diy oyster shell necklace

May 28, 2021

I had some fun the last couple weeks making some necklaces from decoupaged oyster shells.

I had been putting holes in some shells to create some garlands and decided to drill some extras to create necklaces.

I have shared plenty of decoupaged shells in the past. If you still haven’t tried to make some, click here for simple instructions. Summer is a great time to try this craft made from some collected beach shells!

For making necklaces, drill the holes in the shells first. Then, decoupage – being sure to use the end of your paint brush to punch the appropriate hole where you have drilled after decoupaging. Next, add the chain, beads, rawhide, etc. of your choice to complete the necklace!

I happen to like a long necklace – with a 30” chain – but, your creation should reflect your own personal style.

Have some fun with it!

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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desert botanical garden

May 21, 2021

I became a cactus fan long before succulents were ‘in.’ I made my first visit to Arizona when I was in junior high school and I instantly became mesmerized by the unusual and glorious plants called cacti.

When I got home from my trip, I signed up for a subscription to Arizona Highways magazine so I could regularly see beautiful, artistic photographs of Arizona plants in their native habitat.

This background of cactus love made it extra special for me to have the opportunity recently to visit the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. I had never been.

The garden is like a living museum, home to more than 4,400 species and 27,000 plants.

Today, I share a few of my favorite views from my visit.

Thanks for stopping by.

Have a fabulous weekend! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. Look at my last post for more from the Desert Botanical Garden.

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anything but yellow

May 14, 2021

On a quick trip to Scottsdale, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix with some great people. During the visit, I was intrigued by a comment made by our tour guide – that most flowers in a desert garden are yellow. Of course, after hearing that, I needed to find some color beyond the yellow as I toured the space!

Today I am sharing a few of these non-yellow finds. I will share some more photos of the garden in a future post because there were plenty of amazing succulents to admire!

My first amazing find at the garden is a little bit of a cheat…they are not live plants! They are blown glass pieces by the amazing American glass sculptor, Dale Chihuly. It was such a nice surprise to discover the three pieces of large-scale sculptures gracing the entrance to the garden!

You may remember from a previous post, that I visited a large Chihuly collection when it was installed at the New York Botanical Garden. (Click here to see the post.)