Millions of Millipedes

Birdman

2011-07-07T23:38:00.002-04:00

my Frank Frazetta favorites, image 5

FF335

2011-06-30T22:41:00.002-04:00

my Frank Frazetta favorites, image 4

Galleon

2011-06-21T01:47:00.001-04:00

my Frank Frazetta favorites, image 3

Chara "Milk"

2011-06-10T21:45:00.003-04:00

Chara "milk" by GO-GO-STALIN

Earth's Core Pterodactyl

2011-06-06T18:59:00.001-04:00

my Frank Frazetta favorites, image 2

Carson Of Venus

2011-06-01T00:47:00.004-04:00

Frank Frazetta - for the past year i've really been enjoying his work on my desktop so i thought i would share it with you. stay tuned for some more rad pieces of his.

so mountainous

2011-05-25T10:55:00.002-04:00

sooo, today it is raining a beautiful rain and i am sheltered by the roof of my new house, my pets are causing a lot of ruckus and i will be getting ready for work shortly. all of this concludes all of my mixed up feelings...this is my home now and my life. a bit surreal, but great. after a good discussion with my best friend last night i will now allow myself to actually live. it is a funny thing when things aren't going right all because subconsciously I'm not allowing it to go right. hmm.

Afterwards

2010-11-06T00:57:00.004-04:00

creation

2010-07-21T10:07:00.003-04:00

I've been dwelling on one thought the past few days. That thought is hard to put into words though. I feel I NEED to start creating things. I have so many ideas floating in my skull, how do I get them all out and in what kind of medium? I have paper pencil and pens, but how much can you really draw?EVERYTHING I SEE, items, things in nature, radical thoughts, people's facial expressions, ideals, food, dreams of the future...I want to get it all out. So this is my list of stuff I need so I can do that. Kiln, loads of clay, pmc, pottery tools, a 0.005 mechanical pencil (I lost my other ones in the move :()different size pens, paints, canvas, paint brushes, fix my sewing machine, different kinds of fabric and thread, knitting and crochet classes, wood, woodworking tools, basketweaving supplies and a place where I can do all of this in peace. Well then, I think I can go back to sleep now.

jessica sent this to me. i love it

2010-05-31T00:49:00.002-04:00

Tree Hugger by MillipedeBead on Etsy

2010-05-18T18:44:00.000-04:00

Check it out:
Tree Hugger by MillipedeBead on Etsy

ravelry

2010-02-23T12:23:00.002-05:00

i can't wait to have more projects to post on ravelry! i think my next one will be a hat. we will see how this goes. i have to follow a pattern for this one.

2010-02-21T19:09:00.001-05:00

mmm...p f changs is sooooo good when your with your favorite person

Carrot Clarinet

2009-12-16T17:44:00.001-05:00

my friend dave had this on his facebook page, i thought it was awesome so i'm sharing it with you!

The Irish Countryside

2009-12-08T02:57:00.003-05:00

i have been loading my photos onto my computer and became soooooo inspired to create a piece of jewelry to take after this photo. i can't wait until i actually make it! (first i have to make a necklace earring set for my aunt sue)

Deer Slayer

2009-12-01T15:47:00.002-05:00

So...I've been called a deer slayer. Not because I killed one with my totally sweet Diamond Compound Bow, but because I hit one with my car. So my hunting liscence did not come into play with this one, and I didn't get the experience I wanted to this year in hunting. I only got one big deductable to pay. Oh well, I am going to use this time to stay home and work on my jewelry and crocheting. fun.

crazy

2009-11-16T16:34:00.000-05:00

Bowerbirds

2009-11-02T21:41:00.002-05:00

Hey check out a band my friend just told me about!
http://www.myspace.com/bowerbirds

crazy time

2009-11-02T21:18:00.002-05:00

I'm sorry I haven't been posting lately. Hey i'm curious. who here likes cat stevens music? let me know!

Monday's Journey

2009-10-19T19:46:00.000-04:00

The chess-board is the world; the pieces are the phenomena of the universe; the rules of the game are what we call the Laws of Nature. The player on the other side is hidden from us. We know that his play is always fair, just and patient. But also we know, to our cost, that he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance.

Thomas Huxley

thoreau

2009-08-26T12:31:00.001-04:00

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.
- Thoreau, Henry David

how cool. my necklace was featured.

2009-07-29T02:00:00.001-04:00

http://etsylounge.blogspot.com/2009/07/seed-pod.html

Monday's Journey on Tuesday

2009-07-29T01:18:00.004-04:00

Alma Natura

These motions everywhere in nature must
surely be the circulations of God. The flowing sail,
the running stream, the waving tree, the roving
wind - whence else their infinite
health and freedom. I can see nothing so proper
and holy as unrelaxed play and frolic
in this bower God has built for us. The suspicion
of sin never comes to this thought.
Oh, if men felt this they would never build
temples even of marble or diamond, but it would
be sacrilege and prophane, but disport them
forever in this paradise.

Henry D. Thoreau On Man and Nature

Monday's Journey on Tuesday

2009-07-29T01:05:00.002-04:00

Iris
Thou art the Iris, fair among the fairest,
Who, armed with golden rod
And winged with the celestial azure, bearest
The message of some God.

