emfly

friends?

2011-04-13T09:22:00.003-04:00

"a man who has friends, must himself be friendly" or "a man of many companions may come to ruin". same verse. two very different translations. the first translation is in the KJV, and the second the NIV. comparing where the same hebrew words are used in different parts of the bible, i'd say the NIV translation is correct. but..... but.... i like the KJV one better. i want to have many friends.

I was feeling lonely in this town. i've been living here 11 years now, married, with 2 kids. and busy. lots to do, lots of people to see. it is true that having lots of acquaintances leaves one little time to really make friends. really - to get to the heart of the matter. i sometimes try to treat my acquaintances like friends, and share what's going on. and then i feel judged and worse than before. is this what is meant be alienation and angst in modern society. we've given ourselves so many different inputs into our lives, but ignored the one "who sticks closer than a brother".

To have a friend, to be a friend. so hard to know how to do that.

Blue on Beige

2011-03-29T10:00:00.002-04:00

i woke up this morning feeling blue. bluer than the blue blue sky. why is it that blue in a sky is cheerful, but blue in me is definitely not? i walked the kids to the bus, and after they got in the black mini-van, i walked up the driveway with the sun on my back, and watched my dark brown shadow on the brown of the gravel, and while i was glad for the warmth of the sun, really i focused on the browns. i got in the house, and instead of doing all the things i needed to do, i lay on the beige couch, and there i was: blue on beige. and wishing i could curl up and stay there all day. yet in a corner of my mind, the words were running like a silent movie: "this is the day that the lord has made, i will rejoice and be glad in it". THIS is the day. today. this blue, brown, beige kind of day. rejoice in IT.

after finally getting myself of the couch, and reading my bible, i read in psalm 57 - be exalted, O God, above the heavens, let your glory be over all the earth. and in psalm 96 - the seas will roar, the trees rejoice, the mountains be glad - why, when - when He comes as a judge. who is happy to see a judge? those who have viewed injustice. who is extra glad when a judge comes? those who have felt and experienced injustice. the trees, the seas, the mountains. they will rejoice when the judge comes.

i remembered when i was young and wise, (and yes - it seems that youth does know some things that i don't know now. 15 years and 2 kids seem to have chased alot of wisdom out of my mind.) and i was in the middle of a storm, and instead of hiding in side, i went out in it. and felt the rain and wind, i watched the lightning, and heard the thunder. i felt the majesty and power, and i watched the grass. the grass was dancing. huge drops of rain on the grass, and it was dancing. and i thought - God could use the grass. the grass could rejoice and praise Him, and He could use that and that alone, yet somehow He has allowed me to be of use as well. He allows me to praise Him.

and so - today, when i am blue and beige and brown, i will rejoice. i will look for the cheerfulness in the blue, and maybe even turn around and feel the sun on my face.

SALE on Necklaces, Earrings, Bracelets, Journals

2010-02-05T10:55:00.003-05:00

50% OFF!

SALE, Sale, SALE!!!!!

www.emfly.etsy.com

i now have 100 items listed on Etsy.... so for the next week (Feb 5-11, 2010) ALL ITEMS will be on sale! I am not going to list each item seperately - but if you convo me (on Etsy) i will relist the item 50% off with a "reserved for....." YOU ....(Whatever your name is) on it!!!!!!!

there are some beautiful things listed - you do not want to miss this oppurtunity!!!!!

www.emfly.etsy.com

sale, SALE, sale!!!!!!

FAT FREE, Dairy free, NO NUTS journals

2010-02-03T16:59:00.005-05:00

You may be saying (or thinking quietly to yourself) that all journals are fat free, and who has ever put a nut in a journal? (maybe nuts are making journals, but in them? not a chance! ) :) While this may be true, these journals are especially worth noticing if you care about allergies. They are made from boxes that once held products that were made for people with allergies. My son has nut, egg, milk, and sesame seed allergies, so they are also made with care that no allergens were on my hands as i was making them.

**** Please note that the journals them selves are NOT to be eaten! :) (it is a joke!)

Low Fat, Parve (Recycled) journal

i love the colours on this journal. It is so bright and fun. The size turned out great too, at just under 3 inches wide, by just over 5 inches high it is a great size to have in your pocket, or in a purse.

MARS snack box JOURNAL

This is not the book that i have for sale on Etsy, but it was made from the same box. This book is so much fun. While not dairy free, i thought it deserved a spot here, because it has the lovely NO NUT symbol on it. and - yum - because it is Mars bars. These were not bought for my son - they were bought for me!

Yummy POPCORN recycled box JOURNAL
by: emfly
another beautiful little book. Seriously - when products are so beautifully packaged - how could i just delegate the boxes to the blue bin? this is so much more fun!

The journal measures just over 3 inches wide, by just over 5 inches high

These next 2 are not for sale on Etsy - they are made using not only reused boxes, but reused paper as well! That means that i am a bit more careful where they go to, and these ones we are using ourselves. I love this Japanese style binding though. It means that they paper doesn't need to be folded, and it makes it so much easier to use paper that is printed on one side.

2010-02-02T17:15:00.003-05:00

ROCK ON!!!!!

