Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Bubbles, Bumps, and Baubles

It's too hot to get out and do anything, so I'm experimenting with a new version of Peyote stitch - at least it's new to me.
I saw a picture of a bracelet similar to this and decided to figure it out.
I think I did pretty well.
More bracelets in this style will be appearing soon!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Friday, July 25, 2008

Today's Flowers





Your Dreams

“Let your dreams be as vast as the night sky,
as bright as the sunset, and as powerful as the wind.”
-Anonymous

Beauty

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen,
nor touched …
but are felt in the heart.”

-Helen Keller

Wings

"The reason birds can fly and we can't
is simply that they have perfect faith,
for to have faith is to have wings."

- James Barrie, author of Peter Pan

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

A Cup of Tea


Steam rises from a cup of tea and we are wrapped in history,
inhaling ancient times and lands,
comfort of ages in our hands. __Faith Greenbowl


Monday, July 7, 2008

Freeform Peyote Bracelet - 1st Piece

This is my first bracelet done in freeform peyote style.
Those little bright orange beads are cubic zirconia.
I hated the price, but loved the brilliant addition to the bracelet.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Indepencence Day 2008



The day dawned hot and clammy.
Much too hot for the jeans, long sleeved shirts, hats, boots, and gloves we were wearing.
Briers, snakes, and chiggers, you know.
With buckets and snippers, we climbed into the old pickup truck and headed for our mountains.
Our steaming thermos of coffee brightened our spirits,
but did nothing for the rising temperatures.
The sun peaked over the ridge as we topped the mountain and pulled onto the side of the narrow road.
Blackberries!
Sweet mountain blackberries!
Not those awful bitter things that farmers grow and sell in town.
These are the blackberries that granny's pies were made of!
They are tiny and require lots of leaning and bending to find the best ones.
Ah, we have found the briers and chiggers, but thank Heaven,
no snakes as yet.
Soon the juice is streaming down our arms and our faces
for who could resist just one more mouthful of God's goodness.
We have filled our buckets and moved from the hot coffee to mugs of sweet iced tea.
The valley is in a light haze.
That beautiful lacey haze that comes when the cool earth begins to give up its moisture to the first rays of warm morning sunlight.
Time to head back down the mountain to the waiting pancakes and bacon.
The berries are rinsed as soon as we get home - the chiggers again!
The are refrigerated in preparation for the afternoon's party with black berry pie and ice cream!

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Pearly Bubbles


I created this lovely necklace while visiting Anna Maria Island
- one of our favorite vacation spots.
The disks are mother of pearl.
The pearls are glass Swarovski pearls.
The length of the pearl strand is 18 1/4"
from sterling toggle to sterling ring.
The pearl dangles add 2 3/4" to the necklace.
This necklace is perfect for a moonlit stroll on the beach!
Available at
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

34th Anniversary Cruise


My handsome husband and me on a cruise for our 34th anniversary.
Thank you for so many happy years!