Art Bead Scene August Challenge

The Indian Rug (or Red Slippers),1942

by Anne Redpath

Oil on plywood

'Poppy Field'

Czech flower beads from Southpass Beads

Copper Leaf pair from Kristi Bowman

 I love making earrings so here is another pair that gives a nod to that dark background 

'Zanzibar'

long wood beads

turquoise Czech beads, Jasper beads

Be sure to visit the Art Bead Scene to see more.

Focus on Life Looking Down

Our assignment is about we find on the ground

When our children were younger they made stepping stones.

This one was made in a pizza Box and decorated with lots of jewels and dodads

This one was made at Bible School  years ago

These were made in pot pie tins and decorated with tiny ceramic tiles with the kids initials

Focus on Life The View Above

This week we were to  photo the view above.

Two weeks ago we took a family trip to Boston and Salem.

I could have shared a hundred photos of tall ships,the Boston Skyline and so much more. 

But that will have to be another day.

In the mean time you can look at the two photos below.

Looking up at the colorful signs and  buildings in Boston

 I love the shapes, colors and patina of these Boston apartments

Be sure to check out Sally's blog to see more views from above.

Were All Ears Monthly Challenge

 Our Inspiration Photo

'America The Beautiful'

I liked the curve of the billowing sails In the inspiration photo so I dapped two copper small circles from Vintaj.Then I used Ranger Patinas, the first layer Cinnabar and the second layer Verdigris.Then I ruffed them  up with a Vintaj Metal Reliefing Block. The tiny red lampwork spacer beads are from Marshall Jodie.

I finished them off with two brass stars from Vintaj.

Be sure to visit the Earrings Everyday Blog  Friday to see more.

And if you want to play along, well that would be just peachy.

The inspiration photo is posted the first Friday of each month.

Heather and Lorelie's Michaels Challenge

Heather and Loreli hosted a Michaels Challenge.

These are the beads that we are to use.

Unfortunately our Michaels store was out of most of these beads. The only ones I managed to get were the last two and tried to match the others as best I could.

We could add beads from our own stash as well.

So her are the pieces I made

It seems I was in a mood for color and the tropics.

'Hot Tropics'

purple dyed quartzite beads from Michaels

Polymer flowered beads from Aquarious Too

And green glass beads form Michaels

'Gilligan's Island'

Bone Amber Beads from Michaels

tiny spacers from Michaels

Polymer drops from Chrysalis

'Bird of Paradise'

Purple, Green blue and orange beads from Michaels

Polymer Flower bead from  Aquarius Too

Be sure to check out Heather's Blog to see what everyone else made.

Art Bead Scene June

Our Inspiration Art for June

Trees Laden with Parasites and Epiphytes in a Brazilian Garden, 1873

by Marianne North

Oil on Paper

At First I thought the green and red would make the piece look like Christmas.

But looking closer I also saw orange, pale blue and a bit of pink there as well. 

'Free to Fly'

Pale Blue Ceramic Butterflies from Off Center Productions, Green and Orange Czech Cathedral Beads,

tiny dyed spacers and Sterling EarWires

'The Huntress'

Hand made paper beads from Beads for Life, Orange and Green Czech Cathedral beads,

Vintaj Tall Feather and Soaring Sparrow, and an orange ceramic bead above the feather from

Eclectic Prairie

Click the photo to see it close up

Check out what others made on June 30th  At the Art Bead Scene Blog

Focus on Life week 24

June is all about having fun.

Last day of Bible School

One of the classes having fun bouncing the balls on a parachute.

Playing with bubbles

Be sure to check Sally's blog to see more of June fun.

Focus on Life June

This month is: Finding the Fun In Photography!

For the first week of June let's get silly!  Or catch someone being silly!

Giving the thumbs up during a round of frisbee.

In most families the first child is the responsible one, the one who takes her role seriously. 

But not this girl.She acts just like a first grader.

She lights up every place she walks in to.
I love seeing her smile and wish she lived much closer so I could see it more often.

30 Words Thursday

From the egg to getting feathers and  to learning to fly 

Listening for his mother's signals and sending his own back

It's been so fun to watch these babies grow.

Check out Erin's Blog to see more 

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The premise of 30 Words Thursdays is simple...

Take an image (preferably one you shot, or have permission to use).

Write 30 Words about it. No more. No less.

Post it each Thursday.

Add your link to the InLinkz on my 30 Words Thursday post. 
(InLinkz code will be open for one week.) Enjoy seeing what others have captured by visiting them and leaving a comment.

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Focus on Life Week 22

This week is all about what's in bloom.

My garden has been neglected for a few years but our trees are looking great.

This is our Japanese Lilac tree. It smells heavenly!

The tiny buds will soon  be blooming ...click the photo to get a great closeup.

Then check Sally's blog for more blooms.

Have a great weekend!

Focus On Life Week 21

Sally Says "This week we will focus on our day, what we are doing or what's happening around us.  Take a moment and pay attention to patterns of your day or the unexpected!"  

This afternoon I sat down to make a necklace. 

I like the colors and design but I'm stumped on how to finish it.

