Thursday, August 30, 2012

Mr. Frodo

On August 29th, Mr. Frodo lost his battle with a tick borne infection and passed away early in the morning.

Obscot Mystic Ringbearer: Mr. Frodo
Frodo was born in this very house nine years ago.  He was the second puppy that Fiona delivered.  As soon as Chris held Frodo in his hand watching him take his first breath, he knew he wanted to keep Frodo.  At that time we named all of Fiona's boys from characters in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings which is our favorite movies.  Frodo kept that name from second one.  We occasionally called him Fro or FroFro, or Mr. Frodo as terms of endearment.  He was the most loving Scottie boy.  When he was a puppy, he was a little terror making sure we had not one fringe left on any rug.  And once he even ate a hole in a wool rug in the middle of the bedroom when I gave up trying to chase him from under the bed and left him out when I was sleeping.  He was best friends with his litter mate, Andy, and when 15 weeks old and in obedience training, they boys would actually gang up on other poor dogs twice their size for a rollicking good time.  And both were given time out!

Frodo with with his three siblings.  Irene reminded me that both Andy and Frodo had milk beards when they were born
Frodo at 1 year old
Frodo loved his backyard, and always protected us from bunnies.  Unfortunately, those rabbits would live in the evergreen trees on our back lot which was an irritation to Frodo.  He chewed out a big hole in the wooden fence once just so he could stick his head through to bark them away.  He loved Arwen when we brought her home, and would play catch me with her all the time.  When we got laminate floors, he thought it such a fun game to race around the coffee table with his big red stuff dog in his mouth which was almost as large as him.  And Frodo loved women.  There are not a woman that dog didn't fall in love with.  His favorite was hair.  My sister Cheryl had long hair and Frodo would just rub all in her hair sniffing it with pure pleasure.

Frodo searching for those rabbitts

And a squirrel was never out of his sight

Frodo also loved walking the neighborhood.  He would dance with joy when he's hear us take the leashes off the hook.  He would prance and pull, and if one of the girls got even one inch ahead of him while walking, he'd pull until he was first.  He always wanted to be the lead dog.

 Frodo looked so cute in his yellow Lands End coat
He rolled in mulch so I usually cut his skirt off.  He liked the nekkid look

He was a brindle coated Scottie.  His coloring was so unique with the reds and blonde of Fiona mixed with the black of his father Anthony (a Wildwind Scottie).  I would let him grow out and so when he was groomed we'd always admire his brindle coat.  He had a swatch of brown next to his right eye which gave him a very distinguished look.  And when he was young, he had a Bardene white ring around his tale.  He began to get more gray in his beard this year, but that never stopped this high energy dog.  He wasn't afraid of anything!

And he always found the best napping places
A pillow and a chair were always the favorite places


The day my Grandma died, he began to limp.  My Vet thought he'd just pulled a muscle as he always ran with his heart out front.  Then last Sunday, he became lethargic and stopped eating. Last Tuesday, we took him back and my Vet was very puzzled with the symptoms.  She then put it together that he had probably been bit by a tick that had Ehrlichiosis.  And indeed he had as the tick lab test came back positive.  Frodo had a low white count from birth, so his immune system did not have the strength to fight off the infection.  After two more visits to the Vet and adding steroids to his medication, he was doing a little better Tuesday night.  Chris took him for a walk out in the field behind our house.  Frodo was too weak to walk down to the bridge where he loved looking at all the frogs and birds.  I got home and spoon fed him half a can of Pedigree.  He fell asleep in his crate.  The next morning, I found him gone.  The girls were in the chair watching as I sat and cried for my boy.  Both Chris and I were just beyond as even though we knew he was seriously ill, we so thought he'd make it. But alas, FalaPink and SkyeBlue must have decided they wanted him to join them in a rollicking game of chase on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

Frodo's couch.  He had to have it in the center of the room.
Frodo's empty couch
Today I have a beautiful wooden box with Frodo's ashes.  Pet Cremations picked him up yesterday here at home, and then today brought him back.  I have been so blessed to have so many people write to me personally and on Facebook.  So many of us have had to be in this place.  It is a contract we make to that sweet adorable puppy face licking our cheeks.  We love them throughout life, and we care for them when they are sick and elderly.

Mr. Frodo will always be with us
We miss our boy.  The box with is ashes are on the fireplace mantel over top his couch that he loved to dearly.  Good bye our boy...we miss you so much.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Strawberry Fields Forever

Today is the 3rd reveal for Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party.  I had two partners for the 6th event.  My original partner is Geneva Collins.  Here is the link to her blog.  She and are are both seed bead addicts so we were both very excited about being partnered with another person who enjoys bead weaving.  Geneva sent me such an abundance of pieces to work with. As with the rules, she sent me a gorgeous metal flower and a beautiful clasp.  She actually sent me two color pathways letting me decide which one would work for me.


