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http://www.bandjpromotions.com/

Happy 2009!!!

Such a Sexy Man

It's the holiday season. Christmas celebrations are drawing to a close. If only Michigan's weather would cooperate; snow, freezing fog, winds up to 50 mph not just once but several times in a week and 50 degree weather with melting snow causing a flood watch.

I found a sexy man that makes me forget all of that and his name is Carlo Rota. He is much handsomer than his photo. And buff, too.

I found out about him by watching, "The Great Canadian Food Show" on CBC at 3:30 pm one afternoon and now I am smitten :). He knows food because his family ran a restaurant. He's not afraid to try new adventures. Fabulous show. Oh, and you learn about food too. From four star quality to carnival eats, Carlo covers it all. Yumm.

Holly's Necklace

I made the necklace for my niece. I think the circular stone is agate strung with rubber tubing. The dangle is an amber-like stone. It may be amber for all I know since I recreated this necklace from pieces on a vintage necklace.

Even though my niece's name is not Holly, it just seemed appropriate to call the necklace by that name given the Christmas season. Yes, I said Christmas. It's not a bad word, it's what I celebrate. I know, it's not politically correct and I don't care. Merry Christmas!!!

Gracie's Pearl Dangle Ring

I found some seed pearls at the store a while back. I've been trying to decide whether to use them in a bracelet or necklace when suddenly thought a pearl ring would be perfect.

The Big Gobbler

Here it is, the photo of the big tom turkey fresh from the oven. It was 16.24 pounds and cooked in an oven bag. Comes out moist and delicious every time. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Summer's Last Hurrah

These are the last blooms from my garden. Everything else, including the mums, have finished flowering. The geraniums were the last hurrah.

My Little Cabbage

My dog loves to eat cabbage. She begs for the veggie. I included photos as proof. And she eats it out of my hand and looks for more. Want to get on puppy's good side, come to the house with cabbage.

Show Stopper Necklace and Earring Set

Back to working with black and white again. Guess it's my tribute to Obama winning the election - bringing black and white together in a glamorous way. Take a look at the stunning necklace that drapes beautifully just below the neckline with fun and funky earrings that match. Tres chic. Perfect with a little black evening dress. Great for dancing the night away.

Champagne and Cigarette Earrings

What's missing from these retro style earrings? Champagne and cigarettes, of course. Maybe a disco ball. Oh wait, the reflective ball is in these large purple sequins. Can't you just feel the heavy back-beat rhythm and see the flashing lights. Great for a New Year's Eve party.

Homemade Pizza

When the weather gets chilly, it's time to break out the cookbooks and start baking. Tonight I made home made pizza. Yum.

I made the crust with flour, water, yeast and a pinch of salt. Spread it on a pizza pan, of course. Topped it with a crushed tomato mixture, garlic, my homegrown oregano as well as my own homegrown basil. Added red onion slices, green olive slices and fresh mushrooms to the mix. Finished the creation with some freshly grated mozzarella cheese. Double yum.

Since every bone in my body was aching, I decided to open some Pelee Island wine. An Autumn Riesling with a picture of a red bud branch on the label. I honestly don't know if I chose the wine based on the label, the type of wine or the fact it said "Pelee Island". You see, I vaguely recall going to Point Pelee as a child. It's a national park in Canada famous as a bird and monarch butterfly migratory area. Point Pelee is a peninsula that has a long boardwalk. At least that's what I remember. Never knew that there was an island in Lake Erie called Point Pelee Island and that it had a winery. Although, now that I think of it, I think my friend Stacy and her husband went to Point Pelee and brought back some wine. Probably from the Point Pelee Winery.

Take a look at the photos of the pizza and wine. If I would have gone to a pizzaria this meal would have been over $20 (the wine hikes up the price). My cost, excluding fuel for the oven, under five smackaroos. Aside from the olives and salt, everything was locally. The Canadian winery is fairly close to Michigan. Reducing my carbon footprint. Yay!!!

