by Cindy on April 4, 2011
Along with thousands of other people, we made it to the Cherry Blossom Festival, 2011. On a perfect-weather day like today, who wouldn’t venture out to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine? We even got lucky and found parking easily (leaving the city in the traffic was another story). It felt good to be among the throngs of people, a notable mix of nationalities and cultures that the DC area is quite known for.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen so many people snapping pictures all at once. Every where you looked there were point and shoots, mega lenses, and tripods. All directed towards a blossoming branch or a loved one posing by a cherry tree. While everyone was looking up to admire the flowers, it was just as interesting to people watch. A few artists were out too, capturing the annual display of blooms with their paintbrushes. I shared my camera with my oldest son, and we both took the pictures I’m posting here today.
The event is timely; as a country our hearts go out to the people of Japan during the ongoing devastation that they are facing. It has been a hundred years since the first couple thousand trees arrived in DC in the spirit of friendship between our two countries. The history of the cherry trees in the U.S. is really fascinating, especially reading about what has transpired since those early days. You can read the chronological details here.
Spending an afternoon right here in the nation’s Capitol, with hundreds of like-minded locals and tourists = the perfect way to welcome Spring!
by Cindy on April 2, 2011
There was cause for celebration this week – it was my husband’s birthday and the perfect reason for CAKE. Not just any ordinary cake. When I showed my 10 year old son an old issue of Southern Living, he wanted to make the cake featured right on the cover. Bigger has to be better, right? Although there were many steps involved (from the batter, to the lemon curd, to the cream cheese frosting), my son managed to create a masterpiece….and a sink full of bowls and measuring cups! The hard work paid off though as my husband said it was the best cake he ever had. If you’re up for a challenge or have a celebration on the horizon, you can find the recipe for Southern Living’s Lemon-Coconut Cake right here.
Today was Colonial Day at my oldest son’s school. Way back at the Back-to-School night in the Fall, my husband signed me up for this 4th grade festivity not knowing I would have to dress up if I volunteered. I’ll admit I wasn’t too keen on the thought of wearing Colonial garb, but it really turned out to be quite fun since everyone was in the spirit, students and teachers alike (check out this fantastic website if you’d like to learn more about the period clothing). So with our mob cap and tri-corner hats on, we went back in time and experienced Colonial America. The kids could chose many traditional activities and topics such as Colonial herbs, calligraphy, quilting, cooking, candle and soap making. I helped in the tin punching room and we created decorative panels with a bit of tin, nails and a hammer. The sound of pounding nails all day was loud, but as a Mom of 4 boys, nothing too out of the ordinary!
Now on to the weekend – lacrosse games and birthday parties. Never a dull moment, just the way I like it. 🙂
by Cindy on March 30, 2011
Hello!
I have a little something to share with my blog readers – a tutorial I created just for YOU. I know many of you can teach me a thing or two about wirework, but this is tutorial is for anyone out there just getting started with wire. Have you ever wondered how to create a one-of-a-kind clasp? Here’s a quick tutorial to help you create a clasp that can be used in your next bracelet or necklace design. All you need is a length of 16-gauge wire and your usual arsenal of tools! Let’s get started……
I hope this quick tutorial is helpful. Let me reiterate one of the final tips that I mention – using a tumbler. My tumbler has to be my absolute favorite “tool” when working with wire. If you give your clasps a good tumble (an hour or so), you’ll have a nice and sturdy clasp to be proud of. Please send me an email if you need further clarification on any part of this tutorial. I aim to please.
I’ve got one last photo to share – it’s my Bead Table Wednesday shot. This is an action shot trying to take pictures for this tutorial. I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold my pliers and my great big camera at the same time but I thought I’d give it a try. Needless to say demonstrating the steps with tools was out of the realm of possiblities for me. I needed my handy assistant.
Thank you for stopping by today. ‘See you around your bead table! 🙂
2014 Update: I hope that you found this tutorial helpful. I’m glad you found my blog, especially visitors from Pinterest. 🙂 If you would like more tips and tutorials on working with wire, please be sure to look for a copy of my book, The Missing Link – published by Interweave in Oct. 2013.
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