White House Christmas Tour with Spotting of Bo

White House at Christmas

This week I had the opportunity to go on a White House Christmas Tour along with my daughter Christina. This tour surpassed my expectations even after watching it on the television for years with my daughter. It is hard to believe but the decorations are even more spectacular in person. Just as we were entering the White House, Christina mentions that she hopes we see the first dog Bo Obama. I told her that I saw him in a White House video looking at all of the Christmas trees.

Decoration featuring Bo Obama

Christina and I each had our picture taken with the "Bo decoration".   Shortly thereafter, Christina yells "Look at Bo". I got so excited the photo of Bo that I took was one big blur. Christina did manage to get of photo of the back of Bo. You can see his very cute white paws.

Bo Obama

Bo is very well behaved. He didn't even look when his name was yelled. He was walking without a leash which really impressed me. I wish my cats were as well behaved!

                               Bo inspects the White House at Christmas in this White House video.

I know you are wondering what jewelry we would wear to the White House. We both carefully selected Christmas earrings to wear.  Christina wore Christmas tree earrings made crystals that have lots of sparkle. She plans to wear them to all of her holiday parties. I wore a pair of earrings that are made from red and green handmade ceramic beads from the Marsha Neal Studio on Etsy. I used Irish waxed linen thread from White Clover Kiln on Etsy. I will show you what they look like and how I made them in another blog this month.

Christmas tree earrings by Bay Moon Design

Do stop by my blog on Dec. 12 to see what I create for another blog hop.  This blog hop is organized by Lesley Watt and features beads by the same bead artist.

Lesley Watt - http://thegossipinggodess.blogspot.co.uk/
Cory Tompkins - http://tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.co.uk/
Rebecca Anderson - http://songbeads.blogspot.co.uk/
Marie Cramp -  http://skyejewels.blogspot.co.uk/
Claire Braunbarth - http://smittenbeads.blogspot.co.uk/
Heidi Post - http://expostfactojewelry.blogspot.co.uk/
Tiffany Smith - http://southerngalsdesign.blogspot.co.uk/
Sharyl Macmillan-Nelson - http://sharylsjewelry.blogspot.co.uk/
Ailsa Cordner - http://www.bramalfiebeadsetc.co.uk/
Linda Landig -  http://lindalandig.wordpress.com/
Caroline Dewison - http://blueberribeads.co.uk/
Renetha - http://wwww.lamplightcrafts.blogspot.co.uk
Kari Aspbury - http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.co.uk/
Niky Sayers - http://silverniknats.blogspot.com
Purple Cobwebs - http://www.purplecobwebs.co.uk

Cilla Watkins - http://www.tellyourgirlfriends.com/
Therese Frank - www.theresestreasures.blogspot.com
Claire Ennis - http://clairescrystalclassics.blogspot.co.uk/
Emma - http://apolymerpenchant.blogspot.co.uk/
Kathy Lindemer - http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com
Alicia - http://www.allprettythings.ca/
Sandy Sewin - http://keepsakecrafts.net/blog/
Lori Bowring Michaud - http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.co.uk/
Amy Tayor Freeland - http://copperdiem.blogspot.co.uk/
Katherine Gale - http://terrabeadworks.blogspot.co.uk/
Tory Tompkins-http://tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com

Floral Holiday Bog Hop Celebrates December Holiday

Bay Moon Design floral necklace represents the Mexican holiday of Las Posadas

When I looked at the beads in my kit, the first holiday that I connected them with was the Mexican holiday of Las Posados. The colors of the beads remind me of the poinsettias and dahlias found in Mexico. I knew that I wanted to create those flowers.

Bead kit that I had to work with

I have been anxious to work with a necklace blank. I purchased one form B'sue Boutiques. I also wanted to bring out the green in the leaves of the flowers with some green silk ribbon that I had from my "Down by the River Collection" of silks by Marsha Neal Studio. I just also used lots of 2 inch sterling silverhead pins and a 3 inch head pin for the white ceramic forcal as well as an F crochet hook for the ribbon. I used sterling silver earwires because they were easy to bend around the blank.

Head Pins, Crochet Hook, Necklace Blank, and Silk Ribbon Were Used Along with the Bead Kit

I used sterling silver ear wire to create the flowers and to attach them as well as the leaves to the frame. After I used a small bead and head pin to go through each flower, I wrapped the pin head around the frame of the necklace blank. From my silk ribbon stash I pulled 2 green colored 2 mm silks from Marsha Neal Studio's "Down by the River" collection. If you follow my blog, you will remember that I entered her contest to create and name a silk ribbon collection. I am proud to say that I put this particular collection together in the Spring. I used an F crochet hook to make slip stitches with the ribbon. I attached one crocheted ribbon to the left side of the necklace bland and one to the right side. I love how the silk looks with the colors in the necklace.

Religious Tiles and Statues Are Common throughout Mexico

A wonderful Mexican Christmas tradition, las posadas literally translates in English as "the inns" or "the lodgings" and symbolizes the Biblical journey of Mary and Joseph as they searched for shelter in Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus. This 9 day celebration lasts from December 16 to Christmas Eve and includes a candle-lit procession of children and parents reenacting Mary and Joseph's journey through Bethlehem.


