a host day


I have been meaning to post this for a long time. For Christmas I had one wish - I wanted this "host necklace" made by The Noisy Plume. So Nick bought it for me and to you, Jill, thank you again from the bottom for making it for me (yes, ok, it was one of her host series, but I strongly believe that this was made just for me).Click here to see what she wrote about it. It is basically about the things we host, wanted to unwanted. And reminding us that we are able to decide what we want to host. Out with the dark, in with the light, Jill said. This little piece of jewelry is a special piece of art for me, as every piece Jillian makes. Go visit her blog by clicking here and read the stories she tells.
Since I have got it, I have worn it quite a lot, especially on days like today when my heart is heavy. It truly reminds me of what I should host, and when I have tough days like today, I wear it to center myself again. The enameled metal focal gets really warm when you wear it, and I love the chain and the dangles. The hollows that are formed between my skin and the metal piece feel like and extension to my body, It feels like something warm builds up in these bubbles, something that is part of me. The things I should host.
Today is a host day, where I need to remind me of what should be there, in my head and heart. I will not go into details, but the thoughts evolve around losing what is dear to you.
here is a song that is close to me today - so i share it with you...
and remember that you, and only you, decide what you host. 


landslide - smashing pumpkins


i took my love, I took it down,
i climbed a mountain and I turned around
and i saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
till the landslide brought it down


oh mirror in the sky what is love
can the child within my heart rise above
can i sail through the changing ocean tides
can i handle the seasons of my life


well i've been afraid of changing cause i've
built my life around you
but times make you bolder
even children get older
and i'm getting older too


well i've been afraid of changing cause i've
built my life around you
but time makes you bolder
even children get older too
i get older too


i took my love and took it down
i climbed a mountain i turned around
and if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
the landslide brought it down
the landslide brought it down

7000 Bracelets of Hope - My Bracelet

I am one day delayed, but I hope this still counts....



I learned about this event from my beady friend Lori Anderson and immediately decided I wanted to participate.... but as always, I am a bit behind in timing. The idea was to make a blue bracelet in an adult size, which will be sent to The Global Genes Project, an advocacy group for children's rare disease awareness.  The Global Genes Project then sends the bracelets to one of 7000 families having children with rare diseases to show them love and support.

For my bracelet I used a lampwork bead I have been hoarding forever, and I believe I kept it just for this reason. I added moonstone - it always makes me dream, and some recycled sari silk, along with a few dangles. Lori gave the hint to make the bracelet extendable, so I added a leaf charm, a shell charm and a few small lapislazuli beads.


If you enjoy this, have a look at what the other participants made - lots of eye candy.....

 1.  Lori Anderson, Pretty Things
2.  Jayne Capps, Mama's Got To Doodle 
3.  Kym Hunter, Creatively Kym
4.  Mandy Duffy, Beads for Brains: 365
5.  Charlene Sevier, The Bead Dreamer
6.  Lisa Boucher, Lisa's Clay Happenings
7.  Mary Harding, Mary Harding Jewelry
8.  Barbara Lewis, Painting With Fire
9.  Amy Severino, Amy's Beads
10.  Jennifer Pride, Jewelry by Jennifer Pride

11.  Jenny Cameron, Glass Addictions
12.  Susan Ferguson, Windrock Studio
13.  Mortira vanPelt, Inspirational Beading
14.   Brandi Hussey, Brandi Girl
15.  Jenny Vidberg, Shyme Design
16.  Angela Barribou, Re: Angela Rae
17.  Stefanie Teufel, Stefanie's Sammelsurium 
18.  Sue Hodgkinson, Hello Gorgeous
19.  Jean Yates, Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading To Be Done!
20.  Nicki Keller, Nicki's Reef

21.  JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions
22. Stacey Curry, Star Hitched Wagon
23.  Carrie Tahquechi,  Carrie T
24.  Deci Worland, Gem Trails
25.  Debbie Goering, Prairie Emporium 
26.  Staci Smith, Staci Louise Originals
27.  Francy Inman, 8 Second Studio 
28.  Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings
29.  Cherin Poovey, Lanyard Lady 
30.  Deb Price, Green Shoot Jewellery Designs 


31.  Suzette Bentley, Ellies Bijoux  
32. Mallory Hoffman, For the Love of Beads 
33.  Shirley Moore, Beads and Bread 
34.  Kate Gardenghi, The Tropical Blonde 
35.  Marina Dobrynina, Savon Feutre 
36.  Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me 
37.  Linda Djokic, Lutka and Co. 
38.  Cory Celaya, Art With Moxie 
39.  CJ Baushka, 4 His Glory Creations 
40.  Tracy Bell, Copper, Glass, and Recycled Trash 

