Memories and Thanks Blog Hop

Oh so many memories, where do I begin. My mom passed away way to long ago and way too soon. Although it was a long time ago I feel like it was only yesterday and can't believe I have raised my children and lived my life without her. 

My mom gave me so much in life...my artistic ability, my imagination, the importance of family and the love they give to me, the list goes on and on. My mom was well known for her artistic cake decorating and not one of the too few birthdays she spent with my daughters missed having an incredible birthday cake, so incredible even the girls didn't want to cut into it and that is saying something for toddlers. My mom was a floral designer as well.  For my wedding Tiger Lily bouquets were made and Tiger Lily fondant flowers were on my wedding cake. It was incredible. I don't think there was anything my mom couldn't do. She was an incredibly talented woman and anything she tried she mastered. She instilled in all of us the desire to be perfect, to do our very best and not to settle for less.

My mom was a war bride and when she came to Canada she left all she knew and loved in England except for my father and the promise of a new life. Her joy was her children (I have 3 sisters and 2 brothers) and she devoted her life to us. I owe so much to my mom and I know that she is always with me.

Barbara Helen Gresham Humphries (nee Birch)

My mom's favorite color was blue, she would often dress herself and me and my sisters in blue. Even later in life she gravitated to blues. I guess it helped that it was also my father's  favorite color.

In loving memory of my mom!

Babs

I have also always wanted to make a version of a goddess and thanks to Lori I think this is the perfect opportunity. This pendant was made in memory of my mom but also for my three sisters....they are all goddesses in my life and mean so much to me. I am so thankful to each of them for bringing me so much joy.

My goddess Modron 

The name means mother and she represents the bond of love between a mother and a child

Thanks Lori for hosting this very special blog hop. It was a privilege to participate.

Hostess, Lori Anderson       Pretty Things

 Adlinah Kamsir                   Dream Struck Designs

 Aimee Biondolillo               Aimee's Jewelry Treasures

 Alicia Marinache                 All the Pretty Things 
 Andra Marasteanu               Handmade by Indra Marasteanu 
 Andrea Trank                      Heaven Lane Creations
 April Grinaway                   Brooklyn Bead Goddess

Barb Solem                         Vivi Magoo Presents

Becky Pancake                    Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Beth Emery                         Stories by Indigo Heart

Bonnie Coursolle                Jasper's Gems

Cassi Paslick                       Beads: Rolling Downhill

Catherine King                    Catherine's Musings

Cece Cormier                      The Beading Yogini

Chandra Leitz                     Juniper Goods

Charissa Nesler                   FireStorm Designs
Charlie Jacka                       Clay Space

Christina Hickman              Vintage Treasures Jewelry

Christine Murrow               Charis Designs Jewelry
Christine Stonefield            Sweet Girl Design

Chrizette Bayman               Bead Soup Mix

Cindy Wilson                      It's My Sea of Dreams

CJ Bauschka                       4 His Glory Creations by CJ

Crystal Thain                      Here Bead Dragons

Cyndi Lavin                        Beading Arts

Debbie Rasmussen             A little of this, a little of that

Denielle Hagerman             Some Beads... and other things I like
Diana Gonzalez                  Arte y Poemas

Diane Hawkey                    diane hawkey

Dita Basu                            ankarshilpa

Donetta Farrington             Simply Gorgeous

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     Deeliteful Jewelry Creations

Emma Todd                        A Polymer Penchant

Erin Kenny                         beadiful therapy

Erin Prais-Hintz                  Treasures Found

Gina Hockett                      Freestyle Elements

Gloria Allen                        Innovative Dreams Jewelry

Heather Marston                 CSW Designs

Inge von Roos                    Inge's Blog

Iveth Caruso                       Creative Atelier

Jacqueline Marchant          Fiddledeedee Jewelry

Jami Shipp                         Celebrating Life!

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

Jennifer Reno                     Musings of a Crafty Jenny
Jenny Robledo                   Peppa's Dream

Jennifer VanBenschoten    Jewelry, Art and Life
Jessica Klaaren                  Cellar Door Jewelry

Jessica Murray                   Whimsical Monkey

Joan Williams                     lilruby jewelry

Jo-Ann Woolverton            It's a Beadiful Creation

Joanne Browne                   josjewels1

Jodie Marshall                    Jodie Marshall Lampwork Beads Wearable Art

Johanna Rhodes                 Fire Phoenix Creations
John Rasmussen                 Rasumussen Gems and Jewelry LLC

