Happy Holidays

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Happy Holidays all. It has been a while since I have shared. I have been busy creating and designing gifts for my friends and family. Here are a few of my favorites…..

I was going through my button stash and I came across some covered buttons. I think they belonged to my mom, ‘cause I don’t remember buying them. I decided to cover them with some scrap leather and make pony tail holders.

More buttons from my button stash - I hope my neice will like these. I think they make perfect stocking stuffers.

I love personalizing the gifts – It makes the gifts uniquely yours

…and here are a few more stocking stuffers. Wow! What a button collection. Since I no longer sew, I was pleased I was able to come up with an idea for my buttons.




And turning to my bead collection, but still keeping with the hair theme, here is what I came up with.






I had several dozen mini pony tail holders that I purchased simply because they were on sale – plus they have multiple uses – I use them instead of using rubber band. I decided to bling them up and use them as stocking stuffer for the little ladies in my family.







Thank you for stopping by, and thank you for supporting independent artists.
- buy handmade -

Swarovski necklace

People are always telling me that the get numerous compliments when they wear my jewelry. I hardly wear the pieced I make, because I do not get out much, plus, I sell most of the pieces I make. Today was the exception. I was the necklace pictured here and 2 ladies came up to me and complimented me on the piece. Later on, I was in a department store and yet another lady came up to me and complimented the piece. I think I may have a few new customers. I must say, they made my day. It feels great to get kudos on your labor of love. All my pieces are made with love.
See more @ www.almatthewsetc.com

Rag Shop

My mom was very creative; she liked sewing, embroidering, crocheting, painting. I guess you could call her a mixed media artist – her favorite media was textile. Her favorite store was Rag Shop, followed by Jo-Ann fabrics and The Home Depot.

Several years ago – before Cell Phone was King – I was living in NY and I was having a very bad day. I needed to speak with my best friend, my Mother. I called her repeatedly at home but she was not home. Then I decided to call the Rag Shop close to her home in Deerfield Beach, Florida. I described her to the clerk and asked if she was in the store. Indeed she was. The clerk handed the phone to her, we talked for a bit and all was right with the world.

A few weeks ago an e-mail from Rag Shop was in my in box. They are going out of business. My heart is broken. I rushed over to snag a few items, but all my favorite items are picked over. I was able to grab a few beads and jewelry findings.
I have been searching the ‘net to find out why they are closing, but the information is scanty. According to one report, they are closing because of competition from WalMart, another states that “the family that had started the chain had sold it, and the corporate executives were cutting back on the merchandise in lots of ways. They were going to try to max out profits while they could and then liquidate.”
I am sad to see them go. Anyway, here a few of my creations from the supplies I got @ Rag Shop.


See more @ http://www.almatthewsetc.com/

Jamaica, Jamaica

Here are a few pictures I took while I was on vacation in Jamaica.


My Niece and I went hiking in the Dolphin Head Mountains

These Mountains extend through Westmoreland and Hanover, reaching a height of 600 meters (1,809 ft) at Birch's Hill. Dolphin Head, so called because of its appearance, is a landmark seen from far out at sea to the south). – We came across the water fall pictured here.

My Niece named this Goat Puebert, I hope that is the correct spelling of his name. She was not pleased that Puebert was locked up and she complained bitterly. My brother explained that if he was allowed to run loose, then they would have a problem with over population. She was not pleased with this explanation – after all, what’s a few extra goats?

Puebert

I had to take this photo. I remember my teacher in prep school would have the girls walk with books on their heads. This was her way of helping us to improve our posture. I think this news paper vendor has perfect posture.

These tourists were not pleased about the 1.5 hours it took to travel .5 miles. I hope they had fun once the eventually got to their destination.

My brother took me to Tortuga’s. Arguable the best ice cream on the island. The facility includes a bakery for the Tortuga Caribbean Rum Cakes, a production kitchen for Calypso Gelato (Italian style ice cream) and a café and gift shop. Visitors can see the rum cakes being baked and gelato produced from the viewing windows, enjoy free samples and dine on the verandah of the Caribbean styled cottage overlooking the water. The gift shop includes a complete selection of Tortuga rums, rum cakes and other gourmet gifts and souvenirs.

Memorial Day

This holiday was first known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to decorate the graves and honor those that died in the Civil War. Although many cities claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, NY the official birthplace. Waterloo started celebrating Memorial Day on May 5, 1866. It was a community-wide event during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags. But it wasn't until 1971 that Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May.

Here is my latest design in honor of what I think will be an awesome summer. I am praying for no major hurricanes, enough rain to end the drought we are having in south Florida, and enough sunshine to have lots of outdoor barbeques.

About a week ago, I decided to work on a few designs for some napkin rings. I sat down to start on the design, but instead of napkin rings, I started making tablecloth weights. I am not sure why, they were not on my to-do list, but with me, that is just the way it is – everything I create comes from the heart. See more @ www.almatthewsetc.com.

By the way, Tablecloth Weights clips will hold your tablecloth in place even when the wind kicks up। The only thing you have to do is to simply clip the weights around the bottom of your tablecloth to keep it from blowing in the wind. Or more bling for your table.
Have a spectacular summer!!

