The Blu Print: 2019

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Valentine’s Day Leggings and Baby Tortoises

Volume 17 Issue 1, January 2020

What's New in January?

At the moment, we want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope that your days are filled with friends, family and prosperity. As for us, it is time to clean up the studio from the holiday madness and take stock of supplies that will need to be ordered for the next year.

In addition, my focus is going to shift back to making beads and canes. I have had time this last year to get my shops stocked with other products that I have wanted to sell for a long time, and now that I have those set up and ready to go, I want to go back to making beads. It is like an obsession that I thought I could get away from, but I cannot.

I am not sure how where we will go with the beads, but we will start to get the shop filled back up again with colorful supplies for your jewelry making. In time, I will add back to my cane inventory, but it will be limited as I still do not trust the clay to withstand any storage times. This could be good for those who only want a few limited canes. We shall see!

This is what is going around Blue Morning Expressions at the moment. A baby tortoise in the yard!

What’s New

Leggings: From mommy and me to Valentine’s Day, I have some new leggings in stock.

Greeting cards: I am working diligently to get my one word charms translated into greeting cards and cross stitch patterns in the works.

Keychains and Charms: Since I started making keychains, I decided that I should add the charms to my site, so you can buy them separately if desired.

You will find all of my beads, canes and finished jewelry on my website.
www.bluemorningexpressions.com

Until next month,

Julie

Things to Look Forward To:

New Products:

Posters: I am working on my one word posters and wall hangings. There are also wood blocks to be added.

Loose Beads: I am focusing on making sets of beads again, so look for more beads to show up in my shop. I am not certain about the canes just yet, but I am planning on them for 2020.

Bead Sets: In addition to polymer clay beads, I want to put together complete sets for beading that include complementary beads, as well.

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Christmas Traditions - Christmas Eve

There are as many Christmas Eve traditions as there are those who celebrate Christmas.

Many celebrate the eve of Christ’s birth with a church service, which includes numerous countries and denominations. There are those who fast on Christmas Eve and only eat after the Midnight Mass.

Some eat their Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve and then go to Christmas Mass.

Some people exchange gifts on Christmas Eve.

In some countries, people bring their trees in on Christmas Eve and spend the evening decorating them. Or they light a Yule log from last year’s Yule log and let it burn until the 12th night. Only on this night are you to bring greenery into the house like mistletoe, ivy or evergreens.

An old tale had young girls baking a “dumb cake” and then using a pin, poking their initials into the top of it. From there, the girls set the cake on the hearth, and in the morning, the initials of their future husband would be alongside theirs.

The Dumb-Cake Baking
Print by W. Finden, c1843

“Dumb cake.”

One and one-half pounds flour, one and one-half pounds sugar, one-half pound butter, two cups milk, four teaspoonfuls baking powder, ten eggs and two gills brandy and a little pulverized mace. Mix as any cake and bake in a flat pan. Now cut off two corners to make it a triangle; ice top and sides with icing; outline nuts and garnish the lower edge with English walnuts and autumn leaves.

Not exactly a light, after dinner snack.

There were rumors of animals being able to talk on Christmas Eve as they pronounced their praise for the baby Jesus.

Most of the caroling is done on Christmas Eve.

No matter how you spend your Christmas Eve, those traditions belong to you and your loved ones and are unique to your family.

Another thing that can belong to your loved ones on Christmas Eve is any of the handmade gifts listed below.

Seagull On The Beach Fabric Keychain

RuthSandraSperling

Wrap bracelet, beaded and macrame coil wrap, boho chic handmade bracelet, The fiesta at night bracelet

Andrea Designs

In addition to these fantastic gift selections, each of these artists have their own shops filled with more gift ideas, so be sure and stop and shop with each one.

If you see something you like, buy it now or forever lose it as handmade gifts sell out quickly!

Shop from these additional countdowns and pages:

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 1

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 2

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 3

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 4

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 5

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 6

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 7

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 8

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 9

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 10

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 11

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 12

Christmas Traditions – The Candy Cane

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Carols

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Bells

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Candles

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Lights

Christmas Traditions – The Pickle

Christmas Traditions – The Poinsettia

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Trees

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Cards

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Gifts

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Wreath

Don’t see the perfect gift? Ask an artist to help you design something.

Shop now!

Julie

Friday, December 6, 2019

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 12

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Wreaths

We can trace the wreath back to the Romans when they would hang a wreath on their doors to show a sign of their status or a victory in battle.

Wealthy Roman women wore them as headdresses at weddings and other special occasions.

Everyone is familiar with the laurel wreath as adornment for Emperors and presented to winners in the Olympics.

Wreath comes from the word writhen and describes the twisting and turning of evergreen boughs that make up a wreath.

The origin of today’s wreaths could have started with the English custom of kissing boughs, which were common before people began to put up Christmas trees.

Kissing boughs were made up of five wooden hoops twisted with greens like evergreen, holly, ivy or rosemary. In the center of the hoops were red apples and the bottom hoop had a candle and a mistletoe ball that hung down.

Like the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe, these gift ideas will get you lots of kisses from your gift recipients.

