a Shimmering Star

Blog Swap: Craft From Your Stash Hoopla Dreamcatchers

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 15:40:00 +0000

It’s time for another blog swap! Wondra (Wondra's World) and I spend Wednesday nights crafting and chatting over Skype. Sometimes there’s more chatting than crafting, but it’s always epic. A couple of weeks ago we realized that we hadn’t swapped blogs in almost a year! To remedy this, we’re sharing craft from your stash tutorials.

Hoopla Dreamcatchers:

Hello from South Wales! It's Wondra from Wondra's World again and I've stopped by to share a fun stash busting project.

It's easy to turn this:

into this:

What you need:

embroidery hoop
hemp, leather cord, embroidery floss
beads

What to do:

Separate the hoops and wrap them in hemp or leather cord.
With the first hoop, wrap embroidery floss or hemp cord loosely around the outside of the hoop.
Now start weaving.
Add beads when you get to the center and tie it off to finish.
With the second hoop, tie lengths of hemp or embroidery floss (or feathers or whatever) around the center and bead it up.
Tie the hoops together and you're done.

This was my first attempt at making a dream catcher. It's a little bit lopsided but I think it turned out alright.

If you're going to do this yourself, I'd suggest you use different sized hoops and just tie them together loosely. It's a fun project but can be time consuming so give yourself an hour or so.

Thank you for the tutorial Wondra!

Don't forget to visit Wondra’s World for my Catch-All Bowl tutorial.

In With the New

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 20:31:00 +0000

From my Instagram

The year 2013 was full of of adventures. I traveled to Battle Creek, Ludington, Saugatuck, and Kalamazoo. I organized my craft studio. I read 151 books. I spent many Wednesday nights crafting and philosophizing with Wondra of Wondra's World. And the 10 days Wondra came home were EPIC!

But 2013 had its share of difficulties. My last blog post is dated September 18th. When a family member became ill, Matt and I had to take on unforeseen responsibilities. Life stopped. We spent several weeks driving back and forth to the hospital. We didn't know how bad her illness was (or if she'd be able to live on her own afterwards). But as she healed the visits because less filled with uncertainty and fear.

The wonderful news is that after a few weeks away she is home and doing great. After the responsibility and stress, I took time for myself.

The time was well-spent; I feel relaxed and focused. And what better time to return to a Shimmering Star than the beginning of a new year?

I look forward to 2014.

Family Emergency

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 19:44:00 +0000

Dear Readers,

Matt and I have been busy with a family emergency this past week. I foresee it being at least another week or two before I will start blogging again.

Your thoughts and prayers are welcome during this time.

Thank you for your understanding.

Jessica

a Shimmering Star

On Westerly Wind

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 21:08:00 +0000

Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 21:49:00 +0000

Summer is winding down, and so am I. This summer has been eventful, and while I had a blast I am looking forward to a quiet fall.

Here are a few things about the past few weeks.

1. My birthday was the last week of August. My family celebrated on the previous Sunday with burgers and apple crisp. On Wednesday, my friends and I checked out the new Grand River Marketplace then went to my house to play Cards Against Humanity until 4 am.

2. I have read a lot of books. Over a hundred already (which beat my goal) and it's only September!

3. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback at work, and I am being sent to several conferences and workshops over the next two months.

4. I am organizing my life. Changes are coming, and I feel energized.

Pathway

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 19:45:00 +0000

After the Storm

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 22:05:00 +0000

Story Supports Hope

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 00:54:00 +0000

"Story supports hope: it gives courage to fight when needed, laughter when the unexpected happens, and a kind of verbal sanctuary of wisdom to ponder in times of quiet."

Amy E. Spaulding, The Art of Storytelling: Telling Truths through Telling Stories

Songs of Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 20:11:00 +0000

Roasted Chickpeas

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 18:55:00 +0000

Monday lunches tend to be leftovers. We had pasta and salad last night, so I decided to eat the salad. I added chickpeas for a quick protein.

The salad was delicious, but I had a lot of uneaten chickpeas—perfect for experimenting with roasted chickpeas!

Roasted Chickpeas (makes 2 cups)
Recipe based on this Roasted Chickpea recipe from Jessica of how sweet it is.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1-2 teaspoons olive oil spray
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place rinsed chickpeas on a paper towel. Pat dry and remove any loose skins.
Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place chickpeas on baking sheet.
Lightly mist chickpeas with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika. Roll chickpeas to coat.
With chickpeas in a single layer, bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and roll chickpeas. Bake for another 15 minute.
Let cool and eat!

The chickpeas smelled delicious as they cooked. Some of the chickpeas were still chewy when I removed them from the oven, so I cooked them for an additional 7 minutes. This will probably vary from oven to oven.

Roasted chickpeas high in protein and a great alternative to chips. They have a similar taste and texture as corn nuts and taste best after they have cooled.

It was my first time using one of Jessica's recipes, and I found her conversational directions easy to follow.

I recommend trying this recipe. Next time I will use honey to make a sweet and salty version.

Obscure

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 21:04:00 +0000

Friday?

