Blanche and Guy Designs

Best of 2009: Blog Find of the Year

2009-12-08T13:36:00.001+02:00

December 7 Blog find of the year.

That gem of a blog I can't believe I didn't know about until this year is Confessions of a Pioneer Woman written by Ree Drummond. I was truly in love at first click! I was smitten and have visited almost daily since reading about it in February.

I stumbled across Ree's blog when I followed a link from Heather Armstrong's blog, Dooce, listing the 25 Best Blogs of 2009. Heather was # 21, Ree #22. It's really amazing to see how many people visit these two women's sites on a daily basis. According to adbrite.com, over 20,000 plus view Dooce and I'm sure Ree has just as many visitors. The Pioneer Woman is so full of interesting and useful posts, all really well organized, that you can literally spend all day browsing around. You can learn more about how to use Photoshop, how to bake a pineapple upside down cake, facts on cattle ranching, details on the wild horses they support on their land and how she manages to homeschool her four children, or punks as she lovingly refers to them as. It's easy to see why she's so popular.

Ree is absolutley hysterical, a great writer with wit and charm. You can just feel the love from her through the computer screen! She's like the best friend you wish you had known all your life. She's got readers from all over the United States and likely many more abroad. I wouldn't label her as the typical mommy blogger, if there is such a person anymore these days. Giving someone that label is really pretty silly. Everyone knows that a woman who has children and is writing on the internet is not always writing only about kids and parenting. People are much deeper than that and by giving them that one, singular label you are discounting all the other things that person is elaborating on. Sure she blogs about her children, her animals, her husband and family but the reader gets the feeling that there is a true richness in her life deep within each of those elements.

When I visit her blog I feel like I'm coming home to an old friend.

She's also recently finished renovation of the original house on the ranch that she now uses when guests come to visit. She did a stunning job. Exactly the ranch house you'd love to plop yourself down in and just stare out the windows. I love reading about the guests that visit her. She's always got an entertaining way of telling her readers about the city folk interacting with nature and farm animals.

Her latest venture is a nationwide book tour to promote her new cookbook. Lately she's been posting gorgeous pictures of her giddy fans waiting in line to get her autograph in their new books. She's also been writing about the hotel rooms she's been staying in and the different adventures that happen along the way. To me it all seems so effortless, the way she writes and her life in general. I know this is not entirely true but it's refreshing to visit a blog that is not full of whining and complaining about life. She is very tongue-in-cheek but at the same time, she spills out exactly what she wants to say. You've got to start reading her! She will make you want to get out of bed in the morning, to see what hysterical event she's gotten herself into.

I can't say enough about how much I enjoy reading her stories!

She's got to have a small team of helpers in the background, helping out with servers, uploading photos, writing new posts, etc. It's hard to imagine that she gets it all done on her own but maybe she does! I can barely get one blog post up each day! She's definitely got it down to an art. All these visitors translate into clicks which translates into plenty of revenue from advertising. It's thrilling for me to think about the fact that less than 10 years ago, nobody would have believed that a person could make a living off their blog. I know I'm a long way aways but these two women give me inspiration to keep on blogging and to hone in on my own special skills.

Blanche

This is Day 7 of Gwen Bell's Best of 2009 Challenge

Best of 2009 I missed a few days!

2009-12-06T11:30:00.000+02:00

December 3 Article. What's an article that you read that blew you away? That you shared with all your friends. That you Delicious'd and reference throughout the year.
ummm. nope! I did read a lot on-line but didn't keep track of one specific thing. I have been interested in a lot of natural birth blogs, though.. for some reason - and I'm not even pregnant!

December 4 Book. What book - fiction or non - touched you? Where were you when you read it? Have you bought and given away multiple copies? (+ giveaway)
Well I haven't read too much this year so I can't comment! Do blogs count? Guy and I are both constantly re-visiting Eckhart Tolle's two books, The Power of Now and A New Earth.

December 5 Night out. Did you have a night out with friends or a loved one that rocked your world? Who was there? What was the highlight of the night?
Guy and I spend lots of special nights together! Three months ago, before we packed up our lives and took a plane to Israel, we spent a lovely evening outside our trailer, with a big fire burning bright into the sky. It was a beautiful moment.

December 6 Workshop or conference. Was there a conference or workshop you attended that was especially beneficial? Where was it? What did you learn?
Another dull answer from me! I did go to a few Hudson Valley Etsy meetings, does that count?!

Maybe the Best of 2010 will be more interesting? We did live in the boonies in 2009 and both worked from home so not so many exciting/interesting events happened. Well, if you compare it to the life of some people I suppose. But we didn't have any problems with living a quiet, peaceful life. We're still trying to make that happen here in Israel. I guess some people live their lives with constant events to look forward to. We try to enjoy the present moment as much as we can. Which is probably why we don't have anything to show for our year. Not sad - not bad - just the way it is.

Best Restaurant Moment of 2009

2009-12-02T23:56:00.001+02:00

December 2 Restaurant moment. Share the best restaurant experience you had this year. Who was there? What made it amazing? What taste stands out in your mind?

Angela's Restaurant in Catskill, NY - but of course! The decor and the Friday evening keyboard player are not much to talk about but the all you can eat pasta for $8.95?? You can't beat that! And it was made authentic Italian style, not from a can of tomato sauce. They used spices and cared about how much each customer liked it. Every Friday the pasta's were made fresh!

We brought everyone we could to that restaurant and on days we knew were were going there, would starve ourselves for the whole day.

One visit to the restaurant stands out in my mind: the time we took our good friend Alix along with Guy's sister visiting us from Israel and her friend that had just been on a 8 month journey together through South America.

What was your best trip in 2009?

2009-12-02T00:02:00.003+02:00

December 1 Trip. What was your best trip in 2009?

I'm participating in Gwen Bell's great idea: The Best of 2009 Blog Challenge!

Well, I think the answer to this question would appear to be our recent move from upstate New York to Guy's hometown in Israel. But the more I ponder it, this is more than a trip. It's a move. So I don't think I'll count it. Instead, I will share with you my solo trip one weekend during the summer from our humble abode in Cairo, NY down to Manhattan, out to New Jersey and back again.

Here goes.

I was invited to a family get together down in New Jersey. Was it someone's birthday? I can't remember. Maybe it was the fourth of July? No, there were no fireworks. No sparklers. I know there was a dunking tank at the party but I don't think it was being held for any specific reason. Oh yes! Now I remember: my cousin Kasey's high school graduation party!

So off I drive from Cairo to the train station in Poughkeepsie to take the train into Manhattan. I get to the city and make my way to the Guggenheim a little while before the party is set to start out in New Jersey. In the 6 years that I lived in New York state (half of those years were in NYC), I always told myself to go to more museums. But of course when you live somewhere you don't often take advantage of the special places around you. I think the Guggenheim is the only museum I visited in those 6 years! (No - thats not true. I also went to the Museum of Natural History with Guy's sister the month before we came back here to Israel).

