Happy Independence Day!

by Sherri Stokey

Happy (almost) Independence Day!!  I love this time of year!  I don't just make jewelry, either - I love to put my creative energies to work in the kitchen.  What's more fun than themed (red, white & blue) food?

It's even better if I get helpers!

After everyone leaves, I like to spend a little time unwinding, and to me that means making macrame.  A little patriotic jewelry, anyone?

Not everyone enjoys the 4th quite as much as I do, though.  My poor baby doesn't like fireworks (or thunder, or rain, or wind or snow...) 

How about you?  Are you celebrating this weekend?

Love My Food Ingredients

by Kimberly Rogers

I got to thinking the other day that back before I was involved in the making jewelry and beads business my passion was cooking especially ethnic foods.

And I realized that to this day something that is very much in common with my approach to my craft as it was then and that is the hoarding  collecting of ingredients.

I'm in heaven in any sort of ethnic food aisle in the grocery store or food courts in other countries.

I gather up condiments much as I collect and buy beads for future projects.

I mean, just what if I want to make Thai food on the spur of the moment? I want all of the ingredients to be on hand if the mood strikes me.

My shelves are stocked with an eclectic exotic mix of Mexican, Greek, Thai and Indian spices at any given moment.  I was pleased to find some of the coveted Sriracha sauce at our local Mexican grocery as I was a little worried that a shortage was going to ensue after the shutdown of one of their plants.

Similarly I always have a treasure trove of beads awaiting for inspiration for my next designs and am constantly sparked by new ones that I see that I simply must have on hand if the mood strikes me.

What's in your cupboard?