Thou art the Muse, who far from crowded cities
Hauntest the sylvan streams,
Playing on pipes of reed the artless ditties
That come to us as dreams.

O flower-de-luce, bloom on, and let the river
Linger to kiss thy feet!
O flower of song, bloom on, and make for ever
The world more fair and sweet.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807-1882

Bluebird

2009-06-25T11:35:00.001-04:00

Bluebird, originally uploaded by millipedebead.

...and a content Bluebird from Pokagon State Park on the Bluebird Hills trail.

Thrush?

2009-06-25T11:33:00.001-04:00

Thrush?, originally uploaded by millipedebead.

Here is another cutie that I photographed at Pokagon State Park. He is a little blurry, but I still like it.

'Ahbini (morning) Necklace

2009-06-02T16:49:00.002-04:00

'Ahbini (morning) Necklace, originally uploaded by millipedebead.

This is the first necklace I made with yarn. I love it.

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

2009-05-19T00:42:00.001-04:00

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), originally uploaded by millipedebead.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to watch this beautiful woodpecker fairly close-up. I had a blast!

Albino Deer Herd

2009-05-19T00:38:00.002-04:00

Monday's Journey

2009-05-11T22:55:00.002-04:00

I'd not give room for an Emperor-
I'd hold my road for a king.
To the Triple Crown I'd not bow down-
But this is a different thing.
I'll not fight with the Powers of Air-
Sentries pass him through!
Drawbridge let fall-He's the Lord of us all-
The Dreamer whose dream came true.

The Siege of the Fairies

Monday's Journey

2009-05-04T21:30:00.003-04:00

The Night Will Never Stay

The night will never stay,
The night will still go by,
Though with a million stars
You pin it to the sky,
Though you bind it with the blowing wind
And buckle it with the moon.
The night will slip away
Like sorrow or a tune.

Eleanor Farjeon

Monday's Journey

2009-04-21T00:45:00.003-04:00

I know it's now Tuesday, oh well.

The Indian Upon God

I passed along the water's edge below the humid trees,
My spirit rocked in evening light, the rushes round my knees,
My spirit rocked in sleep and sighs' and saw the moor fowl pace
All dripping on a grassy slope, and saw them cease to chase
Each other round in circles, and heard the eldest speak:
Who holds the world between His bell and made us strong or weak
Is and undying moor fowl, and He lives beyond the sky.
The rains are from His dripping wing, the moonbeams from his eye.
I passed a little further on and heard a lotus talk:
Who made the world and ruleth it, He hangeth on a stalk.
For I am in his image made, and all this tinkling tide
Is but a sliding drop on rain between His petals wide.
A little way within the gloom a roebuck raised his eyes
Brimful of starlight, and he said: The Stamper of the Skies,
He is a gentle roebuck; for how else, I pray, could He
Conceive a thing so sad and soft, a gentle thing like me?
I passed a little further on and heard a peacock say:
Who made this grass and made the worms and made my feathers gay,
He is a monstrous peacock, and he waveth all the night
His languid tail above us, lit with myriad spots of light.

William Butler Yeats

my new commitment...

2009-04-21T00:32:00.003-04:00

I'm going to do "Monday's Journey" where I present some of my favorite poems, thoughts, and contemplations from myself and others. Once I get a new computer I will start to add pictures to these poems. I hope you enjoy them!

Otis is in heaven...

2009-03-30T18:52:00.002-04:00

2009-02-10T21:53:00.001-05:00

updated 2:46 p.m. ET, Tues., Feb. 10, 2009
SYDNEY - It was a heart-tugging scene borne by a chance encounter in the charred landscape of Australia's deadly wildfires: a koala sipping water from a bottle offered by a firefighter.

David Tree noticed the koala moving gingerly on scorched paws as his fire patrol passed. Clearly in pain, the animal stopped when it saw Tree.

"It was amazing, he turned around, sat on his bum and sort of looked at me with (a look) like, put me out of my misery," Tree told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I yelled out for a bottle of water. I unscrewed the bottle, tipped it up on his lips and he just took it naturally.

"He kept reaching for the bottle, almost like a baby."

The team called animal-welfare officers to pick up the koala on Sunday, the day after deadly firestorms swept southern Victoria state.

"I love nature, and I've handled koalas before. They're not the friendliest things, but I wanted to help him," Tree said.

Slow-moving marsupials
Often mistakenly called koala bears because they resemble a child's teddy bear, the marsupial is actually a rather grumpy creature with a loud growl. It rarely comes down from the trees and doesn't like walking.

Koalas are especially vulnerable to wildfires because they move slowly on the ground.

The wildfires cut through parks and forests and sent countless wombats and other native species fleeing. One resident reported seeing kangaroos bouncing down the road with flames at their backs.

The fires also razed farmland, killing or panicking sheep and cattle. Television footage showed cows running down the main street of a smoke-filled town.

A count of the animals killed has not been made.

