Who's Special!!??

Me, that is! Jeanne M of Ohio sent me her beautiful, gorgeous, drop-dead killer-diller twisted copper and gold wire bracelet!! Can you tell I love it??So comfy, too. Don't know if the pics show it, but she tapped the pieces, so that the twists catch the light like charlottes!!

What a nice, nice Friend!

A New Kind of Tree???

Hmmm, they almost had me fooled. Double click on the photos to see what this REALLY is!

Then ask your local gummint to tell the folks in charge that these are the ONLY type you want to see in your area.

Thank you, Verizonwireless of Durham, NC!!

Gifts from OZ

My dear Friend in OZ, Lynn, sent me a lovely gifty package- complete with the shocking pink Fireline (yes, I painted my entire room that exact color when I was 13, and had to live with it until I moved out just shy of 19, and still love it!), a wondrous Czech glass button in Red AB, lovely silver spacers. just right for the different beaded beads in Diane Fitzgerald's new book, a VERY INTERESTING two-holed spacer, that has a faceted black glass cab for the top ( can you say 'toggle end'??!) , some orange beads that she has challenged me to find a use for ( that come in the sweetest little plastic container with two hands on the lid) and the best part of it all- an Aussie wool-lined needlecase, where the lanolin will keep my needles from rusting AND I can see how many I have left (not enough of the curved ones, I can tell you!). You can see what I used before that gorgeous lace-trimmed and butterfly embellished case arrived- the tin that gum came in originally. A great way to lose track of what needles are what, unless you are truly anal about putting them back into the little paper packets they came in, when you are through.

Aside-there were so many needles out of place in that tin that I despaired of separating them correctly; Pony Brand 12s, Japanese 13s, John James 12s and 10s. But, what the eyes could not discern, the fingers could!! How cool is that!?

Thank you, Lynn- this was a truly special surprise!

Awesome Idea for Beading Project Transport

Bebee Goddard, whom I consider the queen of 'make it happen' where bead trays and beading transport is concerned, came up with this little beauty, and gave one to me! It is a scrapbook workings holder, found in Walmart, and she glued in a piece of beadmat. It closes and holds everything you see there, and my Optivisors, except the large spool of thread!

You can find thinner versions at Target, in colors, and while these do not hold the thicker objects like my visor, they do hold your project, beads, instructions, scissors, needles, etc. and lock securely shut. You can stack them, see what is inside, and cram more than a few inside your computer carry-all, along with that laptop!

Woo-hooo!

Great idea, Bebee!

Treasure Trove!!

The Beaded-Bead Swap at Beaddreamz yahoogroup was a roaring success! Here is a shot of all the beads and the hostess gifts sent by participants!

Yep, it was lots of fun sorting and picking new recipients.

Yep, I laughed my behind off after seeing what CallieCatt and TippyPuppy did with the mailing and packaging materials

Yep, I am glad they are on their ways home!!!

Spring Waves Necklace

From the Ocean Waves pattern, which is a RAW modified with an extra bead.

Cannot remember for the life of me who created this originally, but thanks to her

I have this lovely necklace, which drapes nicely. I added a self-toggle clasp,

because I don't like metal clasps on seed bead pieces. It was created for the

March Challenge at Beaddreamz yahoogroup.

Oh, stop picking on the teachers

I am really tired of the federal govt picking on teachers....it sort of reminds me of a saying that was around in Jimmie Carter's days- Don't complain about the farmer with your mouth full. So, don't complain about a teacher, if you can read this.
Yes, there are some 'bad' teachers. But the majority are not only good in their professions, but carry out their duties as professionals, at an hourly rate that would make most of us cringe.
Here is a copy of my letter to President Obama....hopefully, his team will listen.

Dear President Obama,
As former substitute teacher, and married to a teacher of music in public middle and high school, I wonder why the question is always 'Why aren't the teachers doing enough?' The question would be better put 'Where are the parents?'
While there are parents very interested in how their children and young people are doing in school, they are very much in the minority. Take the time to go to a well-advertised teacher/parent/student night, even to the point of mailed letters and phone calls to each parent, and you will notice about 10-20% participation.We have students whose parents are alcohol and drug-abusers, who cannot read and are proud of it, who do not know where their children are most of the time, much less provide them with regular meals and insist on doing homework and going to bed at a decent hour. Many of the students straggle in half- asleep, freely admitting they were out til 4am or later, drinking, smoking, doing drugs, or even the most innocent- talking on the phone. None of this helps a person stay awake and learn in school.
Until the parents are made responsible for the children they create, there will be little to no improvement. Until parents care about what grades their children are earning, there will be no improvement. Until the parents provide a sane, healthy atmosphere at home for their children, there will not be any improvement.
Until those days, punishing the teachers by loading in more 'trainings' that don't work, programs that don't work, and insistence on further education that is not necessary is only going to drive more and more teachers out of their professions.Where else do you find a professional who earns the equivalent of minumum wage, who is not only expected to teach their field, but also manners, morals, and how to communicate with their fellow humans?
Let's be brave, and put the blame squarely where it belongs- on the parents who, while they might celebrate the sports their children participate in, rarely know how their children are doing at their grade level.I would even suggest going as far as hitting these parents in their wallets- if the parents cannot show that they participate in their children's education process; i.e. coming to PTA meetings, attending appointments with educators when their children have shown they are having problems, signing and returning reports cards, etc, then they do not receive the tax break for that year, for having that child.
Please do not punish the teachers- they are already carrying an impossible load, attempting to teach to the lowest common denominator while inspiring the best and brightest, so that every child who wants an education and is willing to participate in that action, will receive the best education they are capable of absorbing.
Thank you for providing this venue. It gives me continued hope.