Jayne's Necklace

I have been busy raking leaves. In two days, I packed 22 leaf bags. And it's been cold, windy with drizzle. Fun.

During the week I created a necklace. I twisted a heavier gauge silver and used it as a finding. A thinner strand of silver holds a small, pink bead tenderly. The necklace uses white organza ribbon to hold the creation around the neck.

It looks like something Jane Eyre might wear. So I named it the Jayne necklace, an updated version of the fictional character's name. I've included a front and side view of the necklace.

Inspired by Spain - Rachel's necklace

Had a bit of time this afternoon and created this multi-colored bead necklace. The center finding looks moorish. Like something you might find in Spain. This is the Rachel necklace.

Macomb Conservation District 's Tree Sale

I had one more volunteer activity for the month of October and that was participating in the Macomb Conservation District's fall tree sale. The District provides trees in quantities of 10 or more to residents at a very reasonable price. About five days prior to the sale, the plants are dug from the soil and shipped to the sale site. Volunteers sort and package the bare root trees. Each plant has a moisture mixture surrounding the roots to keep them alive and healthy.

These trees provide wind breaks for landowners, stabilize sandy soil and provide better air quality. Trees available included Norway Spruce, Austrian Pine, White Pine, and Colorado Blue Spruce as well as other conifers. Tulip, crocus, hyacinth, and daffodil bulbs were also for sale. The bulbs were shipped directly from Holland a day before the sale. Pretty fresh bulbs if you ask me.

The Macomb Conservation District is a great organization that has provided this service to the community for over 20 years. If you are in the area, look for it's next sale in Spring, 2009.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk

Each year, I participate in a 5k walk against breast cancer. The walk raises awareness of the disease and funds to help find a cure. This year, I walked around the Michigan's capitol building in Lansing.

It's amazing to hear survivors stories, watch the teams and just participate the camaraderie of the day. I walked for my cousin who was diagnosed with the disease a month ago.

About a month before the walk, I start raising funds. I fell a bit short of my $200 goal this year. I'll make up for the shortfall next year. Every bit helps to find a cure for the disease.

Please support the efforts of those you know that are participating in your town, work, neighborhood in the fight against breast cancer and all cancers. To those that already contributed to the American Cancer Society; thank you.

Landscaping for Habitat

For the past three Saturdays, I have volunteered to landscape houses built by Habitat for Humanity. This is a terrific organization that builds homes for people that previously lived in sub-standard conditions. These homes are not free. Families have to qualify with a minimum income level and then they also agree to work on building the home.

In my community, Habitat built three homes this year. The support from volunteers was tremendous. I only played a small role in making the outside of the abodes look more inviting. My team finalized grades around the perimeters, planted trees, bushes and perennials, installed edging and layered mulch. There were no egos involved. Kind of like "Extreme Home Make-Over" without Ty Pennington.

We started at 8:30a.m. and worked throughout the day. Last weekend, a group from the Marine Corps helped along with several church groups. The following Wednesday, members of the Coast Guard installed sod for all the houses as well as some plants.

It sounds easy. Dig a hole and stick a plant in the ground, cover the roots and water. Sounds easy until you remember that roots get bigger. Trees get large and grow too close to houses. Water lines and the amount of sun a plant gets all are important considerations. A sun-loving plant will die if grown in the shade and a plant that loves water will wither next to a sidewalk.

I wish I had taken a camera with me to the Habitat site. The transformation of each house was incredible once the landscaping was complete. The homeowners were thrilled.

Each new owner got a brief introduction to their plants. Many of the other volunteers that helped with with the installation learned about soil types and light requirements for plants. As a Master Gardener, part of our directive from Michigan State's extension office is to impart plant knowledge within the community. I think we sparked a desire to learn more about the fauna around us. So many people had questions. It was a success.

I had such a great experience with Habitat, that I want to volunteer for the build next year. Can you imagine me with a hammer and a hard hat wearing jewelry?

Because I made a commitment to help with Habitat, I didn't have a lot of time to make any new creations the past few weekends. Now that I have a little more time you can look forward to more postings soon.

