Christmas Giveaway – THE STORIES

Posted on November 30, 2015 by thecontentedcrafter

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This is where you, my favourite global blogging community, get to decide who you would most like to see receive the Christmas Light Catcher.

There are eleven nominations.

It’s really simple – the stories each have a letter at the top, you just select your favourite two as a first and second choice. The story that receives the most votes wins the light catcher. But this is the hard part – It’s really hard – each nominee is worthy, every little story is wrapped around a wonderful human being, how do you choose? [Left to my own devices, I’d probably just send them all a light catcher! I’m glad it’s not me choosing!]

Remember, you may select two only and the poll will only let you vote once. There are no rules, no right or wrong – just your considered opinion, or feeling for or gut response – whichever one you go by – then simply select the two nominees who touch you the most and mark the corresponding alphabet letters in the poll box at the bottom of the post.

Thank you for your participation and for joining with me in this somewhat experimental attempt to spread a bit of unexpected rainbow filled light out into the world.

The poll will be closed and no further votes will count after 6 pm [NZ time] 3rd December.

In the interests of getting the package sent off as quickly as possible to the winner [mail slowing down horrendously from this point on of course], if you entered someone in this giveaway could you please contact me privately via the email address on the ‘Contact Me’ page with the postal details of your nominee just as soon as possible.

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I have a wonderful friend for whom this beautiful light catcher would be a perfect gift. Each of its strands holds a special significance, as if Pauline had her in mind.

She gifted her friendship to me more than thirty years ago and, thanks to a miracle and the protection of angels, it is a gift that continues.

Over twenty years ago, on my birthday, she was involved in a serious car accident. My birthday became her life day, a constant reminder that life and each passing year is a precious gift.

Her many injuries, requiring numerous surgeries over the years, did not injure her bright, cheerful nature and positive outlook on life. Although she lives with constant pain you wouldn’t know unless you asked, and then only if she chose to tell you.

She has an enormous generous and loving heart, and her home is warm and welcoming. Family, especially her two grown daughters and her dear Mum who passed this year, is important to her. She loves to bake and craft individual gifts for her family and friends. She is always busily thinking of others.

She is a gifted musician and amazing music teacher. She plays the flute and sings like a Robin. She incorporates music and fun into classes for children and lessons for adults learning English. All come to her classes eager to learn and leave singing with joy and acceptance.

At Christmas the family gather round to decorate the tree and “remember the moments” marked by ornaments made by smaller hands, collected on travels, or signifying achievements and occasions like graduations and engagements.

I know my friend would treasure this beautiful light catcher as another reminder of life’s precious gifts and moments that make it magic. Thank you Pauline for the opportunity to express openly how much I value her friendship.

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B

I would like to nominate my friend Angela. she is a true angel and particularly at Christmas time. She helped me and my fiancee as he left this world, delivered my baby, is a nurse manager of a busy city hospital and looks after her three children in her spare time. She also helps organize her hardworking husband, two dogs, has a garden and has THE most wonderful Christmas dinner every year for multiple people. She’s just another unsung hero is my friend Angela, who loves Christmas and quite frankly MAKES Christmas for all of us.

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C

Melanie (my daughter) was diagnosed with a brain tumor a few years ago now and, while her 5 yr survival chances were estimated at 50/50, she is still “with us”. Because of the tumor, and so much residual damage from numerous radiation and chemo treatments, she is unable to hold down a regular job. Her focus is very good, but her memory less so. She has internal damage; nausea is quite common and she loses her balance periodically however, her church has employed her regularly a couple of days a week but, other than that, her income is totally from government allowances. She lives a spartan existence. Prior to the diagnosis, she was a single Mum and a very competent kick-boxer!

Her daughter is now independent, and Melanie is still going to kick-boxing classes albeit on a non-contact basis. Given her balance issues, any move that involves a spin is a delicate movement for her but she soldiers on.

I would like her to be considered because despite her circumstances, she is always befriending less fortunate people, is always volunteering for something but, most importantly, is very content and appreciative of her life. I recently spent 2 weeks with her in her little apartment and was so proud of her because she had little more than the basics (no tv and no internet), but couldn’t think of anything she really wanted for Christmas. From her perspective, she has a little apartment; a daughter that she is proud of; lots of friends; and a family who love her. From her perspective, she has it all!

Your display would not only be appreciated because of the nature of it, but she would think that she had won the lottery!!!!

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D

Perhaps it was love at first sight. I didn’t quite know it then. Almost fifty years ago, till grieving for my late wife, I was cajoled by my brother to attend a twenty-first birthday party. Standing in a room full of happy young people, I didn’t know where to put myself.