41.  Sandra Richardson, Sandy's Coloring Box 
42.  Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe Designs 
43.  Kim Roberts, Bahama Dawn 
44. Hilary Frye, FryeStyle 
45.  Emanda Johnson, Artemisia's Studio 
46.  Lisa Kavanaugh, Beading Bliss 
47.  Sue Kennedy, Sue Beads
48.  Raquel Amaral, Raquel Amaral
49.  Robyn Hawk, Daily Jewel
50.  Linda Inhelder, Must-Haves Jewelry


52.  Krista French, French Elegant Jewelry
53.  Andrea Robinson,  Madame Magpie's Shiny Things
54.  John Rasmussen, Rasmussen Gems and Jewelry
55.  Breana Fry, Vault 31
56.  Erin Prais-Hintz, Treasures Found
57.  Cyndi Lavin, Beading Arts
58. Dot Lewallen, Speedie Beadie
59.  Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
60.  Heather Pyle, Aquariart

61.  Adrienne Campbell, Adrienne Designs
62.  Dee Gordon, Runako Designs
63.  Judy Glende, Judith B. Designs
64.  Susie Hibdon, Vintage Susie & Wings
65.  Tania Spivey, Moobie Grace Designs
66.  Norma Agron, Norma's Clay
67.  Ana Novak, Cat's Pajamas, Dog's Tuxedos
68.  Johanna Rhodes, Fire Phoenix Creations
69.  Raida Disbrow, Havana Beads
70.  Christa Murphy, Adventures of One Beady Woman


71.  Holly Westfall, Silver Rose Designs
72.  Catherine Pruitt, Boo Beads
73.  Deana Hager, Just Deez' Art & Life
74.  Lupe Meter, Gem's PC Corner
75.  Valerie Norton, Hot Fused Glass
76.  Janet Bocciardi, Honey From the Bee
77.  Kitty Durmaj, Perles and Life
78.  Rose Noble, Lady Noble Design
79.  Sally Russick, WireWorked
80.  Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter 


81.  KJ, KJ's Beadacious Beads
82.  Lana Kinney, Something Unique by Lana
83.  Melissa Meman, Melissa Meman ... Art, Life, Love 
84.  Karen Bien, Everyday Gypsy 
85.  Rebecca Anderson, Songbeads
86.  Cyn Gagen, Creative Edventures
87.  Niky Sayer, Silver Nik Nats
88.  Deb Beechy, Beetique
89.  Marian Hertzog, M's Place 
90.  Kerry Bogert, Kab's Creative Concepts


91.  Judy Riley, Three Red Beads 
92.  Charlene Gray, Gray Girl Studio
 93.  Erin Fickert-Rowland, Elysian Fields
94.  Sharon Palac, Sharon's Jewelry Garden
95.  Maryse Thillens, Glass Bead Art
96.  Christine Altmiller, One Kiss Creations
97.  Eileen Bergen, The Artful Crafter
98.  Bobbie Rafferty, Beadsong Jewelry
99.  Rebekah Payne, Tree Wings Studio
100.  Mari Aparicio, Mis Amores 

101.  Tracy Statler, Make Bracelets 
102.  Marcy Lamberson, Studio Marcy 
103.  Kim Stevens, Picking Poppies
104.  Karyn White, Releases by Rufydoof
105.  Elisabeth Auld, Beads for Busy Gals
106.  Lisa Hamilton, Simply Irresistible Jewelry
107.  Serena Trent, All Things Made Jewelry
108.  Sharon Driscoll, Right Turn Artwerks
109.  Debbie La Rue, For the Love of Beading
110.  Maggie Towne, Maggie's Bead Towne


 111.  Cassandra Watsham, Designs by Cassandra
112.  Mary Ellen Parker,  BeeTree by m.e.


7000 Bracelets of hope - and bad timing

I am sooo sorry, but I am not sure if I can post my bracelet today. I was on a business trip in France and lost some major data of my most important work file right now. I have a presentation on Tuesday and am trying to reconstruct it. This plus a bad flu has kept me away from my beads.


I know this is a bad excuse. But I will post it later today or latest tomorrow, so please forgive me and come back to see what I made.

Brass !!!

I have to say I am becoming a bit unfaithful to my beads. Because I have started a relationship with Metal. And it is pretty entertaining.
Not a lot of words right now, but look at what I made this weekend. Some more cleaning and sanding to do - but I am truly in love.



