14th giveaway- Unzipped heart with a bee

As I promised, this is the 14th give away.
Unzipped heart with a bee. The piece of lint that you see has been removed ;-}

What is in your heart?

Unzip it to find the busyness inside you.

This polymer clay heart is an intention pendant to remind you that Busyness is not all there is to life. 

The pendant has handmade bee and it is hidden slightly behind the silver zipper.

We could all use a little reminder now and then that busyness is not all there is to life.

There are two gold stars “screwed” to the sides of the larger ivory heart. It is washed or antiqued with brown acrylic paint to give the appearance of an older relic.

There is a large copper ring in the top of the heart from which hangs a 36” piece of brown satin cord. It will hang about 16-17 inches. The cord is easily removable if you wish to add your own chain or cord.

The heart is 2 3/4” high by 1 3/4”wide and 1/2” thick.



It will come signed and dated on the back. If you wish to pass it on as a gift, I can even add a small sentiment if you wish.

 
 
 
1. Reply to this post only. (This is the only thing you really have to do to get an entry.)
 
For extra entries:
 
2. If you blog about it and provide the link in a comment, I will give you another entry.
You have to let me know.
 
3. If you put one of the small pics in your side bar and tell your friends and leave it here in another comment, I will give you another entry. You have to let me know and comment.
 
If you go to my Etsy shop and tell me which piece you like best and why in another comment, I will give you another entry.
My shop addy is http://www.etsy.com/shop/mariesegal
 
That is 4 entries that are available. 
 
This is open to all, even international readers.
This giveaway will close on August 8th, 2010, Good luck my pretties.
I adore you and you are perfect!

Cantina Fiesta- a very long post, I mean adventure.

My friend Gorgeous Deb from Midlife poet http://midlifepoet.blogspot.com/2010/07/cantina-fiesta.html is having a party. Several are already there. I found out about it last night and was so excited, I started too soon.

Let me 'splain!

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

We started out for Deb's yesterday, It takes a little time to get there.
We turned left instead of right.



Oops, this is the pacific ocean.
It was so beautiful we just had to visit for awhile.

We ran in to a couple of friends.


Thought we would stay for awhile.

Saw some interesting beachy things.
The creatures at the beach here are getting stranger all the time.

Like this.

We also spotted a sea turtle.
The largest I have ever seen.

There was also an otter. A very happy and strange otter. It was shaping up to a strange day.

I tried on my bathing suit and from this persons reaction, I decided to take it right back off.

The fire department showed up to help us with the grilling.

They decided to get everything ready for us.
It only took a few of them.

The chefs came too

There were legs.

We had some pizza.

And this lovely thing called funnel cake.

Someone started mixing drinks.

And drinks.

And beers.
They look happy,don't they.

...and happier.

and more drinks

People were having trouble walking.

They were getting their clothes mixed up

I think some were getting sick.
I was feeling no pain my self and it was getting later and later.

We found a floaty for the pool. It might be kind of big though.
Whadya tink Deb?

It was getting late, so we decided to stay at the beach and head out for your house in the morning.

We ran in to more friends.

I found some nice table decorations. I thought you would like these.

I am starting to feel a little sleepy, drinking way to much. I look like this guy!
LOL I am this guy!
This is a picture of me being dragged out.
I must have passed out.

I woke up...
behind bars.

Here is my cell mate, a small man with an attitude.













They let me out late. I am still trying to get there Deb.

Maybe manana! 


Thanks for the invite though.

I am leaving on a jet plane...

I will be back on the 26th of July.
Please take care all of you.
Take care of others too!!
I am having a give away when I get back.
Love and hugs my pretties.

Update and apology!

I am so sorry to leave you all hanging.

I was in a creative blizzard. I could not stop making things. I adore that!

This is a new heart. I am deep in to this series, I call them "hearts of stone".




I am also in to making quite a few sacred hearts right now.

I did a new steampunk unzipped heart with an angel, I absolutely love this one.








There is more too.

We were training a new employee

She is quite friendly.
LOL!!
And so willing to be helpful.
Training this new employee is taking up most of my time and she is very busy and wants to know everything.
The only problem is no one understands her on the phone!