Runner-up and Third Place Photos

The pink earrings are for the runner-up and the lilac colored pair go to third place. Thank you for coming to my site and leaving a comment.

And the Winner is...

It's Monday. The day we find out who won the "Candide" earrings. Well, due to the low volume of entries, I decided each of the three entries would be sent earrings.

Julie, you are the grand prize winner of the "Candide" earrings.

Emily, you win a pink and crystal style.

Natalia, you win a pair of lilac colored earrings.

I'll post photos of the runner-up's jewelry later today. Send the address you want the earrings to be mailed to via e-mail to kacieskreations@gmail.com. Look for your prize later this week. Thanks for visiting my site and enjoy your jewelry.

Candide Earrings Give-Away

Leave me a comment as to why you would like this set of pink earrings. The earrings are on sterling silver loops. I'll choose a winner at random on Monday, Sept., 23, 2008 and contact the lucky person via e-mail. Happy posting.

For All Those Who Fight Everyday Battles

Kind of an unusual title for this posting. I made this bracelet for my cousin who just found out she has breast cancer. If you have been to my blog before, you'll know I made a ring called, "Count on Me" with a portion of the profits going to cancer research. Most of the items for sale supporting women's cancer research are in red or pink. My cousin likes the color blue. So, this bracelet is for you, Karie.

Here is the meaning of the colors I chose according to color-wheel-pro

Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven.

Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism and produces a calming effect. Blue is strongly associated with tranquility and calmness. In heraldry, blue is used to symbolize piety and sincerity.

Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Purple is associated with royalty. It symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It conveys wealth and extravagance. Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.

This Week Was About Chillin Out

Been pretty busy lately both personally and professionally. Time to chill this weekend. I started an earring project which you'll see later this week.

Summer is winding to a close. My garden is beginning to fade. The last of the tomatoes are ripening. I planted the traditional "Early Girl" and "Big Boy" varieties. I also planted two heirloom selections. One is called "Paul Robeson". It's a very dark red tomato that is almost purple/black in color. Juicy, but not gushy with a reasonable amount of seeds. That means that there some, but not enough to make you gag. Very pleased with this plant and saved some seeds for next year's garden. I've included the plant along with the other tomatoes. See if you can spot the heirloom version based upon my description. The other heirloom tomato plant was unremarkable. So much so that I would have to go out to the garden to check the name of the plant. Not memorable in the least.

Anyone who has ever spent a summer in the Great Lakes state in August or early September has heard the call of the cicadas. Not so much a call as a buzzing noise. The frequency seems to increase in direct proportion to the heat index. As the days and nights turn into a steamy swelter, the cicadas song fills the air. I don't know the sub-species or proper name for those that reside in Michigan, but I can show you a picture. Actually, it's a photo of a couple cicada shells the insects shed. I spotted several of the insect skins on a willow tree. They were stuck onto the tree from the base of the trunk into the branches. I found out they live in the tree and lay their eggs at the base of the tree. The young (pupa?) feed on the tree roots and eventually work their way into the tree branches. Wish I would have been able to get more photos but it was starting to rain and the camera isn't waterproof.

Hot Tomato Necklace

You will be looking like one hot tomato in this necklace! With five strands of beads and dangles, you will catch that certain someone's attention...in a good way. Designed for evening attire, this necklace is constructed of new and vintage beads. It simply sparkles in the light.

Theresa Necklace

This is one of my latest creations called the Theresa necklace. It's made of amber and citrine colored glass beads with silver findings. The beads are strung onto a black waxed cord and they dangle into the cleavage area. Looks great with a casual black evening dress.

Puppy on Patrol

Puppy is back on patrol...to rid the neighborhood of vermin and other pests. Turns out she had an inner ear infection. Squirrels and cats BEWARE!! Zoe is on the hunt again.

Puppy isn't feeling well

Puppy is having problems related to arthritis and her medication. She's usually very spunky. If you didn't know better, you would think she was four years old. In reality, she's much older. I would tell you how old she is, but a lady never likes to reveal her age.

