Lists...

Anybody who reads blogs or has a Facebook account knows about meme lists.  They come in all shapes and sizes.  If you aren't familiar, what happens is someone, somewhere starts a list:  "25 things about me," "The ABC's of me," you get the picture.  You fill out the list, tag a bunch of your friends and ask that they change the answers to their own, tag their own friends and so on, and so on.  Sometimes I fill them out, sometimes, I don't.  But, I always enjoy reading them.  Keeping with my word for the year ("Grateful"), here is my 3 things that I am grateful for list, in pictures:

 

AND

Don't worry.  I won't tag anybody.

It's supposed to rain in L.A. -- Time for Soup!!!

Even though I am a commuter, I love rain.  The smell, the sound, the look of it.  I love how rain clouds mute colors.  Speaking of muted colors, the picture is of my soup ingredients for Lori Anderson's bead soup blog hop.  Although I am finished with my pieces (I made a necklace, bracelet and earrings from the soup and some other materials from my private stash), I can't post pictures until the big reveal on February 26th.  Stephanie sent me really pretty soup.  A cameo as the pendant and a cute heart shaped toggle clasp.  Also in the mix were some shell ovals, a stand of absolutely beautiful big fresh-water pearls, some sparkly black a/b crystals and some rain-cloud gray glass round beads.  Please come back on the 26th to see my finished pieces and for a list of all 200-something blogs that participated in the hop this round.  Oh, and if you are like me, enjoy the weather!

I like to be mysterious!

I know that it's almost a full month too early to post our designs for the Bead Soup Blog Party, but in all of the excitement, I forgot to take a picture of my "raw soup."  I'm really happy with what I created with what my partner, Stephanie LaRosa sent to me.  Instead of posting hints to what I've made, I thought to post a picture of the pendant that I sent to my partner Stephanie.  I also neglected to take a picture of the clasp and soup ingredients.  I suppose this makes things more mysterious.  Yes, let's go with mysterious.  Stay tuned, the blog party goes live at the end of February!

Show Gratitute for Freedom (And Long Weekends)

Enjoy your long weekend.  While you are doing so, take a minute or two to reflect upon the civil rights struggles of your fellow man.  Remember the man for whom we celebrate.  Be thankful.

Grateful for Collaboration

Aren't these earrings gorgeous?  My dear friend from high school, Amy and I swapped some beads months ago.  These earrings are the product of my polymer beads and her wonderful design sense.   She really does beautiful work.  Her designs are magical.  I was so excited when Amy asked for more of my beads to design with.  Stay tuned for more of her talented designs and more of my beads. 

It's Soup Weather -- Bead Soup, That Is

More Gratitute -- This Time For The Young People In My Life

"I loved you the minute I heard your heartbeat. I loved you the minute you were born; then I saw your face and fell in love some more. You were only a minute old, but I knew I would die for you and to this day I still would."

The above is a status that people (mostly moms) are posting on facebook lately.  It's so true.  How could you not love those faces.  The picture above shows my nieces on the left and my sons on the right.  Ahhhh.... love.