Memoirs Of A Nipple Washer

It's like a metropolis. The counter almost always looks like this. We have a dishwasher but we also have hard hard water and so the nipples would have a residue on them that I couldn't tolerate so I was always washing nipples by hand. Made me crazy. Mr. Pearl and Pebble did something with the water softener so the last few days, the dishwasher has been a relief. Won't last though. We need a new softener. My sweet precious babies have begun to partake of solid food. Well Gerberized of course. We l-o-v-e our green beans.

And I guess a mouth full isn't complete unless we can stick all of our fingers in too.

Green Beans. I'm just thrilled they love them. Crazy here, just crazy. My indulgence?

Poor Yellow Dog. Life just isn't the same for her either. Couldn't give her chocolate, so I let her lick the wrapper.

I did a new bisque firing at cone 4 and they are fine. BUT my holes were too small for the rods after they dried and I hung them on a high temp wire. Good thing I tried in the bisque fire, because there was MAJOR saggage. If it had been a glaze firing, I would have had a huge mess. I ordered some high temp wire in a smaller guage, but I still don't know if I trust it. Might have to do really tiny loads so that each bead can be on an isolated stretch of wire. Can't wait to glaze and see though!

Teapots, Babies, Beads Oh My!

I found a teapot! I choose a little Bee House ceramic pot. Thanks for all your suggestions. I was torn really. I really liked the cast iron fish teapot that I saw at Enjoying Tea, a cool site Nan recommended. Ultimately though, I decided on this little beauty. The little guys are doing well. This week we got their helmets for their phlagiocephaly. We aren't starting off so good though because we do not have central air and it's been houvering near or at 100 degrees and I don't want them to start out in misery.

And my beads? Well I had misunderstood what I was reading on the various sites while researching product. My stoneware matures at a cone 6 and that's what I bisqued to. OOOPS! I was confused when I was looking at my glaze bottles and the label was telling me to apply to a bisqued cone 04. Now, I knew that the glaze could be fired up to 6 so that got me inquiring again. Good thing, because I am guessing if I had applied the glaze and refired it would have slid right off onto the kiln bottom. I've also purchased a shelf in the meantime so if I fufu I won't wreck anything. Hopefully. I did apply kiln wash to the floor, but I want a little more peace I guess. I suppose I should really take a refresher course, but I don't see me doing anything of the sort until about 2016. Bout the same time I get my hair cut again and this tooth filled-if it's still there.

I Need A Teapot

A nice cup of tea..... Don't get me wrong, the day doesn't start well without a nice cup or two or three of coffee. I am a purist. I like it full bodied and black. I do like a nice hazelnut, but only from my local market. If you live in southeast Michigan and are near a Nino Salvaggio, get their hazelnut beans. I prefer to grind right before I brew, but I prefer to not wake sleeping babies even more. Somewhere mid day I really dig a nice cup of tea. Earl Grey is my favorite, not so pure, with sugar and milk. I do prefer loose tea, but I suspect there is a world of tea undiscovered by me.

So I am asking for some enlightenment. First let me explain that this year for my b.day, I asked for a teapot with an infuser. I have been given funds to pick out one that makes me giddy with delight. But this is not an easy thing to shop for. Do I want glass, ceramic, iron?????? Who knew? I had seen one at the hardware store and when I sent Mr. Pearl and Pebble over there yesterday, he said it was "crap". So I need some recommendations from any tea lovers out there. Please. I don't want to use my little infuser spoons anymore. What kind of teapot with an infuser should I buy? What tea makes your toes curl with delight? By the way, don't you love the mug?!?! I got that years and years ago in North Carolina at a local art fair. The artist's name is Amy Hunt. I was delighted to see that she has an Etsy shop too. And just in case I still have to do all that "stuff", Twinings has no idea I like their tea or that I posted a picture on my blog.

Finally!

How long have I had my little Fire Fly Kiln?!?! It was my happy birthday present to me I believe, um, in '09. Finally I have my first baked batch of stoneware beads. Yay Me!!! Really looking forward to playing with some glazes. I chose a clay with alot of texture, so it will be interesting to see how they finally end up. I hope they won't be too scratchy. Thanks to all the Beads of Clay artists who have been so helpful and willing to share with me!!!!

Time is so limited with the babes these days. They are rolling and creeping and unless they are napping in a confined area, I can't leave them. Sooooooo I have also continued to play with my seed beads and trying to learn some patterns and following a few tutorials to see what I can come up. Pretty theaputic actually. The round beads are a tutorial from Etsy's The Crimson Moon.

