Friday Feature- A Quick Project and a Winner!!

Hi all, this one is going to be quick. I don't know if all of you are in that last minute rush like me, but it is a bit crazy around here at the moment. And, as usual, I've become fascinated with yet another project at the last minute. Have you seen these?

 I so love this scarf, but up until now, I had only found knitting patterns for it. I don't knit. I mourned. Really! I just wanted one of these sooo bad!!
And yesterday, I found it! A crochet pattern for it!! Yeah!! Here's the link, if you'd like to try your own. She says you can make it in about 30 minutes, which totally sucked me in. I can find 30 minutes, right? Sigh. I'm such a butterfly...
Ruffle Scarf

Ok, so the winner from last week's giveaway is........



Gloria Allen! Gloria, please message me your email, and I'll get the code right to you. Thanks to everyone who participated. There is a good chance we will have another Novica giveaway in the future, so stay tuned.....

Blessings, Shirley

Holiday Bling Blog Hop II

I know! I know!! Two blog hops in one day! How did I do that? Not to worry, here's the link for the Ornament Swap with Sally Russick.
I had so much fun in the first HBBH, I just had to sign up for Number Two! Shelley and Marlene are such awesome ladies for organizing these, and I have so much fun.  This time I was paired with the very talented Mary Govaars. She is such a fun lady, and I've enjoyed getting to know her.
I'm so totally in love with  my beautiful ornament! Check it out!

Had to show it to you on the bright orange tissue it was wrapped in, those colors just pop, don't they?

Can you believe that patient woman? Wrapping that cording, one row at a time, keeping it all straight and lined up. I'da been bonkers!

And lookie at the pretty sparkley crystal! They are on top and bottom, and totally complete this awesome ornament. Thank you so much Mary, I just love it! And it's pretty cool that her ornament and Linda's go so well together. Makes me all happy and stuff. 

Now go check out the other cool ornaments! Blessings, Shirley

Shirley Moore	http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com You are here
Lori Bowring Michaud	http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
Catherine King	http://catherines-musings.blogspot.com
Dyanne Cantrell	http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com
Sonya Stille	http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com
Elaine Ray	http://elaineray.blogspot.com
Gina Hockett	http://freestyleelements.blogspot.com
Jo-Ann Woolverton	http://itsabeadifulcreation.blogspot.ca
Debbie Rasmussen	http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com
Renetha Stanziano	http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Ginger Bishop	http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com
Miranda Ackerley	http://mirandack.com/category/thoughts
Sandra McGriff	http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca
Tammie Everly	http://ttedesigns.blogspot.com
Alicia Marinache	http://www.allprettythings.ca
Melinda Abrahamson	http://www.firstreetcrafts.com
Rita/ Toltec Jewels	http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com
Chandra Merod	http://www.junipergoods.blogspot.com
Mary Govaars	http://www.mlhjewelrydesigns.com My partner
Kelley Fogel	http://www.mylifeonebeadatatime.blogspot.com
Tiffany Goff Smith	http://www.southerngalsdesign.blogspot.com
Heather Rats Otto	http://www.thecrafthopper.com
Anitra Gordy Boyers	www.leelucreations.blogspot.com
Marlene Cupo	http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com
Shelley Graham Turner	www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com Thank you, Shelley and Marlene, for such a wonderful Hop!!!!

2nd Annual Holiday Ornament Swap Blog Hop

Hi all ! I'm so excited to be sharing this Hop with you today! And my other Hop for today with Shelley and Marlene can be found HERE.
Christmas is one of my very favorite holidays, and I love getting presents, so when I saw Sally Russick's post on Studio Sublime, I was jumping up and down with excitement! This was way back in October, but I was all on board for an ornament swap!
And, then, holy moly, I got paired with Cooky Schock! She has been the owner of The Shepherdess in San Diego, CA for the last twelve years of the store's thirty-five year life. Sadly, it is now closing, but there have been many 'celebrity' beaders in and of that wonderful place. I wish I could have visited it before it closed. Cooky has been surrounded by awesome artists,and is a metalworker, and a wonderful person. I've been so very glad to be her partner, and to receive such a special gift from her in this exchange.
To be quite honest, I was very intimidated when I saw all the names of the artists that she has met/worked with through the Shepherdess. You know, like Jenny Davies-Reazor, Leslee Frumin, Marcia DeCoster.....
Cooky was so sweet and kind to me, saying she could hardly thread a needle! :)
Well, let me tell you, that doesn't stop her talent at all! Wanna see what she sent me?? Yes!! I know!! I'm all excited too!!!
Ok, check out the awesomeness of her gifts....

