Hello all,

The other day I put a collection of my REDWOOD beads up on ebay... but haven't had a chance to get in here to mention that until now... please click on this REDWOOD collection's title, directly below, and be taken to its auction in ebay... yup, the title is a link.

REDWOODS ::: A collection of my handmade artisan lampwork glass beads in my REDWOODS design... these colors of redwood bark reddish-brown designs on a backdrop of earthy sage greens and browns will work year round and can go either casual, with your favorite pair of jeans and a cool tank, or dress 'em up and take them out on the town... these colors look fabulous with copper accent beads/clasp, etc... also carnelian gemstone beads add nicely to these colors... these beads were created with a bracelet and matching earrings and/or 'danglies' at your clasp or, perhaps, use these little ones (the 3 matching pair of small round beads) throughout your creation.

There are 15 beads in this collection... to start is a 25mm x 26mm centerpiece or focal bead in a lentil shape that has been decorated on both sides... with... 8 smaller matching lentil shaped beads that range in size from about 18mm to 20mm... also included are 3 matching pair of small round shaped beads that range in size from about 7mm x 9mm to 7½ x 10mm... these smaller beads were created with matching earrings and/or 'danglies' at your clasp or throughout your creation in mind... all of these beads have been cleaned and gently etched to satin matte finish... they have been temporarily strung on satin ribbon and this strand of beads measures approximately 8¼ inches long... and... as I mentioned before, these beads were created with a bracelet and matching earrings in mind. :)



A view of these beads in my hand to give you a visual reference to their size...



I'm adjusting well to my new living situation... not sure if I have mentioned this yet, but I am living with my dear brother, who I am so grateful to, who took me in until I can get back on my feet... so I am back in the Bay Area, my hometown... and... am soooooooo glad to be back home and close to my family and friends again... I missed them so, so much when I was away, up in those redwoods, that I can now see, since time has passed, in retrospect, that up there in those forests, I was, basically, just surviving... it was so dark, so damp and so lonely up there... yuck! What was I thinking, that that would be okay to be so far away from my family and friends?... I guess, as Shakespeare once said, therein lies the rub ---> I wasn't thinking at all... was I? I have, however, learned a lot in the past few months... and one of the things I've learned is that we never stop learning and never stop growing and that we learn as we go, in this life... and... some of it isn't fun, some of it quite painful, but ALL of it is necessary. :) As my precious niece, Paisley, reminds us (my family), "You can't skip the hard stuff." So true, Pais!

Hoping everything is good with everyone else... and hope that Spring is springing up all around you. Isn't it lovely to see all the daffodils, fruit trees and Spring flowers blooming? Does it warm your heart as it does mine? So long Winter, and please don't hurry back. :)

Here's to tomorrow and hoping it brings lots of sunshine and smiles to everyone!

Take good care, Gracie