A snapshot I took from my FlipVideo

Well what a place it is! I got there early in the morning so while there was a long line of people waiting to buy tickets to get in, I don't think it was as bad as it could have been. I guess I have kind of a positive look at waiting in lines anyways. It's fun to listen in on all the foreign languages being spoken and to watch the young kids squirm in their strollers. Can you imagine visiting the Guggenheim as a toddler? I don't think you'd find much of interest other than the cool spiral shape of the inside and the outside. Certainly not the crazy paintings of Kandinsky. Now that I'm looking back on some of the video I took that day (I didn't bring a camera), I realize what a fantastic building this is! Check out the ceiling from the inside:

Guggenheim Museum ceiling

Also while standing in line you get to take in the vast expanse of the building. It truly is interesting. I love it that their are people out there (mostly designers and architects I suppose) that are willing to spend the time, money and resources on such a crazy looking building. Hallelujah for people with vision and creativity!

Guggenheim from the outside

So I take the audio tour of the museum and learn a lot about Frank Lloyd Wright since they had a special exhibition of his house plans and photos of finished houses he designed. Very interesting. I'm so glad that I finally went! Here's some more video from outside the Museum. After the Guggenheim, I make my way down 5th Avenue, on my way to the Port Authority so I can hop on the train to Aberdeen, NJ. As I'm walking I hear a bunch of street performers, singing I'll Be There by Michael Jackson. Since he had just died the previous week, there was lots of MJ music playing all over the city. I sat on the steps of the Met and listened to them sing. So sweet. I found myself singing along. How can you not sing along to that song? This video is on youtube!

They were very talented and had a bass with them!

I eventually hop on a bus for the rest of the trip down to the train station. I'm not used to walking in the city anymore! The train arrives and I find a seat across from an old married couple. They are returning home to NJ after spending a weekend in Manhattan. The husband is retired but the wife still works, for Orthodox Jews mind you! She says they treat her very well and she feels like family, although she is not Jewish. I'm glad to hear that. She tells me that she's over 65 but she enjoys her job and the office so she has decided to stay on for another few years. They tel me that they had a great trip on the Staten Island ferry. They were very excited because they felt like they had cracked the code on a well kept secret. The husband told me how he had taken his kids many times on the Circle Line tours around Manhattan which cost plenty of money. Meanwhile they both took a ride over the weekend on the S.I. ferry for free and got just as good a tour of the tip of the city. They were a really happy and positive couple. It was inspiring to see them out and about, enjoying their later years. And still very happy to be with one another.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art front steps

I arrive to my stop and say goodbye to my temporary friends. I always seem to befriend these senior citizens. Must be from my childhood in Florida! My brother in law and cousin pick me up at the station and we head over to the house to enjoy the party. My brother Niall was visiting from Austin, TX so it was nice to give him a hug and chat with him in person for the first time in over a year. My two sisters, their husbands and children were also there along with a big group of cousins and aunts and uncles.

My three nephews performing a Kings of Leon song!

My nephews are really into their guitars so they gave us a nice couple of songs then of course all of us who'd had a few drinks did a few sing-alongs. A big, happy Irish family! Where can you go wrong?! My littlest niece, Riley, also had a couple of songs to share with us. One was about popcorn popping on the apricot tree and another one was a graduation song she had made up by herself! It was adorable. I think she has a future in show business.

Riley singing her songs with Uncle Niall

We spend the night and the next morning I go back to Queens with my sister Denise and her family. From there I take the train into Manhattan in order to take the train back up to Poughkeepsie. I step outside of Grand Central Station and go for a bit of a walk, just to take in the city one more time. Little did I know it would be one of my last major outings there before our spontaneous move to Israel!

East 42nd Street

As I was walking down 42nd street, I heard lots of music blaring from somewhere in the distance. I spotted a rainbow flag and suddenly remembered it was the weekend for the Gay Pride parade! I make my way to 5th avenue and take it all in. It was the week after Michael Jackson passed away so ALL the music seemed to be from him. I got chills when I heard it. The scene was fabulous. People dancing and singing and laughing and just having a great time. Remembering the King of Pop and embracing their own sexuality. Nothing like being in the middle of a big, boisterous crowd when MJ is playing full blast!

Gay Pride parade moving past the NY Public Library on 5th Avenue

It was a great end to a great weekend! I'm so glad I decided to go. I got to see the city and a lot of family. Here's a video from the Gay Pride parade which I posted on youtube a few months ago and another one from the scene outside the Guggenheim which I just uploaded today.

NYC Scene on parade day

I'm so glad I saw Gwen Bell's tweet suggesting we write about the BEST things that happened in 2009! Check back tomorrow for more stories from me.

Franky is a Star!

2009-11-30T22:26:00.001+02:00

Little ol turquoise froggy bead Franky was beautiful enough to be featured on the wonderful website, Found Handmade. There are so many gorgeous goodies out there for the frog lovers of the world. Thanks to our friends over there for choosing Franky for the spotlight. Have a look at the lovely grouping of handmade frog inspired creations they chose:

People often ask Guy why he likes to make frog beads so much. He taught himself how to make glass beads by studying Corina Tettinger's fantastic guide to glass beadmaking, Passing the Flame . On his journey through mastering each unique technique, the one which continuously stumped him was that of her adorable frog beads. She is truly the master at glass frog bead making! He passed through the majority of her tutorials with fun and ease and practiced them for hundreds of hours over the years but the frog beads alluded him for ages. And when I say ages, I mean almost 3 years before he started making frog beads that he was really happy with! He's very particular about the way the feet and hands come together, the thickness of the stringer he uses to make these features, the googley eyes, the shape of the body, the way the body of the frog slumps over the bead, the way the joints of each limb connect to each other...

For the amount of frogs that we have sold, we've more than likely given away roughly the same amount! Which is not such a terrible thing. Giving beads to people is a lot of fun and they are typically very well received. We have left a trail of glass beads all over Texas, New York and Israel thanks to Guy and his generosity (or quest for perfection, depending on how you look at it). As a matter of fact, he thinks some of his frogs are so bad that they are not even worthy of being donated! He holds onto them as a lesson to himself. I'm pretty sure we left those defective froggies somewhere back in America, though. The way he learns from his mistaken frogs is by making a better one next time and the next time after that and the next time after that.

It's funny how beadmaking goes: sometimes you can be in the middle of making a bead and something goes wrong (a number of things can go wrong!) and you say to yourself, 'should I keep going or put down the mandrel and try again?'. Guy always seems to keep working on the bead. Sometimes he spends time correcting little mistakes he's made only to make the bead worse and sometimes he succeeds and it's a winner.

Kind of like life you could say! I guess the point is to keep on trucking. Eventually you will get things right. And when he gets these gorgeous little creatures the way he wants them, they are truly a beauty to behold!

