WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!
 I waited till my husband was available to draw the blog giveaway winning name & he drew.....

Averilpam!
I've emailed you :-)

Now.... for everyone else who left a comment or joined me via 'follow' for this drawing, read on....
I wish I had beads enough and shipping funds enough to send each of you a little consolation prize...

Tho I'm not able to do that, I CAN give each of you who commented (or began to follow) via this post a small thank you gift ~ which is: 

the first time you order from my website or the blog
(I sometimes offer goodies here for sale) the shipping will be free :-) as a small thank you for being part of this drawing. How does that sound???????

Lightbulb moment

The greatest control
is found by deciding
not
to
                       control

FALL CLEANING

Fall - time to clean-the-nest for me.
Odd? Well, lets say "different..."
I know Spring cleaning is the standard but it's never worked for me, lol. When Spring arrives she beckons, whispers, calls-me-outside! House and I have been together all winter. We love each other but we need a little time apart. Spring cleaning holds no magic for me.

Fall is the opposite.
Fall stirs up all the nesting needs in my little heart and mind. House and I will soon be returning to our beloved  intense companionship of winter ( just shy of forever when you consider the length of winters in Upstate NY).  

Decor & organizational thoughts dreams & schemes considered and shelved all Spring and Summer come to life. Sort! Clean! Paint! (Re)Arrange! Label! Projects!
Lions and tigers and bears (oh my!)

Coffee in hand this morning I started jotting down notes of the things I'd love to accomplish this Fall. Oh I love the list! On the list all things are possible! There is no nod to time. No thought of budget! The list is a daydream put to words. My not-yet-real plan in ink.  What's on the list?  LOL it's not finished yet. It'll take a few more cups of coffee to finish. But once it is I'll share my list.

If you're a fellow fall-cleaner I'd love to know what you have on your list?!

Views in my world

Not all days are the same, lol
Some give time to ponder, to pontificate...
Some give time enough only to breathe!
So on the only time to breathe days
I thought maybe I'd simply share
a random view
from
my
world

 Many Thanks To Each And Every Person 

Who left a comment on Andrew's blog during
my Thursday giveaway.

Sharing time, sharing words, sharing the fun!
Your comments made my heart sing....

I'd say I was pleased beyond words
but if you know me, (or you've been reading here ) you know (lol) I'm seldom without words  :-)

So instead let me say "My thanks to each of you for all the kind thoughts you shared about my beads"!

I'm looking forward to visiting each of your blogs over the coming weeks, sharing in return and chatting to and fro. And I hope you'll stop by here again, from time to time!

PS Thanks too, to Andrew, for hosting the Thursday giveaway!

PSS Did you see Andrew's WONDERFUL news? (click here )

Faye

Thursday Giveaway! (One of THREE)!

What fun it was, the giveaway at Andrew's Blog!

                      :-( But it's over & done  :-(
Read on to join the giveaway here open till 12mn 10/28!

Welcome welcome to the blog edition of the Thursday Giveaway
 curated by jewelry designer, artist, wordsmith, observer of life  Andrew Thornton! The primary giveaway featuring my work this Thursday can be found on Andrew's delightful blog (simply click the link to view and join in the fun of the giveaway there)!

I thought in addition to the giveaway Andrew  is (was) hosting, it would be even more enjoyable to hold a second giveaway here on my journal! If one is good, two is better, yes? lol

To be entered in the blog-bead-giveaway-drawing HERE on my muse mutters, leave a comment on this post. I'll put your blog name or your name (if you don't have a blog) into the drawing. IF you also sign up to follow me here on blogger visibly (adding your little icon to my follow list) I'll add your name/or blog name again, doubling your chances to win the drawing here! 

These beads as seen will go to the name drawn (the stone must remain with me, he's an old friend.....) The focal bead is large, dynamic. A deep brooding center is balanced by beige on each opposing end and further embellished with swirls and droplets of lavender.  The focal is of moretti as are the companions. Fully properly annealed. Stringing access on the focal is top to bottom as seen.
Note: Beads are not for use by children of any age...
            
But wait, there's more! roflmao. 

If ONE giveaway is great fun & TWO giveaways are exciting, aaaahhhhhh how about THREE!!?!!?? So yes, I'm having another give away on the studio website. After all, can there be such a thing as too much fun or too many beads? Hmmmm? I think not, lol

To view the website giveaway just click studio giveaway.  At the bottom of the page you'll find the studio website giveaway! To be entered in the studio giveaway, sign up for my studio newsletter mailing list (link on main page and in page menu) for a chance to win the beads there.

My blog and website drawing will end (10/28)
Remember the drawing on andrew-thornton's blog will end 10/25

I'll also be adding new pieces from my studio to my website for the next seven days in case you want to do a bit of wandering/shopping while you're there  :-)

Faye

The Quest Continues LLC

Tis the season



 FALL IN THE NORTHEAST

I have a theory that Fall is so beautiful here as an apology from Nature for Winter
It is an astoudingly beautiful time of year. A time I hold close. The color, the fading warmth. The time of year that is (for me) the season to review the year. I know, that's supposed to occur at the end of the year. But not for me. For me amid the splash of color, the freedom of the leaves as they swoop and swirl briefly en-route to the ground
is the time of review for me....
Fall is the time I glance back over the entire year.

