Another lily

I posted some lilies about 6 months ago, but this is a new one and a much nicer picture, so I thought I would post it also.

I do love the little lilies and they seem to be quite popular, so I am not the only one… :)

The other mangrove...

Exactly a year ago today I posted a few pictures showing mangrove jewellery. (The version where the pods were dried out before they were cast). I also, in that same post, promised to post the version where the pods were cast before they had a chance to dry out. I can’t believe it’s taken me a year to do so (can’t really believe that this blog is more that a year old) but anyway, here it is, the other mangrove… :)

One good deed brings many buttons of happiness... (I feel like I could have been Chinese)

The other day my sister asked me if I could pick up a pattern for her from the sewing shop. What joy! The shop had the most fantastic selection of buttons. I spent about an hour looking through and counting out buttons. It was a lot of fun. I can’t wait to make some funky button creations!

There are too many to put them all up, but here are some cool ones… :)

The Amazing Edouard Martinet

Came across this link on Ganoskin today.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/11/recycled-scrap-junk-sculptures-edouard-martinet.php 
Check this guy out, his work is truly genius!

The blessing of Spring (and the rewards of Jog Squad...)

About four moths ago I joined a ‘learn to jog’ group. In the beginning I liked it very much, but as the jogging increased, so did my pain. Apparently jogging causes an old injury of mine to flare up-and just like that, jogging was no longer fun. I limped to the finish line of my beginner jogger course, but could not move on to the next group. At this stage the saying, "As jy nie kan verder gaan, begin jy weer van vooraf aan…"  comes to mind. The point of my story? (Other than the obvious, that sometimes one needs to begin at the beginning again...)

Although the actual jogging part has been difficult, the springing of Spring has been amazing. When I started four months ago it was dark and wintery, but now there is light and greenery and many blossoms. This fills me with gratitude; this makes me happy and smiley.

A couple weeks back, I noticed some fabulous green flowers. It was the first time that I had seen that particular tree in flower, as well as the first time that I had ever seen that kind of flower-a double joy. I picked a few blossoms and brought them back for casting. The casts were successful, so I had a mould made from one of them and I had a few cast from that mould. This is my double joy blossom ring.

First picture is of the ring made up and cleaned, the second is after it has been oxidized and the third is after most of the oxidization has been removed (leaving it only in the recess areas) and it has been lightly tumbled for a bit of polish.

Smelly Shelley has left us.

Yes it is true, she was indeed a little smelly, but she was our Shelley… Bye, bye little Shelley. Your family will miss you. xx