Look What I Won!

So last week - late at night sitting on the couch with my ever-present IPad - I was scrolling through Facebook and someone commented on someone else's feed "Comment with the word Hoot and enter to win"...  I thought what the heck?!  So I commented!  I was comment number 345.  It was a 30 minute contest and in the end, there were well over 540 entries.

But I won!  And boy did I ever win!

Isn't this little hoot-owl just gorgeous!!  It is a handmade pendant by the ultra talented Nicole Hanna!!  I was so excited to receive this!  Even the back of the pendant is beautiful!

I will be placing this gorgeous pendant on a nice oxidized silver chain and I will relish wearing it!

I went to Nicole's website upon receiving notification of winning, and was reminded of how beautiful her jewelry really is.  You can find her website by clicking here.

Winning this beauty reminded me of how much I admire "true" wire wrapping.  One of my favorite wire wrapping books is Weave, Wrap, Coil: Creating Artisan Jewelry, by Jodi Bombardier.

Source: Amazon.com

In the Fall of 2011, I was asked by one of my nieces to create the wedding jewelry for her bridal party. Each attendant's jewelry was different  and included a necklace, earrings, and a bracelet.  I perused many designs from this book - as well as Wire Style 2 - to inspire me.    However, as I look back on the pictures from over a year and a half ago, I realize I am not that good at weaving, wrapping, and coiling! LOL!  My jewelry picture-taking ability - as well as choice for backgrounds - has also improved a little bit (thank goodness!)

My feeble attempt at weaving, wrapping, and coiling:  Circa Fall 2011

I will revisit this technique though - using COPPER - with the hopes of improving...'cause this is a technique that in my eyes is just stunning!

As I write this post on Friday evening, Tropical Storm Andrea is finally showing signs of boredom with Northern Virginia - I sure hope it dries up tomorrow! 'Cause this little guy likes to go outside rain or shine - and I prefer shine!

Thanks for stopping by - enjoy your weekend!

Giveaway!!!

Julie - the most awesome lampwork glass bead artist of Outwest fame - claims to have too many beads?  Too many beads?  Is that really possible?

Anyhow, her cup overflows...so she is giving away some spacer beads....like these...

Oooh...what I could do with those beads!

These are just a few example of what I have done with her beads lately....

If you want to put your name in the hat, just go to her blog here and leave a comment!

Have a great day!

An Anniversary

June 5, 1954.  That is the date of my parents wedding anniversary.

Dad was so handsome and my mom was real looker - and, in my humble opinion, she still is!

The last picture is from our "final" family vacation in 2004.  The four of us, my brothers and sister, rented two adjoining townhouses on Sanibel Island, Florida for our respective families to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary.  

My father was a proud man.  Though you cannot tell from the picture, he was in pain, and was undergoing treatment (if you want to call what he went through "treatment") for cancer.  He died 8 months later.

I can honestly say that not a day goes by that I do not think fondly of my father, and grieve that he passed away too soon at age 75.  I grieve for him, and I grieve for my Mother.  She was only 69 when he passed.  Cancer sucks at any age. Period.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!  I love you both!