I love this picture of Madi, she would rarely play with this adding machine until we plugged it in. Now she loves it.


I made a couple of trades with people and have been working on those. I can't show you pictures because they haven't gotten them yet.
One is another version of... HEARTS, go figure.

I don't need to get smacked with a 2 by 4 to know I deep in to this heart thing.

I have also gotten addicted to Etsy Treasuries, I love making them. I love looking at them and I love talking to people afterwards. Who would have thunk it?

Here they are to look at.
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c37362fa4088eef06ae2830/buttwait-theres-more?index=0

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c3608cf64a98eefd04ea0b2/a-talented-group?index=1

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c35edeadf336d91e60b147d/holidays-all-year-long-mha?index=2

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c35df98df336d910e31127d/frankly-my-dear?index=3

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c35013740278eef0df13bcc/orange-you-glad-i-didnt-say-banana-mha?index=4

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c34e31eda918eefcfe6316f/a-little-sacred?index=5

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c34c427da918eef7fe82c6f/slightly-off-center-mha?index=6

I really want to do this all day but I finally had to put the computer down.
There is so much talent out there and some really interesting things, it just amazes me.

I am trying to do an hour each day for clutter clearing and getting rid of things, reorganizing the house, cleaning and making things easier around home. I usually start with an hour and then find I am doing way more than that.
I have a very hard time with deciding which to let go of.
Like how many cheese graters do I really need, could I use them for an art thing, I will think of something to do with this tomorrow and then I do, my recycling heart says don't you dare get rid of that. LOL!! you see my dilemma don't you? And is it really clutter clearing if you move it from your house to your studio?
Life is just expanding and I have a hard time managing everything.

I am cutting back trees and bushes, trying to get rid of the extra there too. I haven't done much gardening this year and it feels good to get outside.
We have been so very lucky here to have wonderful and mild weather and I am just loving it. I am so grateful and I hope it continues.
I have my own personal summer wherever I go, so any extra is just to much.
It is actually cool and nice. We might be the only place that is though from what I hear!
Stay cool all of you!
We do though have a mockingbird that thinks it is still night in the morning with the june and july gloom. He never shuts up. He must be exhausted.

My life has been busy, but my blog friends are never far from my mind.
I do get to stop by once in a while and sometimes even leave a brief comment, but when I look at the calender I realize I haven't commented in a long time. I do read the blogs a lot when I have the time in the morning when Madi is down for a little nap (very little). I also have to cram so many other things in that time too.
What I want to know is "how did I do this before?"
I have finally figured out why you should not have children at this time of your life.
I was beating my self up for not reading all of the blogs and visiting, but I was also finding that I needed to sleep. Not just my usual 6 hours, but sometimes 8 or 9. I am just plain tired when I finally go to sleep and boy do I sleep well. So the sleepless nights from menopause are somewhat eliminated with watching this child.
I apologise for my absence, and thank you for sticking with me in my vacancy, I will be back!

I want to welcome all of my new followers, thank you!
Love and hugs to you all my pretties!!

Lone Rocks

It seems that a lot of wonderful friendships and lasting relationships are made over these Internet energy connections. I hear this from my bestest blog buddies all of the time.
We appear so surprised that this is happening. How can something like that happen? The only contact we ever have sometimes with these people is talking to them through commenting on blogs, admiring their art work, words, a confession of true life, reaching out to talk to someone that is ill, and a myriad of possibilities over a wire, a signal, or a satellite connection.
I too have experienced this connection.
I have reached out, been accepted, and even witnessed people living and dying on this broadband.
I am amazed everyday by the strength of my feelings and even my own honesty in this medium.
And personally, I think this is wonderful.
One of my good friends had told me once, "I love the Internet and meeting people there first, I get to know them from the inside out instead of from the outside in", this rings true for me everyday!
I am infinitely grateful.

One of my recent connections is Lone from Flowermouse design http://flowermouse.blogspot.com/ . She  is an awesome person and artist.

We traded pieces and I got the best deal ;-]. I had said that I liked her bread mouse with cheese.

