Pepita's Blogoversary Giveaway

The sweet and talented polymer clay artist Alenka Obid

set out to celebrate her blog's, Pepita Handmade, 1st anniversary 

by sending her readers gifts. It's such a brilliant idea don't you think?

While I waited on my package to arrive I tried to come up with ideas 

for colors I don't care for or very geometric shapes which totally befuddle me.

Well as you all know my mail is exceptionally slow so I did too much thinking. I did nine pages of thinking actually, but no matter because it is so perfect for me and my style.

It's organic and BLUE which is my favorite.

Okay, I know. Stop talking and show you.

Here's the beauty!

 I love the shape. The colors (teal and bronze) are an excellent combination.

I can't get the idea of pearl disk beads (about 6-8mm) out of my head when I look at it, but since I have yet to find any I've photographed it with some recent beach finds. I hope I haven't yet again thought up some crafting thing that doesn't exist. If you only knew how many times that has happened. It's so frustrating.

Come back August 11th to see how it turns out.

Bead Hoarders Blog Hop

Welcome to my post for the Bead Hoarders Blog Hop 

which is yet another brilliant idea of Lori Anderson's.

Here's another look at my favorite beads.

I had so many grand ideas and made a lot of pieces,

(Yeah! My creative slump has finally passed.)

 but none with my art beads but these.

These little clouds are part of the beads I've been hoarding 

from my favorite lampwork artist Maria Grimes.

I know we've all seen these before, but I'd not made them yet.

Here's my necklace Raining Rainbows. 

It was my intention to put a few colors and then completely line the cloud with wire (silver lining see?), but I loved the fact that I could turn this arch so it could actually look like a rainbow 

instead of just hugging the cloud. 

I'll probably fiddle with it till the wire snaps, but at the moment it is so much fun.

Alright stepping out of my element I am going to put a picture of myself wearing the set.  

Hopefully it wont frighten off too many readers.

Now check out the other participants' creations.

1.  Lori Anderson, Pretty Things
2. Nancy Dale, NEDBeads
3. Roxanne Mendoza, Roxi Designs
4.  Melissa Trudinger, beadrecipes
5.  Rana Lea, Rana Lea Designs
6.  Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
7.  Rita Avila, Jewel School Friends
8.  Linda Anderson, From the Bead Board
9.  Sharon Palac, Sharon's Jewelry Garden
10.  Erin Guest, Renlish


11.  Joan Williams, lilruby jewelry
12. Diane Hawkey, Diane Hawkey
13.  Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation
14.  Sue Kennedy, SueBeads
15.  Lisa Cone, Inspired Adornments
16.  Kari Asbury, Hippie Chick Design
17.  Nichole Byers, Nichole Byers
18.  Lori Jean Poppe, Adventures in Creativity
19.  Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings
20.  Lori Schneider, Bead Addict


21.  Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me
22. Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
23.  Niki Sayers, Silver Nik Nats
24.  Elsie Deliz-Fonseca, Eliz-Eliz and All That Craft
25.  Amber Dawn, Inventive Soul
26.  Heather Powers, Humblebeads
27.  Sarah Goode, Pookledo
28.  Monique Urquhart, A Half-Baked Notion
29.  JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions
30.  Cheri Reed, Creative Designs by Cheri


31.  Robyn, Museiddity
32.  Catherine King, Catherine's Musings
33.  Jacquie, Bead Gypsy
34.  Janet McDonald, Singing Woods
35. Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreations
36.  Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti
37.  Hannah Rosner, Good River Valley
38.  Rochelle Brisson, A Creative Chelle
39.  Nelly May, Smelly Nelly
40.  Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads


41.  Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool
42.  Christie Murrow, Charis Designs
43.  Leanne Loftus, First Impression Design
44.  Valerie Norton, Hot Art
45.  Judy Riggs, Rigglettes
46.  Crystal Thain, Here Bead Dragons
47.  Terry Carter,  Tapping Flamingo
48.  Sue, Mid-Life Great Expectations
49.  Nan Smith, Wired Nan
*50.  Miranda Ackerley, MirandAck Arts


