Soup's On!

Carrie has her soup and is cookin' up some goodies so I can show you what I sent her....

Here are some of the goodies spread out so you can get a better look....

Can't wait to see what she cooks up!  My fixin's should be here today.... I'll be waiting by the mailbox!

Back From Hana...

We spent the last 5 days in Hana at the lovely Bamboo Cottage   What a nice way to celebrate our anniversary!  Wendy and Otto who own the cottage have made it the perfect little get away spot.  We've taken the drive to Hana on several occasions but haven't really spent much time there.  It takes awhile, with all the twists and turns and stops for people to pass on all of the one lane bridges.  And then of course you have to stop to see the waterfalls along the way as well.  So by the time you get there you have time for lunch and maybe a quick trip to O'heo Gulch, then it's time to head back so you don't travel in the dark.

This beautiful spot,  Waioka Pond, was just across the street and through the cow pasture from the cottage. A waterfall feeds the ponds and there's a black sand beach where the pond meets the ocean.  So many little hidden spots like this around the island.

At the cottage Wendy had yummy handmade soap in the bathroom.  I had been thinking about making soaps when we're at Keely's next month using goat's milk from her little goats.  Had to stop by Ben Franklin's on the way home from Hana and see if they had any soap making supplies.  They had a little bit!  Yay!  Played with them today and used some flowers from the Lavender Farm and essential oils.  Made Lavender, White Ginger, and Plumeria scented coconut soaps.  Too cool!  Here they are...

Doesn't coral make a great soap holder?  Can't wait to get more supplies when I'm at Keely's!

Bead Soup - Party's On!

I joined Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party this year.  Something I've been wanting to do for ages. 362 people signed up for this one!!  Lori has her hands full matching us up with partners and keeping everything organized and on track.  We each send our partner a package of 'Soup Ingredients' then they get to play with makings to create jewelry beauties!  On September 17th everyone posts on their blogs what they made and we start blog Hopping!!  Party Time!  Party goers are already posting their soup ingredients as they get them so you might want to check out some of the lovelies on their blogs before party day.  (you can go to the list of participant's blogs at 'bead coup blog party')

My partner is Carrie Tahquechi from Santa Cruz, CA who makes wonderful lampwork beads and beautiful jewelry.  Can't wait to see what she sends me to play with!

Here's what I sent her.....

hehehe...can't see what I sent?  I know!!  I don't want to spoil the surprise for Carrie--she has to be the first to see....but these are the little boxes I sent the goodies in :)  As soon as she lets me know they've arrived I'll show you what I sent.

We are away from home for a few days and I bet mine are waiting for me now.  I'll post a photo as soon as I get home.

My 'Charm A Day' photos for July....

Finally got all of my charm photos for the July challenge in an album on my Picture Trail so you can all see what fun I had :)

Still making charms in August  but now for 5 swaps....some with over 20 and some with only 5--lots of charms to make!

A Charm A Day....CAD

Happy August 1st!

For the month of July my Art Charms group had a challenge to make a charm each day.  It's been wonderful to see all of the cool charms everyone has been making.  Seems that all of us has a little (or should I say BIG?!) stash of special or orphan beads we have from our travels and many of these have been used for our CADs--beautiful beads!  Another fun part of the  challenge has been to see all of the special and diverse talents we all have.  This has inspired several members to try new things--me included!  I'll share my first charm of the month here and the last.....because they have photos of my little Sammy :)  Think I will do a Sammy charm each month for his first year so I can bore everyone with a new grand baby pic wherever I go.  That's a Tutu's main job, right?

Here's Sam's 2 month photo charm....

Sam's photo is in a Samuel Adams bottle cap with resin over the photo.  I added a little glitter around the edge and some star sequins before the resin.  Since the 4th of July was coming up, I added a few of the charms I received in the 'Patriotic' charm swap.  Just LOVE this necklace!

Here's the back.....

Added the 'Macalister' :)  Made one of these for my daughter and Sam's other 'Grammy' too.

And here is the charm I made with Sam's 3 month photo.....

He is such a happy little guy!  The photo was taken at a park playday.  So glad he is getting out with friends lol! (this is one of those examples of us in the charms group being inspired by other charm groupies--Trish shared her way cool bottle cap beads and I just had to try one...mine aren't quite like hers but I like the way it turned out anyway)

And the back has a photo of his first day at the beach at Grammy and Grampy's in Rhode Island...  (isn't he lucky to have two sets of 'beach' grandparents?  and such different beaches too!)

Gotta run--have a great day!!