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I just had to post about these new earrings created and for sale on my eCrater site (www.glassbeadtreasures.ecrater.com). I saw these lovely fluted crystal bells, and, though they were pretty expensive as far as glass beads go, I took the plunge and bought two to make a pair of earrings. The word "wedding" came instantly to mind when I saw them. They are dainty and elegant and beautiful. They are set on silver coated findings. I paired them with simple glass pearl beads and bi-cone Swarovski crystal beads to accent the bell and not take anything away from them...besides crystals and pearls are classic wedding accents and go with just about any color scheme. So, what do you think of them?
I finished this on my vacation and just in time for Independence Day. This is an elegant way to express your love for our country's colors not just on the Fourth of July but all year long. I have also added a delicate pink and cobalt charm. Check them out at www.glassbeadtreasures.ecrater.com.
By the way....the newest (summer 2008) issue of Romantic Country Magazine has a picture on page 16 featuring bath salts--"Bath Baubles", and what are the glass containers holding bath salts nestled in?? Sea glass, of course! How appropriate. As a side note, this season's issue of Romantic Country is just gorgeous. Every issue of this magazine is lovely. Kudos to the editors. Check it out!
I just couldn't wait to post the picture of the sea glass I found in Maine this past time. It is so fun and relaxing to search beaches looking for the little gems. Sea glass is glass from bottles and other items that has been thrown into the ocean from years past, broken up by the motion of the waves over the sandy and rocky bottom of the sea, and thrown up onto land by the waves. The glass comes in all colors of course--some colors more rare than others. There is plenty of brown, white, and beautiful shades of green. It is exciting to find light to dark turquoise, blue in various hues, red, pink, yellow, and light to dark purple (my daughter found one as you can see in this picture--a definite deep amethyst color). To find a piece of glass all roughened by the sea and in a gorgeous color is most exciting! It actually feels as if you are finding a precious gemstone. Many beaches in Maine have sea glass--some more than others, and you really must be determined to look. Some pieces are sharp and should be left to roughen up more. The best pieces (other than those with gorgeous colors) are ones that are "gum drops" as my mom calls them--so pitted and roughened by the sea they look like they are sugared gum drops (like the brown piece at the bottom left of the picture)--and pieces that you can tell they were part of a bottle, like the curved white piece at the bottom left, the white piece in the picture with "PA" on it, or the green piece with the maple leaf imprint on it. I have one piece from a past trip with "TEA" on it--perfect for me! Though I did not find any on this trip, my parents have found in the past small bottles and complete tops of perfume bottles. Lovely! Also, you can see in this picture a few pieces of broken teacups were found. I thought I'd include a penny for size perspective. Enjoy looking at my cache--real treasures indeed!
It's no wonder I love roses! While in Maine, we saw roses growing wild just everywhere in white and various shades of pink. It didn't matter if the soil was sandy or rocky, roses dotted the landscape and coastline. I'm convinced there is no better smell than the combined scents of wild roses and the salt air. **sigh**--I miss it already!
I'm back from my vacation visiting family in Maine. My husband is always so kind to make sure I get back "home" every year to visit my family and where I grew up. I love the coast and we went "to the coast" several times during our visit. A few times while on the coast were sunny, but most were foggy which can still be beautiful and romantic. We took a sail on the Margaret Todd (the only four-masted ship in New England) and even helped hoist the sails--no small feat! I tried to get a picture of her lovely reddish-brown sails in full sail, but whenever I had the chance it was too foggy to get a good picture. Visit the website about the trips aboard her on www.downeastwindjammer.com and for a good picture as well. Of course we went looking for sea glass, but I will tell you about that later!
Many thanks to Leslie, Ginger (www.seekingwoolandflax.blogspot.com), and Debbie (www.studiobeecreations.blogspot.com)for sending me some interesting itty bitty things! Each package was wrapped prettily, and it was so much fun looking through all the little things. The picture is of everything collectively that was sent by everyone. Pretty fun stuff. Thank you ladies!
This just has to be one of the yummiest recipes for molasses cookies. It is crisp and sugary on the outside and chewy and spicy on the inside. They have a very spicy/molasses flavor. While these are cooking, the entire house smells, oh, so delicious! I found this recipe on www.allrecipes.com and have tweaked it a bit to my liking. These are fabulous with a cup of Red Rose Tea (with a little milk and sugar, of course). So, go ahead, and bake up a batch and enjoy with a hot cup of tea in one of your prettiest teacups.
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/3 cup white sugar to roll dough in
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C)
Mix together brown sugar, oil, molasses, and egg. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger then stir into the molasses mixture. Roll dough into balls then roll in white sugar. Bake for 8 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet.
I'd love to hear from you if you have tried this recipe and have enjoyed it.
Most of my rose bushes are just waiting to burst forth with roses. There are buds galore, and with a little bit of rain (getting that tonight) and a little bit of sunshine, my cottage rose bushes will be a plethora of beauty, color, and fragrance. I just love roses, don't you? Here are just a few of the tender buds. I couldn't wait for them to fully open before posting a few pictures. Now, a cottage just isn't a cottage without lots of lovely roses!
Many, many thanks to Lori from Morning Glories and Moonflowers for her lovely Summer Swap items. Now, this gal knows what pretty packaging is! Just ask my husband, packaging is very important to me, especially pretty packaging. Check out her blog (www.perfectisboring.blogspot.com) which is also beautiful and full of fun. The gifts were to have a summer theme, and hers did from the pretty butterfly on the cookie (yum!) box, to the sandals on her card, to the pretty ribbon and flowers on the necklace box, to, yes, the patriotic necklace. I loved it all. Thank you so much, Lori!