I was rivetted to the floor. Then. Across the room I saw her. My soles were freed. Over I went, and we stayed in each other’s company for the rest of the evening.

We made a date. I waited for over an hour on Victoria Station, until she came running towards me. We sat in St. James’s Park. A pigeon pecked at the remains of a boiled egg on the tarmac. Simultaneously we each said: ‘Cannibal’. That was it. It was love. Love for life.

The marriage ended abruptly six years later. The light she had brought to my life went out. The love did not.

After almost forty more years during which we each remarried and led separate lives; and I was widowed again; we met once more at our son’s fortieth birthday party. We talked once more. At one point I realised that the rest of the chairs around the table at which we sat had been tactfully vacated.

Within weeks we were back together. The light had returned. Six more years on, it does not wane.

The lightcatcher deserves to be with her.

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My nomination is a fellow blogger, Marlene. I know, a bit odd, since I don’t know her, except through her blog, and her comments on other blogs we jointly follow. She came to my mind straight away, and even though I sifted through my nearest and dearest, my thoughts kept returning to Marlene, so Marlene it is.

I’m always touched and impressed by her soft, gentle positivity in her blog posts, and comments on other blogs and a recent one on The Kitchens Garden where she said she keeps her vibration as loving as possible so each encounter in the world reflects that. I do like that sentiment.

I think she deserves this beautiful gift of light and joy.

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F

My friend, Amy, is someone who is most deserving of an unexpected gift out of the blue! She is a woman who has been challenged by the loss of several loved ones, and been disappointed by the actions of others. She opens her heart, make herself vulnerable, and in the process is sometimes taken advantage of.
She never quite realizes that she is deserving of love and goodness.
Yes, she has been blessed with good health, a steady income, and the love of one who means much to her, but those things don’t negate the fact that she needs reassurance, support, and love.
She works hard, every day. She loves passionately, every day. She grieves deeply, every day. She deserves goodness, every day.

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My mind went immediately to someone I got to know through blogging, my friend Crystal. We have met a few times to get to know each other though she has moved farther away and works longer hours now. She’s been raising her daughter pretty much all alone all these years and done a very good job of it. She is also a veteran having served in the military state side. Having just purchased and moved into her new (quite old, in much need of love) home, the dangler would be just the thing to bring good Chi into her space. With her kind heart and great photographic talent, and her Native American heritage, I can see the dangler hanging on her porch outside her front door. I’m sure she would appreciate it. How could someone not.

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My friend Harry would never put this light catcher away with the Christmas decorations. He would give it a prominent place in his house—after much experimenting for the very BEST place, (Harry can be a bit artsy fartsy)—-making sure the sunbeams would strike it just so, then he and his dog and cat would dance with all the rainbows on the floor and walls in the same spirit of joy and fun he spreads like a tonic wherever he goes. He has lived many years and well knows the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, but still, like a child of the light, seems to carry Christmas in his heart every day of the year. You might say he himself is a light catcher. Since he is much more accustomed to giving gifts than receiving them, he would be flabbergasted to receive this beautiful one, out of the blue, for no reason at all.

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I would like to nominate a friend of the past 25 years, Sue. She is gentle and kind but with a core of steel. She has had a difficult 18 months, having lost her father some years ago at a comparatively young age, and now having had a very ill mother who nearly died countless times because of an abscess on the brain. Sue works at a responsible job for a Big 6 accountancy firm 4 days a week. She has a school age daughter. Her mother lives some distance away but was fortunately able to be treated in London at a hospital near Sue, and now lives with her and the family for some of the time. Sue made it clear to her employers that her mother was her priority and stuck to that, despite the veiled job loss pressures the firm put on her, as these places do, and the general volume of work, and spent as much time with her as possible and beyond, sleeping in all sorts of awkward expensive and cheap places. And yet whilst all this is going on she has never once complained and is still always unforcedly cheerful and amusing and caring about her friends, asking about them and remembering details. She is a bright, funny and loving person and I always come away from time with her with a lightness of heart, despite her peculiar loyalty to Shrewsbury Town FC! She considers time spent with her friends a privilege for her but the privilege is for us, even though she would never understand that!

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This person had a particularly difficult start to life through an abusive family. Finally free and eventually with a trustworthy man, a veteran with his own challenges she was defrauded of her home and the legal system let her down. But she fights for her family and has pressed for fair treatment for her husband while rebuilding her life. She works for a large number of not for profits. Since I met this person blogging and have come to know and admire (maybe a little adoration too) her through her blog it is the community on line that she has created that speaks volumes. She helps people fulfill dreams – I read countless testimonials to how people start writing because of her encouragement, finding outlets where none existed before. Now she is running a competition to raise money for a sensing dog – yet another small but significant addition to an extraordinary portfolio. And boy will she adore the light catcher and keep it out all the time.

