One more girlie and some sheet music

Okay, so I am not focused tonight. I wanted to bead and then found a box or two that I wanted to cover. I went down to the garage to spray paint the boxes and remembered that I had an OLD song book. While the paint was drying I scanned four or five of my favorite songs. Well, while I was scanning those I thought I wanted to scan the front cover too. Goodness, I must learn to focus, focus, focus...(I have had that problem since grade school and after all these years I think I will never out grow this.)

Please note that the song book is dog eared and stained. It is well used. Can't you just see our forefathers and mothers singing from the old hymnal? It was published in 1939 and cost only 50 cents. (I was very disappointed that it did not have "Just a Closer Walk with Thee") For those who might want some old time gospel, enjoy each piece and please let me know if you have made something with them. It is always so fun and so stimulating to see other artists work.

I must get back to the bead table and finish up on the boxes before I can see the bead tray underneath.

Thank you for stopping by and please leave a comment if you find the time. (Your comments leave me with a feeling of being hugged.)

Sharon

Will you try?

Please go over to read the prayer that Lynn http://lynnslovelies.blogspot.com/ published today!

WE together can make a difference through prayer!

I love our country but I do not like the direction it is taking. Lately, I have heard many people speaking badly about our President Obama. HOW can I speak ill of someone and pray for them too? I for one, (who did not vote for him) feel that President Obama was the one "we" as a nation choose. If we pray for him continually then God our Father will hear our prayers .
WE can make a difference!
Let us make a difference through our prayers.
May God bless our country & heal us.
Sharon

Four more lovely ladies

Four more copies of the prints....aren't they lovely? I have a couple pieces of jewelry finished and will post them later. First I wanted to get the pictures sent to you....enjoy them.

Sharon

Images

Just a quick note! Here are some of the images that were requested. The calendar is from 1994. I hope you will enjoy them and NOT sell them in any way, shape, or form thereof. If you want, I will send more. Let me know.

Thank you for your honesty.

Sharon

NEWS TIP OF THE DAY! Bargains are out there!

This is going to be quick! I just wanted to tell all of you out there that Office Max had the Composition Journals on sale this week for 50cents each!!! I bought 18 more...(even though the manager said I had to be a teacher) I sweet talked him into letting me buy a few more than the six limit. FYI... I could have gone to my car and come back three times but that seemed silly to me. So I had the clerk run them up on three separate tickets. (there is almost always a way around their systems) He just laughed...I'm happy and he made three sales today!
I have attached one of the little girls that I used on the journals. Would you like more of them????
It is getting late and I want to get to bed so I can go bead tomorrow...Thanks for stoppin' in!
Sharon
P.S. My hubby asked tonight if I thought anyone would use them. I think/hope so but I told him that "it is the thought that counts."

10 Journals Down ??? to go....

Can you guess what I have been doing? Journals, journals, journals everywhere. I have to confess that I am loving doing this. My sweet hubby went out and bought me 10 notebooks. They are spiral but how was he to know that I wanted composition books. He was so kind to take the lead and get me the notebooks that I could not resist making them, just this way. Because the front covers and back covers were of a lighter weight chip board I had to use four sheets of card stock for each book. I have been saving this Maud Humphrey calendar since 1999 to use on something special. I loved the prints so much. So I got out my handy exacto knife and began to cut. It hurt, a little to finally cut it apart but I believe the books will be a blessing to someone.

I have contacted the hospital where I got my mammogram last time and I am anxiously waiting for a call back. I think I am on the right track because I feel really "good" about this project. I am going to donate them to the hospital for patients who are struggling with cancer.

I want to put something on the inside to encourage them to write out their:

Favorite childhood memories,

Where they grew up ,

Who influenced their lives the most,

Favorite poem or saying,

Who their favorite movie star is,

Their Victories & struggles,

Anything to get them to express their thoughts and memories on to paper.

When someone is gone we loose so much of our family history/our linage. Do you have any suggestions on how to get this across in a simple way?

I would appreciate any help I can get...

