Radio Silence

When this post goes live, I'll be jetting off to see family and there will be 'radio silence' here on the blog for a week. 

I wanted to leave you with this wonderful sunrise photo.

I am just amazed at the lovely art that decorates the sky each morning and evening here in the desert. 

I always love it!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Beautiful Skies!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Waxed Jewelry Cord Love!

Hey all - I just wanted to give a quick shout out. 

I recently got some new colors of the Waxed Jewelry Cord from Sandra, over at The Knotty Do It All.

I just LOVE this waxed cord and here's why:

• You can twist it so that it separates and use smaller holed beads with it.
• It's synthetic (not silk, linen or cotton) so you can melt the ends with your thread zapper (or the flame from a lighter if you're that brave and coordinated!) - No Need For Glue!! 
• The colors are pretty steadfast,....no running, fading, etc. that I've encountered.
• It doesn't stretch with wear the way waxed linen, silk or waxed cotton seems to stretch.
• The color choices are awesome!  Check out the link here to Sandra's shop to see for yourself!
• It's sturdy. I mean really sturdy. (Pile on those heavy, glass designer beads and see!!)
• It works up wonderfully whether you're knotting it, doing macrame or simply stringing with it - it has this 'drape' to it that is just super!
• It's not too 'waxy', but enough that it does exactly what you want a waxed cord to do.
• Did I mention the colors,....and that it's really sturdy?
• Quality cord. Simple as that!

Here's the colors I have on hand at the moment. 

Vino is my favorite. I use it all the time, but I think that Med. Brown and Java may have a new place in my heart this fall season!! And that Agave - swoon!!

I keep joking with Sandra that I'm eventually going to add some additional 'color' to my life and order some reds or something else!!  

Seriously,...how much more 'neutral-black, gray, brown-ish' could I get? LOL!

I created this knotted, large hole pearl necklace and bracelet set using the Waxed Jewelry Cord I purchased from Sandra's Knotty-Do-It-All shop.  

It's a fun, versatile and excellent quality cord.

If you have any questions about this cord, shoot me an email, leave a comment here on the blog or hop on over to The Knotty-Do-It-All website and ask Sandra herself! 

She's super nice and is just a wealth of information!

Sandra Younger at the Tucson Gem Show

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Waxed Jewelry Cord Fun!

Cheers, 

~Shel~

A Punch of Color (Macro)

It's week 41 for the Focus on Life:2014 Weekly Photography Challenge.  

For October our topic is COLOR and so this week Sally prompted us with this:

"Since October's topic is color, why not take a look at color on the macro side of things?  

A Punchy Shot of Color, Up Close!"

I LOVE macro shots. They just amaze me.  All those cool textures, colors, and itty-bitty insects. Tiny little worlds going on right before our eyes, only we can't see them unless we stop and get super, super up-close!

It rained recently here in the desert. Supposedly the 'last' of our monsoon weather for the year.

I love taking macros shots of the rose garden in our yard. I'm a bit out of practice as I haven't taken any macro shots for a while now, but boy are they fun to try and capture!

Let's see what other Punchy, Up-Close Shots of Color the rest of the gang captured this week, shall we? 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Color Up Close!

Cheers,

~Shel~

An InLinkz Link-up

FOL:14 - Week 40 - Color

Wow, week 40. October. Time flies, doesn't it?! 

This month our topic for the Focus on Life 2014 Weekly Photography Challenge from Sally was "COLOR" and for this first week in October our prompt is:  

Color Photography.  

Sally said, "Capture your most colorful moments to date!  This week its all about color photography!

This wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be. Looking around, all the colors seemed the same,...even the pearls I was able to work with for a few minutes were all white. 

Not very colorful. 

Then, as we sat down to eat one night, my hubby and son's favorite show came on.  Yes, we're awful, we usually eat in front of the idiot-box. But we laugh, talk and have fun while doing it, so it makes for some great family time!  

