Happy New Year!

OK...so I'm a little tardy with my Happy New Year wishes...but they are sincere...I wish you every happiness in the coming year.


So why am I so late?


Well...for one thing...I've been trying to clean my house...what an ordeal...I made myself a 12 item list...you know...things like: my closet, under bathroom sink, my dresser drawers, my craft closet...etc...wow...I'm actually almost done...only 4 of the original 12 left...I did my closet yesterday...it's amazing what you can find in a closet...ha...still have a few things that though they ought to be tossed or sold in a yard sale I'm just not ready to part with...but that's alright...you should see the stuff I've either thrown out or is crammed in my garage to wait for the condo association's yearly garage sale...I had even more...but gave it to the local senior community center in their rummage sale...which I was going to participate in...but had grandma duty (what a shame...spend time with the grandkids instead of sitting around in a rummage sale...ha...it was a very easy swap to make)...


Which brings me to the second reason I've not posted...my dear son-in-law had emergency surgery a couple of weeks ago...gave us all a bit of a fright...but he's now home after 10 days in the hospital...and is resting and healing...praise God...


Other than that...well...I've been working on a couple of things...one being a bracelet that will be auctioned on ebay/MissionFish in the fall when we do the "Pink Ribbon Turtles" Project...it's nearly finished...and I really like the way it turned out...I'll post a picture when it's done...

I also finished a piece that I am going to hang in my bedroom above one of my dressers...might also enter it in the contest for the Space Coast Art Festival...which if it wins it will be used as the design for the coming year's festival on the shirts, bags, and promotional posters...that one I can show you...I haven't named it yet...so if you have any ideas I'd love to hear them!

Living on the beach, and a barrier island (ocean on one side and river on the other), we have all manner of aquatic flora and fauna...so I tried to incorporate as much of it all as I could...if you look closely you will see a crab, fish, mermaids, birds, manatee, coral, freshwater pearls, seashells, turtles, and sandollars.  It was fun to make...it's at the framer's now...and is about 14"x15"...I can't wait to hang it up in the bedroom...

I have also finished my January project for the Beaded Journal Project...this year I'm doing feet...inspired by a course I took in reflexology...you've seen the hands I've done...so I'm doing matching feet...

Today is a day of rest...then I will tackle one of the other items on my list...but wanted to stop and share the blessing of my son-in-law recovering nicely from his ordeal...and a few of my newest projects...

Have a happy day!

Only 9 more days!

Only 9 days til the drawing!

Be sure to get your drawing tickets!

www.atawhisper.com/prt.htm

All proceeds will be sent to the American Cancer Society

for Breast Cancer Research.

"Pink Ribbon Turtles" Project Auctions!

The first of the auctions are finished...and the second round has begun!  In the second round there is "Basking in the Sun" by Gretchen Coats of Saginaw, MI...exquisitely crafted...the 4 little pink crystal turtles bask in the sun on their lily pads while a delicate white water lily floats nearby...

To see this auction please head to: http://cgi.ebay.com/Basking-in-the-Sun-Pink-Ribbon-Turtle-Project_W0QQitemZ170404625858QQihZ007QQcategoryZ158657QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

"In the Pink" is a lovely pink three strand bracelet made by Lesley Bishop of Bristol, PA...I just love the turtle centerpiece! 

You can find this auction at: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170404628957

Pink Ribbon Turtle Auctions!

The auctions are underway! Find links to the auctions at www.atawhisper.com/prt.htm . Beautifully beaded works from all over the world! Links to each of the following items is on the website above.

First...from Gretchen Coats, Saginaw, MI..."Basking in the Sun"...the beading on this piece is extraordinary...framed in a shadowbox this piece is approx. 8.5 x 10.5.

Created by project founder, Jena Tuntas of Cocoa Beach, FL, "Fionna" was originally a Teeny Beanie Baby from this year's crop at McDonalds. She sits on a wooden prop and wears her turtles on her wings and her pink ribbon hanging from her heart.

Next in line..."Bubbles"...this little fella swam all the way from Portugal! The artist, Maria Teresa, may be familiar to a beadwork artist...she has been published in several of the beadwork magazines...and her work has even been on the cover of a few of them.

