Friday, December 25, 2009

Christmas out west and the giveaway winners




Merry Christmas to all of you in blog land, I hope that you all are feeling full and sitting around with all your loved ones. I hope you also got everything you wanted and more than you can ever imagine.
Christmas is mostly nostalgic for me and I miss my family and friends that have left this earthly existence, I miss their touch, their voices, and their smell. I miss my time with them, they made Christmas what it was. Spend time with those that are here now and make the most of it for you, them, and for the ones before.
I got this in a newsletter I subscribe to the day before Christmas and it seemed to make things a little easier for me, maybe it will help those of you that miss your loved ones too.
  "As you think of me today and always, I will be standing by your side. The best gift you can give me this time of year is to celebrate and laugh with me like we always did. I may not be physically present but I will make my presence known...a flickering light, the phone going off, a cardinal in the snow, my shadow in a picture, hearing my voice, smelling my scent, feeling me stand behind you. I promise you this...you will always have me. Until we are completely together again, I am wrapping you in a blanket of love that will surround you in your most trying day. Feel my arms around you, holding and comforting you. Here is my holiday wish for you:
"I wish for you strength when you are weak and need me to hold you up. I wish for you laughter when you can't bear the thought of smiling again. I wish for you light when your flame goes out and clear vision to see me in dreams and in others as you walk along the winding road of life. Always remember...I'm not dead, I'm different.""
From Maureen Hancock's newsletter




 I am so sorry I didn't get to these sooner, with Christmas and not being fully up to par, I fell down on the job!
The Winners for the giveaways are.
part one- Chris
part two- Frances Bauer
part three- Frances Bauer
part four- Mrs. B
I will talk to you all soon.
Bless you all. 

Saturday, December 12, 2009

9th Giveaway- part 4


This ornament is part of the 9th Giveaway also.
This can be personalized for you.
Leave your comment on this post under words of wisdom for this ornament.
Closes on the 16th of December 6pm pst.

9th Giveaway- part3


This wedding couple is part of this giveaway.
Leave your comment on this post under words of wisdom for this set!
Closes December 16th at 6 pm pst.

9th Giveaway-part 2


This Beary Merry Bear is part of the giveaway too.
Leave your comments on this post under words of wisdom.
Ends on the 16th of December at 6 pm pst.
This bear can personalized for you!

9th Giveaway- Night before Christmas-part one

'Twas the night before Christmas and Santa was running late.
He slept in that evening; he had so much on his plate.
He forgot to set his alarm, Mrs. Claus was snoring too.
He should have been out in the toy shed, getting ready for me and you.
One of the elves said "Does anyone know where Mr. Claus is?"
Rudolf said, "I have to go get all those maps of his,
I will check on him and Mrs. Claus."

Pause...







This is how Rudolf found Mr. & Mrs. Claus as he busted in the door.
If you want this ornament set, leave a comment in the words of wisdom comments.
Closes December 16th at 6 pm pst.

Fave Crafts Giveaway

This is not the giveaway I am going to post later but it is a giveaway I am involved with. It is very similar to the first giveaway I ever did back in May on the 19th here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/05/1st-giveaway-thank-you-thank-you-thank.html


Win this Kit!

We are giving away 1 Glitter Flower Pendant Kit. Enter with the form below.

 
1.If you blog about this giveaway at your blog, we’ll give you an extra entry. Contact us with a link to the blog post.


2.If you twitter about this giveaway, you’ll get an extra entry. Again, contact us with a link to the tweet.


3.If you add a link to us on your blogroll or website, we’ll give you an extra entry. Again, contact us!


Contest ends December 25, 2009. You can enter once daily, so return often to improve your chances of winning!

Here is the link!!
http://www.favecrafts.com/sweeps/Glitter-Flower-Pendant-Kit-Giveaway#

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Flower Cane







1/2 block of porcelain white or translucent Cernit
1 small pea size piece of colored Cernit
1 block of opaque white Cernit
Scrap clay or other colors to make the beads out of
Clay blade
Pasta machine
For all of the products above, you can get them at my husbands on line store.
http://www.clayfactory.net/


1. Condition a half of block of Cernit porcelain white or translucent until soft and pliable.

2. Add a small pea size ball of color to the conditioned half block of clay. Mix until it is one color.

3 Roll the colored clay in to a plug that is about 1" in diameter.

4. Condition and roll out the Opaque white clay on the 5th thickest setting in the pasta machine. Trim one edge of this sheet to get a straight edge.