That sweetie pie of a sheep is an icon of the shop. They would give them as gifts to customers. I'm so very honored that I've received one of the last ones.

 Can you believe the gorgeousness of this key And I really didn't do it justice in this pic, cause that hand made loop at the top is stunning. The colors in the bead just shimmer. I'm thinking it just really needs to hang from my rear view mirror, cause it makes me smile...a lot! And you know that's a necessary when you get behind the wheel, right?

Oh, the squishy fuzziness!!!

Here is the list of participants, please go check out their gifts. Blessings, Shirley

List of Participants

Sally Russick

Lesley Watt

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Therese Frank

Andrew Thorton

Jeanette Blix Ryan

Maryanne Gross

Rebecca Anderson

Melissa Meman

Veralynne Malone

Miranda Ackerley

Jen Cameron

Sandi Volpe

Susan Kennedy

Kristen Stevens

Shirley Moore You are here

Cooky Schock My awesome partner

D. Lynne Bowland

Tiffany Smith

Patti Vanderbloemen

Pam Ferrari

Kim Hora

Christine Altmiller

Alice Peterson

Bette Brody

Julie Anne Leggett

Lola Surwillo

Kathleen Lange Klik

Erin Prais Hintz

Mowse Doyle

Kristi Jaro

Friday Feature-A Novica Giveaway!

Hi all! Hope you're having a wonderful Christmas season! It has been wonderfully warm here, which I love....except, it's a bit hard to think Christmas when it's this warm. I've been having a great time with some Holiday Challenges, two of which are revealed tomorrow, so I hope you'll stop back by and see the lovelies I received from my partners.
Well, if you've been with me for a little while, you may remember the post I did on the artists of Novica.
The folks at Novica were pleased with the post, and offered to give you all a little incentive to visit their site-a giveaway!  They have recently launched a new option on the site-Gift Finder. Here's the link for it: http://unique-gifts.novica.com/
So, this giveaway is easy peasy. Just head over to Novica, and check out the products with gift finder. Come back and let me know what your favs are.
There's been several conversations lately about the need for men's jewelry in some of my FB groups. I like the Men's gifts section, they have some unusual items that captured my attention, like this one:
It's from Bali, like the earrings I got earlier this year.

And this beautiful chess set.
I like the fact that you can chose to browse for gifts in several different ways...by price, by type of gift, or even by personality!

Head on over and take a gander. I'll keep the contest up til next Thursday, and announce the winner on the next Friday Feature. This will be for a $40.00 voucher. It does expire 12/31, so the hard part will be trying to select something quickly!
Best of luck!!

Blessings,
Shirley

Friday Feature-Trees!!!!

Trees? Yeah, trees. Cause it's Christmas baby, and I do so love Christmas trees. And I'm sad, cause I haven't had a chance to get mine up yet. And I have a very special Christmas tree now. It's made of steel rods, and it is so cool! I'll show you a pic when I get it out (hopefully Saturday) and decorated. It's special for me for several reasons. It's the first tree I've purchased just for me. It's not your usual, run of the mill tree. And it's decorated with pieces that are special, just to me. The same year I bought it, I found a glass maker that was selling incredible glass ornaments, so I got one to go with my tree.
I've participated in a couple of Ornament Swaps, so my new goodies are going on there as well. I've only done one reveal, here, and I'm looking forward to adding all my beauties going on there this year.
Do you Pinterest? I just love scrolling thru there for cool stuff. Here's some great tree ideas.