Is jewelry something that catches your eye? Then you will love "Montees in Pink" by Bev Moon of White Pine, TN. This beautiful bracelet is Bev's own design and is made up of Swarovski Montees, sterling silver beads and a sterling silver clasp...it's gorgeous!

"Swimming for Freedom of Fear" is an original design from Karen L. Cohen of Milford, PA. Bead, machine and ribbon embroidery make up this sweet wall hanging.

I'm expecting one more to arrive at my doorstep any day and will let you know when it's on the auction block.

The Pink Ribbon Turtles Project is in it's 5th year. Drawing tickets are still available at www.atawhisper.com/prt.htm as are the links to all of the auctions. The auctions are at ebay's charity site MissionFish.

Don't miss your chance to get your drawing tickets...and don't miss your opportunity to bid on these beautifully crafted items. Links at the above site.

2009 "Pink Ribbon Turtles" Project

The 2009 "Pink Ribbon Turtles" Project is Underway!

"Friends"

by Jena Tuntas

This is the 5th year for the "Pink Ribbon Turtles" Project. Founded in 2005 by the artist (above), the project is dedicated to the memory of her mother, Nina Isabelle Etheredge Fritz, longtime educator and community activist in Cocoa Beach, FL, who passed with breast cancer.

Each year a unique bead embroidery design is created, framed in a shadowbox frame and given in a drawing. The design always includes one or more turtles. Each of the turtles has a pink shell, the color of the Breast Cancer Fundraising symbol, the pink ribbon. The artwork is beautifully framed, and offered in a drawing. This year's piece (above) is entitled "Friends" in honor of the friends that help us through the tough times in our lives.

In 2009, for the first time, there will not only be a drawing, but there will be auctions of items handcrafted and donated by artists from around the world. The auctions will begin on October 26th on MissionFish. Below are two of the items that will be auctioned. More will be announced at the time of the auctions.

"Fionna"

Beaded Teeny Beanie Baby

by Jena Tuntas

www.atawhisper.com

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Swimming for Freedom of Fear"

6" x 9"

Bead, machine and ribbon embroidery on cotton

by Karen L. Cohen

www.kcEnamels.com

The drawing date is Monday, November 30th. All profit from the donations for drawing tickets and auctions will be sent to the American Cancer Society for Breast Cancer Research. For more information and to donate for drawing tickets go to www.atawhisper.com/prt.htm and pay through PayPal, or contact me at prt4bcr@mindspring.com if you prefer to pay by check or money order. All checks and money orders should be made payable to the American Cancer Society.

Have a wonderful day!

A Lot is Happening!

Back in June my niece, Lacee (bride in 1st pic) got married...her best friend, Tania (bride in second pic) came from Alabama to be at her wedding...and this past weekend...Lacee got to return the visit! What a great weekend in the DC area. I flew up with my sister and we went to the wedding of her daughter's BFF, Tania. It was a great wedding...and we had a blast. The bride was beautiful...the groom handsome in his dress uniform...they are both chopper pilots for the Army. The reception after was fun...and the cakes amazing...the groom's cake was a helicopter! I'll tell you...the folks on the food network ain't got nothin on the folks that made that cake.

It was great to see my nieces, great niece, nephew-in-law, and friends...so glad we got to go...but it was great to get back home.

Announcing a new design for those who love pirates...the character from my children's book, Shorty, is exploring Florida in his next adventure...and one of the places he goes is Ft. Walton Beach, FL where he attends the "Billy Bowlegs" Celebration..."Billy Bowlegs" was a pirate...in my new design Shorty is decked out as a pirate...complete with sword, parrot and eyepatch...his advice: "Be Who Ye Aaarrrggghhh!". You can find gifts and apparel with this design at www.cafepress.com/atawhisper/6882092 .

I'm working on the 2009 Pink Ribbon Turtles Project, and will be announcing it soon...this year we will have one item for the drawing and a couple more that will be auctioned at ebay...stay tuned for the announcement about when you can get your drawing tickets and where the auction site is.