She was having trouble standing and walking yesterday. We have an appointment at the veterinarian today. Maybe she needs different meds. We'll see.

Because of Zoe's issues, it may be a few days before my latest creations are posted on the blog. Hang in there, I'll be back soon.

Send your good wishes along for my dog's speedy recovery!

Got a Mani and Pedi

Over the weekend, I got my first pedicure. It was wonderful and so relaxing! My niece is 15 and has gotten manicures and pedicures since she was 12. I have some catching up to do.

The ladies that own the shop are from Laos. The told me that they are not Laotian, rather Mon. They are descendants of the Mongolian hill people. Many of the Mon are farmers and find cures for their maladies in the jungle. Interesting.

That's my history lesson for the day.

Simple Pleasures in the Summer Heat

While in line at Aldi Market today, shopping for tortilla's, I was talking to several customers. One woman commented on how the world is changing so much and it will never be the same.

This phrase stuck with me,"never the same." Wouldn't it be boring to have everything the same every single day. It would be like the movie, "Ground Hog Day." In the film the main character, Bill Murray, relives the same day over and over again. Sure it's scary dealing with change in life. Change is good (so are dollar bills). Change keeps our minds stimulated and who knows, maybe it even prevents diseases.

I wouldn't want to create the same jewelry all the time. I am constantly looking for new ways to put beads together, using found materials and reuse treasures.

And yet, there are constants in our lives; the heat of the summer sun, thunderous storms, noises of the crickets in the evening, kids running through sprinklers, the smell as you approach a stretch of sandy beach - clean and crisp.

My flowers are also a reminder of the simple pleasures. Not extravagant and always a delight to the senses.

Enjoy the day and be ready for tomorrow's adventure.

Pickles, pickles and more pickles

Homemade garlic dill pickles. Nothing better.

I made seven quarts of pickles on Thursday, with the help of my Mom. We used my Grandma's recipe. So good. According to her recipe, you must use kosher salt. If you are in a bind, you can substitute table salt, but it's not the same.

Just have to wait a couple months before taste testing the finished product. Fresh bread is a perfect accompaniment. Can't wait!

Thanks for the Beads

My friend Stacy gave me some beads for my birthday. I have been busy creating jewelry with them. This choker is the latest installment. I call it the Stacy necklace. Wonder why...

The beads are stranded on three separate lengths of filament for a varied appearance. The clasp is magnetic.

Help Michigan's Economy

I have gotten several e-mail's recently about how to help Michigan during these economically challenging times. The crux of the message is that Meijer and Kroger are Michigan stores that buy Michigan produce. That's true. The e-mail encourages readers to spend $10 a week on Michigan grown fruits and vegetables and urges the reader to shop at Meijer and Kroger for their produce needs.

This is where I differ with the sender about what will help Michigan's residents. The best way to help Michigan's farmers is to buy produce from the farmer directly. This reduces your carbon footprint. You won't spend as much in fossil fuel to purchase your food. You help the local economy. You eat what's in season. You get to ask questions to the person that probably picked the food from their fields and drove it into town for sale like , "what's the best way to prepare this cabbage."

What a concept. Talking to the person that grew what you will eat.

This is not to say you shouldn't frequent Michigan based companies like Meijer. (Kroger is not based in Michigan) or those with stores in the great state with two peninsula's. If you have a choice, choose fresh. Choose products picked that morning.

Want to find out if there is a Farmer's Market near you? Click here for a listing of markets based on where you live in the State of Michigan.

Cut out the middleman and buy direct.

IKEA Hacker Blog

I love using found objects for other purposes. This site shows how to take items and repurpose them.Check it out.
IKEA Hacker

Chocolate Mint Necklace and Earrings

Wasn't feeling the best today. I think it was something I ate considering my symptoms. I had a fever and chills, upset stomach. And it's summertime! I hate being sick in summer.

Anyway, before I was under the weather, I made a necklace and earring set from turquoise and black beads that my friend Stacy gave me for my birthday. The necklace sits nicely at the collarbone with five strands of beads hanging from the main necklace. It's held together with fishing line and silver wire. The clasp is magnetic. Take a look!

