Breast cancer awareness lampwork earrings

Breast cancer is something that affects us all, we know someone or many someones who have, have had, and are in danger of having breast cancer.  My mom had it at the beginning of her 70's.  Luckily it was caught early.  I have several friends who have battled it for years.  These earrings (I have 5 in my shop) are found in earwingsandthings.etsy.com     20% of all sales will be donated to the Susan G Komen foundation. I have a pair that lets everyone who sees them know that breast cancer can be fought, and that we need to be vigilant  in prevention that only we can do...regular breat checks.

Of Dandelions and heat in Texas

Hot here.  The dogs just hate it.  luckily I have lots to do inside.  I'm working on Christmas ornaments that I do hope I will get photographed and posted early fall.  Last year I never got around to it.

As a military brat I love this photo of a dandelion, the military brats official flower.  I found this one in Greece (which is amusing because I don't have any in my garden and I had to go all the way there to find one)  I made our expedition leader laugh when I told him about the dandelion and how excited I was to find some, he said the last thing he did before the trip was mow all the dandelions in his mom's garden.  I suppose if I had them everywhere I wouldn't find them so special.

Another month in Texas and yearning for Greece

Walking through

Abstract in beige

White and cool blue

Windmills on Mikonos

Just a few photos from Greece.  It's been so much fun editing all the photos I took.  Everything about the trip was fantastic.  My cameras couldn't ask for more.  I wish I could remember where I took each of these photos, but their beauty seemed to roll into one large landscape of color.

Where did my time go?

I've been editing my photos from Greece, but I've been down and out with bronchitis for the past 3 weeks,  bed rest and antibiotics have helped so I'm in online fighting form.  I'll add some more Greek photos when I'm done with more editing....did I say how much we enjoyed our trip...nice people, nice food, nice excursions to 9 wonderful islands.  Whoo Hoo! What more could anyone want?

fleeting, Greece, Came, went, new friends, memories and thousands of photos

Beautiful blues of the water around Omorgos, Greece

Sunset on the Aegean

The Panorama, our home at sea

Santorini, Greece

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Our Greek adventure was really way too short.  But it was wonderful.  From huge Athens to the small islands in the Cyclades the trip unfolded and enveloped the mind and imagination..... and the past that permeates so much of Greece captured us as well.  New friends,  and the beautiful islands who shared their beauty with us could not have been more perfect.  My camera was so busy and having so much fun that I forgot to buy souvenirs and treats for myself.  I did not fall and break anything (although as anyone who knows me when I'm in photo mode would still be astounded)  and then there were the wonderful people who knocked me out of the way as a car approached.  I live a charmed life.  As a 40th wedding anniversary trip, it couldn't have been more wonderful.  As I edit photos from the trip, I think, I'm back in the moment.  Yasoo!!!!!

TGIF

Well, there are lots of TGIF's.....But this one is a little special because it is the last one before our trip to Greece.  I'm getting a little nervous.  I'm packed mentally, but my dear husband is driving me demented.  I know before we head out on Tuesday he's going to want to clean the whole house, i mean really, who cares?  Well, could it be like wearing clean underwear in case you're going to be in an accident?  I kind of feel like we need a disclaimer.....downstairs, courtesy of Dave Radcliffe, upstairs his lovely wife ruth  (of course there would be the need to elaborate on that to say, the mess upstairs, was made by lovely wife and there for her responsibility)  Do you think I could get away with that?  Better, because the last thing I want, need or care to do is clean......I'm fixing my cameras, gathering all the magical mystical electronic cords, and just plain trying to remember the few Greek phrases I learned 30 years ago.  You can't go wrong with "hello, please, thank you and excuse me". 

spring time with color and care

Orchids have long been a favorite..in Kuala Lumpur we had so many varieties and oh so many pots, alas I never could get them to bloom again, or killed them outright.  They were easily found to buy.  My favorite place to go was the leper colony.  While no longer a dreaded disease People were allowed to remain in their homes and many of them took to gardening and the selections were awesome.  one day we bought a few to put on one of our balconies.....but we needed a trellis.  Now that took some time to find, but we were successful, finally. The problem was how to get it halfway across town in a small toyota.  Ok, we put it on the roof, there was no twine or rope to be had, so to make a very long story short, I had to hang out the window trying my best to hold on to it as it flapped in the breeze.  I think I was lost all feeling in my arm.

Of course there were many instances where shopping and transport was difficult  (and this is a digression from Orchids.)  One day while browsing through central market in KL's Chinatown,  we were admitted through a locked door (I guess to keep the riff raff out?) We found an antique table, chair and a few other items.  What fun to carry them to the car, as we walked through a busy Chinatown in search of said car We had table over head, chair under arm and well every thing else just hanging around.  The looks we got were fantastically funny, and eventually we got where we needed to go.  This not a one off in the 3 years we lived there, a the joys of no parking lots near the bowels of Chinatown were always a challenge.

Getting back to orchids,  I wonder how long I can keep this one alive.  Any bets?

And the circus came to town

Spring brings so many things to life...and one of the funnest and most vibrant is the traveling amusement parks that set up shop all around Houston when the weather turns nice.  The colors just invite you in and warm you all over.  They scream in oh so many ways, but my favorite is the  for photographs waiting to be taken.  I usually think that when ever I come across one but then life gets in the way and as soon as I turn around its gone, and I'm always feeling blue, or red, or orange.  But this year, a beautiful sunny cool Sunday found me walking around a color wonderland.....just me, not a soul about.  Seemed a little weird, but, the sound of laughter, and screams of delight also seemed to have settled over and through the jumping, rounded, rolling coaster of the landscape.  Next time we'll have to visit at night and oh what an adventure that will be.