Some really really really beautiful slag beach stone beads from Stone Me. I just love these blues. Indulged in this little purchase to whip up something special for my mom in law's birthday. She's so awesome. Never complains that all she ever gets from us is something handmade usually by me. Have a great weekend. Maybe I can get some glaze on my new babies and post that picture before next month. HA! Cross our fingers

My Quarterly Post Here.........

Ok second attempt here! Don't know why the first post didn't take. Doesn't Blogger KNOW that I have squeeze this in between feedings?!?!?! So this is my latest find on Etsy (while browsing for beads of course.) Mary from Birch Bark Beads makes these glorious little beads from rolled birch bark. LOVE them! She also has a blog. Check it out. We are doing pretty well. We met with the boy's birth parents last week. It was the first time they have seen the babies since we all left the hospital. They were so happy to spend a few hours with them. On a much less happier note, our brother-in-law lost his battle with cancer last Friday. It has been an odd year, 2011. Grandma passed away a few months ago. A friend also lost her fight with cancer and the same brother-in-law's father went on ahead about a month or so ago. It's a very curious feeling I feel about it all. Can't put my finger on it. I guess it all just makes me more aware of my own mortality and the circle of life; and how the very nature of life means that all living things are simultaniously dying also. Sorry for the downer-go by some beads!

Hello There

Oh how sweet is nap time?!?! Thought I might actually fit a bit 'o bloggin in at this time. Silly Mommy.

This lasted until I stuck the camera card in the computer. Then........STEREO WAILING. Of course to be fair, they were starving. Poor sweet things. Like little alarm clocks they are. They still have their night and day mixed up a bit. Night time is rough on Mr. Pearl and Pebble and myself. If we can maintain a feeding stagger, it works out OK. However this week they are on the same one and that means we both have to be up. Right about now, I could sleep for a week. Yellow Dog is a bit neglected these days and gets all excited when I get the camera. It used to be reserved for her and beads. Do you see her sticking out her tongue at me? Such an attitude!!!

And the beads? They are not even speaking to me they are sooooooo fed up. A few shots of portions of my table last visited in February. Yikes! I had re-situated down in the basement from the guest room where they used to live. The guest room has had to be a guest room.

Yes we have had the visitors. Next week Mr.'s sis is coming to lend a hand. She is insisting on doing my laundry. Oh how we really just shouldn't go there. My laundry and the babies bottles..... I am a bit OCD and have control issues by nature and these two areas have me a wee bit stressed. Oh well Miss Pearl just let the ones who love you take care of you if they want to.

I picked a good day to visit the blogging world. Lorelei is having an awesome giveaway! Four Jade Scott pendants. Check it out. Hopefully all my stars are in alignment. I'll cross my fingers. Click on the links for a look-see. I have a new computer and am still trying to figure out how get the pictures I want. My old HP director is gone. Mr. Pearl and Pebble is thrilled with this, but I knew how to work it and I am a bit lost.

The Little Pebbles have again begun a concerto soooo....................... (In a perfect world binkies would grow on trees)

My New Job

Well I can't believe a month has come and gone, and it goes without saying I haven't touched a bead! It's all due to my new job of course. No sleep because the hours are VERY demanding and my bosses don't want any excuses from me. Sometimes I have to work through lunch and I don't know what breakfast is.....The perks though are priceless and soooooo worth it! Meet our new little men, and this time it's official! Our Birth Parents had their court date yesterday morning. We are very very lucky-they are really amazing people. This is just a quickie post as I have just been caught blogging and apparently if my hands are free I should be snuggling with someone. Remember no excuses:) And many many thanks for all of the prayers, finger crossing, and wood knocking!!!! One week old here.

My soup will be delayed-babies on the way!!!!! I'll catch up later:)

Get Ready To Drool....

Wait For It..... So my awesome Bead Soup partner Stacey aka Star Hitched Wagon sent me a packet of luscious ingredients and they came in this way cool package! Sorry for the poor lighting, but I had to crack into it and I was all out of daylight. Little bit closer now......

Are you tingling all over?!?!?

Oooohhhhhhooooohhhh!!!!! I think Brown Zebra Jasper is my new favorite stone! And the antler buttons! Look look look at that clasp! And the yummy Mookite rondelles.... But wait, did you notice Stacey included some gorgeous merino top roving from Indigo Crane? The picture just doesn't do it justice. The colors are soooo rich and they pick up the purples in the Mookite perfectly. Thanks Stacey:) I can't wait to start cookin'!

