Homesick, Waterfall & Weekend Fun

Click map to enlarge

Today I saw Lori's maps for the upcoming blog hop, and yet again realized I am a long way from home.  Luckily, I've been too busy to notice recently.

I'll be river trekking to a waterfall when the first 100+ participants reveal their creations.  Here they are to check out when your weekend adventures are through.

My piece is ready to go so plan to come back August 11th for my reveal.



Can't wait?  Join the Bead Soup Cafe on facebook to
check out pictures of the soups we received and so much more.

 Hostess, Lori Anderson, PrettyThingsBlog.com

Alice Craddick,  Alice's Beads and Baubles

Alicia Marinache,  All The Pretty Things

Amanda Tibbetts,  Amanda Made

Amber Dawn Goldish, Inventive Soul

Annita Wilson,  AW Jewelry

Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool

Birgitta Lejonklou,  Create With Spirit   

Candida Castleberry,    Spinning Spun Sugar

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Cassie Donlen, Glass Beadle

Cheri Reed,  Creative Designs by Cheri

Cheryl McCloud,  One Thing Leads to Another

Cheryl Roe, BeadRoe

Christina Hickman, Vintage Treasures Jewelry

Christine Hendrickson,  Clamworks

Cilla Watkins, Tell Your Girlfriends

Cindy Wilson, Mommy's Dream

Cindy Wimmer, Sweet Bead Studio

Cory Celaya, Art With Moxie

Cory Tompkins, Tealwater Designs

Cris Peacock, Cris' Page

Cynthia Deis, Shiny Little Things

Cynthia Machata, Antiquity Travelers

Cynthia Wainscott, Exotic Peru

Dana Hickey, Magpie Approved

Dana James, Dana's Jewelry Designs

Dana Lang, Tumblestone Handmakery

Debbie Price, Green Shoot Jewellery Designs

Denielle Hagerman, Some Beads and Other Things

Diane Valasek, Dragonfly Close

Doris Stumpf, Glaszwerg

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations

Elaine Robitaille, Too Aquarius

Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life

Enikö Fabian, Perl-eni

Erin Prais-Hintz, Treasures Found

Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads

Heidi Post, Ex Post Facto Jewelry

Hilary Frye, FryeStyle

Ilenia Ruzza, Ilenia's Unique Beaded and Painted Jewelry

Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog

Jami Shipp, Celebrating Life

Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle

Jean A. Well, Jean A. Wells Handcrafted Artisan Jewelry

Jean Yates, Snap Out of It Jean! There's Beading to Do!

Jennifer Cameron, Glass Addictions

Jennifer Pottner, Rock Candy Beads

Jennifer VanBenschoten,  Jewelry, Art and Life

Jenny Davies-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor

Jenny Vidberg, Shyme Design

Jessica Dickens, My Jewelry, My Life, Me

Jessica Klaaren, Beadful-Things by Jessica

JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions

Joan Williams, Lilruby Jewelry

Judith Johnston, Judith Johnston

Judy Riggs, Rigglettes

Judy Turner, Silver Rains

Julie Anne Leggett, The Peaceful Bead

K Hutchinson, Jumbled Hutch

Karen Meador, Dreamcatcher Ranch

Karyn Bonfiglio, Plus Size Bangles

Katherine Gale, Terra Beadworks
Kathleen Lange Klik, Modern Nature Studio

Katja Benevol Gabrijelcic, Slovonske Technobe

Kelli Jacobson, Creative Moon

Kelly Ramstack, Adventures with Kelly

Keri Lee Sereika, Pink Lemonade

Kim Ballor, Vitamin C... A Daily Dose of Creativity

Kim Bender-Hora, KimmyKat

Kirsi Luostarinen, Kirsi Luo Korut

Kitty Bozzini, Kitty Lampwork

Laura Demoya, The Bead Therapist

Laurie Hanna, Laurie's Jewelbox

Leah Curtis, Beady Eyed Bunny

Lesley Watt, The Gossiping Goddess

Linda Inhelder, Must-Haves Jewelry

Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog & Meanderings

Lisa Liddy, Metal Me This

Lori Dorrington, Lori's Adventures in Etsy Land

Lori Poppe, Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

Mallory Hoffman, For the Love of Beads

Marge Beebe, Rock Creek Creations

Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things

Marion Simmons, Shade Tree Studio

Marla Gibson, Spice Box Design

Marta Weaver, Marta Weaver Jewelry

Marti Conrad, Marti C's Clay Blog

Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens, GlassBeadArt, Lampwork Beads

