Gustav, The Uninvited Party Guest

Blessed, Belated EarthStrong, My Beloved

Instead of being able to celebrate his 62nd EarthStrong on the 29th with family, friends and food, my husband spent it on GUSTAV GUARD DUTY. When bad weather threatens he goes into protection mode and doesn't relax until the "all clear" announcement. He secures our home first, the animals next and then the rest of the property. I give thanks for his vigilance.

Gustav was projected to run below the south coast of Cuba, which would have it north of Jamaica. Instead, we got an unexpected visit here on the south coast. Over 24 hours of non-stop, unrelenting, pounding rain and screaming wind.

Jah, we give thanks for the protection and blessings that have allowed us to survive another storm that threatened our home.

For Leslie

I recently met Leslie in Negril. She was vacationing from America with her fiancee. This was his first trip to Jamaica, while it was Leslie's tenth visit! She hopes he learns to love Jamaica as much as she does.

Leslie is an artistic soul. She loves flowers and she loves to laugh! Out loud! With enthusiasm! Her blog, Flowers of Life, can be seen by linking here.

She selected the semi-precious stones, oval peridots, and I chose the size 6 silver-lined clear and size 10 silver-lined green seed beads. The tab ends are brick stitched ending in a magnetic clasp. The band of the bracelet is embellished N'debele.

This shows the bracelet closed so you can see how the magnetic clasp is hidden inside the seed bead tube. It helps prevent the magnetic clasp from attaching itself to metal items like shopping carts, metal desks and stair railings.


One day when I hit the Lotto jackpot, I am going to commission Leslie to paint one of her beautiful murals on my back verandah!

Peyote Re-Do

Sometimes a piece begins life in one form and then later is transformed.


The original bracelet was my first attempt at chain maille. Very amaturish, but just enough to let me know that chain maille is not for me. I prefer the soothing movements of beading.

Two-drop peyote stitched segments were connected with base metal split rings. I wore it several times, got lots of compliments on it and then the split rings begin to show signs of rust. I removed the split rings and then the two side segments sat on my dresser top for months while I tried to design a way to reuse them in another bracelet.

This is how I did it. I two-drop peyote stitched six tubes of pearlescent white delicas for the focal piece.

I like the reincarnation! What do you think?

2008 Olympic Wrap-Up

Jamaica earned eleven medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics; six gold, three silver and two bronze. We broke world records and Olympic records.

During the games, I featured only our gold medal winners. (The one exception to that was the dual silver medal won at the same time we won a gold.) That was in no way a slight to our athletes who earned silver or bronze medals. Instead, I wanted to focus on the best of the best, which in the Olympics is GOLD.

Now it is time to catalog our entire Olympic success story. We have so much to celebrate! Our Jamaican athletes made the world sit up and take note. I only hope our victories don't cause the Olympic Committee to put yam, dasheen and dumpling on the banned substance list!

GOLD:
Usain Bolt - Men's 100m
Usain Bolt - Men's 200m
Shelly Ann Fraser - Women's 100m
Melaine Walker - Women's 400m Hurdle
Veronica Campbell Brown - Women's 200m
Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell - Men's 400m Relay
SILVER:
Sherone Simpson - Women's 100m
Kerron Stewart - Women's 100m

Shericka Williams - Women's 400m
BRONZE:
Kerron Stewart - Women's 200m
Shericka Williams, Shereefa Lloyd, Rosemarie Whyte, Novelene Williams - Women's 400m Relay

Congratulations to our athletes, to their parents, and their coaches!

Carter, Frater, Bolt and Powell Win Gold

(Powell, Carter, Bolt, Frater)

Our Jamaican men's 4X100m relay team has won a gold medal for the first time in our history while setting a new world record.

Nesta Carter, age 22; Michael Frater, age 26; Usain Bolt, age 22; and Asafa Powell, age 25 have earned Jamaica's 6th gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Usain Bolt encourages Asafa Powell to run! Him seh, "Nuh linger!"

Veronica Campbell Brown Wins 200m Gold

At 26, Veronica Campbell-Brown has defended her 200m title while setting a personal best record and winning the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

This completes a Jamaican gold medal sweep of the men's and women's 100m and 200m events.

Jah, please let our nation work for peace and national prosperity with as much dedication and focus as our athletes have worked for their Olympic successes.

Melaine Walker Wins 400m Hurdles Gold

At 25, Melaine Walker set an Olympic record and won a gold medal for Jamaica in the 400m women's hurdle event. Before the run, when asked if she could win a gold medal, her mother was quoted as saying, "She's made up her mind to do it." And do it she did!