From Michael's

From MyHomeStyle.com

From juliacrossland.blogspot.com

From WeHeartIt.com
Are these cool, or what?

Hope you enjoyed them, and have a wonderful weekend! Blessings, Shirley

PDA with Shelley Turner

If you've never seen one of Shelley's play dates, you're in for a treat! She so generously sends you a mix of beads, and she uses the same beads to create some beautiful jewelry. Her only rule is to use the focal beads, everything else is optional. Shelley is an amazing clay artist, and the focal beads are a stunning, deep orange, perfect for a fall piece.


Now this awesome woman also sent me some seriously cool coiled wire beads. As soon as I saw them, my mind of course went into beadweaving mode. They reminded me of one of my very favorite stitches, cellini spiral. I made a couple of cellini beads to accent Shelley's.

 Now, here's the funny part for all you wireworking genius'. Shelley sent me a coil of extra wire to use. But when I opened the package, all I could think of  was what a pretty flower that coil of wire made. Sooo, I just curled the ends around itself, and used it like as a pendant! Ok, ok, ya'll can stop giggling at me, I thought it looked cool!

I've been all into making star ornaments lately for Christmas, so it was just a natural to make a star to hang in my pretty flower coil. I followed that orange theme with a gorgeous goldstone bead in the center of the star.



I love Shelley's clasp, and I didn't want it hiding in the back, so I added it to the focus on the front.

This necklace pushed me so far out of my comfort zone, it was not even funny. I can tell ya'll, I absolutely suck at wirework. So just overlook my pitiful attempts, 'k?
There was a tiny chain in there, so on one side I tried to do a wired loop for my spiral bead, and on the other I tried to use that tiny chain. I DO NOT have awesome wire tools. I have generic needle nose pliers, and bent nose pliers. I already felt like I was all thumbs using those puppies, then I tried to open that twisted ring on that TINY chain....did I mention how small it was? Yep, real test of my patience there....

You can let me know if either side looks better, I can't really tell any difference between the two. My vision was for the spiral beads to be right up against the orange beads, so I may change it later. Right now, I'm just happy I got all those wires to semi behave. I used a tute from the Beaded Path for that cute little beaded bead on the other side.

 I liked it so much, I created a couple more and made earrings with some very cute leaves that were in my goody bag as well.

Man, those are some seriously sad loops....

 (Yes, they are the same length, I was going for artistic representation here, you know?)

I can't begin to thank Shelley enough for letting me play with her. This was such a great experience, and yet again, I've learned more about me and what kind of designer I am becoming. Even though I will NEVER win any prizes for wirework, I'm so proud of me for making earrings, and the wirework in the necklace.
Thanks again, Shelley, you took me to a new and wonderful place! Now go see what Shelley made with hers!
 

Blessings, Shirley

I messed up....

Ok, you know what happens when you don't write dates down? You mess up, and miss an important post!
That's what I did, with my PDA with the fab Shelley Turner. And it's night now, so an pic I take will be totally lousy. I will work very hard on getting it together for a post either tomorrow or Monday. I'm extremely embarrassed, and hope Shelley can forgive me for being a dunce.
Here's a pic of what she sent me to play with......and I hope you'll come back to see the finished piece...

Friday Feature-Keepin' It Real

Ok, did ya'll notice that I missed last Friday? Whew, good! I was hoping with the holiday rush, you'd let me slide.

So what am I blathering about, Keeping It Real? Well, let me tell ya. If you've spent any time hangin' out here, you know I'm  a pretty blunt person. No hidden agendas, what you see is what you get, sometimes more than you ever wanted. Just sayin'.
I was scrolling through some of my bloggy friends, and saw the awesome Dawn Doucette's post for today. After I read it and cried, I noticed a blog on her list that looked interesting. So I jumped over there. (Ya'll do that too, right?) Now, the actual post that caught my eye was for Spinach Bread. YUM!!! Well, the title of my blog is Beads and BREAD!!!
But that's not what pulled me up short. It was her next post down. Where she talked about making some lifestyle changes. And this is something that's been on my heart for  a while. Now, whenever I talk about this, my hubs immediately starts with the, "You need to cut out this, and don't do that, and start exercising, cause you sit too much...." Please tell me you know what I'm talking about, that I'm not the only one with a sweet, loving hubs that totally doesn't get how to motivate me??!!
And yes, I do know that talking about something like this is like Taboo at the holidays. But, see, I'm not talking about going on a diet. Cause we all know how that turns out, right?  I'm talking about doing some stuff that will work for me. Like drink an extra couple of glass of water every day. Go with my kids to walk the dog, instead of sitting here on FB....
Now, I don't mean that I need to look like this....
 I just need to be a better me....