5. Lay the colored clay plug on the straight edge and cut a strip the width of the plug and long enough to wrap around the plug.

6. Roll up the plug in the sheet.

7. Roll the plug over the sheet in front of the plug gently and roll the plug back. Cut inside the line you will see on the sheet with the blade.

8. Remove the excess sheet, set aside, and then roll the plug and sheet up. The ends will match or very close.
Press the edges together and smooth the seam away.




9. Cut the plug on the side with your clay blade about half way through the plug. Do not cut where the seam was.

10. Gently move the cut open and take the excess sheet and place in to the opened cut. Close up the cut in the clay with the excess piece inside the plug.

11. Trim the excess sheet off at the edge of the opening on the plug.

12. Make another cut in to the plug on one side of the center cut and place the excess sheet piece in to this cut and trim away the excess level with the plug side.

13. Do this again on the other side of the center cut.

14. Close all the cuts with sheets and gently press everything together.

15. Compact the whole plug together.
Squeeze it in the center from all sides to form a little waist. As you rotate and press the cane move up to one end of the cane. Then turn the cane over and start at the center waist and rotate and press and you move up to the other end. I keep doing this until the cane or plug is longer and half of the size around that it was. Do not worry about lumps and bumps. The rolling will take the lumps out. By compacting the plug this way, it will keep the cane from shifting as much inside.
Then place on your work surface and roll the whole log down to about 3/8" in diameter.
You will need 5 pieces about the same length for the petals.


16.  Make a little pinch on one side of each of the petal logs where lines come to the outside of the log. Turn over the logs to the other end and pinch each one of those ends.

17. Line up the pinches on a log by holding the pinches and rocking them in to alignment.
Then pinch down the length of the cane from pinch to pinch. Do this to all 5 pieces.
Make the point on the log down the side pretty sharp.



18. Place three of the logs together with the points in the middle. There will be a little canal or channel down the center of the three logs.

19. Roll a small coil 1/8" or a little larger depending on the size of the channel to go in the center.











20. Now place in the other two petals lining them up from one end to the other.
Gently press from one end to the other on each petal to press it together.

21. You can pack the outside with color or you can coax the cane down by gently sliding your finger and your thumb down the dips on opposite sides. Then turning the cane around and sliding down the length of the cane again. You keep turning and sliding and the cane will lengthen. Then I turn the cane over from end to end and do it the same process again. It will not be all perfect and you will have a knobby end, I take advantage of the smaller and larger flowers when I use them. This is a very gentle process. If the dips fill in you can run a tool down the length of the cane.




22. This is the cane pulled out. You slice these off as thin as possible and place on to a core of clay in the color of your choice.
It is not imperative for the beads I do to have the complete cane slice and when I roll these in to the core it will give the illusion of many layers.





It is important to watch color that you apply the slices to, it will change the color of the petals.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Wishing you happy Holidays filled with love

I am so sorry I have not posted in ages. The whole family has been sick since Thanksgiving.
My head has been in a fog for weeks.
I am still coughing.
I hope that none of you ever get this.
Thank you all so much for writing.
Stay warm and be well.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving

To all my friends, family, and blog buddies, have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
May you have warmth in your heart and in your tummy.
Gobble till you wobble!
Love and hugs,
Marie

Monday, November 23, 2009

Winners and Madi ramble


Gramma says she sorry, she has been so busy. Her and I got the flu last week, that was a little messy, but mostly for gramma. I am feeling a lot better. Gramma is too.


It is cold where we are, at least I think it is cold, first cold I have ever had. It is mostly warm here all of the time. My hands, my feet and my nose seem to be cold constantly. Gramma says that some people have cold where they live like the freezer on our refrigerator, boy that is really cold.



Gramma has been telling me about Thanksgiving. That is a holiday coming this week in America where I live. I just found that out too. Thanksgiving and America. So much to learn, some of it seems rather silly to me but I like the idea of being grateful. I am too, for my mom, my gramma, my poppa, my aunts, warm blankets and I am so grateful for food, I really like it.



Gramma wants me to let you know that she is very grateful for all of you and for her family. That means me too, I am family.