51.  Marie Covert, Creating Interest
52.  D'Arsie Manzella, This Here Now, Mamacita
53.  Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs
54.  Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
55.  Johanna Nunez, The Lovely One Design
56.  Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
57.  Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs
*58.  Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things
*59.  Debbie Rasmussen, A Little of This, A Little of That
60.  Nat, Grubbi Ceramics


61.  Marjorie Savill Linthwaite, Bennu Bird Rising
62.  Cheryl McCloud, One Thing Leads to Another
63.  Heather Otto, The Crafthopper
64.  Candida Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks
65.  Tracie Dean, Dean Designs
66.  JuLee Wolfe, The Polymer Penguin
Here I am!------------------>67.  Ginger Bishop, Lil Mummy Likes
68.  Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
69.  Jeannie Dukic, Jeannie's Blog
70.  Dini Bruinsma, Angaza by Changes


71.  Birgitta Lejonklou, Create With Spirit
72.  Shalini Austin, Jewellery by Shalini
73.  Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle
74.  Ile Ruzza, Ilenia's Unique Beaded Jewelry
75.  Jackie Marchant, Fiddledeedee Jewelry
76.  Annita Wilson, AW Jewelry 
77.  Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame
78.  Hannah Trost, PZ Designs
79.  Linda Inhelder, Must Haves Jewelry
80.  Miri Agassi, Beadwork


81.  Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
82.  Dyanne Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
83.  Susan Bowie, Susan Nelson Bowie
84.  Megan Milliken, MaeMaeMills
85.  Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry
86.  Ambra Gostoli, Chic and Frog
87.  Lori Lochner, Bloghner
88.  Gerda Jurimae, Gerda's Crafts Blog
89.  Susan, Mistheword
90.  MaryLou Holvenstot, MaryLou's time2cre8


91.  Mary Shannon Hicks, falling into the sky
92.  Karin King, The Sparklie Things Blog
93.  Christa Murphy, Adventures of One Beady Woman
94.  Jenny Davie-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor
95.  Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous
96.  Mallory Hoffman, Rosebud 101 - For the Love of Beads
97.  Danielle Kelley, Imbue the Muse
98.  Kym Hunter, Kym Hunter Designs
99.  Dolores Rami, CraftyD's Creations
100.  Marcia Dunne, 13 Alternatives


101.  Marlene Cupo, Amazing Designs
102.  Emma Todd, A Polymer Penchant
103.  Wendy Holder, Jewelry by WendyLea
104.  Michelle Escano, The Cabby Crafter
105.  Louise Glazier, Lily and Jasmine Treasures
106.  Dana Hickey, Wind Dancer Studios
107.  Lennis Carter, windbent
108.  Anne Betenson, Crystal River Beads
109.  Audrey Belanger,  Dreams of an Absolution
110.  Lisa Stukel, Carefree Jewelry by Lisa


111.  Janine Lucas, Travel Stories
112.  Claire Lockwood, Something to Do With Your Hands
113.  Kathy Engstrom, Catherine's Dreams
114.  Paula Hisel, Simply Beadiful
115.  Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
116.  Mischelle Fanucchi, Micheladas Musings
117.  Kim, Cianci Blue
118.  Linda Sadler, Ida Louise Jewelry
119.  Karen, Spokalulu
120.  Jennifer LaVite, Dry Gulch Bead and Jewelry


121.  Andrea Glick-Zenith, ZenithJade Creations
122.  Karen Martinez, Fairies Market
123.  Robin Reed, Artistry HCBD
124.  Amy Bright, LABweorc
125.  Jasvanti Patel, Jewels by Jasvanti
*126.  Tammie Everly, TTE Designs
127.  Karin Slaton, Backstory Beads
128.  Natalie Moten, Running Out of Thread
129.  Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections
130.  Jenny Kyrlach, Wonder and Whimsy


131.  LiliKrist, Handmade by LilK
132.  Jessica Klaaren, The Truth Space
133.  Cynthia Abner, Created Treasures
134.  Beth Emery, Stories by Indigo Heart
135.  Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads
136.  Jeanne, Gems by Jeanne Marie
137.  Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
138.  Laren Dee Barton, Laren Dee Designs
139.  Steph, Confessions of a Bead Hoarder
140.  Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations


141.  B. R. Kuhlman, Mixed Mayhem
142.  Patty Miller, Cabari Beads
143.  Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads
144.  Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things
145.  Lizzie Clarke, The Need to Bead
146.  Christina Miles, Wings 'n' Scales
147.  Patricia, The Color of Dreams
148.  Marde Lowe, Fancimar
149.  Ev Shelby, Raindrop Creations
150.  Sarah Small, By Salla


151.  Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
152.  Laurie Vyselaar, Lefthand Jewelry
153.  Pam Traub, Klassy Joolz
154.  Lisa Harrison, Daisy Meadow Studio
155.  Anzia Parks, Anzi-Panzi's Work Shoppe
156.  Ingrid, Lilisgems Handcrafted Jewelry Inspirations
157.  Andra Weber, Andra's Joyful Journey
158.  Kelly Hosford Patterson, The Traveling Side Show
159.  Adlinah Kamsir, Dreamstruck Designs
160.  Marci, That Nothing Be Wasted


161.  Kris Lanae Binsfield,  Cherish Designs
162.  Stephanie Perry, Mustard Bead
163.  Birgit Klughardt, Gites Beads
164.  Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog
165.  Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
166.  Sandy Markley, Gypsy Spirit Designs
167.  Elena Adams, Lena's Beady Blog

* are people I've swapped with before.
If any of them had a fan club I'd be in it.

If you are reading this a bit after midnight on the night of the hop 

think calming thoughts for me.

 I'll be hauling my bum out of river about that time behind 2 Cub Scout packs.
Ah the joys of being a Scout Mom!

A little comic for thought

Northern Okinawa Waterfalls

We begin the river trek to Taa Falls.

Rainbow beetles are one of my favorite parts of this trek.

Someone left these piles rocks for us to enjoy.

Rope Swing

 

 

The path to waterfall #2

 

The last waterfall is literally on the side of the road.

The view across the street was pretty great too.

Japanese Post Box

This is the first of 3 sets of photos I took on our family vacation. 

We were smart to check out the waterfalls in order of hardest to get to to easiest.

Okay, that's it from me for now.

(As always you can click on any photo to make it larger.)

My Precious!

While digging out beads for the Bead Hoarders Blog Hop I realized 2 things.

First, I actually use the art beads I buy.

Two, I am a very very lucky girl.

My husband realized letting your wife buy pretty things does have it's rewards. ;)

Here are some close up for you.

This is my first art bead. I discovered and fell in love with lampwork in 2008 and bought this little frog off ebay. He makes the bead top heavy so I can't figure out what to do with him.

More recent lampwork purchases. Can you guess what my favorite color is?

J-Lynn Jewels altered art tiles

Tree Wings Studio beads- love Rebecca's cute critters

Okinawa lampwork collection

from Floridity

Faux sea glass by Caroly Chenault

No polymer clay collection is complete without some of Jeannie's work.

Havana Beads

 And this is why blogging is dangerous to my pocketbook. See that bead pair above? I saw similar beads sent to a bead swap partner I had just paired with in a different swap. I read her post and loved them so much I ordered some for myself. When they arrived I placed another order with Havana Beads...well you see where this goes.

And finally the beads that I will never part with even though I've bought some with the intention of making gifts. The gal whose 12 days of Christmas event will have me set the alarm of 4am in my time zone to participate. It's Maria Grimes of Garden Path Beads. I adore her stuff.

See why I love them?

One of these days I'm going to save up and have her make me the focal I saw when I first discovered her site. It had a little metal rectangle with playin' written on it and a critter dangling upside down from it. When I realized it was a possum I laughed out loud.

Ha! Come to think of it I have a bracelet on the way from her now. 

Guess that will tide me over a bit longer.

Now what to make for the hop...hum?

Bloglovin'

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3553893/?claim=casbx4btncq">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Just trying to stay ahead of the demise of Google Reader so I thought I'd share with you what I tried. It moved all the blogs I followed for me. Seems to be a good solution. Still wandering around there. Have you used this site? What do you think?

little beach  we found Sat. by the side of the road