Bead Babes Challenge - Maryse's necklace


You get a special treat today, even though our reveal was already on saturday (scroll down for the original post), we have another mini-reveal today.
Ihr habt das besondere Vergnügen heute noch einen Mini-Reveal der Bead Babes Challenge anzusehen, obwohl der eigentlich schon am Samstag stattgefunden hat (siehe unten für den grossen reveal post).

Maryse of GlassBeadArt Lampwork had issues with blogger (we are all too familiar with it, right?), and that is why she asked me yesterday to post her necklace over here until the issue is fixed. 
Maryse von GlassBeadArt Lampwork hatte Probleme mit blogger (das kennen wir ja wohl alle, oder?) und deswegen hat sie mich gestern gebeten, ihr Kette hier zu posten, bis das Problem mit blogger gelöst ist.

Maryse was thinking about Adele's Rolling in the deep as well at first, because it is her favorite song right now (very good taste, Maryse), but she decided to take something more "sustainable" and chose Ave Maria by Gounod.
Maryse hat ursprünglich auch an Adele's Rolling in the deep gedacht, weil es im Moment auch ihr Lieblingslied ist (sehr guter Geschmack, Maryse), aber sie hat sich dann für etwas langfristigeres entschieden, und Ave Maria von Gounod genommen.

And the result was the following necklace:
Und herausgekommen ist diese Kette:



The focal is a hand cast replica of a vintage pendant of the Virgin Mary. The beads are her own lampwork beads, turquoise, jasper and 2 vintage horn roses.
Der Mittelpunkt ist eine handgegossene Replik eines alten Marienmedaillons. Die Perlen sind teilweise eigene selbstgemachte Glasperlen, dann Türkise, 2 alte Hornrosen und Jaspis.

So please, be nice with Maryse and leave her a comment - here or later on her blog, once all is working again.
Also, seid nett zu Maryse, und schreibt ihr auch einen Kommentar - hier oder später auf ihrem blog, wenn alles wieder funktioniert.

Bead Babes Challenge: and the winner is.....

Ok, we decided since we are 3 bead babes, we will have three giveaways. 


And my sweet baby was so nice today to pick the winner of my giveaway:




So she picked......







***  Maryse of GlassBeadArt Lampwork ***


Congratulations, Maryse, and please email me your mail address and I will send you my surprise giveaway.
And sorry that I am not poting a picture of it, but if I would, it would not be a surprise giveaway ;-)


And if you have not won mine, please check out Janna's and Stefanie's blogs and see if you are one lucky winner over there. And thanks to everybody for your comments, they mean so much to me.

The Bead Babes Challenge Reveal Day: Blissed out by my favorite song

The big day is here - the reveal day of our Bead Babes Challenge: Blissed Out by My Favorite Song !
Der grosse Tag ist da - die Enthüllung unseres ersten Bead Babes Wettbewerbs: Glückselig durch mein Lieblingslied.

The concept
The German bead babes Janna, Stefanie and myself are hosting our first challenge ever: Blissed out by your favorite song. 12 bead artists have created a piece of jewelry based on their personal favorite song. There were no other rules but to blog about the piece, and share your excitement about the favorite song. Today is the big reveal day, so have fun looking at what we all made, and leave us a comment if you’d like. You will find the links of all bead babes below.
Janna, Stefanie und Nicki veranstalten ihre allererste Challenge:
„Blissed out by your favorite song”, was soviel heißt wie “glückselig - oder auch inspiriert - durch dein Lieblingslied”. 12 Kreative haben ein Schmuckstück kreiert, das auf ihrem Lieblingslied basiert. Abgesehen davon,  dass wir über unser Schmuckstück bloggen sollten und dabei auch  erzählen sollten, was wir an dem betreffenden Song mögen, gab es keine Regeln. Heute ist der große Tag, an dem wir alle unsere Stücke zeigen, also viel Spaß beim Entdecken – und über ein Kommentar von Euch würden alle Teilnehmer sich natürlich sehr freuen! Die Links zu allen Teilnehmern findet Ihr unten.