It makes me think of me acquiring this new language, Hebrew. If I don't try to speak with people, try to say what I want to say, then I won't get very far with it. All kinds of things go wrong when I try to speak the language but depending on who I am speaking with, things can sometimes get better (as in they understand me) or get worse (as in they give up and just speak English with me). I'm enjoying the process and not getting too frustrated along the way. Maybe I should be? Guy learns a lot from his frustrations, that's for sure, as he does on a daily basis with his bead making!

I'm learning lots of new things everyday: new words, phrases, slang, greetings, etc. I'm not remembering everything I hear but I think the language is slowly seeping into my brain. Just as the art of making glass frog beads has slowly seeped into Guy's brain. And who knows what will result from all this learning going on in our lives?

Good night from the moshav,

Blanche

Working with Legend

2009-11-28T17:11:00.003+02:00

No matter what horse farm he steps on, Guy always finds one particular horse that catches his eye. In the case of his newest farm, he spotted Legend pretty quickly.

Legend is full Quarter horse stallion and is only 4 years old. He's still got a lot of learning ahead of him. He doesn't have very much respect for humans yet, instead he likes to walk right over them! Since last week was Guy's first time working with Legend, he took things slowly and worked with him in the arena for awhile, putting into practice techniques he learned from watching Dennis Reis and Clinton Anderson on RFD TV (back in The States - we don't have it here in Israel).

Their are all kinds of exercises Guy can do with him there to help him learn to respect humans and their personal space. That is a big thing for a horse to learn. I don't think they are aware of the fact that by their sheer size and mass that they can kill you. So they need to be taught to keep their big ol bodies to themselves and to work with the human body.

One thing that Guy really loves about this horse is that he's got a lot of white in his eyes compared to most horses. It's a feature that our dog Chillum has, too, and I think it makes them look more human or something! People always commnet on Chillum's eyes, that they are kind of haunting.

Also, when Guy is working with Legend, I often hear him say to him that he is quite the 'sarcan' ('actor' in Hebrew) and that he's got a goofy personilty. Young horses are fun to be around because of their playfulness and lack of knowledge. I guess kind of like the little kids that were visiting us for the weekend - they are still in a pure state of conciousness! They haven't learned many behaviors, much less bad ones. So it's refreshing, in a way, to be around a being that is clueless! Guy really loves the challenge of working with these young studs and goes home with a huge smile on his face.

Guy took his time working with Legend from the ground before he went ahead and got on his back. This is important because his wife is standing nearby and she doesn't want to witness him getting thrown off this beautiful creature. Once he decided that the ground work was enough, he carefully hopped up on Legend and started trotting around the arena. There was a flock of white pigeons hanging out with us. They got startled away once Legend started to kick into turbo gear.

This horse, like most other animals, really wants to please. He wants to work hard for you and give you a thrilling ride. Like any other youngsters, though, he needs to learn how to do that. He's got great potential and Guy is excited about working with him. It didn't take them long to fall for each other.

I really enjoy times like this, when I get to watch my partner do his thing. He's brilliant. I love him with all my heart. The end!

You can see some of the videos I took from this session over on our YouTube page. Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great weekend!

Oz

2009-11-26T23:54:00.009+02:00

This is Oz.

Poor guy has a fly on his ear. He's usually got flies following him. He's kind of smelly. He lives next door. I don't think his family has too much time for him these days. But not to worry, he's taken care of and still has his manly equipment! Lucky him (Dino told me to say that). He's free and roams all over the street all day long. His favorite past time is ... well, I'll let you guess.

Here he is barking at me. Begging. Pleading. Hoping that I'll do what he wants me to do. But I've come out onto the mirpeset (front porch) to photograph Guy's new beads. Not to entertain Oz and his obsession.

He doesn't give up easily. After all, he sits outside on the front lawn and days go by before he might see a suitable partner in his obsessive game of ....

Lemon Fetch. Yes, that's mister Oz's obsession: collecting any fallen lemons, and chewing them up while he waits for someone to throw the darn things. Then he fetches it, comes back, sits next to you and laughs inside as he holds onto the lemon. You think the taste would make any normal dog spit out this bitter fruit immediately. But no, not Oz. He's not a normal dog.

I try to ignore him, really, I do. I am afterall holding onto a big camera with a big flash and a dish full of precious beads that Guy worked on for many hours. To risk dropping all of this in order to play lemon fetch with this crazy, big black dog? Sure! Why not? How many times has a gorgeous black Labrador asked you to play fetch with him?

Who could resist that schnaaaawz?

Happy Turkey Day!!!

Feeding Animals .. again!

2009-11-24T15:59:00.029+02:00

No matter where we have moved over the years, Guy always manages to find a gig feeding animals. Usually horses. And he has not disappointed us over here in Israel. A friend called a few weeks ago asking him if he wanted some work feeding horses. Guy said yes. This job was right up his alley.

Here he is the other morning. Bright and early. I usually don't get up so early but I decided I should help him out a bit, even though he says he doesn't need my help. It was nice for me to see the sun rise. When it was hotter here, I got up earlier so I could beat the heat and get the dogs walked early on in the day. Now that it's winter time, it's nice to stay in bed, warm and cozy under the covers.

We were greeted by these happy fellers. They are always happy to see the dude who has come to dump grain and hay in their buckets. The little kitty lives there with his mama and another sibling. They are pretty shy of people and so far have not let me pet them. I'm allergic anyways so it's better for me that way!

A big white rooster also lives there. I didn't manage to get a photo of him. Next time!

The owner of one of the horses stopped in to give his sick horse a shot of something. It was funny to watch them. I snuck this picture of them, him and his friend, on their way to work apparently because both of their shirts said Avis - as in car rentals. He looked very gangster-like with the cigarette hanging out of his mouth while he was filling up the syringe.

Instructions hang from each stall's door, informing us what each creature gets. In this case: one cup of oil along with his one pitcher full of grain, and an extra 1/2 cup of aspeset which is basically condensed tablets of rich alfalfa hay. See, I'm learning Hebrew everyday!

Guy hauls big bunches of hay in the wheelbarrow to each horses stall. In America, the hay usually split up into smaller flakes but here the hay comes in huge, square bales that you simply tear apart. It's very dusty so I have to take an allergy pill before I go near the farm!

So up he gets, each morning, practically at the crack of dawn to go and feed these gorgeous beasts. I think he's enjoying it. It's not a bad gig. Time on your own with the animals that you love deeply, nobody telling you what to do or how to do and it and having a generally good feeling about what you are doing. There are worse jobs one could have, no?

Exploring Tel Aviv Jewelry Shops and Opinionated People

2009-11-19T15:19:00.000+02:00

Bernie the glass frog bead on a green leather necklace

I had fun touring around Tel Aviv the other day. My feet got tired pretty quickly but it was fun to walk around alone. So many faces and places and sounds and smells. And in the cooler weather, this was fun. I found my way to Gil Raphael which is the main glass supply store here in Israel. It was a thrill to pick out rods of glass for Guy rather than order them on-line as I had done in the past. We've only once lived close enough to a glass supply shops so the internet was our only option. We're always jealous of those people in Oregon and Washington state that have glass supply warehouses on what seems like every corner! So in my excitement I went a little overboard and bought two big bundles of glass. One chunk from Bullseye and a big chunk from Effetre, which comes in meter long pieces! The sales guy kindly cut them in half so I could pack them in my bag.