Tree said he found the koala in a burned-out forest near Mirboo North, about 90 miles east of Melbourne, Victoria's capital.

Koalas normally drink almost no water because they get almost all their fluids from the leaves they eat.

After the scorched koala sipped from the water bottle and Tree's crew moved on, animal welfare officials came by.

Koala recovering, has suitor
The koala, which turned out to be a female, was in pain but recovering with antibiotics, Jenny Shaw of the Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter told Melbourne's The Herald Sun newspaper.

"She is lovely — very docile — and she has already got an admirer. A male koala keeps putting his arms around her," Shaw was quoted as saying. "It will be a long road to recovery, but she should be able to be released back into the wild in about five months."

Treespirit!

2008-12-12T00:41:00.000-05:00

bookmarks?

2008-12-02T17:58:00.004-05:00

This item is sold but i thought i would share a pic of it with you. i'm thinking of making similiar bookmarks. let me know what you think.
i'm so excited, i fixing my computer so i can add items to my etsy store and write to all of you here.

SALE

2008-11-29T15:12:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Storewide sale: 20% off all items. Convo or e-mail with T-Day in the subject so I can update price for you. visit www.millipedebead.etsy.com

interesting...

2008-11-04T23:24:00.002-05:00

SKULL stitch markers and earrings

2008-11-01T01:11:00.005-04:00

A little late for Halloween, but they are still cool! These are skull beads hand carved from bone. What awesome one-of-a-kind stitch-markers! They are selling for $5.00.

The skull earrings are made from elongated bone beads that are dyed very dark and are intricately carved. I have added some shell heishe beads for accent and Sterling silver components. I love the color of these bone skull beads.

River

2008-10-31T03:40:00.003-04:00

This picture is of River sleeping on me for about 30 minutes! That was a really long cat nap!
i rescued this kitten when she was much smaller from certain death. She bacame a part of the family pretty quick and totally took advantage of how cute she was. Since then, I've found her a family who loves her and lets her have the run of the house! We miss her terribly, but have to draw the line somewhere. We are above our max with kitties!

fernando ortega

2008-10-31T03:30:00.002-04:00

i used the "lauch pandora" link on the right to listen to "Fernando Ortega" radio. I love his music. I find myself in a very peaceful state whenever I listen to his music and I really enjoy singing his songs. Does anyone else who reads my posts like him?

Ron Howard wants to talk about the election. So does Andy Griffith and Henry Winkler.

2008-10-28T02:11:00.000-04:00

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

hey there

2008-10-23T03:15:00.001-04:00

i plan to be posting more often. i haven't gotten used my new schedule yet and am a bit frazzled! bye for now

SkaterAid

2008-09-22T13:54:00.002-04:00

SkaterAid: Story
Ian Wochatz
SkaterAid was started in 2005 to celebrate the life of Ian Wochatz. A Decatur teen and avid skateboarder, Ian was diagnosed with an especially virulent type of brain cancer, and died on July 4, 2005 at age 15. SkaterAid provided a place for all those who loved Ian to honor his memory in a way he would have approved of...with music, friends and skateboarding.

SkaterAid's mission is to support families who are dealing with the tragedy of pediatric cancer. The first year, the proceeds of SkaterAid went to Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. In 2006, funds were channelled to the RET Foundation in honor of RET Thomas. In 2007 and 2008, all proceeds will go the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children. To donate to any of these worthy causes, please go to our Links page.

Ultimately, SkaterAid is a place for teens to celebrate their youth. Whether flying through the air on a board, playing music, or hanging out with friends, you're only 15 once in your life, so....skate on. And shred for Ian.

Please pray...

2008-09-21T01:37:00.003-04:00

Please pray for some of our family members as they embark on some new missionary adventures. Here is a passage from a recent newsletter about what is happening with them:
We watch the news of
the AIG Bailout from a small Ma-
nila Guest House. It only further
highlighted the uncertainties of
this world.
Last month, a militant religious
group were demanding their
rights to assume control of land
in Palawan. Balabac was one of
those they named as belonging
to them. Government officials
stopped by our village home and
warned of possible danger. Naval
ships patrolled the coast. We al-
ready had plans to do paper work
in Manila during September so
as soon as we finished our final
lessons in Acts we hopped in the
plane and flew out as planned.
Since then there has been more
reports of heightened tension on
Palawan and on our tiny island.
It would appear from an earthly
perspective that this may take
some time to resolve.
So here we sit. In a small room in
Manila watching the economic
woes of a reckless world, while
our own ministry plans seemed
to have been put on hold. Odd
as it may seem, we are
filled with anticipation and are
looking for all of God’s open
doors.
1.) The MP3 Ministry that was
only just a tiny thought a few
weeks ago, now seems exactly
what God had in mind for us to
do to get his newly translated
Word to the Molbog people.
2.) We will use this
time to visit Indonesia. Rather
than sit in Manila and wait, we
can encourage our kids in this
new fantastic “first step” they
are about to take. We are
thrilled to be a part of it with
them. Open doors abound so
we will keep our eyes open.

Flying Sparrow Joplin Wrap

2008-09-18T21:55:00.002-04:00

This particular Joplin Wrap is made with turquoise color matte finish seed beads. To accent those I've added shell heishi beads.