If you'd like to join me, encourage me ,pray for me, or just lurk while I head out on this journey, please do. I know I'll need all the encouragement I can get.
Now, there are several blog hops today,including the AJE Components, and Erin's Color challenge, so go check out some lovely jewelry! Blessings, Shirley

Friday Feature-Food!!!

 Yes, I've given you the link for this!



Well, what did you think I'd talk about, the weekend before Thanksgiving? And, you know, the title of my blog is Beads and Bread! So, do you make a traditional meal? Switch it up every year? Go to the in laws, and bring home leftovers?
I'm very excited for my Thanksgiving this year. And it's actually happening a few days early. I'm picking up my mom and bringing her for a visit, then I have some cousins coming in Sunday, so we are having our meal then, rather than Thursday. Which, knowing my family, we'll probably do another meal Thursday as well!
My cousin is fixing the turkey and dressing, so I'm handling the sides and some of the desserts.
Oh, my mouth is watering now!!!!
Here's what we decided on, and some recipes to go along with them, cause I'm nice like that.
Turkey
Dressing
Giblet Gravy
Cranberry Relish
Mashed potatoes
Sweet potato casserole
Green Beans
Broccoli Casserole
Slow Cooker Corn
Homemade wheat rolls

Cream Cheese Pound Cake
French Silk Pie
Pumpkin Bars
Peanut Butter Fudge

Now, I didn't come up with any of these recipes, but I have eaten their goodness enough times to say, you need to try them!!! The pound cake is a recipe my mom has made her own, and she is known to her breakfast group (and the rest of the folks in the restaurant) as the 'cake lady'.
And a friend of mine shared the fudge recipe several years ago, and I've never heard anyone say they didn't like it. I personally like chocolate fudge much better, but even I think this is good fudge. So anyone with a good, firm, chocolate fudge recipe out there, share the love, 'k?
The only one I haven't had is the French Silk pie. I'll let you know next week how it turned out.
Now, go have a great weekend!! Blessings, Shirley

Beads of Courage Art Charm Reveal

Today's the day! The wonderful Jenny Cameron, of Glass Addictions, came up with this idea, and I'm so thrilled to be a part of it.  I was in a group of 10 other artists, who were unknown to me until I received my package. The instructions were to make ten charms, plus one to be auctioned off for Beads of Courage. Here is the link for the auction. Beads of Clay Auction
Now, if you've never heard of them, I highly encourage you to check out their site.
My cousin's daughter has life threatening scoliosis, and has just come home from having a titanium 'rib' inserted into her back, to help with the curvature. It's really more of a rod that runs the length of her spine, and is attached to her ribs. Every 4-6 months, she has another surgery to have it 'extended'. She has broken her ribs several times throughout this ordeal.  This is only one of many surgeries she has endured. She is such a trooper, and doesn't allow anything to slow her down. She has received her beads of courage, and, right now, I'd just love for her mom to tell me her necklace was finished. So, you can see, this swap holds special meaning for me.
Our theme for this Charm Swap was Laughter. Now, my charms are all beadwoven, so I couldn't really figure out a way to write the words, so I started thinking of the ways~in beads~I could interpret laughter.
I decided the best way for me was with color. Color affects our lives constantly. When I was a skin care consultant, we learned about wearing the 'right' colors to make a statement, to be a calming influence, or to get a sick day at work! :)
As we head into winter, with it's shorter days, a lot of people find themselves suffering depression, from the longer darker nights. And have you ever hear of 'seeing red'? Emotions are associated with colors, so I wanted to make sure I chose 'happy' colors!
Since this is a 'Charm' swap, the pieces needed to be pretty small.  If you follow my blog, you'll know I've had a bit of a love affair with CRAW lately.

