Using my Beads...

...for the National Inclusion Project. :-)

These are silent auction items for the October 2011 Champions for Change Gala in Raleigh, NC.

Hope they do well! :-)

The colors represent the logo of the organization. The necklace consists of assorted gemstone, glass, copper and two different types of beaded beads. Thanks to Liz Reed of The Crimson Moon for the use of her beaded bead tutorial. 

A quote from one of the co-founders of the NIP. Hand-hammered copper. 

The name of one of the NIP's very respected programs for children with disabilities and their non-disabled peers. 

....and then one more, more generic item for the silent auction:

Link to the picture in my FB

(I KNOW I have this picture somewhere in my files, but do you think I can find that sucker??! NO!)

This one uses Swarovski glass pearls and beaded beads from a Cathy Lampole pattern.

Beaducation is celebrating a birthday with a giveaway!

For your chance to win a set of design alphabet stamps.....click here to see the rules.

Wish me luck....and I'll do the same for you! :-)

June Photo Challenge

June Photo Challenge posted....Click here to see the photos

This month I was rushed...it was a wet month, and most of the days I was not working, it was raining. But I think  I'm pleased with those I did get. I'm missing one...sun/lens flare...I usually throw those ones out LOL!

I also attended a nice quilt show in June, up in Bracebridge...it was a LOVELY day, one of the few. The pictures from the show are here, and they're well worth seeing I think.

One or two samples....
A gorgeous Judy Niemeyer design (not part of the show, from a vendor's stand):

Fun!! From a "chocolate" challenge done by the guild...yes, it's really a quilt!

Loved these dandelions done with stitchery and Angelina fibre....

And a beautiful closeup of an applique quilt:

My son from Calgary was here in June, so we took a trip down to The Beach(es) in Toronto to wander the area, enjoy a craft show, and have some dinner. Here's a few pics from that day I quite liked:

Streetside veggies:

Kew Gardens flora:

The library owl:

Kew Gardens:

....and some neighbourhood fauna: :-)

The next time you're in the area....you MUST go have a meal at the purple Thai restaurant there (I can't remember its name).  There are two Thai ones; this one is on the south side of Queen, it's painted purple, it's really tiny, and the food is AWESOME!

Have a great July!