13 November 2009

"Pink Ribbon Turtles" Project Auctions!

The first of the auctions are finished...and the second round has begun!  In the second round there is "Basking in the Sun" by Gretchen Coats of Saginaw, MI...exquisitely crafted...the 4 little pink crystal turtles bask in the sun on their lily pads while a delicate white water lily floats nearby...


"In the Pink" is a lovely pink three strand bracelet made by Lesley Bishop of Bristol, PA...I just love the turtle centerpiece! 

30 October 2009

Pink Ribbon Turtle Auctions!

The auctions are underway! Find links to the auctions at www.atawhisper.com/prt.htm . Beautifully beaded works from all over the world! Links to each of the following items is on the website above.

First...from Gretchen Coats, Saginaw, MI..."Basking in the Sun"...the beading on this piece is extraordinary...framed in a shadowbox this piece is approx. 8.5 x 10.5.


Created by project founder, Jena Tuntas of Cocoa Beach, FL, "Fionna" was originally a Teeny Beanie Baby from this year's crop at McDonalds. She sits on a wooden prop and wears her turtles on her wings and her pink ribbon hanging from her heart.

Next in line..."Bubbles"...this little fella swam all the way from Portugal! The artist, Maria Teresa, may be familiar to a beadwork artist...she has been published in several of the beadwork magazines...and her work has even been on the cover of a few of them.

Is jewelry something that catches your eye? Then you will love "Montees in Pink" by Bev Moon of White Pine, TN. This beautiful bracelet is Bev's own design and is made up of Swarovski Montees, sterling silver beads and a sterling silver clasp...it's gorgeous!

"Swimming for Freedom of Fear" is an original design from Karen L. Cohen of Milford, PA. Bead, machine and ribbon embroidery make up this sweet wall hanging.

I'm expecting one more to arrive at my doorstep any day and will let you know when it's on the auction block.

The Pink Ribbon Turtles Project is in it's 5th year. Drawing tickets are still available at www.atawhisper.com/prt.htm as are the links to all of the auctions. The auctions are at ebay's charity site MissionFish.

Don't miss your chance to get your drawing tickets...and don't miss your opportunity to bid on these beautifully crafted items. Links at the above site.

03 October 2009

2009 "Pink Ribbon Turtles" Project

The 2009 "Pink Ribbon Turtles" Project is Underway!

"Friends"

by Jena Tuntas

This is the 5th year for the "Pink Ribbon Turtles" Project. Founded in 2005 by the artist (above), the project is dedicated to the memory of her mother, Nina Isabelle Etheredge Fritz, longtime educator and community activist in Cocoa Beach, FL, who passed with breast cancer.

Each year a unique bead embroidery design is created, framed in a shadowbox frame and given in a drawing. The design always includes one or more turtles. Each of the turtles has a pink shell, the color of the Breast Cancer Fundraising symbol, the pink ribbon. The artwork is beautifully framed, and offered in a drawing. This year's piece (above) is entitled "Friends" in honor of the friends that help us through the tough times in our lives.

In 2009, for the first time, there will not only be a drawing, but there will be auctions of items handcrafted and donated by artists from around the world. The auctions will begin on October 26th on MissionFish. Below are two of the items that will be auctioned. More will be announced at the time of the auctions.


"Fionna"
Beaded Teeny Beanie Baby
by Jena Tuntas
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Swimming for Freedom of Fear"
6" x 9"
Bead, machine and ribbon embroidery on cotton
by Karen L. Cohen
The drawing date is Monday, November 30th. All profit from the donations for drawing tickets and auctions will be sent to the American Cancer Society for Breast Cancer Research. For more information and to donate for drawing tickets go to www.atawhisper.com/prt.htm and pay through PayPal, or contact me at prt4bcr@mindspring.com if you prefer to pay by check or money order. All checks and money orders should be made payable to the American Cancer Society.
Have a wonderful day!

09 September 2009

A Lot is Happening!


Back in June my niece, Lacee (bride in 1st pic) got married...her best friend, Tania (bride in second pic) came from Alabama to be at her wedding...and this past weekend...Lacee got to return the visit! What a great weekend in the DC area. I flew up with my sister and we went to the wedding of her daughter's BFF, Tania. It was a great wedding...and we had a blast. The bride was beautiful...the groom handsome in his dress uniform...they are both chopper pilots for the Army. The reception after was fun...and the cakes amazing...the groom's cake was a helicopter! I'll tell you...the folks on the food network ain't got nothin on the folks that made that cake.
It was great to see my nieces, great niece, nephew-in-law, and friends...so glad we got to go...but it was great to get back home.
Announcing a new design for those who love pirates...the character from my children's book, Shorty, is exploring Florida in his next adventure...and one of the places he goes is Ft. Walton Beach, FL where he attends the "Billy Bowlegs" Celebration..."Billy Bowlegs" was a pirate...in my new design Shorty is decked out as a pirate...complete with sword, parrot and eyepatch...his advice: "Be Who Ye Aaarrrggghhh!". You can find gifts and apparel with this design at www.cafepress.com/atawhisper/6882092 .
I'm working on the 2009 Pink Ribbon Turtles Project, and will be announcing it soon...this year we will have one item for the drawing and a couple more that will be auctioned at ebay...stay tuned for the announcement about when you can get your drawing tickets and where the auction site is.
Hope you are having a lovely September day!