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Sat, 10 Aug 2013 01:51:00 +0000

Is it really Friday?

This week has been a blur. I am not sure where the time has gone, but I am happy for the weekend! Matt and I are going to a wedding in Kalamazoo; I hope we can walk around.

What is your favorite thing to do in Kzoo?

My Sunday in Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 21:54:00 +0000

Photos originally uploaded to my Instagram.

Tor.com's Free eBook Download Extended!

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 22:12:00 +0000

Longtime Scifi/Fantasy publisher Tor.com has extended its offering of over 150 free stories. This is nearly 4,000 pages of fiction!

Tor.com

The award-winning stories are from the last five years, and is offered in three eBook formats: PDF, .epub and .mobi (Kindle).

The download requires you to create a Tor.com account.

So if your inner geek is longing to read new Scifi/Fantasy, rush to Tor.com! The offer ends this week.

Bead Night Out

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 23:25:00 +0000

Yesterday Suzanne invited me to make a necklace at Beads to Live By. I couldn't say no to playing with beads!

I am really happy with how the necklace turned out. I'm going to give it to my mom for her birthday. Purple is her favorite color, and the purples, grays, and shimmery pinks make it very feminine.

Cassandra, the owner of Beads to Live By is a great teacher. I learned some new techniques, and I am excited to take more of her classes to learn new beading skills.

Purple Coneflower

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 18:25:00 +0000

Cherry Picking

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 19:39:00 +0000

The bounty of summer keeps giving. Several years ago my mom planted Nanking Bush Cherries. Unfortunately the birds ate all of the cherries last year. This year she had an overabundance of fruit.

Nanking cherries are smaller and tarter than the sweet varieties sold at the grocery store.

My mom and I agreed to a barter: I helped her pick the fruit and she would give me cherry jam!

You cannot get any more local than your own (or your family's) backyard.

Queen Anne's Lace

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 19:23:00 +0000

Sweet Lavender Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Sun, 21 Jul 2013 23:27:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I harvested a basketful of lavender. My mom dried it for me in her dehydrator. Now, I am picking the fragrant blossoms off of the stalk. It's slow work, but rewarding. My fingers smell of lavender and sweet dreams.

It's a peaceful meditation.

Knapweed

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 20:26:00 +0000

A Beautiful Mess App Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 00:13:00 +0000

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you know that I recently bought the iPhone 5.

My HTC Evo was over three years old, and it was time for a new phone. I like the iPhone's size and the balanced specs (and I will blog about my choice of Apple over Android soon).

I have been on an app downloading spree. Most of the apps I've downloaded are free, but I noticed that one of my favorite blogs, A Beautiful Mess by Elsie and Emma, released an image manipulation app by the same name.

At $.99, A Beautiful Mess allows users to add fun borders, doodles, filters, and text to images. Afterwards the image can be shared via social networks Instagram, Twitter, Facebook (using hashtag #ABeautifulMess), or emailed.

Image created using A Beautiful Mess

I found resizing the type and doodles to be tricky, but the end result is worth it. One thing to note is that while the app only costs $.99, users could easily spend over $10 buying expansion packs. Overall I really liked the app, and I recommend supporting these lovely ladies.

The app is designed for both iPhone and iPad. An Android app is being developed and should be available soon.

A Beautiful Mess, $.99

Girl's Night at Beads to Live By

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 20:29:00 +0000

My friend Suzanne invited me to make a necklace at a Girl's Night at Beads to Live By a few weeks ago. Although I did not know most of the women well, it was a fun, intimate night filled with laughter.

The necklace we made was a long, single strand that can be doubled. We were given different glass jars of bead soup to search for our treasures. I choose neutral shades of bronze, brown, and topaz.

Transformation by Sandhill Crane Vineyards

We shared pizza, veggies, brownies, and wine while we worked on our projects. I usually drink white wine, but I enjoyed Transformation by local vineyard Sandhill Crane Vineyards. It was sweeter and less dry than other reds I've tried.

Cassandra, the owner of Beads to Live By, was patient with our frustrations. She gave us design tips and encouraged us to have fun with our bead choices.

With a history of crimp bead failure (and beads flying everywhere) I usually avoid them. Cassandra explained cheaper crimp beads don't work as well, and I couldn't resist buying a few with a couple strands of new beads.

All of our necklaces were unique. I love how mine turned out. I am going to make a purple necklace for my mom's birthday at the end of the month.

Motif

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 22:08:00 +0000

July Fourth Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 19:39:00 +0000

Vacation has been a wonderful combination of relaxation and fun. Matt and I spent four days in Ludington with my family. We saw fireworks on the beach, ate grilled food, rode bikes, and enjoyed the sun on the beach and in a pool.

Here are a few vacation photos I uploaded to my Instagram:

Home away from home.

Morning birdsong.


Waiting for dusk.

Sargent Sands.

Clear waters.

And a couple from my sister Jeannine's Instagram:

Champagne on the beach!

I have a knack for not looking at the camera.

The best part is I don't return to work until Thursday so I have a few more days to relax.

How was your July Fourth?

Kiwi Flower

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 19:39:00 +0000