JuLee Wolfe                       The Polymer Penguin

Julie Bean                           Blue Pig Blog

Karen Mitchell                   Over the Moon Designs

Karin King                         The Sparklie Things Blog
Karin Slaton                       Backstory Beads

Kat Douglas                       Washoe Kat's
Kay Bolton                        Toodles and Binks

Kelly Hosford Patterson     The Traveling SideShow

Kim Ballor                          Vitamin C ... A Daily Does of Creativity

Kim Dworak                       CianciBlue

Kim Houston                       The Pink Martini
Kym Hunter                         Kym Hunter Designs

Laren Dee Barton                Laren Dee Designs

Lea Avroch                          LA Jewelry Designs

Leanne Loftus                      First Impression Design

Liddy McLaughlin               Liddy McLaughlin Art

Linda Florian                       Lily's of the Valley Jewelry & Creative Creations

Linda Inhelder                     Must-Haves Jewelry

Lisa Hamilton                      Simply Irresistable Jewelry
Lisa Suver                            Fancee That

Lori Bowring Michaud        Artfully Ornamental

Lori Poppe                           Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

LouAnn Elwell                    Southpass Beads

Mandi Effron                       Craft-o-licious

Marcia DeCoster                 MadDesigns

Marcia Dunne                     The Alternative Foundry

Marie Covert                      Creating Interest

Marjorie Savill Linthwaite     bennubirdrising

Marlene Cupo                        Amazing Designs by Marlene

Martha Aleo                           Ornamento

Marti Conrad                          Marti's Buttons -n- Beads

Mary Ellen Parker                  BeeTree by m.e.

Mary Govaars                        MLH Jewelry Designs

Mary Lindell                          Mary Lindell Artisan Jewelry

Maureen Connolly                 Mrs Beadsley's Workshop

Maybeline Tay                       The Jewelry Larder

Melissa Elgin                         The Addicted Beader

Melissa Mesara                      one-eared pig beads

Menka Gupta                         Menka's Jewelry

Michaela Pabeschitz              la mar de bonita

Mischelle Fanucchi               Micheladas Musings

Mona Rae Baroody               Who Does She Bead She Is?

Nan Emmett                          Spirit Rattles -- Spirited Earth

Nancy Pedersen                    Something Heartfelt by Nancy

Natalie Davidson                  NorthShore Days
Nikki Douglas                      Bead It and Weep

Pam Farren                           re-maker

Pam, the Crazier Sister        The Crazy Creative Corner

Pam Traub                            Klassy Joolz
Priya Krish                           Hellopalz 
Rebecca Anderson               Song Beads

Rebecca Sirevaag                 Becca's Place

Robin Kae Reed                   Artistry HCBD

Rochelle Brisson                  a creative chelle

Rosa Maria Cuevas              Helena de Troya

Sabine Dittrich                     perlendschungel

Sandi Volpe                          Sandi Volpe

Sandra McGriff                    Creative Chaos

Sarah Goode                         Pookledo
Sarah Singer                         String a Song of Sixpence

Serena Trent                         All Things Made Jewelry

Shai Williams                       Shaiha's Ramblings
Sharon Palac                        Sharon's Jewelry Garden

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson    Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections

Sheila Davis                         Stone Designs

Shelley Graham Turner        Fabric of My Life

Sherri Stokey                       Knot Just Macrame

Sherry Baun                         Unicorns Jewels

Skylar Bre'z                         Brising Beads

Stephanie Haussler              Pixybug Designs

Tania Spivey                        Moobie Grace Designs

Terri G.                                Blooming Ideas

Terry Carter                         Tapping Flamingo

Terry Matuszyk                    Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Toltec Jewels                       Jewel School Friends
Tracy Kruse                         Goldkisses Art

Tracy Martin                        Nutkitten's Jewelry

Zia Parks                              Anzi~Panzi's Work Shoppe

Zoe Marcin                          Beads, Tea and Sweets

.....a special weekend for me....

This weekend was my birthday, more specifically Saturday was my birthday. It was a great weekend, I was thoroughly spoiled. Saturday started with a full english breakfast served in bed...ahhhh, then a trip to all my favorite beading stores.....more ahhhhs, then spa time......oooh ahhhhh, then a wonderful dinner out with my favorite people in the world; my daughters, my son in law and my most wonderful husband, then curling up on the couch with a new movie.....could anyone ask for anything better. It was a fabulous day. And then to top off a great Saturday, Sunday was spent doing my other most favorite thing...photography.  No questions asked just anywhere I wanted to go and stop whenever I said...did I mention I have a most wonderful husband. The day started off with sunshine and the promise of a nice day but as soon as we headed out of town a heavy snow storm blew in, still fun and I think I got some great shots.

