Latest Critter Catches ~ Bunny, Bull frog, Praying Mantis

My husband, Jim, caught all these critters over the last couple of weeks. He's so great about showing new things to the kids. Of course, Noah (being 3 years old), is enthralled with new things and especially new animals.
Keera is holding the wild bunny she named Fluffy. Fluffy scattered with her siblings as their nest was being mowed over. None were caught by the blades thankfully. She was big enough that we hope she was able to make or find a new nest.


This beautiful bright green praying mantis was surprisingly slow when we let him out of the mason jar. They are wonderful for eating undesirable pests in the garden, so all are welcome here. :)





Noah was very sad when his large bull frog hopped away with huge leaps. Isn't it gorgeous with it's beautiful spots underneath it's body and it's webbed hands and feet?! We suspect it was a female as we now have many little frogs all over the garden. Too bad the gardening season is pretty much over. Regardless, we always have frogs in our small ponds, evident by their loud croaking in the evenings. It's a welcome sound heralding the spring after a quiet long winter.

Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

2 Dozen Large Jalapeno Peppers

1 lb of SHIMECAS ITAILIAN SAUGAGE OR BOGOULIAS Cooked

3 CUPS OF SHREDDED PARMASEAN CHEESE

2 BRICKS OF CREAM CHEESE

AND MINCED GARLIC TO TASTE

Slice peppers in half, clean out insides, mix remaining ingredients together and stuff inside pepper halves, bake for 20 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Serve with ranch dressing as a dip on the side.

This recipe is so good and simple. It takes a little time to get it prepared unless you have help, but it is well worth it and perfect for a football season half time snack.

It came from my husband's cousin's wife, Debbie. I substitute any italian sausage that I like as I am in the country and don't have this brand available.

Best Old Fashioned Cucumber Relish Recipe

4 cups chopped, unpeeled cucumbers (about 4)

1 cup chopped green pepper (about 2)

½ cup chopped sweet red pepper (about 1)

3 cups chopped onion

3 cups chopped celery

¼ cup salt

3 ½ cup sugars

2 cups white vinegar

1 tablespoon celery seed

1 tablespoon mustard seed

Chop all vegetables with a food processor, place in plastic bowl and sprinkle with ¼ cup salt let stand 4 hours. Drain thoroughly in colander, squeeze with hand to get all liquid out of veg. Combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed and mustard seed. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in drained vegetables. Simmer 10 minutes; add a few drops of green food color. Pack into jars to within ½ inch of top. Put on cap, screw brand firmly tight. Process in boiling water bath 10 minute. Yield: 5-6 pints.

This is another recipe from my mother in law, Doris. It is an old recipe from her old Ball canning book. It's not in any of my canning books and I could not find relish recipes anywhere on the web with celery. It's a wonderful recipe worth sharing and a great way to make use of all those cucumbers coming out of the garden. Enjoy!

Missouri Wildflowers Queen Anne's Lace

All of these are photos of Queen Anne's Lace and taken in Warsaw, Mo.

This one is a bit pinkish in color.
An interesting black bug on this flower below.

My daughters both entered a photo contest at the local library with a theme on bugs. This would have been a good one, but it was not for adults to enter, ha ha. Unfortunately they did not win a prize, but they enjoyed the process and are taking note of the bugs more than usual, as is their mother.

Tree Frogs

Every Winter we forget how quiet it really is until Spring arrives. Our frogs make so much noise at night beginning sometime in March. It is a welcome, happy and lively sound along with the crickets at night and the song birds during the day.

We have a blue heron that visits the ponds and I'm sure he gets plenty of frogs to fill his belly. This bird has a huge wingspan and almost looks prehistoric when it flies by. Someday I hope to get a picture of it too.

Noah, my little guy, is absolutely facinated by the frogs, toads and lizards and will play with one for hours. He's learned to be very careful after one of his little frog friends got squeezed a bit too hard.

Double Stranded Jasper Necklace Tribal Rainforest

I was inspired here by my recent custom order necklace which was made of leopard skin jasper. I had my pendants and seed beads out along with the green stones and so couldn't resist making another double necklace for my shop.

As it turns out my hair stylist has said she would like to have some of my pieces in her salon, so I think I will put this piece in there rather than my etsy shop.

It is made of ocean jasper, olive opal, fancy jasper, matte glass seed beads, swarovski crystal accents and sterling silver.

I'm very pleased with the combination of so many different shades of green together. There is deep forest green, olive green, blue green and grass green along with some white and gray in the ocean jasper. Very earthy and tribal looking to me.

If you are interested in this piece please contact me Tina @ belleadorn.com

Green Tourmilated Quartz with Blue Topaz

Green and Blue is a favorite combination of mine and they came together very nicely in this bracelet. The faceted coin tourmilated quartz is separated from the faceted oval blue topaz by small olive green potato pearls. It is adjustable in length and finished in sterling silver. Please contact me if you are interested in this piece as it is not yet in my etsy shop. Tina@belleadorn.com

Missouri Wildflowers Part II

This orange flower is so vibrant isn't it? It might be lantana growing wild. The bees sure did like it. There is a honey bee in the second photo.
I don't know if this fern produces a flower or not, but it's pretty enough for a photograph anyway.
Another one I don't know the name of, sorry!
More fern.
These were all taken in Warsaw, Mo.

Double Strand Leopard Skin Custom Order Necklace

This piece is a recent custom order I made. It was a lot of fun to do. It was made to match a leopard skin jasper bracelet that I had made last year. She also wanted a magnetic clasp because she loves her magnetic clasp on her bracelet.



It is a double strand necklace with leopard skin jasper, emperial jasper, fancy jasper, ocean jasper and matte glass seed beads. She's very happy with it and that puts a smile on my face too!