Melanie Brooks, Earthenwood Studio

Michelle Hardy, Firefly Visions

Mikala Coates, Maybe Just Perhaps

Mowse Doyle, HoCArt

Nan Emmett, Spirit Rattles - Spirited Earth

Nancy Boylan, Snazzy Doodle Designs

Nancy Peterson, Beading From the Heart

Nicole Rennell, Nicole Rennell Designs

Niki Meiners, 365 Days of Craft

Niky Sayers, Silver Nik Nats

Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas
Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs
 
Pamela Gangler, She Always Loved Pink

Patricia Johnson, Patricia L. Johnson Glass Art

Patti Vanderbloemen, My Addictions ... Handcrafted Jewelry by Patti

Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs

Raida Disbrow, Havana Beads

Renetha Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts

Shannon Hicks, Falling Into the Sky

Shannon LeVart, Miss Fickle Media

Sharon Driscoll, Right Turn Art Werks

Shelby Foxwell, Sundown Bead Designs Rhetoric

Shelley Graham Turner, Fabric of My Life

Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame

Shirley Moore, Beads and Bread

Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads

Stacie Florer, Soul to Substance

Stacie Stamper, Park Avenue

Stacy Alderson, Iridal's Attic

Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs

Stephanie Stamper, Rainy Day Designs

Sue Hamel, The Bottle Cork and Crystal

Suzette Bentley, Ellie's Bijoux

Szarka, Magpie Gemstones

Tammy Jones, Jewelry Making Daily

Tania Tebbit, Glass, Craft, & Artful Goodness

Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti

Terry Matuszyk, Pink Chapeau

Tina Bosh, Every Good and Perfect Gift

Tracy Bell, Copper, Glass and Recycled Trash

Vonna Maslanka, Just Vonna

Stressful Shopping

Time to replace Hubby's car.  Boy that sure snuck up and bit me in the butt.  Did I mention car shopping is not my cup of tea? And that I am a ball of nerves with any big ticket purchase?  even a couch!  Well, on with the story.

image found here Small cars are a must for Oki roads. Not sure why they're usually boxy though.

See here in Okinawa, Americans have to carry 2 kinds of insurance.  One is very similar to the insurance in the States.  Then there is the JCI or Japanese Compulsory Insurance requires an inspection, some or a lot of maintenance & paperwork.  At best it's a financial burden, but for many a nightmare.  We already knew it would be cheaper to replace his car than renew the JCI.  Oh, did I mention that he tells me after he started shopping his JCI was almost up.

NOTE TO YOU FINE PEOPLE:  You should tell the one who handles the money when you are gonna need a few thousand dollars.  And not the day you find the car!!!

Well, it worked out well.  We junked his old car.  LOVE the Japanese efficiency for processing paperwork by the way.  All the needed buildings are close together, and one even has a conveyor belt to haul paperwork to the next cubical for processing.   Hours in the car between junk yard, on base and Japanese places for paperwork and we're headed home to eat the sandwiches we picked up.  Nope the guy with the new car calls and said he's in route to meet up with the new car.  YEAH, got it all done in one day!

The car's not perfect, but it's much, much, much better than what he had.  Plus I didn't have to move any money around.  Hooray! Well he barely get's the seats set right and I have to call him to tell him my car broke down at the Japanese post office.

I stressed the out in town post office for two reasons.  First, this post office only has 3 parking spaces for customers and employees.  Second, the post office on base has plenty of parking and taxis on the other end of the parking lot so I figured he'd just say he'd deal with it when he got off work.  So he gets there, we get it home, then to the shop, waiting, waiting, waiting, and they want more than we paid for it.  That last sentence took a week in real time just so you know.  SO now we're car shopping again!

At least junking my car today was a snap...well except of my poor kid had to be in the car for 4 hours instead of in a fun class and with his buddy for sushi go round lunch like last time.  He did remarkably well by the way.  Today I mean. He of course at fried chicken fingers at the sushi restaurant. 

