Working on My New Website

I have been working around the clock on my new website and new products to put in my website, so please be patient as I finish up. The website is the biggest time sucker! I can work all day on it and when the day is over, I'm wondering what I got done. It doesn't help that my computer is working at the speed of an injured turtle.  The phone calls to Verizon and the Verizon technician who came out this morning were not helpful either.
Anyway, I am determined to finish this website asap. I've been wanting a new website for over a year and nothing's going to stop me now. It's looking good so far!

I also wanted to share a talented photographer that I met the other day who is also in my homeschooling co-op (yes, I am joining the ranks of weird, unsocialized homeschooling moms and their kids.  I'm totally kidding- we're so cool, I can't even stand it)  Anyway, here is a link to Lori Elizabeth's awesome blog and a picture of my daughter.  I am so impressed that she even got a good picture because Analee was so tired and crabby that day. Plus, she had broccoli in her mouth and a big scar on her forehead.  Lori works wonders!

Back From Vacation

I'm back from a wonderful vacation in Southern Louisiana visiting college friends and touring the swamps.  I am working on getting my new website put together and making new items for my shop. Hopefully it will be up and running a couple days.

Here's some pics of the vacation:

New Jewerly and Rosary

I have closed my shop until I come back from vacation, but I want show you want I've been working on--and wearing!

This bracelet is my favorite! I just love wearing big, chunky beads on my arm. I put a glaze on all my jewelry so it really shines. 

This pendant comes in two different sizes- extra large, which is what I wore on my last post, and a small size is about an inch big. The big size comes with a long chain and the smaller comes with a 20" chain. 

This rosary is one of my newly upgraded rosaries with flex wire instead of fish line.  When I reopen my shop, all the rosaries will be made with the flexwire. 

This Lamb of God necklace I have been wearing a lot and have even gotten compliments on it from people of other faith denominations.  It is a very comfortable necklace that rests right below the collarbone.   I also made one with a rose cross on it and rose and leaf beads.

The Almost Omelet

Today I was so excited to go to downtown Fredericksburg and see a giant 5,000 egg omelet being made right before my eyes. I was also excited about the possibility of eating this amazing eggy delight cooked by the French chefs of our sister city in, Frejus, France.  It almost happened. Well, at least for me. I'm pretty sure the omelet happened. It just happened without me.

Here's the mini parade of French chefs and U.S. chefs celebrated unity with food in giant proportions. Makes sense to me! If someone wanted to win me over, all they would have to do is make me some good food and I'm pretty sure I would instantly be their best friend.

Here's are the chefs prepping the giant pan with gallons of oil and pounds of butter.

Next I saw them add a few pounds of onions and green peppers. Look at those huge paddles! I was really looking forward to the big flip! But sadly, after that, the kids and I could take no more of the heat and headed to the car.  If only I had known the omelet wasn't going to be made until 11:00am instead of 10:00am. That hour and a half we were in the heat and humidity really did us in. I even lasted a half an hour more than my friend who went with us.  Oh well, there's always next year and 5,000 more eggs.

Here's some pics of my cute downtown across the river from us.

Here's Liam's favorite stop: the toy store that has a train table set up inside!

Here's a pic of me and Liam and red-faced Analee being very uncomfortable in the heat.  We couldn't even fake a smile. Notice the sign behind us says, "Comfort Station". Hahaha! How ironic! In case you're wondering, there was not a dunking tank back there for those about to suffer a heat stroke, only some toilets.  Comfort? ha! Not what I had in mind.

I'm sure you're drooling over my gorgeous jewelry.  I had to wear my new creations that I made yesterday. They will be in my new shop along with my new upgraded rosaries. I won't be selling anything until after our vacay in Louisiana.  Unfortunately that means you'll have to wait almost two weeks before you can look so fabulous too!  Never fear, I will post some pics of my jewelry so you can get a better view of it before I leave.

The Immaculate Heart Bead

My Immaculate Heart of Mary bead is finally finished! Below is the process I went through to make the bead and the finished product.  This bead turned out very well and I am super excited about all the possibilities for this bead...rosary centerpieces, bracelets, necklaces, chaplets...oh my! I can't wait to get started!

For more information about the Immaculate Heart of Mary and devotion to the Immaculate Heart, this is a good link.

The first step to making the Immaculate Heart of Mary was to make the rose. Click here to view my blog post showing step by step of making the rose.

The second part of making the Immaculate Heart bead was making the leaf. Click here to view my blog post showing step by step of making the leaf

After the leaves and the roses were made, I placed them together and made a sword. Then I added the red heart around the crown of roses and the sword.

I finished the heart shape and added the flames. The last step before rolling it out, is to add the background color to form a perfect circle.  Having a nice round circle is important for a good end product!

Here the bead is rolled out until it is the size I need for rosaries. 

Here is the bead after it is baked. When the bead is so small, much of the detail is lost, but if you love the details on this bead, then you will love the jewelry I am making that show off the bead in larger forms...stay tuned!

If Only Craft Stores Were Open All Night Long...

It's 10:00pm and I am sooooo close to being done with this bead, but I ran out of clay for the background color! If only craft stores were open all night long, if only I had someone at home who could watch the kids at night, and if only I weren't so sleep deprived, I would have had this bead done tonight.  Tomorrow I will attempt to mix this lovely antique sea glass color again to add more clay to the background. I need this bead to be perfectly round so it rolls out nicely.  Wish me luck!

Almost Finished!

I know I said yesterday that I was going to have the Immaculate Heart of Mary bead done for you to see today, but it just didn't happen.  Here's what I got finished so far.  I reduced the roses and the leaves from other day and added the red background and the sword through the heart. The sword piercing the heart is a symbol of Mary's sorrow that was foretold by the prophetess, Anna. "...and a sword of sorrow shall pierce your heart".  Mary's greatest sorrow is, of course, watching her son die the most cruel death.  I can't imagine how hard that was for her!

I sat down to try to finish the bead tonight, but being pregnant really limits me! I can't stay up late and work like I used to.  This evening I was also busy.  I went to a home for pregnant women in crisis situations called, "Mary's Shelter." It was craft night and I got the privilege of teaching them how to make some simple beads. They really enjoyed it! The women there are so great. I was so happy to meet them and I hope I can come back and show them how to string their beads into some rosaries.

Today was also Liam's first day of vacation Bible school. It was the first time he was physically dropped off at a strange place and left there for three hours. My husband had the honors of doing this because I had another sonogram.  He (my husband, not Liam!) almost cried after leaving him there. Is this what it feels like to drop kids off at day care for the first time??  It was hard for all of us, but I think tomorrow will go better.  Liam said he had fun, but too much fun because it was too long!

I hope the bead is finished tomorrow, although I probably will wait another day before slicing it. I will post a picture tomorrow and then another pic when it is sliced.