These wonderful beads are from Valerie Norton, my Christmas Gift Exchange Partner!  I was really lucky to get Valerie as my partner.  She made the beautiful  wired tree, and the lovely lampwork bead.  She also added some beautiful beads from India!!!  I also got a "fortune cookie" soap! and it is sooo cool!Check it all out in these pictures!  Some of them are not very good but some are ok!

 It is now Sunday at 10:22 pm. I am on my way to bed and I am sitting here thinking just how BLESSED I am!!! Just a couple of months ago, I did not have a blog, Did not know the Amazing Lori McDaniel Anderson,  the Talented Jami Shipp,, the Wonderful Marlene Cupo, the Generous Valerie Noton, the Lovely Gloria Allen, the Super Smart Sandra McGriff, and dozens and dozens of Wonderful, Sweet, and Comforting people! 

 I have learned just how talented all of these people are.  I have learned how Kind and Supportive they can all be when someone is down or gets bad news, or feels awful!  I have been astounded by how many people will just accept that prayers are needed even if they are not asked for and offer them with smiles!!!
People joke with each other, and accept knew people like they were always there!  I am simply Amazed!!!

 In a matter of just a couple of months, I have joined an Inspirational Challenge, hosted an Inspirational challenge with a destash box from me as the 1st prize [I had never heard of a destash box before this] and am now getting ready to enter another challenge with the Super Smart Sandra McGriff as the Host and the 2 Blog Hops by the Amazing Lori McDaniel Anderson.  I am happier, more motivated and most of all more convinced that I really can make my business work and work well!!!

 So Thank You to all of my new Friends and here is to a BLESSED AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR FOR US ALL!!!

 Always remember you are all in my heart and in my prayers!  Love you all and GOD BLESS!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

I want to apologize, I went back and counted the number of artists we had and we had 15!!! Not 12!! I am so sorry!
I got to tell you, I learned a lot of important things in this challenge.
I was challenged to learn a new "thing" being a contest hostess!  I learned more about how the contests run, and that you can always learn form your friends!! Thanks you  so much Lori McDaniel Anderson, Marlene Cupo, Jami Shipp, Sandra McGriff and the multitude of people that commented on the wonderful entries!!!
I got the destash box off in the mail to Sandra McGriff.
My next project is to finish up my Christmas gift exchange gift and get it in the mail!!!!  That is going to be tonight and tomorrow!
Always remember you are all in my heart and my prayers.  Love you all and GOD BLESS!!!  Extra prayers for the families in Newtown Conn.

So the Season of Joy Inspirational Challenge has ended!!!  We had a wonderful time with it.  We had 12 wonderful artists participate!  The variety and quality and SHEER BEAUTY of the designs was amazing!!!
Then we had a really close race to the finish!  There were only a very few votes separating the 2 winners!!!
Sandra McGriff. is the winner of my destash box!!  And Rita, from Toltec Jewels is the winner of the wonderful necklace from our Sweet Marlene Cupo!
I want to Thank everybody that participated in this challenge!  I had so much fun and learned so much!  I saw a few techniques that I want to learn!
Thanks again!!

Right about now, all of us in most of the US. if not the World, are very sad and heart sick.  Any tragedy can create a stir of sympathy, any natural disaster can create a wave of prayers for comfort.  With this unthinkable act of violence against the Heart of our Nation, our Sweet, Innocent, Children,LET US RAISE A TSUNAMI OF PRAYERS, HOPE, SYMPATHY, COMFORT, AND MORE PRAYERS, the likes of which we have not ever seen!!!
Extend every hand, lift up every heart, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, for the comfort and the hearts of the families that have lost their sweetest hearts, their brightest lights.
At this Wonderful Season of Hope and Love, please keep these families in your heart along with your family.  Keep them in your thoughts when you shop and when you rest.  It will take the combined efforts of our nation to help heal the pain and grief of these families.
I Vow to Pray for them Daily!!! Will you join me?
Always remember you are All in my heart and in my Prayers!!! Love you All, and GOD BLESS!!!