A New Winner, A New Pattern, and New Year's Wishes

First things first:  We had 38 comments on the post for this wonderful set of Lark Studio Series books.

The trusty random number generator chose #33

Who is

Congratulations, Bek!  I have her address so she won't have to get in touch with me. Her books will go out on Tuesday.

This morning, I was contacted by someone whose daughter wants her to bead a wide chevron cuff for her. She felt that my zig-zag patterns were as close as she could find on Etsy, until I told her about my Offset Chevron design and that I would be happy to publish the pattern for her...   How nice to be able to end 2011 - my least productive year in the last several - with a new publication.  Now available on Etsy:

It was fun to read about your holiday traditions and New Year's resolutions in the comments to my last post. I no longer make New Year's resolutions. Instead, I try to make the change when I recognize the need for it. One of the biggest changes I made to my life occurred several years ago, and I must admit to falling short of my goal on some days, but it is something I try to apply to every day:  be thankful.  It's not so much a matter of whom I am thankful to but what I am thankful for.   By recognizing and acknowledging (usually on Facebook) the good in a day, in a situation, in a moment, I try to keep my focus on the positive.  It would be easy to focus on the bad and to update the list of all the things that go wrong, have gone wrong, could go wrong, might go wrong, will go wrong, just plain old ARE WRONG.  Yup, that would be easy.

As the first few decades of my life taught me, however, that approach - at least for me - is depressive and destructive.  And so I CHOOSE, consciously and deliberately (but without putting on rose-colored glasses), to focus on what is good, right, and makes me happy.  Bad things still happen, of course, and I certainly don't ignore them, but life is now a good thing; it is something to be honored, cherished, appreciated.

And so my New Year's wish for you is that you see the good, the positive, the beautiful in life. The bad, the negative, the ugly aren't going away...but we don't have to give them control.

Be well! And thank you for being part of the good things in my life. :)

Lark Studio Series: Wonderful Stocking Stuffers and a New Year's Prize

I received a package from Lark Crafts last week but was so busy with other things that I put it aside without opening it.  Forgive me, please?  But if you're out shopping today or tomorrow and still need a stocking stuffer for a friend or something to give yourself cheer, please take a look at these wonderful small (5.25"x5.25") treasures that make up the Lark Studio Series collection:  Art Tiles, Handmade Books, Chairs, Tables, Ceramic Sculptures, Handmade Dolls, Earrings, and Pendants.

Each and every one of these little volumes contains a large impact of beauty.  These are similar to the 500 Series, but in smaller dosage.  I love them! For their size. For their simplicity. For their contents.  And you and your friends will as well.

And because Lark was kind enough to send me not only my review copies but an extra set to share with you, my friends, I can treat one of you to your own complete set while keeping one for myself! :)  What a great Christmas gift for me and, I hope, great New Year's present for a lucky reader!  I will gladly mail these anywhere.  (n.b.: I have not received any compensation from Lark for my reviews.)

So, leave a comment here, sharing your favorite New Year's tradition or one of your resolutions for 2012.  Deadline for entering is midnight (Eastern Time) on Friday, December 30th.  I will announce the winner on New Year's Eve Day.  To collect your prize, you will have to check back here by January 4th ... which is the deadline for you to contact me with your mailing information. I will draw an alternate name if I don't hear from you by then. ;)  (This way, you don't have to leave your email or store address here, just your name...and I don't have to worry about trying to find you.)

We had a little snow earlier today, but now it's just cold. The system that has closed down interstate highways in other parts of New Mexico has spared us. For that I am thankful.

Be well!
Be safe!
Celebrate with joy!

Today's the day. ;)  After going through and deleting duplicate entries, I was left with 506 (yikes!) comments.  Our friendly random number generator did the selection from there:

The 225th comment, starting with those left on Day One of the hop, is this one:

I will get in touch with her this morning with the (what I hope is) good news and to get her mailing address so that I can ship the box out tomorrow. Congratulations, Cynthia! 

Thank you so much to all of you who participated in our Share the Love Blog Hop.  And thank you, Marcia DeCoster, for inviting me to join!

I'm off to bead now... Happy Thursday! Be well. Get going.

Blog Hop - Sharing the Love - The Finale

It's time to put the last item in my "mixed bag" and tie it with a big old ribbon. :)  Because I'm late with my post, I will give you until midnight Eastern Time to comment. I'll pick the winner when I get up tomorrow morning.   I think I may have one of the pups help me with this. And then I'll post an announcement here.

Almost two years ago, I added this gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous (and fun!) cabochon to my extensive Lisa Peters Art collection/stash/obsession:

This morning, I spent some super fun time pulling out items for a kit for you to create something spectacular.  I wouldn't expect anyone to use everything, so don't fret. Of course you don't have to include any of these things; you could just go into your own stash to play with Lisa's cab.  The kit includes:

• Lisa Peters Art stoneware cabochon
• Nicole's Beadwright Bead Backing
• ultra suede
• leather
• 15/o, 11/o, and 8/o seed beads in oranges, blues/teals, and lavender
• gemstone chips in amethyst and citrine
• two ribbon chokers

Your mission, should you accept it, is to leave me a comment here (be sure there is a way for me to contact you: email, etsy/artfire store name, blog, FB page) to enter to win the "mixed bag" of things I love.  Don't forget to leave your comment on each of the previous seven posts as well.  You can have a total of eight chances to win.

