A video and a contest

We were walking out to meet Isabelle at the bus stop...
I glanced up, and in the tree right above us sat a red-shouldered hawk. I whispered for Lorelei to back up slowly. I got my camera out of the car and got a quick video.
(It's a good thing Lorelei got that answer right...how embarrassing would that have been, a child of mine not knowing her hawks?




For the first time, I got a personalized license plate. A shiny new Subaru needs some bling!
Here's the contest...let's see how well some of you know me.
A standard plate has room for seven letters and one space. I used them all.
First person to guess correctly (or the closest guess) what I chose for my plate gets this:





Silver bracelet with heart-shaped toggle clasp, and a cute, lightweight charm. The beads are metallic glass and green/pink stones.

Leave your guess in the comments.
And....begin!

The Learning Lemur (aka Junior Chimp) strikes again...and some bird acrobatics and bling

I wonder if I have the four-leaf clover thing figured out, other than the whole isolated gene thing.

Yesterday, I found more four-leaf clovers around the stop sign...and five-leaf clovers, too.


Wacky mutants! I noticed what looked like dog urine on one of them (which is probable, since Hooper is big on marking everything everywhere, and there are all those other dogs on our street). That made me think of one day at Armleder when Isabelle kept bringing me four-leaf clovers in the dog park.
Dog urine? Mutant clovers? Could there be a connection?
Hey. At least it isn't dead stuff.

Sweet moment with my finger on the "burst" button:




This weekend, my brother-in-law Kevin will marry his Long-Time-Girlfriend Rachel. I am looking forward to it very much,
1. They have been dating for ten zillion years and enough is enough already.
2. Isabelle and Lorelei are going to be the flower girls. Geoff is a groomsman.
3. The wedding is at The Wilds.
4. The Wilds is very near Bill and Julie's. : )

Since I never buy ready-made jewelry anymore, I can whip up anything I need, and today I made myself proud:

I have been saving these brushed silver connectors, and I had a bunch of Swarovski crystals left after Trixie's bracelet.
It took me over an hour to string all this. It's on Beadalon wrapped wire, and each connector is filled with crystals and silver spacers.
It turned out exactly as I pictured it in my head. Always a bonus.

I'm wearing black and white at the ceremony, so those little splashes of color will be just right.

Tons of photos will be taken this weekend, so stay tuned!

Where I've been

I've been picnicking with my family.

(photo by Isabelle)

I've been marveling at my children marveling at nature.


I've been rescuing invalid black swallowtails from our street.


I've been staring down stained-glass leaf hoppers.


I've been making jewelry I can be proud of.


I've been playing with a new toy.

(I asked for the ability to do Powerpoint presentations during my programs, and RAPTOR got me a new lap top and digital projector. I do tend to get what I want....but then, I am quite charming.) :^)



I've been watching a barn owl perch in the sun for the first time.


I've been watching a turkey vulture molt.

Sick kid and mad beads

The Vile Tummy Virus struck here again. After waking us at 5 am barfing, Isabelle spent the day on the couch sipping juice carefully. I spent the day spraying Lysol carefully and burning all the towels and sheets.

Between the Lysol fumes and tending the flames, I did some beading:


When I saw these cool painted china disc beads, I had to have them. This is a piece I actually made for myself. I love that it turned out exactly like I wanted it to.


Glass flower beads + silver leaf spacers = dangles....that I don't know what to do with.



Ever since I have perfected the art of the wire "swirl", I can't stop incorporating them into stuff.


More swirls...and pretty shell discs. I can't stop myself. It's become an obsession. I have enough pieces to start my own jewelry store.


The birds were pretty quiet today, due to a pair of Cooper's hawks chuck-chucking off in the back woods most of the day. But we had a squirrel.....
Brace yourself for some sweet squirrelly toes and nom-nom-noming:


Zick Dough being put to good use. Julie has BUNNY LIPS...I have squirrel toes. So there.



And I may not have Chet, but I have Nellie. Thinking deep thoughts. Well, probably the only deep thought she has ever had.

More choices

Just to up the stakes, I am showing some more stuff that I have made and want to give away...
Maybe the flower bracelet is too casual? I have dressy things, too:


This is a floating green/millefiori glass chip necklace with a toggle clasp.
Trixie might recognize my new beading tote...she was with me when I bought it and I couldn't shut up about how great it was. I am still talking about how great it is. I love it when you buy something that was designed for the purpose you use it for. It obviously was thought up by a beader. And it's a pretty color.



Top: Chain bracelet with charms made with blue glass beads, a few Swarovski crystals, tiny stars, swirls and Aurora Borealis beads with toggle clasp.
Left: Purple, pink and clear crystal and glass beaded bracelet with magnetic clasp.
Right: Just some fun stretchy bracelets.



(the card is just a spare I had...)
Left: Ocean color bead earrings
Right: "Tie-dyed" glass bead earrings with star dangles

The contest is still on...I have laughed quite a few times, but I will keep it open for another day or so. Winner gets to choose what they want.
Come on, readers! I want to give this stuff away! I know I'm not Birdchick with her cool optic/book giveaways, but hey...