12 Weeks of Letter Writing Challenge

Today's post is participating in the 12 Weeks Of Letter Writing Challenge that I was invited to by Mrs. Dash Say's....blog here.

This weeks letter is to my best friend Kathy Wheeler.

Dear Kat,

It has been a long time that I have actually written to you. Like...I can't even remember that far back, but I am sure it must have been when you lived in St Augustine or maybe even when you lived in Arizona. Before the advent of email or 'The Internet' even...lol...ok, not quite that long ago.

We met in preschool and I remember when someone ran my finger over in the playground with some wooden wagon thing when you and I were crawling around on all fours playing Simba. I remember the wood shavings they would spread on the ground so we wouldn't get dirty.
I remember silly little things of our childhood like the time I barfed my breakfast of cereal and milk in kindergarten and all you could say was, 'Cottage Cheese!! It looks like Cottage Cheese!!'.

I remember us going to the beach every Saturday and how we used to roam as far as we could go in one direction and then do the same in the other direction, 'discovering' 'Blood River' at Cape Florida and climbing the lighthouse. I remember our moms taking us to the Key Hole bar afterward where they would have 'giraffe' beers (draft) and you and I would have vanilla ice cream because that was the only flavor they had.
God those were good times.
Probably the source of my many sea glass musings on this blog.

I remember when our moms stopped speaking and we weren't allowed to see each other anymore and we would sneak midnight phone calls and you would read Stephen King books to me until I fell asleep. We never could figure out how to pronounce the northeast slang-ism of 'ayuh'.

Me and Kat circa 1983

I remember when we got our first cars and would drive down to the Keys and lament over old and current boyfriends. 
I remember taking a 10 day camping trip all along the west coast of Florida and how on the 9th day we finally caved and got the last hotel room in Panama City. We dragged our bikes up 2 flights of stairs and slept for 10 hours until we finally fessed up that we both wanted to go home and so we drove 13 hours straight to get there.

I remember you being my maid of honor at my first wedding...and my second. You looked so beautiful at both.

Now you are raising your two beautiful boys in California and, although I know our life will never be what it once was, it will always be filled we these memories and many many more.
No matter how far apart we are, you will always be on the top of my 'Bestie List'.

PS. Kathy was one of my main inspirations when I started beading. 
You can see my jewelry on my Handmade Jewelry Haven Etsy page here.

Next weeks letter will be to my Mom and/or Dad..(this should be good ;)

I love to read comments so please, leave one here! I eventually WILL visit your blog (if you have one) and love to comment too!


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Flashback Friday - A Bead So Beautiful...You Could Just Eat It!

Today is Michael d'Agostino's Flashback Friday! The idea is to republish an old post of yours that maybe didn't get enough attention, or that you really liked, or that you think others will really like..

As I started this blog in 2010, and then took a few years off to raise my little ones (only getting back into it this past November), I know there are a LOT of you out there that did not see some of my earlier posts.

You can see the original post HERE.

A Bead So Beautiful...You Could Just Eat It!

Amethyst Lampwork Beaded Necklace

It was in Murano that lampwork beads first became widely produced in the 19th century. To this day, the most famous style of lampwork bead is the 'Venetian' or wedding cake bead. the secret of the glass making process was jealously guarded. Many countries tried to lure glass makers away from Italy. While some succeeded in producing lampwork beads, they did not typically put up a challenge to the Murano lampwork beads. In the mid 19th century, a few Bohemian (now Czech Republic) citizens traveled to Italy to work in the glass works and learn the secrets. They returned five years later, frustrated by the wall of secrecy they had encountered. However, they did learn something and glass bead making was started in the Czech Republic.

The Czech also became masters at making lampwork beads and rivaled Italy on the national market. In time, the Czech and Italians taught the Indians how to make lampwork beads. Today the majority of lampwork beads come from India. The Czech and the Italians still make beautiful lampwork beads in much more limited production.

Handmade Jewelry Haven's beautiful 'Swirl' necklace, bracelet and matching earrings are made with lovely amethyst colored Italian Wedding Cake beads, and is set off by a gorgeous blown glass pendant in soothing colors of purples golds and silvers.
Find them all at Handmade Jewelry Haven's Etsy Shop Here.

source; The Beading Times

I love to read comments so please, leave one here! I eventually WILL visit your blog (if you have one) and love to comment too!


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Wordless Wednesday

Here are some more wonderful trinkets courtesy of your oceans.....

Click here for more Wordless Wednesday fun and be sure to visit 

Handmade Jewelry Haven's Etsy Shop here.

I love to read comments so please, leave one here! I eventually WILL visit your blog (if you have one) and love to comment too!



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How Donating Your Time Benefits You

I have always volunteered for projects in the past, but when my son got accepted into the National Honor Society in Middle School, I really learned what it meant to really donate your time. 

As he needed service hours, we joined the Ft Lauderdale Beach Sweep. It is held on the second Saturday of the month. Getting up to be there at the crack of dawn was not easy for either of us, to say the least, as neither of us are 'early birds'. But I noticed that afterward, we both had a very satisfying sense of accomplishment.


