It's here!

I just received my advance copy of Bead and Button, and my bracelet is in there!

I don't know why, but I was afraid it wouldn't be.

I'm like that. I hope for the best, but prepare for the worst; I tend to need preparation in order to face disappointment properly. But this time, I didn't need to. It's all about celebration in my house today!

The pattern they used is my Caribbean Sea bracelet; when the August issue comes out, I'll put my version of the bracelet in my Etsy store. They didn't really change anything; they just reworded a few things and added step-by-step photos in place of my diagrams to make it fit their editorial style.

Oh, they did give it a new title. It's called Filigree Fling, and it's on page 72. It will probably be a couple of weeks before the magazine comes out; I hope you'll look for it and think of me when you see it!

Channeling the Baldwin Sisters

Does anyone else remember The Waltons? (First run on TV from 1972-1981)

"Good-night, John-Boy . . ."

signaled time for bed in our house, too. Even if it was too early to go to sleep, everyone felt compelled to call it a night when the Waltons did, though most of us stayed up to read or do homework, just like John-Boy. So why am I thinking of this now, some 30-40 years later?

Because I'm channeling the Baldwin Sisters.

I'm making Recipe. Nope, not whiskey; I don't have a still. But I have vodka, and I have loads of lavender and mint. I've been making extracts by soaking mint and lavender in vodka for two weeks and shaking them daily; (each in their own Mason jar, just like the ones the Baldwin Sisters used) and then, after two weeks, I mix the resulting liquors with simple syrups to make amazingly tasty liqueurs; and I'll be switched if I don't think of those two characters every time I mix up a new batch.

It's funny how stuff like that lingers in my mind.

Woo hooo!

This is turning out to be my lucky month! I just found out that my design, Plum Lacy, is the winner of the Beaded Passion Contest, sponsored by Bright Circle Shimmerstone Jewellery.

I love shimmerstones; they have the wonderful depth of dichroic glass, but are very reasonably priced.

I had so much fun working up this design, and I am thrilled to find out that it won. There were so many beautiful entries, including the wonderful winner of the Most Unusual Entry, Karyn of Releases by Rufydoof, and the winner of the People's Choice Award, Degber.

I hope you will take a look at all of the entries; voting is, of course, closed, but they are well worth drooling over!

Garden notes

This is what has been keeping me from beading.

In the foreground, you can see one of our raised beds; this is the one that I can see from my living room. It is filled with flowers and veggies; right now the ranunculus are the stars on the flower side, and we're harvesting lettuces, brussels sprouts, spinach, onions and swiss chard. The peas are just starting to bloom; I can't wait to eat them!

To the left, you can see the other raised beds; there are three of them, though it's hard to see that in this photo. We've already planted the summer veg; the corn, pumpkins, cucumbers, beans and squash are sprouting, and the tomato and pepper transplants are holding their own. We're still waiting on the watermelon, cantaloupe, and basil seeds to do their thing.

You can't see my flower beds, or our fruit trees in this photo; I'll save those for another day.

Not gonna let it get me down

Yup, you heard me - I'm not gonna give in, not gonna let the drama get me down. I had a few days of sadness over the latest round of insanity, but I am determined to rise above it, step aside, kick it to the curb, and move on.

There are so many good things going on right now; that is where my focus belongs, and that is where I intend to put it, every time it tries to stray. I've put on one of the biggest, wildest pieces of jewelry I own, and that's the attitude I'm gonna cop.

Watch out - here I come!