Please Vote for Beads of Courage

We are currently in 13th place, but need to be in 10th by July 31st in order to stay in the running. Please take a moment to vote!

Through the Beads of Courage Program children coping with life threatening conditions received colorful beads each which symbolize the many treatments and procedures they overcome. Their Beads of Courage collection serves as a tangible, visible symbol of their accomplishments during a challenging treatment journey. Funding provided by Pepsi will help us provide the Beads of Courage Program as a source of support for children in 10 children's hospitals wishing to provide the Program as a source of psychosocial support. The Beads of Courage Program strengthens resilience and quality of life for children coping with cancer and other serious illness.

Art in Cellophane

Maria posted today about Art-O-Mat. They are a company that refurbishes cigarette machines to dispense art. The machine pictured above is in my old stomping grounds, Kalamazoo. Check out the website for a machine near you!

A Word to the Wise, or,

What $100 Will Buy You...

Last night was my ring-making class at Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. I had a wonderful time and learned many great techiniques. It is 45 minutes away, and it is country driving. I spend the drive home keeping an eye out for deer. As I apporach home, my thoughts turn towards what I had learned that night.

Well...

Last night as I turned onto my road, I was contstructing rings and necklaces in my head. My brain was full of grandeur; glass, copper, silver. It was all good. A spectacular song came on my iPod, so I decided to drive around the block. Passed my house, turned at the next intersection with a light. Turn right. The light was red. I slowed, but did not stop.

*sigh*

BTW, failure to 'Stop & Go at a Red' is $100.

Today's Quote

I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it.
-- Maya Angelou

We Have a Winner! We Have Dinner!

We have a winner! Sue Doran won my beadie, and her selection of The Best Life, page 242 will be our dinner sometime in the next week! The entree on page 242 is Whole Wheat Penne with Pea Pesto (I love peas). Sounds yummy! Thank you all for participating! I had a blast, and I plan on doing this again. :)

Psychotic Heart Now on Etsy

I've listed a few more beads in my Etsy shop, including another Psyche & ivory bead. I love to poke and prod the molten glass, and this is the second bead I've made recently with an unexpected heart.

Lady Liberty

I love it when people send me pictures of their creations using my beads. Here is a wonderful Lady Liberty necklace GoddessJoy created with one of my goddesses! Beautiful!

Also, don't forget to enter to win one of my beads!

Pick My Dinner, Win a Bead!

I have cookbooks. Lots and lots of cookbooks. Love to read them, just don't utilize them too often. I cook the same things over & over. I really need to mix things up a little, so once a month I am going to have a drawing. I will list three of my cookbooks and page numbers, and you can win one of my beads. Just choose a cookbook and a page number and post your selection in the comments. I will place each comment in a drawing, and if I draw your name, I will make the recipe on that page and I will send you the bead!

This month's bead:

This month's cookbook selections (entrees):

Favorite Brand Name Best-Loved Recipes, pages 106 - 131

The Low-Carb Cookbook, pages 159 - 246

The Best Life Diet, 226 - 243

I will close the drawing Tuesday, July 6th at 9 p.m., EST. After I pick a name, you will have 3 days to contact me so I can send your beadie! I'll post pics and a review of the meal. So choose a cookbook and a page number in the comments!

Thank you for participating!

Wonder Woman Gets a Makeover

From http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38023857/ns/today-books/:

"She was stuck in 1941. And as female friends of mine kept asking, 'how does she fight in that (bustier) thing without all her parts flying out? How does she carry her stuff?," Straczynski told video game and entertainment website IGN.com in an interview.

Inspiration from Zeus

This is a recent picture of a lightning strike at the Parthenon in Greece. The colors remind me of my favorite beads made of tranparent cobalt, psyche, and silver foil! I will have to ake some pics and post for comparison.

My Precious...

I've been taking a ringmaking course at Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. I've made a few rings, and my soldering skills are rather lacking, but I am loving it! I have several ideas to incorporate my beads into some rings. We'll see what unfolds over the next few weeks.

Curse you, Weird Al Yankovic!

Last night I was watching the cookbook episode on Food(ography) . I love cookbooks; I own over 60. The ironic thing? I usually cook the same 5 -10 recipes over and over. I love to read the cookbooks, not actually do anything with them.

While watching the episode, I came up with a great blog post. I'm sure it was about creativity, inspiration, cookbooks, beads, and how it all ties into my life. You'd think after 40 years of dipshititis, I would know better and at least write notes. But nnooooo. Not me.

This morning the only thing in my brain was an ear worm. A Weird Al Yankovic ear worm. White and Nerdy, to be precise.

*sigh*

My Reveal!

Here it is! My turn at creating a piece of jewelry with someone else's goodies. I had so much fun with this. My partner is Nan Emmet of Spirit Rattles. She makes wonderful ceramic pieces - check out her etsy shop!

I love dragon flies. I stenciled dragonflies in one of my bathrooms years ago when we first moved here, and they are still dancing all over my walls.

