Wordless Wednesday - The Life!

January Blogger of the Month: Roseworksjewelry

As her banner says “Beautiful Jewelry for Beautiful Women”, Roseworksjewelry@etsy.com, has some beautiful creations. Ruthie, known mostly to us as Rose, has not only some beautiful pieces in her shop, but her creativity and designs make her work unique. One can find some intricate woven beaded and hemp bracelets, as well as some beautiful beaded earrings and necklaces. My favorite is her purple and black woven beaded necklace.

What started as a hobby in High School, just creating jewelry for family and friends, has turned into a full scale jewelry business for Ruthie. How many people do you know that can say they designed their own jewelry for their wedding – well, that is exactly what Ruthie did!

Besides making her jewelry, working on her blog, and of course chatting in the Forums, she has also managed to open a second shop with her mother, “KindredSpiritTreasures”; www.kstreasures@etsy.com, which has a few beautiful hand crocheted pieces, I especially love the choker I have chosen to show here.

Carnival Blog: My Goals for 2009

I am definitely not one for making New Year’s Resolutions, nor is setting goals for myself a priority. Oh don’t think I don’t try; or haven’t thought about it each year, but they are always just ideas which float within my head – never to surface. So as I think about this week’s Carnival topic, my idea and goals will have to come from within as I reveal my most inner thoughts. What comes to mind as I think about what I am going to write is the song by the Beatles: “Within you or Without you".

"Try to realize it’s all within your self, no one else can make you change”

For those who of you who read my Blogs and know me well, I have to say that I am always one who just can’t sit back and be quiet when I find things are just not right. So you will continue to see me writing about the many causes and injustices which have affected many of us this past year. Not just on the outside world, but within. Within, I refer to all of us here at Etsy. Last year we were met with the Government’s decision to attempt to pass the “Orphan Act”. For all of those artists whose work is listed on the Internet; writers, photographers, artists, designers, to name a few, whose work would become the public domain of anyone searching the Internet, unless we bought the copyrights to our own work. And yes, the money goes right into the pockets of those running the Government to cover their erroneous deficits caused by greed alone. Unfortunately, with all our petitions, the “Orphan Act” was signed into Legislation as a law in September 27, 2008. Now, comes 2009, and again, we, the many artists and small business are being “raped” by the attempt to pass another law CPSIA, Consumer Product Safety Improvement Product Safety Act”. This law will take effect on February 12, 2009.

Once again, we are met with the many restrictions the Government is placing on all articles, such as toys, clothing, pacifiers, jewelry, etc., which would be sold to children under the age of 12.

So as the Government once again attempts to take possession of our lives, work, craft, and art, I will continue to write articles on my Blog, which will bring these atrocities to all of your attention.

Yes, we can all sit back and say how horrible for those small businesses that will probably have to close, but as for me, I will look within myself, and examine my conscience as to what is right and wrong. As the song says “no one else can make you change”, well, they are right no one can make us change except ourselves. So as I begin 2009, my blog will once again reflect my ideals of what is “within my self” and help “to make a change”.

Wordless Wednesday: A Real Angel!

"a picture is worth a thousand words"

