on the eve of the eve

and in a flurry of activity

a moment to pause

and wish each of you a wonderful,

and wonder-filled,

Christmas.

 

on what i've been up to.

"mischief, no doubt", I hear some of you saying.

well...yes,  you are close.  The beading hobby, turned into home based business, turned into starting a bead society, turned into opening a real bricks and mortar...get this...

turned into a bona-fide BEAD STORE called Buttercup Beads.

Some of you (Judi) knew this already - and some of you are just hearing (reading) this now.  I don't know who all is left here...but I know that some of you diehards are here, and hardly dead.

In any event, Mr B. (lovetrain - mr. b) got me to thinking about blogging again, and how much fun we all used to have here....

so I thought I would do a little date=up, as slac would say.

now don't get all excited - I might not post again for another six months...but then again, who knows - i might just link to my new website and post on a regular basis...

not that anyone is reading anymore.

but, ya just never know.

ya just never know.

if any of my loyal subjects are still wandering round these dusty, dank halls of the infamous aol blog-oh-sphere - drop in, and let me know, won't you?

until then - check out me new digs (professional digs anyway) - and if you happen to live in the area - stop on in - i'd love to see you.

www.buttercupbeads.com

smooches,

flora
with the beadazzled mind.

below is a little sampling of my lampwork florals - oh yes, i'm a woman on a oxy/propane torch now too - blame vivi.

 

 

 

flora opens a bead store. no, really.

 

Every so often there are moments in your life that force you to stand still and breathe deep the wonders of life that surround you. And every so often you are granted a little lifequake of a moment to motivate you to move on toward your next challenge, your next adventure, or your next dream.

 

Little moments like - ice forming on a holly berry, or the sound of a cold winter wind clinking ice covered branches together - like little crystal glasses of champagne toasting the new year...or a new winter season. 

 

Or standing awestruck in the quiet light of ancient stars, twinkling through old winter Orion in a velvet black sky - so crisp and clear and shivery cold...that suddenly you realize your place in the Universe, so fleeting, so small, so precious. 

 

And in the quiet moments that follow - you learned to stop being fearful and learned to trust your abilities and gathering your courage to reach for your dreams - and you hear echos of a wise man once saying, "Tend to living, while you're at it." 

 

And no matter the worries, or the uncertainties - you know that you are exactly where you are meant to be, and what you need to do.

 

And then how amazed you are to find that in sharing your dreams with others, they are as excited for you as you are - and when they reach to join hands to walk the path with you - well, it's almost too much...

 

And you are forever humbled and enormously grateful.  

 

To each of you then, my family, my friends (new! and old) -  I thank you.

 

I thank you for your friendship, your love, your support, your good wishes, your bright energies, your kindnesses, your smiles, your enthusiasm, your patronage, and your generosity.  

 

I thank you for making Buttercup Beads more than a dream. I thank you for making Buttercup Beads a reality.

 

My wish for you this season is a year of quiet moments, a lifequake or two of your own, and a bead board full of inspiration.

 

With love,
Andrea
the head beading biddy of Buttercup Beads.

 

www.buttercupbeads.com ~where creativity blossoms!

 

See AOL's top rated recipes and easy ways to stay in shape for winter.

#578 - click - and then sign. please.