The Joplin Wrap has infinite possibilities. It can be worn long, short or even as a chunky bracelet. You can wrap it around your neck 4-5 times depending on how long you need it, or wrap it around your wrist about 12 times. Then adjust the different strands to make it fit the way you want.

The Joplin Wrap has made jewelry a little “greener” by using less, if not any, precious metals by eliminating the clasping mechanism.

This item has been Sold.

scrumptious

2008-09-16T02:21:00.003-04:00

This Joplin Wrap is one of my favorite all time wraps. It is made with lilac color matte finish seed beads. To accent those I've added Garnet heishi beads surrounded by hand cut Jade beads.

The Joplin Wrap has infinite possibilities. It can be worn long, short or even as a chunky bracelet. You can wrap it around your neck 4-5 times depending on how long you need it, or wrap it around your wrist about 12 times. Then adjust the different strands to make it fit the way you want.

The Joplin Wrap has made jewelry a little “greener” by using less, if not any, precious metals by eliminating the clasping mechanism.

Business Gopher by Moonrover

2008-09-14T18:51:00.003-04:00

I saw this on Moonrover's Flickr:
This drawing is an excerpt from a letter I wrote to a friend.

I was driving down Central Ave. early one morning and saw a gopher sitting with his feet dangling in a gutter opening on the edge of the street, with his front paws resting on the curb. It was like he was sitting at a little desk. Of course, I was in the car by myself and wasn’t able to share this first hand with anyone. It was just so darn cute, this little gopher at his gutter desk; I had to share him with you.

interesting...

2008-09-14T18:19:00.004-04:00

The Garnet group of minerals show crystals with a habit of rhombic dodecahedrons and trapezohedrons. They are nesosilicates with the same general formula, A3B2(SiO4)3. The chemical elements in garnet include calcium, magnesium, aluminium, iron2+, iron3+, chromium, manganese, and titanium. Garnets show no cleavage and a dodecahedral parting. Fracture is conchoidal to uneven; some varieties are very tough and are valuable for abrasive purposes. Hardness is 6.5 - 7.5, specific gravity is 3.1 - 4.3, luster is vitreous to resinous, and they can be transparent to opaque.

The name "garnet" comes from the Latin granatus, a grain possibly in reference to malum garanatum (pomegranate) a plant with red seeds similar in shape, size and color to some garnet crystals.

There is a misconception that garnets are only a red gem but in fact they come in a variety of colors including purple, red, orange, yellow, green, brown, black, or colorless. The lack of a blue garnet was remedied in 1990's following the discovery of color-change blue to red/pink material in Bekily, Madagascar but these stones are very rare. Color-change garnets are by far the rarest garnets except uvarovite, which does not come in cuttable sizes. In daylight, their color can be shades of green, beige, brown, gray and rarely blue, to a reddish or purplish/pink color in incandescent light. By composition, these garnets are a mix of spessartine and pyrope, as are Malaya garnets. The color change of these new garnets is often more intense and more dramatic than the color change of top quality Alexandrite which is frequently disappointing, but still sells for many thousands of dollars (US) per carat. It is expected that blue color-change garnets will match Alexandrite prices or even exceed them as the color change is often better and these garnets are much rarer. The blue color-change type is mainly caused by relatively high amounts of vanadium (about 1 wt.% V2O3).

Six common varieties of garnet are recognized based on their chemical composition. They are pyrope, almandine or carbuncle, spessartite, grossularite (varieties of which are hessonite or cinnamon-stone and tsavorite), uvarovite and andradite. The garnets make up two solid solution series; 1. pyrope-almandine-spessarite and 2. uvarovite-grossularite-andradite.

Garnet is the birthstone for January, and has been used since the Bronze Age.

what i did when i was a child

2008-08-19T23:57:00.002-04:00

Hmm. Is it really human nature to confess something one has done that was explained differently at the time?

I was rollerblading in third grade with two of my friends (one a girl and one a boy) in Christiancy Elementary School's parking lot. I wanted to show off to the two of them, especially the boy, so I tried to do the splits with my rollerblades on. Of course anyone who has ever worn any of those knows that you cannot bend your ankles so to attempt this was just stupidity. Instead of moving my legs out a few inches at a time while standing still, I decided proceeded to do the splits while rolling (very slowly). The wheel of my rollerblades hit a rock and I came to a "screeching halt" throwing my body forward and my chin right down into a rock. This rock decided to wedge itself into my chin and had to be removed and the skin stitched back up. Of course I didn't tell ANYONE this happened because I was showing off.

The Alaina Joy Fundraiser

2008-08-15T16:29:00.006-04:00

hey everyone, I hope you have been enjoying your summer. I have been most busy so sorry for not posting as often as I normally do.

This weekend some of my family is having a fundraiser to raise money for their daughter to have a procedure called PERCs (selective percutaneous myofascial lengthening). It is an outpatient surgery that lengthens tight muscles. This would greatly increase Alaina’s mobility potential by allowing her muscles to be stretched more than ever before. If these muscles are not stretched, they will shorten permanently, which could cause bone deformities. We have seen firsthand the marvelous results of kids who have undergone the PERCs procedure.

