~ A Pinch Of Beads~

~ Just when you think that that you are long past Something... That a craft addiction given up... A simple act of achievement of gathering a confusion of small pierced bubbles of glass that once gave such satisfaction and sense of fulfillment... That it is put away.
To gather no more shine and shimmer. The Spark and Vitality dimmed to become a simple drawer of unused grimy pellets.

Then years later when one of you Bestest Friends (Gobnart) has found that she is to become a Grandma for the Very First Time !?!...
Well there comes a time when things are Rootled out. Thought about Thoughtfully. Searched for and Sought after and when Suddenly---Craved !!
To Become a Beader Again...

Yep...My name is Karen...And I am a re-lapsed- uhm- backslided- nooo- uh---collapsed back---nah----
I Got It !!
Reanimated in My Love for Beads !!There... That said- Elaboration...
Gobnart was going to give Her second daughter a Baby Boy Shower... And wanted to have handmade tokens or keepsakes to be given as mementos at the Event...
And being ever more than willing to dive in feet first...Yours Truly Offered to make earrings and/or cell phone charms...

Exhale- Inhale-Exhale- Inhale- etc.

So Merrily off to commence shopping with my Invisible Pickinick Basket to the Online Market.
Etsy. Shipwreck Beads. Ebay.
With Other various and obscure Bazaars visited at length.

And My Goodness Sakes Alive... did I immerse myself in the Acquisition of beads. Truly I think there are factories in Czechoslovakia that are working overtime because of me.
All my purchases began to arrive in minuscule wrappers from Hither and Yon... Mostly Yon as I remember. And I began to plot and plan and bead. All the old skills were a bit rusty but soon recovered their thought forgotten shibboleths.The Baby Boy Showers gifts were so quickly summoned together that my hands had to just keep connecting. Over thirty sets of earrings and twenty-six Cell Phone Charms. And all were one-of-a-kind.And the rest were shared out to Friends and Folks around my small hamlet.Then after looking at the Baroque and Luscious remnants...I decided to make myself a new Earring Wardrobe. With a bit more exuberant style and dash to suit my Peculiar Fancy .'Cause you have my Faithful Avowal...If you weren't acquainted with how my jib is cut... my inclination is well into the Realm of Uncommon.To disclose that if One were to venture out... say in Their pointy granny Oxfords with black plaid laces... Their black Velvet calf length dress with the hem made of eleven inches of Ebony Venise lace... And at least seven earrings in... Along with five perfectly rational Golden Bands on fingers and thumbs... (And certainly this is a subdued Day outfit) people make a point of coming over to speak ... Well so be it !!These earrings are what I term 'Pomegranates'- A favorite fruit !!
Thus once more I have dabbled in the Beaded world... And will not be leaving this Glass Extravagence anytime in the Misty Future !!extravagance anytime in the Misty Future !Ex

So...
Wrapping up todays exciting installment... the lovely fluffiness of Alice, the Princess from the Palace !! compulsory Portrait of fluffiness of Alice from the Palace...

xoxo

Elizabeth Taylor...

The girl with the Violet Eyes has died at age 79...

She had that gift that she could be
Who-ever she wanted to be...

.

May her Sweet Soul find Rest and Repose...

'Dame' Elizabeth Rosamund Taylor

February 27th, 1932
~
March 23rd, 2011

: New Loot At The House of Hodgepodge :

... Loot And Treasures And and Pretties... Oh My !!

Between eBay, etsy, and HH... well... I am never at a loss for Fortunate Finds. As a matter of record- I have been known to make unnecessary purchases at Yard Sales and Thrift stores simply because things looked "Lonely' to me.

Inanimate objects "Lonely" ?

Yep... When something has that patina that once it was just the Apple of someones eye... or even more distressing is that aura of usefulness gone south. Or that the once revered doo-dad has become feeble and inadequate and thus unwanted.

So... When HH was out and aboot a couple of weekends ago (She and hubby 37 went out to brunch) she was looking for a little plum to bring back for me.
This mightily brazen fabric caught her eye. Oooohhhh... She thought... "So boisterous and intense !! Just like something Karen would buy for herself. AND there is over three yards in the bundle !! Must Buy...Must purchase Now !!"

So she did... She wants me to recover the chairs on the patio with it.

And because it is 60" wide- there will apparently be enough left over to make a small tent to put guests up in this Spring !!

It is lovely... mebbee just a wee bit 'Retro' rather than 'Vintage'... But what the hey ?!? I am positive there can be found a pattern that will be a companion to- So that a few odd Pillows can be made to bring out its Best !

Now this pretty Sparkler is from eBay. It was listed as a 'Bijoux Terner' sequined clutch. My mind always seems to be lurching about... so I looked at it in all of its Flickering Gaiety and thought---
Make-up bag !?!Sometimes Even I find it exhausting to follow the Convolution of my thought processes. So here she is... I think Her name shall be 'Blanche'.

This is a dear print from my friend Gobnart. (I think it represents us. 40 years ago. Even cuter than we Actually were. And both sets of our parent lived at the Shore. I think. I Hope !)Of course there was a teensy bit of altering accomplished. Added the ribbon that matched the matte' to hang it from. Used colored pencils to softly define their Summer Frocks and Sand-pails. Used a delicate swirly pattern on the matte' to give a smidge of definition...
La' Voila' !!
Gobnart saw it the last evening she was over.. Wasn't sure it was the very print she had given me. She liked the slight modifications.
All-righty Then !!

So while all my Ribbons and Fripperies were untangled and dusted off... added a wider length of Carmine ribbon to brighten up my Larkspur fairy Laddie. He was saved from a decades old calender. And now he resides above my printer.. to look cheery and whimsical... All at the same time !Now... what better way to end this post on a Bright and Whiskery note...
Yep !! The Compulsory Kittheh photo !!xoxo
Karen

The Lamb/Lion Believes In Snow ?

Rain ?
Now that is par for the Course around these here parts...
It Rains, mists, drips, thunders, puddles, deluges, spatters, and otherwise is just plain old wet. Mostly. And in the late Fall and Winter... It is just wet and Dark !!
And damp.
And dark.
So could you please me Mr. Weatherman tell me please WHY there was this all last week....
(I know... great photo of a snow topped wheelie bin...)

We had All this most divine fluffy soothing muffling white frozen essence lying (laying ? drifting ?) about...
Then the Sooper-Dooper Weatherman says "Do not Despair Oh Faithful Followers... It will All be melty and back to the same old same old...soggy and sodden. Just wait 'til this melts off and once again it will just be nice normal cold Monsoon...uh... rain this week...".

He lied.This was what the Girls and I woke up to this fine Morning... A slightly thick frozen opaque version of the Rain WeatherDude promised. (Ah-Hem... snow). And it IS the first Ide of March after all...Of course Kuchi just had to be let out to gaze while Mama snapped a few pics.
Schools shut once more. Neighbors going to slog into town asking if bread or milk or kittheh food is needed... Me gazing out thru the newly washed Kitchen window- being overcome with the desire to make Gingerbread immediately !! And I really don't even really care for gingerbread.
Christmas Carols sung in the snow yes... Sleigh bells ringing and all that- yes.
But 'I'm Dreaming of a White Easter ?'I don't think so !!
xoxo