He has risen!

Thank you Lord for all you have done for yours and all that you are going to do. 

Creating a cross is inspiring – modern day reminder of our Savior.  The cross in ancient times was a symbol of shame – no one would have a cross in their homes or think about wearing a cross as jewelry.  No family member would brag about one of own dying with disgrace on a cross.  A wooden structure made with rough wood and used over and over again to inflict the utmost pain before death.  Times do change our outlook on things.  Today the cross is a symbol of hope and unbelievable love.

This cross measures 7″ X 5″ and sell for $25.00.  If you are interested for yourself or for a gift email me from my website.  www.artbybetty.com  Of course if you know me personally, just call.

Now let us talk some about allergies.   Well – we having a hard time this year, the wind is bring ALL the pollutants right down on us and giving us a hard time.  Those who do not have allergies do not have any idea how it make you feel.  So if someone next to you starts sneezing and blowing and sneezing – offer them a tissue, if they could stop sneezing and blowing and sneezing they would.   It is SO embarrassing because most times you do not know when it going to happen.  You just want it to stop.  More later…..

Spring and Butterflies

Spring is blowing and blowing in, just praying that the wind will blow rain our way.  Remember the old saying, “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb”?  Well, we will see about that.  Some, no most of the “old sayings” are just the product of someone’s imagination.  And again some are right on the money. My dear Mother was just full of different saying that she passed down to her children and grandchildren.  Miss her so much at times it hurts. And I know that some of you out there know just exactly what that feels like.

Spring means flowers and butterflies.  The annual migration of monarch butterflies will soon be here and when they come they will cover trees with their beauty for a short spell. 

This Butterfly is made with 1/8” paper that is rolled and shaped then put together for this image.  It is mounted in a glass front frame 7”X7” and sells for $30.00.  If you are interested in owning this please contact me through my website: www.artbybetty.com

Quilling is an ancient art that is finally making a slow comeback.  It is tedious work and not many can actually master the art.  And it is indeed art not just another craft.

Quilling with Bling

Everything is all about Bling, clothes, shoes, cell phone covers, jewelry, and hair pieces, so we have put Bling on quilled jewelry.  Quilling is a delicate art that requires extended dedicated time – hours most times for each piece of jewelry.  Each piece is hand rolled and shaped into the design.  Also all jewelry pieces have been sealed with polyurethane for a finish that is durable and water resistance, so you can be assured that quilled jewelry will last you a long time.  

I still wear a pair that I made 4 years ago, my problem is losing them.  Can’t believe I can lose something in my own home that takes me days and days to find.  Of course when I find it – I remember putting it there and saying, “This is a good place for this”. Ha.  

The earrings are so unbelievable light weight, no pulling on your ear lobe, so stretching, and no sagging of your ear lobe.  All colors accent your clothing – and matches extremely well. Sometimes the true color does not come out exactly in the photos.  Hey I am an artist not a photographer, I try to do the best I can.  Give me a break.  Ha Ha 

Love talking to you, but must get busy.  Today is errand and house cleaning day – more about that at a later date. Bye for now.

New Year

A new year is here.  What you do with it is up to you – only you.  Making promises to do better this year is only a promise.  Make that promise a goal.  And the only way to make a goal come true is write it down.  So what do you want to do?  Make more money?  So how are you planning on doing that?  No plan, no goal – it is not going to happen.   To make money in your field may mean you will need more education.  So…. you will never be this young again regardless of your age now.  Go back to school.  And again it may mean you need to change your field of work altogether.  If you goal is to make more money this year, you will have to figure the way for that to happen.  Just wishing will not work.

 For some may want to lose weight.  There is only way.  Without hard work on your part – it will never happen.  A better choice of foods and exercise – hard and lots of exercise is the only way to achieve this goal.  Make it happen by being accountable and keeping TRUE records of what you actually eat, including ALL snacks.  Tell everyone you know that you need them to help you watch your diet and that you need help with exercise.  No accountability or hard work and this year will be just like last year, with more weight gained.

 Enough for today.

Cardboard Boxes

Finished with your Christmas shopping already?  Are you 100% sure?  Did you miss anyone?  What about those unexpected guest that seem to appear out of nowhere every year? Got something tucked away for them?  Hopefully there will only be ONE unexpected guest. 

Children do not count the money spend on presents, they count packages.  They put them up in piles of “mine and yours”.  Watch the war if one sibling has one more present than the other.  Pouting, tears, and “Santa loves you more than me” starts immediately even before opening any presents.  So count presents and make sure there is an even amount and save loads of trouble.

 Depending on the children’s ages, all the empty Christmas present boxes hold a fascination for children that cannot be ignored.  New toys laid aside the children build a town, fort or store out of the empty boxes.  For hours and sometimes days (as long as the parent can tolerate the empty boxes) new toys will ignored.  Either Mother’s cleaning or the cardboard finally going flat will revive the new toys that Santa brought. 

 May everyone have a wonderful Christmas, full of love, old hurts forgot and forgiven.