Volunteering provides many benefits to both mental and physical health. It helps counteract the effects of stress, anger and anxiety. I know just being at the beach and hearing the sound of the gulls and the waves puts me in a more relaxed mood. The social aspects of helping and working with other can have a huge effect on your overall psychological well being. Nothing relieves stress better than a meaningful connection to another person.

Volunteering combats depression by keeping you in regular contact with others and helps you develop a solid support system. Volunteering makes you happy! By measuring hormones and brain activity, researchers have discovered that being helpful to others delivers immense pleasure. Human beings are hard wired to give to others. The more we give, the happier we feel.

Volunteering increases self confidence. You are doing something good for others and the community, which gives you a natural sense of accomplishment. Your role as a volunteer can also give you a sense of pride and identity and the better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to have a positive view of your life and future goals.

Volunteering provides a sense of purpose. Older adults, especially those who have retired or lost a spouse, can find new meaning and directions in their lives by helping others. Whatever your age or life situation, volunteering can help take your mind off your own worries, keep you mentally stimulated, and add more zest to your life!

Volunteering helps you stay physically healthy. It's hard walking up and down a beach for 3 hours on the calves!! Studies have found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate that those who do not. Older volunteers tend to walk more, find it easier to cope with everyday tasks, are less likely to develop high blood pressure, and have better thinking skills. Volunteering can also lessen symptoms of chronic pain and reduce the risk of heart disease.

I happen to love the personal time that I get with my son. Usually about half way through our time there, we sit and take a water break. It is during this time that we have some of our deeper conversations about our respective future dreams and aspirations.
(It also has given me another opportunity to look for sea glass....shhhh ;)

I love to read comments so please, leave one here! I eventually WILL visit your blog (if you have one) and love to comment too!


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source: Help Guide.Org

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!! HANDMADE JEWELRY HAVEN ETSY SHOP GRAND OPENING!!

Its a big day around here as most of you know, I have been working on opening my new Etsy shop and the day has FINALLY ARRIVED!!

Handmade Jewelry Haven Etsy Shop

First things first, I would love for you to come visit my new Etsy shop. This is something I've been really wanting to do for a long time. It has been a huge labor of love over the last few weeks.

And to show you my appreciation, leave a comment here on this post and I will email you a 10% Welcome Coupon towards any purchase!

Click here to visit my shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HandmadeJewelryHaven

As you know that I love social media, so, to save even more, pin 3 of my listings to your Pinterest account, then send me a message on Etsy with the links to your pins, and I'll send you a 15% off coupon code to be used on any order in my shop!

But why stop there??

To sweeten the deal a little more, share this post on your blog, or Facebook, or Tweet about my Grand Opening #HandmadeJewelryHaven and send me the link, and you will get a 20% off coupon!

You are free to get one or all three discounts that can be used on separate purchases!

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(Almost) Friday Fictioneers

They had been hastily shoved in raw packing straw and placed in crates made of old chicken pen siding for the journey. Now, after what seemed like an interminable amount of time waiting in the freezing cold, they wondered where the journey would end.

Time would only tell, and they could only wait. Being created for beauty and enjoyment was their soul reason for existing! Wanting only to please their ultimate wearers of expensive baubles and trinkets. To be ogled and have loving hands intertwine them with loving caresses! Their excitement could hardly be contained.

A big thank you to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers and to C.E Ayr for the picture!



To see a preview of our new Etsy Shop which is starting to fill with beautiful baubles, click here.


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Wordless Wednesday

Enjoy these seaglass beaches from around the world.....

I love to hear about other seaglass hunting adventures. Leave a comment on your favorite seaglass treasure finding experiences here!

Click here for more Wordless Wednesday fun and be sure to visit 
Handmade Jewelry Haven's Etsy Shop here.



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The Ocean's Emotions - White Sea Glass

Color has always played an important role in my life. Just like the style of the clothing you put on each day, color selection can have a big impact on others as well as yourself.

People pick out jewelry seemingly on a whim, however, studies suggest that there are deep emotional triggers that can cause us to pick out one colored stone over another.

Frosted or white Seaglass is the most commonly found color of the Seaglass family.

White is usually associated with new beginnings. It can bring a sense of cleanliness, and freshness.It lends an air of classiness and refinement. It is purity and goodness and light. It is also thought of as heavenly and lighter than air. White is considered a positive color and is associated with peacefulness.

I personally wear a lot of white. I find it professional at work and also find it easier to clean.

How does white make you feel?

Come check out some white Sea Glass at Handmade Jewelry Haven!



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Resolutions

With the New Year upon us, I am bound and determined to get my jewelry business back up and running. After closing my hair accessory business back in 2013, my ultimate aim was to eventually re-open the jewelry end of the business. However, with most things, life ended up getting in the way, and, that too, ended up on the back burner.

One of the great things about your kids getting older, is that they become more independent and need you a little bit less each year, freeing up your time.
So I think that 2017 is going to be 'my time' to finally revive one of my passions, making fun jewelry.

Please stay tuned for my new Etsy page, which should be ready to launch within a week or so. I intend for this just to be a stepping stone until I get my new website up and running.
Remember - It is ok to push pause on our dreams to let the Life Train through, but just remember to cross the tracks once it's passed!



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