Empty Bowls

My friends Jackie and Pat went with me today to the Empty Bowls event at the Meyerson Symphony Center. Jackie's friend Karen joined us and she took the photo. The Empty Bowls is an international event that takes place to raise money for the local food banks. We got to sample soups, breads and desserts from local restaurants and food purveyors in North Texas, plus select a handmade bowl created by an area artisan and listen to classical music by Young Strings. Jackie, Pat and I are members of the Emanuel Lutheran Church and our church has a food pantry that gets its food from the North Texas Food Bank. I am in favor of supporting this event whenever I can. The North Texas Food Bank was established in 1982 to address the critical issue of hunger in North Texas by securing donations of surplus unmarketable, but wholesome, foods and grocery products for distribution through a network of charitable organizations dedicated to feeding the hungry in 13 North Texas counties. In the first year of operation, the Food Bank distributed 400,000 pounds of food. This has become an international project to fight hunger.

Corbin's Family in Dallas

This is a picture of HAPPY Linda with her grandkids -- Christian ( almost 3), Carson (6) and Caty (9). My grandkids had never been to Dallas to our apartment (or any place where we have lived), so I was very excited that they finally were here to visit! Corbin brought his family on Thursday and they stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine that night. On Friday, they spent the day at the indoor water park there. Then, they checked into the Residence Inn nearer where Bob and I live. Bob and I met all of them at the Black-Eyed Pea for dinner on Friday night. On Saturday, they came to our apartment for breakfast. Christian found some metal airplanes right away and he had such fun with them. Bob's kids had given the airplanes to him as part of a Christmas gift when we lived in Sarasota. The airplanes represented a ticket for Bob to fly to IL to visit his grandsons. Bob kept the four metal planes on a shelf of his nightstand and Christian found them about two minutes into their visit here. He completely ignored the Toy Story etch-a-sketch I got for him! The girls did enjoy coloring their new picture books, however. After breakfast, we went to the Dallas Aquarium. We all enjoyed the wild animals, fish and birds we saw. After lunch at Cafe Express, Corbin & Christy took Christian back to the hotel so he could take a nap. Caty & Carson experienced their first ride on the Dallas trolley! Bob, the girls and I took a round trip on the trolley. The girls loved it! Caty & Carson told us that they want to live in Dallas! Back at our apartment, we had about an hour before their dad picked them up, so I got out some beads. I had on a necklace that Carson liked and after I told her that I made it, she told me that she wanted to make a necklace! Music to my ears!! I let the girls pick out the beads they wanted for their new necklaces and I put them together. Caty has her ears pierced, so I also made her a pair of earrings. They met Christy's cousin for dinner on Saturday night, so Bob and I had the evening to ourselves. This morning (Sunday), Bob and I met them at the American Girl Doll store and bistro at the Galleria. Caty & Carson received the American Girl Dolls from Santa. Christy, Caty, Carson and I went to the bistro for lunch while Bob, Corbin & Christian had lunch elsewhere in the Galleria. What FUN! There were even chairs for the dolls to sit at the tables and cups for their own cup of tea! Afterwards, of course, we had to shop at the American Girl Doll Store! The girls picked out some new outfits for their dolls, Julie & Kayah. And Christian told his dad, "I need a puppy!" He found a cute, stuffed dog from the Chocolate Chip series. These dolls have everything! So unlike "in the good old days" when my sister and I had to use our imaginations and use boxes for beds and furniture for our dolls and handkerchiefs and wash cloths for blankets. And, we actually sewed our own doll clothes! Oh, well. It was fun for the day with my grandkids and watching them pick out items for their American Girl Dolls. You can see all of the photos from the weekend at -- share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8EbMmLJq3aKM3Q

Steampunk Jewelry

Cindy has started making jewelry by using old watch parts. This is called steampunk jewelry. By definition, steampunk is -- An imaginary Victorian age, that features brass and copper clockwork and steam powered inventions that go far beyond 1800's technology. Steam powered mechanical wonders, optimistic gear driven computers, dirigibles, clockwork firsts, and stuff like that. Here are some of her new necklaces and pins. The Walleska store in West Village in Dallas sold a couple pieces of Cindy's steampunk necklaces and they have asked for more. These pieces will be taken to the Walleska store for sale sometime next week. If you are interested in buying any of these pieces, contact me.