So far, I have created jewelry with my lampwork that has been pretty simple with wire-wrapping. I really wanted this neckalce to be bold, because I plan on wearing the heck out of it and one of my mottos is big boobs need big beads. :) I am very happy with it, but I have even more ideas, so as my metal-working skills increase I plan on tweakng and adding to it.

Last Day of the Bead Soup Party!

I have had so much fun drooling over everyone's goodies! A HUGE thank you to Lori, Bead Soup Coordinator extraordinaire!

I am editing my creation and will have it posted shortly.


72. Cindy, Cindy Dolezal Designs

73. Valerie, Hot Art

74. Courtney, Beads by Breul

75. Johanna, Fire Phoenix Creations

76. Shea, gr8findings

77. Julie, Pryce Designs

78. Jeannie, Jeannie's Blog

79. Patricia, Verre Design

80. Christa, Adventures of One Beady Woman

81. Heather, My Muse

82. Susan, Night Beader at Large

83. Sonja, Drachenei

84. Jennifer, Glass Addictions by Jennifer

85. Melissa, One-Eared Pig Beads :)

86. Rebecca, 2SistersBeadwork

87. Karyn, Releases by Rufydoof

88. Denise, Bling on the Blog

89. Doris, Glaszwerg

90. Megan, Churchy & Her Sailor

91. Jo, Daisychain Designs

92. Jen, VanBeads Jewelry and Design

93. Kristie, Artisan Clay

94. Jess, Vintaj

95. Suzann, Beadphoria

96. Sharon, Sharon's Jewelry Garden

97. Michelle, bMichelle

You Can Never Have Enough Soup!

Day six! I'm sorry I haven't been hyperlinking everyone - sites are being blocked at work, and I only have DSL here. I should be up to date with links and comments some time tonight!


60. Carol, Carol Bradley Designs

61. Wanda, A Frayed of Fibers

62. Diana, Vintage Blue Studio

63. Marieke, Marieke's Blog

64. KJ, Silver Parrot

65. Maire, Maire Dodd

66. Shannon, Miss Fickle Media

67. Dana, Dana's Jewelry Designs

68. Charlene, The Bead Dreamer

69. Elisabeth, Beads for Busy Gals

70. Cathryn, Chile Cats

71. Missy, Melissa Rappaport

Bead Soup Reveal, part one

Look what Nan did with my beads! It is a beautiful necklace - I love it!

Day Four!

I am so excited about day three of the Bead Soup Party. Why? Nan Emmet is my partner. :)

Once again, I will post hyperlinks as I can. Between power outages and only having DSL, my updates have been lagging. I will get to everyone!


48. Nan, Spirit Rattles

49. Amy, Copper Diem

50. Malin, Beading by Malin de Koning

51. Anne, Gardanne Glass Lampwork

52. Alice, Alice's Beads and Baubles

53. Barbara, Second Surf

54. Amanda, Articulations

55. Heather, Humble Beads

56. Melissa, Melissa Meman, Art, Life, Love

57. Kate, Organic Odysseys

58. Patti, PJ Clark Designs

59. Stefanie, Stefanie's Sammelsurium

Denise Yezbak Moore's Give-Away!

Holy Cow! In celebration of Bead Soup Week, Denise is giving away BEADS. Tons of beads! Check her out!

Souparama, Day Three!

Ok, here are more design delectables!
(I can't seem to hyper-link from work, so I'll try and do that tonight.)

27. Lisa, Alterity

28. Dale, Dales' Flights of Fancy

29. Melanie, Kookie Designs

30. Christine, A Hot Piece of Glass

31. Nancy, Beading From the Heart

32. Laurel, Rue's Daftique

33. Sandi, Do Be Do Bead Do

34. Nicki, Nicki's Reef

35. Virginie, ViviBijoux

36. Janeen, Wild Vanilla

Bead Soup Party, Days 1 & 2!

Sorry I missed the announcement yesterday; between storms, a dryer that only heats for 7 minutes, and an afternoon at the laundromat, the party completely slipped my mind. But, here we are! This Bead Soup Party lasts all week. I get to post my creation next Saturday, June 26th. So in the meanwhile, please check out the partiers from yesterday and today. Please feel free to leave some comments and some love for them on their blogs. Computer screen licking is optional.


1. Lori, Pretty Things
2. Lorelei, Lorelei1141
3. Norma, Moonlit Fantaseas
4. Beth, EB Bead and Metalworks
5. Katie, KatieBead
6. Kimberly, Bahama Dawn
7. Debbie, Prairie Emporium
8. Lisa, Joolz by Lisa
9. Kate, Tropical Blonde
10. Janet, Singing Woods
11. Julianna, Juls Beads
12. Erin, Treasures Found
14. Jen, Jen Judd Rocks
15. Kella, Me But a Little More In Depth
16. Emanda, Artemisia Studio
17. Marie, Skye Jewels
18. Loretta, Designs By Loretta
19. Stacy, Sissy and Jack's
20. Joanna, Filcowe
21. Diane, Diane Hawkey
22. Marianna, Pretty Shiny Things
23. Anna, The Laughing Raven
24. Marcie, La Bella Joya
25. Lois, Que Onda Q'town?
26. Jayne, Mama's Got To Doodle