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On March 21st, I will testify before Congress on the immediate action that needs to be taken to end the climate crisis. Help me fill the committee room with 350,000 messages. Can you commit to finding 10 friends to send a message to Congress demanding they take action? Ask them to visit: http://algore.com/cards.html Dear Andrea, On March 21st, I will testify before Congress on the immediate action that needs to be taken to end the climate crisis. At the hearing, I will deliver the 294,374 messages you signed, demonstrating that hundreds of thousands of people share my sense of urgency. If an additional 55,626 people sign our message, it will be as though 350,000 of us are there at the hearing expressing our determination to convince Congress to act. Having served in the House and Senate, I can tell you that members of these committees would find this to be a meaningful and impressive show of support. There are only 5 days left before the hearings begin, so please do not pass up this opportunity to joinin showing the broad public support we need in order to solve the climate crisis. I know you have friends or family who care deeply about this issue but have yet to sign our message to Congress. Ask them to help fill that committee room with 350,000 messages by visiting: http://www.algore.com/cards.html The reason Congress has so far failed to act is not because there are no solutions to the problem. Nor is it because the majority doesn't believe that the climate crisis is real. They have failed to act, because they have not yet faced a sufficient expression of political will on the part of the American people demanding they confront our climate crisis head on. You and I know that political will is a renewable resource, and enough already exists to start solving this crisis. We just have to communicate that forcefully to the political leaders of our country. In the last two weeks alone 101,673 people visited AlGore.com and signed our message to Congress. This is an incredible demonstration of the energy behind this issue. In my testimony, of course, I will speak about the scientific evidence for global warming - just reiterated six weeks ago by the world's scientists in the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. But frankly, the debate on the science has long been over - except for a diminishing number of skeptics and deniers. At this point, it is far more important to deliver your message about the urgency with which this crisis must be faced. Political leaders need to know that you intend to reward those who do the right thing and that you will work to replace those who do not. That's why it's vital we fill up the hearing room with 350,000 messages. Please ask your friends to sign our message to Congress today by visiting: http://www.algore.com/cards.html Together we are building a movement that has the potential to translate your strong feelings into effective change for our country. And we all know that when the United States changes - and offers leadership - the entire world will follow. Thank you, Al Gore You can unsubscribe from this list at any time. View our Privacy Policy

#577 - kids are kreative

 

 

 

I don't remember my tests being this much fun.  Kids these days, ya gotta kill them.

 

#576 - In the Beginning...

Couldn't help but to paste this email here...

 

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Krispy Creme Donuts. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?"

And Man said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "and as long as you're at it, add some sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.

 

And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14.

 

So God said, "Try my fresh green salad." And Satan presented
Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.

 

God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.

 

God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake," and said, "It is good."  Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's Food."

 

God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.

 

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.

 

God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes! And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good." And Man went into cardiac arrest.

 

God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

 

Then Satan created HMOs.

 

 

 

 

#575...kicking you in the ass...

....well someone has to do it.

okay peoples listen up.

this is not a request - it is an order - It is a queenly (if you know what's good for you) kinda order.

I want you to rent a movie.

(or go see it if it is still playing in your area.)

and then I want you to gather around every one that you know, and watch this movie together.

(and if you're a loser and have no friends - then watch it alone.)

and then tell them to do the same.

and to keep spreading the word.

in every way they know how.

and then I want you to turn off all unnecessary lights,

at home, and especially at work,

and change to energy efficient lightbulbs.

and to drive less, and more efficiently.

and plant a tree, no....plant two trees.

and recycle.

really recycle.

everything that you can.

and then write a letter to your congressperson.

and if you can't think on what to say - write me, and I'll let you copy mine.

because I'm generous like that.

But after seeing this movie - I don't think you will have any trouble writing what you need to say-

because you will feel everything that needs to be said,

right in the middle of your gut and inside your head. 

Which movie you ask?

"An Inconvenient Truth" - hosted by Al Gore

(and damn if he ever runs again - he has my vote.)

and no, it is not a Gore thing -

it is a MORAL thing.

and we need to do what is right.

and good for our children.

and no, there is no more room  for argument.

or excuses.

thanks, I know I can count on you.

now shoo.

(~will someone please enter this into the official log?)

www.climatecrisis.net

 

 

#574...A New Year, A New Entry, and New Resolutions

Well, will ya look at that.

Another fun-filled holiday under my belt and a brand spankin New Year to find trouble to get into.

Oh sure, oh sure - I'm gonna be good.

I gonna eat healthy,and exercise more, and lose weight for my nieces wedding, and give all my money to my kids, and ask my husband for his money, and love harder, and be nicer, and call my 84 yr old Dad more, and iron clothes, and clean out the garden, (and the refrigerator), and bead fabulous new stuff, and grow the business, and blog more, and while no one else is looking - solve all the world issues, cure cancer, the environment, and save the world from us (we?) humans.

Yeah, yeah, it's a big ticket and 365, no 4...days is not a lot of time I know.... but what the hell.

We all have to shoot for something...

Why not the stars?

We only go round once in this life yous people.  "Why not get to living while you're at it."

~Happy New Year 2007!  Toodles.

~moi.

www.believablebalderdash.com

www.mainlinebeadsociety.org