Carnival: The Atrocities of CPSIA

Those of you, who are well acquainted with many of the articles on my blog, know that I am definitely one not to let “Big Brother” take possession of our lives, work, craft, art, etc. I spent a good part of 2008 writing about the “Orphan Act”, which was finally passed on September 27, 2008. This law, which as of August 2008, was shelved after 2x being rejected in Congress; only to find that in Sept., The Senate and the House of Representatives quietly, amidst all the protests, signed a Bill which allowed the “Orphan Act” to become a law. For those of you who are not familiar with this Act, it basically, states that any work of art, publication, photograph, that you may put on the internet, will become public domain, unless each artist buy the copyright for their own work. It calls for the rights of anyone to steal the ideas, thoughts, emotional feelings that an artist brings to his work. If such an impropriety can be allowed to desecrate the ideals of today's artists, what can we expect for our tomorrows, and where does that leave the many craftsmen whose own work is an extension of themselves. Many here at Etsy, signed petitions attempting to block this from passing, since it would affect many of the artists we have here. Although it was shelved in August, the reasoning for it’s finally being passed, which the Government doesn’t make known, was to take advantage of the current crisis in Congress, and save big businesses, by trying to raise $700 Billion. Congress used this opportunity to bail out “business too big to fail” by very quietly passing “The Orphan Works Act” Legislation. Their reasoning is that it would force “us” (artists, photographers, crafters, illustrators, musician, songwriters, etc.) who use the internet as a marketing tool, to buy into Congress’s copyright. One of my many articles regarding the “Orphan Act”: http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com/2008/04/new-copyright-issues-for-all-us.html
Well here we go again, just last month President Bush signed into law, the “Consumer Product Safety Improvement Product Safety Act”, also referred to as “CPSIA”. This law will take effect on February 10, 2009. Once again, we are met with the many restrictions the Government is placing on all articles, such as toys, clothing, pacifiers, jewelry, etc., which would be sold to children under the age of 12. The law will also regulate the manufacture of baby bouncers, walkers, and jumpers by March 13, 2009, and for all other children’s products by June 14, 2009.Unanimously passed in both the Senate and the House, it will allow Federal and State Governments to monitor and enforce all such products to meet the restrictions it will be placing on all consumer goods, whether made in this country or imported from overseas. Yes, it may sound like a practical and safety way for the Government to protect our young children from the poisonous content of lead which is found in many products, (the largest of which are imported from China); but once you break down all it’s provisions, it will be the small business will be mainly effected. Etsy, for one, which only sells handmade items, has many shops which make clothing, toys, teething rings, jewelry, knitted caps and gloves, just to name a few of the shops geared for small children. Since each individual item and the contents needed to produce that one item, i.e. dyes for handmade clothing or wools; paints for toys, etc, will need to be tested at a considerable cost to each of these small shops. I have been reading the many different threads on Etsy from concerned shop owners whose whole business will be affected and may possibly have to close due to the high costs being passed on these “handcrafted” items.
According to the “CPSIA’s” guidelines, the cost of testing each item could run anywhere from $300 and up. While failing to do so, the Government could enact penalties up to $100,000 per violation, with an overall cap on penalties will increase to $15 million. Lead content must be reduced to 0.06 by February 2009, and lowered even to 0.009 by August 2009. Also affected will be any product which contains Phthalates, a chemical compound used as a plastic softener used in certain products. It is reported to be a possible cause of reproductive or developmental problems because it mimics a natural hormone. Congress needs to allow an exemption for the testing of each and every individual product as long as they hold certification that the materials they use have already met their legal standards. Without this, the burden of testing products will destroy tens of thousands of small businesses, many of which are right here on Etsy. With the economy as it is now, causing so many to lose their jobs, “CPSIA” will totally bankrupt us a society, and put many of those whose shops are a showcase of “handmade” articles, an already dying breed of American culture. Don’t let “Big Brother” turn our country into a “communist culture” where everything and everyone is mandated by the rules of an overzealous Government.
What can you do? Click on the link below and sign the petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/index.html
Write your senators, congress people, everyone...share this...get the word out.

December Blogger of the Month: SpottedCow

Miss Moo: Our December Blogger




December brings us to the close of the year, and so to finish off 2008, Spotted Cow has been chosen as our Blogger of the Month. So while we are all busy shopping and then come home exhausted with our feet killing us, SpottedCow’s shop is the place to visit. She has assembled some of her homemade natural soaps into great gift baskets; different Christmas scented soaps; a sugar face scrub (Candy Cane for Christmas) for our tired faces; and for our worn out shopping feet, we can be treated to her special assortment of foot care – one that looks especially enticing is her “Rosemary Foot Scrub” set.

Ms. Moo (as she is lovingly referred to among the Blogger’s), lives in Vermont. Among the beautiful mountain ranges, are the many dairy farms which make up Vermont’s main industry. So as a true native of Vermont, living among all those cows, Miss Moo, makes use of all that milk by handcrafting her own purely natural soaps. As you browse through her shop, you really don’t know whether or not to bathe with her products or eat them. And just in time of New Years, Ms. Moo has created “Sparkling Champagne Bubble Bath” (please do not drink it at midnight!).

Carnival - Christmas Traditions: The Tree!