Go take a look at the blog: http://www.thealainajoyfundraiser.blogspot.com/
and if you are in the area, stop by the carnival!
thanks!

Cat Herders

2008-08-09T19:27:00.000-04:00

Loblolly Joplin Wrap

2008-08-04T01:26:00.002-04:00

Loblolly Joplin Wrap, originally uploaded by millipedebead.

This one has lilac colored seed beads with rose quartz accent beads.

2008-08-01T21:31:00.000-04:00

This is awesome!

the Joplin Wrap

2008-07-22T20:56:00.004-04:00

I'm so excited about this new design, the “Joplin Wrap.” I've just listed one in my Etsy shop. To test the market I've been wearing Joplin Wraps around and have heard great comments.

The Joplin Wrap has infinite possibilities. It can be worn long or short or even as a really chunky bracelet. You can wrap it around your neck 4-5 times depending on how long you need it, or wrap it around your wrist about 12 times. Then adjust the different strands to make it fit the way you want.

The Joplin Wrap has made jewelry a little “greener” by using less, if not any, precious metals by eliminating the clasping mechanism.

Buried Treasury Network

2008-07-21T03:53:00.002-04:00

Check this out! I have joined the Buried Treasury Network. Visit the site and find items that you might have missed in the past! Have fun!

View my page on Buried Treasury Network

My new favorite creation

2008-07-10T22:52:00.013-04:00

So, now that you have seen my Old favorite creation, I would love to show all of you my newest favorite creation. I love making things out of wood. The process for such a huge project like this isn't always fun, but it turned out great!

These pictures were taken after a week of hard work that felt non-stop. Everyday was way more exciting than the last while the project unfolded.

The wainscotting brought so much charactor to the bookcases. I'm so glad I thought to put it in and that painting the wainscotting is done!

The design for these bookcases came to mind a couple years ago when I decided I needed to break up a room in our house that was huge. Once in my childhood we lived in a house that had cabinets on either side of a walkway. These aren't anything like those, but they were my inspiration. Although I had the design a while back, I only just this past week finished the shelves. There are still minor touches to finish, like caulking the edge by the brick wall and putting back up the original trim in the whole room.

What a fun project. (I can say that now that it is just about done.)I had help from my Mom with the construction and painting. I also had help when I just couldn't get those anchors into that brick!

All in all, I love my bookcases and am very proud of them.! (Oh yeah, I have to refinish that door, too.)

My old favorite creation

2008-07-10T21:34:00.005-04:00

Besides my childhood sketch of a hound dog dressed up like Elvis, This table is my oldest favorite creation. I used maple wood, with pegs to cover up the screws. Once I got the wood the way I wanted it, I painted the Celtic design on then varnished the whole thing with marine varnish. Tada! My favorite table. (Oh...of course I didn't make the wrought iron stand. That was an old sewing machine table. The original slap of wood that we had with it was worked into my design of the table.It is underneath the top inch of wood.)

You can sort of make out the pegs along the side of the table. This was all measured out so that they would be evenly spaced. (I was pretty meticulous in ninth grade!)I see I need to do some minor repairs on the mitred corners, but what should I expect?

July Featured Etsy Blogger

2008-07-10T19:44:00.008-04:00

This creative lady has a knack for beautiful design and fun blogging. Give it up for A Keeper's Jackpot!Take a look at her awesome items in her etsy store (my favorite is Garden Variety Choker), or read a fun, informative blog! Congratulations A Keeper's Jackpot!

Etsy Store:
www.AKeepersJackpot.etsy.com
Blog:
akeepersjackpot.blogspot.com

June Featured Etsy Blogger

2008-06-15T21:28:00.002-04:00

In out Etsy Bloggers Street Team we have a multi-talented person who can't get enough of Etsy! Alicia Mae has three Etsy stores plus her blog and personal website. What a busy lady! I read she is going to be busy at the end of the month because she is moving more north. I live in Michigan so I can relate that the temperatures where she lives are unbareable to her. I would agree. All of us from Etsy Bloggers wish her a safe trip and a smooth move. Congratulations Alicia!

shop 1: http://AliciaMae.etsy.com
shop 2: http://AliciaMaePrints.etsy.com
shop 3: http://randomsupplies.etsy.com

blog: http://www.xanga.com/aliciamae_8
site: http://aliciamae.com

A most comfortable bracelet

2008-06-12T01:02:00.003-04:00

This is a very comfortable bracelet. It stays in place very well, but if it does happen to turn around on your wrist, the clasp is very cute, so it doesn't matter! I had a lot of fun making this bracelet, and hope it goes to a good home. hee,hee.
This bracelet measures 7 ¾” long. It is made out of red sponge coral discs, a clasp made with antique buttons (purchased from etsy store “simonrocks”), and seed beads.

Today

2008-06-09T00:36:00.004-04:00

The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hill-side's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wind;
The snail's on the thorn:
God's in his heaven -
All's right with the world

Robert Browning

Worm Poop!