Anyway, when this came up on the screen, I shouted out, "Pause it!" 

They looked at me like I was crazy. I explained to the son and hubs what our photo assignment was this week and how, even on my daily walks, I either saw nothing very colorful or I'd forgotten to take my phone when I did see something, so this was my only chance!

So, here's the color that was in my week. We laugh all the time at each other as we each try to be the first to complete the puzzle. It makes for some very colorful dinner conversations, let me tell you!

Let's see what other colorful moments everyone else captured this week!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Color in Everything!

Cheers,

~Shel~

I'll leave you with these colorful signs,....

An InLinkz Link-up

FOL:2014 - Week 39

September's topic is SIMPLICITY for the Focus on Life:2014 Weekly Photography Challenge and for week 39, Sally prompted us with:

Hands

Sometimes it just takes a hand 

to help

to heal

to hold

"We got this"

Now, let's see the HANDS all the other participants captured this week.

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Knuckle-Bumpin'!

Cheers,

~Shel~

An InLinkz Link-up

Knotting Pearls with out Tools - Tutorial

During the Pearls! Pearls! Pearls! II Blog Hop back in June of this year, I posted a video that the folks over at Pearl Paradise shared which demonstrated the method of how to knot pearls with out any tools. 

I mentioned in another blog post that I use this method quite frequently and do it basically the same way they demonstrate in the video, only I seem to do it 'backwards' to the method in the video,...possibly because I'm ambidextrous.

 I've had several people ask me for a video of how I actually do this knotting technique and so here it is.   

I was working with a necklace using some of the waxed jewelry cord from Sandra over at The Knotty Do-It-All (LOVE her waxed jewelry cord - you should check out all the colors she offers!!) and decided, since it was a rather thick cord and I was using large hole pearls, it would be the perfect opportunity to show you how I do this method of knotting.

In the video I keep saying it's waxed linen cord - it's not linen, it's a synthetic waxed jewelry cord. Sorry I misspoke there. You cannot 'melt' the ends of waxed linen, but with this waxed jewelry cord, you can and I prefer to do that over using glue to secure knots for clasps, etc. 

The waxed jewelry cord tends to stay in place while I'm showing you what to do here in the video and it's also thick enough for you to actually see the knots on the screen, which is very helpful.

Now, if you've followed me for any length of time, you all know I'm super techno-challenged (that's my disclaimer - LOL!!), so keep this it mind as you watch, okay?

For some reason, it's a bit 'fast' in that is seems to be speeding up my voice and all - so I kinda sound a bit like one of the munchkins from the Wizard of Oz,...sorry. 

And although the camera was on a tripod, it appears as if it's 'moving (almost like there's a GoPro on my head or something), but I think you'll get the idea. 

MiShel Designs - Pearl Knotting with out Tools Video Tutorial

Feel free to ask any questions you might have or leave any comments here or over on the You Tube page!

Thanks for watching!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Pearl Knotting Fun!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Simplicity: ONE

Our topic for the month of September in the Focus on Life: 2014 weekly photography challenge is SIMPLICITY and for week 38, Sally has prompted us with:

ONE 

One being, one part, one piece.  We are all ONE.

Capture a photograph with only one subject or one piece or a small part of a subject.

This week I received my first certification in the IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) industry of which my husband and I are immersed in with our business.

It is one step, with more to follow.

I am one, of many.

As is this one,.....

Let's see what everyONE else has captured this week, shall we? 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and One Simple Step.

Cheers,

~Shel~

An InLinkz Link-up

A Simple Window

For the month of September our theme for the Focus on Life:2014 weekly photography challenge is:

Simplicity

and this week, week 37,   

Sally gave us this topic:

 A Window

The windows on the tree house are pretty special. They are some of the windows from Grandma Emma's original cabin that was built in the 1950's up near my sister and brother-in-law's cabin.  

