Merry Christmas

Hello, everyone.

Weather report: last night it was supposed to get down to the upper 40's (F) and today we should hit the mid 70's. It's cloudy, but other than that it is what we call "Chamber of Commerce Weather."

An ornament for the peregrinos. Also a rendering of the Flight into Egypt.

A small beading post

Hello, everyone.

It's been very busy--even though I thought things would settle a bit after the angel party, it's only held on High Level since then. But--to my personal amazement--the United States Postal Service is not only very busy but according to my email they're working 24 hours at this point. (God bless them!) The last package is supposed to come to me today...halleluia!

This little picture is from my very first experiment in freeform peyote stitch, It's a bracelet.

The seed  beads were part of a mix--mostly browns with some accents--and in the end I was not enthused about the "mixy" look. The strands of the mix I tried just never seemed to work out. So when I decided to try out the freeform style of peyote, I pulled by color from the dish of mixed beads and added accent beads into the weave as y'all can see. (Dyed freshwater pearls, glass beads, and I think a piece of agate.)

The freeform weaving is fun, and with a limited palette of colors it works, but it does require a lot of creative decisions to be made all along. Whether you enjoy it or find it a burden to do that many decisions is probably related to whether your life outside the bead bowl is frenetic or calm.

Most of the beads were from Fire Mountain packages--I like to get the Bosses Bead Bag assortment just to see what's in it--and over the years many interesting things have appeared. Lately, however, they've gone to having a lot of different assortment packs and the Bosses Bead Bag is more fillers and small bits of findings. There is often a dusting of seed beads in the bottom of the bag, though, and many of them have turned out to be Delica types over the years. Thus the brown color assortment that turned into this bracelet!

Just in case it gets too busy tomorrow to make a post, I wish for all of y'all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. (If you're Jewish, a happy Hanukkah.)

Remembering Estero Llano Grande

Hello, everyone.

It's cool out and getting chillier. Tomorrow is supposed to be cold and sloppy. It makes me want to remember the lovely warm day we visited Estero Llano Grande a little while back.

 An egret admiring his reflection in the pond.

A "tuna", or fruit, on one of the cacti. This is possibly the same type as some of the bird-gift cacti in my little pots.

Snow!

Hello, everyone.

Here is a small view of a rare event: snow falling in the Rio Grande Valley. The snow is now sticking on frangipani leaves, grass, and the newly plowed field. We will enjoy the moment as it will melt soon.

Happy Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This is the patronal feast of the United States: the title under which a saint in heaven, in this case Mary the mother of Jesus, is the patroness of the nation. This is separate from the title, Our Lady of Guadalupe, under which Mary is the patroness of all of the Americas together.

Returning to those gifts from the birdies

Hello, everyone.

The little birdie gifts have been in pots for a little while now and are doing fairly well...I still don't have a really good idea what kinds they are, other than some rough generalities.

I think she doesn't like the weather change coming

Hello, everyone.

The weather is supposed to change this evening.

I think Kitty doesn't like the prospect. It's supposed to be in the fifties and dropping (Fahrenheit) tomorrow, and colder yet on Thursday. Winter has finally deigned to arrive.

On another note, the angel gifts are done:

This was actually a Pinterest post, too. It is a small purse for a young girl. These particular ones depart a little from the lady's pattern: I put piping into the seams and used premade ruffle instead of pleating a piece of quilting muslin for the ruffle. And I lined them all in poly satin. They are loaded, of course, with the kinds of things young ladies like to receive.

There will likely be some more of these made, possibly with a slight change in the shape (the curves are a little nerve-wracking to sew) and maybe even with an internal pocket or a zipper closure. We shall see! (Stash busting for the win! Except for a small supplement to the interfacing supplies, everything in these little beauties was from the stash.)

Approximate width of the bag, 9 inches. The little handles were cut to 14 inches long before the attachment to the bag.

I dearly hope my little angels like their gifts!

It's been a very busy week

Hello everyone.

The busy isn't finished yet, either.

I did get some Christmas prep done around the house, though.

I recapped the Pinterest idea that was tried last year--added a couple more balls--and it still looks good. (I love a way to use up some ivory tulle!) As there is a picture in the post from last year, and I hadn't made a "save for web" version of this year's one, y'all can look at the photo from last year. It's pretty much the same, and hanging from the same light fixture too.

 Below the hanging collection of gold balls, a table runner that was made last year and something new. The greenery is two pine picks from Hobby Lobby, with a few of the fair sized collection of itty-bitty ornaments we have. The dangling blue and cream star was made from instructions in Bead and Button magazine December 2010 issue (goes to a back issue sale listing), using Delicas and 15 count rocailles and a cabochon instead of the suggested rivoli center. (Those from Fire Mountain Gems.)

The green version, which is on the other side of the little "tree" on the table.

There was also a white version made, but the photo didn't come out. It's on the main tree in front of a light bulb, and the light illumines the translucent beads wonderfully. In person. The camera looked at it and decided to focus on another thing entirely! Oh well.

As the busy time is not over yet--got to finish little gifts for my little angels before their party!--I will cut this post off here.