Thursday's Thing*

Rain.  I guess today is a day to be thankful for it.  The state I love the most is on fire again.  And here we are getting hit with wave after wave of rain.  But today, I am ok with the rain.

 And I am ok with my speck of a house.  Because I have one and it is still standing.  It has not burned in forest fires or been sent into splinters by tornadoes.

*Appreciate what you have.  Want for less...unless it is beads or music.

Thursday's Thing*

My house is itty bitty and only has one bathroom but it has a front porch, so that is all that really matters to me.

Manhattans, coffee, guacamole, ice cream, red red wine, pancakes, beading, reading, deep conversations, funny stories, long deep silences, The Bug practicing her violin...it is all so much better on the front porch. 

When I was growing up, my family had a summer bungalow with a fantastic screened in front porch, 8 rocking chairs, a glider and a chaise lounge.  The perfect time on that porch was in the rain with a book.  I would rock for hours and read and listen to the rain.  But really, any time was the perfect time when I was on that porch.  The back porch was screened in as well and had a huge table with benches.  I am not sure how many people we could cram around that table.  It seemed like it extended and shrunk according to how many people were there.  It had a door to the kitchen, and a great serving window to the kitchen.  My bedroom had a window which opened onto the back porch...most convenient since there was a bed on the porch too and my boyfriends would sleep on it when they were staying over.  I could go on about that house and those porches, but it is a tender subject for me and I have a lot to get done today, so I do not want to get too emotional right now.

When I first heard this song in the early 90s,  it instantly took me to the front porch I grew up on.  It is still a favorite of mine.  Oh Lyle...you know how to do it for me ;-)

And during the winter months, when porch season seems so. far. away., I listen to this exact version while I make dinner and sing it LOUD.  Lyle's co-writer on this one, REK, has a totally different take on the same exact song.  And it is the version I need when the weather is 20degrees, snow and ice...fun, lighthearted, pickin' and grinnin'.

What is your favorite, comforting place in your house, or houses or your past?



*Appreciate what you have.  Want for less...unless it is beads or music.

Getting My Rocks Off on Hump Day

I skipped Sari Monday this week and am also skipping Thursday's Thing* tomorrow, so I thought I would slip a little something in today.

These are some of the rocks I got at the Jersey Shore last month.

 The first one is called Manhattan Schist.  I am told that "they are known for their presence of visible flaky or tabular minerals aligned in a cleavage.  Rich in Micas"  (Thank you, my dear friend, for that info :-D  They didn't teach us that at GIA.  And Thank You for the shore getaway :-D ).  I used Erin Fickert-Rowland's Gypsy Trade Beads in this necklace.  Love them so much!

I also put Swarovski bicones and steel colored seed beads on Fireline to complete the chain.

It was VERY hard to photograph this one, but trust me, This Rock Shines!  

I E-6000ed the black rock onto the grey and used Beadalon and Peanut Beads for the simple chain.

More E-6000 on the orange and white rocks.  Grey/brown matte seed beads and frosted white peanut beads on Fireline for the chain.















All simple stringing...just letting the Rocks be the Stars...and those Beautiful Gypsy Trade Beads!

Thanks to JWM and to Erin for making these necklaces possible :-D

Thursday's Thing*

Pass the Pigs.

This roll is worth 10 points.  But for me, it isn't about the winning (the first to get to 100), it is about the cuteness of the pigs and us cheering for them.  And the mindlessness of the game.  And how well they travel. When we hit the road, we bring the pigs, Yahtzee dice, and cards.
Funny, when we traveled in my Corolla, we packed it to the top.  When we traveled in my Explorer, we packed it to the top and beyond.  When we travel with my CRV, we pack it to the top.  When we travel with the BirdMan's truck, we fill the whole flatbed to the top of the cap.  And above the cap.  Whatever space we have, we fill.  I am sure if I got a Corolla again, we would pack it to the top, but we would be packing  less than if we took the truck.  Our ability to acclimate is what I like best about these people :-)

What mindless games do you play?
What games do you travel with?







*Appreciate what you have.  Want for less...unless it is beads or music.

Reclaimed Sari Ribbon and Jersey Sea Glass

Simplicity.