Poinsettia Coasters Set of 2

RSS Designs in Fiber

Snowman Charm Bracelet, Handmade Czech Red Cranberry Christmas Jewelry

Victorian Style Treasures

Hand Knit Shawl

Crafting Memories

Fingerless gloves crochet

Andrea Designs

Holly Earrings Heart Charms

Pretty Gonzo

Vintage Holly Leaves and Berries Throw Pillow

Colleen Cornelius

Crocheted Newborn Christmas Maryjanes Headband Antique White Red Silk Rose

Magdalene Knits

XLarge Buckeye Burl Wooden and Resin Dangle Oval Earrings

ExoticWoodJewelryAnd

Red Green Christmas Earrings, Swarovski Ornament Jewelry Gift Holidays

Shadow Dog Designs

Christmas Wine Charms

Lindab142

Red Green and Gold Holiday Beadwoven Superduo Cuff Handmade Bracelet

Kats All That

Friends Fishing Trip Christmas Ornament Handmade From Birch Plywood

Kev’s Krafts

Lamp Work Bead Santa Earrings

The Singing Beader

Handmade Large Hole Lampwork Beads, Christmas Holiday Bead Set, Red Green White

Covergirl Beads

Santa Christmas Key Chain, Holiday Key Ring

Blue Morning Expressions

In addition to these fantastic gift selections, each of these artists have their own shops filled with more gift ideas, so be sure and stop and shop with each one.

If you see something you like, buy it now or forever lose it as handmade gifts sell out quickly!

Shop from these additional countdowns and pages:

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 1

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 2

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 3

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 4

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 5

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 6

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 7

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 8

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 9

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 10

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 11

Christmas Traditions – The Candy Cane

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Carols

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Bells

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Candles

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Lights

Christmas Traditions – The Pickle

Christmas Traditions – The Poinsettia

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Trees

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Cards

Christmas Traditions – Christmas Gifts

Don’t see the perfect gift? Ask an artist to help you design something.

Shop now!

Julie

Monday, December 2, 2019

Christmas Pillows and Matching Mugs

Volume 16 Issue 12, December 2019

What's New in December?

Blue Morning Expressions is on the last week of the annual countdown to Christmas featuring all handmade gift ideas, and what a year it has been! We have been delighted to share some fantastic knitwear from Andrea Designs, some fun and funky jewelry from both Shadow Dog Design and Pretty Gonzo. The Singing Beader has delighted us with her music themed jewelry and RSS Designs in Fiber has showcased some of her fantastic crochet work.

In addition to our countdowns, we have been getting ready to head into winter as best we can do down here in Florida. That means spending time with the windows open and enjoying fairly cool and dry weather. It also means ordering the annual basket of oranges to send home to family and friends.

The yard has been covered with what we call Florida snow, which is really a ground cover weed more commonly known as Mexican clover. The benefit of the clover is that the bees love it, so we leave it alone and mourn the loss of grass.
Taking stock and getting ready to head into 2020. Here is to many happy days ahead and may the wind be at our back.

What’s New

Mugs: It isn’t Christmas without a Christmas mug or two.

Pillows: It’s Christmas time in the design studio Many Christmas pillows have been created.

Greeting cards: I am working diligently to get my one word charms translated into greeting cards and cross stitch patterns in the works.

You will find all of my beads, canes and finished jewelry on my website. www.bluemorningexpressions.com
Until next month,
Julie

Things to Look Forward To:

New Products:

Leggings: My supplier has added a great legging line, so I have been experimenting with design and element placement.

Posters: I am working on my one word posters and wall hangings. There are also wood blocks to be added.

Bookmarks: I decided that some of my beads and images would translate nicely to bookmarks. Those are on the bench.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 11

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Christmas Traditions - Christmas Presents

This tradition is fairly simple to figure out.

The Magi brought gifts, so gift giving must be the way to celebrate.

New Revised Standard Version of Matthew 2:1–12 describes the visit of the Magi in this manner:

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage."

When King Herod heard this, he was frightened and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage."

When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.

On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another path.

Since we cannot just give gifts, we must create ways to make the surprise all that much more entertaining. We have gifts delivered by fat, jolly men in red suits, impish little elves and left in stockings, boots, shoes, under the tree and even in the barn.

Some countries open gifts for a number of days, and some countries only open them on Christmas morning. The traditions that surround gift giving and their openings vary from culture to culture.

No matter what day you give your gifts, any one of these gift ideas are wonderful choices for your loved ones to open.

Purple Beaded 3D Irish Crochet Flower Pin – Pendant

RSS Designs in Fiber

Swarovski Violet Crystal Rivoli Earrings, Long Dangle Earrings

Victoria Style Treasures

Purple Swarovski Crystal Memory Bracelet

Magdalene Jewels

Women's High Heel Shoes Christmas Ornament

Kevs Krafts

Wire Kippah Kippot Yarmulke Purple - Silver Beads

lindab142

Close Up of Ultraviolet Iris Portrait

Colleen Cornelius

Knit Turquoise Scarf, Handmade Scarf, Gift for Her

Crafting Memories

Great Blue Heron Note Card 5x7 Watercolor print

Watercolorsnmore

Lavender Purple Brown Dragonfly Earrings, Swarovski Handmade Jewelry

Shadow Dog Designs

St. Dymphna Rosary Bracelet

Pretty Gonzo

Czech Gold-washed Lilac Picasso Heart, Bronze Niobium, Dangle Earrings

Kats All That

Crochet Pillow Sham

Wyvern Designs Home

Macrame wrap, adjustable clasp, The purple rose bracelet

Andrea Designs

Handmade Lampwork Glass Beads, Premium Purple EDP Etched Matte 254e

Covergirl Beads

Purple Flower Dangle Earrings with Chains and Swarovski Crystals

Blue Morning Expressions

In addition to these fantastic gift selections, each of these artists have their own shops filled with more gift ideas, so be sure and stop and shop with each one.

If you see something you like, buy it now or forever lose it as handmade gifts sell out quickly!

Shop from these additional countdowns and pages:

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 1

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 2

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 3

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 4

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 5

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 6

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 7

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 8

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 9

Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 10