I can't wait to find out where this bag will go...

Be well! Good Luck! And thank you for hopping along with us this past week. :D

Blog Hop - Sharing the Love - Day Seven

Originally this was going to be the last day of the hop, but since I won't be drawing and announcing the winner until December 15 (Thursday), I will turn this into an 8-day affair.  I know, I know, the 12 Days of Christmas would be a perfect thing, but I do want to keep some of my stash for myself. I'm selfish that way.

Tomorrow will be a grand finale of sorts, but I think today is pretty special as well:  A set of Wisconsin Trade Beads by the talented Harold Williams Cooney, the driving force and talent behind The American Trade Bead. These glorious colors should manage to get anyone in a brighter mood.

These beads are large - each about 25mm in diameter. :) I've acquired a small collection of Harold's beads over the last year or so and love them all.  One of these days/weeks/months/years, I might actually get to use one in a project.  In the meantime, it's like having a mini The American Trade Bead gallery in my own home.

For some of us blog hop hosts, this is the last day of the hop; for some, it isn't.  Be sure to check each member's set of rules and deadlines:

Beverly Gilbert
Val Hebert
Jeannette Cook
Carol Dean Sharpe
Marcia DeCoster
Cynthia Deis
Lori Anderson

Here at Sand Fibers, the idea is to leave a comment below (be sure there is a way for me to contact you: email, etsy/artfire store name, blog, FB page).  Only one comment per blog post per person, please.  BUT you can comment on each day's blog post for multiple entries. 
I will close the giveaway for entries tomorrow evening at 10pm. I will announce the winner of this big old "mixed bag" of goodies on Thursday.

Since so many of you commented on yesterday's weather photograph, I took another one for you this morning, which was rainy and cold...but with glimpses of gorgeous blue skies.  This is the northeast corner of my backyard.  When we moved in over a decade ago, those hedges were manicured...we've let them go wild (they are 8-10' high) and the birds love them. An entire flock of red wing black birds overnights there throughout the winter and spring months.

Stay warm. Be well. And get hopping! ;D

Blog Hop - Sharing the Love - Day Six

It's Monday. It's overcast (which is unusual here), but at least it's not as cold as it was about a week ago when I took this photograph (which happens to have made it to ABC7 Storm TRACK WEATHER PIC OF THE WEEK status yesterday)

Two of the three dogs actually slept in their dog houses last night. That means that Terry and I slept better. ;)  Not that I don't love my dogs...

Marcia DeCoster named this the Sharing the Love blog hop.  That means that I should share some things I really really love. And I will. Doubt me?

Today, I am adding 30 grams of my absolute favorite precious-metal plated Delicas to the "mixed bag":  Ten grams each of DB0031 (24 karat gold-plated), DB0038 (palladium-plated), and DB0551 (sterling silver-plated).

I love looking at these beads, working with these beads, wearing these beads in finished pieces.  You will too.  For now, stop by all seven of our blogs during the hop:

Beverly Gilbert
Val Hebert
Jeannette Cook
Carol Dean Sharpe
Marcia DeCoster
Cynthia Deis
Lori Anderson

Each of us is having one or more giveaways over the course of a week. Each of us has her own rules for entering her giveaway.

Here at Sand Fibers, the idea is to leave a comment below (be sure there is a way for me to contact you: email, etsy/artfire store name, blog, FB page).  Only one comment per blog post per person, please.  BUT you can comment on each day's blog post for multiple entries.

Hop along! Be well!

Blog Hop - Sharing the Love - Day Five

I went into mild shock today when I realized that Christmas is only two weeks away.  If you win my "mixed bag" and live in the United States, however, you will definitely get your prize in time to add it under your tree.  If you are "international" and win, it could take as long as a month or as little as a few days for the package to get to you; it will be up to the whims of the postal gods.

Speaking of international, today's addition to the bag is by the Japanese beader Kumiko Mizuna Ito: Beadweaving Brilliance.

Wonder what I will add next? ;)  Find out tomorrow!

In the meantime,  remember to stop by all seven of our blogs during the hop:

Beverly Gilbert
Val Hebert
Jeannette Cook
Carol Dean Sharpe
Marcia DeCoster
Cynthia Deis
Lori Anderson

Each of us is having one or more giveaways over the course of a week. Each of us has her own rules for entering her giveaway.

Here at Sand Fibers, the idea is to leave a comment below (be sure there is a way for me to contact you: email, etsy/artfire store name, blog, FB page).  Only one comment per blog post per person, please.  BUT you can comment on each day's blog post for multiple entries.

Keep hopping! Be well!

Blog Hop - Sharing the Love - Day Four

I've had a heck of time deciding what to add to our "mixed bag" today.  We never add things to our stashes with the thought of letting go of them in the future, unless it's as part of a new creation.  Sadly, my stash far outreaches any future beading dreams I have...and yet I keep adding...so there is much for me to choose from.

