I am thrilled to say
that I have FINALLY finished
the

Critter
.•:*¨*:•. Tutorial Workbook! .•:*¨*:•.



Beads of Courage has been sent 3 copies
to allow them to review it and see if it is something they
would like for a Fund Raiser.

I they do want it, then I will post a link to order it on their site.
60% of the $35.00 sale price would go to support Beads of Courage!


.•:*¨*:•. What a Happy Day! .•:*¨*:•.






If you would like to purchase it for yourself now
(under our generic cover), you can do so at

http://www.finefolly.com/tutorials.php

My life revolves around Critters it seems...
We keep them and I make them!

The kids absolutely LOVE the chicken pen.
They have names for each of the chickens, like
Ola (for Grandma Yola), and Cricket Hunter...

Seeing life again through little eyes is such a delight.

I just recently started making big-hole beads for Pandora style bracelets...
they sure are fun to create.

These little Cuties are the latest three. Which do you like best?

One of the special things we do is
HOME SCHOOL!

We needed to connect with the children and help them settle in when we first got them. That was about a year ago now. They had been bounced from pillar to post, and were abused in their bio home and then again in the Foster Homes they were sent to. They needed to learn to trust and to behave, because they were fearful and wild when they got here (in their Foster home they were allowed to ride bikes in the house and climb the backs of furniture for example)!

Well, home schooling and a stay at home Mommy were our choices to help ground them and give them a feeling of security and permanence.

Here is our oldest boy writing his letters for the first time. He's not tracing, he's making the letters and boy is he proud! Can you tell?

And below, he is pointing out his ABC's. He can do it forward and backward now. He's 5 and is really doing well. So are the other two. Thank you Lord for choosing these children for us!

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17

We are canning peaches this week.

It's the first time for the kids...
They absolutely LOVE helping with anything food-related. They were starved as little ones so food is a big issue to them.

Isn't our God good - we prayed for Him to choose the children for us, and He gave us little ones with big food-related issues (after He removed them from their home of cruel abuse and starvation)... and WE cook from scratch, garden and can... all the things that make you feel so happy and content in your home-life!

A full pantry and every meal cooked from scratch, and a stay-at-home Mommy! Makes for safety and comfort and learning to trust and hope again!

Aren't they Cuties!

I had to post this little Sweetie. He is sitting on a big hollow Rose bead with encased black swirls looping all over the bead. Love that Dark Transparent Rose color!

SINCE I have frogs on the brain these days
I decided to make a Pandora Bead with one of my little guys on top.

It sure was a challenge to get an even wrap of glass around that big mandrel! I ended up adding a lot of Murrini and stacked dots and encased black vine to tie it all together!

It was fun but a bit stressful, and I am not sure if he is sitting up to high for a bracelet - what do you think? I can try to make him lean more forward next time, but I love to see his little head looking around!

Have you ever been stuck on making a particular thing?




Even though I have been steadily working on the
Beads of Courage Critter Tutorial Workbook,
when I take a break I always want to make these silly guys!

They are encased Murrini beads with a Froggie passenger. The combinations inside the bead are endless and they are challenging me to develop my wild Twistie-making abilities!





The BOC Tutorial Workbook is coming along great,
but I keep adding Critters! I have to stop now and just get it done!

If you want to be notified when it is ready for sale through BOC
please email me at FineFolly@bellsouth.net
Be sure to put BOC Workbook in the title. Your email will not be used for anything else
and will be erased after we send out notice that it is ready to be ordered.


Here are just a FEW of the little Cuties that will be taught in the Workbook.
I think I am at 18 and counting! Someone stop me!

This has been a busy weekend!
We installed my father's Memorial Window on my Mother's birthday - at the church we used to attend, and the one my Mother still attends! Could I say that any more loop-de-loopy?

And what is a Birthday celebration without little ones to help you celebrate? You can see Nana here with her newest grandchildren in front of Dad's window.

I chose 'The Good Samaritan' for his window, because he was always and forever talking to people at roadside cafes, and bringing home someone who was down and out. Before he went to heaven he reached out to a lot of people. He was a good example of what we should all do more of! According to scripture, people and being good to them is what life and living is all about in God's eyes...

Our little girl turned 7 on Sunday. We all had a sweet time celebrating the event! You can see her little brothers watching her open presents below.

My don't the years go by fast....

HELP ON HOW TO MAKE CRITTER BEADS

Hi Everyone!


I'm at it again! The blind leading the blind so to speak!

I am working up a Tutorial for making simple Animal and Critter Beads... you can see it on Lampwork Etc. at

FREE Critter & Animal Beads Pattern & Tutorial

We'll be making everything from Kitties to Hippos! I drew up the patterns, and I am making them and posting the actual pics of MY first try at making them as we go, so that we all share in the trials and misery of succeeding!

Here are the first Fat Kitty Beads I made up in the easiest version up to the full-pattern version...

.•:*¨¨*:•.





We are making these beads for a program called BEADS OF COURAGE... they provide hand-made beads of all sorts to critically ill children. If it interests you go see the link and send us some of your beads!

Let's see, what has this past week or so seen accomplished?


I made my first Tutorial on Lampwork Etc (LE). It's called

Easy Multi-Layered Rose Petals Tutorial (HOTHEAD)

Just click on the title - it's a hot link and will take you there if it interests you!


and...



I made my first decent button - off mandrel with a Twistie... that was tense but fun!



...and I keep working at making my little darlings to enjoy!

Hope you have had a good week. What's happening in your world? We are doing well and the kids are keeping us WAY to busy! They seem to grow daily by leaps and bounds.

Even though it was Father's Day on Sunday, I still found some time to work on beads as Daddy watched golf and little ones played or slept.

I love the Froggies, and I have been having fun with the types of beads they sit on.

I also worked up a neat Aquarium bead this past week, but it cooled to fast and cracked... SO I have put a Bead Kiln on layaway with the Glasshive. I am counting the days until I get it paid for and can start using it! SO sad to loose the big beads!

3 Little Monkeys... Climbing In The Trees!

How was your weekend? Ours was fun and to busy as usual... We adopted 3 children this past year and we are still settling in as a family. There are always new things to do together and new joys to stop and savor.

Like these pics of them wearing their camo pants like their Daddy wears, and climbing trees by a pond near our house!