Point to this rant, I'm stressed and I needed to release some of it out.  My low is that I currently do not have a car.  My high is that we are closer to both having better vehicles.  Oh and my BSBP piece is done.  I spent a day this weekend catching up on my shows and ignoring all the stress.  My BSBP beads were a great distraction since the shows themselves were not enough.

No need to feel sorry for me.  We all get stressed.  

Feel free to tell me what's stressing you out at the moment. 

 If you aren't stressed I'd love to hear about the great things happening to you.

Soups have arrived!

It's Here!

Canadian leaf and all

 It's finally time to show you what Debbie and I sent each other.

What I received from Debbie:

the soup

the punch of color

Now what am I going to do with this?

The brilliance of a black and white soup is you can add almost any color as an accent.  But then there is the dilemma of should you keep it a classic beauty by only using black and white.  Well, I had it narrowed down to 2 ideas, but now a 3rd keeps creeping in.  We'll see on August 11th wont we.  

It will be a special treat because Debbie has already created a piece with this same soup that she'll reveal on the 11th when she shows you what she made with these...

what I sent:

the soup

the extras

the surprise

The pendant shows off my fledgling soldering skills, but best of all shows off 2 of Deb's fantastic photos.  Yep it's reversible!

Wow what an honor!

The Kreativ Blogger award -wow- what an honor.  It is like a big hug from someone I look up to.  I am so thrilled.  I was reading Therese's blog the other day and was so happy for her to win this award.  I thought to myself maybe in a few years I will have a following too.  "We'll wake up Darling!" because it took a day to be gobsmacked by a Facebook message from the amazing Marlene Cupo that read, "You have to go here NOW!"  At first I was thinking poor dear I hope everything is ok.  Yep, she's great and has won the award too & low and behold right in the middle of my banana this morning I had won a blog award.

Marelene is a truly wonderful lady and I can only hope to be such a dear, but I can already tell you I'll not age as gracefully.  Her blog, Amazing Designs by Marlene, is just that-amazing! She's works with polymer clay.  She's taught me so much in the short time we've known each other.  She is one of the few people to enjoy my work as she owns one of my pieces.  I even bought a bit of polymer clay myself thanks to her.  Sweetie, thank you.  You've really brought joy to my heart today.

Alright now to the hard part that has taken me all day to accomplish:

When you receive this award, there are a few rules:
1. Post a link to the person who awarded you-check
2. Share 7 well-thought out random things about yourself
3. Award to 10 other deserving bloggers and let them know

1. Yes, there can be trouble in paradise.  I have my son's cold, and can't seem to stay awake. 


2. Paradise is where I live on the sub-tropical Japanese island of Okinawa.


3. I was born in rural South Carolina where a respect for mother nature took hold and became a passion for hiking, gardening and so much more-that is surprisingly hard to explain. Oh and lighting...I love electrical storms! When I am safely tucked away inside that is.


4. I had never flown anywhere till I came here.  So not only did my son and I take our first flights together, but we almost went half way around the planet in 1 day.


5. I had a young girl who was recommended to me come to my house to cut my hair today.  She's a doll, and will be back Friday for my low lights.  I'm still processing the experience though.  Do I like my haircut? Was it cool or weird that she cut my hair in my home? etc...

6. I never know what time it is, and in the summer I hardly know what day it is.  I really like that about myself. 


7. I do not eat radioactive diapers despite my son's insistence that I do all afternoon long.


Here are my 10 deserving bloggers in alphabetical order.  Each one has found a way to capture my attention time and time again.  Several of which even inspire me.  Oh and there are a few more that I considered including, but I see they have already been awarded.

Amybeads Amy Serverino has one of my favorite blogs.  She's cheerful, talented and creates such a volume of work.  I barely begin with the last thing she's inspired me to try before there are 3 other incredible pieces to drool over.  Oh and her bead kit challenges are just that-an excellent challenge.

A little of this, a little of that Debbie Rasmussen is a multi-talented marvel.  She's a bit anxious about how her work will be received which I can totally relate to.  Despite that she just opened her first Etsy shop and I look forward to reading her experiences with that.