I'm fortunate to belong to Bead Art Originals, an Etsy team of incredibly talented beadweavers and bead artists. This blog hop seems like an opportune time to introduce you to some of their work, and so I will include the following in my giveaway:

This beautiful lampwork "Lickable Lentil Focal Bead" by Fire-n-Sand:

This polymer clay "Teal Willow Cuff Bracelet Bead" by Humblebeads:

I'll add more BAO goodies before this hop is over.  In the meantime,  remember to stop by all seven of our blogs during the hop:

Beverly Gilbert
Val Hebert
Jeannette Cook
Carol Dean Sharpe
Marcia DeCoster
Cynthia Deis
Lori Anderson

Each of us is having one or more giveaways over the course of a week. Each of us has her own rules for entering her giveaway.

Here at Sand Fibers, the idea is to leave a comment below (be sure there is a way for me to contact you: email, etsy/artfire store name, blog, FB page).  Only one comment per blog post per person, please.  BUT you can comment on each day's blog post for multiple entries.

Keep hopping! Be well!

Blog Hop - Sharing the Love - Day Three

This is like Christmas shopping in my stash for my favorite beaders! I'm having fun putting this "mixed bag" together for you.  Remember, you can enter on all seven of these blogs for the giveaways the authors are offering:

Beverly Gilbert
Val Hebert
Jeannette Cook
Carol Dean Sharpe
Marcia DeCoster
Cynthia Deis
Lori Anderson

Each of us is having one or more giveaways over the course of a week. Each of us has her own rules for entering her giveaway.

Here at Sand Fibers, the idea is to leave a comment below (be sure there is a way for me to contact you: email, etsy/artfire store name, blog, FB page).  Only one comment per blog post per person, please.  BUT you can comment on each day's blog post for multiple entries.


Today's addition to the "mixed bag" really represents the idea of "sharing the love" in a way I have seen beaders do time and time again.  About this time last year, a much-loved and respected artist was faced with a scary medical situation, and the frightening bills that go along with those things.  Many in the beading community found ways to raise money to assist him in his - successful! - fight.  Kelli Burns at The Hole Bead Shoppe came up with a beautiful idea:  she put together a few very special (limited edition!) challenge kits, valued at $40, and sold them for $25...passing all proceeds on to our friend.  They sold out almost instantly and I was lucky to grab up two of them at the time.  I'm ashamed to say I have not worked with either one yet...and they are just too full of possibility and beautiful beads to not be used.  So the lucky winner of my giveaway will receive, among several other goodies, this kit:

In keeping with the spirit in which this kit was originally created, I think it would be most wonderful if the winner were to use it to make a gift for someone who needs something that is all about love or as a way to raise funds for someone/some organization to which they have a meaningful connection.  Things like these kits are meant to be passed forward.


Now hop along!  Be well!

Blog Hop: Sharing the Love - Day Two

Have you started hopping these blogs yet?

Beverly Gilbert
Val Hebert
Jeannette Cook
Carol Dean Sharpe
Marcia DeCoster
Cynthia Deis
Lori Anderson

Each of us is having one or more giveaways over the course of the next week. Each of us has her own rules for entering her giveaway.

Here at Sand Fibers, the idea is to leave a comment below (be sure there is a way for me to contact you: email, etsy/artfire store name, blog, FB page).  Only one comment per blog post per person, please.  BUT you can comment on each day's blog post for multiple entries.

Today I am adding the following to my "mixed bag" giveaway:  Crochet Jewelry by Waejong Kim and Anna Pulvermakher.  I've had this book for a few years, but this copy really is "like new." :)

Wonder what I'll add tomorrow... ;)

Now go hop hop hop! Be well!

Blog Hop - Sharing the Love - Day One

This post was supposed to go up first thing this morning, but my computer and I were not getting along at the time.  There's nothing like being late for a date, especially when it's with six other artists.  I apologize to them and to you for my tardiness! The seven of us, see below, are having a special blog hop for the next week:

Beverly Gilbert
Val Hebert
Jeannette Cook
Carol Dean Sharpe
Marcia DeCoster
Cynthia Deis
Lori Anderson 

Each of us will have a giveaway of some sort on our blog, each of us will announce the winner on December 15th, each of us has her own rules for her giveaway.  So be sure to hop along the list above and enter, enter, enter.  Good luck!

Because my audience (yes, that would be YOU) are such a mixed bag, I've decided to create a "mixed bag" of things for you over the next few days, adding a little and blogging about it each day. The very first thing to go into this bag is my Endless Blooming Tide Pendant:

 

By the time this hop is over, the bag will be filled with some jewelry, a bead or two, a book or two, and some other surprises. I will gladly ship this overseas to a lucky winner, using regular airmail. 

How do I enter?, you ask.  Easy as pie:  Just leave a comment below (be sure there is a way for me to contact you: email, etsy/artfire store name, blog, FB page).  Only one comment per blog post per person, please.  BUT you can comment on each day's blog post for multiple entries.

Now go hop along and be well!