PART I – The Tree!
I think the one time of year that traditions really hold as sacred is Christmas; or whichever Holiday you may be celebrating at this time. For those of you who have been following my blogs, you know that my sister and I were fortunate enough to be raised by our grandparents, which made for a lot of very old-fashioned traditions during the holidays.
My favorite memory is always the decoration of the tree. Being raised in an English (my grandfather), and Irish (my grandmother) household; they held to the tradition (when we were very young) that Santa would bring the tree as well as the presents. Of course, Santa would never arrive unless you were in bed by 8 pm – I guess they needed the time to set everything up. Always the inquisitive one, by the time I was 5, I figured out the secret. Hiding under the dining room table, hidden by my great-grandmother’s hand-crocheted tablecloth, I could sit and watch (unnoticed) as they rushed about getting all the decorations up and the gifts under the tree. When this was done, I would creep back into bed, only to wake everyone up at 5am for the opening of the gifts (yes, my kids got me back for that one! 5am every Christmas there they were). As we got older, the decorating of the tree still always took place on Christmas Eve. We would walk down the street to where they sold the trees, and my sister and I would pick out the biggest and fattest tree we could find; and my poor grandfather would have to carry it back up the hill to our house. Naturally the base of the tree was always too big for our stand, but nothing deterred my grandfather. He could come outside with the largest carving knife, and having my sister and I hold one end, he would be shaving the base of the tree with the knife in both hand. I would just pray that “dear God” he would still have fingers left when we finished! Next came the decorating; what a scene that was! My grandmother would be sitting in her chair by the fireplace, as my grandfather would be up on the ladder attempting to hang the lights. This was met with my grandmother’s comments, “there’s too many lights on this side; the reds are all together; no, move the green lights, etc”. Thank God my grandfather was the most patient man on earth. Once that was done, my sister and I would put the decorations on. A few of which were from my grandmother’s tree when she was growing up, and then the special decorations that were my sister’s and mine. Of course, we each had our own side of the tree, so it was a rush to make sure that the best ornaments made it to my side! Today, I still have a few of my grandmother’s childhood ornaments, which always go on last in a special spot on the tree. The kids, actually now adults, (but at Christmas they become kids again), still have their special ornaments, which they have accumulated since they were born. We all know though that no ornament goes on until Keith finds his very first ornament, a little bear surround by a train which moves. Once that is found and placed on the tree, we can then continue with the rest of the decorations. Lastly, our crèche is put up. My daughter’s favorite was a “precious moments” one, which went with her when she got married. Her husband refers to them as those “peanuts characters”. Although we always had a small crèche which went under the tree; a few years ago, a dear friend gave me the most beautiful crèche, which I keep up all year round and can be seen whenever one enters our house. Once that was completed I would string popcorn and cranberry garland which would then be wrapped around the tree, a tradition which has been replaced with the standard silver garland. Now all we needed was Santa to magically appear to bring the gifts which would be quickly opened on Christmas morning. Did anyone ever notice that your parents and Santa always used the same wrapping paper?

"Wordless Wednesday"

"we are all waiting for Christmas"

Carnival - The Christmas Flower

Narcissus Flower (Paper Whites)

When I saw the topics for our current Carnival blog, which gave us 2 choices to write about, winter flowers or brownies, I admit this was a tough choice. Since I have a craving for both; no, I do not eat the flower’s, but I do make the best homemade brownies. Which I will have to write about next, but for now my choice will be to write about the "Winter Flower".
To me it just doesn’t seem like Christmas until my Narcissus’ bulbs (also known as Paper Whites), have bloomed. I really don’t know how my love of this flower came to be, but for as long as I can remember I have been enamored with the flower referred to as the “December Flower.” Since it takes about 4 weeks for the bulbs to bloom, I usually start growing them around mid-November, assuring that they will be in bloom for Christmas. It is not exactly easy to plant bulbs in a house or should I basically say my apartment. I use a few wine glasses (the hock size works best), and fill them with small garden rocks, and then rest a bulb on top of each one, then add just enough water to touch the bottom of each bulb. Next comes the waiting part.
The flowers’ start to rear their little heads, sprouting through the top of the bulb in about a week. Somehow, call it divine intervention if you wish, but it always happens that my Narcissus’ flowers are completely bloomed for Christmas. The pure white beauty of the cluster of petals brings the most fragrant smell which fills my living room for the Christmas season.

