Finally Spring is Here!

I've been lacking in the creative realm, but that's due to the pains in my head playing with my creativity. Hopefully that will start getting resolved in the next month to six weeks with nerve blocks and meds, then maybe I'll be thinking clearly enough to be creative again!

One thing that has helped my mental mood though is the weather. We've had some gorgeous days of sunshine and warmth and now the flowers are blooming! It's amazing how much improvement there is in everyone's mood when the weather gets better. Winter's blues and grays are burned away by the yellows and greens of spring...it's wonderful!

With spring comes the ending of another school year and that means we're closer to baby girl's graduation! We're thinking that DH and I could be "empty nesters" within the next 18 months and I have to admit, we're not unhappy about that! We love our girls and are very proud of them, but we're ready to have time to ourselves!

So, here are some photos of our backyard getting it's spring on! Enjoy...

Day 7: BAO Spring Sale and Giveaway & It's A Biggie!

Day Seven is the last day of the BAO Welcomes Spring Giveaways, and it may be the best day yet!

We hope you've enjoyed browsing our members' shops, visiting the Bead Art Gifts blog; and we hope you were able to take advantage of some of the fabulous sales in the shops! There's just one day left in our BAO Welcomes Spring Sale, so there's still time for you to find something fabulous and get a great deal at the same time.

For the last day of the giveaways, we'd like you to choose one favorite piece from each of FIVE members' shops. Whether you're looking for beads, bead art pieces for your home, or jewelry, you're sure to find something you love. We're even giving you a couple of extra days so you'll have more time to browse.

After you've chosen your favorites, leave a comment on the BAO blog post between now and midnight Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, April 22, including:

1. which FIVE pieces are your favorites (you can just paste the links here) and

2. a way for us to contact you (your Etsy shop name or your email address) if you win.

On Thursday, April 23, we will use a random number generator to select the winner of ALL FOUR of these beautiful pieces:
...A spring-themed bangle bracelet by Anna (arosebyname)
...A colorful beaded bracelet by Sarah (thebeadedlily)
...A beadwoven star keyring by Smadar (SmadarsTreasure)
...And a colorful peyote triangle necklace by MaryLou (time2cre8)

Day 6: BAO Spring Sale & Giveaway!

For Day Six of the BAO Welcomes Spring Giveaways, we'd like you to browse the BAO members' shops and find something you'd love to wear out to a Friday night after-work party.

Then, leave a comment on the BAO blog post between now and midnight Eastern Daylight Time on Sunday, April 19, including:

1. which BAO item you'd love to wear to a Friday night after-work party and

2. a way for us to contact you (your Etsy shop name or your email address) if you win.

On Monday, April 20, we will use a random number generator to select the winner of this beautiful raku cabochon created by Mak (MAKUstudio).

Day 5: BAO Spring Sale and Giveaway!

For Day Five of the BAO Welcomes Spring Giveaways, we'd like you to browse through the shops of the BAO members and find your favorite YELLOW item (it is, after all, National Eggs Benedict Day!).

Then, leave a comment on the BAO blog post between now and midnight Eastern Daylight Time on Saturday, April 18, including:

1. which BAO item is your favorite YELLOW creation and

2. a way for us to contact you (your Etsy shop name or your email address) if you win.

On Sunday, April 19, we will use a random number generator to select the winner of these gorgeous earrings created by Dee (Malodora).


















Check out the Day 2 winner on the BAO blog!

Day 4: BAO Spring Sale and Giveaway!

For Day Four of the BAO Welcomes Spring Giveaways, which falls on Income Tax Day for those of us in the United States, we'd like you to choose your VERY FAVORITE item (the piece you love the most) from any of the BAO Members' shops. Just imagine that you're receiving a HUGE income tax refund and that you can spend it on anything you wish. :-)

Then, leave a comment on the BAO blog post between now and midnight Eastern Daylight Time on Friday, April 17, including:

1. which BAO item is your very favorite and

2. a way for us to contact you (your Etsy shop name or your email address) if you win.

On Saturday, April 18, we will use a random number generator to select the winner of this beautiful bracelet created by Lisa (LisaPetersArt).

Day 3: BAO Spring Sale and Giveaway!

For Day Three of the BAO Welcomes Spring Giveaways, we'd like you to find your favorite white or mostly white creation by one of our members, in remembrance of the day the Titanic struck the iceberg that caused the ship to sink.

Then, leave a comment on the BAO blog post between now and midnight Eastern Daylight Time on Thursday, April 16, including:

1. which white (or mostly white) creation is your favorite and

2. a way for us to contact you (your Etsy shop name or your email address) if you win.

On Friday, April 17, we will use a random number generator to select the winner of these wonderful floral earrings created by Triz (triz).

BAO Welcomes Spring Sale & Giveaway - Day 2

Shop at the Bead Art Originals

Welcome Spring Sale!
April 12 - 18, 2009

Welcome to Day Two of the BAO Welcomes Spring Giveaways! Today, in honor of Thomas Jefferson's birthday (the third President of the United States) we'd like you to choose your THREE favorite pieces from our members' shops. Please take this opportunity to check out several of the shops (the links are all on the right side of the BAO blog) - you're going to love what you find!

Then, leave a comment on the BAO blog post between now and midnight Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, April 15, including:

1. which THREE pieces are your favorites and

2. a way for us to contact you (your Etsy shop name or your email address) if you win.

On Thursday, April 16, we will use a random number generator to select the winner of this stylish triangle pendant created by Carol Dean (SandFibers).

Bead Art Originals Welcomes Spring Sale & Giveaway!

Shop at the Bead Art Originals

Welcome Spring Sale!

April 12 - 18, 2009

Isn't this a stunning bracelet? Well, see our Bead Art Originals blog for your chance to win it! And this is just the first of many giveaways this week during our Welcome Spring Sale and Giveaway! I'm offering free shipping on everything in my A Rose By Name shop so come check it out!

For Day One of the BAO Welcomes Spring Giveaways we'd like you to visit the Bead Art Gifts Blog, where we showcase some of our special pieces, and find the piece that most speaks to you of spring.

Then, leave a comment on the Bead Art Originals blog post between now and midnight Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday, April 14, including:

1. which Gift Guide creation speaks to you of spring and

2. a way for us to contact you (your Etsy shop name or your email address) if you win.

On Wednesday, April 15, we will use a random number generator to select the winner of this beautiful bracelet created by Miriam (CieloDesign).

Why Spring in Ohio is Difficult

One day it's sunny and warm, the next day it's snowing! Yes, that's right, snowing! Here we are a week into April and we have more than an inch of snow on the ground! But, it's OK because tomorrow it's going to be 50! Spring is such a weather roller coaster here! On the left is a photo from the 4th and the other is from the 6th.

Spring Break Challenge

The participants in the Etsy Beadweavers Challenge has until midnight Monday to finish their pieces. There are so many wonderful entries that it's going to be another really tough choice. Morwyn of Another Country has a beautiful little pony for her entry! It's amazing! Above is my piece. I call it Spring Daffodil. To see all the entries so far, enter "EBWC" into the search box on Etsy.com!

The voting will take place starting February 7th on our Beadweaver's Blog at http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com/ .