Thank you so much for stopping in. Your comments are so appreciated...Sharon

Another Creation (or two)

This week has truly been a blessing! After last week, about anything would be appreciated! When I got burned I could not wear a bra or a blouse so had to stick to bathing suit tops (strapless). It was NOT a pretty sight to behold. Because of the painful back I had to keep busy. I started to embroider. (I find this technique so relaxing and therapeutic.) I bought this lovely beveled crystal at an antique store and was just itching to make something with it. I started with the Ravoli in the center and began to build around the beautiful stone. I had a pre-conceived pattern of garnets that were rough cut flat and round. Then I filled in the empty spots with size 11 & size 15 tiny beads. It took me over, (way over) 80 hours to complete the front of the bracelet. I added a mauve ultra suede backing and stitched the two panels together with a bead called a delica. Tonight I FINALLY finished it! Praise the Lord for patience and perseverance. (I heard a quote recently that describes my feelings...."I am SO OVER THAT"!!!) I think it turned out lovely? (I have seen these on Etsy for $250.00-$350.00 and I DO understand why they charge such a high price!)
Next I just wanted to do something easier on my brain. Meslissa figured out the pattern & came over to teach me how to do this herringbone snake design. (I call it a snake because it truly feels like snake skin.) I made mine four beads wider then Melissa's but it was a pleasure to make. It is made with triangle colbalt blue beads and I added clear silver beads for an accent. Then when I got to the center I added Czech glass beads that just "happened" to be the same color. I closed it with a lovely rectangular button.
I wanted to show you how much wider and how much more work there is in the cuff as opposed to the "fun" snake design. This one is so comfortable and will be great with blue jeans or casual wear.
Oh, yes, I wanted to tell you that I sold the Guardian Angel necklace to a lovely lady just down the road from me! I sent it out with a lot of regret but I am so glad that it is going to a good home. She is a lovely Christian lady & will appreciate all of the work involved. (I have told you that I get very attached to my pieces.)
God bless each and everyone of my bloggy friends. I love each one of you. If you have time would you please leave me a comment whether or not you like my newest creations? I bead just to hear from each one of you!
Sharon

Calling ALL women!

This is a lovely picture that hangs in my bathroom so that I can see it in reverse in my mirror, while applying makeup or brushing my teeth. When I am in the tub I like to just look at it with fond memories. "Why?" you ask. This precious keepsake was given to me by a very very dear friend that lost her battle with cancer. She knew me so well and loved me anyway.
I read a post last night and I have tried to find its author, all day long. The post was about Shirley Nagel (SRcattle@aol.com). She is doing a "little something" for cancer patients in California. (I jotted down Shirley's email address but forgot to write the name of the blog I was reading. IF you know who wrote the post, please let me know so that I can thank her.)
All right back to the subject.... Shirley makes journals for ladies and gentlemen who are going through a fight with cancer. What a lovely idea! I wrote to Shirley earlier today and we have been in communication about her project. There is a room dedicated to supporting patients who are going through this difficult time. In that room is information and small gifts of love to encourage and bless. One of those gifts is a journal that are free for the taking by patients.
Shirley needs our help. (Women ministering to women.) Why not make a few to give away for a good cause? They are relatively inexpensive & the main cost is our time. Do you have a couple of hours and a few cents to share? Just think what a blessing it would be to someone that is struggling, to be able to write down their thoughts, fears and victories.
IF you are interested, would you please email Shirley at SRcattle@aol.com to get her address & more information? (She does not have a blog yet.)

I think this is such a good idea that I have another favor to ask of my blogging buddies. Does anyone have any ideas or directions for finding a group locally that ministers to cancer patients? I don't have any idea where to even start my search.

I would like to do this in memory of my dear friend, Margaret Cramer.

(The other pictures of the lovely ladies are compliments of Cora at Clearly Vintage http://clearlyvintage.blogspot.com/ )

I hope that some of you will get as excited as I am about this project!

