Thursday, June 30, 2022

Monarchs and Milkweed

Volume 19 Issue 7, July 2022

What's New in July?

I’ve been nurturing a butterfly nursery all month. It started several months ago, but ended up with me needing to chop down my milkweed and eradicate some nasty little pests in it before I could even think about trying to give monarch butterflies a place to lay eggs and become butterflies.

In the end, it took months, but I did manage to create a habitat that was conducive to the care of little caterpillars. It was not without some downfalls and some adjustments as I learned how quick those things were when they were on the move towards building a chrysalis. Never mind that there were weather issues like a storm that blew the top off the cage.

After seeing the caterpillars grow, chasing a few wayward ones that found the most minute hole in the screen to wriggle their 3-inch body through, we had a successful launch of three adult monarchs. In the meantime, I learned how to determine the sex of the monarch, unfortunately, it was after two had already left. My last launch was a female.

monarch caterpillars on milkweed

We already have four more eggs on several plants, so we’re ready to put the screen back over the plants and watch the miracle of monarchs start over again.

What’s New 

New Earrings:  In addition to fractal earrings, I added some pretty flowers and other colorful beads.

Thimbles: New Christmas and great grandma thimbles, as well as faith-based thimbles with bible verses.

New Book: The Joy of Jewelry Making Create for fun. Sell for Profit is now available on Amazon in both paperback and ebook formats.

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:

Pushpins: I have too many themes to mention here, but from teachers to nurses to friends, I am doing designs as quickly as I can.

Statement Beads: Working on large beads for ZOOM calls and being on camera. Both earrings and pendant necklaces.

Prints and Posters: Bible verse posters and other art featuring hot rods and more are in production.