A Smile for Saturday

Even our Kitty *Juelez* voted!

Carnival: Thanksgiving Memories

Thanksgiving - My Best Memories




Thanksgiving - age 5







I think the only way that I will be able to describe Thanksgiving is to relate through different segments throughout my life. Not one much for traditions, but a holiday of many memories.
I guess one could say I have always had a certain connection with Thanksgiving going back to the day I was born! I arrived at 7:30 pm on November 16th, a little unexpectively to say the least, as I have had to hear this story so often for as long as I can remember. So, as I was saying, I arrived quite unexpectively in the midst of my mother attempting to make an apple pie. Well the pie never got finished, and my mother had to dine on hospital food for her Thanksgiving (and my first). If that wasn’t enough, every year for my birthday parties, my family would put up Thanksgiving decorations, and my cake and party plates always had to have that dam Turkey staring at me! All I ever wanted was a normal cake with little flowers on it and Happy Birthday decorations. Believe it or not, I still have a set of plates from one of those parties’s. Well, not to be out done by my mother, my first child, Kelly, was a little Thanksgiving turkey! In fact, her birthday falls on Thanksgiving this year (the 27th). Trust me, she never had one little turkey decoration for her birthday parties. Her cakes always had to have little pink roses her favorite, which she carried through right down to her wedding day with pink roses on her wedding cake.







My 10th Birthday - notice the Turkey decoration in the background -I am the one standing with my back to the camera in the green dress!




Our family being rather small and since we lived with our grandparents; there was never any “Over the River to Grandmother’s House” for us. As I look back though, our Thanksgiving’s always started with getting that turkey in the oven first thing in the morning, since it always seems like an eternity cooking one of them. So as my grandmother and mother were busy preparing everything in the kitchen, my sister and I would be glued to the television, watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Which, as everyone knows, at the very end Santa would appear (and still does) and at that very second you knew it was officially the Christmas season. The most vivid recollection is that of the dining table before we ate. The table settings could have been a Thanksgiving dinner right out of “Victoria” magazine. It is always the delight of setting the table with my grandmother’s “Blue Jasper Wedgewood” dishes (of which she had ever piece imaginable), then the Sterling Silver place settings, which was originally given to my Great-grandmother on her wedding day; and of course the Waterford Crystal goblets. To make the picture complete, was the center of the table, which was always bedecked with a beautiful floral arrangement that my grandmother would order from our florist. Thankfully, a lot of these traditions and memories are still a part of our Thanksgiving now; as when my grandmother passed, her Wedgewood China, her mother’s silver, and the Waterford, were all passed on to my sister and I. Things I will always cherish!
I think though, (and my cousins will all agree) that the best Thanksgiving’s we celebrated were when we would all go out to dinner together. Not too far from our house was a restaurant called, The White Turkey! And most appropriately they mainly served turkey. My 3 cousins, my sister and I, (4 girls and 1 boy, all ranging in ages from 5-10, which meant there was only a year between each of us), dressing in our finest of velvet dresses, oh yes, and our grandparents would enjoy our Thanksgiving dinners there for a few years. I think what we enjoyed most, a memory we still talk about when we get together with our cousins, was the fact that we felt like adults, eating in this very exclusive restaurant. Unfortunately, as with most families, we have all grown up, and are living in different states with our own families; so it is up to my children (who are now all adults) to reminisce on our own traditions. Sorry to say, you will all have to wait until next Thanksgiving to hear the classic story’s of the Baker’s holiday traditions; or you will be reading my stories until Thanksgiving Day!

Wordless Wednesday

"Wednesday's Child is Full of Woe"

my daughter's first modeling picture

November Blogger of the Month - Storybeader!

This month our special Blogger is Storybeader. I think the nomination of blogger surely fits her. If Deb is not chatting in our Blogger Forum, she is busy blogging away on her website.
Storybeader’s craft is jewelry designing; primarily working with natural stones, and gemstones, which are highlighted by one of the many beautiful pendants her beads showcase. What makes Deb’s necklaces and other pieces unique in design is also her Haiku poems (which she writes herself) which although does not describe the piece it is written for, but gives the reader a sense of the inner artist at work. Haiku is an ancient Japanese art in which the poet/artist tries to inspire mood and emotion through thoughts and imagery; leaving the reader to explore their own experiences and perceptions. Deb describes herself as a “frustrated writer who likes to put words and colors together to make wearable art.”
I have chosen three of my favorite pieces of Storybeader’s jewelry, which truly show her artistic abilities.