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My friend Puwen is an idea machine with the ability to move beyond ideas into action. A number of years ago, I came back from a visit to California with an idea for gardeners to donate vegetables to food banks. The outreach coordinator at my church put me in touch with Puwen, who she said was trying to get more fresh produce into the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC). When we finally connected by phone, we talked for a couple hours. I connected her with a farm network that donates food from fields that can’t be harvested, talked about gardens, church gardens and then school gardens. We talked about getting donations from the farmers markets and community gardens. We talked about advertising gardening as a healthy way to get food. We threw around a lot of ideas. Then Puwen went into action. She got space at the local library for a garden, arranged pickup of left-over vegetables from farm markets and started talking with the schools about the amazing lessons that could be built around a garden: math, science, history, biology, botany. The first year, we hauled in 10,000 lbs of fresh vegetables to AFAC, some of it delivered to Puwen’s house. Now the take is more than 200,000 lbs. Unfortunately, the need has grown as well. But we’ve got people donating, being educated about plants and gardening, and just enjoying the way gardens look. And that’s not bad. Feeding people is good. Feeding people well is even better.

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VOTE HERE:

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did!

A Complex Giveaway for Christmas

Posted on November 23, 2015 by thecontentedcrafter

As my American friends celebrate Thanksgiving, and as Advent approaches it is time to not only be grateful for all we have, it is also time to think about those who maybe have less or maybe need a little brightening moment in their lives. In keeping with the true spirit of the season, this is the time for giving.

Let’s join together and bring back a little of the giving spirit here in Contented Land and see what we can come up with.

I’ve made a traditionally coloured Christmas Light Catcher – one that can be kept especially for this time of the year or, if the winner is so inclined, to hang up all year round.

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I love making these light catchers, to me they are a really special combination of textures, light and colour – they are always woven with the magic of intent and good wishes for the person for whom it is destined and time and thought goes into each one.

I don’t have much I can give, but I can give this. I want to make a giveaway that is absolutely altruistic – no-one can enter for themselves, each must think of someone else and put in a little effort to share what that person means to you and why you want them to own this light catcher.

I know it means a bit of thought and effort – different to a usual blog post – but I do hope you will be willing to take part.

Anybody, any where in the world is eligible.

This is a giveaway with a difference and every reader of this blog who wishes to take part gets to nominate someone to receive the gift and gets to be a voter for who will finally receive it.

Here’s the process:

In a private message to me, details found in the ‘Contact Me‘ page, please share a little about what your nominee means to you and why you want them to be gifted this light catcher. Names and other identifying factors can be omitted if you choose – after all, they are not necessary, just tell a little story about why you would like them to receive this special gift. You have seven days from the date of this post to share your story – approx 300 or so words only please. (I’d be really grateful if you didn’t wait til the last minute to get your story in too, but that’s just a timing thing.)
At the end of the seven days another post will be made where I will cut and paste all the stories minus your identification and a poll will go up. You will be able to vote for your first and second choices from the stories. The story with the most votes gets the gift.
The poll will close three days after it opens.
I will send the catcher directly to the person you have chosen in time for Christmas.

What do you think? Do you know someone who deserves an unexpected gift?

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Now here’s a little about the light catcher.

It is a three strander with three AAA crystal balls and several crystal rondelles threaded through out. The main strands are threaded with red and green beads of crystal, glass and acrylic, many hand made. There are twelve charm threads with more crystals holding the different charms. There are many, many charms on this catcher and more can be added when the winner is known, especially for that person!

The right strand includes a sun; a heart; a house with two children and a cat and a dog and a pentacle for protection. Beneath that hangs a disc with ‘Remember the moments’ written on it. This strand may represent past or present Christmases – it is for the child, whether it be within or actual.

The centre strand holds the archangel Gabriel; a bell and a musical semibreve and a book. This represents the spiritual content of the season – the magic, the stories, the music. It celebrates the message ‘Peace on earth and goodwill to all’ It is for making memories old and new.

The left hand strand holds a Buddha; a bird, a butterfly, a holly leaf and a flower; a lantern and finally a small disc with the word ‘miracles’ engraved into it. This strand reaches out to include all the world in the spirit of giving. This includes all ethnicities, all religions, all nationalities, all kinds of beliefs and all ways of life. It includes the wonder of nature and reminds us that we are all, every one of us, united on this fragile blue globe that hangs in the darkness of space and each of us is a light that shines into the world if we so choose to be.