2008-06-04T17:18:00.007-04:00

Have you ever seen a leaf disappear into the ground?
It was probably a worm pulling that leaf down.
Because, when a worm needs something to munch,
it pulls a leaf down into its hole for lunch.
A dead leaf for lunch. A dead leaf for lunch.
What am I talking about? I’m talking about worms.
What am I talking about? I’m talking about worms.
And when a worm gets done eating a leaf,
like all animals, it poops for relief.
Now talking about worm poop might sound rude.
But worm poop is important plant food,
important plant food.
What am I talking about? I’m talking about worms.
What am I talking about? I’m talking about worms.
And when it rains, the water runs down into the worm’s hole.
If he stays there, he’ll drown. So the worms come out
on the sidewalks and streets to breathe some air
and get squished by feet (yeeech!), squished by feet.
Watch those feet.
Let the worm dig his hole and keep the ground loose.
It makes it really easy for all the plant’s roots
to get air and the food that the worm makes.
Just don’t step on the worms. That’s all it takes.
What am I talking about? I’m talking about worms.

Jaywalker Finger Cuff

2008-06-01T22:28:00.004-04:00

Here is a hilarious e-mail conversation I had with my sister about an awesome finger cuff she knit up on size US 000 needles using handspun laceweight yarn!

“I laughed out loud when I saw the name. I wasn't slow on that one! Really awesome cuff!”
“I don't understand why this is funny- please do tell!!”
“Don’t you know?”
“No- should I change the title..... Is it perverted or something?? Tell me about it”
“What would you do if you were hitchhiking and the cars just passed you by?”
“What are you talking about? You are making me laugh and I still don't understand...”
”'Jaywalker’ is a super popular sock pattern that I loosely used as a guide for the pattern in this knitting.”
“OOOhhh, I was thinking “jaywalker” was “hitchhiker”. This made me think it was solely made to decorate the finger you flipped those cars off with.”
“Ah-hah! it is hilarious- you crack-a me up”
“The funniest thing is that I was so happy with myself that I wasn’t slow on getting that joke…it wasn’t a joke. Wow, I am slow! Now I have to laugh at myself! I like the jaywalker stitch!”

Terry Graziano - My New Found Favorite!

2008-05-29T19:34:00.013-04:00

My breath was taken away when I stumbled upon Terry Graziano's 2008 line of hats. The statement "hats that transform" has hit the mark with the Fedorable, Sweetheart, Capricious, Cape Hatter, Moxie and Maven. My personal favorite style is the Fedorable. I know I would wear one of those hats everyday and feel like Grace Kelly while wearing it! Beautiful work Terry! I want to share what she has written about her and the design of these radical hats.

"My name is Terry Graziano. I started making hats about 15 years ago, just for myself, because the vintage hats I loved were too small for me. I took a class in traditional millinery techniques, but I didn’t enjoy the processes that I learned there. At the same time, I was in design school learning to sew and make patterns for clothing – and that process I adored! So I began experimenting with ways to use those techniques to create the hat shapes that I envisioned. Out of that exploration, and a desire to make multi-functional pieces that fit a variety of head sizes, terry graziano hats was born.

My creative process now begins often by starting with classic millinery shapes and then imagining what else they could do, given different fabric and construction choices. I use a combination of draping, flat patterning, and machine and hand sewing, to achieve my new styles. It can be a long and labor-intensive journey, but I learn so much every day and find it endlessly enjoyable and exciting! My hope is that you will enjoy wearing a hat that can change silhouette and mood at whim, and that this will inspire your own creativity and spark your imagination with different possibilities for expressing your individuality.

I personally handcraft each hat with great care and attention to detail, using designer mill-end surplus fabrics (ones that would otherwise end up in a landfill) in the most luxurious textures and colors. Each hat is fully lined in silk for comfort, and they are adjustable for head size and shape to create a custom fit."

What is it? A bunch of trees...

2008-05-27T23:47:00.005-04:00

I finally was able to be at the right place at the right time...I got a treasury!

My favorite activity on a nice spring day...

2008-05-27T11:19:00.006-04:00

I love to go to Pokagon Indiana State Park. I go there with my dog, Forest, on all-day treks. We usually don't swim since Forest is afraid of water. (He doesn't even like to get his paws wet!)

This year we started out with a long mushroom hunt. Forest and I walked the hilly woodland trails in search of the ever-loved Morel mushroom. After about 2 hours of looking and not finding one, we found eight of them (not very many, I know)and one Beefsteak mushroom. I soaked them overnight and was able to eat all of them myself!

Memorial Day 2007 - part two

2008-05-27T11:03:00.005-04:00

Continued from part one...

I felt satisfied with the look of the grave site once I had planted the flowers, and gave them a good drink. Even so, I was still perplexed by the arrival of the new plants that came overnight.

On our way out of the cemetery, I called my mom to tell her of the interesting thing that happened. She said, "Oh, honey, that was me! Yesterday I was painting my armoire and suddenly my dad's picture fell out into my view. It made me realize it was Memorial Day and I even thinking about him. I decided to go to the cemetery. I noticed there weren't any flowers so I bought some and brought them back to plant. I must have done all of this after you were the first time!"