Now, for some reason, my computer seems to have eaten my awesome pics of all the charms I made, so I'm going to show you similar pieces. (throws hands up in the air) What's a girl to do?  Anyway, I made a couple of these open CRAW squares, in bright happy colors, just trust me, ok?  

Then I made some filled ones, like this one. (You actually get one of your own charms back in the swap.)

I used a different color accent bead on each side.

Happy, happy!!

Jenny was kind enough to email the pic she took of the piece she chose for the auction. She really made it look awesome! :)

This cool spinner top is from Diane Fitzgeralds 'Shaped Beadwork'. I just love the shape, and the fun colors! I really, really hope it auctions well for the organization!!

Now, I have to tell you, I was squealing when I opened my package of charms, cause I adore all of these artists! And one was a former Bead Soup partner!!

You can see my bead on the far left. The others also used happy colors to convey laughter.

No, (sigh) I didn't mean for it to turn sideways...Here, LOL and Have Fun get the message across perfectly.

 And a little food for thought anyone? I adore cupcakes, and who could resist bacon and eggs!! Serious genius there!

Last, but certainly not least, the perfect way to convey laughter....with a smile...or two!!

Here is the list of participants, please go check out their wonderful stories!

Blessings, Shirley

Alenka Obid http://pepita-handmade.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-exchage-reveal.html

Alicia Marinache http://www.allprettythings.ca/2012/11/charm-swap-reveal-blog-hop-and-auction.html   

Babette Cox http://babettecox.com/blog.htm

Carol Watson http://www.carolwatsonartglass.blogspot.com

Carolyn Chenault  http://carolynchenault.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/beads-of-courage-auction/ 

Cassi Paslick http://cassisbeads.blogspot.com/2012/11/beads-of-courage-charm-swap-reveal.html

Charlene Jacka http://clay-space.com/2012/11/early-christmas/

Cheri Reed http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/2012/11/to-participate-in-charm-swap-you-must.html

Cheryl McCloud http://cherylmccloud.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-swap-reveal-blog-hop-and-beads-of.html

Deb Kauzlarich http://debkauzlarich.blogspot.com  

Denielle Hagerman http://somebeadsandotherthings.com  

Emma Todd  http://apolymerpenchant.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-swap-in-aid-of-boc.html

Erin Prais-Hintz http://treasures-found.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-swap-laugh.html

Ginger Bishop http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-exchange-2012.html

Inge vonRoos http://ingetraud.wordpress.com

Jean Peter http://jeanpdesigns.blogspot.com/ http://jeanpdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-charm-swap.html

Jeannie K Dukic http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog/2012/11/12/beads-of-courage/

Jennifer Cameron http://wp.me/p1xIa0-wn

Kia Dallons http://kiadallonsstudio.blogspot.jp/2012/11/laughter-is-best-medicine.html

Kimberly Roberts http://bahamadawn.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-swap.html

Kristi Bowman  http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-swap-reveal-hop.html 

Lea Avroch http://lajewelrydesign.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-beads-of-courage-art-charm-swap.html

Leslie Schenkel http://twistedchicken.wordpress.com/?p=171

Linda Florian http://www.lilysofthevalleyjewelry.blogspot.com/

Lori Greenberg http://lorigreenberg.com/blog

Lynnea Bennett http://designsbylynnea.blogspot.com  

Mallory Hoffman http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-time-has-come-art-charm-blog-reveal.html

Marcy Lamberson http://studiomarcy.blogspot.com/2012/11/charmed-by-minions-im-sure.html

Marsha Neal Studio http://marshanealstudio.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-exchange-and-beads-of-courage.html

Maureen Connolly http://mrsbeadsley.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-reveal.html 

Melissa Meman http://melissameman.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-swap-blog-hop.html

Monique Urquhart http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com/2012/11/charmed-im-sure.html