Despite the fact that, due to it's size, there were relatively few structures lost during Arizona's largest wildfire to date - the 2011 Wallow Fire - Grandma Emma's was one of the few cabins that burned completely to the ground. 

The only thing left was the fireplace.

The Fireplace  - 3 Years After The Fire

At least that's what we thought at first. 

And then we all remembered that the tree house windows belonged to the original cabin. 

The Tree House - with the original Hindman Cabin windows!!

So, they not only provide a view, 

they also provide a 'window to the past'. 

Let's see what other windows every one else has captured this week.

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Window Happiness!

Cheers,

~Shel~

An InLinkz Link-up

A Door - Focus on Life: 2014 - Week 36

Our topic for September for the Focus On Life: 2014 Weekly Photography Challenge is

 'Simplicity' 

and for week 36 Sally prompted us with

 'A Door'

Well, if you didn't already know, I'm a bit obsessed with doors.

I've got a 'Door Porn' board over on Pinterest 

that helps feed this obsession. 

So, when we got the prompt for this week I thought, 

"Yeah Baby! I'm not gonna have any problems with this week's prompt!"

Wrong. 

Other than the grocery store and my house, I haven't gone far this week and didn't manage to capture even one photo of the cool doors I saw down in Mexico last weekend. (really?!?)

So, I leave you this week with one of my favorite door photos of all times.

Italian villa in Sommocolonia, Italy. Photo by Michelle Buettner

This beautiful home is in a little hilltop village called Sommocolonia, 

above the village of Barga in Tuscany, Italy. 

Sommocolonia is a magical place. 

When I die my ashes could be spread up on the hill, underneath the remains of the magnificent stone towers where the memorial plaque to the Buffalo Soldiers of WWII hangs, and I'd be eternally happy. 

This village is 'A Door' to another world.

 Simplicity rings through out this beautiful hilltop village, behind each door, and welcomes you with open arms. 

I'm excited to see what simplistic doors the other participants were able to capture this week.

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and A Door to a Simple, Peaceful Place!

Cheers,

~Shel~ 

**I posted early because I'm down in Tucson at the Fall G&LW Gem Show tonight!
I'll try to visit and comment on every one's posts on Sunday!**

 

An InLinkz Link-up

End of Summer - Beach Time!

We took a family trip with our long time, dear friends down to the Sea of Cortez for Labor Day Weekend. 

Mike, Shelly and Logan at Capone's in Rocky

With school back in session and summer winding down, it felt good to get away and have family time.

No internet, no Instagram, no Facebook.

Just some great days on the beach.

The Gang at Al Capone's - Rocky Point, Mexico

My friend Nina and I are finding it hard to believe that our boys are seniors in high school and that this may be one of the last summers where we all get to hang out and enjoy each other as families.

 

Garrett and Logan - La Casa Del Capitan Restaurant, Rocky Point, Mexico

 The boys have been friends since they were two years old. 

The boys - then (age 4) and now (age 17).

They were nice enough to recreate this photo-opp, per their Mama's request. 

I admit to having tears in my eyes while taking this photo. 

And no, it wasn't from the wind or the salty air.

Time really does fly by.

Despite the problems we had with our luxury (??) resort condo (air conditioning was broken and it was a humid 88 degrees in the condo, one shower was broken and only had cold water forcing us to shower in the master suite and one toilet handle was busted so we had only one toilet for a while- which wasn't in the master suite, etc.) we did enjoy hanging out on the beach, at the pool, and around the dinner table creating more family memories.

Nina photo bombing the kiddos!

We laughed so hard during dinner each night that our sides hurt.  

Nina and Steve - What a hoot!

It's great to have good friends with which to create wonderful memories!

I hope everyone in the U.S. had a safe, happy and fun Labor Day Weekend!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love, Good Friends, Great Memories and,...
VIVA DIVAS!! 
(inside family joke!)

Cheers,

~Shel~