Graphics Galore

Some time ago, I was given free access to Graphic Stock.  In return, I was expected to do a review of the site and give me honest opinion.  In no way was I compensated monetarily.  My opinion is my own.

I first have to say that I am a graphics freak!  Every time I use them I have to hunt all over the internet for free graphics and believe me, it’s not easy to find them.  Trust me, I made the most of my time on Graphic Stock.  If you read my Octoberfest blog and the Thanksgiving blog, you know I have already used lots of the ones I downloaded.  I had planned to do a Christmas  blog with all the projects the kids and I made  BUT, last week I came down with some crazy ear infection that turned into a respiratory thing and I still do not have projects finished.  And I do want to get this blog up because if you know someone who loves graphics or who uses them a lot, this would be a great last minute gift idea, a subscription to Graphic Stock.  For yourself, take advantage of their offer for a free trial.  There is still time to do some Christmas projects.

I made postcards to send to my old mother who is 97 and loves to get mail.  She gets a different one every other day.  I use Pic Monkey to personalize them.

 

one of mom’s postcards

How cute is that little guy?

I also made “cards” to glue onto paper bags so the boys and I can make hand made gift bags for the hand made gifts they made for their parents.

We will be making these today because they are out of school.  All we need is glue and some cord to glue on the paper bags and we have totally unique gift bags.

Ornaments were supposed to be done by now.  Gosh, I hate being sick.  I’m so behind.  I have the papers printed out but they have to be modpodged and resin poured.  We are using this for my son whose tree is all red black and white and who loves dragons.

We added the lettering with Pic Monkey.

This one will be for my grand daughter who loves owls.   And we have 12 more to do!  ARGHHHH!

I also chose some to share on Facebook.  All lettering is my own.  And see my store name on the bottom?  Anyhow who shares it will be sharing my name.

and I used this one for a sale in my Artfire shop.

pretty cool, eh?

Graphic Stock is so easy to use.  You can search for images by typing in a search word or you can browse the categories. Once you select a category or a search word, your page will show small images but when you mouseover, they show up large enough so you can make an easy decision.

 Sometimes, I’m not even sure what I want until I type in a word and the drop down menu gives me choices that I didn’t think of myself.  I wanted blue water for a resin piece and when I typed in water, the drop down gave me lots of choices, one of which was “water splash”.  OMG, that was exactly what I needed a splashy wave!  There are thousands of images (jpg, png, raster, vector, photos) and so many choices.  You can’t go wrong with this site.  Believe me, I’ve looked at others.   Check out the free trial.  There’s still time to hook someone up with a subscription.   All images are yours to use even after you cancel your subscription and you can print out your license to use them right at the site.  No limits either on the number of images you can download!  Awesome!

This is my last blog until January.  I’ve got so much to do.  I’m going to be remodeling my Artfire studio and opening a new shop and Graphic Stock has some great graphics I can use.  Until then…..

Be Thankful Blog Hop

Man, seems like I’ve had a bunch of blog hops this month!

Marybeth Rich, of Forest of Jewels challenged us to this one.   We all got the same exact beads.  Each of us has their own style so it’s going to be fun to see what all come up with.   Of course, I forgot to take pictures of the beads when I got them, well DUH……that’s how I rolled this month, what can I say?   The beads were shades of greens and browns, really pretty, looking lots like that last hangers on of summer, you know, when the grass and plants and pods are that muted green?  We have to design a piece about what we are thankful for…..family?  friends? money? fame?  world peace?   So let’s get to it.

I am most thankful for my faith, my spiritual connection.  My life has been like a B movie, one thing after another.  Believe me when I say, in the Great Tarot that is Life, The Tower (a card of catastrophe and chaos) has been prominent.

I am Wiccan.  I became pagan when my firstborn died at 2 weeks old.  I had a hard time accepting phrases like “it’s God’s will” and “she’s an angel now” or “god needed an angel so he took her home”.   I searched for some help and I found it in earth based religion.  Many of you don’t know about pagan religions.  We have a dual god/goddess and are closely connected to earth.  I’m going to focus on the Mother for this hop.

You all know I cannot do a post without some mood music to listen to as you scroll.  This is Wendy Rule’s Circle Song, honoring the Four Directions, the four seasons, the four sections of the Circle of Life.

 

My faith has seen me through terrible times.  Lisa’s death.  An abusive husband and breakup that left me alone with two little kids.  A new relationship with my soul mate, Alfredo.  That didn’t last long.  We moved to Ohio so he could find work and when times got rough here, he got mixed up with serious drugs.  Years ago, heroin addicts were almost unheard of in the Midwest.  He was one of the first.  I had to ask my soulmate to leave and I was alone in a strange city with the Dope Man knocking on my door wanting money that my husband owed him.  I had no job. My husband had taken the car that was in my name so I had no transportation.   Most days, the only way we had food was because I roamed the river banks and found enough pop bottles to cash in and buy milk, bread and eggs.  I was scared and shaky but I prayed and out of this mess came light.  The Dope Man brought me groceries (some light spilled over into his life I guess).  He helped me find a job.

