Holie Molie

So just what, exactly, does $700 billion dollars look like? Better yet, what does it feel like?

Think on this, dear Reader:

If you were to sit in the most comfortable chair you can find, you get hooked up to a feeding tube, catheter and colon bag to take care of bodily necessities and you were endowed with endless life, and proceeded to count out each and every dollar in $1 increments per 1 second non-stop, it will take 22,197 years for you to complete the task.

Have some fun doing more of the math. Wrap your mind around this and wonder about the future our grandchildren will enjoy.

Good thing money is easily printed on paper. Hope there are enough trees in the world. If our monetary system isn't based on cash, hope there is enough ... what? Confidence? Good feelings? Smiles? Pixels? Widgets? Spa treatments?

How about beads?!!? ;-)



I'll donate 111 beads to the effort. While I seriously doubt the history I was fed as a child, they did tell us New York was purchased from the natives for beads. This necklace should be able to secure me a parking spot on Manhatten, adjusted for inflation.

BTW --- I've been tagged. Actually, twice this month, but I haven't had the opportunity to do my duty. I will work on that this week!

Pretty Rock

"Opal Fire Agate" is what this pretty is being called. Perhaps because it looks like a merging of Peruvian Opal and Fire Agate? Whatever ... I found it exceptionally intriguing. Between the coloration and the crackling of the stone, it brings to my mind a chrysanthemum captured by stone. I used pewter, brass and just a wee bit of Swarovski crystal to bring it together into a very gorgeous piece.

I haven't listed it yet ... I plan to roll it out at an open house that I'll be showing at in August. I have only one upcoming show scheduled so I must work on getting more dates planned. Summer is very slow around here because it's just plain HOT and very little happens until the shorter days of fall give us a more bearable atmosphere. I'm always open to private home shows so if anyone is living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and would like an opportunity to receive FREE jewelry, much of it one-of-a-kind, drop me a line.

Here's a view of the entire necklace:

Close View - Cloisonne Bead

Close View - Cloisonne Bead
Originally uploaded by hiljohnqu

Cloisonne is one of my favorite type of bead. Finding nice quality cloisonne isn't hard, but there's a LOT of junk out there. This is one of those things one gets what one pays for. You will not find quality cloisonne beads at $3.00 a strand.

But there are reasonable sources out there. One of my favorite sources is Bally Beads in Rockwall, Texas. If you're in the area, check them out. They used to be wholesale only, but they have now opened a portion of their shop to the public for both beads and finished jewelry. They are not the easiest to find, even with address in hand. They are located in a house near the shore of Lake Ray Hubbard, set back in the property from Ridge Road. It's easy to miss their driveway. But they are worth seeking out!

I like the vintage look of this bead. At the moment, this is in both a bracelet and a pair of earrings paired with the mobius chainmail florette.