Brazilian Amazonite, Opal and Bronzite Silk Cord Necklace

This chic necklace has a longer length and has beautiful smooth blue green marquis shaped Brazilian amazonite, Blue Peruvian Opal puffed squares and round bronzite, all hand knotted on blue silk cord and finished with a sterling silver clasp and extender chain. If you like the natural ,rocky look of real semi-precious gemstones, you will love this piece.
This piece is available here:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9684348

Belle Adorn
~Adorning You Beautifully with Unique Artisan Jewelry
Beaded Jewelry, Silk, Semi-precious Gemstones, Sterling Silver
www.belleadorn.etsy.com

Vegetable Gardens, Herbs and Plants

Herbs, vegetables and flowers ready for planting.

Young tomato plants.

Maybe we will have our gardens planted by the time I publish this post. Jim is tilling again, to help the soil dry out for planting. This is a borrowed tractor and tiller from a neighbor.

Crocheted Crochet Beaded Wire Necklaces

Smoky Quartz Crocheted Wire Necklace is available here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9686662

Purple Flourite Crocheted Necklace is available here:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9836784

Turquoise and Copper Crocheted Necklace is available here? http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9597273 These are all made with high quality artistic wire. The top necklace is made with smoky quartz on silver wire. The second piece is flourite, swarovski crystals and czech glass on amethyst wire. This last one is made with copper colored wire, turquoise, and swarovski crystals. Very fun and unique pieces of jewelry.

*Update ~ I've noticed quite a few searches for children's crocheted necklaces coming to my site. Please contact me, tina (at) belleadorn (dot) com, if you are interested in a custom piece. I do make children's jewelry and this artistic wire is available in lots of colors.

Belle Adorn

~Adorning You Beautifully with Unique Artisan Jewelry

Fun, Semi-Precious Gemstones, Art

www.belleadorn.etsy.com

New Swing

Jacob fashioned up this swing for his little brother and sisters. The kids love it! They are out here under the mulberry tree all the time now. It has been a favorite spot since we moved here as it is also their climbing tree.
My husband removed the barbed wire fence so that the kids wouldn't hurt themselves on it if they fell. He also trimmed up some of the branches for easier mowing. The kids were not too happy about the trimming. They miss the fence too as it helped them with their climbing! But I think they will get used to it and it's better to have that old fence out of there.

Swarovski Crystal Starfish Earrings with Coin pearls

These interesting crystal starfish are so pretty. I love how they are not perfectly symmetrical because it gives them an organic look with character and the beauty of high quality swarovski crystal is shown off in them so well.

This second pair is in the silk color which is a soft pale peachy pink color. I've matched them up with some lustrous sunset colored coin pearls. They are wire wrapped with sterling silver and hang from sterling silver earwires. They are available here:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8805840
The green set is made with peridot swarovski crystal starfish, lustrous lime coin pearls and crysolite swarovski bicones, wire wrapped and finished with sterling silver earwires.
This pair is available here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8798227

There are more colors of Swarovski Starfish earrings that can be viewed here, in blue (indicolite), golden shadow, crystal aurora borealis, and burgundy.

There is also a necklace with a large Swarovski Starfish Pendant in burgundy can be veiwed here.

Belle Adorn ~Adorning You Beautifully with Unique Artisan Jewelry

Fun, Beachy, Sparkle, Bling, Summer, Pizazz

Honey Locust Trees

Our honey locust trees have been blooming in the woods behind our house. Can you see the white blooms? They fill the air with their heady sweet fragrance.

Plum Forest Purple Sugilite Beaded Necklace and Earrings

Gorgeous Sugilite in large smooth graduated rondelles beaded with pietersite, hill tribe silver and green ocean jasper. Finished with a beautiful sterling silver toggle. This necklace is available in my shop, here....http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9631935

Wire wrapped earrings to match are available in my shop here....http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9634664

Fresh Eggs

These eggs are just gathered and washed before I put them up.

The blue and green eggs are from our Aracana chickens. Aren't they pretty?!

The brown eggs are laid by our black australorps and yellow buff orphingtons.

We are getting more chicks this week from the Cackle Hatchery here in Missouri. The little peeps are so sweet, I'll be sharing them in a future post.

Bright Turquoise Beaded Jewelry

This bright colorful necklace was made with faceted and smooth, green and blue turquoise beads, hill tribe silver, and has as it's focal a beaded pendant made of dyed howlite, faceted turquiose rondelle and a pacific opal swarovski crystal. It is also adjustable with a two inch sterling silver extender chain and lobster claw clasp. It's available here.....http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9126650

BelleAdorn
Belle Adorn
~Adorning You Beautifully with Unique Artisan Jewelry
Fun, Bright, Colorful, Summery, Hot

Lovely Paua Shell Pendant with Pearls on Silk Necklace

Here is a piece of jewelry inspired by spring. Our weather has been so beautiful this past week. We had a very cold winter this past year here in Missouri and are so happy to see some warmer days finally.

And what says spring better than the purple crocuses, lilacs, hyacinths and green grass? I love the color combination of purple and green.

This is a lovely paua abalone shell pendant in the go go shape and has amazing swirling colors of green, purple, blue pink and black. The rice pearls, potato pearls and coin pearls have all been hand knotted into place along with tanzanite and olivine swarovski crystals on a purple lilac 100% silk cord necklace. The crystals add such a nice subtle sparkle through out the piece. The necklace is finished with sterling silver and is adjustable from 17-19 inches in length. Paste and copy this link into your browser if you would like to see it in my shop. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11148199

Belle Adorn

Adorning you Beautifully with Unique Artisan Jewelry

Beachy Bright Colorful Summer Jewelry