I'm having a sale!

There's a sale going on in my Etsy shop. 20% off on

everything. I think its time to put in something a little

more seasonal, don't you? Summer's gone and Christmas

is right around the corner. For goodness sake! Where does

the time go?

Autumn surprises and The Bead Shop

Wednesday I took the morning and drove to have my yearly
mammogram. It was a very cool and rainy day, but just enough
sun to brighten the colors a little. So I took some autumn shots
to share.

The beautiful red oak tree in front of our house. The maples
are holding on as long as they can, already in three days they
are turning yellow and falling off. I remember one fall sitting
in my living room looking at a tree in our front y ard
and the very last leaf that was on it let go and fluttered softly
to the ground. I could almost hear its sad sigh....
ok, that's a little deep even for me...lol.

Our country roads.

My neighbors beautiful burning bush. It has to be as big

as a mini van. And even more red when the sun shines on

it. Ours are being ravaged by the deer who love the tender

little nubs at the end.

Dried soy bean fields ready to be harvested and colored woods.

So while I was in Kazoo, I thought I would look around at

a couple of shops (Michael's, Barnes and Nobles).

I drove past this bead store that I have been to a couple of

times, but I must say that it just wasn't stocked with much

that I was interested in, everything was crowded, and it was

way too dark inside. So in passing by I noticed that there

was more light and it looked different. So I went around the

block and stopped. Imagine my surprise when I walked in.

Someone had been cleaning the place up. There was a wall

of chains! Great displays of glass beads! Strands of stones.

Lots of metal charms, wood and bone. If you have a tax

I.D. you can get a discount of 10% off.

ANTIQUE COPPER! And at a reasonable price too. Look

at those little leaves.

Brass and bright copper chain, Czech glass.

More glass that was just beautiful. Little glass lentils, and

wooden beads. There was bone, ceramic and I could just

go on and on.

Up close of my favorite glass beads. I was like a kid in a

candy store. So if you get to Kalamazoo and need to buy

beads, stop by Cindy's shop, The Bead Store on Westnedge.

You won't be disappointed that's for sure. Her daughter

is there to help and she's a sweetie!

Dreaming of Bead Cruise 2010

Well the weather has definitely taken a turn to the cooler side.
The leaves are turning, mums are everywhere, and I have my
load of pumpkins bought for decorating outside. I noticed the
days are getting shorter. So with all that happening, I've been
daydreaming about Bead Cruise 2010. This will be my fourth
one and all I can say is they have gotten better every time.
Heather puts in a lot of time and effort to make this an experience
to be remembered. I'm sharing some more of my pictures from
2009.

Blue skies and sunny days in Belize.




Warm sands and turquoise waters in Costa Maya. Oh yes,
and Mojitos too!



Chance to make lots of new friends and meet great teachers.



Great food. I love sushi and this was the best I've ever had.

AbFab (Absolutely Fabulous) bead finds

Absolutely Fabulous....that's one of my favorite shows on
BBC, actually they have quite a few good ones that I like to
watch. But what does that have to do with bead finds you say?
Absolutely nothing...lol! I'm just wandering around in my
mind on a cloudy Saturday morning.
Last weekend was a fun day all by myself, doing a little
shopping, running to Grand Rapids to a Rings and Things show.
My favorite thing to do in the Spring and Fall. Lucky us we
get to see them twice a year around here. So I made a list and
off I went. But before R & T I stopped at Hobby Lobby, just
to look around, and guess what I found while I was there?
Vintaj! They are carrying Vintaj now. How lucky for the people
who see it being used in everything, now they can go and buy
a piece or two for themselves and not have to break the bank.
I was excited...there is enough selection that if I need something
in a hurry I can get it there. Thanks Vintaj, its good to see
something made in the States hanging on the wall.

I didn't buy a lot of beads at Rings and Things, I made a
vow to use up most of what I have and that could run into
years...but there were a few items I couldn't live without and
one or two I should have gotten more of.

Kyanite, peridot, garnet, carnelian, onyx, petrified wood
and a yummy strand of faceted mixed rutilated quartz.

I got strands of copper, silver and these cute owl heads of
sterling too.