(Journal, Necklace, bracelet and pencil holding necklace)

Fun for all who love music. A journal that is made by using the Wii ROCK BAND box. the cover is cut out of the cardboard that was once the box, and the paper is cut to match. This is all folded, and sewn along the fold to make a beautiful, fun, funky journal. It is unique, one of a kind, and environmentally friendly.

Rock Band Notebook 006
by emfly

As well, I have several rockin' necklaces listed. These are necklaces that are made of rocks. very cool, unique, and beautiful as well.

Rock Into Spring Necklace
by emfly

This necklace is very cool, and great for a teacher or artist or writer. It has a pouch at the center of the chain that is perfect for holding a pencil, or pen, or even paint brush (you'd just want to check that it is clean first!) The beads in this necklace are also made of rocks, so it is rockin' all the way!

HARD ROCK Necklace and Pencil Holder OOAK gift for Teacher
by emfly

And finally - a beautiful bracelet made out of quartz rocks. I made this at christmas time, so the name is rockin' around the christmas tree, but it is so beautiful, and light and sparkly that it would be fun for any time of the year.

ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE Bracelet
by emfly

ROCK ON!!!!

Raiders of the Blue Box

2010-02-01T13:58:00.004-05:00

I've been busy with a new, fun passtime: making books! My mom taught me lots of techniques for making books, and before she passed away, she and I had some fun making books for my kids, and then she made some to take to a book show (sale). These books are special in that they use recovered material. Or - recycled material. We raid the blue box to get any beautiful boxes, and to save them from the recycle world - which uses so much energy to make them useful again. For these books we would sometimes use pre-printed paper as well. This would work for the books that my kids like to draw in, but for the ones that i am now trying to sell, i have to be very careful that any names, or information is not remaining on the paper. I love the books that are made with plain paper, and then there is so much more usable space as well.

One of my favorite books is a little Lego Indiana Jones Journal 002 that is made by using a box that once held Lego Indiana Jones. It is fun, and funky, yet makes a statement about reusing, and caring for the environment. These books are all hand stitched, and cut by hand. Lovingly created. Each one unique and individual. Like us - there are no 2 exactly alike! :)

Where did Spring go?

2009-04-09T09:35:00.004-04:00

Just remembering last week (seems oh so long ago) when we were playing outside, and saw some beautiful crocuses. Now covered in snow - again. sigh. They are still there somewhere....

Crocus Earrings
by emfly

Winter again

2009-04-06T16:54:00.006-04:00

It is winter here in Ontario again. And while fresh snow is always beautiful, I am not very happy about seeing it falling fresh on our newly cleared lawn! All the same - it is an opportunity to think about warmth, and lovely cuddly, cosy things, like scarfs, and mitts, and hats. And fleece. oh so cozy!

In the middle of March I was still in the middle of a winter frame of mind, and made some nice scarfs for my facebooks friends who responded to a note. When I sent them out I felt badly that they wouldn't get any use out of them. I suppose that they will get some use out of them after all.

Reversible cape and little red riding hood with fleece and shiny fabric.

Long, thin, artsy scarf made for my cousin (and facebook friend) Cristina.

Fun, funky neck scarf made for another facebook friend Angie.

Grey Crocheted Neck Scarf

SPRING?

2009-04-01T09:56:00.007-04:00

I love spring. The colours, the snow melting, the rain.... ? Ah yes the rain. It is raining today, and the last of the snow is melting. The colours may not be in evidence yet - but I know they will be here soon, and I am dreaming of a colourful spring.

Spring is In the Air 3 Strand Necklace

Along with my love of trade beads, a newer love is of natural stone beads. I love the ones that are chips of the stone, and natural and uniquely individual. I love the ones that are tumbled and smooth and their own natural colour. The tumbled ones can be any shape, round, square, cubed, oval. They are usually the most wonderful to feel.

Cubes of Spring Earrings

This time of year I dream in colour. After a beautiful clear, crisp winter of whites and blues I can not get enough of pinks,yellows, greens, purples, reds or really any colour. I can not wait for the first glimpse of a flower peaking through the ground, but until then I will continue to dream, and play with my beautiful rock beads.

Rock Into Spring Necklace

Rock into Spring Bracelet

Trade Beads

2009-03-31T16:21:00.005-04:00

Beads, beads, beads. I have to admit that I love beads. I always have. I think perhaps the Metis blood in me has given me this love. When I was in high school I did the typical necklaces: one string with multi colours. I loved them. I gave them to my friends, and hope that they loved them too. Now I have discovered nicer beads, older beads, stone beads and silver beads.

Trade beads have got to be some of my favorite though. They are older beads, and often they are beads that have a history of being traded with the natives of North America and the fur traders or stores. My favorite of these are the Hudson bay beads which were traded by The Hudson Bay company for furs, or other necessities. I know that the history of the settlers and European companies that dealt with the natives is not a happy, or kind story, but I like to see the history and the way these beads were used. They were a currency, a way of payment. It may seem cruel to us, to mis-use a people this way - but are beads as a currency any less usefull than our paper or coin money now? Or our electronic money?

I have made several necklaces using these trade beads. At times I have used a combination of old and new beads, and I love the result. I tend not to polish the older beads because the history and the age is part of what I love about them.

Rare Old White Heart Trade Bead Necklace
White Trade Bead Necklace with Red Hearts

Padre White Heart Bead Necklace