She walked through the door

With the bright star reflecting In

her deep blue eyes – Storybeader’s Haiku for her Lapis Treasure Necklace.

Wordless Wednesday - Nov 5

The last rose of Summer from my Terrace Garden

Black Cherry Rose

I've Been Tagged Again!!

From my favorite little Blogging "Witch", http://agoodwitchtoo.etsy.com/. I have been passed this blogger's award. Which in turn I must now pass this "Butterly Award" on to 7 of my favorite Etsy bloggers. For those of you who don't know witchy's shop, she makes the most delicious soaps. When I first saw them, I didn't know if I wanted to sit in a bath with one, or eat it, or perhaps both!! Her blog is http://thecoppercauldron.blogspot.com/ - where you will find some of her very interesting blogs:
So here goes my dear 7 Blogging friends, 7 little bits of me that will now be blogged around the world:

1. My cellphone ringtone is "Freebird" one of my alltime favorite songs

2. My closest friends come from India, Italy, Iraq, and Phillipines (I do like American's also!)

3. Love Shopping - might as well be broke but loving it!

4. 4'10" size 4 feet (i'm part hobbit) and 36C

5. My kids and I love tatoos - I currently have 5

6. A tattoo on my butt!

7. Love my Etsy friends, as my boy's always say "It's Etsytime!"

1. http://roseworksjewelry.blogspot.com

2. http://www.uniquecommodities.blogspot.com/

3. http://www.sassalynne-at-etsy.blogspot.com/

4. http://www.joeyandaleetha.com/blog

5. http://www.vanfleetstreetdesigns.blogspot.com/

6. http://www.zudagay.blogspot.com/

7. http://bethpeardonprods.blogspot.com/

Now as you are mumbling under your breath, oh dear God, why did she pick me, because I wanted to share the little butterfly award, and get to know that little extra something about each of you. Oh, and don't forget to add the little blogging butterfly award to your blog, and mention mine blog in yours.

My Newest Listings

Although my shop says "MagdaleneJewels", I have added a few scarfs and neckwarmers to my shop. Long before I ever started designing jewelry, I have been crocheting. A hobby started in college when everything we wore was crocheted, vests; hats; scarfs, etc. Then came knitting.
While I trying to refresh my creativity in the jewelry world, I took a break and made a few new items for my shop. Hope you enjoy them - more to come soon!

Carnival Blog: Tis' The Season!

Tis’ the season to be jolly! This should be somewhat of a hint as to what I am working on right now. I have been busy preparing for the upcoming Christmas fairs that I will be doing with my friend Marion (mademarion.etsy.com). This will be the second year that Marion and I will be working at the various schools and Churches that hold Christmas and holiday shows. Since a lot of the shows are at the local schools in our area, I try to make jewelry appropriate (and affordable) for children, since they come and do their own shopping during the school day. Yesterday, I was busy producing little snowmen earrings, which were a big hit with the girls last year. Today, I started working on my Christmas charm bracelets. It was like an assembly line. First, I cut the length of chains that I would be using; then, lining up the various charms and green and red crystals that will decorate each one; I started assembling them one by one. Hopefully, this year I will have enough. Then I will start making candy cane bracelets and earrings.
Of course, my favorite fair is at the elementary school where my children used to attend, and where I am still very active. What makes this fair so special, as in other years there, is when the children come in to do their shopping. It has always been a tradition there that the fair was open only for the children during the day until school ended. Then we would reopen in the evening for the adults. The very little ones (pre-K through 2nd grade) each have an older student to help them shop. They come up with their $1 or $2 in their little hands, and are so excited and looking at my jewelry, say "I want to buy a present for my mommy" I would ask how much they had (that $2 could just as well be a million$ to them!) - of course they would always look at the necklaces - which were just a little bit out of their price range, but I would show them a pair of earring and say "this just happens to be $1 or $2" depending on what they had. Even though I may have taken a loss, because they are usually about $18-25, the smile on their little faces was worth every penny I might have lost. Of course, they also got a free candy cane with their purchase. One of the cutest story was when a little boy came up to my friend Marion and asked about the little baby socks with ruffles she had made. She told him they were $4, he said he only had $2, so she picked up a pair and said, "oh, these are only $2" he smiled, and said he would buy it - then hands her $1, and says "thanks these are for my baby brother." We got such a laugh out of that and thinking what his mother will think when he comes home with little ruffled socks for his baby brother! Like I said, watching the little one's shop, their proud little faces, buying something special for their mommy or daddy, or little brother or sister with their pockets of wealth ($1) was worth all the sales in the world.
The picture shown was taken last Christmas at my daughter Kelly’s High School, of which she graduated in 1997. The fair is given each year by the alumni, so as you can see I also put her to work!