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For those of you interested in monetary value, the Christmas Light Catcher is valued at $NZ75.00

I hope you will share your special people, I hope you will come back to help choose the winner. I hope you will enter into the spirit of this Season of Giving.

Thank you for coming by today, I love that you did! ❤

Getting Creative in the Craft Room

Posted on October 26, 2015 by thecontentedcrafter

I’ve been busy making light catchers for the first wonderful customers who wandered into my shop and decided to start their Christmas shopping right there and then. Thank you all so very much!

They are all finished now and on their way to new homes around the world, and as my friend Bruce says ready to ‘catch the light’ wherever they land.

Here is a bit of a glimpse of some of them

I was issued a challenge – to create something using oranges and shades of green for a beloved mother

and hot on the heels of that, another using fiery oranges, amber and blue

Aren’t these brights just wonderful!

Then I returned to a softer palette and made one for a friend – it should be with her by now ……..

And another one for a swap – this one destined to hang in a limery ………… which is a lime version of an orangerie.

I’ve made some that can’t be shown just yet and I have one more to make – for a Christmas Giveaway. Stay tuned.

Somewhere in the middle of this playing with beads and sparkly things, Siddy had his hair cut.

Later that day he saw there was some cheese being eaten …… Siddy is very fond of cheese!

Siddy had some cheese.

Orlando was not allowed cheese and was therefore not amused

And the garden makeover is continuing slowly ………. So slowly there is nothing to show you yet – except chaos……….. Soon you know order has to emerge, right?

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did!

Starry Nights Light Catcher

Posted on October 15, 2015 by thecontentedcrafter

This is a recent photo, taken one evening on the sofa – Orlando is being cuddled with – not sure if he is enjoying it …….. but he stayed. Siddy was exhausted after a busy day and his mumma wasn’t sitting still, so the kitty had to do.

Mumma was busy. Making light catchers for my customers, another one for a friend, another [really special one] for a Christmas gift. I’ll show you most of them in another post, right now I want to show you what I’ve just finished.

If you have been popping into my store in recent weeks you may have noticed that most of the light catchers have ‘SOLD’ printed across them in big letters. Which is not a good look for any store is it? So I’m off to clean up my shop as soon as this post is up!

Any way, having woken with a bit of an inspiration yesterday morning, I set to and made another one.

For this one I had two colours in mind that I wanted to play with. Blue and purple.

I chose the beads. I chose the bead caps and the little extras – and started to thread.

Almost immediately Don McLean began singing in my head. ‘Starry, starry night, paint your palette blue and grey …………’ and then I began musing on starry nights and dreams and wishes. the beads grew and the strands multiplied beneath my fingers as my mind wandered through wishes and dreams and the magic of the night that grants those wishes and dreams……………..charms began to appear dangling from the charm strands – a unicorn, a fairy, an angel sitting in the moon. Harbingers of dreams coming true were placed, a bell, a crow, the word ‘miracles’, a heart, young lovers………….

And I found I had made a light catcher for a dreamer, one to make wishes come true.

It’s not quite as deep a blue as the photos are showing – it is a softer hue of lilac, pinky purpley blue …….. unfortunately seemingly impossible to photograph with my skill level.

I think it’s really pretty!

What do you think?

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did!

Michaelmas Thoughts

Posted on September 29, 2015 by thecontentedcrafter

I quite like September 29th. It is Michaelmas and comes hard on the heels of the equinox. Here in the Southern Hemisphere it coincides with Spring and all the renewal that she brings to us.

It is my favourite time of the year.

Traditionally Michaelmas always arrives and I have a bright idea – this year I thought it was letting me down – but then it arrived bang on time!

Previous to its arrival, I had said ‘I must write a blog post, but there seems to be nothing new to write about …..’ my ever helpful youngest daughter looked me squarely in the eye and said “You’ve already written a post about procrastination, maybe you could revisit that…….”

She’s right of course.

I have light catcher orders to fulfill. But I’m waiting on ‘parts’ to arrive……….

I have knitting and crocheting projects to finish ……….. Oh-oh, no excuse there…..

But I am working away at this

bit by bit, row by row – it is crocheted all in one piece from the top down

which is a new experience for me.

It’s actually a pretty pink, but I took this shot in the dim early morning light……

It should be finished by now!

I am blaming my dear friend Alys, who sent me some fabulous Pitt Pens for my birthday – horribly expensive here, I never had more than three or four and used them sparingly and with great afore-thought!