Hope you are having a lovely September day!

Teea and Sunny

Why did I name this little dolly "Teea"? Well...if you look very carefully at her 'face'...it's the outside of a golf ball that I found on the golf course one day...a yellow one...I was going to try to somehow put a yellow golf tee that I had on her somehow...but the tee is nearly as tall as she is...and I couldn't figure out how to put it on her without making it look like something I just "tacked on at the end"...so in trying to keep with her golfball skin face...I named her "Teea".
It's been a whole year...and it's hard to believe...but here is my final turtle for the Beaded Journal Project...When I thought of the month of August...which is what month this turtle is for...I thought of three things...sunset...sunrise...and sun...thus her name is Sunny...and I think her name fits her just perfectly...I sure had fun with the Beaded Journal Project and will most likely join next year as well...though I believe the next one instead of being from September through August...it will begin at the first of the year and we'll do our work all in the same year.
Want to see the entire year of turtles? On Sunday, August 16th I'll have them all on my website at www.atawhisper.com/BJPTurtles.htm .
Have a fabulous weekend!

A Tad Late

Here he is...his name is "Patriot"...he's my July (a little past due...he was celebrating the 4th of July and partied just a little too much...hahaha) Beaded Journal Project turtle...hard to believe there is only August to go!
Gotta jet out of here...things to do...places to go...people to see...and all that...
Have a lovely day!

Caliopie

Meet Caliopie...her bright colors remind me of the music from a merry-go-round...and she begged me for a meaningful name...don't you just love the colorful waves she is swimming in? Caliopie is my June Beaded Journal Project turtle...a little late...and July is in process...but she'll probably be a little late as well...and of course...thinking already of what the August turtle will look like...then this year of BJP will be over...already...it's hard to believe it's been a year since I started these turtle friends...
I've been working with all of the BJP turtles and have some great designs on my cafepress site...you can get all sorts of lovely gifts there... www.cafepress.com/atawhisper ...so if you have a turtle lover that has a special day coming up...that would be a great place to start looking!
Hope you are having a lovely day!

IT'S MAY!

Meet "Belle"...named for my mom...mostly because of the yellow roses in the background...her favorite flower..."Belle" is the May Beaded Journal Project entry for me. Finding just the right color green for the body wasn't easy...since I started doing bead embroidery I've discovered that there are at least a zillion different shades, tints, hues, and finishes of nearly every color...a bit overwhelming at times...but always great once you find just the right one!

On the golf course the other day...hole #2 of the Dolphin Course in Cocoa Beach...we spotted this momma turtle heading back to the pond after laying her eggs...see the sand on her back? She had been digging her nest to lay. The turtles come out this time of year and lay eggs under the trees and shrubbery all around the golf course...then hope that the scrubjays and crows don't come dig them up and eat them before they can mature and hatch...I would venture a guess that the back of this turtle is at least as big as a turkey platter...she was lovely...

At the corner of Brevard and S. 2nd Street here in Cocoa Beach you can sometimes see Manatees...these pictures were taken one afternoon when I had gone down just to see if they were around...and there they were...four adults and a baby...they eat the algae I think...sometimes folks will feed them lettuce or cabbage...which they really aren't supposed to do...but the manatees love it...you can see some of the scars they've received from motor boats...manatees are an protected species...and you aren't allowed to touch or feed them...but they are also very curious...so if you are still and one comes up to you and touches you...it's very special...I'm hoping to go out on a kayak tour in June with some of my friends from Curves...and we're hoping to see manatees and porpoise (dolphins)...I'm sure we'll see plenty of birds and maybe even an alligator! We're using a tour group that leaves each morning Mon-Sat for a 2-2.5 hour kayak tour of the river islands around Cocoa Beach...if you are headed to Cocoa Beach for a vacation you can find out more about the kayak tour at http://www.cocoabeachkayaking.com/ .