How funny that the two of us would think to go there on the same day, notice there weren't any flowers then buy some and plant them.

This year we went together and planted Astilbe, some sage ground cover, and fixed up the site even more. It looks great!

Hairpin Lace Gargantuan blanket

2008-05-26T20:50:00.005-04:00

I like it when blankets cover my feet and have a lot of extra room to also pull up under my chin. Because of this, I decided to make a king size Hairpin Lace blanket.
Whenever I travel, I purchase a couple skeins of wool yarn from that place. So far, mostly I have used my favorite yarn from Moonrover. I didn’t want to have to count stitches, or waste any wool (since I’ll probably spent more than $500 on the skeins to finish it) so I wrapped the individual “braids” around and down to the next row.

This makes for an interesting, knobby, and non-symmetrical look. I love it! This blanket is a ton of scratchy wool bliss, and will be a never ending project.

Memorial Day 2007 - part one

2008-05-19T14:54:00.005-04:00

The night of Memorial Day I was going to go to a drive-in movie. I remembered that right on the way is the cemetery where my Grandpa is buried. What a beautiful cemetery. It was decorated with towering trees and blooming flowers and war plaques. The spirits were high (no pun intended) since many graves were celebrated earlier that day.

I found my Grandpa's grave overlooking a sparkling lake right under a humongous oak tree. Even so, my heart sank. There were no flowers or war plaques. How could I have waited so long to come and visit leaving this space bare? I decided the next day I would buy some perennial flowers to grace his presence every year. I purchased beautiful Hosta with the prettiest purple flowers to reside there and attract the animals of the area.

How lovely they would look, I thought as I pulled into the cemetery drive. Oh-my-gosh. There were flowers that had materialized over night. The grave site had ivy, and many other beautiful flowers planted all over the front of the space. As I planted the flowers I had brought, I thought it over and decided that it must be that the neighboring grave’s family that planted those. They must have felt bad and put some flowers here because it was so bare the day before. I enjoyed the act of planting these flowers and watering them. Such beautiful life was the only addition that could bring more laughter and love to the cemetery.

To be continued...

A Cozy Life

2008-05-15T19:13:00.010-04:00

I can imagine it. A cozy life, that is. Living in Arizona where the weather is warm but not humid. Resting on the porch after a fun conversation on the telephone with the grand kids. hhmmmm...sounds so peaceful.

This is what comes to mind when i think of our featured EtsyBlogger Cozy. I am inspired by her riskiness to develop her own patterns while knitting and crocheting. I am not that talented yet so that really inspires me.

One of my favorite items from Cozy is her "Sprinkles Kitchen Cloth"

Rain by Shel Silverstein

2008-04-22T21:28:00.003-04:00

I opened my eyes
And looked up at the rain,
And it dripped in my head
And flowed into my brain,
And all that I hear as I lie in my bed
Is the slishity-slosh of the rain in my head.

I step very softly,
I walk very slow,
I can't do a handstand--
I might overflow,
So pardon the wild crazy thing I just said--
I'm just not the same since there's rain in my head.

Featured Etsy Blogger: Stormy Designs

2008-04-22T21:28:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to Stormy on being the first Etsy Blogger to be featured! What an accomplishment! I find it very evident that she puts a great deal of effort into everything she does. She has great tutorials on her blog and her Polymer clay art crafts are some of the best i've seen. Thank you Stormy Designs for putting so much of yourself in what you do.

2008-04-22T18:37:00.005-04:00

I'm having a lot of fun with Etsy. I really enjoy the atmosphere, and like having an outlet for my crafts. Moonchild's Necklace is my newest creation.

The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hill-side's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wind;
The snail's on the thorn:
God's in his heaven -
All's right with the world
~Robert Browning

I had a lot of fun creating this necklace. I like how multistrand necklaces look, lay and feel around my neck, so I thought I would share the grooviness with you.
The shortest "strand" is close to 17". I've used an antique button for the clasp.

2008-04-15T00:00:00.002-04:00

I have had so much fun the past couple of days. I've been hanging out by myself enjoying the quite and checking out others' blogs. I have learned that I not a very good blogger. I don't do it enough, and I tend to think about what I am posting a little too much. I guess I'm hesitant. I would love to share some of the book I am trying to write, but am afraid of the internet thieves. hmm. Am I only totally paranoid? Maybe I should get to my book and stop wondering about this...

2008-04-13T23:36:00.005-04:00

My sister is getting married on saturday, so my other sister and I were throwing her a bachellorette party. I can remember a few times where I was doubled over because I was laughing so hard.

My other sister and I dressed up in kimonos after we had just went to a shushi restaurant (Koto Buki - all time favorite so far!). The kimonos were hilarious. They were rented from Kentucky which I found to be even funnier when I thought about it. (I have a great respect for the Japanese Tradition Dancing, but you have to admit that kimono costumes are hilarious when combined with a bad lipstick job and black bun wigs!)

we were going to do origami, but i forgot to bring the paper, so we did our own humble pedicures at 4 in the morning instead.

