Musical brilliance!

In the times of holiday concerts, the one we are most excited about is at Nina's school, GAMP.  This is a public magnet school, with a very big emphasis on music, classical, jazz, music theory, choir, and more and more.  The children are expected to keep up their academic grades and when they are absent from a lesson because of one or another of the above activities, it is their responsibility to complete what they missed.  Quite remarkable.  No wonder the concerts at this school are phenomenal! 

The kids along with past students who just happened to be in the audience, are singing Handel's Messiah.  PHENOMENAL!!

 

The entire school crowds the front, the aisles, the back of their wonderful concert hall and sing for us!

Today we are off to see Nina play her saxophone in a few smaller ensembles.  Can't wait!

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Wrapping it up.

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A story of two girls.

When Nina came home from Cambodia for the first time, her cousin, Yuval, was there waiting for her.  They were only three months apart in age and they immediately bonded.  The two little ones could not be more different; for obvious reasons, (see photos), and also in character.  Nina was like a hurricane, she would sweep into a room and grab everything in her sight.  Yuval was like a gentle breeze, much calmer, slower, softer.  When the girls were three we moved to Philadelphia and Yuval moved to Israel.  Since then they meet in the summers and pick up where they left off.  As the years go by, in some ways, they move apart, leading their own lives in different parts of the world with different important people in their lives.  But in a very basic way they are still the two little girls, playing side by side, knowing a sense of calm from having a soul mate at their side.

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New for you... the Journey Pin Kit

I'm very pleased to offer to you one of my favorite little treasures - The Journey Pin.  I designed this pin for some of the leading contributors in time and resources to the Philadelphia ANG 40th year celebration.  There were a limited number of pins stitched for these few and now, three months later, I am offering the design with kit and all, to you.

This 1.25" x 1.25" design stitched on 40 count silk gauze is absolutely delectable.   It has intricacy, depth and a lovely combination of colors.  It comes with silk gauze stretched on mat-board so no stretcher bars needed.  An appropriate needle, and the lovely silver-tone pin, (1.5" x 1.5") is in the kit as well.  All the luscious silks and one accent filament are packaged in a hard plastic box that can be used to store this project or any other.  I LOVE little boxes, don't you?  The instructions include all the details on stitching the pin beautifully and then on preparing and installing it in the pin.

 

 

If you plan on presenting this as a gift, it ready to be handed on.  I think you will love having this pin in your repertoire of jewelry!

The Journey Pin complete kit $94

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I'm so clever... can you find them?

 From the couture runways of 2012-2013

PS!!  A new cuff in the Etsy shop, Cleopatra cuff in teal/turquoise 

and 3 more Shimmering Jewels in the red.  

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Beautiful Menorahs, I think I need a new one!

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Look what I dug up...

I finally went into the guest bedroom to get it ready for an important visit!  My mother and niece will be coming from Israel next week, and we will all celebrate Hanukkah together.  It will be nice to have family with us for the season.  

The guest room is also my overflow room, all the needlepoint pieces that aren't on the walls or traveling as trunk shows.  Digging through this stuff is fun, and every once in awhile I fall upon forgotten treasures.  

This Menorah was a project I did for HGTV, The Carol Duvall Show many years ago.  It's done on brass mesh which has held up very well, color and all.  I can't find the instructions for it but I will definitely bring it out for the holiday.  

The other piece is an ornament from my book, My Point Exactly.  I love the shape of this piece, and it seems such a perfect tree ornament, reminiscent of a glass ornament. 

In honor of this "find", I am offering the book with a special addition...  for every order of My Point Exactly, you will receive a FREE Shimmering Jewels Earring Kit, complete with everything you need to make yourself a holiday treat! No need to mention anything on your order, we will automatically add the gift for the next two weeks!

Shimmering Jewels Earring Kit

... and now back to fishing for treasures in our guest bedroom...

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Changing things up.

This is my living room:

See the purple leather sofa?  That was an engagement gift from my hubby.  It's been 20 years.  See the two chairs in the background.  Those came a few months later.  They have faded over the years so I tried leather painting one of them.  I couldn't decide if I liked it so it's sort of one on and one off.  The green sofa, that came 2 years later and then 10 years ago I reupholstered it in the green UltraSuede.  I've loved my furniture, I've taken good care of it, and I have great memories of the homes it's traveled through.  

It's time for change!  I know this may sound cold, changing up my husbands engagement gift to me, but he understands.  Really he does. 

I've been looking for awhile now.  Not aggressively but since I love design I'm always surfing design sites, furniture sites, architectural sites.  Nothing really grabbed my attention until last week.  I've found what I want and today I'll order my new living room.  

I'll give you a peek at one of my chosen sofas.  Of course, I'm changing the colors, but you knew that.

 

It will be awhile before everything comes in.  I'll be sure to keep you posted!

xo

Orna

 

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A game I play, and new sale items!

See the hanger in the middle of the photo?  I took it out of the closet and gave it to Nina.  Together we went around the house looking for items, whatever they might be, that somehow connect to the color of the hanger.  Then we put them together and click!  Try this with kids, it's really fun.  Encourage them to look everywhere, including under the sink, (of course only if they are old enough to know that Comet is not meant for sprinkling on their food!).  
I think we'll try another one today!

AND... I've added lots of Sale kits to the list.  You will find the updated list HERE, many new items and many restocked at sale prices.

xo
Orna

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