Wednesday - Happy Diwali!!!!

Me & Paul celebrating Diwali in India

Diwali Candle

Carnival - Ms. Mina Awaits Dracula

My previous Halloween story was of a treasured-time past. Now we shall proceed to the Halloween present.
If you listen carefully, you will hear the fluttering of the bats within the cave. The sky is aglow with the full moon against the darkness of the sky. A night which can only awaken the Count Dracula. The coffin slowly opens, the bats quickly fly out, and very slowly a shadow begins to arise. Yes, it is one of the Count’s many conquests, Ms. Mina. As she arises from her deep sleep, Ms. Mina begins to arise from her coffin. She softly steps down from the pedestal which holds her resting place. In her slumber of death, Ms. Mina descends and follows the beams of the moon to join her master, Count Dracula.
Awaken, it is only a play presented by “The Studio” players, in Upper Montclair, NJ. Ms. Mina is serenely played by my daughter, Kelly Baker-Wolfe. She is also the Asst. Stage Manager of this presentation of Dracula. Kelly is not only a member of this theatre group in NJ, but also, acts, directs and has been stage manager in quite a few of the plays presented by the same theatre group in which I belong, “The FortHill Player’s” in NY.

Carnival - In the Dusk of the Moon

The sun is just starting to go down behind the clouds, and the chill is in the air. I know this means I should be heading home, but I really do not wish to move, hiding here in the tall, dried grass of this old overgrown farm. Although the farmhouse goes back almost 200 years, there still remains a little bit of life hidden far back behind the trees, and it is that mystery that intrigues my friend and I. A mystery which was not revealed for many years.
Way back where no one can see us, and where we are not supposed to be; there it is, the worn out old red house, with it shudders creaking with the wind. We know she is still in there, but does she know that we lie in the dusk of day, waiting and waiting just to catch a glimpse.
Surrounding the house and through the fields that we quietly creep through, are tall grasses, which during the summer were aglow with the beauty of summer’s wild flowers. On the top of each one is a wet, sticky mass, which we were told never to touch. As it was “witches spit” left by the old woman, with the long, wild white hair who hides within the remains of the old house. If touched, we would begin to grow warts and surely die a horrible death.
As the moon begins to rise, casting an eerie glow upon its roof, we can see the door slowly opening. Oh God, I think she knows we are out here. Panicked by the fate that waits if she sees and catches either of us. Farther back through the woods of this old farm, in the middle of the fields is the well, of which we have heard much about. Tales of young children such as us, who if caught in the brush surrounding the house; and the remains of the dried flowers covered by the spit of the witch, were cast into the well. Their remains never to be found. The old woman is peering out the door, looking back and forth, yelling who’s there. We manage the courage to slowly creep back and then run as fast as we could through the wooded fields to the safety of our homes. Knowing that if we do make it back safely tomorrow is another day of witch hunting.
The story is a true story of growing up. The old farmhouse and fields were across the street, where we were not supposed to go. But we had to see for ourselves the witch that brought this horrible curse to small children who entered her world. As we got older, and they started plowing and developing the fields, did we realize that this was just the fantasy of the wild imaginations of our childhood? The old witch was actually an old woman who lived alone in the house that at one time was part of the farm. What we believed to be ‘witches spit” was actually dew upon the dried grass of fall. The old well, where the children were cast, was just that, an old well. Every year around this time, as the sun goes down early and the smell of the harvest is in the air. My mind turns to the secrets of my childhood and that of a vivid imagination. Or was it my imagination?