The holiday ritual includes a colorful pageant of kids costumed as Joseph, Mary, angels, shepherds and the Three Wise Men - who travel from house to house. They are curtly refused at every door until the entourage is welcomed at a prearranged home with a fiesta including music, food and piñatas.

Secular Decorations Are Common

Last year my family and I spent Christmas in Isla Mujeres, Mexico. We enjoyed watching a Christmas parade that reminded me a lot of the Christmas parades in my small hometown of Lewes, Delaware. It was interesting to see the Christmas decorations in Mexico. They were mix of religious and secular.

Natural Beauty of Isla Mujeres, Mexico

I found lots of sea glass right outside the home that we stayed in. Everyday I walked the beach collecting sea glass. Since returning I have created a couple of necklaces with this sea glass.

Sea Glass Necklace by Bay Moon Design

Isla Mujeres' s Gorgeous Coastline

Floral Holiday Blog Hop


I want to thank Lisa Lodge for organizing this blog hop. It was a lot of fun and a challenge. The necklace blank was new to me and I found it easy to use.

Please visit the other blogs that took this challenge. I would love for my readers to leave comments on my blog and their blogs.


Your Host: Lisa Lodge, Grateful Artist (Pine Ridge Treasures)





Courtney Breul, Beads by Breul





Jeannie Dukic, Jeannie's Blog





Kimberly Flood, Goddesses and Beads





Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs





Tanya Goodwin, A Work in Progress





Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design





Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things





Cheri Reed, Creative Designs by Cheri





Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends





Rana Wilson, Definitive Designs by R. Wilson

Tea is the Cup of Life

Teapot earrings displayed on my favorite tea cup

I have four tea cups like the one above.  I keep 1 of the 4 in my "jewelry room" where I go to create my jewelry and cards.  I use it as a photo prop because it provides a nice white background for earrings to hang from and I love the rich look of the gold trim on it.  The other 3 are in the kitchen and I use them to drink my tea in my "jewelry room".  I find the tea and crafting relaxing.  These are special cups to me because they were given to me by my husband's grandmother about 45 years ago.  I love items that are connected with family.

I enjoy tea even more when someone else makes it.  My girlfriends and I enjoy going to tea rooms to be waited on and sample different kinds of teas as well as catch up on gossip. 

Tea Pot Earrings in my Etsy store

It was after one of these visits to a tea room that I started to make items connected to tea for my Etsy  store and craft fairs.  I realized that a lot of tea drinkers love to have reminders of tea.

Whimsical Tea Theme Card

I have made earrings and cards to celebrate tea.  I have several humorous cards with "Tea is the Cup of Life" on the front.  I love the humorous saying inside which reads "A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into some hot water.--Eleanor Roosevelt". 

I hope that all the tea drinkers find a special tea from Santa on the 25th!

Support Handmade and Local

Support the United States Economy by buying local on Etsy

Do you look at where items that you purchase are made?  I find it amazing that most of what I look at is made outside of the United States.  No wonder there is so much unemployment and underemployment in the U.S.   As the holiday shopping season gets underway, consider trying to keep some of your hard earned money in the United States.  Also, consider buying handmade and local from Etsy on Cyber Monday.  There are lots of artisans from Delaware selling on Etsy.  

Items displayed are from Etsy shops of DE, MD, and PA. 

 

  These are some of the variety of handmade items made by local artisans and available through Etsy.  We have a thread you can look at on Etsy.com for our Delaware Etsy Street Team Members that are offering sales on Black Friday through Cyber Monday 2012.

Bay Moon Design Etsy Shop is offering 10% off through Monday with coupon code DESTFF10

  If you are in Lewes, Delaware next weekend stop in the local stores to see some great items.  Also, handmade artisan items will be on sale at the Children's Beach House and the Lewes Yacht Club.  I will be at the Lewes Yacht Club all day Saturday with artisan jewelry and handmade cards.

Today is Support Local Owned Business.  Here are a few reasons why:

1.  Preserve Local Character and Prosperity in an increasingly homogenized world.

2. Build a Strong Community

3. Help Keep Local Decision-Making

4.  Keep Dollars in the Local Economy

5.  Create Local Jobs and Wages

6.  Entrepreneurship Fuels America's Economic Innovation and Prosperity

7.  Environmental Sustainability

8.  Product Diversity

What is next on my blog?   

Floral Holiday Blog is next Saturday Dec. 1

 Next Saturday, see what I did with a kit of beads that I was sent.

Bead Kit sent to Bay Moon Design

 This kit consists of lucite flowers and beads, Czech glass leaves, and some miscellaneous beads.  The kits were randomly assigned.  We are to relate what we make to a December holiday.

I combine the above items with the beads in the kit to create my jewelry for the blog hop.

 

Stop by to see what holiday I select and what I create.  Between now and then consider shopping local.