""Blessed are those that give without remembering & receive without forgetting"

Author Unknown

Do not look at your gifts as a possession, but as an expression of WHO gave them to you"

from JoAnna at Moss Hill Studio.blogspot.com

Digital Two Tuesday's!!!

Cora Harkins http://digitaltwotuesdays.blogspot.com/igitaltwotuesdays.blogspot.com/.
asked me to host the Digital Two Tuesday post by making up a design from this line drawing. I have never done anything like hosting in blogland before so please bare with me while I learn something new.

I flipped the car horizontally so that it was facing out then made it into a stamp. I removed the RENAULT sign. Using a line art of one of Cora's other graphics I then added a gradient color with my magic brush to add a little color. I had gotten the "Reach High" word art from DigiFree freebies but failed to mark who had created this. (If you know who designed it, please let me know so that I can give them credit for all their work!) Please right click on the cards to enlarge them for a closer view. Nouveau art is lovely but I had never worked with it before. I like a challenge and yet I could not come up with anything that looked good. I like Victorian/Vintage fru-fru and found it difficult to get away from that.

So I began to look around at other designers work to see if I could get any inspirations. Sure enough, I found Jak Heath http://crafterskitchen.blogspot.com/ designs were just exactly what I was looking for. She had made a lovely red and black card with line art. (Be sure to go to her posts to see her lovely designs.) I wrote to her and she graciously agreed to allow me to use her "concept" to create this card. She makes such lovely things that I felt honored to use this beautiful design. The orange ribbon was way to bright for my taste so I used a stamp & pad to reduce the brightness then I bunched up the ribbon at the top on a two way tape. I added an orange daisy at the bottom and topped it off with a vintage button.
You MUST see Betty's ----LIGHT OF OUR YOUTH !!! http://blossomsandlace-betty.blogspot.com/ Her concept of this Renault is spectacular!!! I love the lovely ladies that she put in the headlights. Who would have thought to do that except a true artist? It must have taken her hours to create this beauty. Great job, Betty!!!

I hope that you will go to see others who have posted this same design from Digital Two Tuesdays graphics. I must go now and check them out for myself.
P.S. By the way, I am doing MUCH better this week & I do sincerely appreciate all of your sweet comments & expressions of concern. We all have an "off" week & mine was drawn for last week but I look forward to a better week for myself & for you! Thank you!!! Sharon

Week of unending drama continues.....

I have had a GOOD/BAD week here in North Georgia!
We had a huge pine that was infested with pine beetles. Bad deal because we have pines all over the back yard & didn't want to lose any more than we had to. My hubby is 72 years old and was going to get up there and top the tree!!! (He is extremely stubborn.) Hubby says "I'm going" I say "No Way!" Prayer was necessary. I kid you not, I came into the house and asked the Lord to "HELP!". Five minutes went by & the door bell rang! Standing there was an ANGEL dressed just like a Georgia Hillbilly Tree Cutter! He did not have to say a word to me, I pointed to the back yard and said "My husband is expecting you". (They had just been randomly driving down the streets and saw we had a dead tree. So they stopped. He probably thought that I was nuts!) He wanted $750.00 to cut down the tree & haul it off. WAY OUT of OUR budget, right now. They talked some more and within an hour the tree was down, they were $300.00 richer and we were $300.00 poorer BUT we both were blessed by the Lord answering our prayer so quickly !

Now I am sure you are asking, "What does she have to whine about?"

DRAMA #1: Tuesday morning we felt we had to get the tree burned because the beetles were chomping away. Coffee in hand we set to work. We had a huge fire roaring all day long. We had hoses out there, gloves on, bug spray & our lawn chairs.
When the roaring fire was good and red I went over and pulled a branch that was hanging out and threw it back into the fire . It flew back and landed on my right shoulder blade, (of course I was dressed in a jogging bra) so fire hit flesh and it HURT a lot ! The doctor gave me some cream and it is finally feeling better tonight. But no bra, only strapless tops, & no church this weekend...pity party girl will have to stay home this Sunday.