Home home on the range....

where the buffalo roam...

Big daddy

Braving the elements

Dapple

I feel truly blessed and hope that everyone has an awesome birthday this year!

All you need is love....

With the New Year right around the corner it is time for those resolutions.  I have been thinking for some time what resolutions I plan on making and the inevitable loose weight, pay off the bills, get more exercise rose quickly to the top; but I don't think I will make those resolutions, I think I'll just do them. My resolution this year is to love more and to express it openly...I will let my family know that I love them, I will let my friends know that I love them and I will give love and be kinder to mankind but most of all; I will love myself.

To go along with this sentiment I made a "love" necklace.  I had purchased the focal beads from Sharon Driscoll some time ago and now seemed such an appropriate time to use them. I love the fresh colors and the happy feeling this necklace evokes. Along with Sharon's beads I used seed beads, fire polished round crystals and pearls.

 

Love

Happy New Year to all my friends and may it be filled with Love....

Merry Christmas to all

I wanted to take this opportunity to wish all my friends a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The gifts are wrapped, the baking is done, the stockings are hung.....and now to wait!!

From my tree to you...Merry Christmas!

We have what we call "Bling Day" at work on December 21st, so of course not to be outdone, I made myself a little bling. It went very well with my tiara, sequin top and rhinestone shoes.  A very fun day and it certainly put everyone in a holiday mood.

Bling it On

Here is to a great 2013 and lots of blogging...........

Happy Holidays, Happy Holidays.....

Holiday Bling Blog Hop 2 has finally arrived!

I was oh so fortunate to be partnered with the lovely, talented and generous Sonja Stille. I knew immediately that we were alike and that I would have no problems designing something for the lovely Sonja to wear. Sonja is leaving on a cruise in December and I thought this would be a great addition to her evening wear. Sonja told me she wore a lot of black so I kept that in mind. Sonja and her husband are remarkable people because they are very involved in kids with cancer and host Hunt for a Cure. Keep up the great work Sonja and I truly hope you enjoy wearing your gift on the cruise.

I made Sonja a bracelet and matching earrings in shade of charcoal grey and silver. The bracelet is made using a right angle weave stitch and embellishing over it with seed beads and smaller pearls. The earrings were made using the Enchanted Rivoli Earrings pattern by Csilla Csirmaz. I had just participated in the 7th Beading Babes Project and this was one of the challenges we were given. I loved the pattern so much I had to make a pair for Sonja. I used a 8 mm pearls instead of a rivoli in the center and did minor adaptations and viola a beautiful pair of elegant earrings to go with the bracelet.

Again did I mention how lucky I was to be partnered with Sonja. She knew just what to make me and I absolutely love the set. She was worried I wouldn't like it.....silly girl, how could I not. Sonja made me a complete set and I have received so many compliments...yes I couldn't wait for Christmas I opened my gift and I wore it. The set is made of copper links and enameled focal beads. I will let Sonja elaborate on what she used when you visit her blog. This is what Sonja made for me.

Thank you, thank you Sonja, I love it and thank you Shelley and Marlene for being such generous hosts.

And now please join me in the hop and see what everyone else made:

Shirley Moore	http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com
Lori Bowring Michaud	http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
Catherine King	http://catherines-musings.blogspot.com
Dyanne Cantrell	http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com
Sonya Stille	http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com
Elaine Ray	http://elaineray.blogspot.com
Gina Hockett	http://freestyleelements.blogspot.com
Jo-Ann Woolverton	http://itsabeadifulcreation.blogspot.ca
Debbie Rasmussen	http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com
Renetha Stanziano	http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Ginger Bishop	http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com
Miranda Ackerley	http://mirandack.com/category/thoughts
Sandra McGriff	http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca
Tammie Everly	http://ttedesigns.blogspot.com
Alicia Marinache	http://www.allprettythings.ca
Melinda Abrahamson	http://www.firstreetcrafts.com
Rita/ Toltec Jewels	http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com
Chandra Merod	http://www.junipergoods.blogspot.com
Mary Govaars	http://www.mlhjewelrydesigns.com
Kelley Fogel	http://www.mylifeonebeadatatime.blogspot.com
Tiffany Goff Smith	http://www.southerngalsdesign.blogspot.com
Heather Rats Otto	http://www.thecrafthopper.com
Anitra Gordy Boyers	www.leelucreations.blogspot.com
Marlene Cupo	http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com
Shelley Graham Turner	www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com