Another view of Bernie the Frog

I didn't realize they had a studio in Gil Raphael! I overheard a man inquiring about classes and peaked into the back room where I saw a real live glass studio! They do fusing, slumping, stained glass, boro, soft glass ... and probably a few more things I'm not familiar with. It was nice to see a professional set up. I left a cool froggy bead with the owner's son in hopes that they might ask Guy to teach a class someday. I think Guy is a great teacher and it would be nice to get involved with glass artists and students here. We'll see!

Madge the glass frog bead on a green leather necklace

Hill Tribe Silver flower charm

Sometimes when we speak to people here about beads the general concensus seems to be, are you crazy? You spend time making tiny little beads and try to sell them online?! I tell them that lots of people all over the world participate in this craft and make decent livings from it. I don't know. I love being in the Moshav but sometimes people just have no idea about art or creativity. I guess the longer I live here the more funky people I will meet. But for now most people seem very caught up in all kinds of other things besides art. Maybe it's not that they have no idea. I mean sure they know what art is in all its different forms. They just don't see any importance in it.

Rodrigo the glass frog bead on red suede necklace

Forget about art... what about dogs? I can't tell you how many people have told us straight to our faces that we are certifiably insane for bringing our dogs here with us. SEVERAL! One woman was completely puzzled by this. Well, make that several woman. Lots of people! She told me that she thinks its a complete waste of time to care for a dog much less two dogs! I guess one day we had joked with someone that they are like our kids and that woman heard that so she had decided that we equate our dogs with real, live children. Of course we see a clear difference. A dog is not a child, we just joke that they are our kids. I didn't even know what to say to her. That she was telling me that the last 11 years I've spent keeping my dogs happy and healthy has been a waste for me? Do you even know anything about me that you could be able to surmise this? I just smiled at her and told her how cute her little grandson was. The little boy was having a nice time petting the dogs as his cranky grandma was busy judging me. Hmmph! Ironic, eh?

Betsy the red frog bead on a red suede necklace

It's kind of worn off now but yesterday it came up again with someone who didn't know we brought our dogs. It's funny - the conversation can go either way. They either make really big eyes and give me a look saying you're nuts or they can say awwww that's so nice, good for you and good for the dogs!

So... the more I write from here the more I realize people are the same the whole world around. Not that I've been all around the world but I have been a lot of places. I'm not too hurt by these things, I just enjoy noticing the way people act and react. I love my dogs and am grateful that we were able to bring them here with us. I can't imagine having to leave your dog at a shelter after having it for so many years. Lucky for me my Guy feels the same way.

Rudy the green glass frog on a rainbow bead

I was looking for leather necklaces in the jewelry supply stores. I found a bunch of crazy colored ones but was disappointed that they closed with base metal clasps. I usually make my own leather necklaces but I can't always keep up. It's time consuming to make them with the little coils at the end. Or should I say I don't always have the patience or desire to make them? That's more correct! So I caved and bought a bunch of the ones with the base metal findings instead of sterling silver. Hopefully my customers will be able to see through the base metal-ness and see the catchy colors that match the frogs.

It's fun to see our work evolving over here. You just never know what might come next! Guy has been busy helping out a friend who's wife is about to have a baby. They are painting the baby's room today! Between that and his new gig feeding at two horse farms here in the moshav, he's not had a lot of time to sit and make beads. Yesterday he had some time and made some of his wonderful dotted beads in a nice color combo. I will see about posting pictures of them later.

Right now I have an urge to go walk a new dog I met yesterday. Her parents are gone up north for the weekend so she would probably appreciate a walk out in the field. She's very cute - an Australian shephard with one blue eye.

Thanks for stopping by! See you later!

Dogs With Jobs

2009-11-18T12:54:00.003+02:00

Heading out to the field

I've been getting up each morning recently and heading out to the pecanim with the dogs and a cup of coffee. The days have turned a bit cooler and the skies are magical in the morning. I'm enjoying the 'winter' here in Israel and have gotten to wear the odd sweater. The 'pecanim' is what we refer to as the back of the 'meshek', the family land. Guy's grandparents moved to this village of mostly Bulgarian immigrants in the 1950's and immediately started planting trees of all kinds including pecan, olive, lemon, grapefruit, kumquat. They have both since passed away and the farm has sort of died along with them though there are still remnants of it. So I like to go back there with the dogs and just sit and take in the air. Their are lots of birds flying around and the clouds and big sky make the world very peaceful. A good place to start the day.

The dogs getting to work

Of course the military flies by on occasion, too, with their magical little helicopters and sometimes very loud fighter planes. They are always on guard here, protecting the country.

Teamwork!

Chillum and Dino's favorite past time is searching for moles. And boy have they hit the jackpot here. From the first step into the field, I can see a handful of molehills. I'm not entirely sure why these hills pop up on the surface of the land but they are funny to see. The dogs best sense is their nose so they get to work immediately. While I'm still strolling through the field, they are already hard at work digging for the little creatures. This is not anything new to the dogs. They've done this in almost every place we've ever lived. They've gotten quite good at it. Dino is a chow chow mix and I'm not sure they are known for their hunting skills so I think he's learned a lot of it from living with Chillum for so long. She looks like a big border collie but her mother was actually a giant schnauzer which probably explains the need to hunt small vermin. I've brought other dogs out to the field with them and nobody seems to interested in the moles, only my two. They get really into it! It's fascinating to watch them.

I think he just went that way.

They only actually catch a mole maybe once a week, if that. They both take part in the finding of it and then usually Chillum stomps on it a few times. I don't think they really mean to kill the little guys, it just happens. She just wants to play with it but in the meantime it gets the fatal blow. Then Dino comes around and carries it in his mouth for awhile. You can tell that he's not really sure what he's supposed to do with it. He just feels the urge to carry it and keep an eye on it. God forbid someone else gets his prey!

I think he went THAT way!

Last night Guy and I went to the supermarket together and I asked the lady at the meat counter if she had any big bones with marrow inside. She smiled and came back out with a giant big leg with the ends still on. I guess they are the joints. So she said she'd cut it into two pieces for us. I brought it home to the dogs and they had a great time gnawing away at the pieces. Chillum really loves these big bones. She finds a solitary place on the lawn and gets very focused on the bone. Dino on the other hand doesn't have the best teeth in his old age so he just guards the bone for awhile until he makes the decision to go ahead and start chomping into it.

Hard at work! But getting tired...

Can you tell I like dogs? If I could I would buy every dog in the moshav a big, raw bone to chew on!

The tails are wagging, constantly.