Indoor Plumbing and other blessings

Do you really like the hustle and bustle of holidays like Christmas? In a way it is still so fun, but more so when the children were little, their excitement infuses the whole house. The awe of shinny new presents – so explain why they play with the boxes instead of the new toys! That is a mystery of childhood and the freedom of their imagination. Wonderful, sometimes as we grow in age we lose our imagination and that is sad. Just compare a 5 year old and an 18 year old at Christmas. Wow!

Do you serve traditional Holiday food or something altogether different? I’ve tried for years to something different and get resistance from all sides. “It will not seem like Christmas without ____.” Oh Well, I do know that the local grocery store will cook the main meal for me. That makes it easy and good too.

Now about presents – what can I say – they all have way too much. And the electronics, as hard as I tried to stay up with times it seems impossible. They change daily and the young seem to have an automatic instinct of how to use them.

Seriously, we must think about people in other lands that live in conditions we would not accept. Think about living without running water, hot and cold water. I personally am so thankful for indoor plumbing. Think about not have electricity – can you just imagine how that would change your life? Or heat or cooling for our homes and what about transportation. No car? Horrors. Give thanks to the good Lord above for supplying us with all blessings.  Thank you Lord!

Exercise and other dirty words

Walking or running? Well running is out for me, knees tell me NO WAY, in a direct message of PAIN.  Walking will definitely firm up the legs and other places, plus it is good for the heart.  To walk in sunshine gives the added benefit of Vitamin D which so many are deficient.   Plus the sunshine just makes a person feel so much better and just makes the world is a brighter place to live. 

Other exercise?  There are all sorts of gyms and spas out there with all sorts of equipment.  And even some for just ladies!   Some of the equipment is downright frightening!  Machines that make a certain muscles move, if a person can figure out to use the machine correctly and not get all tangled.  Scary!  Machines that reach all the way up far taller than the person using it.  Machines that offer a “walk path” that works really well, except if machine is going too fast to keep pace it is impossible to change pace while on the “walk path”.  You could find yourself on the floor behind the machine.  Oh my!

Enough for today!  Being as it is only 28 outside now; guess the mall is the next best thing to being outside.  The only thing about walking in the mall is to be there before the stores open, it is not considered polite to run over customers.

Quilling / Filigree

Sunflowers

It is hard to believe another year is gone.  Christmas will be over in a few days and tinsel, holiday food, guest and presents forgotten.   So now we go on another year.

 What is quilling? Quilling is also known as filigree. 

 In the 4^th century Greece artisans used quilling to decorate vases and pillars.  The Egyptian tombs were adorned with silver and gold wire shapes akin to modern quilling. 

 During the Renaissance, French and Italian nuns and monks used quilling to adorn book covers and religious items.  The most common used paper was strips trimmed from the gilded edges of books, rolled and formed to create quilling shapes.  

 The gentle ladies (“ladies of leisure”) of the 18^th century practiced the art.  It was a ‘proper’ activity that would not be too hard on their minds or gentle dispositions.  — Wow- how times have changed.

 Quilling can be found on cabinets and stands, a wide range of both pictures and frames, work baskets, coats of arms and wine coasters, jewelry and trinket boxes. 

 The craft has gone through many changes and forms through the ages.  New techniques, new styles, new materials, new tools, new novel papers, machine cut strips, new glues, new sealants, etc.  This craft is now recognized as an exceptional art form.

Black and White Quilled Earrings

Quilling is a meticulous art with no two pieces looking exactly alike. Narrow strips of paper or wire are rolled in a circle then shaped in three dimensional shapes.  Shaped pieces that are designated to be used as jewelry are then sealed with clear polyurethane on both sides to make the piece water proof and durable for long wearing.  Without this treatment the paper would wear away rapidly and the jewelry would fall apart.   After the polyurethane treatment the quilled jewelry will endure many years of wear.  The wearing is surprised at the light weight and how wonderful they match their clothing colors.  These are truly “one of a kind” and will attract favorable comments while you wear them.   Show above is a white flower outline in black.  These can be made in any combination of colors or just one color, just like all the other jewelry pieces.

Christmas in November

It is October (goblin and trick or treat time), followed closely by November (turkey time)…………….Help!!!! … Christmas is almost upon us.  Days are ticking off and before we know it another year will have past.  Art and Craft shows are popping up everywhere. 

 “Christmas in November” arts and craft show will be November 12, 13 and 14, 2010 at the Civic Center in Abilene, TX.  Art by Betty will be present at this year’s event on the main showroom floor in booth number 221.   Quilled Jewelry, both necklaces and earrings… Jewelry boxes covered in quilling…Playing card box covered in quilling, trinket boxes covered in quilling…greeting cards with quilling accents…and loads of framed decorator wall art quilling pictures for gifts or keepers.

Framed quilled wall art includes crosses, flowers bouquets, hummingbird, cardinal bird, vintage car, ballerina shoes, butterflies, strawberry, grapes, wizard, dragon and many more.

Parchment craft will make its debut here also.  This craft is another ancient art that is time consuming and delicate. Parchment greeting cards and wall art will be showcased.

Custom wedding announcement wall art and invitations will be on display, along with baby’s birth announcement wall art and “your name” quilled in a glass front frame for that special person.