St Patricks day

It's St. Patricks day and I'm full of green.  These wonderful earrings are made with tree jasper and really look super on an ear (unless you'd like to put them elsewhere).  A new addition to earwingsandthings on ETSY.

crossed

Just views of a recent necklace that was added to earwingsandthings.etsy.com  I just love both the colors and the feel of the beads

In hopes of summer sun

I love this time of year.  Things have begun to stand still in hopes of the sun of summer.  Not deep hot knee walking humidity.  But just with the hints of yellow and green, flowers budding, flowing into that wonderful cacophany  of color.  Just mellowing out and flowing with the yellow

where has time gone?

Wow, I can't believe that I haven't been here since January.  I know most of  Feb.  was spent down with bronchitis.....no fun there.  Here's a photo that I fell in love with while living in Malaysia...  This year I have a goal of adding posts  of challenges I give myself.  I'm still getting my head around this idea so hopefully it will come to fruition by the end of the year.  There has been so many things going on that I really need a focus.  Stop in sometime and see if I've made progress.

cycling into the new year

The new year is here.  Oh so fast it seems.  2010 was truly busy with many connections with old friends, learning new tools of the trade and just being.  I don't think I would have it any other way.  Good health has been blessed on my family and good times were had by all.  I don't believe in resolutions, and have oh so many projects left over from last year, who needs any more.  My wishes for you all.....peace, health, creative living and prosperity in any form that enriches your life.

Christmas

Thinking about Christmas, and all it means and all the wonderful sharing that goes along with it.  I wish that spirit would be an "all the time" blessing.  In that spirit, I wish all the points of my life touches at least one person and will travel as far and bright as Christmas lights.

A long time coming and a heart of a project

This semester I've been taking a class in art metals.  It's been a blast, in so many ways.  These photos are my final class project:  a box ring.  It was complicated and I must confess I was pretty clueless as the construction evolved.....however the end result was so much fun.....I will hate to have the class end and am  hoping the next semester will have enough students to make.

ETC spotlight treasury #10

ETC spotlight treasury #7

Each week we feature a group of Etsy Texas Crafters (in alphabetical order, so the poor "z's"  have awhile to wait since we've almost finished the "b's"  Our group is large and talented.  Go Texas!!!!!

Etsy Texas swap

several times a year team etsy texas (teametsytx) has a swap among it's members.  My swap partner this time was Tana from www.grannysgift@etsy.com   Her gift was a gorgeous felted purse. Felting is something I love very much and can't wait to use.  Admire her unique handywork

Where have I been?

I'm not sure, but definitely not here.  This summer has been so busy....I traveled to Colorado in June for a college reunion and again in July for a youth leadership conference where I was the conference photographer......a wonderful experience as always but totally exhausting.  I'm just getting my sea legs back .  Extrovert mode always demands introvert mode.  With batteries recharged I'm back in the saddle so to speak and ready to catch up on etsy and 1000 markets.  I have so many new things to list and sort out.

some new treasuries

bowling for Perrier

"bowling for perrier" is a fun and new listing in my etsy shop www.Rhradcliffedesigns.etsy.com

just there

While traveling in Wales a while back I came across this young man just standing there, and I wondered just what he was looking at.  He was so casual and cool that he seemed to fit like a statue in the gardens of Port Merion.

Earwingsandthings new earring listing

Coral in the middle, dangly earrings in red and blue

Description

This pair of earrings is centered around a piece of coral surrounded by turquoise rondelles. Sterling silver findings round out the set. Nice and casual, stunning when paired with Turquoise necklaces.

Added on May 24, 2010

Big sky country

Living in West Texas felt like the earth was flat and you could see forever.  I loved that sky and miss it in the bright light of Houston landscape.  I miss the feeling of being one small part of a glorious whole.  My time there was an appreciation of scale, nature and color.  At night the sky would slowly creep upwards with ever deepening blues, they were always there, cerulean, french ultramarine, thalo blue seeping into indigo and blue black.  And then the stars would come out showering down their own special magical light show.

spring in color

How I love spring, my garden sings, art soars and colors abound.  Now if I can only keep things alive.

green things, in honor of earth day

In honor of earth day, a treasury from designstyleguide on Etsy

S and O Productions: Treasury Tuesday The Elite Eight

elephantdreams.etsy.com

junk mail

Seems that my mailbox gets the same type of junk mail......a literal meaning for all that garbage I end up with..........

Dandelion entry

Approx 3.5 in diameter this wreath is wire wrapped with silver, copper and brass wires. On this frame are glass beads, pearls, seed beads and waxed linen. This wreath can be hung on a nail or on an ornament stand. This particular wreath is part of a Military Brat team challenge.

seeing trees

That time of year seems to come when the sky is sunny, the grass warm and breezy clouds over head.  I love nothing better than to just lie on the grass and look up.  These Aspen are trees from my childhood and I will always hear their swish in the wind.  I will always watch when the leaves change into yellow glistening tingling as the first cool days of fall begin to slide into winter.  In spring with new leaves, their green dances about.  And to think they just seemed like simple trees.