Updated 6.9.08

Forget what I said about wondering when summer was coming! It came with a vengeance over the last few days, reaching the mid-90s yesterday. On the up side, it brought out my roses, which you can see in the little box at the top. More jewelry to come on Etsy, check it out!

Updated 5.22.08

Okay, it's just about time for the "think summer" banner - a week of temperatures in the mid-50s is making me wonder if summer will ever come! Even if it isn't 70 degrees and sunny, it's always good bike-riding weather. May is National Bike Month, so if you haven't gotten your trusty steed ready for the road, now is a good time! According to the Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey, more than 82 percent of trips five miles or less are made by personal motor vehicle. Why not try one of those trips by bike? The League of American Bicyclists has a boatload of tips to help you get started. See you on the road!

Updated 4.28.08

Although it may seem easy to conclude that human beings are not a nice bunch (especially the ones driving in rush hour), there are also a lot of folks who try to make a positive impact, albeit in small ways. I recently sent in my contribution of lampwork beads for the Hope Bracelets project, which collects beads and other jewelry making supplies for a village in Ethiopia. The women there are taught to make bracelets, which are sold to help fund a vocational skills program.

If you're looking for another good deed that's also fun, check out the site Free Rice. It began with a dad who wanted to entice his son to bone up on word skills for the SAT, and has developed into a vocabulary game that is also a means to donate much-needed food supplies to hungry people. More fun than FreeCell!

4.7.08

The "think spring" banner must have worked - baseball season has started (and this year the Indians home opener wasn't snowed out)! I didn't go to the game, but a friend and I walked over to the park that day at lunch and found this ice sculpture left over from one of the morning shows that broadcast from the plaza.

And here are two other "springy" beads from my torch this weekend - I haven't decided if they'll end up as jewelry or stay part of a set of beads.

3.25.08

You may have noticed two things about the front door here; one, I've replaced my valentine bead with a "think spring" banner - with all the snow here in Northeast Ohio, that's all I've been able to think about! The other is that I've taken down the "Made on a Mac" banner. Yes, it's true - I'm now bi-platform. Although I've worked on Windows for almost 15 years, I've never had one at home, and for a variety of reasons the time seemed right. I'm still going through the process of migrating things over (and sometimes having second thoughts!) but in the end I think it'll be a benefit.

I'm working on some reorganization of the site, moving more of my finished jewelry and beads over to the Etsy site, and filling in some of the gaps in other areas. Thanks for visiting!