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.