Chotski Pins

Instead of a charm swap this month on the Red Lead group we're trading "chotski" pins. Chris and Sharon sell the blank pins in their online shop here. I played with so many different combinations...it took me forever to decide which five things to add to the pin...but this is what I came up with. Grace joined me in the swap so I've included her pin here too...isn't it lovely?

Flower Seeds

I love the illustrations on old flower seed packs. I found these at a garage sale recently...aren't they pretty? They were in the free box. I imagine that's because they say "packed for the 1965 growing season." I'm not sure the seeds would still be good but the packets are in great shape. Feel free to use them...I think they'd make wonderful atc backgrounds!

More Charms

Our ATC group decided to add a little twist to our monthly card swap in June...charms! Each of us made enough charms to swap with each other and an extra one that Beth will make into a necklace to donate to a local charity. It was so much fun seeing what everyone had created. Jo made a fabric purse charm, exquisite in its tiny details. Nadine made a lovely stamped shrink plastic charm with wire work and pearls. Lyneen made a wonderful stacked button charm. Grace added her original water color bird paintings to round discs to create gorgeous pendant charms. Christina made a beautiful charm using shells and beads. Miki made a stunning beaded dangle. Kris treated us to the tiniest of pottery cups and Cathy charmed us all with one of her amazing beveled glass soldered charms. For the last few months we've had the pleasure of meeting at Echo Artworks...Beth's bead (and so much more) shop in Bremerton. Beth is a multi-talented, creative artist who's (along with her pup Pixie) been our gracious hostess. She made an enameled copper ring for each of us...so pretty! She's also offered to take the charms and make them into a necklace or bracelet for us...I can't wait to see how these will turn out! Have a look at our charms....

Independence Day

America the Beautiful
Words by Katharine Lee Bates

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet

Whose stern impassioned stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat

Across the wilderness!

America! America!

God mend thine every flaw,

Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved

In liberating strife.

Who more than self the country loved

And mercy more than life!

America! America!

May God thy gold refine

Till all success be nobleness

And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the enameled plain!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

Till souls wax fair as earth and air

And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,

Whose stem impassioned stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat

Across the wilderness!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

Till paths be wrought through

wilds of thought

By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale

Of liberating strife

When once and twice,

for man's avail

Men lavished precious life!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

Till selfish gain no longer stain

The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

Till nobler men keep once again

Thy whiter jubilee!

Have a happy and safe 4th!

Altered Boggle Board

I love to find old Boggle games when I'm out thrifting because the letters are so much fun to use. I usually end up throwing away the rest of the game but this time as I was looking at the black gridded board it just called out to me to alter it. I had just finished another project and still had snippets of images and other bits and pieces on my craft table so I just decided to see what they'd look like arranged in the board. Here's the result...this was a fun and quick project and if I get tired of these images I can always change them out. I've used stamps and left over images from Red Lead collage sheets, a Tangie Baxter Artspiration Board, buttons, game pieces, an old watch face and a picture of my sweet mom (crowned, as she well deserves) and even an inchie from one of the lunch ladies...thank you Jo! So, the next time you're thinking of throwing something away....take another look!