This happens a lot and most of the time I step away from the bead table for a while or even a day or so and let it simmer. Most of the time I find  a solution, but sometimes I just have to admit it won't work..

Check out Sally's Blog to see what others are doing.

30 Words Thursday

A heavenly stairway at a San Antonio Mission

A beautiful arch above.  

The light streaming in made me want to explore and see where it went. but it was locked

Check out Erin's Blog to see more 

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The premise of 30 Words Thursdays is simple...

Take an image (preferably one you shot, or have permission to use).

Write 30 Words about it. No more. No less.

Post it each Thursday.

Add your link to the InLinkz on my 30 Words Thursday post. 
(InLinkz code will be open for one week.) Enjoy seeing what others have captured by visiting them and leaving a comment.

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30 Words Thursday: Grab an image (preferably one you shot or one you have permission to use). Write exactly 30 Words (no more, no less). Post it.

Play along with us!

Focus on Life May

 Week 20: The view about the ground

Sally says to change our perspective and take a look down to see what's going on about the ground

this tiny egg fell out of its nest after a big storm.

Recently we were out in our yard and I found a nest. My husband got up on a ladder and discovered there were two tiny white eggs. I was thrilled. But the next day a huge storm came up and blew the nest out of the tree. I found one of the eggs  but not the nest.

This is the photo  of the nest in our apple tree before the storm.

Check Sally's Blog to see more things about the ground.

Focus on Life

May's topic is In, At, and About

Our assignment this time is 'good things inside'

Our older kids were home for Easter and we actually had some time to play Frisbee.

Right off the bat got stuck in the tree

Nice catch!

Showing off

Action shot

Now  you might be wondering what all this has to do with 'good things inside.

Every time they are together I realize they are best friends and it warms my heart and soul to see them together.

Check out Sally's blog for more May moments

30 Words Thursday

Discovered

two tiny alabaster bird eggs

hidden in  the flowers of our apple tree

Fragile

mom and dad watching  from afar

Tragedy 

wiped away the next morning by a storm.

Focus on Life Evening Moments

There is a moment when the day begins to quietly slip away from the earth and the calm of evening floods over the land.  Colors deepen, stars peek through pin holes in a twilight sky.  We begin to exhale and slowly let the world of the day slide from our shoulders.

I'm cheating a bit this week as our two older kids were back in Kansas for the Easter Holiday and  I totally forgot to see what our assignment was for this week. So I'm sharing a photo from the past.

This photo was taken at a farm in Kansas. The farm sits near the Kaw River.

The owners host a summer Feast in the Fields. Here the sun has gone down making a soft glow over the lovely table set in the corn field. The feast is over and the guests are nearly gone.

Here is the beautiful table setting which was taken early in the evening. There are around 100 guests and the food is fantastic.

In the fall the family hosts a feast in their stone barn.  And this June they will be hosting a feast in the pasture, which is something new. I can't wait!

30 Words Thursday

Shoes, colorful shoes!
I have been craving color after the long winter

After picking up shoes around the house I realized how colorful they were. 

So I took a photo.

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The premise of 30 Words Thursdays is simple...

Take an image (preferably one you shot, or have permission to use).

Write 30 Words about it. No more. No less.

Post it each Thursday.

Add your link to the InLinkz on my 30 Words Thursday post. 
(InLinkz code will be open for one week.) Enjoy seeing what others have captured by visiting them and leaving a comment.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

30 Words Thursday: Grab an image (preferably one you shot or one you have permission to use). Write exactly 30 Words (no more, no less). Post it.

Play along with us!

Jewelry Making Mojo Challenge

Heather Powers is hosting a weekly Jewelry Mojo Challenge.

Our assignment this week is to make a piece of jewelry inspired by a favorite poem, quote or song.

Since our family loves to travel, take walks in the woods and do Sunday drives in the county, I chose a quote from John Muir In honor of Earth Day.

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” —John Muir

'A Walk With Nature'

A long necklace made with a beautiful Lampwork pendant from Something New For You, a tiny lampwork spacer  and Vintaj Components.

Here is a closeup of the focal.

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together … all things connect.” —Chief Seattle

Check Heather's blog to see what inspired others.

And get out and enjoy nature.

Focus On Life A Moment of Focus

April's Topic: Moments

Week Fifteen: A Moment of Focus

Allowing yourself to focus on one moment, one subject. 

A crisp, clear moment of focus.

Spring has been a long time coming to our area. Yesterday I saw that our Ornamental Pear had bloomed.

These blooms don't stick around long so I chose to capture this moment in time before the blooms faded away.

And I couldn't resit showing these tiny leaf buds on the crab tree.

Be sure to check Sally's blog to see more.

Focus on Life Morning Moments

For April our assignments will be all about capturing moments.  

This week it is about our morning moments

that quiet routine that starts the day

the mad dash to get the kids out the door

the 3am feeding

that first cup of coffee

Whether I go to work at my part time job or not, my morning routine is most always the same.

Watching the local news and weather with a bowl of cheerios

Followed by the Today Show

Not very exciting, but that's the way it is.

Hop on over to Sally's Blog to see other morning moments.