I struggled with 4 kids but we were never hungry again and we had fun together.  Then my oldest boy was in an accident while I was at work.  He suffered head trauma and was in a coma.  I prayed harder than ever.  He lived but at age 13, now had the mental capabilities of an infant who had to be fed, could not talk, and could barely walk.  My child, who could read before he ever went to school, could not put enough words together to make a sentence.  Through faith, things were sent to me, wonderful teachers who helped me learn how to help him,  steadfast friends,  and always my faith that it would not be like the doctors said, that he would forever and always be 13 years old.   Now he is in his 40’s, has a job he loves and kids who are smart and good.

Years went by.  We have a great family.  All of us help each other.  My daughter has finished police academy and is doing her internship.  In two weeks, she will be a full fledged peace officer after finishing high school and the academy with two young children.  In two weeks, I will be taking 3 finals toward my Bachelor’s degree.  My middle son will be graduating and going into the Marine Corps to start working on his dream to be a marine and an MP.  Ben was found 8 days later, murdered and tossed into the Miami River.   The Tower again, utter and complete chaos, our whole world turned upside down.  Our whole circle of friends crushed  Our family broken and scarred.  Standing in the ashes of our dreams, we begin again.

We survived this.  I never finished my degree.  Believe it or not, I’d still like to do it.  I needed only 9 hours of electives, but I had PTSD and for a long time, could not even remember people’s names, people I had known for years.   It’s been a few years.  Another murder.   The “son of my heart”, my daughter’s husband Tim, robbed and shot to death by five guys who jacked him up at the chicken place where he went to pick up some friend chicken for supper.   Unbelievable!  And we thought we were safe, had paid our dues.  Again, the feelings only homicide survivors can know.  BUT through faith and prayers,  our family got stronger, we kept on going.

Time goes by.  My middle son, who never did go into the Marines, was helping a friend when the parking block they were moving fell off the truck and crushed his foot.  Unable to work, 3 little kids, unable to get any public assistance, do you believe that crap and they took his foot.

I am struggling now with excruciating pain from 4 bulging discs and degenerative disc disorder.  Every day is pain.

All these things, life changing things, hard times and what do I have to be thankful for?  I am so thankful that I have had an abiding faith that helped me be strong, overcome and grow.  Of all my friends, I am the one who has the least, a rackety old falling down house, a beat up car, a crappy job that pays minimum wage BUT I am the richest person I know and probably the happiest.   This is not a pity party people.  Nobody here say “sorry” for your luck.  I am strong, I am happy and surrounded by the most awesome family that knows how to stick together, that loves strongly and deeply.   I have friends.  I have respect.  I have so much love in my life and I am blessed.

Okay.  Now you know why I am thankful.  Let me show you what I made.   I took that goddess piece from Bead Freaky and changed up the color just a tad because it was all green.  I used a bit of pinotage Gilder’s Paste and a touch of Inca gold and now it looks richer and matches those earthy green beads.  This piece wanted to be LONG.  I’ve been watching the Borgias and the Tudors and all the old religious pieces from way back in the day seemed to be long and ornate.   I used gold which has always been a symbol of richness, of wealth.  This meant I could not use the copper clasp that was sent as part of the bead kit.  It’s a great clasp, but just not large enough for the heavy hammered bronze chain I forged.

close up of hand forged chain

It just would not work with these links.  I saved it to use next time I make copper links.

 

 

focal from Bead Freaky

 

close up of asymmetrical sides

matching leaf and bud earrings

I call this piece, Root and Stem, Leaf and Bud.  It’s from a prayer.

By root and stem, by leaf and bud, by flower and fruit, by all the Earth, I call to you Great Mother.  I ask for guidance, to live and reflect your generous wisdom, to enrich the lives of all I touch as you have enriched mine.  I ask that I  never forget the bounty you provide, that I never be afraid that my needs will go unfulfilled, that I ever be thankful and that I walk on this earth with  footsteps as gentle as the spring rains you send.  So mote it be.

Please stop by my friend’s blogs and see what they are thankful for.  And may you have as many blessings as I

 

I hope you had much to be thankful for

Gina Hockett of Freestyle Elements
Carolyn Lawson of Carolyn’s Creations 
Shaiha Williams of Shaiha’s Ramblings
Lisa Knappenberger of LiRaysa Designs
Bianca Medina of Medibeads
Lee Koopman of Strega Jewellry’s Blog
Mowse Doyle of Mowse Made This
Linda Anderson of From the Bead Board

and, of course, our hostess, Marybeth Rich, of Forest of Jewels who also has a giveaway on her blog.   Be sure to check her out.

Since I could not use the copper clasp, I would like to mention Cobalt and Copper.  Check out her Facebook Page.   I’ll be posting a shot of that clasp as soon as I get my design finished.

Important note:  All these great graphics I used are from Graphic Stock.  If you are in need of great graphics for your blog, web page or crafts, check them out.  Check out their free trial offer.

Oh, one more thing.  I got a really pretty lampwork bead as part of my kit.  It seemed too big with all the smaller beads.  My daughter fell in love with it so I hammered out a bronze neck ring to showcase it all by itself.   She took it home yesterday.   I’m thankful I have such a good daughter and could make her happy with this bead.