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Maxine: Posted on Sunday, November 28, 2010 5:23 PM
On Thursday, Bud, our lovely little doggy companion turned 13 years old. He must have either been feeling his age or just thought that he deserved a sleep-in as he was still snuggled up when I left to meet a girlfriend at about 10.30am. His sight and hearing are both diminishing and he is on medication for arthritis (especially in his back knees as he had both his anterior cruciate ligaments replaced when he was much younger - an old football injury??) but he is still as loving as ever.  We do have to watch him with the children now though as he does snap if he gets hurt - which is a shame - he does spend some time in the laundry or outside when visitors with younger children are here - just to be safe. His favourite pastime is sitting on my foot, either under one of the desks (computer or beading) or on the ottoman in the lounge having his back rubbed. In this picture he is checking out the renovations in the spare/grandchildrens room. Barney was putting a new floating floor down and he replaced the doors throughout the house. Always under Bud's watchful eye..... For his birthday dinner he got a couple of chicken bones which he seemed to thoroughly enjoy. Good thing he doesn’t connect them with the chickens roaming around the back yard - then we would be in trouble. He is still only a small dog (part Chihuahua and part miniature Fox Terrier), but he is much bigger than the puppy we brought home from Queensland many years ago. One of Justin's sisters gave Bud to him as a Christmas gift and we had to bring him back to WA on the plane. He was so tiny he could fit in Barney's shirt pocket, but he had to go in a cage in the cargo area. When we went to collect him, they joked that they were sorry, but he must have got wet and shrunk. Our previous dog, Tiny, a most beautiful Labrador Border Collie cross had a stroke when he was 13yo and we had to have him put to sleep. It was a very sad time – it was awful losing such a wonderful friend. I am not looking forward to when Bud goes to the “big kennel in the sky”. He was very sick about 18 months ago and I thought we may have to put him to sleep, but then he picked up, so we have been lucky to get the extra time with him.  When I told Nikkita (nearly 4yo Granddaughter) that it had been Bud’s birthday, she wanted to know if he had some dog friends over for a party. Don’t children (and pets) just have the best view on things? This is Bud and Nikkita a couple of years ago. She had put a chip in the space under the seat of her ride-on, and Bud followed her for ages waiting for the opportunity to get it. Love to you all and hope your family and friends (People or Pets) or all well. Maxine |
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Maxine: Posted on Sunday, November 21, 2010 5:56 PM
Yesterday some of the other students and I, caught up with Alysea for lunch and she brought us up to date with what had happened at the Melbourne Aura Soma conference and things are in the future pipeline.  It was lovely catching up with her (she is such a wonderful and generous person) and meeting the other students. They were all more recent students than me, and some of them are doing wonderful things in their practitioner fields or private lives. It is so wonderful to see how colour (or lack of) comes into play in all parts of the world and effects every aspect of our hue-man lives. For some fun check out this page on the Aura Soma site Wishing you all Love, Light and Laughter, Maxine :o) |
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Maxine: Posted on Saturday, November 20, 2010 8:29 PM
The Fundraiser Cocktail party was a great (although very hot) night. They raised enough money to build 3 buildings that will each house about 10 people. That's 30 people who will have a roof over their heads and a home on stilts to protect them from the elements. These wonderful West Aussie ladies are hoping to raise funds to build 35 of these homes in the new year to aid approx 350 of some of the poorest people in Asia. "Tabitha's aim is to reach out to the despairing in their communities and help them to address their own needs in a holistic and sustainable way. Community development is achieved by encouraging personal savings, providing employment and income by teaching and selling Cambodian handcrafted items, and house-building by volunteers for families who cannot afford a home. Thereby transforming lives to fruitfulness with dignity!" If you wish to donate to this cause, or help out with their activities, please follow the Tabitha Foundation link. The necklace I donated has gone to a good home. I personally know the lucky recipient which is great. I know she'll get many years of enjoyment out of it. |
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Maxine: Posted on Thursday, November 18, 2010 8:39 PM
I have finally taken some pictures of the pieces I made using buttons found a couple of years ago in a Retro Shop. I've had them in my beading room just waiting for the right project. I hope you enjoy these designs. The "Jone" Bracelet is made from 5 buttons of the same size and style, but have slight variations in the colours. The buttons are linked with large jumprings through each button hole and these are joined by a pair of smaller jumprings forming a simple form of chainmaille. The hammered toggle clasp makes a great focal point. The "Jayna" Earring and Necklace set is also made of the the same simple chainmaille jumpring links, but with the addition of fine gold plated chain to join the links and form the necklace. 10mm and 4mm round jumprings join the buttons to the cascading chain in both the necklace and the earrings of this set. The Retro buttons are a combination of Pale Kakhi, Cream and Grey and the gold-plated chain adds warmth to the design. A lobster clasp completed the design. 17 unique approx 15mm round Retro buttons in a combination of Opaque charcoal grey and pale cream with swirls of translucent tones are woven with Opaque Alabaster Honeydew Delica seedbeads and Czech fire-polished 4mm faceted round glass crystal beads in a beautiful Alexandrite Twilight to form the centre of the "Galina" Necklace design. The necklace is finished with 52 more of these amazing colour changing Alexandrite Twilight beads and the clasp is another of these wonderful buttons. The "Brittani" Earrings (although not buttons themself) are a great match to the "Galina" Necklace. Featuring a translucent taupe color, these Czech round fire-polished beads are faceted for brilliance and coated in an iridescent finish to reflect light in golden-rainbow colors depending on the light, flash beige, gray, rainbow, peach and more. Very subtle but very striking The "Felicity" Necklace is made of small, medium and larger sized buttons are threaded onto black cotton cord in a repeated pattern to form this beautifully balanced choker. Another button forms the clasp and the design can be worn either as an approx 35.5cm collar or 40.5cm choker. Buttons are a unique combination of Opaque charcoal grey and pale cream with swirls of translucent tones. |