01 September 2009

Here is hand #2...what fun this has turned out to be...at first I thought I might do the hands for next year's Beaded Journal Project...but I found out quickly that I enjoyed doing them too much and knew I'd finish before the 2010 BJP ever started...SOOOOOOOO...I decided to modify my hand idea for next year's 2010 BJP...which will start in January...and what will I do??? The feet (foot) of course! I finished sewing on 12 hands and 12 feet to certain fabrics...as you can see (second row the last two feet) are the same material and colors as my first and second hand...and there is a hand to match each of the feet below...(though I've only finished two of the hands)...when I get started on the feet in January 2010...I'll have them all ready to bead...the applique of the foot and five toes has already been accomplished...this is going to be FUN!

There really is a foot/toes on the white one...you just can't see it because it's also white...not sure which had I'll do next...but you can find gifts and apparel with the two hands that have been completed at www.cafepress.com/atawhisper/6858407 ...

Beautiful here in Florida...hope you are having a wonderful day!

27 August 2009

Beaded Massage Hands

This is my newest pattern...the hand. Being a Licensed Massage Therpist...my hands are very important...I'm also working on some feet to match...to go along with Reflexology...a specific form of bodywork. You can see the designs at www.cafepress.com/atawhisper . Find something for a therapist you love...

14 August 2009

Teea and Sunny


Why did I name this little dolly "Teea"? Well...if you look very carefully at her 'face'...it's the outside of a golf ball that I found on the golf course one day...a yellow one...I was going to try to somehow put a yellow golf tee that I had on her somehow...but the tee is nearly as tall as she is...and I couldn't figure out how to put it on her without making it look like something I just "tacked on at the end"...so in trying to keep with her golfball skin face...I named her "Teea".
It's been a whole year...and it's hard to believe...but here is my final turtle for the Beaded Journal Project...When I thought of the month of August...which is what month this turtle is for...I thought of three things...sunset...sunrise...and sun...thus her name is Sunny...and I think her name fits her just perfectly...I sure had fun with the Beaded Journal Project and will most likely join next year as well...though I believe the next one instead of being from September through August...it will begin at the first of the year and we'll do our work all in the same year.
Want to see the entire year of turtles? On Sunday, August 16th I'll have them all on my website at www.atawhisper.com/BJPTurtles.htm .
Have a fabulous weekend!

05 August 2009

A Tad Late

Here he is...his name is "Patriot"...he's my July (a little past due...he was celebrating the 4th of July and partied just a little too much...hahaha) Beaded Journal Project turtle...hard to believe there is only August to go!
Gotta jet out of here...things to do...places to go...people to see...and all that...
Have a lovely day!

27 July 2009

Caliopie

Meet Caliopie...her bright colors remind me of the music from a merry-go-round...and she begged me for a meaningful name...don't you just love the colorful waves she is swimming in? Caliopie is my June Beaded Journal Project turtle...a little late...and July is in process...but she'll probably be a little late as well...and of course...thinking already of what the August turtle will look like...then this year of BJP will be over...already...it's hard to believe it's been a year since I started these turtle friends...
I've been working with all of the BJP turtles and have some great designs on my cafepress site...you can get all sorts of lovely gifts there... www.cafepress.com/atawhisper ...so if you have a turtle lover that has a special day coming up...that would be a great place to start looking!
Hope you are having a lovely day!

21 July 2009

Way Behind...


OK...so I haven't written in a while...since I wrote last I've been out on the river two more times...once with my darling husband...and once with my eldest grandson...both times were a blast...here's a couple of pictures...they came right up to the boat and let us pat them...that's a flipper/arm reaching up out of the water in the second picture...they have fingernails...or I guess you'd call them "flipper-nails"...
Beadwork has consisted of one completed doll (above)...I loved the matte finished beads in purples and blues with the white stripe...I haven't named her yet...think I might send her to someone...but won't say who in case they are reading...it will be a surprise...and two others that are works in progress...I have yet to make my June or July Beaded Journal Project turtles...I have them cut out and ready to bead...but haven't even begun the beadwork...

Golf has been pretty good...hot as heck out there...but hitting pretty well...chipping pretty well...putting...well...on these greens "REAL" putting is an exercise in futility...we are on temporary greens til the completely revamped old ones have grown all their new and improved grass (drought and salt resistant)...and have been manicured...they say September...but I'll be surprised...still...we have fun when we play and that's really the whole point...did see a Roseatte Spoonbill at hole #6 of the River Course...such an odd little bird...here it is standing next to one of my favorite birds...don't know what kind it is...but love the white body, black legs, and bright yellow feet...like he stepped in a bucket of yellow paint...I think it's some sort of small heron...
I happened upon my daughter and her little girl today at the grocery store...they were on a field trip from the pre-school that my daughter teaches at and her daughter goes to...my daughter didn't acknowledge my presence...but she didn't give me a dirty look either...so that was a blessing...the guy behind the meat counter had the kids completely captivated by showing them how to make meatballs...he made a few...then proceeded to juggle them...the kids thought that was pretty cool...I'm glad I got to watch...I still pray every day that my daughter will have a softening of heart toward me...
Oh...and I turned 54...so we celebrated that a few times...ha...in my family birthdays tend to last a few weeks til everyone has a chance to celebrate...always fun...
Not a lot else going on...walking nearly every day...swimming a few days a week and golfing a few...and trying to stay busy...
God bless...