I know the neighbors down the street have a new german shephard puppy in their house. I hear him whining and barking in his little puppy voice when I'm sitting out in the pecanim. I almost want to go knock on their front door and ask them if I can take him for a walk. I know he would love to come out to the field and play with Chillum and Dino. Some people buy dogs for security although I don't know what they are so afraid of. This particular house has a big concrete wall the entire way around the property and big steel gates. So you need a dog on top of all that? We'll see... maybe I'll meet them in the street some day and start a chat about dogs.

A decaying tree in the pecanim.

I've been reading "The Places That Scare You" by Pema Chodron, a Buddhist monk. This is one of the few books I took with me from my old house in New York when we came here to Israel. Honestly I've had the book for about 4 years but never took the time to read it. She gives the familiar message as many other spiritual teachers, highlighting different points along the way. I've read and listened to so much of Eckhart Tolle and really understand a lot from his perspective. It's comforting to understand another spiritual teacher and to hear similar ideas. Here's a quote from a page I read this morning:

"In meditation we discover our inherent restlessness. Sometimes we get up and leave. Sometimes we sit there but our bodies wiggle and squirm and our minds go far awy. This can be so uncomfortable that we feel it's impossible to stay. Yet this feeling can teach us not just about ourselves but also about what it is to be human. All of us derive security and comfort from the imaginary world of memories and fantasies and plans. We really don't want to stay with the nakedness of our present experience. It goes against the grain to stay present. These are the times when only gentleness and a sense of humor can give us the strength to settle down."

Tip Toeing Through Tel Aviv

2009-11-15T23:02:00.001+02:00

Yavneh Train Station

A woman in Tel Aviv saw one of Guy's frog beads at beautiful Yasmin's studio in Givatayim. She called us and asked to see some of the beads. I was supposed to meet her outside Gil Raphael last Wednesday but, um, somebody was passing a KIDNEY STONE that day so I couldn't make it. So off I went today, all by my lonesome, on the wonderful train system serviced by Israel's finest workers. I left home a bit earlier than expected because Guy's dad was going to Yavne around 11am and I planned to take the train around 12:30 to meet my potential customer by 2pm. So off I went at 11:26 in the morning from the local town train station.

Yavneh Mizrach Station - as in Yavneh West Station - as in Isaac Mizrahi!

I am very impressed with Israel's train services! The trains are pretty much immaculate in comparison to some trains that I have ridden in New York. I don't think I rode any trains outside of New York so unfortunately that's all I have to compare it to! I brought my camera with the intention of taking many more pictures but I just didn't. I was kind of shy I guess, to rip it out of my bag. I already feel like everyone here is looking at me. Such a ridiculous thing to think but the mind, as you must know already, can be quite insane!

Looking east toward the mountains of Jerusalem

So I buy my ticket (in English, as everyone knows that language (for the most part, although they do give me a quick second glance upon my uttering of the foreign words) and take a few moments on the platform to document the event. Me. On a train. By myself. In Israel. Hey, it may not mean much to you but it was a right of passage for me!

Train parking lot

The photo above is just to show you that, hey, people in Israel drive their cars to the train station each morning and leave them there for the rest of the day, just like in the rest of the world. Amazing how much we are all alike, eh? The train approached on time, got to the station, the people got on and all was well in the world.

The train approaching from the south in the distance

There was a similar rush for the doors, just as at 42nd street, but not with the same underlying fear. In Israel, people don't really push you without any care for what they are doing. I guess it's kind of hard to explain. I probably need to experience more of it before I can start to understand it. They push, but if you say, 'hey, I was here first, get the fuck out of my way' most of the time it seems that the other people will agree with you... It's hard to put my finger on it. In America I think people take it very personally, the agressiveness in the cities. Here, it's kind of expected. I think I notice it this way because I am very laid back so people notice it even more. They almost stop their pushing because their is no resistance from me. They stop and look at me like, dude, is there something physically wrong with you that you can't push your way onto this train/bus/etc? I'm still learning, mind you.. What do you think, Israelis?

The train tracks heading north to Tel Aviv

I find my spot on the train and am so tempted to pull out my little Digital Rebel because I know we are passing through the town of Lod (pronounced like it's spelled: lawwwwd) and their are a lot of camels outside the train station! I think this is why I packed my camera to begin with, to capture the camels! Because when we lived in the States, lots of people over the years would ask Guy, 'oh, did you like have a camel and like ride it to school?' ... So when I see a camel I giggle because they truly are not prevalent in the landscape of central Israel. Maybe in the south or the north of the country a bit more, but not so much here in the 'center'. But I didn't have the balls to pull out the camera. I was afraid to be looked at .. and the sun was shining right through the window anyways. So there!

The big red train is getting closer!

The camels were munching on some hay under the shade trees far away from the tracks anyways. I only counted three this time around. I'll have to eek them out elsewhere. I did notice sheep this time around, though! I think they are Arab/Israeli farmers there in Lod. I won't say much cuz I really don't know it at this point... And god forbid I ask Guy! He seems to be more foreign to this land of his than I am! Sometimes (more like often) he doesn't know how to translate stuff for me into English. Yeah, very entertaining! Especially when you are in the ER with said person!

The train is here!

I reach the station in Tel Aviv that I plan to exit from and make my way pass the Central Bus Station. As our friend told me this evening, it's as if you are in downtown Bangkok over there! It's the mecca of foreign workers - Thailand and the Phillipines mostly it seemed to me though I did see Chinese and Indian, too - making money changes and phoning home, using internet, western union, etc. Kind of an odd place. I was warned by Guy's mother before I left that I'd be passing by there and there was a lot of druggies there at night. Well I passed by in the daytime and saw my fair share of nut jobs. Hey, don't get me wrong - it could happen to any one of us! It wasn't that bad at all but it was a different experience. Too bad I don't have any photos!

The beautiful big, open sky over Israel! I hear some big rain might be coming tomorrow!

I make my way to Allenby Street and have fun observing all the different people as I'm steadily walking down the street, not really knowing what's going to happen for the rest of the day. My phone rings and it's Yasmin's student. She's outside Gil Raphael. I backtrack to meet her there. We make our way to some public benches over by another shop. She's enthraled with my baggies full of frog beads and buys one. She says she's not a fan of making purchases off the internet. I try to convince her to have more faith. I guess there are millions like her. Better learn to do it though because I think it's the future! I guess I've lived in enough far away places that I appreciate the option to buy on-line. Whether it is a book or a piece of handmade art - the opportunities we have to purchase from artisans all over the world?!?! Better start having more faith in e-commerce, folks!

After meeting with our first Israeli customer :) I wander around the jewelry supply stores nearby, collecting a few small bags of cool, new supplies. Of course I had to watch my budget since I'm technically unemployed but in order to make new jewelry, one must have some supplies! I had fun picking out new colored rods of glass in Gil Raphael. I spent more than I planned, but of course! But was happy to bring back two big chunks of rods for Guy to play with. I picked up some Bullseye glass this time around. I love the colors they offer. I think I need to start playing with glass beads since I am not allowed to work here yet. Might as well use my time learning a little. I'll still be sitting on my ass but at least I'm practicing the art of glass bead making. I made three super-pathetic beads the other day so that's a start!

