Community Chat

[Witchy Woman]

@Enufstuff 

I'll bet those bears from fur coats were glorious! And used the lining too. 

Goodness, she must have had the patience of a Saint.  

I would say the same about you making all the doll clothes.  I used to sew, but working on small items is another matter entirely.  

You have some of the most interesting stories and experiences.  I love hearing about them and seeing what you've created.

Thanks for sharing.

[Enufstuff]

@Kachina624   Thank you for your confidence in my research skills. I love researching things and sometimes really get carried away. It usually entails me spending way too much money. That is so easy to do with shopping and finding anything in the world on the internet and going down the rabbit hole of Pinterest.

 Since retiring, I have a lot of time for online shopping and researching things. Every time I learn of something new, I go on the internet and start researching so many things, from archeology, Native American history, art, home decor, fashion, gems and crystals, great books, recipes, dolls, antiques, special gifts for family, etc.

  I collect gems and crystals and love finding something new to

add to my collection.

  A few years ago, I read about Yianni Melas, the gem hunter and his discovery of Aquaprase in Africa. Then I had to research sources to buy some. I found a ring that a woman in London was selling. Then at a gem show, I found a cabochon and took it to a jewelry designer in Maine and had a pendant made.

 Recently, I read how he discovered another chalcedony stone in Indonesia last March. It was called "confetti stone". He named it "Aquadite". I just bought two matching pieces to make earrings and another piece to make a pendant.

The pieces do look like confetti with specks of teal, aqua and copper, in a translucent base. I will wire wrap the pieces with copper wire and use  rose gold lever backs for the earrings and the pendant will go onto a rose gold chain.

  Right now, I'm researching a pleasing design for this year's

Chinese new year card for "The Year of the Dragon". Every year I create and do the artwork and Chinese characters for a new year card for my brother and his wife, who is from Hong Kong. I always made one for her father too , who loved my cards. He passed away four years ago at age 96.

  I wish that I could channel my research to something lucrative. I really do have "Enufstuff". ( actually too much)

 It was a lot of fun, finding the Ginny, outfit and horse. She will be surprised. I love finding the perfect gifts for people.

I should have been born rich instead of beautiful! Ha!

[Kachina624]

@Enufstuff.  Do you belong to Facebook?  I find it to be a wonder source of information and interesting pictures.  I belong to several forums; one is great info from several experts on turquoise, one I get great old photos of Native Americans, mostly portraits or with families.   I also get info on Native American artifacts, rugs, jewelry, baskets, pottery, etc.  In addition, I get daily pictures of gem and mineral "finds" of unusual  nature, gorgeous stones and crystals.

I don't post anything personal on Facebook but I do take full advantage of and enjoy their forums.

[Enufstuff]

@Kachina624  No, I never joined Facebook. When I was working, I didn't have time for that and I was never interested.

With a big family (5 children have grown to 22 people) and enough friends, the Q forum, Pinterest, you tube and Google are enough for me.

 I have several books about our Native Americans, the First Nations people who lived on the east coast where I live and much information about my First Nations ancestors from Quebec and Ontario, Canada.

 One of my favorite books is full of photos by Edward Curtis.

 I have had that interest since I was 7 years old. I started collecting silver and turquoise jewelry, as a child. We visited

The Penobscot reservation on Indian Island at Old Town Maine, several times. As a child, I didn't realize that silver and turquoise is Southwest, not Northeast. I hadn't been there since  I was child and my husband and I went there to visit 8 years ago. The people we met were wonderful and very welcoming.

 We have gone to many Pow Wows in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. I have a collection of small baskets made by several of the east coast tribes. I also have Northeast jewelry made from porcupine quills and seed beads, along with wampum jewelry made from quahog shells.

  The first little basket that was given to me was an ash and sweetgrass basket from a MicMac lady who lived near where we stayed in Maine, on summer vacations. That was back in the 50's. She told me how the ash was colored with natural dyes from berries and plants. I loved Zelica and visited her just about every day. She took me to pick blueberries and taught me how to make a blueberry pie. She didn't even use a recipe.

 I have to control myself not to look at more baskets or silver and turquoise jewelry. I have bought way too much and have been giving some of the jewelry to my daughters and grand daughters.

  It sounds like Facebook is a great source of information. I always thought of it as a place where people post selfies and what they ate for lunch, as well as a place to connect with old friends and classmates.

  I used to belong to a Rock and Mineral club and still get invitations to local gem and mineral shows. Vendors come from all over the country and some other countries to our local gem and mineral show each year. I'm sure that it probably doesn't compare to the Tucson one.  I did not go last spring. I've done enough damage buying gems and crystals in the past couple of years.

It is just fascinating and amazing to me that such beauty comes out of the earth. Just as amazing and fascinating to me are the beautiful seashells from the ocean, which I also have a collection of. There is such beauty in this world if people care to look and see it. It is all too tempting for me.

 What can I say except, "I have too much stuff".