Ying Yang Necklace

Choices, choices, choices. Our lives are filled with choices. Some of us have more difficult decisions to make, while others just need to decide which pair of black shoes to wear. Here it is...finally! The Ying-Yang necklace. I originally wanted to make the necklace entirely from recycled materials. I played with the design and actually made several prototypes. This is the version that worked the best. The necklace consists of waxed linen cord with silver wire that's coiled and that also holds resin discs in contrasting black and white colors. (Technically, neither black nor white are colors) No price on this baby since it took forever to complete. Another project that was worth the effort though.

Free CFL Bulb

What a great idea. A free CFL bulb that reduces energy consumption. Yes, I know, it contains a small amount of mercury. When disposed of properly, this shouldn't pose a health hazard. Want to register? Here's the site http://www.millionlightsproject.org/

Back to Blogging

I took a bit of a vacation from blogging to purchase a car; a Ford Focus. So far, I got 29 MPG in the city. Not too shabby for an automatic.

I entered some of my writing into a local fair. It's a children's book I wrote and illustrated. I'll let you know the results of the judging soon.

My beading is coming along. There is a black and white necklace and matching earrings to match the ying-yang bracelet you will see here in a few days. Although, it's so tempting to just enjoy the sunshine and wonderful weather rather than make jewelry.

Perfect days this past weekend. High temperatures in the 80's with cool evenings - great for sleeping. We are so fortunate here in the Great Lakes region that the terrible storms moved around us. With any luck, the farmers will have a good crop of corn and soybeans. That will help not only our local economy, but supply food for others in the Midwest.

Where do I get my Antique Beads?

Someone asked where I get my antique beads. They come from several sources. I scour antique shops for loose beads. I also go to estate sales and buy jewelry that looks very dated and rework the design. Voila! It's fabulous and chic all over again.

I got hooked on estate sales and used stores when I wanted to purchase a bicycle. The versions I liked were more expensive and out of my price range. The bikes were $300-$500. Yikes! friends pointed me toward a store in Lansing, Michigan called, "Dicker and Deal". Apparently they have several locations in the area. Each shop specializes in different products. One shop is known for sporting goods, another for leather jackets and still another for furniture. I guess it's all what the market demands. I ended up with a terrific bike for under a c-note.

The best part about buying items with a history is you are recycling :)

Latest Fav Blog Site

The Sartorialist is my new favorite blog site dedicated to fashion. Yes, I am fickle. I went through all the posts. Such fun. Take a look http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/.

Unusual Weather this Week

There is a saying in Michigan, "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes, it'll change."
That saying sums up this week's weather.

Temperatures were chilly at the beginning of this week. I even rooted out some sweaters to wear during the day. The mornings started in the fifty degree range and warmed up to the mid-sixties. Very unusual considering that summer would officially begin on Friday.

On Thursday, I volunteered to spread mulch around trees at a nearby church. It poured rain for a half hour after I arrived at the church. When I was done with the mulch, I started trimming boxwoods only to look up and see a double rainbow in the southeastern sky. Gorgeous!

Today is the first full day of summer and it brought warmer weather. And thunderstorms. I have been in four storms today. One storm had five minutes of hail. What was unusual was the hail was limited to my area. People I called just a few miles around never saw any hail just the rain. There was enough hail to cover the bedliner of the truck.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has an interesting article on the weather. Click HERE to read their latest report.

Dangling Earrings

Puppy was barking at something at 5 a.m. today. Nothing wakes you like a dog barking, unless it's a squeaky toy being played with next to your ear. Who needs an alarm clock when you have a dog?

Since I was up, I decided to make a pair of earrings. (Who knew it just took getting me out of bed on a Sunday morning before 6 a.m. to accomplish this?) Dangling from a silver clasp are citrine and amber colored glass beads with seed beads and an antique resin bead in a scarlet hue.