Crafting Rebellion The Rebel Crafter- I just love her quick easy crafts.  She was the first blog I ever followed after starting my own.  Her blog lovin' posts show me things I may have never seen without her. 


Crafty Soccer Mom Nicole Timm is the one who I always read for another dose of "why didn't I think of that."  She's creates anything and everything out of duct tape.  Her blog is a quick, fun read.


eighteen25 Jami-Jodi-Jen are a fun group of gals. I've been exposed to so many new ideas and products, and I only found there blog a few weeks ago.


Garden Path Beads Maria Grimes is a lampwork artist I've followed via email for years. Her creations are so cute, and her personal stories are a joy to read especially her travel posts. They have excellent photos. I own several of her pieces and have been eyeing a few more to add to my collection.


La Bella Joya Marcie Abney shares down to earth stories of her life and translates those stories into amazing works of bead embroidery. Sharing my life's adventures through any art form would be a dream come true.


Mariposas Schatzkiste Matina Nagele was my first bead soup partner and since our pairing my skills have grown so much.  Her guidance and tutorials have changed the way I view patterns.  I can now see ways to adapt the pattern which I understand to be the gateway to designing. Not to mention opening the August B&B to see her design on a full page gave me the "Hey I know her" thrill all afternoon.


Releases by Rufydoof Karyn White is the creator of Beading Babes and it's this bi-monthly challenge that started on her blog and had now exploded on Facebook that brings me to the beading table on days I don't feel like beading. 


Tree Wing Studio Rebekah Payne is a real sweetheart.  You've heard the expression "there is just something about [her] I like" well that is so true of Rebekah.  Her polymer clay artwork brings a smile to my face.  I always eagerly click her posts to see the next marvelous thing she's created. 

I'm glad to have this opportunity to share some of my favorite bloggers with you. 

Maybe you'll find a new blog to enjoy.

Finally Finished Something-YEAH ME!

I have been in a rut.  Actually I've been avoiding my bead table so I grab a few things and go somewhere else to work.  It's been good to finish some things I've piled up the supplies for, but never finished or at times even started.  

First I'll show you my summer anklet and the other bits and evolved while I sat there mesmorized by my first episode of Fairly Legal.  (Yep, I have Japanese cable so I'm a little behind the times.)

Anyway, here's the pieces made with my husband's beach finds that are "round & already have a hole.  So you could do something with that, right?"

This picture shows a bracelet, anklet & pair of earrings.  I only used Hubby's "round things", waxed cord, a pair of earring findings, 10 jumprings, 4 glass drops, a pair of scissors and a pair of pliers.  I love projects that don't require a ton of supplies.  The time consuming part of this project was digging out all the beachy bits that didn't wash out of the spirals. 

Next are the trees of life.  The smallest (center) I made in a class with

the fantastic Tammy Marsh of Lady Eireland about a month ago.

The others I created with my sample and a tiny scrap of paper's worth of notes.  The purple one was made on a day when I was really sad and upset despite knowing I was surrounded by love.  It was inspired by the tree Robin Williams' wife painted in What Dreams May Come.

The last (below) was just an effort to create something not my style which are always the first things my friends are drawn to when they go through my collection to chose a gift.

Not too shabby for my 2nd wire wrapping project ever.  Yep I've wire wrapped a pair of earrings and these.  Definately a skill I will continue to develop.

Last was finally finishing off a kumihimo braid.

It's not perfect, but it's done and that is good enough.  

Stash Share

Today I found CJ's blog 4 His Glory Creations.

She's decided not only to show us her stash, but share a bit with the 2 lucky people.

Though I'd be thrilled to win I wanted to share the photos of her stash.

It was like the HGTV Dream House special in blog form. 

I really enjoyed her reading her blog as well.

So check out CJ's blog.

Giveaway at Beads of Clay

I ran across this giveaway on facebook and thought I'd share.

We were asked to why we love Beads of Clay.  Since this was my first visit to the blog, and becuase I read the words without seeing the capitalization I wanted to share my response.  Beads of clay can look new and old at the same time.  I love glass beads more than anything, but they either look new or old. Clay can appear to be both simultaniously.  I love that!

Anyway, check out Beads of Clay Blog to enter to win the beads above by July 11th.