New Leather & Crystal Wrap Bracelet

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Sunday's Moment of Silence

February 25th Etsy Bloggers Blog Carnival Hosted by Janet of Honey From The Bee

Theme Choices:

1) St. Patrick's Day will be our next holiday. Write about any St. Patrick's Day traditions you have or memories... crafts.... food...

2) Thinking Green... write about what you're doing to make this a greener planet. This could be about your art or just around the house or at work.

Putting the four R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover the resource into action.  Reverse the way you think about waste. Is it a matter of priorities, what you don't want to give up and what you can give up.

In my opinion, it is just ethical towards our fellow humans to not use too much of the resources and to not degrade the planet. This is a great way to think on this:  "One of the actual definitions of the word sustainability is being able to meet our current needs without compromising future generations abilities to meet their own needs. But what that really means is that not so much their ability but the capacity of the planet to provide the resources that the future generations will need."

Did you know that there are cyclical reasons to be more environmentally friendly? 

1. When you buy products in America:  You have less shipping, less overseas transports of goods which of coarse cuts down on the over all carbon footprint. Some, such as myself, see this as a patriotic duty.

2. Eat less or no red meat:  The meat industry has a large carbon footprint, energy use, water use, land  use. That quarter-pound of meat for a hamburger is rather resource intensive. We tend to have a lot of heart disease and poor health because we eat too much red meat.

3. Anything like using compact florescent bulbs, just taking the time to conserve water, conserve electricity. That helps the planet. But at the same time we pay for water, we pay for electricity. So a lot of these little things that you can do to be more environmentally friendly are also just going to save you money. 

4. Composting is the "full circle":  Composting is nature's process of decomposing organic materials through a combination of biological and chemical processes. Biological such as worms, insects, bacteria, fungi and  other micro organisms eat away waste and chemical processed such as oxidation and reduction.  The waste breaks it down further to create a rich soil.

If you are able to do this, then you create the best potting and garden soil.  If neither of these are your things, just spread the composted end product on your yard and watch the results!

5.  Cooking:  Whenever you boil something (including water), use a container with a tight fitting lid and keep the lid on so that the heat does not escape and the boiling takes place quickly and more energy efficiently. Cooking without a lid allows all the heat to escape and the process will take a much longer time (and will use three times more energy) than if you kept your lid on! 

If you are boiling vegetables or pasta, once the water reaches the boiling temperature, turn the stove off and let it cook in the hot water with the lid on. You will be saving much more energy this way.

6. Bring your own recycled cloth bags to hold your shopping so you are not using their plastic or paper  bags.  Recycling your paper and plastic products can cause pollution if not done by an eco friendly facility.

Green living can come a long way in keeping your house and your family's health at its very best.  That is my sixth-cents!

Meme Thursday Feburary 24, 2011

This week I learned what is, and how to pronounce, "Meme".  Thank you Margaret of Splendid Little Stars.

Because of the detailed information provided to my by Margaret, I was lead to Theme Thursday's Blog and this weeks Meme, "Point".

"POINT"



I LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY!

Oh how I love photography!  Bought a new camera, then of course had to have a longer lens, and then a card that holds a gianormous amount of pictures.  Then there came that special day that I was able to share an outing with a most special friend, to a very special place, for the sole purpose of photographing.

My wonderful, and most talented friend Nicole and I spent yesterday walking the grounds of the Ringling Museum of Art.  Nicole lives here for about six months of the year (I don't like it when she goes, but they soon will be here on a more permanent basis), and the rest of her time in Montreal with her husband of about thirty years.  A self-taught beadweaver and photographer, as well as an expert knitter, as well as teacher of all.  Nicole and I  became fast friends soon after I took a bead crochet class she taught at a local bead shop.

It has become one of those rarer of relationships that us four, as couples, all enjoy one anothers company, and when her husband is in town he and my husband share their passion of fishing! 

This is my first collage.  You will be able to click on it to enlare it, and I hope that you may find something of interest.  Some full designs will be coming along soon as I continue to become one with my new camera and lenses, and rejoice in learning from Nicole.

~Re

Sunday's Moment of Silence

Featured EtsyBlogger FEBRUARY 2011

Diana Bukowski is the teacher, mother, partner, and artisan behind BunnyKissd/Faerie Garden Fancies.

"My favorite materials to work with include but are not limited to paper, paint, glue, scissors" ...

When I read these words in Diana's etsy profile, it confirmed the feeling I got when visiting her

etsy shop.  BunnyKissd/Faerie Garden Fancies has a full flowing tap from her inner child!

Please click on the above Bunny Bookmark for a visit with BunnyKissd

Congrats Diana, and thank you for all that you do for the Etsy Bloggers Team.

Sunday's Moment of Silence

2011 FABULOUS ARTS BOUTIQUE (F.A.B.) ANNUAL SHOW

This is my 4th annual participation in the amazing F.A.B. show.  A unique, and well planned event that is the combination of four local guilds: 

Florida West Coast Bead Society
Manasota Weavers Guild, Inc.
Surface Design Guild
Venetian Society of Basket Weavers

Last night was the opening, with wall to wall people/potential buyers!  Champagne, gourmet foods with an Asian theme, very refreshing fruit punch (thank you Bobby Flay and the Food Network), all prepared by volunteers of the guilds, and well received.  This first nights sales exceeded last years, which was the best in the history of F.A.B., by almost $4,000

I took these photographs today (Friday) ... stand by for more.  This is truly an event of many talented artisans, and I wish that all of you could be in attendance.

My display table partner has beadweaving talent I strive to achieve.

FAB-U-LOUS FRIDAY FEATURES ~ LUCIOUS ~ Designs by EtsyBloggers Teammates

JN ORIGINALS

"Nothing happens unless first we dream," says Carl Sandburg. I would add that dreams are also realized when we ask "What if...?" and "Why not?" Those two questions form the basis of my handmade, one-of-a-kind creations. I'm passionate about playing with color, texture and pattern--and you'll see that love reflected in my shop as you browse through it.

(First to welcome me to the team)

BEADED TAIL

♥Welcome! I'm Sharla and I'm using my love of creating beaded jewelry to benefit my love for animals. In 2007, news reports regarding animal hardships put my mom Sheri and me into action to design and create beaded jewelry and give a portion of the sales proceeds to animal awareness causes.

(First to leave a comment on my blog)

JOEY AND ALEETHEA

"We're all about family and fabric, love and laughter, and handmade super coolness. That's how we rock."

(First Momma)

Wordless Wednesday

MY BLOG IS CARBON NEUTRAL

“My blog is carbon neutral” is an initiative, originally started in Germany by the “Make it Green” program, that has the goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. We plant a tree for your blog and thereby neutralise your blog’s carbon footprint for the next 50 years! Everyone can make a small contribution to the environment. Every tree counts!

Note: By the end of April 2011 the reforestation in Plumas National Forest will be continued. Meanwhile, we are waiting on available forests from the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Forest Service to continue the “My blog is carbon neutral”-initiative.