At our library we have a "musical season" where every Sunday afternoon for several months there is a concert of some sort...not long ago there was a steel drum band called the "Pan Sharks" that were there...I love steel drums...so naturally had to go to that one...this video is of them playing "Yellow Bird"...which you may recognize as a Harry Belafonte' song from a while back...to see more of the "Pan Sharks" you can go to their website at www.pansharks.com . You may have to turn off the music player to the right before you can hear them play...otherwise you will be hearing two different things at once!

So...that's about it from Cocoa Beach today...the weather is lovely...headed for a swim here shortly...just got back from a 40 minute walk...and if the weather holds I might just head out for a round of 9 holes of golf...hmmmm...at some point I have to go to the grocery store...or maybe we'll just have sandwiches for supper...ha...

I was reading one of Marianne Williamson's recent books...I love her work...it embodies the greatest defining spirit of God...LOVE...two things I read in this particular book were about forgiveness and miracles...Forgivness involves faith in a love that is greater than hate...so true...and a prayer she has for forgiveness...

Dear God, Please forgive me the mistakes in my past. May neither I not anyone else be bound by them...Please God...may I begin again...Amen

...and she gave this as the definition of a miracle: Nothing that happened before this moment has any bearing on what's possible now, except that what you learned from it can be fuel for a magnificent future...

The book is "The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife" and is an excellent and easy read...a very uplifting book...I'm sure the bookstores have it...and I'll probably go buy one...I found it at the library and have to take it back...but some books are worth reading more than once!

Off for a swim...may you be forgiven as you forgive...and may your day be full of miracles!

March...and twin...

Well...decided to "redo" the curtain swag in my bedroom...which is two really nice shades of blue...and "beachy"...I decided to use the BJP turtle pattern to make the decoration on the swag holders (I am sure there is a word for that I just can't bring it to my brain)...anyway...the things I use now are round...so instead of buying new ones I decided to just cover them...Here is one of the March turtles...it's twin is nearly finished and a mirror opposite of this one...the material for the curtain will be the same you see here...the offwhite with white paisley...I'm just waiting on some blue beads I ran out of and had to order to finish the twin...
So...meet March's turtle(s)...there will be two...haven't named them...but I really like how they turned out...
Off to swim laps...then maybe to the golf course...
Have a happy day!

April

I've changed her name to "Blossom"...she is a turtle that I drew a few years ago...and when it came time for me to do the Beaded Journal Project for April I immediately thought of her...and I'm so tickled that she's come to life in beads...

Yes...I admit I'm a little behind...even though "April" is done...I still haven't even begun the turtle for March...but I'm working on it!

Pearl

Well...I sat and thought about a name for this little turtle and no matter how many I made up she kept putting the name "Pearl" in my mind...so I reckon this is "Pearl"...probably because the center piece is mother of pearl (dyed blue)...and she has pearls on her feet, head and tail...whatever her reasons...she just wasn't going to let me name her anything else...she is the February entry for the Beaded Journal Project...she was finished in time...I'm just slow with her debut...
This little fella and his friend always seem to know when I'm playing the River Course when golfing...they seem to pop up everytime I am on #5...so I always try to have something for them...they come pretty close...but I don't get too close to them...they are sweet but they are still wild...he's eating a peanut butter cracker...and yes...I used a zoom...
I'm off to get my dad from the rehab place he's been in since his hospital adventure a couple of weeks ago...he will surely be glad to be home...and we'll be happy to have him back in Cocoa Beach! Have a lovely day!

Garnet Turtle

Here she is...the January Turtle for the Beaded Journal Project. Her name is Garnet...after the birthstone...three garnet colored glass beads surrounded by silver and other garnet beads make up her shell...her body is made of green and pale mauve seed beads and some pale mauve glass beads I had in my stash. She is sitting with the rest of her crowd...waiting for February's turtle...who is just a sparkle in my eye as of now.
Happy Beading!!!

December Turquoise Turtle and more...

Here she is...the December Beaded Journal Project turtle...birthstone...turquoise..I'm really pleased with her...she is beautiful in person.

And here...my December entry for the Beaddreamz Group Calendar Challenge. Was walking on the beach the other day and found this Cat's Eye shell...actually only the top half of it...and took it home with me to create this necklace...and it wears beautifully. I wore it to a Christmas party this morning...and the ladies loved it.

