CAPTURING AUTUMN IN A LAMPWORK BEAD

Natures beauty has always been something I am very fond of, maybe that's why I love gardening so much...maybe that's why I spend alot of time outdoors period!

 

What could be better then hiking a wilderness trail in the fall just to capture the beauty in your minds eye so it can be put on a piece of glass.

 

My husband and I have an in home Lamp working business.  We capture each season as we see it, for others, as a wearable piece of art.  Hope you enjoy these....

 

Autumns end apple tree

Autumn beauty

Peaceful bluebird

Winter Cardinal

Lilac tree

Midnite moon

beautiful butterfly

Autumn Pumpkin Patch

Windswept pumpkin patch

Roosting Robins

Thanksgiving turkey

Majestic monarch

 

Thanks for looking!

 

If anyone is interested in seeing more of these beauties, just pick the bead on the right hand side of the page at the top of the blog!

 



THE POND IS COMING ALIVE.

Alot of new things have been happening around the pond.  One new thing is we ordered some bullfrog tadpoles and trapdoor snails that will be here today.  We dont like using chemicals in the pond and this will be a great natural way to keep the pond clean.  The bullfrogs will just be a great thing to watch for our grandchildren, and us of course!

Our potmen have finally made it to the pond and are happy as can be with there new hair!  They make a great addition and focal point for any visiter to our pond area.

My little pond guy relaxing at the edge

This is my new bigger guy with his spiked hair

We also put up a new solid fence in the back to make it more secluded.  I love to be up by my pond and relax by myself away from the nosey neighbors and kids who try to throw things into the pond!

The monarch butterflys are early in our area this year, probally from the unpredictable weather we had all winter.  We didnt see any until July last year.   The milkweed is just big enough to lay thre eggs on.

Monarch butterfly eggs on milkweed

Butterfly/hummingbird garden

I will update as soon as my snails and bullfrog tadpoles are in the pond and moving around...Its very exciting here, around the pond!

CAPTURING NATURES BEAUTY UNDER GLASS

     My husband and I have dabbled in numerous different things since all the kids have left the nest.  We took on six dogs, started a few blogs( emptynestersfamilydaily and healthy comfort ) and decided to try our hand at lampworking.

     Since being an avid gardener, I embraced lampworking as a way to be in touch with nature threw glass.  Beads were created with birds, butterflies, flowers, ladybugs, etc.....whatever we were able to put in the glass. I am proud to say that people all over the world wear these little glass marvels on there wrist.  This has turned into a wonderful hobby and a business venture for us on ebay.

A blue swallowtail butterfly

a cardinal

A monarch butterfly among yellow daisy's

 A large monarch butterfly

a robin under glass

These are just some of the beads that we create on a weekly basis to share with other nature loving people.  What a good feeling to wear a part of your garden on your wrist in the off season.

THE MIRACLE OF A BUTTERFLY

     Wild milkweed, what can I say about It?  It isn't a pretty plant, but the monarch butterfly thinks so!

     I first became accustomed to the milkweed plant on a hiking trip.  It was covered with monarch butterflies dancing an awesome dance,  lingering on each leaf for a moment, then moving on.  I mentally thought to myself...gotta take a few of them home.

     I planted my wild milkweed in my butterfly garden. Nothing came up the year I planted them, so I thought they were just not compatible with our naturalized way of life.  Boy, was I wrong!  The next year the milkweed came up with a vengeance.  There was so many milkweed plants that I had to pull some to make my garden look like there was a few flowers in it.  The ones that were left flourish and towered over all the other flowers.

     I noticed that there were green caterpillar's up and down the leaves and stems of the milkweed.  Upon further investigation I also noticed what looked like eggs.  I decided to make an aquarium for my new caterpillars to see what would happen.  I picked caterpillars of all sizes and put a leave or two of milkweed in there every day....The leaves started disappearing and the caterpillars started growing.

     I had quite a few cocoons all summer long and new there schedule well. Now me and my grand kids have made collecting caterpillars a summer long adventure!

cocoon

getting ready to emerge

Emerging

Unfolding

Finished emerging

Getting ready to start life

Another beautiful monarch