Natalie McKenna http://www.grubbi.co.uk/ 

Perri Jackson  http://shaktipajdesigns.com/11/blog/reveal-the-laughter-art-charms/

Renetha Stanziano http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-exchange-auction-and-reveal.html

Robin Koza http://www.robinkoza.com  

Shaiha Williams http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-hop.html

Shannon Hicks  http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/

Shelby Foxwell http://sundownbeaddesigns.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-swap-reveal.html   

Shelley Graham Turner http://shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com/2012/11/reveal-2012-charm-swap.html

Shirley Moore http://beadsandbread.blogspot.com/2012/11/beads-of-courage-art-charm-reveal.html

Stephanie Haussler http://pixybugdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/11/laughter-art-bead-charm-swap-auction.html

Susan Kennedy http://suebeads.blogspot.com/2012/11/beads-of-courage-charm-swap-reveal-and.html

Toltec Jewels http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/2012/11/BOCArtCharmRevealBlogHop.html

Vanessa Gilkes http://culturezine.com/blog/

Friday Feature-Thankfulness and BOC

Yes, this is the month of being Thankful...for turkey and stuffing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. It is also a time when folks try to slow down, take a minute, and reflect on their blessings...before they rush out the next day to push and shove and fight their way to a deal. (Yes, that was a bit tongue in cheek)


However, I want to talk about thankfulness as it relates to my bloggy friends. Most of whom are jewelry people, some bread people, and some who just think I'm the bees knees! Ha!
 This has been such a fantastic journey of discovery, sweet people, understanding, and awe. I've made some wonderful friends, and I look forward to meeting some of you in the future.

And now I want to tell you about a very special post I will have on Monday, so you can make sure to come back. The wonderful Jenny Cameron, of Glass Addictions, has created a fantastic opportunity for us to give to Beads of Courage.  If you've never heard of them, please go check them out here
Our Art Charm Swap Reveal will be on Monday, where I will show you what I made to be auctioned off for Beads of Courage.
Please come back and join me, and have a Blessed weekend!

Friday Feature-Novica

A while back I received a very interesting email from a company called Novica. They asked if I would be interested in writing a review of their site. I went to their website, not really knowing what to expect. Wow, was I pleasantly surprised! They are associated with National Geographic, and you can see from their mission statement that they are dedicated to providing a unique opportunity to artists worldwide.

We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow.

At the deepest essence of our philosophy, we want to create a bridge between you and the many talented artisans across the globe.

We want you to know about who you're buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it.

In the spirit of the Internet, let us bring you together.

NOVICA. The World is Your Market.

I had the opportunity to purchase a couple of items from their group of artists. This is when it really gets good.

In our ever smaller world, where you can get just about anything from anywhere, true customer service has all but disappeared. In our age of automation, you rarely get a 'live' person on the phone. The post office gives you a 'range' of when a package will arrive. Returns policies state that you are not guaranteed anything, and you will have to pay postage. Ya'll know where I'm coming from.

So, when I placed my order, and received a confirmation email within five minutes, I was pleased. I ordered two items, from two different countries of origin. Which would make you suspect that my shipping costs would be higher, right? Nope. 

Then I received two more emails, identifying where my packages were in the shipping process!

All this was in addition to the tracking number being provided. I received the packages in record time, and again, was very pleasantly surprised with the beautiful wrapping of the items.

Would you like to see what I got? Of course you would!

Gorgeous Balinese earrings. Each tiny dot of silver is placed by hand.

I fell in love with the rich colors of this bag. And with two outer pockets, and a roomy interior, it's just perfect for fall weather!

There were beautiful cards, signed by the artist with a short bio, but I've misplaced them. 

As an artist, searching for my creative voice, I appreciate the desire and passion of these talented folks. And I applaud Novica for helping them to become businessmen and women. The Novica website is intriguing and innovative. I hope you'll take a moment to check them out. Below are links for some of the different areas of interest.   Blessings, Shirley

Mens Peruvian Scarves

Painted Silk Scarves from Brazil

Pashmina Shawls

Wraps and Ruanas from Peru

Wristband Bracelets

Silver Chandelier Earrings 

Disclosure: I have not been paid for this review. Opinions stated are my own based upon my experience as a customer of the website.