Some freaky ladybug type things on a decaying branch I spotted last week

All in all - I finished the day off feeling happy that I'm an independent, English speaking, satisfied and intelligent woman. I think there is a lot to be said for that. In certain circles of society, women are often perceived at various 'levels' shall we say. I definitely do feel a bit of the machismo side from some Israeli men with regards to women in this part of the world but it's not all that different from the way I felt the energy from men, let's say in San Antonio, Texas or Phoenix, Arizona or the Bronx, NY. So really it's just a man thing. There is some reason those particular men feel the need to treat a woman as an object instead of a fellow human being. And there are perhaps many more reasons why those said women will allow those said men to treat them in that way. I don't confront men directly with verbal attacks here when I feel that vibe from them but I sure don't give them the attention they want/need/think they will get from that behavior. I'm onto something here, right?!

Hello from ISRAEL!

2009-11-12T17:59:00.000+02:00

Self Portrait: Dino and I on the front terrace

About time I update this blog, right? Guy and I arrived here a few weeks ago. This was pretty much a completely unplanned move back 'home' for us. I put home in quotes because this is Guy's birthplace, not mine. I was born in Ireland but my family moved to Florida when I was 5, then I left Florida when I was 21 after Guy and I married, spent short-term stints in New York City, North Carolina, South Carolina, back to Florida for another few years, then Virginia for a summer, New York City again, then short-term stint in Virginia again, Michigan, Arizona then finally another few years of settling down in San Antonio, Texas. Then we moved once again on a whim back to New York City, then to upstate New York which is where we moved from just now. Are you dizzy yet? I am.

Fallen fig tree leaves. Signs of the seasons changing.

It's amazing to look back on the past and see how random and whimsically we moved our entire lives. Sure, we never had tons of fancy, expensive furniture or other belongings but we still had lots of stuff to move. And most of the moves we took it all with us. Guy wrote it all down once and decided that we had moved 18 or 19 times since we married 13 years ago. And all this with our two faithful pooches, Dino and Chillum. You will be happy to know that we also took them on this huge move across several large bodies of water!

Chillum and Dino making out in the basement.

We have to keep Dino on a leash at most times here because he is an aggressive little bugger when he feels like it. Many times when I am walking them he'll be lagging behind, exhausted from the long trip but as soon as he sees a cat on the horizon, boom! He's gone! This happens when one of the many un-neutered male dogs pass by the house, too. So to keep everyone safe, we just keep him tied for now, until we move to a house with a fenced in yard. I have tried to get him to get along with un-neutered males but he's just got a thing for them. I think he's just jealous cuz he doesn't have his balls anymore! I wonder what Cesar would say? I'd love to have Cesar Millan come to Israel someday. Lots of people here (at least from my experience in the moshav/village) don't even contemplate the idea of neutering a male dog. They get really big eyes when I say the word 'castration' as if I'm referring to their equipment. But that's another post for another day!

A recent addition to our Etsy shop! This is a fab bead up close and in person!

So that's the scoop. We moved back to Israel. I can't say the words 'for good' as in permanent or temporary because I don't own a crystal ball and can't see what the future holds. For now we are both settling in and learning the ropes here, getting used to the food again, the language, the way people 'are' here, etc. It's very interesting to me as I get to observe new things almost everyday. Their is no such day as a regular day here. I'm still getting used to the fact that Friday's and Saturday's are the weekend here, instead of the regular Saturday's and Sunday's in America. Also getting used to the fact that people don't normally mix any meat products with any cheese products! But eggs can go either way. I always thought of eggs as in the dairy category but not here in Israel.

It really is fall here, I promise!

I miss being able to go outside and picking up eggs from my neighbors free-range chickens. I also miss being able to drive down to Kingston to the lovely natural health food store and buying all the organic shampoo, conditioner, soap, lip balm that I can afford. I haven't seen anything organic here yet. Maybe I need to get out more! I do go to the local malls but it doesn't seem that the organic, free-range, homegrown, handmade phenomenon has hit Israel the way it has hit America. I can't help but compare things like that when I'm out and about.

Out take from my jewelry photo session the other day. I kinda missed the bead!

I enjoy going to the grocery store and shops here alone because until I utter a word, nobody knows that I'm not Israeli. And when I do need to ask a question I try to keep it in Hebrew if possible (yeah, right!). It's not that I'm hiding my background but it's just fun to pretend to fit in. There is not much Diet Pepsi for sale here so that's a good thing. Junk food is not very popular in Guy's parents house so that's also a good thing! Not that I've shrunk too much. And not that junk food is not available here. Oh it is! Wasn't I just talking about organic stuff?

New bracelets in our Etsy shop!

I'm amazed at all the Ethiopian immigrants here. In Yavne, the city closest to the village Guy is from, their is a large Ethiopian community. Many of them have been here for a few generations and have assimilated: dress the same as 'native' Israeli's, speak with the same accents, etc. But a lot of them dress in the traditional Ethiopian way and it's fascinating to watch them. There is an interesting article all about them on Wikipedia but for some reason the link won't stick here. If you're interested google 'Beta Israel' and it should show you the Wikipedia page.

A new bead necklace from our Etsy shop.

One great development that has happened is that Guy has returned to school for a program that will certify him to be a riding instructor for regular and disable children and adults! He was very scared to actually enroll in the year-long program due to many factors including the cost, his lack of belief in himself (he's more than likely dyslexic in lots of ways but never been diagnosed!), his fear of not being able to actually do the job in the end due to his severe lower back pain .. and what else? Well, that's enough negative thinking to make one's decision hard! But in the end he passed all the obstacles in enrolling and attended his first class two weeks ago.

Dino's leg. He likes to help out on the jewelry photo sessions!

Unfortunately he missed his weekly class yesterday due to a very stubborn kidney stone that made it's presence known early yesterday morning. He was in severe pain for the early hours of the morning until we decided to get him to the local clinic in Yavne. Since he is a 'Toshav Hozer' (returning citizen) he is not eligible for the national health care that every other Israeli citizen uses freely until he's been here for 6 months. We think they made this rule due to the large number of liars that returned to the country for healthcare purposes only then went back to wherever they were living. So thanks to the crooks in the world!

Lolita and Kiko having a wrestling match in the yard.

In any case, the doctor and nurses at the clinic were extremely caring and helpful to him, hooking him up to an IV with abitren and a shot in the toosik of papaverin to help him through the pain. There is nothing they can do other than give him pain meds while he's going through the episode. It's sad to call it an episode because it almost takes on a life of it's own. It will be a memorable day, that's for sure. So after the IV and a few hours of sleeping there, he woke up and they decided he was good to go home. We return home and within an hour, the pain is back! Better than ever! Yay! Now what? This time I wasn't going to sit and watch him writing in pain for hours, the soldier that he is. I took the car keys and helped him out to the car. I told his dad and sister that I was taking him back to the clinic in Yavne.

Chillum chillin in a pile of pebbles. She dug herself a nice and deep hole there.