Soup Teaser

Teaser pic of soup ingredients are going out to my partner Stacey tomorrow:)

Got Gold?

Are you looking to replenish your yellow stash? I could recommend a few strands of some lovely natural stone and sea glass that I received from Auntie's Beads. Starting from the bottom, Natural Citrene nuggets, Amber Quartz nuggets, and Amber Sea Glass. Lemonade, scotch and tequila on a string. Gorgeous. (I don't remember all that disclaimer stuff, but insert that here.)

Tish's Oopps and My First Resins

Hey all, if you haven't already checked out her blog, Tish is doing a fun little guessing contest and you could win a pair of earrings that she will whip up just for you! Also after reading Lorelei's post earlier this week, I had to finally try out my Ice Resin. Because I've only had it for about a year now. She mentioned it does dry up, so I figured I needed to JUST DO IT already. Sheesh. And this is the result of my very first attempt.

This stuff is very very cool. It has a consistency that really is unique and although you'd think it would be more "out of control", it actually is very workable. I also had to pour out half of what I mixed up. I didn't feel like I had bubble issues. And I did play with a little additive (diamond dust). I also poured a bit into a mold I had made with two-part putty and it came out really well, it was just to light to photograph. Definitely pull it down off of your intention shelf if you haven't used it yet. If you don't have any, you might want to consider getting some. Oh and the little copper bezels came from Earthly Adornments.

Thank You And Happy New Year

Let me start this new year's post by saying thank all of you so very much for your support and e-mails over the past few months. I know I didn't always write back, but know that it meant alot to me! In spite of the fact that each day potentially presents a fresh new start, there is something very compelling about a new year which evokes renewal and the desire to set new goals and the permission to forget last years short comings and unmet goals. I am soooooo ready for this freshness. See ya 2010. It's been real. Before the baby came in August, I had just begun to play with some bead weaving. I bought a few tutorials on Etsy and worked a couple of them. The beads pictured in my banner were worked with a pattern from The Crimson Moon. So that is on the list. In August, I had just finished a patinas workshop and for my birthday, I had picked up some terrific books on metal working. I want to pick up where I left off there. I have a couple more workshops coming up, one on soldering and one on metal manipulation. This holiday season I spent alot of time crocheting. Now I just know that there is probably a lot a jewelry artist can do with some simple crocheting. So that is on the list. And since I have so much wool roving stashed, it occurred to me that I could probably hand spin some yarn. Mr. Pearl and Pebble signed me up for a spinning class for one of my Christmas presents. So all in all, I am feeling hopeful and productive for our new year here. I hope you all do as well. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

I heard from a social worker today and she told me that Anna's foster parents are awesome people. I can't tell you the weight that has been lifted. I know I will still have to get through my daily "moments", but I feel much better knowing this. Mr. Pearl and Pebble and I are getting away for a couple days. This will be good too I think. I've also started putting things away each day. Today it was the bottles. Still can't bring myself to wash her clothes or move any linens out of the crib. Her little head print is still on the flannel burp cloth I made her. But I do feel better at least at the moment. Baby steps right? Have a good night all. Thanks for listening:)

Warning-downer post

She's gone. Long story short, birth parents changed their mind. We had two months with this sweet precious little girl. We named her Anna. We are trying to think positively. Look at this as one of the tasks we have been given in this lifetime. We did a really great job in my opinion. But it still hurts like hell. One of the hardest feelings is knowing that we can't protect her. I won't air anyone's dirty laundry here. Please please please remember her in your thoughts and prayers.

I'm Still Here!

Well golly I guess a whole month plus some slipped right by. I do have a most excellent excuse though.... Meet my little tough girl. She quacks like a baby duck and makes the sweetest sound when she smacks her lips. She has the most intoxicating scent. She could give Maggie Simpson a run for the money with the binkey action. She looks like an angel. She loves to cuddle. And I am in love! Don't ya just dig the outfit? Vintage Lucys on Etsy. A lot going on these days.... Mr. Pearl and Pebble had an appendectomy. My Brother in Law has leukemia. My S.I.L. has got to be a wreck. So prayers would be most welcome. And thank you in advance. I did make up a necklace for her during nap time. Kelley makes really wonderful glass worry stones for just such occasions. They are significant in size and weight and can be carried around in a pocket if preferred. I particularly love the colors in this one and paired it with a lavender leather cord.

Hopefully it won't be a month before I blog again. I do miss it. Bare with me and thanks for hanging around.