Do you notice the striking lid of the box? Alys made that 🙂

And then my daughter who gave me one of those grown up colouring in books ……..

Which has led to hours of happy, meditative idleness……..

But, it’s such fun!!

As an absolute aside, and apropos of absolutely nothing, I thought to share this bit of news – As I’ve been colouring, I’ve also been moisturising:

This long cold harsh winter has played havoc with my skin – I feel like I’ve added new layers of sag and wrinkles and dryness to my once elastic and pliable skin. [No tittering in the back stalls please!] Then I purchased some Rose and Almond Dry Skin Cream from Wendy at Tumble Downs. Fantastic stuff! I could write an advertisement for it, but I won’t. I just thought I’d mention that I got it and love it and no, she isn’t paying, bribing or back-handing me in any way for this mention.

A mere glance at my moist and glowing skin would have you convinced – has anyone else tried it?

An order for mittens from Lisa for her brother sent me scurrying back to my wool stash.

Mittens for a man.

Manly colours.

Manly style – no flowers or frills huh?

So I played around and came up with these –

[Staying with the La Boheme theme]

‘Rodolfo’s Hand Warmers’

One pair will make it into the shop, the other two have a home to go to.

I particularly like the optional button detail.

What do you think?

But back to the Michaelmas Inspiration!

Michael is the Archangel of ‘doing the good’ – good deeds in the community is the leitmotif for young children – right actions across all spheres of life is the challenge for adults.

I like that concept.

So as I gathered together the above rambling list of bits and pieces that I have actually been achieving, despite believing I was DOING NOTHING – the bane of any choleric’s life – and I realised it was Michaelmas Eve here and still I had not had my inspirational moment to lead me onwards and upwards!!

…. No sooner had I had that thought when…..

…some very good news arrived…..

My door was knocked upon by a real estate agent who had come to tell me my challengingly unsavoury, alcoholic neighbour was selling his flat and leaving the area.

Oh, halloo, hallay!!

And then, hard on the heels of that good news, in the middle of the night, I had a brainwave about my tiny courtyard garden.

I’ve decided to go minimal this year.

I went maximal last year and the plant life was so prolific there was nowhere left for me to sit and soak up the rays.

The work will be hard, I have to remove three – four metres of built up soil [I use that word, soil, advisedly – despite my best efforts it remains mostly sour and solid dirt piled on top of concrete.]

I will replant the thriving plants into tubs, baskets and whatever else I can lay my hands on and scatter them artistically about the perimeter

after I have painted the fence a bright and cheerful colour.

I shall take before and after shots for your eddification and possible enjoyment.

Wish me luck.

I have some orders to make up before I get stuck into that project!

If you have any bright ideas to contribute – thoughts or experiences to share

Please do!

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did!

September Update

Posted on September 18, 2015 by thecontentedcrafter

Well, I’ve managed to let another twenty odd days slip by without a post. So much for good intentions!

We’ve said ‘Farewell’ to YD’s beloved Stanley

No longer the beautiful chap pictured above just 18 months ago, time had taken it’s toll quickly as it does with our pets. In such a short time Stan became aged and worn out and emaciated – it was time to let him go. It was a hard decision for YD to make and I am so proud of her that she was able to hold him and tend him in his final moments.

Two days later I celebrated my birthday with a five day pyjama party with my daughters. We don’t often get to spend time altogether, just us and this five day hiatus seems to have become an annual event. I love it!

Every winter I go through the same old routine of wishing for something I don’t have. It’s all got to do with independence and stability and even while I know what causes it, it is difficult and challenging to endure the dissatisfaction that rises up with the results of the choices I have made in my life. While in the throes of these unresolved emotions from the past I forget that I am taken care of and have a perfectly habitable home to live in and that I am loved and cared for far more than I have any right to expect.

Then September arrives and the fog lifts as mysteriously as it arrives. When I was young I used to struggle with depression over this time, now I just get somewhat vaguely dissatisfied with what is. It dissipates really quickly. My birthday marks the return of contentment and I can settle into another nine months of perfect happiness. Isn’t life strange!

Any how, once we get to September the urge to nest where I am becomes strong again and I usually have a big move around and clean up and refocus.

Yes, that is the rear end of Siddy lying in his new favourite position where he can keep an eye on the street and growl softly at all passers by. Orlando’s cushion is unoccupied as he is currently sitting in the tiny courtyard garden getting some vitamin D.

As part of my resurrection this year I made the double wall art you see here

I painted the edges of some old unsuccessful canvases, pasted a panel of wallpaper down the centre of them and collaged cut out parts of the wallpaper to one side. The other side is taped with some fancy tape and stippled randomly with a leaf template and some matching paint. It’s quite effective and hides to a great degree the tired interior of this rented flat.

