Goodies!!!!!

I enter a lot of giveaways on blogs and Facebook and every now and then I hit a lucky streak.  I recently won a strand of beads from Happy Mango Beads .  

Instead of breaking them up to use in separate projects, I decided to string them all into one necklace.

Then I won this awesome strand of Christmas themed bracelet beads from Krafty Max Originals, also on Facebook.

That moment you walk into your fave store and overhear them 

discussing your comment on Facebook

My fave shop in town posed a question on Facebook:  "What do you collect?"  I commented, "the question is really what don't I collect?  Marbles, beach glass, beaded purses, postcards, glass of all kinds, craft supplies...shall I go on?"  The day it snowed, I walked down to that shop and as I opened the door, I heard a woman telling her colleague, "We asked what do people collect and this one person commented, 'what don't I collect' and she listed all the stuff she likes!"  I said, 'That was me! I'm Joanne!'  We all had a good laugh.  

So what did I find this day?  A jar of marbles with a cute store label on it.

A mason jar full of beach glass.  Since I won't use my own stash for crafts, I have to purchase it.

Not too bad!

This bag used to have velour or velvet on it, as you can still see it around the microbeaded designs.  It was really reasonably priced at I think $10.

A ruby red 'chicken in a basket' and a pretty cut glass pyramid that turns all colours depending on the light.

Then my dear sisterfriend Jaime's mom asked me if I would give a home to a vintage German shepherd figurine that she had and I was happy to!

I was given these books by author Pamela Foster in appreciation for using a comment I left on her blog, Wounded Warrior Wife, for her book.  I have read both and they are excellent reads.  Ms. Foster married a a man who suffers horribly from PTSD from his service in Vietnam in the mid-60s.  He takes her on a wild ride through life and as a result, she has done and seen some amazing things, all the while trying to survive her husband's PTSD symptoms and triggers.  

A few months ago I treated myself to this amazing beadwork hairpiece.  The price was so reasonable and I know how much work went into it.

Then Butterflies of Cape Cod posted some butterfly wing pendants they had available on Small Business Saturday.  I was dying to get the Madagascar Sunset Moth one so I jetted down there.  I asked if they'd sold any of my jewelry and she had $79 to give me! I was so excited because now I could also get a Blue Morpho butterfly pendant too!!!!  These are real wings, harvested from insects that have already passed away naturally.

Russell & I stopped by McDermott's Glass Studio and they had a bargain table outside, which contained 2 large marbles that aren't quite perfect.  One is a beautiful cobalt blue.  It's so dark it looks black.

And another unusual marble with a hole in one side where you can see inside.

It, too, is very dark but in the bright light there are lots of cool colours in it.

Recently I was looking around for some Victorian house design stitching patterns.  I didn't mention it to anyone, so imagine my utter surprise to receive this in the mail from my dear friend Debby out in Washington! Along with pretty window crystals to add beads to!!!!!!!!!

But the absolute BEST gift of all, that my sweet amazing man got me...and us....is a generator!!  We fell bass ackwards into a really good deal on a Champion brand one and I am so relieved that we don't have to cope with a multi day power outage this year.  As long as I can have a space heater, a light and the fridge plugged in, that's all I need.  It kind of looks like this one I snagged off the internet.

How lucky and blessed am I?!  VERY!!!!!!