Junique Jewelry - A New Passion

Well, as if I have all the time in the world- I have acquired a new hobby - jewelry making! I absolutely LOVE jewelry - just ask anyone who knows me who has had a gander inside my jewelry closet- yes I said JEWELRY CLOSET--- they will tell you that I am consumed! I love anything that sparkles or shines. I have been told that I am just a "little" (yeah, right) FLAMBOYANT with my flavors of jewelry, but a girl just has to be who she is! I have named my new passion: "Junique Jewelry" just because my name is June and I am unique. I thought I would combine the two and come up with something that blends nicely, hence the name "Junique Jewelry". I have started making bracelet watches, using mostly lampwork beads and some glass beads with pewter findings. I can also make necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings to match your watch bracelets. I also can do any custom pieces either to your specifications of colors, type of beads, etc. I am in the process of increasing my bead and finding inventory to include sterling silver and Swarovski crystals - they are so sparkly and I just love them! I am going to put up some pictures of some of the bracelet watches that I have already created, and I will be adding more pieces in the next few weeks. I will post pictures of my new silver and crystal jewelry as soon as my supplies arrive, so I will be busy for the next few weeks. Christmas is almost upon us, so be thinking about something for a special gift for someone you love and think about ordering from me. I am so excited about doing this- it is something that I have always been interested in doing. Just email me at jbug636@gmail.com and we can get started on creating something that is "Juniquely" yours!

One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is "He hath made everything beautiful in his time". Ecclesiastes 3:11, and I have decided to include that scripture on a card with each piece of jewelry that I give away or sell. God has been so good to me and I feel that I need to share the Gospel with everyone that I come in contact with. God bless you and may He make you beautiful in his time!

Some of my quilling designs:

Ok- I promised that I would post some of my quilling designs. For those of you who do not know what quilling is, I will give you a brief history:WHAT IS QUILLING?

It is believed Quilling has been practiced since ancient Egyptian and/or 4th Century Grecian times. Although they obviously would not have used paper in the 4th century, it is believed the Greeks used thin metal wires to decorate containers, especially boxes, and Egyptian tombs have been found containing similar wire shapes akin to modern quilling.
During the Renaissance, Nuns and Monks picked up the art to decorate book covers and religious items. They used gilded paper strips in order to imitate the original metal wires. The name "Quilling" is said to be derived from the fact that the Nuns and Monks originally used feather quills as their tool to roll the paper. Later, the craft spread throughout Europe and to the Americas, where it was considered to be an appropriate hobby for the "Ladies of Leisure" of the time. Newspaper advertisements for some boarding schools in the American Colonies listed "Quill-Work" among the subjects taught.
For reasons that aren*t clear, paper Quilling popularity seems to have faded during the late 1800's. Not until the middle of this century did Quilling re-emerge. Today, thanks to the enthusiasm, knowledge, and skills of artists from around the world, this captivating paper art is back to stay.
I hope that you enjoy my quilling designs and I will add more as time allows.
I do make customized wedding announcements, baby announcements, name plaques, birth-verses,graduation announcements, invitations, etc. These can either be framed and matted complete, ready to hang or display with an easel, or just plain and you can choose the framing yourself. All you have to do is email me at jbug636@gmail.com and I will give you a quote....

Brenda's Photo Challenge - Weathered and Worn

These are some photos of what I consider old and weathered. The photos are of two of my neighbors here in Kansas. They are Albert "Speck" and Wanda Mann. Speck is 95 years old and still rides his horse in our annual 4th of July Parade here in Kansas. He belongs to the American Legion and is still an active member. His wife, Mrs. Wanda will be 93 June the 6th of this year. They are sweet people and I enjoy being their neighbor very much. The balance of the pictures are local landmarks, the Clark's barn and the Old Apache Road Bridge and also a picture of an old rusted out combine... It was ready to retire.... Just some local sites I thought you might enjoy. I sure enjoyed "Bug's Mugging" them!

Brenda's Photo Challenge - Flowers

These are some of my most favorite shots- Kansas Wildflowers. Of course, the Kansas State Flower is the Sunflower and Kansas is known as the Sunflower State, so my first photo is a wild Kansas sunflower. They grow everywhere ! Beside the road, in ditches, in the pastures, wherever! Next is the Wild Yellow Kansas Coneflower. They grow everywhere too! The gorgeous orange flower is the Butterfly Milkweed. They grow alongside the road and in the pastures also. I take my camera with me everywhere I go and I drive my husband NUTS making him stop anywhere randomly if I see an interesting wildflower that I MUST get a shot of! Luckily, he obliges me and I have an extensive collection of beautiful specimens! The purple wonder is a wild Kansas thistle of some kind. I had never quite seen anything like it until we moved to Kansas. Even the foliage on it is purple! Enjoy!

Brenda's Photo Challenge - Lighting

These are some of the photos I have taken with lighting. Some of my favorite shots of storms, rainbows, sunrises and just country photos. I am a country girl and I love to get up early in the mornings and get out and see some of God's wondrous works. Those of us who are not early risers are really missing out on some of the most beautiful sights that God ever wrought in His sunrises.

Another of God's beautiful works is His rainbow- His promise to man that He would never destroy the earth with a flood again. I am awestruck every time I see His bow in the clouds that He has never forgotten His promise and He sends this breathtaking wonder to the eye just to remind us that He loves us and remembers His promise. I feel the peace of God when I see these beautiful Creations of His. It reminds me of the verse that is such a Comfort to me when I am feeling alone or down.."And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7 May the each of you know the peace of God through His Son, Jesus Christ. I hope you enjoy my photos.....Courtesy of God...

Working the Cattle in 2010

Free picture slideshow made with Smilebox

On Saturday we helped work our neighbor's cattle. Our neighbor, Albert Mann and his wife, Wanda own one of the oldest homesteaded ranches in America. They raise original Hereford cattle, which came to this country in the 1800s. The original Hereford breed have horns, which have to be removed for herd safety. Albert (Speck is what all of us affectionately call him) is 94 years old and still rides a horse in our Annual Toronto Fourth of July Parade. He is still an active cattle rancher and you can see his pictures in this video. Cattle working is usually a once a year occurance, where the cattle are brought up from the home pastures and the steers are castrated, all the calves are de-horned, and everything gets vaccinated and wormed. The mamas are also wormed and then everything is loaded on to cattle trailers and taken to the pastures in the Flint Hills here in Kansas. The bluestem pastures have been burned and are in the process of turning green so the cattle can graze until October. The calves average a weight gain of approximately three pounds per day on the bluestem. At the middle of October, everything is gathered again, the mamas return to the home pastures, and the calves are shipped off to the market, having gained hopefully up to 800 or 900 pounds.It is a way of life here in the Flint Hills of Kansas , and has been for generations. Kansas beef is the best tasting beef on the market, and ranchers all over the world are envious of our prairie grass, for its above average natural God-given nutrients!

April Photo Challenge for Brenda's Photo Challenge

Here is my entry for the Brenda Photo Challenge for April. The theme was "Black and White". This is a photo I took here in Kansas of one of our friend's oil pump jack. I thought this looked like it could be a vintage picture, but it is typical in this part of Kansas. Hope you enjoy!