Bead Soup Geneva sent me

I wanted to make another collar with these lovely beads Geneva sent me.  I started by sewing down the metallic flower onto Nicole Bead Backing.  I wanted to make this into a two component piece so I spent the beginning working on the flower as a pendent focal with the crystals sent to me.  I also loved the crystal tear drops and used them as part of the fringe.  For the collar, I started with a very simple neck collar once again using black Nicole's Bead Backing.  I used the glass beads from the bead soup mix and added pink pearls.  Up to this point, this all looked very Victorian to me using the gunmetal and pink colors.  I was working on the actually collar part when my husband began to play a Beatle album.  I started to hum along while looking at the bags of beads in my soup.  Once package label caught my eye being size 8 seed bead strawberry mix, and then I realized I was humming Strawberry Fields Forever.  Every have a click moment when you just know what you want to name something?  I usually have such a difficult time naming things so I was a little put back that this came so easy.  Maybe I should start listening to old music when I'm beading.  Wonder how Pink Floyd will impact my designs.  I'm smiling right now just thinking of the line "shine on your crazy diamond".  Hummm...maybe the focus of my next experiment?
Beautiful metallic flower I received.  I added the crystals to hide where I'd sewn the flower down

Nicole's Bead Backing is the perfect foundation for heavy bead embroidery collars

Both components are completed and ready to be put together
I added a scallop look around the edge of the collar to give it a more dainty look 

The pinkish tear drop crystals were perfect in joining the two components

If you look at the above photo you'll notice that after I joined the two components together, I finished off the pearl scallop look and added pearl dangles joining them to the middle of the metallic flower focal pendent.

Now please join with me with me and take time to whirl around the world visiting the blogs of the other artist in the third reveal of the 6th Bead Soup Blog Party.  You'll probably need some a loaf of bread and a drink as all this traveling and looking at delicious Bead soups are going to make you hungry



Hostess, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Agi Kiss,
Moonsafari Beads 
Alice Peterson,
Alice Dreaming
Alison Sachs, Beads by Earthtones
Amanda Dittloff, Passion Smashin'
Andra Marasteanu, Bijoux de Monanage
Angie Szlovak, SweetBeads
Anitra Gordy, Leelu Creations
Ann Sherwood, Ann's Blog
Arlene Dean, A Glass Bash
Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution
Barb Solem, Vivi Magoo Presents

Barbara Blaszczyk, laboratorim Flory
Bianca Odenthal, Zydies Glasperlen
Birgit Klughardt, GitesBeads
Bobbie Rafferty,
Beadsong Jewelry
Bonnie Coursolle, 
Jasper Gems
Cece Cormier,
The Beading Yogini
Charlene Jacka,
Clay Space
Cherrie Fick,
En La Lumie're
Cheryl Foiles,
Get Your Bead On
Christie Murrow,
Charis Designs Jewelry

Christina Miles,
Wings n Scales
Christina Stofmeel,
Feng Beads
Christine Stonefield,
Sweet Girl Design
Cindy Cima Edwards,
Live to Design
CJ Bauschka,
4 His Glory Creations
Claire Smith,
Embergrass Jewelry
Cynthia Riggs,
Cynth's Blog
Dana Fowler,
Trunk Full of Treasure
Dawn Pierro,
Turtle Moon Designs
Dee Elgie,
Cherry Obsidia
Donetta Farrington,
Simply Gorgeous


Dot Lewallwn,
Speedie Beadie
Elizabeth Bunn,
Elizabeth Beads
Eva Kovacs,
Ewa gyongyos vilaga!
Evelyn Duberry,
Sheba Makeda
Fay Wolfenden,
Torch Fairy
Fen Li,
Bead Flora Jewels
Gail Zwang,
Angel Moose Enterprises
Geneva Collins,
Torque Story
Grace Dorsey,
Fan of the Flame
Gretchen Nation, 
Art Food Lodging

Hannah Annear,
Squintessential
Heather Goldsmith,
As I Bead It
Heather Otto,
The Craft Hopper
Heidi Kingman,
My Bead Therapy
Hope Smitherman,
Crafty Hope
Isolina Perez,
Isolina Perez
Jacqueline Keller,
CreARTelier
Jane Haag,
Did You Make Something Today?
Janeen Sorensen,
Wild Vanilla Designs
Jean Peter,
Jean P. Designs


Jennifer Judd,
Jen Judd Rocks
Jennifer L Justman,
Soul's Fire Designs
Joanna Matuszczyk,
Bizuteria z filcu
Joanne Brown,
Jo's Jewels
Joanne Lockwood,
Jo Bunkum
Joyce Becker,
Joyce's Joyful Gems
Judy Riley,
Three Red Beads
Karen Mitchell,
Over the Moon Design
Karen Williams,
Baublicious
Karin von Hoeren,
Creative Ideen

Karla Morgan,
Texas Pepper Jams
Kashmira Patel,
Sadafule .. always in bloom!
Kate Richbourg,
We Can Make That at Home

Katrin Lembke,
AllesPerle
Kathy Combs,
Torched in Texas
Kathy Lindemer,
Bay Moon Design
Kay Thomerson,
Kayz Kreationz
Kelley Fogle,
My Life, One Bead at at Time
Kelly Hosford Patterson,
Traveling Side Show