8th giveaway winners

Anyway back to what I came on to tell you, Gramma told me to tell all of you that entered the 8th giveaway that she is going to give each of you a book. Please get back to her with your addresses because everyone of you won!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, remember to be grateful!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

8th giveaway- Clever Clay Creations by Shelly Comiskey


This is darling little book with sweet designs and easy to follow instructions created by the talented Shelly Comiskey. Shelly does cute like no one else. 
Go to her website to see what I am talking about.
It was published in 1997 and has been out of print for a while. I have found it on line for as much as
97.00$ :-O. I have a few copies and I am going to give away one for the 8th giveaway.
These are brand new copies. I found them in a box of stuff that had gotten shoved to the back of a shelf. They have been wrapped up and tucked away for a few years.
Leave a comment on this blog.


Clever Clay Creations: 11 Cute Polymer Clay Projects for All Through the Year (Paperback, 1997)

Author: Shelly Comiskey
Price: $64.20


Good Luck!!!

Here is the reason I am having giveaways

Closing this giveaway on the 18th of November at 6 pm pst.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Madi's 1st Halloween!








Madi and her best friends all went Trick or Treating last night.
This is Madi at the restaurant just chillin before the big event.
Their parents had as much or more fun than they did.









DJ was wearing his uncle's costume from the 80's. How cool his grandfather saved it all this time.
Costumes were so well made back then.










The horns glowed in the dark and there were little devils painted all around the bottom of the cape.
Handsome guy!








Madi's bff Sere was a delicate flower.
This girl has the most stunning eyes ever.










Now C's dad has been waiting on this for years and he could hardly wait for the big event.
C is a totally cooperative kid of gentle nature and goes along with his dad on almost anything.
He had two costumes.
He was fly in the first one.
LOL!!! Isn't this hysterical?





Omg!! I laughed so hard.









And this is the second costume.
Time for a brief nap before we get to the heavy Trick or Treating.

This is so cute.








Now I know you all think that I dressed miss Madi in a witch's costume, but no...








Children of the corn!!!
Notice the lovely silk draping down her neck and the candy corn pacifier.

















She had green shorts and corn husks too.
All the kids had a great time flirting with each person and scored lots of candy for their parents to eat.
I was overwhelmed by cuteness and had to take a small nap when I got home.




*names were changed to protect the innocent.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween!


Happy Halloween, my pretties!!!
Be safe, have fun, and may magic fill your lives.
I just wanted to share with you what I won.
I am over the moon. These are gorgeous.
2 beautiful Halloween wooden ornaments from Leah Humberston.
Scroll down on her blog to read everything.
Her Etsy id is Leahsartmagic
Her Ebay id is the same
The detail is fabulous and even the eye hooks are painted black.
  I love the little finishing touches that people put in to their work!
I even got this lovely signed and dated ATC (bottom right side) from her too!!
Check her out, her work is wonderful and very well finished too.
Thank you Leah!!
Have a great night.
I am off to go trick or treating.
Love and hugs.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

7th giveaway-it is dead WINNER!!


I am so nervous and Gramma takes her time on these.

She counts all of the comments.
And then she counts all of the extra comments.
She subtracts the extra comments from the total comments to make sure she is correct.
She writes all the names on papers.
She counts those again to make sure the total is right.

She folds all the little papers in half and then folds them in half again and one more time for good measure.
By the time she does this they are all mixed up
She stirs them all up and then counts them again.

Then after that she picks one!!

Chris
you are the winner and gramma says the follow place is on the right,
 she moved it up so you could see it!!

Chris get gramma your address.
Her e-mail is on her profile page.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
I hope you all have a safe and great Halloween if I don't talk to you before that!
BOO!!!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

7th Giveaway- It is Dead!


The next give away is going to be this pair of Day of the Dead earrings.
They have Sterling silver wires hand formed by me.
Two flowers in pink, orange, green, and complimentary shades made from Cernit phthalate Polymer Clay. Each of the colors are layed in to the pattern you see, they are not painted.
This topped off by a skull sculpted by me also.
The flowers are about 1 1/4" across at the widest point and the earring from the top of the silver wire to the bottom of the flower is about 1 1/2" long.
If you  do not follow, then follow, and leave a comment in the words of wisdom comment area.
I am closing this one on the 27th at 6 pm pdt.
Good luck and thank you!
I will ship world wide.

Why we are doing this for a year!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Madi here- tell everyone you know


I got something to tell you!!!!
My Auntie Renee is having a giveaway.
Her page is here: http://circlingmyhead.blogspot.com/
I get so excited when Gramma lets me tell you what is up.
This is one of the best giveaways Gramma has ever seen. Me too!
Auntie Renee has posted 500 times and is giving away art work from a wonderful and talented artist named Tessa Edwards.
http://circlingmyhead.blogspot.com/2009/10/500th-post-giveaway.html
This is the link that will tell you the whole story about the giveaway. Hurry.
You only have to the 27th of October too.


