ephemera «

One World One Heart Giveaway WINNER!!

Yesterday I drew the winner of my Giveaway!

I had a lot of entries to sift through so decided that the easiest and fairest was a number generator -

the winner is....

From there it was a simple scroll through my comments list to find that number 85 was -

Winner Renee!

Congratulations Renee Khan!

I contacted Renee through her blog Circling My Head which, at first glance seems like a wonderful collection of Art and posts that inspire the reader to think, smile and reflect on life.

Then I noticed Renee’s Profile and was saddened to see that she has breast cancer. She’s almost the same age as me, she’s living in Canada – like me, has three children – like me, a granddaughter – like me (though I do have a grandson too). I started to question what was different – what had happened in her life that led to this awful disease, why had it picked her and not me.

Of course we cannot know, but it did make me realise that the disappointment I was feeling with my last bunch of beads was such a petty thing. That all the complaining I am doing about Winter, the snow, the cold is really very selfish. I should be looking out and enjoying the beautiful landscape, the blue skies and all the good things I have. It made me realise that even though I am a positive and optimistic person I still do not cherish all the good things I have in my life.

Thank you Renee, you have given me a gift, that far exceeds the little monkee bead you’ve won. You’ve made me stop in my tracks and take time to be thankful for more than I ever realised.

For anyone who missed the original post in this thread – here’s the little Monkee that that Renee has won, and I hope that he brings a smile or two into her world!

Love Monkee

What would YOU be?

The subject came up several months back of what we would be if we had to be an inanimate object, I took it one step further at the weekend and asked David what he would be if he had to be an inanimate MANMADE object. He groaned…. I can’t imagine why as I’d already figured mine out ;o)

I would be a Stained Glass Window-

eurotrip_20071169937780dscf7434

or an Illuminated Manuscript – not necessarily the one’s I’m showing.

bnf027

In some ways it’s an odd choice for me as I don’t consider myself particularly religious and both items tend to be thought of in religious terms. It must be the colourful art that captures my imagination.

Now I’m really curious – David said he’d be a glass bottle, but I’d really like to know what YOU would like to be! What does it say about who we are?

Merry Christmas

snowy somerset

They said there’ll be snow at christmas
They said there’ll be peace on earth
But instead it just kept on raining
A veil of tears for the virgin’s birth
I remember one Christmas morning
A winter’s light and a distant choir
And the peal of a bell and that christmas tree smell
And their eyes full of tinsel and fire

Some lyrics from my favourite Christmas song ‘I believe in Father Christmas’ by Greg Lake and Peter Sinfield. I’m thrilled to see that U2 have done a cover of this song – for Red Wire – but nothing beats the original.

What is (Red) Wire ? – (RED)WIRE is a digital music magazine with one very important difference. It not only changes the way music is discovered, it provides medicine for people who need it in Africa.

Boxes and Bundles and no Work today

There is a big box that has appeared in our house! It’s not particularly pretty looking (except in my eyes) and it doesn’t have a big red bow on top, but that hasn’t quelled my excitement – I’ll tell more later!!

Today is the day David and I have been married for eight whole years. We are not very gifty people so I was surprised to find a bundle wrapped and tied with string on the chair as I came to sit at the computer this morning. It’s soft and squishy – I have an idea what it might be, but am somehow relishing the thought that I have an unwrapped gift sitting next to me. If I sit here too long I might have to open it, but at the minute I am enjoying the memories of that magic of wrapped gifts from years gone by. Not knowing, but wondering.

David left me another surprise for this morning too! New wallpaper for Windows! I’m not sure when this was taken – chances are I was off in the land of dreams just like Raff. I tell you, this cat sleeps in the strangest positions, but then don’t they all!

Our little boy sleeping..

No work today? I was supposed to have three appointments with one realtor, but he called last night to postpone them until the New Year – woohoo! Christmas has begun!

Make your advertising interesting!

I started out this morning looking for something Christmassy to put up here.

I went to YouTube and my mind started wandering onto the subject of monkeys… which in turn brought me round to some of my very favourite monkeys from years gone by -

Now who could resist buying PG Tips with commercials like these? There’s a whole series of them if you search YouTube.

Then I came across this Wintery ad for Irn Bru – why can’t all commercials be like these?

The moral of this post? People are more likely to pay attention to your advertising if you make it fun and interesting!

So did I end up finding anything Christmassy?? You bet!

Don’t Panic!

If something doesn’t look quite right it’s because I’m searching for the perfect ‘theme’ for my blog. I might be trying some new looks so bear with me

I’ll probably end up right back at square one, but you never know!

The 12 Days of Christmas – Aardman-style

One of my favourite Christmas things!

WC Calendar is DONE!

I volunteered myself for a project this year – creating a calendar for the Glass Arts section of Wet Canvas – an online community of Artist’s of all medias.

WC calendar cover

I hang out in the Glass Arts area a LOT, so it seemed like a natural thing to do. I had good ideas and great input.

WC calendar - down by the sea

I had a schedule planned of when I’d call for pictures and when I’d have certain months finished by. Well, of course what is it that they always say ‘the best laid plans…’

WC calendar - celebrating Beads of Courage

Finally, finally, I have it finished. It’s uploaded to Cafepress and hopefully will print alright for everyone who orders it. It’s a nervous thing!! I just hope I have everything right and that it prints as it should and that people are happy with what they get.

WC calendar - Black Tie and White Hat!

If you click on the images you should get to the larger versions of them. All I can say is there is an awful lot of talent in our glassy section of the forums, and this calendar showcases just the tip of it!

The calendar is available at Cafepress – here’s the link – no-one is making any money from the sales except Cafepress so don’t feel obliged to purchase one, but if you are interested in seeing the other months, they are all up there! —I hope they are!! Or I am in real trouble!

Acobox.com has Monkeys!

“Will someone PLEASE tell her that REAL Monkeys don’t wear scuba masks??!”

Thanks Rita for the info on acobox!
Acobox.com has all kinds of images that you can use for your blog!

Never Get Your Hair Cut Right Before A Show…

And never, never go near a hairdresser who’s having a baaaaad day!!

Yesterday I went to get my hair cut so I’d look tidy for the show on Saturday. My usual lady wasn’t there and a younger cutter stepped in to do the job.

It’s not that it’s a bad cut, it’s just that I feel like my my bangs are the longest hairs on my head and that the hairline follows them around above my ears and across the back of my head. Do I mean neck? NO I mean HEAD – I don’t think my hair has ever been this short at the back before.

Imagine a scene from Edward Scissorhands

It was EXACTLY like this!!

Except the cutter wasn’t Johnny Depp, and there weren’t crowds of admiring onlookers! …and I’m not blonde.

While the hair flew, the cutter ranted about all the things that weren’t quite right in her life that day. Oh my gosh, I didn’t even have time to yell ‘STOP’!! My neck has never been so naked in it’s entire life, I told David that I need to go and get some hair extensions before Saturday, either that or I need a really high turtle neck sweater!!

It will grow, it will grow, it will grow….