Orlando, who thought the canvas was a splendid new seat, has left his mark permanently beneath one hanging……. After this photo was taken the cat was evicted and another thick coat of white paint was applied and left to dry ……………

I returned some time later to find this

………….. footprints marked his progress over the canvas and the kitchen counter tops and the cooker top and the window sill …………….

So as you can see I have not been entirely idle – it does want to be Spring after all, even though old Father Winter keeps doubling back for a last roar. I’ve started planting my flower garden at the front door.

For those of you who know us well, you know we live in a tiny house with an even tinier out-door space. Last year the tiny courtyard garden had all the press – the even tinier front door garden has never existed before and this is the start of it

As you can see there is not a drop of soil to be seen so everything will be growing in tubs, planters and pots. Most of what is laid out here ready for planting comes from the local garden centre including the planted up and ‘trellised’ jasmine. I love jasmine – I think you can never have enough of the beautifully scented stuff. I am proud to say the ‘trellis’ is entirely the result of my ingenuity fiddling about with a $10 assortment of plasticised tomato stakes. Hopefully it will stay stable as the Jasmine winds her way up it!

Yesterday the temperature was 21 C we went for our morning walk and Siddy checked out the daffodils that now cover the bank between the park and the petanque club.

And I’m so thrilled – I’ve had some orders for light catchers. The next few days are going to be focused on bead creations.

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did!

A Touch of Spring

Posted on August 30, 2015 by thecontentedcrafter

The days are noticeably lengthening, the air is light and warm and there is the soft scent of new mown grass on the air. Blossoms adorn the edges of branches that have been bare for too long – yellow flowers bob up and down the grassy hillock where Siddy runs on his daily walk. He sniffs them warily, licks one bright head ‘hello’ and moves on. The daffodil blooms on. I skirt the still muddy areas of the park. Ground laid bare by days of rain and frosts and ice and happy dogs turning it all to sludge. Gone is the heavy padded jacket, the woolly hat, the scarf wrapped about three times for maximum warmth, the array of colourful Mimi mittens that have adorned my hands on our morning walks. Gone the thick boots made for water protection, slip proof [mostly] and warmth.

I walk lightly – hatless, scarfless, gloveless. Siddy looks up at me and smiles and we walk on both of us enjoying the warm still air, the golden light, the scents of spring.

Spring enters into my work room too. My rediscovered love of working with beads evident everywhere. Light catchers sparkle en masse in front of the window. This is a wee peek at ‘The Purple Bohemian’ a new one destined for my shop, it’s really pretty!

Beads scattered over the work table catch and reflect sparkles of sun light.

I play with the idea of beaded bracelets – trying things out, working out how to arrange sizes, shapes and colours pleasingly; how to start and how best to finish things off. I don’t know why I’m doing this. Perhaps this first touch of spring makes me want to have some pretty beads to wear.

I’ve read a few books this winter. Not many, I don’t read as much as I used to – I don’t know why. Again, for unknown reasons, I steered clear of philosophical or spiritual content and read only what I had been given.

I read a surprising amount of first novels

‘Wise Men’ by Stuart Nadler, his first novel. The story kept me interested and I appreciated the writer’s ability to have his protagonist have an incidental real life while keeping us enthralled with the mysterious pull of times past.

‘Station Eleven’ by Emily St. John Mandel. The Georgia Flu has wiped out 99% of the population and in this horribly realistic view of life twenty years after the event the author invites us to consider the place of fame, of theatre, of relationships, that reach through time and events and touch and sustain our lives.

‘The Miniaturist’ by Jessie Burton. A first novel. I struggled with this book – I kept reading a little more every night and in the end read it to finish it. It is an odd tale, atmospheric yet cold. Maybe not such a good thing in a novel. Did you read it and feel differently?

‘The Paris Architect’ by Charles Balfoure. Another first novel. I generally don’t like reading about war and man’s inhumanity to man, but this novel grabbed my interest. I loved how the story revealed the architect’s evolution from cool disdain to caring about the fate of others and how in times of desperation, we find those we need to find.

‘Bits of a Boyhood’ by Bruce Goodman. An on-line book found here Written with integrity and honesty and not a little humour Bruce reveals what it was like growing up in New Zealand in the 1950’s. I laughed and sometimes cried my way through this first part of Bruce’s autobiography. I’m waiting for the next installment!

A man of fine education and not a little talent, Bruce blogs at Weave A Web if you want to read one of his [mostly] bizarre or odd little stories every day.