October Fest!!!!

Hi all! I know, you're about to fall over in shock, aren't you? I can't believe it either. I have posted for the last 4 days! What fun!! (Actually, I'm a bit exhausted) But, anyhoo, I'm here today to celebrate OctoberFest with the fabulous Ms. Rita from  Jewelry School Friends.
We are showing off Fall in all its glory. I played around with Picasa yesterday, to create a collage for you of some of my favorite things that remind me of Fall. A lot of them are my jewelry pieces, but some are much loved pieces of my life.

Now, you will have to cut me some slack, because this was my first time playing with Picasa. I don't have a clue as to how to shade in the background, so that the awful white isn't showing. Any pointers will be greatly appreciated. :)
October seems to signal a beginning of a serious Food Fest as well. Going to the state fair, eating corn dogs and funnel cakes, then comes Thanksgiving, with turkey, dressing, and all the trimmings. And before you know it, Christmas is here, with rushing around to visit, calling friends, watching football, and EATING.  I started a new tradition at my house a few years ago, and everyone loves it, especially me! I bake and cook several of our favorite snack goodies, and on Christmas Day, you can eat anything you want, anytime you want! Winner, winner for me!!
Now, before you head off to visit all the other great folks participating in this OctoberFest, I just had to share a few recipes with you. So, you too can have a fun filled holiday season! :)

Orange Balls
Sausage Balls
Roasted Garlic Bread

The fantastic list of participants!!!

Host Toltec Jewels http://www.JewelSchoolFriends.com
Heather Otto http://www.thecrafthopper.com
Mischelle Fanucchi http://www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.comMarlene Cupo http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.comShaiha Williams http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com ;
Shelly Graham Turner http://shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com/ ;
Shelly Joyce http://www.aujourlejour-shelly.blogspot.com/Charlie Jacka http://clay-space.com/blog/Pam Sears http://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com/
Margareta Saari http://magsinhelmet.blogspot.com/
Marita Suominen http://momentofjewelry.blogspot.fi/
Lisa Posthumus https://www.facebook.com/lisa.posthumusharper
Jeannie Dukic http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog
Cheri Reed http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/
Arlene Dean http://aglassbash.blogspot.com/
Duffy Blevins http://bubbasjewels1.blogspot.com/
Susan Kennedy http://suebeads.blogspot.com/
Dita Basu http://www.alankarshilpa.blogspot.com/
Sonya Ann Stille http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com/
Audrey Allen https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wrapped-Up-In-Magic/145456948869148
Kashmira Patel http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/
Kathy Lindemer http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/
Kris Mattingly https://www.facebook.com/kris.h.mattingly
Lennis Carrier http://www.windbent.net/
Shannon Hicks http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/
Paula Hisel http://simplybeadiful.weebly.com/simply-stated.html
Karin Slaton http://backstorybeads.blogspot.com/
Shirley Moore http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com/     You are here!
Alicia Marinache http://www.allprettythings.ca/
Valeria G. Rome http://fancysphynxdesigns.blogspot.com/
Lo http://thecreativeklutz.blogspot.com/
Zoe Marcin http://beadsteaandsweets.blogspot.com/
Carolyn Lawson http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
Kimberly Booth http://thepinkmartiniboutique.blogspot.com/
Sherri Stokey http://www.knotjustmacrame.com
Tanya McGuire http://www.tanyamcguire.blogspot.com/ ;
Debbie Rasmussen http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com/
Christine Stonefield http://sweetgirldesign.blogspot.com/Tanty Sri Hartanti http://tjewellicious.blogspot.com/Sandra McGriff http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.com/
Renetha Stanziano http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com/
Evelyn Shelby http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/
Colene Waltermire https://www.facebook.com/groups/426147797447039/?fref=ts
Lee Nova https://www.facebook.com/groups/426147797447039/?fref=ts

Blessings, Shirley