This was right on top of Usain Bolt's winning of his second gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Jah, your blessings are shining on our athletes and inspiring all Jamaicans.

Usain Unleashes Another Bolt of Lightening

No grand-standing, no loss of focus, no chest slapping, no slowing down before the finish line this time.

Just a new world record set by a Jamaican athlete who has run his way into history.

Usain Bolt set records and won gold medals in both the men's 100m and 200m events at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Blessed 22nd EarthStrong, Idren Usain! You have won the heart of every Jamaican around the world.

Shelly-Ann Fraser Wins The Gold

At 21 years of age, Shelly-Ann Fraser won a gold medal for Jamaica in the women's 100m at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Because her team-mates, Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart, tied for second place, Olympic history was made. No other country in the world has had three athletes on the medal podium for the 100m event.

When Shelly-Ann was asked to reveal the secret of the team's success and she replied, "Reggae Power!"

Again, we thank you, Jah, for the courage and dedication of our Jamaican athletes who are making all Jamaicans feel proud.

Shelly-Ann, left; Kerron, center; Sherone, right

(The delay in getting this posted is courtesy of Tropical Storm Fay and JPS, Jamaica Powerless Service. We have had no electricity.)

Usain Bolt Wins The Gold

At 21 years of age, Usain Bolt won a gold medal for Jamaica in the men's 100m at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Setting a record and making Jamaicans around the world shout with national pride, he made it look so easy.

Thank you, Jah, for the hope that a striving youth can bring to our struggling nation.

Voice From Jamaica on Blogging Women

I submitted Voice From Jamaica to Blogging Women for consideration. I have been reading some of the blogs featured there and have found some that are well-written.

This morning when I checked my e-mail, I got the acceptance note. The tagline for Blogging Women is "A manually edited comprehensive directory of some of the best blogs written by women." It is a delight to be added to their ranks!

If, Loyal Reader, you are a woman with her own blog, please submit it to Blogging Women. If you are a man, please encourage any female bloggers you know to submit their blog. Please let Sistren Fay there know that Lady Roots sent you.

Once again, not a paid link or endorsement, just something I like that I wanted to share with you.

Tri Tri Tri

Three closed triangles were created by peyote stitching delicas between N'debele spines. The open triangle acts as the loop for the two drop peyote stitched toggle clasp.

The band of the bracelet is tubular N'debele, ending in brick stitched segments that give more sturdiness to the loop and toggle. The triangular charms are attached with gold-toned jump rings. The charms slide along the length of the bracelet, creating movement.

My Diamond Bracelet

Since my budget will never stretch wide enough to include a diamond bracelet, I beaded one instead. Using copper, hematite and matte black delica accent beads I peyote stitched pearlescent white delicas into open diamond shapes that are connected with strips of square stitching. The center diamond is slightly larger than the ones on either side of it.

The toggle is a 2-drop peyote tube that locks into a 3-D beaded loop.

Today is Oh Eight Oh Eight Oh Eight

Fingo Chain

This set includes a peyote-stitched ring, a Zulu square tube pendant and a Fingo Chain bracelet, all made with faux pearls and silver-lined gold seed beads.

Using faux pearls gives the set a more European look, even tho I used two African beading stitches and one Native America beading stitch. Because the bracelet is stitched on both sides it is a substantial and lush piece. That allowed me to balance the weight of the bracelet band with a larger than usual toggle and loop.
The toggle is a beaded bead I made from two of the Parts of a Piece to Come set. (If you link over, look at the two beads in the upper right hand corner.) The square bead was placed over the round bead and then stitched together with a faux pearl between them to create dimension.

I learned the Fingo chain stitch from Diane Fitzgerald's book, Zulu Inspired Beadwork. The Fingo chain stitch was adapted from a Fingo belt beaded by the Mfengu peoples (a Zulu subgroup) of South Africa.

Pearly Ruffles

Pearlized seed beads were used to create this frilly, ruffled bracelet and ring set. The ring band is peyote with a blanket stitched edge. The focal point of the ring is made of loops of seed beads.

The bracelet is a simple strand of seed beads, embellished with loops of beads. The toggle is a faux pearl covered with the pearlized seed beads that slips into a peyote-stitched loop.

Simple, but powerfully feminine!

Ackee dot com

Want a way to re-link with old friends and classmates?

Need to get a message to your graduating class?

Ackee.com is the way!

This site is the reason I haven't taken any pictures of beadwork lately and am behind (once again) answering personal e-mails.

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If you sign up to use the service and make a successful link, please let me know.

This is not a paid ad. Just something I like and wanted to share with you, my Readers.