Bead Happily Ever After

They Say It’s Your Birthday Giveaway

Posted on July 19, 2011 by crystal

Can you hear the Beatles singing that birthday tune?

Well, it isn’t actually a birthday, here . . .

It’s my blogiversary!!!

THREE years – I can’t believe it!

Please help yourself to a slice of cake and a party hat. 😀

But, what’s a party without a present – so how about a giveaway!

Violet Blossoms Earrings

These showy dangle Earrings feature Tanzanite Glass Flower Bells that are suspended on graceful kidney-shaped wire loops.

They’re Accented with tiny Swarovski crystals and textured bead caps.

MEASUREMENTS: approximately 2-3/4″ long, including the very elegant silver-plated earwires.

You can have up to THREE chances to win!
Enter by doing one or all of the following:

1. “like” us on facebook (See the link over there on the right in the sidebar?) and then return here to leave a comment saying you did! (If you’ve previously “liked” us on facebook -then you automatically have this first chance!)

2. Suggest a topic you’d like to see on this blog

3. Share a favorite summer recipe.

Contest ends July 25th! A winner will be chosen at random.

The Boring Stuff . . .
You must be 18 yrs. old. After the completion of the contest, the name of the winner will be listed here. The winner will also be notified by email. If the winner fails to respond to email within 3 days from the time notification email has been sent, the win will be null and void and a new winner will be chosen. The prize will be mailed via USPS First Class Mail

All entries must be received by 9:00 p.m. EST on 07/25/11, and the winner will be selected on or about 07/26/11.

Hugs,

Buy Me Some Peanuts And Cracker Jack

Posted on July 18, 2011 by crystal

If, by chance, you were born and raised in Boston, you know there’s no escaping a genetic predisposition towards a fervent love for the Red Sox.

I developed this affliction as a young girl, so I can testify – it’s true! 😉

The passion of a Red Sox fan is legendary . . . he FEELS every win, every loss, every injury.

If asked, he’d enthusiastically tell you that the best way to spend a summer day (or evening) would be at Fenway Park watching his beloved team play ball.

Last weekend, Sir Beads and I were lucky enough to score tickets for a game.

It was an especially beautiful July evening. The temperature was perfect with a soft breeze blowing. Just before twilight, the sun bathed the park in golden shadows and the crowd nestled in for a night of fun.

We were in our seats well before game time to take in the full flavor of the event – including batting practice and field prep. Speaking of flavor, we can never get past the food vendors (stationed just outside the gate) without getting a grilled sausage roll. The aroma is absolutely hypnotic I tell ya!

Add onions, peppers, and a dab of mustard… and oh my, absolutely delicious!

Before the game, there are always a flurry of fans jockeying to snag an autograph from the players who are warming up on the field.

This little fella, pen in hand, looked on hopefully but as you can see, he didn’t have much of a chance of being noticed . . .

That is until his Dad hoisted him to a higher elevation! 🙂

There’s an art and a science to getting the field ready. These guys are quite the well-oiled machine. Everything has to be perfect – even that line to first base, which will surely be messed up pretty quickly once the game begins. 😉

If you remember my post about our lucky number (found here), it won’t surprise you that a random glance at the scoreboard showed 2 balls, 2 strikes, 2 outs – or 222!

As my Mum likes to say, “The Sox don’t have to win EVERY game – just the ones that our family attends!” Luckily, the boys DID win!

It was a wonderful evening. 😀

‘Til next time,

Memories of Summer

Posted on July 11, 2011 by crystal

Isn’t it amazing how little it takes to trigger a memory, sometimes?

You might be in the middle of an ordinary day when suddenly a vivid scene springs to mind!

Water Lilies by Louis Dallara

For example, Carol recently wrote about water lilies she’s growing in a pond in her backyard. As I read her words, I was immediately transported to an earlier time . . .

. . . I’m about 10 years old. I’m in a small rowboat, paddling on the lake where I spent my childhood summers.

It’s early morning.

The water is a mirror with barely a ripple . . . just the few I make with the oars.

Quiet prevails. It’s a dreamy, Zen-like quiet. The only sounds are the rhythmic squeak of the oarlocks and the occasional chirp of a bird in the distance.

I pass little clumps of water lilies. Their sweet fragrance drifts towards me as it mingles with the fresh summer air . . .

Talk about sheer bliss!

I felt it then,

and again at this very moment with the memory. 🙂

Would you share one of yours?

Hugs,

It’s Around the Corner . . .

Posted on July 5, 2011 by crystal

Hey there, everyone!

Hope you had a sparkling 4th of July weekend. 😀

Can you believe the stores are already stocking items for another holiday that’s on the horizon?

Uh-huh. Halloween!

Today’s edition of Show and Tell Tuesday will fit right in with that theme . . .

A few weeks ago, we were reminiscing with our oldest daughter about some Halloween costumes we helped her to make around the time she became a teenager.

Her school sponsored an annual Halloween Dance, which included a contest for best costume. She loved the event. Although we all contributed to the finished projects, her Dad (a.k.a. Sir Beads) did a lot of the work on these . . .

Here’s his “washing machine” – made with a sturdy carton and recycled styrofoam! There’s even a battery-operated light with an on/off switch!

Don’t you just love it? 😀

Next, we have a slice of pizza. Fabric-covered cardboard, designed to sit on the shoulders, “sandwich board”-style. 😀

This was during the late 1980’s. As I recall, neither costume won, but they were a hit nonetheless. The washer is long gone, but we think the slice of pizza may be packed away in the basement.

In any event, I’m so glad we still have the pictures.

They make our hearts smile!

Hugs,

It’s a Phase

Posted on June 27, 2011 by crystal

If you know me, you might know that I have a tendency to over-think things.

In fact, Sir Beads often says that I think too much! 😉

I hate to admit it, but he may be right about that . . .

I worry about things that “could” happen, whereas he was born with the blessing of not worrying until something “has” happened.

But, that makes us a good match; gives us balance – yin and yang.

And when you THINK about it (There I go again!), somewhere between no worry and too much worry is probably best!

Don’t ya think? 😉

Oh man! She’s in one of those philosophical moods again.

Get to the point, Crystal!

Oh yes, the point. Well, during these last few weeks of retirement prep here, I keep having the same thought . . . It seems to me that retirement is really a phase – right up there with becoming a teenager! So many similarities.

I mean it’s a whole new world for a person.

You’ve been looking forward to it, but you don’t really know how it will go.
You’ll have more freedom (That’s exciting.)
But there will be new rules as well.
You will have new experiences, but some of them will be unfamiliar; you’ll have no frame of reference, which can be unnerving. The unknown often is!

Then again, life is full of phases and it’s comforting to realize that they usually go just the way they are supposed to, albeit with a few bumps along the path. I’m not spending too much time worrying about it.

If I did – there’d be no time to make a sparkly little tennis-style bracelet!

Or several of them!

Or a pair of earrings to match my favorite of the bunch.

This color combo is GORGEOUS in person! Wish I could hand the earring to you right through the screen. Violet and soft aqua – delish! 🙂

Until next time,

Hugs,