Pastor Julios Installation

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Blue Necklaces

These necklaces are results of a purchase of the blue Batik fabric beads (cylinder beads in photo on the left). On one of my Beading Daily emails, there were instructions for a three-stranded necklace using these Kristal Wick Batik fabric beads. I fell in love with the beads and I had to buy some. First, I looked at Batik fabric at Joann's Fabric store and I thought I'd just make my own Batik fabric beads. But, after looking at lots of Batik fabric, I didn't see any as pretty as the blue Batik fabric beads I saw on Amazon.com. So, I used my gift card that my brother gave me for Christmas and I purchased these Kristal Wick blue Batik fabric beads. I wanted to make the three-stranded necklace similar to the one on Beading Daily. I went to several of my favorite bead shops and purchased the rest of the beads I needed for the project. After I made three strands, using the two strands in the necklace on the left and the outer strand on the necklace on the right, I decided that the three-strand necklace was way too elaborate and I had spent way too much money on ONE necklace! I would have had to price the necklace at over $50 to recoup the money I had spent on beads -- not counting getting anything for the time I'd spent making the necklace. I split up the strands, made another strand with gold chain and a few beads to match the outer strand for the necklace on the right and -- VOILA! -- two necklaces!! These will be for sale on NeeNee & CheeChee's Beaded Things website -- www.neeneeandcheechee.etsy.com

Some Unique Beads

These are NOT gumballs or jaw breakers! These are some unique beads from the Philippines. They are (from left to right, top row first), onion skin, cracked eggshell, sea-snake skin, garlic skin, tobacco leaf, red sea-snake skin and banana bark. These beads have a poly resin coating. I would love to see how they are made. I saw these advertised in one of my bead magazines and I liked them enough to order them. Now, I need to think up ways to incorporate them into some unique pieces of jewelry. I might just put them on a simple black cord, colored silk cords, fairy ribbons or chains. If you have any good ideas, let me know. And if you would like one of these made into a necklace, they will be sold for $20 each, unless you want a lot of beads added with it.

Not a Football Fan

I am not a football fan. Please forgive me. I've tried watching football and other sports on TV, but I lose interest very fast. I've even asked my husband to explain to me what was going on, as I thought I might enjoy it more if I understood the game. But no. No interest at all. So, while Bob and probably you too, were watching the Superbowl last night, I was making new jewelry. Here are the items I made. They will be for sale on NeeNee & CheeChee's Beaded Things website -- www.neeneeandcheechee.etsy.com

Another Dizzy Discard Necklace

This is a necklace in our Dizzy Discards line. Why am I putting it in the Dizzy Discards line? Because the pearls and the material were bought at thrift stores. When I was in Gainesville, FL, a couple of weeks ago, I had a morning to myself while Michael was teaching his law class. I decided to take a walk. I asked the clerk at the desk at the hotel if there were any stores near by and he told me that there was a Dollar General about a half mile away. As I was walking to the Dollar General store, I saw a thrift shop on the opposite side of the street. I love looking in thrift shops! I always find some good bargains and I find old jewelry that I can take apart to use for my jewelry that I make. At this thrift shop, I found some filmy material for $.05! I already had an idea in mind how I was going to incorporate that piece of material in a piece of jewelry. Then, when I was visiting my sister-in-law, Chris, in Vero Beach, she and I went to several nice thrift shops. I found the clip-on pearl earrings for $.50 that I knew would go wonderful with that piece of filmy material I bought in Gainesville. On the left is a photo of my new necklace! It probably cost me under a dollar to make. I hope someone who isn't reading my blog will pay $20 for the beautiful necklace!

Jewelry at the Walleska Store in Dallas

On Monday, I took more of the NeeNee & CheeChee's Beaded Things jewelry to the Walleska store in West Village. Walleska, the owner, was there and I got to finally meet her. I had been dealing with her assistant until then. Walleska looked through several pieces of jewelry I took for consignment in the store. These are the pieces that are in the store for sale.

From Old Jewelry to New Jewelry

My friend Nance Guth who lives in Sarasota, has kept me busy making new jewelry for her from pieces that belonged to her grandmother. When I was in Sarasota last week, Nance gave me several pieces that she wanted made into new pieces. This very long necklace on the right was one that her grandmother used to wear. Nance didn't want to wear it the way it was, so she asked me if I could make it into a more wearable necklace, a pair of earrings and a bracelet. The photo on the left are her new pieces. I hope she likes them!