Tessa's page is here: http://aerialarmadillo.blogspot.com/
Her art work is not expensive and she uses lots of beautiful colors.
Aunite Renee said "My dear friend Tessa has been selling her prints and donating 100% of the proceeds to help save the lives of children in Swaziland."

and this is a picture that my Auntie Ces drew of Tessa
you can read the story at Auntie Ces' blog here:

She looks like a beautiful lady doesn't she? She is though, inside and out, if she is helping kids.
Kids with out parents and grandparents.
I can not imagine what it would be like to be with out my mom and my Gramma and Papa.

All of this, no matter how you do it, benifits my gramma's friend, Dr. Maithri, who helps kids like me in another country far away!
Auntie Renee said this:
"His name is Maithri (My3) Goonetilleke and he has a dream. He has a dream that I believe in. His dream is for the people of Swaziland to have running water and food to eat; a dream where children can actually survive childhood.

Maithri is instrumental in the group ‘Possible Dreams International’ and their website is http://possibledreamsinternational.org/

Maithri’s blog is ‘The Soaring Impulse’ and his website is http://www.soaringimpulse.com/ .
If you have not visited him yet, you really are missing out on an important young man."

Gramma says "it takes a village to raise children"
and I say "It takes the world to help them"
Madi out! I love you guys!
See you soon.
Oh ya, tell everyone you know!!

Monday, October 19, 2009

The winner of the 6th Giveaway-Witchy-poo, BC, and Boo

I could not have really planned this,
even if I kind of wanted to.
I could hardly believe it was happening
and that it was really true.
The fates have chosen this winner,
with a small rotation of the spinner.
It is the 6th giveaway and for the frightful Witchy-POO.
It was just so perfect.
I am sure you will agree
that the prize should indeed
rest in the hands of the delightful and giving
MRS. B!!!!
When the # 2 came up,
I got the chills,
even in my sweater.
I laughed out loud and chuckled in to the night.
 and I thought,
this is definitely the best choice,
I could not have picked it better.




Congratulations Mrs. B,
you are now one with the Poo!!
Be sure and get back to me
with your address. ;-D
Little joke there.
Heehee!
I am thrilled she is going to live with you!!

The 31 days of Halloween are still about. Drop by Mrs. B's and check it out!!


Sunday, October 18, 2009

5th Giveaway- Two new winners


I am so sorry to the two people that did not get their winnings. When I give something away, it is so important that I be able to get in touch with you. If you have a blogger profile and you can put your email on it, do it. If you have a blog and it is private, guess what, I can not talk to you. Or put it in the comment.
I go to some trouble to search out the winners, even posting to the blogs they follow. When that does not work I give them a week to get back in touch with me.
So now that I have had my little moment on my soap box, on to the new winners.


Kind Clay aka Jenny
LD Watkins

Friday, October 16, 2009

Here is a sneak peek-tomorrow on Mrs.B's


You should really check out Mrs. B's tomorrow! http://silvermoonwitch.blogspot.com/


Mrs. B is crazy to take on this monumental task, don't tell her. I, being organizing deficient, can just imagine what her life is like right now.
Tell her that she is so awesome, and what nice things to do for all of us, please, tell her.

It will be the 17th day of Halloween; again I am playing in this one. I am having so much fun.

Don't blame me if you find your life in runes if you miss it. I warned you.

Welcome to all my new pretties, welcome aboard.

And thank you!!!
Oh, and don't forget to enter in the giveaway here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/10/6th-giveaway-in-honor-of-mrs-b-and-31.html

Remember that I use comment moderation. I will post it as soon as I can.
So leave your "words of wisdom".

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

6th Giveaway- In honor of Mrs. B and the 31 days of Halloween


I am going to have a giveaway today too. This will be the 6th giveaway for Howard  http://www.clayfactory.net/ and I on this blog and our year of paying it forward and backwards. You can read about why we started this here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/05/1st-giveaway-thank-you-thank-you-thank.html


 I thought it was time to do something Halloweeny for the season. This Giveaway is in honor of Mrs. B and her 31 days of halloween and all the work she has done for this. http://silvermoonwitch.blogspot.com/
Mrs. B you can enter this one!
And for my blog pretties, remember to go over to Mrs. B's if you want a chance at the little copper wand in the last post. http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/10/on-mrsbs.html




Follow this blog (facebook or google, scroll down on the right hand side) and reply on this post for a chance to win this spooktacular witch and her friends, BC and BOO.
I am only going to have this run till October 18th and then I will pick a winner. The contest will close at 6pm PDT.

