I Heart Macro - Feb 24

This week I have really been playing with my camera and after 10 years or sooo...I finally read the manual for it to find some specific settings.  And I have one set of pics I will show at the bottom to see if anyone can figure them out...but first...meet my wittle friend....

 
  I found this in my garden while tilling the dirt.... Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Myriapods (Myriapoda) » Centipedes (Chilopoda) »Tropical Centipedes (Scolopendromorpha) » Cryptopidae » Cryptops » Cryptops hortensis. I think he was more afraid of me than him...but I got the pics I wanted....

 
The first one is a bromiliad, looks like a monster with a large mouth...the second is a cactus, but on the new growth it looks like it has pearl stars....

This is BOBO....he really didn't like having his picture taken....

 

NOW....having found the macro setting on my camera......and cropping.....who can tell me what this is?????????

And for giggles.....any ideas on this one??????








Thanks for looking, to see more hop on over to Studio Waterstone for some really wild macros....til next week!

I Heart Macro - Feb 16

This week has been hard for me, my mother passed away Feb 9. While it was expected, it was still a shock. I have taken pictures this week, but none that I can think of close up....but then my mind is fuzzy.  I do have one that was taken at my mothers funeral. It is of a spray of purple flowers, I can't think of the name of them right now. I thought it was so pretty.

This one below is of a spider web, they are called funnel spiders I do believe. And if you wait until the sun is up, you won't see it.  I thought it was soooo coool!

This one is of flower, called  Gloriosa Superba

Here's my pal.....I was cleaning my back porch and he was

in a box....He is called a Huntsman. Needless to say...

We parted ways when I put the box outside....

But not before I took some pictures....

So there you have it...not really close ups as far as macro's...but I will be getting back into the swing of things and will have better next week.  Thanks!  For more macros, hop over to Studio Water Stone

Bead Soup Blog Party - # 7

Well, ever since I had seen a link for the Bead Soup Blog Party last year, I have been drooling with anticipation for this years...AND here it is.  Lori Anderson of Pretty Things, has been hosting this for quite a while and is really GOOD at it.  She must be the most organized person around!  Any way, I managed to get on this year and my wonderful partner is TanyaWiles of Tenebrous Hollow Studio.

Since this was my first one, I think I went over board in what I sent, but I couldn't make up my mind what I wanted to send.  So as you can see from the picture ..... I sent a little of everything....I have no doubt Tanya will have a blast with those....



For me....Tanya sent me...(drumroll please!)

Some GORGEOUS components that I fell in love with the minute I opened the box!  I had to laugh though, they are the EXACT colors of a necklace I am working on for another challenge and I thought, WOW, I can use them....BUT...then my reveal for my Bead Soup isn't til April.....so I can't use them in my current project, BUT, have no fear, they are screaming designs at me so fast I can't keep up....OH...you want to see them....OK

 Here they are in the box, like cool, ice candy!!!! And the card....!!!!

Here is the focal bead...I love it!  Reminds me of an underwater creature.  I love watching them on the Discovery Channel. The middle one is the clasp and some blingy sliders, and the right one is a picture of the different types of beads....I can hardly wait to get started!

This shows some of the silver components, not the best picture, but my camera was about to die.....

And again, the card on the box....I can see a mixed media project with that!!!!





So there you have it!  Now you all will have to wait til April to see what goodies we came up with!!!!  You can hop on over to Tanyas site  and check out what she has to say.

So until April...............................(giggle, giggle)

Beading Arts Giveaway

http://www.beading-arts.com/2013/02/giveaway-mended-heart.html

Check it out for a cool giveaway at    Beading Arts!

AJE Earring Challenge

As if  I didn't have enough to do....I figured why not hop on another challenge....so I did....this one is Art Jewelry Element earring challenge.  It is to use handmade art beads....but so that I can get going and stay going....I used these beads from my "leftover" stash.  They are black and white with silver...lightweight and ready to wear.  I will be trying to get my etsy store back on line this week too......So enjoy!

My second one is made from swarovsi crystals and pink and gold chain...I didn't realize it til I was posting, they look like "people"... these too will soon be on my site.


So for now that is it. Til next time......


To see more earrings....hop to AJE Earring Challenge

Flower Power!

My woodpecker buddy! He has a nest at the top of the telephone pole.  Sometimes I can just sit and watch him chirp.

Bauhinia variegata   Or Orchid Tree. The flower is a pretty lavender with the darker color in the middle. They are growing on a tree in my dads yard.

 

These are called Phantom Petunias. I planted them a few months ago, I love looking at them!!!!

And lastly, this is Arctic Fire Dianthus. They are really cute little flowers that love the cold!









For more I heart Macros click on the I Heart Macro button to the right!  Enjoy!

Inspired by Winter - Blog Hop

Ahhhh, Winter....cold, wet, snow, skiing, hot chocolate, warm fires, cozy time inside.....

.....NOT.....

I live in Florida, and while I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, seeing snow and sitting in front of an open fire, I don't like being COLD!

This is winter in Florida......

But...I didn't make my design based on the sand, though I think I might go back and do one as an idea has emerged.....anyway, for the Winter blog hop that Sally of Studio Sublime created, I offer my winter necklace.  One think I always seem to notice in a lot of commercial snow pics of the North, are the RED cardinals....so I felt that a Cardinal would be the focal of my necklace.  I have added crystal beads and silver metal snowflakes, and little iridescent white beads to capture the feeling of snow, and ice.  The wonderful little red cardinal was HANDMADE by Leanne Pendleton @Got Crow Creations

It is the cutest little thing. And she has many other animals and such too so check her out!

So without further ado I give you my Winter Necklace....

   

I took the pictures on some of my beachy

scrap-booking paper...yes I scrapbook too.....

I centered the cardinal on a silver filigree 

pendant, wired and glued him in....then I 

beaded around him with green,and brown 

beads to give the illusion of a "tree".  

This necklace evolved as I made it....the only

thing that stayed the same was the cardinal...

Any way... to all my Northern friends....

"Wish you could be here..."

Now for more wonderful Winter Jewelry, 

hop on over to Sally's page  to see her Winter

Offering and the list of the other participants, 

AND ENJOY!!!!

**So Sally....what about a SUMMER 

inspired necklace??