One last thing to tell you, I found that Jade Scott, an
artist and designer was having a three day sale in her Etsy
shop, everything is 50% off and boy howdy after I got this
piece for myself I had to go and get another one. She makes
the coolest pendants, but her jewelry is wonderful too.
Better hurry if you want something sales ends tomorrow and
things are going fast.
Ok, the very last thing...here's Rubee begging...
"Come ON Mom, you said we would go for a walk!" My little
girl is so sweet.

Happy Birthday to Me

Oh lucky me, I have made it through another year!

Not that I thought for one minute that I wouldn't,

but sometimes you never know. Anyway, on Wednesday

I will be the great age of 55. Who would of thunk?

I remember (yes, my memory is still partially there) back

in elementary school thinking about the year 2000 and

what age I would be then. I couldn't comprehend being

that "old"...yet here I am. For turning 55 I can get a

tall cup of coffee at the Coffee Beanery for only $1.00.

Woohoo! So in celebration of my birthday I bought

myself a piece of jewelry from Ingrid Dijkers.

Ingrid is a multi-talented artist, not only in her

jewelry making skills, but she is a journalist and a

doll artist too.

She also has been doing the Michigan Ren Fest for a few years.

I was hoping to get there this year and visit her in her shop.

But it's looking like it won't be happening, time is running out

and there is so much to do around here. Next year for sure.

Ingrid has a nice blog, and a beautiful website.

I have so much more to write about, this week

was busy and I did so much. I'm going to get

back on the blogging, I've been missing that.

And here is Rubee Dew looking bashful. It's been one

week since we brought her home and we just adore her.

She is so different from Bailey, but that's what we love

about her. She is such a smart girl. God sent me another

Angel that's for sure.

And we shall call you Rubee...

because you are a bright little jewel in our life.
This is our newest addition to the Garvison family.
Her "real" name is Briar Hills Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
But that was a bit too much and we shortened it down
to something a little easier. Rubee Dew....

9 months old today. A little girl in a big dog's body. We have
lots of fun together. We're working on our housebreaking
skills. She's used to running in and out, playing in a fenced in
area. But she is a smart girl and she's learning fast.

She's just the sweetest thing. Gives lots of kisses and isn't
afraid of anything. Rubee didn't have a clue how to climb
stairs, but after one day she's up and down them like a champ.

An absolutely gorgeous color. Black and Silver. Never seen
one that color before. This is her show coat. Sheri had to
choose between Rubee and her brother to keep and show, the
handler like Coop better and we got Rubee.

She has toys, lots of them and getting more all the time.

Can't help it I like squeaky things...lol!

She's used to sleeping in her crate at night. I'm trying to

keep it that way. Beverly and I have a bet on how long it

will be before she's sleeping in bed with me.

I'm winning so far, but it's only been 3 days. We'll just have

to see how it ends up.

Trinkets and Treasures

My treasures I found last weekend at the Arts and Crafts
Fair. I think I got some pretty good ones this time around.
My garden statuary....

I'm thinking I'll just store it in the barn till next spring, its
too late to do much of anything and I am not feeling the pull
of nature like I do in the spring. And if you look, you can see
that the leaves are slowly falling from the trees. Not the full
beauty of fall, but hey, autumn officially begins on the 22nd of
September.

While we wondered around the park last weekend I found
these cool wooden objects. I really liked the little bird house.
I know the man, Don Olson, and over the last couple of years
I've watched his work get better and better.

I also picked up this wine stop for Geary for Christmas.

In the park are these huge oak trees. Scattered all over
were acorns. Now I love gathering acorns as much as a
squirrel. I use the tops for caps on woolen acorns that I
make. So the day after the show I went back to the park
to get some the acorns before the hordes of squirrels who
live there could get them. I swear as I was standing under
a tree, I heard this squirrel doing his little bitchy squawking
above me and darn if an acorn didn't fall out of the tree just
missing my head! Do I think he had sense enough to drop it
on me? You betcha, little tree rats that they are!

Anyway these are some of the perfect acorns I brought home
with me. There was this different tree that had these sweet nuts.
Look at those caps! Are they not the cutest? I'm not
sure if its an acorn tree , so I brought a leaf home with me to look
it up. Alas, I haven't done it yet, but I will.

Next week is the Allegan County Fair. My favorite thing to
do in September. And only two more days before we travel
to Ohio to see about that sweet little girl, and hopefully we
bring her home with us. I'm sure we'll fall in love with her.
I saw a pamphlet from the Humane Society, their logo was
this: Come and Get Your Love