Finally – Siddy waiting for his fans.

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did.

A Postal Woopsie & A Winner

Posted on August 13, 2015 by thecontentedcrafter

Thank you all so very much for the many and most helpful comments on the new shop window – I spent the ensuing days making changes as fast as I could and I think the perusing and information gathering is much better as a result. There are still a few additions and changes to be made, but nothing major.

I even made a sale which thrilled me no end – even though there ensued a most embarrassing postal misadventure as a result…… Do you want the whole story?

I was super busy and trapped at home waiting for the super-fast broadband installation scoping man to arrive – and surprise, surprise he didn’t…… [that’s a whole other post!]

I had a pile of mittens still waiting to get to the post office, the raspberry and yellow light catchers to get off to their new homes and a mounting sense of frustration that I was going to miss the post again……

Enter Stage R the most amenable and helpful Youngest Daughter, Official Photographer and newbie blogger, Danella Joy. Already stressed to the max with the health of her aged and ailing cat, an upcoming week away and what to do if dear cat’s demise and week away collide and needing to get to her night shift on time after a vet consultation, she still volunteered to visit the post office along the way and get my parcels sent off.

All but one of the packages were wrapped and addressed. One, a set of three mittens and a card from the last giveaway, needed it’s own postal envelope and the address to be written on said envelope.

Hastily I tore off the small pad page that had some addresses written on it, ripped off the unneeded address, threw everything into a handy tote bag and off she raced.

I didn’t realise that the small pad page had an address written both sides, both perfectly framed within the torn off seam.

You know what happened don’t you

Two days later DJ remembered to give me the pile of postal receipts and the card she had not seen in the bag that needed to go with the mittens until it was too late and as she handed over the torn pad page with the address on she froze, turned it over and asked “Where were the mittens going?”

Yes indeedy! Two beautifully written addresses – take your pick. There was a 50/50 chance I guess that the wrong one would be right side up when she scrabbled in the bag to find it and send the mittens away across the ocean. At least they ended up in the right country!

Now I have to get poor Jem to readdress and resend a package she should never have gotten and reimburse that as an added, extra postal cost….. sigh! And Jenny, dear, patient Jenny, you will get your mittens sometime soon 🙂

***************

But now, to happier times.

And what could be happier than a giveaway I hear you cry……….

The names were all written out on strips of carefully cut paper

Piled into my favourite drink dispenser

shaken

stirred

scattered

‘Can we go yet?’

and – chosen!

I’m exhausted says Orlando – these are all winners!

Congratulations Kerry from Love Those ‘Hands At Home’

Which one do you want?

The pink or the blue?

Thank you to everyone who took part – we love giveaways here in Contented Land

and there is sure to be another soon.

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did!

A Gift, A Shop and A Give-Away

Posted on August 2, 2015 by thecontentedcrafter

I’m feeling particularly pleased with myself. I made a new Light Catcher; my first one in hues of yellow. It is so pretty, like a little ray of sunshine. And it’s a gift and is just awaiting the final touches before being sent away to the recipient.

(The yellow colour in the background is more accurate than the subdued colour in the circles – yellow is hard to photograph apparently.)

Click twice to biggify

And, still on the subject of feeling particularly pleased with myself, I made a new page for my blog, it’s there sitting on the black bar beneath the heading picture, can you see it?

It’s called ‘The Contented Crafter’s Gift Shop’ and it lists all my creative work in the various formats that are available for sale or on commission. I know several of you have been asking and waiting and – well – here it is at last with apologies for the delay.

The shop page also has links to two other sites where some friends sell their particularly fine wares. Just in case you are looking and need inspiration……. I had this idea of a global support network that may or may not have merit. This is its small beginning.

Now if you wouldn’t mind, and if you have the time [I know how busy you are!] I would so appreciate you taking a few moments to look and to comment with your feedback – particularly about layout, quality of photos etc; about ease of understanding the different headings or not, anything that needs fine tuning, anything that does or doesn’t appeal, make sense or offends or delights you I would really like to know about. What do you think about linking to other sites? Would you look? Did you look?

As a thank you, your name will go in the draw* for a Single Strand Light-Catcher. The winner can choose one of these:

The blue single strand light-catcher is made with large blue *chrysacolla rounds interspersed with graded blue glass square beads from which hangs a 40 mm AAA crystal sphere. Smaller crystals and beads hang randomly from the silver chain along with a few charms. Catcher measures approx 50 cm long.

