrings that match this bracelet but she has lost one of them already so I should get around and make her a new set but I am hoping she will find the set. Merry Christmas, dearest Sis!!! I love my family, each and every one of you!

"Families are the very BEST Christmas present"

I wanted to send you a warm and happy Christmas celebration. Things are so very close here and I am trying to "get in the Mood" but it has not come. I am so used to making beautiful gifts and giving them to each and every person that is dear to me but not this year and I am praying for the Lord to show me the REAL meaning of this Holdiay. I think I will make a birthday cake for the Lord Jesus and make our day into a birthday party with meaningful gifts of HIS birth. It hasn't helped much that I have come down with a really bad cold but maybe I will just rest and let the day go by. I will have time to pray and reflect on the real meaning of this commercialized hoop to la. We are NOT cooking Christmas meal. We always have several come and I love cooking for them all but it is so expensive for us and I even have to do all of the cleaning up so We have decided that this year we will fix meals for ourselves and IF anyone wants to bring food for the traditional meal they will have to bring it. I will probably make a cake or some dessert.

I had been wanting to do this necklace since I saw it in May at the Atlanta Bead Market. I finally got out the pattern and really enjoyed making it. I made the earrings out of one size smaller beads and I think they turned out pretty. There are over 100 Czech fire polished beads in the necklace alone. I used a size 15 seed bead for the earrings with a hex cut bead and reduced down the size of the Czech bead to a size 3. I thought you might enjoy seeing the projects I am working on.

Bugle Lariats

I wanted to show you the latest project! BJ came over last week to my home and this is one of the classes that she taught us. The first Lariat is from her original pattern and the second pictures are from an earring I purchased at the Kidney Foundation. I thought it made up really well and hope that someone else loves it! I am to go to the "Shopping Extravaganza" that Melissa has arranged this Wednesday evening in Cummings. Please pray that I will sell some of my jewelry. We sure need it. Number one I can only wear so much jewelry and number two Christmas is just around the corner and things are really close for us.
I had a lot of problems sleeping last night so my sweet hubby let me sleep in which meant that I missed church today. I hate that but I would probably have gone to sleep anyway.

My latest creations

I have fallen in love with this copper bead so I wanted to make something "special" What do you think? It is certainly unusual but with a different twist. The fresh water pearls are so irregular and maybe that is why it "works". I did a two bead drop peyote stitch to make the chain. I really enjoyed this one. It is a choker, which I really think adds to the necklace. I made some simple earrings to match that can be sold as a set or individually. Melissa has me signed up for a showing next Wednesday which I am looking forward to. I also made this peyote twist bracelet while on jury duty this week. What an experience yet a privilege!

Dragon Alert!

Yep! I finally got IT done! My Nephew, Russ, asked me to make this bracelet from a necklace his Grandma Ingram had left him. I, personally do not like dragons much BUT it did get your attention, didn't it? It was extremely hard to make and is not for a beginner. The cuff is made of a herringbone twist (which I had never done before). Russell picked out the colors and the flame catch. I must get it in the mail for him as his birthday was last week! HAPPPPPY B>D>!!!!
Of course, I had to make something different for me so I choose, (what M & I call "THE BUMP"). It was a little tedious at first but I love the results. Last Tuesday and Wednesday we took classes and I even got a "Bugle Lariat"necklace made. What do you think? I would love to hear from you to get some feed back from others. You can email me at saf47@yahoo.com with any thoughts or ideas that you can give me on improving my blog or even my jewelry.

Well, I must go! I am on JURY DUTY tomorrow and I have my bead box and magazines ready to go to serve my community. I count it an honor and hope all of the complaining I hear from so many is only "talk" and that they appreciate living in a free country. God Bless each and every one! night night

Jewelry jewelry everywhere!!!