This is a brooch; all of it is made by me, even the wire work and components except for the Hematite star and moons on her hat. I always put love, hugs, and good intentions in to everything I make.

Witchy poo is 4 1/4" from the tip of her hat to the bottom of her wire body. She is 2 1/2" wide at her widest point which are her upraised arms. The wire used is copper Artistic Wire and is color coated in a green color. I used a 16 gauge and 24 gauge.
The clay I used is Cernit. It is signed on the back. This is a one of a kind piece.
If you come from Mrs. B's and can name her gray and white cat, I will give you another entry. Just post again with the name of the cat. Thank you for visiting me and my little space on the internet. Boos and kisses.
I use comment moderation and will post your entries as soon as I get on the computer.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

On Mrs.B's


Mrs.B at Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom  http://silvermoonwitch.blogspot.com/ is having a month long celebration of Halloween, called the 31 days of Halloween. It has been a blast so far and I am excited to say that tomorrow, the 14th of October, I am going to be part of this giveaway extravaganza!!



There are usually 5 things given away. I am one of those. This little hand wand is only about 6" long, has handmade Cernit embellishments on both ends, a quartz crystal point, made with 14 gauge copper wire and wrapped with 24 gauge copper wire with glass beads of all kinds added to that.






It has a little sign in the middle that says magick made out of Cernit and it is packed with love and good intentions for the user.
It comes in a beautiful chocolate colored bag.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

List of winners for the 5th giveaway!


I want to ship these out all at the same time. So if you can please wait, I will get them out to you all as soon as all of the rest of the winners reply.
Thank you so much all of you, for playing along with me!!!
I am looking forward to seeing what you all make with your kits!!
Terry's Treasures (too late, no response)

Anonymous Tina G
Sharon P
Bygone Productions (too late, no response)
Alecia
Melissa
Kathi
Susan
Silly...'ma
RNJenny
Creager Studios
SandiLee James

I have waited until today 10/18/09 (I think that is more than fair) to see if the winners that had not contacted me would reply and they haven't so I am going to pick two more people. I will get back to you with the new winners.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Kreativ Blogger Award

Thank you so much for the Kreativ Blogger award





Pattee at Odd-dolls gave me this wonderful award http://odd-dolls.blogspot.com/
Pattee has also started her own Ning http://odd-dolls-fun.ning.com/

She is a new blog friend that I am becoming very attached to. She is a talented artist and a very good person.
Right now she is revelling in the season and if you love witches, she makes some outstanding ones.
Too bad I can not give it back to Pattee, because I love reading her blog!
Check her blog out. http://odd-dolls.blogspot.com/

Here are the award rules:

1) Thank the person who gave you this award. Thank you Pattee!!!

2) Copy the logo and place it on your blog. Done!
3) Link the person who nominated you. Done!
4) Name 7 things about yourself that no one would know. I could tell you but then I would have to kill you!
5) Nominate seven Kreativ Bloggers" OK
6) Post links to the seven blogs... OK
7) Comment on each of these blogs that you've nominated. Soon! Done

7 Things you probably don't know about me:
I am borrowing from Pattee for ideas, it is saturday, no thinking on saturdays.;-D



1) I used to work in a power plant and not in the the office there.
2) I majored in Ceramics
3) My husband worked at the power plant
4) I have always wanted to be a witch and some people would say I have mastered that.
5) I have tattoos and my nose is pierced. Yay! Pattee
6) I quit smoking 2 years ago, when Howard got cancer
7) I am finally getting comfortable in my own skin~



My nominations are:
SoFiA at Smiling at every Sunrise     http://86ksbl05.blogspot.com/
Michelle at the Thruth as I know it    http://anchellblue.blogspot.com/
Theresa at Sycamore Moon Studios http://feltmusings.blogspot.com/
Chris at Prism Trail                          http://prismtrail.blogspot.com/
PWally at Mostly True Stories         http://artistpolly.blogspot.com/
Pattee at Odd-dolls                         http://odd-dolls.blogspot.com/  I can do what I want!!! mwahhhhhhhaa 
Gretchen at Wooden Nickel            http://www.woodnickle.com/

Check out and enjoy these blogs, they have a lot to offer.