*’Chrysacolla purifies the environment and can work to eliminate negativity within a person. It imparts an energy conducive to stabilising the environment and rebuilding relationships’. Love Is In The Earth~A Kaleidoscope of Crystals

The pink light-catcher is a 40 mm AAA faceted crystal sphere hanging from a run of acrylic heart beads and very pretty white ceramic beads painted with pink flowers. A variety of clear and coloured beads,faceted crystals and charms makes up the remainder of the main and subsidiary chains. This catcher measures approx 60 cm long.

*the draw: is conducted randomly with the aid of my favourite coffee cup, strips of paper with names written on them, a vigorous shaking procedure followed by a tipping motion and the randomly placed paw of one Orlando King, the worlds best marmalade cat. [Siddy isn’t allowed to take part, in the practise run, he ate the pieces of paper.]

The draw will take place New Zealand time: 5pm Wednesday 12th August 2015

Any comments placed after that time will not be eligible for the giveaway.

In advance, let me thank you for your interest, for your support and for your feedback. it is as valued as you are!

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did!

Creating a Light Catcher

Posted on July 12, 2015 by thecontentedcrafter

When I showed off some of my latest light catchers in the last post there was a small amount of interest in seeing how I made them. Not having a video camera capable of recording the process I did my best with my point and shoot and, with a bit of help from our Official Photographer when I ran out of hands, there now exists an as-good-as-it can-get photographic record of the process.

So, here we go:

First I rifle through my stash and gather together a pile of beads in my chosen colour. I was feeling ‘green’

I look for interesting shapes, a variety of shades and include glass, semi-precious gemstones, crystal, acrylic and facets wherever possible. I like using gemstones for their power and meaning, facets for their bling factor, shapes for interest and texture and crystals of course are the major source of light refraction. Acrylic beads are also very handy for keeping the weight down – these things can get heavy! I may, or may not, use all of my selection. It just depends.

I choose the hanging chain, recently I have discovered a particularly nice one which I am hoping to use in all future catchers. You can see it lying across the top left of the first photo. You can click on the photos twice to biggify – get the close up view for real!

Tools:

These four pliers are my go to essentials. The most recently added in is the one on the right, a split ring opener. Prior to that I used the pokey tool [official designation] seen at the top right and my finger nails. My left forefinger is covered with scars from puncture wounds – a proper tool was sought and finally found. My life has changed 🙂

Beading wire [I prefer ‘Tiger’s Tail] and quick dry adhesive to help secure the wire ends. Excuse the blurry photos – I find it a real challenge to snap photos while in the creative process – it is often an afterthought and is done on the fly ……….

Here we have the first length begun, I chose a pretty gold speckled green glass twist interspersed with small polished agate rounds

And the second string started, these beads are all acrylic and used for shape and texture. The wire is threaded through the crystal ball and up through the beads. It is pulled through a split ring, wrapped around itself two or three times and then threaded back down through as many beads as possible. These are tiny beads, so it can’t go too far down. Where the wire is poking out and at the top, fast drying adhesive is added to help secure wire and beads together. When the glue is dry I snip off the excess wire and attach the length of chain. If the glue doesn’t catch, or is peeled off, the wire can slip out and the whole thing will eventually collapse – it has happened and I try hard to ensure it won’t happen again!

Next I set about making half a dozen or so tiny little dangly bits. This is a selection of faceted glass or crystal beads for bling factor. I use long eye pins and snip them down as necessary. I make two different sets, three in each.

Split rings are added to both ends

I chose glass pearl balls and faceted hearts to hang at the bottom of three of the mini-danglers The hearts, due to their thickness, have to be hung using chandelier bow ties. These things are the bane of my light-catcher-creative life! They slip out of place whenever the catcher is moved and while I know where and how to put them back in place, the new owner may not. The only alternative I have is to use a large connecting split ring which looks ungainly – so I prefer not to go that route. If you have an alternate suggestion please, I would be so grateful should you care to share it.

Tiny crystal hearts are are attached onto the other mini-danglers and then the two strands are attached to a heavy brass ring.

I thought I had finished and left the catcher hanging above my work table for the night.

Early the next morning I wandered into the room and started to play some more. Before I knew it, there was another strand, a new hanging option and a few baubles added – and never a camera to hand! Here’s what I ended up with:

I found the three ring gold acrylic hanger on-line somewhere and bought ten of them, not realising they were so very – um, gold – I need to spray paint them silver but need warmer weather to do that. It’s hard to see in the photo but there are now two faceted crystal balls and one large faceted crystal pear hanging from the bottom of three strands of beads and chain and assorted baubles. The pear especially doesn’t photograph willingly, but is a beautiful thrower of rainbows! Also no charms have been added yet – I add them especially for the person who will own the catcher.