I did it

I finally did it. Today I got my ears pierced. It took over 30 years, but I did it. I must say, it was the most unpleasant experience I have ever encountered. But I am happy to be able to wear some of the earrings that I have been designing - Well, I will not be able to wear them for six weeks - but when the time comes, watch out world, no more unadorned head. By the way, I would like to thank the 2 ladies at Wal-Mart who held me down while I went through the piercing ordeal - Ok, they held my hand. And to that security guard who thought I was casing the joint (I took me over 2 hours to decide on the ear impalement) shame on you;)

See more designs @ www.almatthewsetc.com

Happy Mother's day

"Some day you’ll miss your dear loving mother, you’ll wish you had her back in your home, you’ll wish you had her back, back in your little shack, some day you’ll miss her, when she is gone.” These are words to a song my mom would sing to me when I was a little girl. I did not get it at the time, now I do.

This year I decided not to mope around – I decided to do something for someone else. My nephew and his wife have 3 children under the age of 4. So on Saturday my son and I took them off her hands for almost the entire day. When my son was younger, I always wished that I would have a day off. My mother would help when she could, but then she became ill and subsequently passed away. After that point, it was just the 2 of us.

My mother’s day gift was the smile on her face. She was able to get some well deserved rest. Me – I sprouted a few more grey hairs. But it was well worth it.

Made her a necklace with each of her kids birthstone – she loved it.

Passion or say when

A few days ago my son and I were watching Opra's next big thing - she chose 10 people to promote their invention on her show. One of the judges advise the contestants to be passionate about their product when they presented. Hi comments stayed with me - I realized that although designing and creating are my passion, I am usually a bit unenthusiastic when I speak to others about. I do not know why I do this - look at Martha Stewart; she has made a fortune using her creativity and love of design - so why am I so subdued when it comes to my creative side? Well what ever the reason is, it stops today.

Here are a few things that I have been working on:

One on my latest obsessions is designing wine glass charms – I do not know why, (I do not drink wine or any other alcoholic beverage) I guess I am dissatisfied with the ones that are currently on the market. Plus, they are pretty and since ‘bling’ is the order of the day, why not add some to your wine or drinking glass.


I was a bit worried that the variation in colors or styles needed to be a bit more distinct, but I have decided that a good way to know when to say when is when you are unable to tell which charm. I am both creating and helping mankind;)

One of my customers told me that she uses the charms with the suction cups as sun catchers. She sticks them to her window and sunlight shining through the crystals creates some ‘groovy’ patterns. If you happen to purchase or own any of my designs, I would love to hear your stories about unique ways in which you use them.

Scribbles

A few years ago I was one of the managers at a major publishing company in Boca Raton Florida. I managed their e-book department. Since this was a burgeoning field, the higher ups required several meetings. (Have you noticed that the people in charge are often twits? - I think the official job of middle managers is to educate their VP. Unfortunately some VP has such huge egos, that they resist the input of their subordinates). But I digress. After a while, the meetings became so frequent, that I became bored. To entertain myself, I would write my notes in patois (a Jamaican dialect) or I would scribble.


Our meetings were always the same, we discussed the same topics (we would adjourn by discussing the time and place for the next meeting, where we would review the meeting we just has - confused. Eventually, taking notes in Patois was no longer necessary, because the topics were the same day after day. So the scribbling took over. I found myself scribbling the same basic shapes - soon, I began to wonder if I could make the scribbles into something useful.
About a year after I left the job with the publishing company, I was on my way to pick up my son and I had a light bulb moment. I was waiting for the light to turn green and I started to scribble the same image on piece of paper I had in my car. I returned home and started shaping the scribbles with wire. As I was shaping the wire the true light bulb moment came to me - I would make wine glass charms.

Bet you have not seen these before:)

And this is how you use them - Now there is no need to ask which glass is mine


Drink or wine glass charms....
are everywhere these days. I like to think of them as jewelry for my stemware. They make a great hostess gift and a wonderful addition to any table. They make finding one's own wine glass easier. If you don't serve wine, they are just a pretty on the stem of a water goblet or dessert glass! You can keep them to use at future gatherings or let your guests take them as a little memento of the occasion. And what a cute wedding favor with the couple's new initials.


See more @ www.almatthewsetc.com

Spring

A love Spring

So Spring warm weather upon with you watch
bloom flowers: Tulip, Orchid, Cherry ect..
That awake Springtime beautiful blue sky

With me, feeling of peace with Spring
Pollen of the flowers trees everywhere
To let you know the Spring coming
Green grass with flowers fill us with joy

Outdoor full of activities
Spring gently warm our souls
To the Spring 's love within you and me forever.

Natasa Tocuc

I love taking pictures, I am not very good, my pictures are usually out of focus, but I have a lot of fun trying. Plus, I have a 2GB flash card, that way, at least 1 of the 600 shots I take might turn out.
Here are a few of my spring photos.




Naturally, I had to mix in some of my handmade items...Imagine if jewelry grew on trees:)

Here is another poem - enjoy

Spring Is Here

Spring arrived today
Aglow in spring time fashion
Spring fever follows

Spring's Dresser changed her
Into winter's chilled soft wrap
Without care or flare

Spring flaunted her smile -
Everything she loved slowly
Awakened in praise

Dorothy (Alves) Holmes