Wire and Beads

In a month, I am facilitating a necklace project at a small, private art retreat. Hi girls, I can't wait! My project is called, "You Are Not Allowed to Buy Anything For this Necklace." If you know anything about artists, you know they have piles of materials sitting around in case they get some time to try them out. They also always say they are not buying more until they use up some of what they have. This necklace is our chance. This is the bottom part of the necklace.

I decided on a palette, and dug through my stash for some things that were black, pink and clear to put into the YANAtBAFtN. Sadly and happily, I did not have to buy anything for it. Good, since that is the rule. The base of this section is plastic tubing. I made one pass across the section of tubing with the larger beads, wrapping with black hardware wire. Crazy wrapping, not pretty wrapping. Then I made a second pass with thinner aluminum wire, adding smaller, filler beads and charms.

I added a big glass charm that I bought from a girl named Amy. Wish I could remember her website to share it with you. She has Fab. U. Lous. glass charms. I attached this big charm with a lobster clasp, because the charm is two sided, and I might want to turn it over.

Like this. I have had Amy's glass charm hanging on a chain over a door handle in my kitchen for a year, waiting for inspiration to hit. I like it on this necklace.

It will be interesting to see what kinds of beads and wire and charms and whatnot everyone else brings to the retreat to make their own versions.

That was fun,

Normal Girl

Happy Valentine's Day

Hope yours was as good as mine,

Normal Girl

A New Gallery

This is a hallway at church. There used to be photos of all the past church pastors here. Considering the church is 75 years old, some of the photos were very old and I might say... a little scary. They were not hung level or even, it was not pretty. So, for Christmas, we took them down and put up some Christmas photos. They were too small for the space. And temporary.

I spent the afternoon today framing new photos. They are photos of people of every age, from the church, engaged in service or ministry of all kinds. I enjoyed my afternoon in the church all alone. There was framing. And singing. And dancing. And I examined the photos. It made me think.

Within the church right now, there is some controversy/discussion/argument regarding some silly things like how loud the music is on Sunday mornings, and how many times a month we open the hymnals. It makes me sad and I think we are missing the point. And every once in awhile the point is made clear to me...when the church donates tons of food and money for some single Mothers and their children for Christmas...when 17 women get in the car on Friday night and drive an hour to a rescue mission to visit with the 30 residents....when church families donate generously filled backpacks to kids who have nothing...when 92% of the membership comes together in agreement to vote in a new teaching pastor.

And when I looked at the photos today, I saw they illustrate the point so well. We are a family. A family of many generations. Each generation is important to the others. We serve together, we learn together, we worship together.

My hope is that when I get the gallery finished and all of the photos hung on the wall, it will be a reminder to us of what is important in a church.

Feeling blessed to be in this family,

Normal Girl

The MacGyver Technique for Jewelry Making

I have been working for hours on this necklace with the beads I made this week. Still calling it a work in progress. While working, I watched reruns of MacGyver. He is so creative, I was hoping some of that would inspire me. Yeah. It did and I tried several different designs and even a new beading technique I made up. Too bad it was all ugly. Creativity in blowing things up is different than creativity in making things last. I guess.

So here is the current incarnation. Would you wear it?

Normal Girl

I Never Thought I Would Be Blogging About This

I spent the afternoon writing a paper. Sitting still made my toes and my heinie cold, and my plan was for hot chocolate. Looking for some cinnamon, I found this, and this, and this, and this. Apparently, I do not check my cupboard before I take my shopping list to the store. You can tell by the shininess of the metal strips at the bottom that they are from different centuries.

There was nothing left for me to do except to research to find out how Cream of Tartar can be used. It seems so un-green to throw away this much yummy Cream of Tartar. Here are some uses I found for Cream of Tartar:

• shines copper and brass pans
• used with baking soda, it makes baking powder
• mix it in your orange juice to help you stop smoking
• soak your toes in it to make the skin tougher (I used to do this when I was dancing in pointe shoes, no kidding)
• use it in making clay for kids
• mix with peroxide to clean the tub
• repels ants
• make a paste with water to remove rust stains from clothes
• removes ring around the collar
• a lot of other cleaning uses that bored me silly
• meringue

Look for your invitation to my lemon meringue pie party soon,

Heloise

Still On

Well, THAT didn't work.

But, it is just as well. I think I really could use a driver. Especially with the snow piling up right now, it might be safer to have someone drive me around. It is nice that they evaluated 27 of the best.

Hope one lives near me,

Normal Girl

Back to School Comes Early

In the publishing biz, we work really early, far in advance of the season. So, tonight I started working on my back-to-school project. Is there anything better than fresh pencils and a blank notebook when you are starting school in September?

I think I will put these in a necklace. Aren't they screaming for some ABC beads? Maybe a shiny red apple bead?

Cute! What do you think The Editor?

Stay tuned,

Normal Girls