A magazine feature and a new giveaway!

I may have mentioned this in a previous post but it bears repeating.

I am going to be the featured designer in Bead Trends magazine for February.  This means I get my head shot, bio, and 10 page spread of my jewelry in the center of their February issue.  I am beyond excited about this opportunity and have been searching for the perfect way to celebrate this momentous event.

I have found it.

I will be once again hosting a giveaway.  But this time.... it is HUGE.  I will be giving away a $100 gift certificate to not one but TWO lucky people on February 10th.  Entries will begin on February 1st at midnight (12am CST) and end February 9th at midnight (12am CST).

How can you enter to win for a chance to win one? 
1.) Tweet about the magazine issue on Twitter (send me a copy of your tweet). 1 chance
2.) Post a link to Bead Trends magazine on your FB.  Make sure you tag me in the post (Cynthia Thomson). 3 chances
3.) Send me a photo of you with the February issue of Bead Trends magazine. Let me know if I may use your photo in my blog or FB page. 5 chances
4.)  Make a comment on this blog about which featured jewelry piece from the magazine issue you like best and why.  5 chances

So, get out there and check it out.  You can find Bead Trends magazine online ( http://www.northridgepublishing.com/store/issues/bead-trends-magazine ) and also in craft stores.

More Greenhouse updates!

I am terribly behind in my blogging and in my greenhouse project reports.  Forgive me.

We have the posts set and up, the framing for the roof done and the roof went on a few weeks before we left for Christmas break.  Now, we are to the point where we need to start putting up the windows for the walls.

There's just one thing wrong with that.  Some of our windows have since been knocked over by strong winds and broken.  This isn't a huge problem as we have plenty windows and people keep volunteering more.  But it means out initial window "layouts" will no longer be possible.  So, when we start putting them up, it will be from square one.... a real trial and error process.

So that's where we stand thus far.  We are hoping to be able to put up windows this weekend since it supposed to be fairly warm outside.  Probably won't get all of them up but maybe one wall worth.  I'll try to keep you posted on the progress.

Please support small businesses today!

I've been watching all that has been going on in my country for a while now.  People are pissed off.  They are pissed off that there is such a huge gap developing between the haves and the have nots.  And I know one small way everyone can help close that gap a bit.

Buy from local and small businesses this holiday season.  Start now.  You can even patronize small businesses online.  It's a small easy step in the right direction.

Please do this.  It will help everyone... including me.  Shop small businesses and keep the money out of the hands of those Wall Street execs.

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/divapixie

http://www.artfire.com/

Greenhouse groundbreaking.

We decided to break ground on our greenhouse project today.

For those of you who don't know, or more because I probably have been REALLY bad about updating my LJ lately, Lee and I have decided to tackle to project of building a greenhouse form mostly recycled materials. The inspiration for this project was our friend Jola, who has such a greenhouse attached to her little shed. We figured if they could do it, so could we.

Anyways, we purchased our 10' 4x4 posts this weekend and today we got started digging the holes for said posts. These five posts will be our support for the frame of the greenhouse, which will also be attached to a thus support by the existing shed.

So, Lee went out with the post hole digger and started digging... and hit concrete! I shit you not.... there was a sidewalk completely buried... and partially under my vegtable garden. This explains why my cucumbers did so poorly this season.

After much digging, prying and lifting.... we had quite the large stash of concrete panels and even somecurved pieces that were used as a drain next to the sidewalk. This was some old school concrete pouring.

We removed three sidewalk panels and 4 pieces of "drain" as well as two old bricks and one random large rock. UGH. After all this was taken out of the way, we tooksome bamboo pieces we have and some twine and found our line for the first side of the greenhouse. We measured out where our first two posts on that side should be located and then marked those places with some spray paint. Then it was all "hurricane Lee" from that point on. He dug a 24" hole with the post hole digger,injuring his knee and nose in the process. No worries, just bruises and small lacerations... no sprains or breaks.

Doesn't look like much huh? Well, one two foot hole dug.... only 4 more to go. Then we are on to placing and Quickcreting in posts. It's the first step anyways.

Some new pieces....

I have been a very busy bee on many fronts lately.  Jewelry is included in those.  I've created a whole flock of new pieces.  I would like to take some time to feature a few of them here.  For the sake of picture sanity, I'll divide them into multiple posts.

This cameo is a tortoise shell vintage cameo surounded by a rose gold colored copper wire crocheted into a sort of basket.  I then wove colored freshwater pearls around it in two layers.  I have plans to do a Viking crocheted copper chain to accompany it.

In stark contrast to the above piece, here are is a simple pair of earrings.  I used swarovski bicones, freshwater pearls and faceted glass beads along with the silver plated wire and findings to create these lovely drop earrings.



A pretty picture of beads...

... just because I can.

Cosmos!

I have and always will adore cosmos.  They are such a delight to grow.  The tall fern like plants, the delicate daisy like flowers and the bright colors make them such a wonderful addition to my garden.  They attract butterflies and honey bees and lots of different beetles.  They alaos distract grasshoppers from eating any nearby vegtables.  Grasshoppers love to eat cosmos, flower petal and all.  While some people might find that distressing, I don't mind.  I have several eggplant and tomatoe plants nearby that appreciate the bug distraction.

These cosmos reseeded themselves all over my lawn this year.  I had to literally dig up the small seedlings and place them inside the garden liner to save them form the lawn mower.  And while it took FOREVER for them to bud and blossom, now look at them.