Hello, family!  I hope all's well in blogland!  OMG, do I have a bit to say so I'm going to try to make it as short as possible!

Being busy with my kitchen remodel, I have squeezed in some blogland visiting and have been so impressed with your projects!  I apologize for not reaching all of you yet but I'm trying to get to as many as fast as I can with everything going on -- thanks so much for your patience and support!

I've got new followers!!!  Every now and then I glance over at all the beautiful faces of my followers, and I noticed I have several more!  Thank you ladies for becoming members of my family circle and welcome!  I know we all love having you!  Google Friends hasn't noted where I can find you so please comment letting me know where I can visit or email you.

I also noticed I'm only 32 away from 500 followers -- WOW!  My time here has flown, doesn't seem I've been around for a couple of years now!  Anyway, to kind of scoot things along to getting to the 500 followers mark, I'm preparing a giveaway as incentive  to reaching that goal!  I'll  have all the info ready to post by the time things begin to settle down with the family and work going on around here in another week or so. Be on the lookout for that ! I'll have something I think you'll be very pleased with!  In the meantime, thank you so much for being here for me, I appreciate it, love you all, and I've enjoyed every minute!!!  I don't plan on going anywhere, so the more family-friends, the merrier!!!

As far as the remodel, all I want to say is  I promise I'll never-ever take on another task like this again in my life -- nor can I remember ever shedding so many tears!!!  I'm not a cry-baby but this has all been more than I bargained for taking on.  Had I known this would be such a stress involved project, I would have lived with my ugly-old kitchen!!!  I'll have pictures soon for you to see.

Finally, my share project!  A couple of years ago when I visited the CHA craftshow portion of the JFA here in Chicago, I found and purchased several dichronic and other assorted pendant pieces to use for making jewelry.  Later I found some beads at Walmart which matched these pendants perfectly to do matching earrings.  So, while just sitting here watching/monitoring the workmen, I worked on some jewelry sets for Christmas presents.   I wanted the jewelry to be incorporated into Christmas cards as I thought it would be a nice way of presenting them -- as present and card in one neat package.  Here're the unfinished gatefold card covers for my jewelry sets:

 

 

 

Here are the pendants and earrings on the inside of the cards:

 

 

 

Don't the earring beads match those pendants just perfectly?!!!  Because I don't yet know who will be getting these sets of jewelry, I haven't yet completed the card fronts, and I'll later add a Christmas saying to one of the inside panels of the cards.  So, if the cards look a bit plain this is the reason for that.  I plan on doing several sets of jewelry for family and friends, and here are some other beads I had around I'll be using for jewelry sets -- all purchased at Walmart:

Aren't these pretty?!   Soon I'll have more sets to share with you.  My sets came together really quick.  I started and completed both sets yesterday in a couple of hours.  It was such fun and just the break I needed!!!

Well, I've got to go for now.  Got some dusting and vacuuming to do so this stuff doesn't overwhelm me with the continuous work going on; it goes and settles everywhere, and just makes me sick having to breathe it all in.  I'll be back though as soon as I can, and keep those wonderful projects going!  Whether I've visited you or not, I have seen everyone's projects on my Reading List!  Thank god for that...lol!!!

Hugs, and I'll be seeing you!