We get there and he's clutching his right side in pain (all his previous stones have been on the left side so with this being on the right, maybe that's why it was so stubborn and caused him so much pain?). He had to walk in by himself because I had to find a parking space. Israel is a small country but the parking in every city is still hard to come by. No such think like in America - where you just pull your vehicle up to the front door and race inside. If I had done that, their would have been 20 cars behind me honking until I moved. They like to honk their horns here, have I mentioned? So I park the car, get inside, see him practically laying on the floor and the nurse telling me in Hebrew that the doctor and nurses have already gone for the day. Strange office hours here, too. In the States you get used to businesses, doctors, stores - everything - open from 9am til at least 5pm. Not so here. Another topic for a future post! I kind of like the wonky hours here, though. But yesterday? Not so much! So I call his dad and sister from the front desk (we don't have a cell phone here yet - people think we are soooo weird for that!) and his dad says maybe come home and drink some more water.

Me and my shadow.

Um. What did he just say? Did you not see Guy collapsed in pain?? You seriously think water is going to help at this stage? Um... NO! So since we don't have insurance yet, everyone was afraid that taking him to the Emergency Room was going to be the end of the world (as in: huge bills). So the secretary was nice enough to give the ER a call and they tell her it's a flat fee of 601 shekels. Not 600 shekels. 601. So I misunderstand and think she means 6 thousand shekels. In any case, I didn't give a shit. My husband needed morphine or something similar pronto. And I would pay anything to get him the help he needed.

Beautiful sun, sky and clouds over Israel.

So lucky for us I knew the way to the Emergency Room! How so? I've been helping out on occasion, Guy's Aunt Tzippy. Her mother, Shoshanna is 86 years old and sometimes they like it when I help them out on trips to the doctors offices around the area. So I've been to the hospital a few times. I'm pretty good with navigation so somehow I got us to the ER and dropped Guy at the front door. The poor guy. People were watching him walking in doubled over in pain. As I was driving away to park the car (remember the parking situation here? No such thing as parking for emergency room either!) ... I saw them coming up to him asking him what they could do for him. I finally park the car and run back to the ER to help him get checked in. Give him drugs quickly please!!! Good think everyone here knows English cuz Guy wasn't very capable of speaking at that point.

A new froggy necklace in our Etsy shop. I named this guy Guiliano!

So we get settled into a little cubby hole and he curls up on the stretcher. The stone seems to move in waves so at that stage he was more relaxed. The shitty thing about that is you are always thinking it's finally over. He sat there for 10 minutes or so and was saying to me that we should just go home, that it's probably all over. I said yeah right. I'm going to take you home now and then what happens when the wave of pain returns?! No way dude! You're staying put. This was still when we thought it was going to cost us a lot of money to even be there.

Dino relaxing. People always admire how he can sit like this.

Of course the pain came back and eventually they gave him another IV with more meds. I don't believe they gave him morphine but the medicines here are a bit different from in the States. I'm learning. The only way I knew what they gave him yesterday morning was because they gave us a receipt with it written in English! How convenient. So the pain got worse and the meds kicked in. Hours went by and he still laid there on the stretcher. Nothing like passing time in an Israeli emergency room. I had a book but I didn't feel like reading. I went and bought coffee a few times and walked around the hospital but I stayed with him most of the time. Wasn't this post supposed to be about us coming back to Israel? Well, as you might have noticed, I wander a bit. I have a lot of time to make up for! I didn't post since June!

Maayan, Lolita and Oz. Maayan is my new model! (Guy's little sister).

So by 7pm he had had blood work and an x-ray and we thought he was ready to go home. They gave him another little bag of fluids with more pain medication and it seemed like the second they gave him those meds, he went into pain overdrive. He literally fell out of the wheelchair he was in! It was a bit scary. I don't know why it happened like that but after about 3 minutes, the meds kicked in and he was sound asleep. What a fricken day! He's already got chronic pain in his back so with the kidney stone pain, he was just sent over the top. The kidney hurt, then the back, then the kidney, then the back. On and on and on. But finally around 8pm we were sent home. I go out to get the car and realize I left the lights on during the day. Someone told me that you're supposed to drive with your lights on here in the winter months so I did. And forgot to turn them off even though there is a loud ding ding ding that goes off when you take out the keys. Luckily a nice couple in a brand new BMW sporty thing came to the rescue and jumped the car for me and Guy's dad. Then we were off. Headed home to watch the Israeli version of Survivor with my very own survivor in the back seat.

My Moosh in his temporary studio under the house!

Until next time, dear readers!
Blanche

Weekly Giveaway Winner is Lisa!

2009-06-03T00:23:00.002+03:00

Congratulations to Lisa from Lucid Moon Studio in Florida! You are the winner of our weekly giveaway. Sorry for the delay in announcing last week's winner, guys! Please check back tomorrow for our new giveaway.

As always - we appreciate your support!

Take care,
Blanche and Guy

Weekly Giveaway is UP!

2009-05-22T15:58:00.006+03:00

Hi there everyone! Happy, Happy Friday! I started working PART TIME this week and am over the moon about it!!! I was getting burned out from work and had been secretly dreaming of the day my boss would ask me to go part-time. The day finally came and on Monday, May 18th - I started work at 1pm instead of 10am! It's fabulous but it's going to take some time to get used to. So far this week, I've gone horseback riding almost every morning! I gave myself a break from the internet and just chilled... It was great. So now I'm back to give away a lovely necklace! I hope you like it. Guy made the lampwork disk bead from a dark, opaque turquoise along with light ivory glass. I wire wrapped it with sterling silver wire and hung it from a short, black leather necklace (16.5 inches long). It closes with a handy magnetic clasp. Have a look!

Leave a comment below for your chance to win this handmade jewelry from our collection. We will pick a random winner next Friday, May 29th.

Hope you all have a wonderful, LONG weekend!

Take care,
Blanche and Guy

and the winner is... bldrnrpdx!

2009-05-13T03:14:00.005+03:00

Thanks to everyone who entered this week! Feel free to share news of our giveaways with your friends and family. They should all be wearing Guy's beads!!! :)

This week's winner is comment #3 = bldrnrpdx! Congratulations to bldrnrpdx! Please send your physical mailing address to contest@blancheandguy.com so we can get this lovely purple necklace in the mail to you!

Have a great evening everyone. I think I want to go and watch the Biggest Loser finale while eating some awesome apple/walnut pie and Breyer's Neapolitan ice cream! Yumm-oooo! Nighty night! :)

Blanche

2009-05-10T22:26:00.001+03:00

New Frog Beads on Ebay!

2009-05-10T20:33:00.008+03:00

Well, hello there! Let me introduce you to some of our newest froggy creations.

This is Patterson. Isn't he cute?

We've put a bunch of frog beads up on Ebay today! Please go and check them out. We have started the bidding at a super-low $9.99!!! We would sell these unique frog beads in our Etsy shop for much more. So get them while you can! And another bonus: Free Shipping!!!!