I always think we should embrace this word more often in life.

I kept it real simple with this one: Reclaimed Sari Ribbon from Darn Good Yarn.  Sea Glass from the Jersey Shore, not from my piddly stash I tried to collect last month, but as a gift from Cynthia over at Antiquity Travelers.  And a couple wooden beads tied onto the ends.

The glass has the perfect subtle curve to it that makes it rest comfortably on the wrist.

:-D

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Hope we all have a great week!!!



Reclaimed Sari Ribbon used in these Posts:
Week#1
Week#2
Week#3
Week#4
Week#5
Blog Hop

A Time To Stitch 3 Blog Hop is FINALLY Here!!! WOO HOO!!!!!

Therese and I are so happy to do another Stitch Hop.  This time, it was a choice of at least on of the following spirals~Cellini, Russian, or African Helix~and one of the following flats~brick, ladder, square.

It was a tough hop for me, as 3 of those 6 stitches are brand new to me.
But I stuck with it and did pretty darn ok with them.

Thanks for being here and for taking the time to look at my work and the work of all the other Hoppers listed at the end of this post.  And a big thanks to those that signed up to participate in this one!



Ladder Stitch:

Reclaimed Sari Ribbon, compliments of Darn Good Yarn.

Cellini Spiral:

I favor bracelets, and was sure this was going to become one.  But WOW~is Cellini stiff!  So I used it as a necklace segment instead.






My first time doing Cellini.

Square:

I went back to an old favorite pattern of mine with square stitch.  I call it the Gallery Bracelet.  It is the first class I ever taught.  I originally used Swarovski cubes in my Gallery Bracelets.  But when I was at a bead show with Cynthia and saw these beautiful carnelians, I knew I needed to go back to this pattern and replace the crystals with carnelian.  I couldn't be happier with the look of the new and improved Gallery Bracelet!  

Russian Spiral:

My First Russian Spiral!  Normally, I have very tight tension when I beadweave.  This is really loose.  I am not sure if that is normal for Russian Spiral, or if I was just really relaxed when I made it.  It is really comfortable on my wrist.  

Brick Stitch:

 Cynthia and I worked on these when we got together to bead a couple months back.  Check out hers here!  It is brick and ladder.  I put labradorite donuts on mine.  I made this design a while back but never got to teach it.  I was thrilled to finally get that chance with Cynthia.  She took to it superfast.

This one is a brick stitch with a pearl in  the center, anchored with the Reclaimed Sari Ribbon from Darn Good Yarn.  I like the Preppy/Bohemian split personality of this one.  

Brick with 12mm twisted bugles.

 Brick around a peacock pearl.  The chain is 2-hole tiles.

 

Africal Helix: (the Grande Finale)

  A List and Links to the other Stitchers:

Therese Frank

Christine Altmiller

Maryanne Gross
Cynthia Machata

Bobbie Rafferty

Katherine Gale

Sally Russick

Niky

Alenka

Kim Hora

Karin Slaton

Shirley Moore

Tami Norris

Amy Severino

Alicia Marinache

Lola Surwillo

Mandy Duffy

Kristen Stevens

Reclaimed Sari Ribbon and Handmade Polymer Beads

A few weeks back, I won a giveaway at  Carefree Jewelry by Lisa.    Thanks Lisa!    Click here to read about how this giveaway came to be, and links to where you can find other pieces similar to this brooch, which was handmade by women in Africa.  Lisa won the brooch, made the polymer beads herself to make the lariat, then hosted her own giveaway to pass along the brooch, lariat and extra polymer beads.  

I took some of Lisa's polymer beads and paired them with  polymer beads I got from Erin of Elysian Studios .  These teal Gypsy Trade Beads can be found at Elysian Art A La Carte.   

Then I added a little bit of  the beautiful Reclaimed Sari Ribbon I was gifted by Nicole of Darn Good Yarn .

And here is what I made for another Sari Monday :-) 

To see what I made with the Sari ribbon the other weeks, click on the links below.  

Week #1

Week #2

Week #3

Week #4

Thanks Lisa, Nicole, and Erin!

And thanks to you for stopping by :-)  Have a great week!