DRAMA #2: Tonight I got a call from my daughter saying she wanted me to meet her at the emergency department with clean underwear & shorts!
She had gotten out of her van and forgot to put it in park. (Big mistake but everyone makes mistakes once in a while.) My youngest grand daughter, Beth reached out automatically to stop the car and Melissa jumped in between the car, pushed her daughter away and was pinned up to the center brace between the two garage doors. The oldest grand daughter, Kate, jumped into the front seat and put the car in neutral (remember it was still in drive, holding her against the jam) ! Kate had never driven a car before. The car was on the incline and started to roll away from the garage...GOOD! The van door was open and caught the car parked next to hers (BAD & GOOD) which is the only way Kate did not go flying into the street (GOOD).
DRAMA was in overload about this time! Melissa was taken to the emergency department and by the time I got there everyone was close to hysterical. My sweet son in law & hubby went to retrieve the bent car and see what the damage was to the other vehicle/garage while Melissa was getting x-rays. NO BROKEN BONES! Praise the Lord! But she has one huge huge bruise on both sides of her thigh on her right leg but she is okay otherwise.
I am so thankful for the Lords' guardian angels for watching out over my three girls. One never knows what a minute or day will bring, let alone a week!
P.S. The underwear & shorts were because she stripped off her slacks/underwear (in the house) after she got hurt & was in shock. The kind women who owned the other car grabbed a size 24 pair of shorts for her to wear to the emergency department and Melissa could not keep them up! (She had recently lost 72 pounds and had one time worn that size!) We had to giggle when we realized that she no longer needed them.
This is the FIRST time I had actually needed to use the old adage my Momma used to say to me, when I was a little girl. "NEVER ever leave the house without clean underwear on, you never know when you could be in an accident". How funny!

Like I said "A WEEK of unending drama continues...."
Is Sunday or Monday the beginning of the NEW week?
Oh, rats school starts on Monday!!!

SIX THINGS THAT INSPIRE ME!!!

MY INSPIRATIONS!

When I came upon Inspiration Avenues challenge http://inspiration-avenue-team.blogspot.com/ , I thought that it was a very clever idea and I wanted to play along. I began to think about being grateful for each thing that inspires me to use the talents that the Lord has given me. So as I type, it is in the form of a prayer of THANKSGIVING! #1. The Greatest Inspiration: The most important source of my inspiration is the Lord that I serve. He gave me the abilities, the vision, to see things even before they are completed.
#2. My Family & Friends: My Grandfather had no hands yet he could play seven musical instruments & draw, oh my goodness, you can not imagine his talent. I always figured that if "HE" could do it than I could do whatever I set my mind to. Through the encouragement of family and friends I continue to be inspired to "just create".#3.Beading: I know I have said it before but I started beading May 2008. Before that I did china painting, tole painting, sewing, etc., etc. Through the wonderful instructions of my beading teacher, B.J. Kahn, numerous magazines & books, I am inspired! I have enjoyed beading endless hours. I do, however, keep it all in perspective. I hold on to the "things" that are around me with a very light hand and try not to get so attached that I forget Who gave it all to me in the first place.
Beads, beads, beads. I have 19 trays of every sort of bead, in every color you can imagine. They are sorted by size, color and style. (I never seem to have the right color in the right size.)
#4. Antique/Vintage Jewelry: I am inspired by seeing the way "they used to make it". I love taking a used piece of dis-guarded jewelry, dismantling it and using it in todays modern designs. {There is nothing "new" just re-done.) Pearls & crystals, however, are nearest and dearest to my heart.

#5. Paper: I love all colors & textures! I have two full racks & three dressers full of color, color, and more color. I like looking at it! I like touching it! I like working with it. Paper inspires every one of my senses. (There are no limits to what a person can do with a pile of paper and a passion to match its beauty.)

#6. Blogging Friends: I started my own blog in June 2008 and what a wonderful way to be inspired!!! It is because of your encouragements that I stay up until the wee hours of the morning (like tonight) making whatever comes to my mind.

YOU INSPIRE ME!
I am thankful to the Lord for giving me INSPIRATIONS through each one of you!
Blessings to all.

Sharon