Klaudette Koon,
Only Road
Lara Lutrick,
Lampwork Beads by Lara
Laura Guenther,
Blue Antiquities
Laurie Lalonde,
HourGlass Studio
Lilik Kristiani,
Soul of My Embodiment
Linda Younkman,
Lindy's Designs
Lisa Chapman,
Beach Cat Beads
Lisa Lodge,
Pine Ridge Treasures
Loretta Carstensen,
Designs by Loretta
Lori Bergmann,
Lori Bergmann Design
Lori Dorrington,
Lori's Adventures in Etsy Land
Lupe Meter,
Gem's PC Corner
Lynn Davis,
LLYYNN

Malin de Koning,
Beading by Malin
Mandi Effron,
Craft-o-licious
Mandy Williamson,
Mimi's Beading
Margot Potter,
The Impatient Crafter
Maria Rosa Sharrow,
Willow Street Shops
Marianne Baxter,
Simply Seablime Jewelry
Marina Dobrynina,
Savon Feutre
Marjolein Trewavas,
Room for Change
Marelene Cupo,
Amazing Designs
Marsha Neal,
Marsha Neal Studio

Marta Kaczerowska,
uhuhu
Mary Govaars,
MLH Jewelry Designs
Melissa Trudinger,
Bead Recipes
Menka Gupta,
Menka's Jewelry Blog
Michelle Burnett,
Reverie and Revival
Michelle Escano-Caballero,
The Cabby Crafter
Miko Wiropati,
Uniquely Yunikua
Milla Hope, 
LB Creative Arts and Crafts
Mimi Gardner,
Other Curiosities
Miranda Ackerley,
MirandackArts
Natalie McKenna,
grubbi

Noemi Baena,
fuego, metal, y color
Pam Ferrari,
Ferrari Originals
Pam Sears,
Crazy Creative Corner
Penny Neville,
Copper Penny
Rachel Baron,
R. Baron Designs
Rachel Myers,
Rockabead Jewelry
Rana Wilson,
Definitive Designs by R. Wilson
Rebecca Anderson,
Song Beads
Rebecca Sirevaag,
Becca's Place
Riki Schumacher,
Riki Jewelry

Rose Binoya,
Ahtee's Blog
Rossana De Gaspari,
Rdegas Blog
Sally Anderson,
Wild Sally Road
Sandi James,
Do Be Do Bead Do
Sandi Volpe,
Sandi Volpe
Sandra Wollberg,
City of Brass Stories
Sarah Small,
blog by salla
Shai Williams,
Shaiha's Ramblings
Shawn Mills,
Shawn Marie Designs with Bent Wire
Sheila Davis,
Stone Designs by Sheila

Sheryl Stephens,
Babble Bead
Shiraz Biggie,
Secret Song Designs
Solange Collin, 
Ahowin Handcrafted Jewelry
Sonya Stille,
Dreamin' of Beads
Stephanie Dixon,
The Dixon Chick
Susan Kennedy,
Sue Beads
Susan Sheehan,
Strands of Thought
Suzann Sladcik Wilson,
Beadphoria
Sweet Freedom,
Sweet Freedom Designs
Tabatha Dinger,
Modernly Created
Tania Hagen,
Pelima Jewellery Design

Tanya Boden,
Fusion Muse
Terry Carter,
Tapping Flamingo
Tracy Stillman,
Tracy Stillman Designs


Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Awake in the Dragon's Lair

Thank you to everyone who wrote to me about my Grandma's passing.  She indeed as someone special in my life.  She always encouraged me to learn, learn, and learn more.  I've taken that to heart especially since I've started to get back into making jewelry after these past years.  I've become enchanted with the big bead embroidery collars after reviewing Sherry Serafini & Jamie Cloud Eakin's books.  I've tried a couple times to make big collars, but never have been pleased.  I believe that the key to success is practice over and over again. And boy have I ever been doing that. 

   

Component pieces:the focal is three individual pieces puzzled together


Here you can see the three pieces sewn down to make up the focal piece



This time I decided to do a piece that used multiple component pieces.  I started with black Nicole's Bead Backing, a few cabs from my Synergy partner Cyndy Goshman, and a few odds and ends just sitting on my work desk waiting for me to pick them up and put them to good use.  I really love the colors of this necklace.  To begin, I called it Emerald Tides, but as I began to construct the necklace and thinking of my Grandmother's up coming funeral, I looked at the middle focal piece and it blinked and told me it was the Dragon's eye watching me.  The Dragon is not my Grandma if you are wondering.  Far from it. I was dreading walking into the funeral home and being confronted by various relations who for some reason or another were wanting to cause trouble.  Oh yes, we all have those in our families, don't we?  I got to thinking that I was the Dragon, and I was aware of possible outcomes.  I wore it when completed thinking that oh yes...you might think you are all clever with your little games of manipulation, but this Dragon is awake and you are walking into my Lair.  I know who you are.  I know what you've done.  I know what you can do.  I'm watching you.  I will always keep my eyes open, aware.

Up until this point it still was looking like Emerald Tides, but the daggers made me think of Dragon's teeth

Experimenting on design

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