Each peak and valley,each loss, each gain.
I fondly remember the moments of laughter.
I gently revisit the disappointments and pains.
Each joy, each angst a significant thread
in the warp and weave
of the dwindling year.

Amid the reds and yellows set to brilliant sun
Against the reflection of soaking rain
I turn each month, each event, every random moment
over in my mind.

Winter is too harsh and cold
for enjoyable introspection.
Annual review is best back-dropped
by color and wet and wind and dappled sun.

Old friends lost, new friends found.
Doors that closed, drawbridges that were secured.
Moats  that needed to be filled (with water & alligators).
But there were windows opened and ladders extended.
Yin and Yang.

Good choices, bad choices,
looking back one or two
what was I thinking?! choices, lol
The usual mix, knowing that every decision
had reasons that made sense at the time.

One last cup of coffee on the porch
A whispered 'farewell' to the final falling leaves
Sweaters unpacked, days growing shorter
Another year reviewed with 'notes to self' made for 2011
2011... It'll be a good year
Fall in the Northeast
for me.....
Image and Text by FDFerris 10 ~ 2010   
PLEASE VISIT (click here) my benefit auction for ANDREW THORNTON



AUCTION for Andrew Thornton (now closed) THANK YOU ALL!

THE BLOG-CTION is now CLOSED. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who entered bids!

Each and every one of you were a step in the journey to help Andrew. No small thing.
Kindness is never a small thing. 
And along the way each of you confirmed what the world needs to see....
**many kind, caring, giving people who don't just 'talk the talk' but who "DO" **

 From the bottom (and top and middle lol) of my heart ~ Thank you....

     The current high bid for the beads closed at $60.00!!
And additional funds are being offered  for donation. Wonderful!

A fellow artist, someone I've not known long but I think of as a friend, is dealing with a health crisis. Difficult enough in and of itself. But as is true of so many artists, he faces the additional concern and worry of the cost of needed treatment and care.

With that in mind I'm offering six of my lampwork beads here via what I'm going to call (here I go creating new words again roflmao) a blogction (blog auction)! Every penny of this sale will benefit Andrew Thornton.  The blog auction will run from the moment it posts today 10/16 until - noon on 10/23. US shipping will be included free.

There is no starting bid. I leave that to all of you. Tell me via email what you'd like to bid/offer and the highest will win - all monies to go to Andrew.  Periodically I'll post the current higest bid. Bid via email & as often as you like and on 10/23 the highest bid/offer received will win all six beads. Remember, FREE shipping in the United States.

***  click HERE to place any/all bids  ***

I hope you'll bid with your heart, and tho the wisdom with auctions (normally, lol) is not to share a link with potential competing bidders I hope you'll do just the opposite and send a link far and wide to everyone you can! (thank you!)  

Images of beads are below!
*Beads are not for use by children of any age 

I made these six beads with messages, thoughts, hopes & wishes for Andrew in mind......

The bee for beeeelieving all will be well!

The fish for swimming with the flow of life....

The heart for  the fondness so many of us have for him & the center swirl in the heart to signify 'strength from within'

The fall leaf with white edge wrap for the time of year...

The tab bead ~ of orange for strength & endurance ~ beige for patience and calm....

The yellow filligrana bead for sunny, happy, days ahead....

Two images below please see both :-) And click on second image to see all beads in that image as some of my sidebar prevents full view.

*Better images to follow (sizes to follow also for those who wish to know) Forgive my impatience in not waiting to post this until the pics were perfect and details  all gathered. I wanted to get this started  today before the weekend slipped away so more people would have a chance to view!

Note: These beads are not for use/wear by children of any age....The fish and bee are not recommended for wearable use - fin and wings are fragile - but the beeee and fish would be grand for decorative use!

 

Two Words

Experience
Expense

It struck me how similar these two words are in sound, in letter content and configuration.
Look at them and notice how many letters are the same. Consider for a minute how few words (overall) contain the letter X. They have a similar sound to the ear. Side by side they are surprisingly similar.

Different definitions? Yes of course.
But then again it occurs to me how, in living life, they eloquently intertwine.

In the dynamic flow of living life of gaining experience (classes, events, travel, hobbies, moving, purchasing a home) the associated cost immediately comes to mind. 

But think for a moment with me about the emotional cost/investment of life experiences.  We're far less inclined to consider the "expense" of experiences in terms of emotion. Experiences (especially deeply personal ones) that stretch us as individuals 'cost' us in bravery, dedication, fear. Intense experiences may compensate us ultimately in satisfaction, in achievement, in wisdom. But they also cost in humilty, patience, awareness and at times fear. 

Experience
Expense

Everything we choose in life (or life chooses for us) comes with expense and leaves us with experience