Other than that...just trying to get ready for Christmas...it should be a great one...wishing all of you a blessed holiday season.

Topaz Turtle...and other doings...

Here she is...my Topaz Turtle...the Beaded Journal Project entry for November.
Topaz is the November stone...and it can be found in clear, pale blue, yellow, green or red. The golden yellow topaz is often referred to as the Imperial Topaz and is the most valuable of all the Topaz stones.
It took me a while to find a piece of fabric in my stash of material that suited me...but I finally happened upon a square of this piece in a stack of 9"squares I have that I'm going to make a patchwork quilt with...with her black body (except a couple of topaz 15's in the border stitching all the way around)...I like the way her topaz shell shines. In person she is lovely.

I'm a bit behind still from my hospital stay a few weeks ago...still playing catch up...so haven't done my doll for the month...but will have her here as soon as I can...still have to make the grandbabies their Christmas ornaments that I make each year too...my goal is to catch completely up by the new year...

Tomorrow is one of the "Pink Ribbon Turtles" drawings for this year...I'm very pleased to say that we are doing well in our donations...I'll wait to give you a total after the December drawings when I know exactly how much we have to send as our total donation.

Had a wonderful visit with high school friends last night...lots of laughs and good memories.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. God Bless!

Is it November yet?

Wow...was October ever a doozy of a month...a 5 day ordeal in the hospital and two week recovery put me way behind on all things October...but now I'm feeling better...and am caught up with October Projects...

First...thankfully...I finished the October Challenge for the Beaddreamz group early...the peyote bracelet was fun and turned out to be quite eyecatching. I called it "Autumn Leaves"...my dad bought it from me and gave it to a friend for her birthday. I've since made a few others in Christmas greens, reds and whites, and a couple of them in pinks...the bracelet is not a pattern...which is what makes it fun...you just put a bunch of the same size beads in a dish and pick up whatever you pick up...the effect is really pretty neat...I have discovered the wider ones are actually prettier than the narrow ones...but they do take a little longer...

Next...the October Challenge for the Beaded Art Dolls group...I found a wonderful picture of my daughter when she was about 4 or so...it was Halloween and she wanted to be a clown...so I got out the trusty sewing machine and made her a clown outfit...she was adorble...of course...being my child...she always was...ha...here are the two pics...one of her...and one of the doll I made...I am sad to say she and I have been estranged for the past 4 years (prayers are always most welcome)...but this made me feel close to her...and remember all of the wonderful years of her childhood...as well as watching her become a woman...as a parent there were times I wanted to shove her in a closet and not let her out til she was 40...but I knew that wouldn't help her grow...so I...right or wrong...gradually allowed her to make her own choices...but was always there...and listened...and as gently as possible...guided her...and did a LOT of praying...here she is...the "Little Clown Doll"...

And finally...my Beaded Journal Project for October. As you saw in September...my design will always be aturtle for the BJP. In October...the month of my daughter's birthday...I decided to do a turtle that had opals...I had a cab that to me looked very much like a fire opal...so tried to find all the colors in it and go from there...as it progressed I LOVED the body...but the turtle's shell was not satisfying me as I thought it should...but now that I've got it finished...I think it turned out nicely. The body...the "opally" greens and white...the shell...all the colors I saw in the fire opal cab. Once I added the gold...it came together and I like the final product.

So...now October is over...and I'm about a week late finishing...BUT...I am finished with all the October challenges...and it's on to November...hmmmmmmmm...wonder what I'll do now???

DON'T FORGET THE "PINK RIBBON TURTLES" DRAWING FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH IS FAST APPROACHING! IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN YOUR DRAWING TICKETS...BE SURE TO GO TO www.atawhisper.com/prt.htm AND MAKE YOUR DONATION!

#1 is Done!