Here are two interesting clips of some tradiditonal Japanese dancing:

http://www.revver.com/video/7691/japanese-traditional-dance-ii/

http://revver.com/video/7690/japanese-traditional-dance/

Fish

2008-02-18T00:22:00.000-05:00

At a previous employment, we were moving over the office gradually into a new building. One of the first projects to move was the salt-water fish to the new enlarged tank. The people slowly took all of the live rock out of the old tank, put all of it into buckets (without water) and drove about a block to the new building. The new water had not been balanced yet, and the temperature was not correct either. Because there were no fish in the new tank, it was not necessary to put food in it for the three days before the fish would be moved over.

On that third day, the fish were brought over. But, before the fish were put into the new tank, we saw that one of the Triggers was lethargically floating on the bottom of the tank. Immediately we brought food out to him, but we had no luck getting him to eat. What a crazy journey he had. He was out of water for the time it took to drive the live rock over to the new building and to get all the pieces into the tank. There wasn’t any food and the water wasn’t balanced enough for fish yet. Yikes! The owner of the fish just kind of sighed and said that the fish wouldn’t live until morning. Being the animal lover that I am, this made me miserable to think of.

I said to the owner “He isn’t a goner yet. There is still time to pray for him. God will help him get his strength back.”

He just smiled with a little disbelief and said, “Yeah, I guess so.”

I pray all night and was anxious to get to work to see how the little guy was doing. God had helped yet another one of his creations get “back on it’s feet.” The Trigger was swimming like no other time I saw him swim.

Although I admit I needed to go to work to see with my own eyes how the fish was doing, I had not one ounce of disbelief or astonishment when I saw him. I just felt like bursting with joy that God had taken the time to listen to one of his daughters about something she felt was extremely important.

I tell you friends, never (and yes I do say never) fail to pray about something because you feel it isn’t big enough to ask God about. Also, never fail to pray about something because you think you can take care of it on your own.

God had answered many prayers before this experience, but never before did I have this feeling of release and calm when I prayed to God about something. I know now that my concern will be taken care of and so will I. God has steadied me in this rough sea.

First Spin!

2008-02-16T14:48:00.000-05:00

This was sooooo fun! I loved the color changing aspect of the roving and bats mixed together. There is Merino, Norwiegen, and Alpaca all beautifully mixed together. Hhmmmm, now just what should I make with it? I would like to make something special, but so far I have only been working on one project, so i'm still on super-easy projects! I'll have to search ravelry for a cool and easy pattern.

2008-02-01T12:15:00.000-05:00

This is a NON-PROFIT listing. All funds go directly to Seeds of Life for the Molbog people.

Threads of Hope: The Problem

What is it like living on a remote island? From a distance it may seem to be the stuff dreams are made of. In reality, it means living in constant anxiety over the health and well being of your family. On the island of Balabac, the Molbog people struggle to provide a reasonable life for their family. It means living each day fearful that you can’t pay for medicine if you child gets malaria, a disease that claims many each year. Parents wish the best for their child but know all the government only offers is a fifth grade education.As a result it means watching your kids leave the island in search of jobs and finding themselves taken advantage of because they are desperate people.Lack of rain and inadequate farming techniques keep them in a constant search of daily food.

Threads of Hope: The Plan

What if we gave them the tools and skills to work? Seeds of Life provided some simple machines and then taught a few women the skills to create bracelets out of simple colored thread. Desperate for work, women came from all over to learn the skills that would provide for their families. Whether by hand or by self-made machines they weave these threads in hope that life will be better.

Threads of Hope: The Big Picture

Not only are these ladies earning a living for their families, they are helping their whole village. After the sale of these bracelets all the funds return to the Molbog people to generate projects that will speak to needs in their village. For example: a terraced farming project and a clay oven bakery are already being started. These two projects will provide food and finance for many families.There is now excitement among the Molbog people to begin ideas for their own school. It really could be a reality! Who would have thought that a simple thread could create so much hope for the island people of Balabac? We hope that each time you see your bracelet or anklet you will remember the Molbog people on the south pacific island of Balabac and pray for them.Providing the Molbog people with hope means giving them a means to a better livelihood. Seeds of Life Ministries seek to model the Love and Care of Jesus by helping the Molbog people have a full and enriched life. Our goal is to assist these people to find a livelihood that helps them care for themselves and share with them the message of Truth that speaks to their spiritual needs as well.

In doing this we fulfill God’s desire for all people.

2008-01-29T21:10:00.001-05:00

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I love to repose 'neath a warm, cozy coverlet and listen to the soft,
driven rain as it descends from the slate empyrean. It palpitates upon the coppered summit of my abode. I love to harken unto the resonant rumblings of the tempest, to heed the impelling voice of a thunderclap, to behold the luminescent and sibilant trails of lightning as they paint the vast, grey canopy of the heavens. I love the rain! I love the scent of rain, it is a cleansing. Sometimes, I like to walk between the raindrops and ride the lightning. Do you like the rain falling down upon you? 'Tis like tears from Elysium cascading
across the contours of your being....