This is Ethan above.

This is his friend, Chester. Who is just as cute!

This is our orange friend, Milton.

and let's not forget Furio, the rainbow frog bead

Last but not least... Annie. She is a very good froggy!
She's such a great example for all the other tadpoles in the pond.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today! We want to wish all the hard-working mom's out there a very happy mother's day! Hope you can take the time to enjoy! Don't forget: Free Shipping on all our new items on Ebay. We plan to add lots more so check back soon!

Have a wonderful day!

- Blanche and Guy

Our Weekly Giveaway is ready!

2009-05-08T21:48:00.005+03:00

Here is this weeks giveaway!

A lovely, handmade glass bead necklace made by me and Guy!

Leave a comment below for your chance to win it!

We will be picking a random number from the comments on Tuesday, May 12th at 8pm!

We will email you if you are the winner! Thank you so much for stopping by our blog today. If this necklace was for sale in our Etsy shop, it would go for around $29. The necklace measures 20 inches long. The material is a nylon coated stainless steel. Very strong and almost invisible. We like this material because it lets the beads be the focal point of the piece. And of course we're all about the beads! The sterling silver wire wrapped pendant measures 2 inches long. I added a wonderful wooden bead to the handmade hollow glass bead. I also added Turquoise stones for more color. The little dragonfly wings at the bottom are fine silver from the Hill Tribes in Thailand. How we love Hill Tribe Silver! We also love how these hollow necklaces turned out! We hope you like them, too. :)

Enter now for your chance to win this unique piece of jewelry! Feel free to spread the word about our giveaway. The more entries, the merrier!

Hope you have a great day! Make sure you stop to smell the roses... or the lilacs in our case. They are blooming like crazy right now.

Take it easy,
Blanche and Guy

Lorelei is the winner!

2009-05-06T03:49:00.002+03:00

Congratulations to Lorelei (http://lorelei1141.blogspot.com/)! YOU are the lucky winner of this week's bead giveaway! I will put your bead in the mail to you tomorrow. Thank you to everyone for entering. Please check back here on our blog tomorrow for our next giveaway.

Watching the biggest loser and american idol... have a great evening everyone!

New Giveaway Starting ... Now!

2009-04-29T23:18:00.005+03:00

Hi there! Just leave a comment here for your entry! We will be choosing a random entry number next Tuesday evening. Up for grabs is this very pretty focal bead made by Guy.

He used a clear, light purple glass for the first layer of glass. He shaped it into a nice bi-cone shape then added lines of opaque ivory and turquoise. Lovely pools of clear purple finish off the design. He flattened the bead to about 7mm thick.

Kiln annealed for strength and durability. You could loop it onto some leather or hemp for a simple look or wire wrap it into a funky pendant. It is very pretty in person!

Thanks for stopping by today! Good luck!

Winner of this week's giveaway: Paxye!

2009-04-29T05:39:00.004+03:00

Congratulations Paxye! You are the random winner of this week's giveaway! Thank you to everyone who visited and commented on our blog this week! Check back tomorrow for the next lampwork bead giveaway from Blanche and Guy Designs!

Here are some pictures of a gorgeous, fresh and colorful bouquet Cathy and Guy cut for me in the garden. These are Bleeding Hearts in case you were wondering or haven't already had the pleasure of seeing in real life:

Aren't they adorable? So precious and pink!

These are a fantasmical variety of Daffodil's.

And lastly, a cute little nest they found on the ground in the garden. It's an old one so don't worry. I don't think they'll use it again anyways. It's amazing to see the creativity of the creature that put this nest together. He/she even used the warning sticker from the back of a lighter! Maybe we should put a few little froggy beads in there for a photo shoot!

Lights out here soon. We're getting up at 5:30 in the AM to go horseback riding! Yee haw!

Have a great evening!

- Blanche

Spring Chicks Have Arrived!

2009-04-27T04:26:00.005+03:00

Our first spring on the ranch ... and we now have CHICKS! Cathy discovered them today. They were all alone. I guess they hatched and mommy left them alone. Or maybe they hatched alone! Cathy heard them chirping today as she passed by the hen house. She was throwing hay out to the all animals. One chick was up on a steel roof (and it was a hot day here today!) so he's a bit dehydrated and sluggish.

We hope he can pull through and grow strong like his mommy and daddy, whomever they may be! The other chick was down on the ground and is very lively so hopefully no worries about him/her. They are so darn cute.

Guy's back was killing him this afternoon so he went to lay down while Cathy and I fed the animals and stood staring at the chicks. Cathy had a great idea: let's bring the chicks over for Guy to see. And so we did.

Of course with his goofy antics, I had to go and grab the camera.... There are a ton more pics of the episode over on our Flickr page. So go and enjoy. Have a laugh with us! We laugh entirely too much for one couple so go ahead and share!

And by the way - we are giving these lovely earrings away on Tuesday evening! Be sure to leave a comment on the post below for your chance to win them.

Thanks for stopping by today. Hoping you enjoyed this gorgeous weekend as much as we did!

Tweet! Tweet!

This Week's Giveaway!

2009-04-21T22:18:00.005+03:00

Hello everyone! I'm so sorry that it has taken me so long to put up this week's giveaway! But here it is now. Hope you will like these cute little earrings I made.

The glass beads are clear and burgundy swished together in the flame. Guy shaped them into a semi-flat shape.

I wire wrapped them and added a gorgeous Swarovski bead to each earring, along with some gold-toned spacers and sterling silver chain to dangle them from your ears.

They are 2.5 inches long from top to bottom. They look very flirty on!

All we ask you to do - to enter this fun giveaway - is leave a comment here on our blog. We will accept entries until next Tuesday evening, when we draw a random number. If that number matches your comment number, you win! Feel free to spread the word on your own blog, twitter, facebook, myspace or in real life, with your own friends and family. Be sure to mention our Etsy shop to everyone, too!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Take care,
Blanche and Guy

The Slow Movement

2009-04-14T00:23:00.004+03:00

As I was browsing through Etsy's front page today, I noticed this wonderful article in The Storque. It's about slowing down and how the world can benefit from demanding less efficiency out of our days. It's a hard thing to get our heads around but I think it's a great idea. Check out the article and the book for yourself.

What is this weeks giveaway? I think I'm going to photograph a lovely pair of earrings now and post them. How's that sound?

Another Treasury!

2009-04-12T04:40:00.004+03:00

I happened to be sitting at the computer at the right time - about an hour ago - and the number of Treasury spots read: 337! I couldn't believe my luck. So within a minute, a bunch expired and there it was, that empty box at the bottom of the screen, just waiting for me to fill it in! Since I had about an hour before snatching my other treasury the other day, I had time to do a poster sketch of it. That was fun. I love mixing up all the colors. The other day I focused on Turquoise and today I focused on Magenta. I love Magenta! Hope you can all take a look. The other one made it to the front page. Could this one, too? That would be super-duper-cool! Here it is! There are so many wonderful items on Etsy, I could make Treasuries all day long.