I call these earrings BECCA. They are an unique mix of colors. The cost is $12.00.

Did I mention that all my creations are one of a kind. When you purchase my jewelry, you are getting something no one else will ever have, unless you give them the jewelry.

Racing after Rabbits

Puppy was hanging out in the backyard, sniffing plants and weaving throughout the garden areas. I was in the back portion of the lot, weeding...again. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a rabbit by the fence. Puppy was too interested in spiders and grubs to take any notice. Then Zoe realized there was an intruder on her property. She sprang into action racing after the rabbit. They flew through the yard. At one point, right in front of me. So close, I thought the rabbit would run into me!

Now, this is a pretty normal day in my yard except I left the patio door open. Wide open. Too far for me to run and close it before the chase began. Lucky for me it ended with the rabbit running under the fence and across the road. While I have no fear that any animal or insect that crosses Zoe's path in the house would meet with an untimely death, it's the turmoil the would ensue that brings terror into my heart. Broken lamps, papers and rabbit poop everywhere...you know it would happen. Either I need to drastically reduce the amount of "stuff" in my house to the sparse level or close the back door.

Seems like a simple choice, doesn't it. Problem is puppy ran into the glass door and had a concussion once before. Since that incident, I started to leave the door open. I think it's time for more puppy training.

Starting tomorrow, puppy will review the "sit, stay" command. Guess I have been lax of late.

Ying Yang Bracelet

Things have been very clear cut for me lately. Does my car run? Yes or no. To honor the decision making process, I made a white and black bracelet. Most things in life are shades of gray. The answer isn't clear and choices are difficult. We must all make choices. The white side of the bracelet is the YES answer and the black portion is the NO selection. If you prefer, flip the color selection. Sort of the 21st century version of the "Magic 8 Ball." Ask the bracelet a question and count the number of black or white disks to get your answer. The bracelet has an odd number of resin disks so you will never need a tie breaker. The cost is $15.00.

Flowers

I've been busy lately looking for a car to purchase. Here's a quick look at flowers in my yard. A lovely pink rose, some snow in summer with small, white flowers and silver/gray foliage.

Faith CHAT Neckalce

Here's the latest installment of CHAT jewelry. It's the Faith Necklace.

Bloomin' Time

The irises are blooming and so are the snowdrops. Or, at least I think these are snowdrops. Anyone know for certain?

Thank You to Those Who Sacrificed

Today is Memorial Day in the United States. It's a national holiday commemorating, according to wikipedia, "U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I to include casualties of any war or military action."

I rode my bike the cemetery and placed flags on the graves of some relatives that served in World War I and World War II. The local chapter of the veterans of foreign wars was there, marching to a small podium. There were so many people tidying grave sites, and planting flowers. Families were gathered. It reminded me of how people in Mexico gather at cemeteries and picnic. It's a celebration that we remember these individuals and the impact they had and have on our lives. Happy Memorial Day.

Talk to ME

My "chat" jewelry is starting to take shape. Here's the first in a series. This one is called, "love" and it has a pretty little dangle of glass and silver beads next to the aluminum finding. The necklace is 12 inches in length with an organza ribbon in black. Watch for more "chat" jewelry.

Help! My Garden is Taking Over

Invasive plants are everywhere. The seeds seem to be germinating by moonlight. How else can they spread so rapidly when I just pulled the plants the evening before? Dandelions, crabgrass, creeping charley, you name it, it's spreading through my garden. I had a moment to draw how I look. Notice, I still have time to wear jewelry, even in the midst of my dilemma. After a nice, long, hot bath (and maybe a glass of wine), I'll be back to beading. Wish me luck.

A Look at the Process

Here's a quick look at what the metal art looks like before and during the polishing process.

I am in the midst of stamping letters onto aluminum and adding a hole. It may look rough. That's because the metal needs to be smoothed and finished. Once that's complete, the edges are rounded and the piece can be worn next to the skin.

Ribbon or cording of some sort is used so the piece can hang against the skin. Finally, a clasp is added. That's it.

Look for the finished pieces this week.