Well...it took me all month...but after thinking of at least a dozen templates for my Beaded Journal Project and passing them over...I finally settled on my favorite creature...the turtle...
This little gal...named Elkay...was made for the month of September with a specific person in my heart and mind. My dear friend...Lauren...who passed away a few years ago with liver cancer...loved purple...butterflies...and lavendar roses...and her jewelry...almost always gold. Lauren and I went through the last year of high school together...but didn't really get to know one another until we were roommates in college...it was grand to have moved back home and have her come shortly after...roomies again until we both got re-married...we shared a lot of laughter and tears...and were there for one another always...
I think I'm going to like this project...I'm already thinking of the October turtle...what material I'll mount it on...and what colors it will be...for that matter...I'm already thinking several months in advance! Hope you like her!

Grandchildren, Storms and Beadwork

"Ma, we make a cake?"

What grandma can say no to a 3 year old with a request like that? Of course...what he wanted most was to make the decorations on the cake...he wanted blue and green and red and orange and yellow...and stars...

My youngest grandson loves the book I wrote for him and my other three grandchildren, "The Adventures of Shorty". His mom says he reads it all the time. So when discussing what we were going to put on the cake, Shorty naturally came up. At first, Shorty was going to be an astronaut (a recently drawn pic for the new Shorty book)...then he decided on tennis...then the astronaut on a skateboard...finally we decided that just Shorty on a skateboard would be best.

Whenever I bake cake, I bake it in two square pans. One goes home with the grandson's...the other (or what is left of the other after we've all had a piece) stays here. This works out well since my husband and I, though we love cake, don't eat much of it.

So the first cake (above) was decorated with Shorty on a skateboard...artistic direction by my two grandsons...the eldest helped with the icing...then they both helped with putting the candy stars on it.

The second cake? I let the oldest decide. A tennis player...he decided on a tennis racquet and tennis balls...that's the one we ate after the kitchen was clean.

Then it was time for a rousing game of "Simon Says", and a little bit of "Hokey Pokey", both of which the youngest is learning in pre-school. He is doing pretty well with the "Hokey Pokey", but he hasn't quite gotten the gist of "Simon Says"...it's fun none-the-less. We even got grandpa up to do the hokey pokey!

School will begin (again) on Monday, and all of them will be busy with that. The oldest is in middle school and trying out for the basketball team; the youngest going to pre-school a couple of days a week; and mom, who is a teaching assistant, going back to work. Dad...keeps us all safe working as an officer at the police department.

Now...the reason I say school will begin AGAIN on Monday...is the fact that they started last Monday...and then Tropical Storm Fay came through...and stayed...and stayed...and stayed. We had three and a half days of nothing but wind and rain...and they didn't go back to school all week.

Fay...never making it to hurricane force...dumped over 30" of rain in some places. There was a lot of flooding and a few tornados. It was nothing like Jeanne from a few years ago in strength, thankfully, but was still devastating for some. In the state of Florida TS Fay was responsible for about a dozen deaths and thousands without power and flooded out of their homes. We are thankful that our only damage was the porch getting about half way flooded and the loss of our air conditioner from Wednesday evening til this morning when it got fixed...thank goodness. It was hot those three days...but nothing like the heat we're going to get now that there will be sunshine...at least til the next one!

On the first day of the storm we looked out our back door and saw a Great Blue Heron just standing in the wind and rain. (Video above) We weren't sure at first if he was hurt or just disoriented. We finally decided he just "landed" and was afraid to spread his wings to take off for fear he wouldn't be able to control his flight and land in OZ somewhere. After over three hours of standing in the wind and rain out the backdoor...he was gone. Hopefully it was on purpose...if not...I'm sure the Wizard will have a lovely pond for him to fish in!

During the nearly 4 days of being sequestered in the house due to the storm, beadwork was most certainly a way I entertained myself. (That and the Olympics...great combination!) One of the first things I did was finish a "challenge" from one of the online beading groups I'm in. The challenge was to make a bracelet using the 'peyote' stitch. I had just recently learned it, so I thought it would be a good challenge for me. The tough part...at least for me...was that it was to be "freeform". As much as I try, being anything but symmetrical is difficult. I've managed to do it on a few of my turtles, but usually they are very symmetrical. Now symmetry and "freeform" are not necessarily opposite...but they are not synonomous either. Some of the bracelets the ladies in the challenge produced were exquisite...and not a bit symmetrical. None-the-less...I perservered. Though quite symmetrical...I am assured by the ladies that it is indeed considered "freeform". Which is good...because it's about as freeform as I can get...at least until I learn a bit more about the 'peyote' stitch.