Angels

I stopped in Michael's the other day and a lady came down the bead isle where I was contemplating seed bead colors. "Aren't the beads so beautiful?" she said. I agreed. She continued, "Angels bring beads. They love beads. Where you have beads, the angels are there." I remarked that I had better pick my piles up then so that I can see which beads are gifts from the angels. "If you draw a star in your journal at the beginning and at the end of your entry, that will bring the angels too." I told her thank you that was good to know. It might be my pile(s) of beads. It might be that I actually began and ended my journal entry with stars, but I did get "the call" today. Keep your fingers crossed everyone because tomorrow Mr. Pearl and Pebble and I are going to meet our daughter and her birth mother. I might be quiet for a few days so be patient with me. And if you think of it, say a little prayer for us too.

Meet Kate

Main Ingredients: Wool, Glass, Stone. Marinate then string with a bit of pearl and a dash of metal.

I used a green gold wool with a bit of brown, black, and natural shades to make the felted beads. The colors made me think of a pretty bead that Kelley had sent me as a thank you gift with a previous order. Sure enough, the colors went really well. I was lovin it, so I asked her to make me some more. Which she did:)

Combined with some yellow turquoise, green pearl, and some brassy accents, "Kate" was born.

This was my very first submission to Stringing Magazine and I am just thrilled!!! I almost didn't make the deadline. In fact at the last minute I had given up. I had been determined for months to create something and send it in. And as usual, I was down to the wire. Like right there. With an attitude of defeat I posted a picture of my intended offering. Well let me tell you, Barbara Lewis said um um -mail her overnight! And so I did. And don't you know I am so happy I did. My next submission didn't make it in, but that won't stop me from future attempts. I love love love doing this!!! If you haven't ever sent your creation(s) in before, you really should go for it. Seriously. Why not? What have you got to loose? Click here to go to Sringing's webpage to get the skinny on deadlines for 2011. Click on the links to the right to visit other designer's blogs and read all about their fabulous creations! Make sure you leave comments, because there are some really nice giveaways going on too.

This And That

I think it has probably been a good eight months since I ordered these cafe au lait swirly glass beads from Kelley. And I just completed a design with them. YAY ME!!! I have had them sitting together with these other sweet babies knowing that I loved how the colors and patterns were working so well with each other. I have had the center bead for about ten years now and don't remember anything about it except that I got it in Charlotte. The two amazing beauties next to it I picked up from Andrew Thornton's shop. And the bigger faceted barrels toward the back were someone else's destash.... I like it. I like it alot. Don't know if I want to plop it in the shop or not.

The family is on their way back to Florida. I think I am a terrible daughter/hostess. I think I totally stress when my house/space is crowded. And the heat just doesn't help. It may have caused the "episode", I don't know. I had to pull over on my way to work the other day because my heart was beating funny, I couldn't catch my breath and I was quite light headed. Mr. Pearl and Pebble came and got me and we spent the afternoon in the hospital. EKG was normal, blood was normal. ???? So I don't know. What I do know is that I do NOT like IVs. I have those cute little rolling veins and it takes forEVer to find a keeper. Ouch. The other thing I know is that it is very hard to provide a urine sample when you have a tube stuck in the bendy part of your arm and monitor wires hanging from your chest and the gown you are wearing is open in the back. It probably didn't hurt to check out the heart. Ladies, heart disease is a HUGE killer of women. And our symptoms are different from men's from what I understand. Which is why problems probably go undetected longer.

We took a little camping trip over the weekend. The campground was soooooo crowded. Still it was nice to be in our little camper with yellow dog. It even has A/C and a pottie!!!!! WHOO HOOO! We got home yesterday and planned the next trip. I am really really really looking forward to that one! The colors will be peaking (hopefully) in Michigan's upper peninsula-which is a lovely place to be no matter when if you ever get the opportunity.

Tomorrow I will be posting about my necklace that is featured in the current issue of Stringing. I know! I am so thrilled!!! Have a great day everyone:)

Little Treasures

This beautiful beautiful work of art was found this morning on the driveway. Upside down and quite expired. But pretty much perfect otherwise. Look at the color and intricacy of his wings. Amazing. We also found two cicadas in a similar state. I have to say that was a bit worrisome. Is there a pesticide cloud surrounding my house? I have been a bit more quieter than usual and that's because I have had my parents and grandma staying with us this past week. And the computer is in the office/guest room. Went to my sis's yesterday for a family reunion. (I'm convinced that there is nothing more humbling than for one to be surrounded by his gene pool.) The parents and grandma will be back here with us again tomorrow for a few more days. Then they will head back to Florida. Hope you all are having a terrific weekend. What treasures have you discovered today?