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Maxine: Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2010 8:17 AM
Only a couple of days to go before the Fundraising Cocktail party to raise money for the Tabitha Foundation.  Have booked the hairdressers tonight, doing my first ever spray tan tomorrow and having a pedicure - so I should be ready. Just hope the spray tan doesnt go wrong or I could look like an orange Telly Tubby instead. I have donated one of me pieces for the auction, so hope it does well for the cause. If you have been unable to get tickets for the event, but would still like to help out, please consider a donation via the following links. Regards Maxine TFA Board and members work on a voluntary basis - 100% of all donations are sent to support the programs in Cambodia. Tabitha now supports more than 33,000 families (representing over 264,000 Cambodians) in their journey to a better life, including food and income security, safe water, housing and education for the children. |
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Maxine: Posted on Sunday, November 14, 2010 11:43 AM
This afternoon if you want something wonderful to do (or just to enjoy), come into Fremantle and either join in or support the Festival Parade. Roe Highway Stage 8 was planned more than forty years ago, at a time when the value of the Beeliar Wetlands was not fully understood. It is now recognised that these wetlands have the following important values: · outstanding biodiversity · habitat for wildlife, including migratory waders and rare fauna · Aboriginal cultural and spiritual sites · Important recreational areas. Most people and Government planners now recognise that the MRS alignment for Roe Highway stage 8 is not appropriate. The Environmental Protection Authority has stated that no route through the Beeliar Wetlands is likely to be environmentally acceptable. The environmental damage that would result from any attempt to build the Roe Highway between North and Bibra Lakes would far outweigh any benefit the Highway might bring. As a result of the Freight Network Review, alternative transport routes have been identified and stage 8 of the Roe Highway is now redundant. The strong body of evidence presented and summarised in this report has been consistent in its findings that this Highway should not be built. The arguments against the construction of Roe Highway Stage 8 have been supported by numerous studies and subsequent government reviews and technical reports. This entire process has withstood public and government scrutiny and proven to be robust. It is therefore timely and appropriate to delete Stage 8 from the Metropolitan Region Scheme so that it may be incorporated into the Beeliar Regional Park Felicity [felicity@cockburnwetlands.org.au] Undisclosed-Recipient:; Save Beeliar Wetlands News Update 11.11.10 Calling all Cockatoos Are you desperate to get in touch with your inner cockatoo? Here is your big chance! Join the Save Beeliar Wetlands Crew in the Freo Festival Parade and you can BE a cockatoo! Or a banksia flower or hold a banner or hold a cocky on a stick or something else totally awesome that will make you feel that your life really is worthwhile?! Just four easy steps: 1.Call or email... so we are prepared for your presence. 2.Be at the Freo footy oval between 2.30 and 3pmSunday November 14 ready to be animorphed or floramorphed or something-elsemorphed? 3. Be dressed in black (or the closest approximation of black you can manage) but also bring your campaign T-shirt (New batch of T-shirts just arrived and will be available for purchase $20, kids sizes too) 4. Be ready to have a great time. See you there. Cheers Felicity If you cant get there, but would like to help, please follow the above links to sign the petition, become a member, find out more, send a letter to the Federal and State Environmental Ministers or write to the newspapers etc. Only after the last tree has been cut down, Only after the last river has been poisoned, Only after the last fish has been caught, Only then will you find money cannot be eaten.
~ Cree Prophecy Wishing you Love, Light and Laughter Maxine |
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Maxine: Posted on Sunday, November 07, 2010 6:57 PM
After making the shorter tassel earrings in the last post, I thought the longer style might also be interesting - making use of the whole tassel. The copper one uses the same beadcone as its shorter mate, while the silver one uses a flattened triangular beadcap. I love the look of these shoulder duster style earrings. The Freshwater Pearl and Czech Smokey Quartz and Clear AB glass crystal anklet has a classy look and has an extension chain making it versatile. A matching charm ends the chain to finish off the design. The beadcaps, spacers and chain are gold plated. It's been a busy few weeks lately as I generally only work 2 days a week job-sharing the reception for a local family run business, but the office manager has been on annual leave so I have worked 4 days each week and then had the Cockburn Community & Cultural show and the Cockburn Spring Fair to get pieces ready for, and haven't had much time left to enter new pieces onto the website, but I plan to do that tomorrow as things go back to "normal" this week. We have had a lovely weekend off - no work, no designing or beading, but catching up with family and friends and doing some home chores. Barney even got some more lettuces planted out - the last ones we lost due to the really hot days we had just after they were planted and the fact that we are on 1 day a week water restrictions after one of the driest winters on record. I am washing up in a basin and using the cooled water to water the "special" plants so we will see what survives. The chooks are a bit sad as they can't come out into the main garden while the plants are so small - they will have to wait a couple of weeks until the plants are bigger and able to cope with the odd nibble and scratch here and there. They don't miss out, with neighbours and friends sending them scraps over to supplement their diet and the chook-run goes across the back of the entire block under the avocado and mango trees. |
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