I don't know if you can make them out...but the two circles are actually little polyclay faces. The beadwork around the bracelet is not "exactly" the same...but very similar from side to side.

The second part of the challenge...to make a ring to match. I didn't use the little cab faces...but used some of the other little beads I used around the bracelet to jazz up the ring.

I'm pleased with how they came out. I'll probably put them up for sale on my etsy site ( http://www.atawhisper.etsy.com/ ) . Being a Licensed Massage Therapist, I don't wear much jewelry, (certainly not rings) and in this case, I don't have anything to match these wonderfully bright colors. But I sure had fun making them!

Then it was on to the "Pink Ribbon Turtle" Project. Dubbed "Turtles of Hope" by Beadwork Magazine last April, the "Pink Ribbon Turtles" project took on a new level. Originally the turtles were made only by me in memory of my mother, who passed away with Breast Cancer in 2000. After the "blurb" in Beadwork Magazine, another style of PRT was created. With the help of my new friend, Gretchen, we decided that in addition to the turtle(s) I make each year, that we would have a 4 Quadrant Turtle. The turtle was divided into four quadrants and four different artists completed a quadrant. We were thrilled when a second group decided to help with a second 4 Quadrant Turtle. For more information, stay tuned...on October 1st all three turtles will be professionally framed and available in a drawing, ALL proceeds going to Breast Cancer Research.

So anyway...when I finished my freeform bracelet and ring challenge, I spent some time putting the quadrants together. (Ralonda, in Texas is in charge of the second turtle). I will give you a little peek here -> of the right side of group 1's turtle...these turtles will be fabulous I know!

For more information about "Turtles of Hope" - the "Pink Ribbon Turtle" Project, you can go to (http://www.atawhisper.com/prt.htm). You will find pictures of turtles from previous years, and a bit of the history behind the project.

Later on, when the ticket "sales" begin, I will make sure the information for you to get some is right here, along with pictures of all three of the 2008 "Pink Ribbon Turtles".

During the hottest part of the Tropical Storm that kept us all indoors for a week...when we didn't have air conditioning...I did as little as possible. Everytime I moved I would break into a sweat. So I sat myself in the coolest room in the house and sorted my beads. My husband was amazed...he thinks I have more beads than the bead store. And he only saw the ones in the drawers! I have more in the closet! But anyone who beads...knows that you can't have too many beads!

The air conditioner has been fixed, the grandson's have visited, I've just eaten my supper, and I think...I'll go do a little beadwork.

God Bless!

Momma and Her Babies...

My first blog here...so why not begin with my first beaded piece of beaded artwork? Actually, I had made a lot of beaded turtles for Christmas ornaments, as well as butterflies, dragonflies, rocking horses and other things before I made this 16"x20" work, but this is the first piece of framed artwork I did. It now hangs in my bathroom matted in bright orange, with a white frame on a blue wall...and I love it. I've made many more since and it is one of my favorite things to do! Beadwork is what keeps me...hmmm...well I was going to say keeps me sane, but there are those that would question that! Ha. So let's just say it relaxes me.
Like many beaders, I am addicted to beads. I don't think I've ever left a bead shop or bead show without, at the bare minimum, one bead. But that's ok...they are my friends.
I've been trying to set up this blog for about two hours now...beadwork and bead embroidery come to me much easier than computer deciphering...so it's time to go to bed.
I hope to play a little golf tomorrow, though I don't know that it will come about since it's Easter Sunday and dinner comes right about the time I would normally meet my high school golfing pal, Missy, out at the course...so it might have to wait til Monday.
So I will go to bed now, and dream about the beautiful beads I ordered last night...and the ones I bought at my favorite bead store today, and what exactly I am going to do with them. I am sure it will have something to do with turtles.
God bless, good night, may your Easter be joyous!