I hope all of my family and friends had a wonderful wonderful Thanksgiving!!!! We were invited to Cummings to a wonderful coffee shop for a FEAST! It was like the United Nations all put together over turkey, Russian salads, Italian desserts and lots of love. My nephew and family were with us from North Carolina and along with my daughter's family we were treated to a wonderful day! The lady that owns the restaurant invited us all to come. There were families from Siberia, Russia, Italy, Korea, Mexico, England, Porto Rico & even a few of us Georgians sprinkled in. How delightful to meet with all of the nations celebrating their thankful hearts with ours. I loved the Russian salad made with fish and potatoes (MY hubby gave me his serving). We had all kinds of delights with all kinds of flavors but I tried a serving of them all. Then on Friday we celebrated our family traditions in my home. I am so very very thankful for all of the blessings of our Lord!!!
I finally got the catch redone on my favorite bracelet and sold it at the open house but just wanted you to see what it finished up looking like. Now I have a new "favorite" and this band is so very comfortable and it is pretty besides. I KNOW that it is only a tangible thing that will grow old, with time, but I enjoy beading so very much and I also enjoy sharing them with others. My beautiful beautiful daughter-in-love; has opened her own blog. Please look at the beautiful things she has made and this is her very first blog. "A Little Something Added.blogspot.com"

The teacher I had when I first started beading (BJ) came over to my home and taught three of us two different patterns and I will publish my necklace once it is finished. It was so nice to see her again and to once again be beading. Tomorrow she is coming back for another piece that Melissa and I will be learning together. It is a "bubble" bracelet but I am thinking more into the lines of making a short (very short) piece and make it into a big bead with tassel hanging from the center. The "cuff" that is featured was a gift to my daughter for her 41st birthday! She has worn and worn it and always told me that she loved it and I weakened and finally gave it to her for her special day. I took her to a really nice place for lunch where she ate grilled salmon and creme brule for dessert. We had a lovely day! I think she felt special after we went shopping and a filthy dirty ole' guy started hitting on her. We got the giggles and it just made our day! (Way to go "hot momma"!!!)
These bracelets were made a while back but I just wanted to give you some pics of the inventory.

Praise Be to the Lord of Lords!

The "open house" is over and done for another year and was quite a success! Not monitarily but the ladies that came seemed to enjoy welcoming in the Christmas season , all enjoyed the food & I enjoyed all of them. I even got to meet four or five ladies that live in our subdivision and that was delightful! This Saturday was not as busy as the first Saturday but there was someone here all day long but by 4:00 I was ready to crash! I, however, tore down all the tables and put the "leftovers" in a box for a later date of deciding what to do with it. I did sell six pieces of my jewelry that I would not have sold otherwise so we were pleased with that and thanking the Lord for a little "extra" to go towards my honey and I getting new glasses. He lost his in the burn pile a couple of months ago and my eyes have certainly changed since starting to bead.

I have some corrections that I must make.... I had told you that I loved a new blog called "The Quill House" wrong.... it is called "The Quill Cottage.blogspot.com". So sorry for that error. I have bookmarked it and never thought to look. Please check her out!!! She has such lovely things to say, especially todays. The drawings at the top of the page were done by Dawn at "The Feathered Nest.blogspot.com". Aren't they PRECIOUS? She has an article in there about my friend, Lynn from Lynnslovelies.blogspot.com and she is correct about the beautiful work that Lynn does. I wanted to purchase one of any one of the lovely work she brought a week ago but we are like everyone else, BROKE and watching our pennies.
I guess I am a little sad that this Christmas will be very very sparse but then I get to thinking that "WE", the worldin general, has lost track of what Christmas is all about and we need to get back on track! I am looking for reasons to praise the Lord for His gifts toward me (which is not hard once I open my eyes). The scripture that comes back again and again, is such comfort: "BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD" Why do I worry so when He has already seen the future and KNOWS He will provide and see me through any thing, anything, anything! Praise be to my Lord!

Just a quick note to send you these lovely baby cards. My Great Grandpa Walter Bohling used to sell Watkins products and cards, door to door. I have a box of these precious little cards from some of his things. I have had them for more years then I can care to remember. I just sent a copy of them to Dawn at the Feathered Nest because she is expecting a new Grand daughter. I thought maybe someone else might enjoy them too. Grandpa was such a dear dear Godly man. My favorite memories of him was when I saw him on the street corner, downtown Des Moines, and he stood hat in hand (in reverence to his Saviour) and he was singing a song. I think the song was "Just a Closer Walk with Thee". He would stand on the corner and preach the gospel and hand out tracks. His life was a living example of the love of my Lord. I still miss him so much and the other day I was thinking that my Momma was with him in heaven along with so many who I love. Precious precious memories, how they linger.....