Now the pictures she took are wonderful, but in person...
there is no comparison.

The little mouse looks just like a piece or loaf of yummy crusty french bread.
Isn't he the cutest thing you have ever seen? The cheese looks real too.
He is so cute I just want to eat him up!!
Num num num!!!
I keep him near me just so I can smile again and again.

Then I got this beautifully detailed sea urchin necklace. I wish you could hold it and see how real it looks. Howard asked me if it was real. He even held it in his hands, I turned over and showed him how Lone had written me a note in the bottom. He turned it back over to look at it again. I think he thinks I am putting him on!!

This started when I was influenced by Lone's zipper mice. It was the perfect art storm for me.  Everything came together and my "unzipped hearts" came out.

I wanted to do something for her for inspiring me, so I made her one of my zippered pieces and sent it to her.
And the rest is a blog connection history!!
Is this wonderful or what? I can meet people that I would never run in to in my backyard!
I honor the people I have run in to and will run in to. My tribe is huge!
Thank you Lone, I love my new pieces from you, dearly!

It is never too early for Halloween and Fall

I know you are all having fun and playing in the sun, but it is never to early to start getting ready for Halloween and fall.


Becca from Seasons Art http://www.etsy.com/shop/seasonsart1031  aka Magikal Seasons has just put up a new Treasury to get you in the mood!! What a great team we have, check it out!! You will be glad you did.

Thank you Becca for including me!

Boo!

Fave Crafts 4th of July ebook

Every once in a while I write something for Fave Crafts http://www.favecrafts.com/. It is a wonderful website and community of crafters, bloggers, talented people, and a helpful and busy editorial staff. I enjoy working and playing in this community and they are very nice to me!!

Always love that.

So this is a shout out to them and their new 4th of July ebook, click on the image of the book to take you to the pdf.

Explore a new collection of 4th of July crafts created by some of our favorite craft bloggers. You will find 21 different July 4th craft ideas from 21 different bloggers, including easy craft projects using recycled materials from around the house. Find crochet, knitting and simple sewing crafts, fourth of July centerpieces and much more in this patriotic eBook. Here is the link to the blog. http://www.favecraftsblog.com/4th-of-july-crafts-blogger-edition-2010-ebook/

 Bloggers in the eBook:

1.4th of July Wooden Stick Flags by Terri O. of Super Simple Crafts

2.Felt Star Napkin Rings by Kathy Beymer of Merriment Design

3.Firecracker Centerpiece by Heather of Small Fry & Co.

4.Fourth of July Chalkboard Labels by Lindsay of Living with Lindsay

5.Grand Old Flag by Becca Rowberry of Naptime Journal

6.Independence Day Crochet Kitty by Armina Parnagian of Armina’s Animals

7.July 4th Candleholders by Heidi Borchers of Eco-Heidi

8.July 4th Clay Pot Bell by Vicki O’Dell of Creative Goddess

9.July 4th Party Poppers by Little Birdie Secrets

10.July 4th Utensil Bundles by Molly Kozera of Bit O’Shine

11.Paper Star Fourth of July Centerpieces by Rachel Theall of Happay Scraps

12.Patriotic Crochet Bow Tie by Emi Harrington of Hectanooga

13.Proud to be American Wall Art by Terri Sproul of Terri Sproul Blog

14.Star Spangled Banner by Chasity Gordon of Belle and Burger

15.4th of July Road Strip Quilt Design by Benita Skinner of Victoriana Quilt Designs

16.American Clay Hearts by Marie Segal of Art from my Heart

17.American Flag Loom Knit Hat: Version 2 by Michael Sellick of Mikeyssmail

18.Patriotic Cloth Napkins by June Scroggin of Junie Moon

19.Patriotic Star Pinwheel by Sheila of Cheeky Magpie

20.Picnic Helpers Tutorial by Rachel Griffith of P.S. I Quilt

21.Independence Day Scrapbook Layout by Einat Kessler of Scrappin’ It

There are live links to all the bloggers at the Fave crafts blog post above.
Thank you Favecrafts.