My favorite song
There are a million songs that I could have chosen. I am addicted to music, all kinds of music. But although I have hesitated to change my song last minute to one of the French singer ZAZ, I stayed with the original plan - ADELE and her wonderful "Rolling in the Deep". If you don't know it, listen to it, but I think it is almost impossible that you don't know it.
Es gibt eine Million Songs, die ich hätte wählen können. Ich bin süchtig nach Musik, alle Art von Musik. Aber obwohl ich noch kurz gezögert habem in der letzten Minute mein Vorhaben zu ändern und einen Song von der  französischen Sängerin ZAZ zu nehmen, bin ich doch beim Originalen Plan geblieben - Adele und ihr fantastisches "Rolling in the Deep". Wenn ihr das nicht kennt, hört es euch an, obwohl ich mir kaum vorstellen kann, daß ihr das Lied noch nicht kennt.


Why is this special to me? For very many reasons. Adele has kept me company for quite some time, her voice touches my soul, and I have gone through a lot of emotions in the past months with this song in my heart.And recently when the video starts on TV, my 19 month old starts screaming of excitement and hands me the remote control to increase the volume. And if it's over she begs me to restart it - which is quite difficult to restart a video on MTV ;-). She loves Adele as much as I do. Buy her albums "19" and "21", you will not regret it.
Warum ist das Lied etwas besonderes für mich? Aus vielen Gründen. Adele ist seit längerer Zeit bei mir, ihre Stimme berührt meine Seele, und ich habe eine ganze Menge erlebt in den letzten Monaten mit diesem Lied in meinem Herzen. Uns seit kurzem fängt meine 19 Monate alte Tochter an zu kreischen, wenn das Video im Fernsehen läuft, und bringt mir die Fernbedienung, damit ich das ganze etwas lauter drehe. Und wenn es vorbei ist, bettelt sie mich an, damit ich es nochmal anschalte - was etwas schwierig ist, ein Video auf MTV neu zu starten ;-). Sie liebt Adele genauso wie ich. Kauft ihre zwei Albums, "19" und "21", ihr werdet es nicht bereuen.




The big reveal
So here is what I made. I took some of the lyrics and created my piece around it.
Das hier ist meine Kreation. Ich habe einen Auszug aus dem Text genommen, und mein Stück danach kreiert.


"You had my heart inside of your hand, and you played it to the beat..."






I sawed and files and made this copper hand. It is a copy of my baby's handprint when she was 6 weeks old (yes, her hands were huge when she was born). And I soldered a heart on top, cut some of the words to put them in there and filled it with resin. I wanted to keep the chain quite simple and let the pendant stand out by itself. And maybe I will add some ribbon or a few beads, we'll see. That's it, simple, but straight from the heart.
Ich habe gesägt und gefeilt, und diese Hand aus Kupfer gemacht. Es ist ein Abdruck von der Hand meiner Tochter, als sie 6 Wochen alt war (ja, genau, sie hatte schon damals riesige Hände). Darauf habe ich ein Herz gelötet, den Text hineingelegt und das ganze mit Resin gefüllt. Die Kette selber ist einfach gehalten, denn ich wollte, daß der Anhänger der Star der Show bleibt. Und vielleicht ergänze ich noch etwas Stoff oder ein paar Perlen, mal sehen. Sehr einfach, aber es kommt von Herzen.


... and a giveaway
Thank you, all Bead Babes, to play along with us. We had a lot of fun. And to make it even more fun, we will draw a winner of our surprise giveaway tomorrow, Sunday, the 9th. So stay tuned. And now, hop around and check out all the great pieces that we have made, and leave a comment if you like (we love them).
Danke liebe Bead Babes, daß ihr mitgemacht habt. Wir hatten viel Spaß mit euch. Und damit der Spaß nicht so schnell aufhört, ziehen wir einen Gewinner für unser Überraschungs-Giveaway, und zwar morgen, am Sonntag, den 9. April. Also kommt wieder und seht, ob ihr gewonnen habt. Und jetzt, macht euch auf, und hüpft zu den anderen blogs und guckt euch die anderen Stücke and, und schreibt einen Kommentar, wenn ihr Lust habt (wir lieben Kommentare).


The Bead Babes:
1. Janna Harttgen - Palimpa-Lim
2. Stefanie Teufel - Stefanies Sammelsurium
3. Nicole Keller - Nickis Reef
4. Berit Borchardt - Berit Borchardt
5. Rebecca Anderson - Songbeads
6. Maryse Thillens - Glassbeadart Lampwork
7. Krista French - French Elegant Jewelry
8. Linda Djokic - Lutka and Co
9. Karola Stein - Karolas Fundstuecke
10. Doris Radlicki - Doralila Beads
11. Jenn Judd - Jen Judd Rocks
12. Saskia Kaffenberger - Perlendistel

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