News

August 06, 2008 Still in La Crosse, WI Hi Friends! Just wanted to say hello as I am spending time with my Mother in La Crosse, WI.  I completed the 50th annual Art Fair on the Green last weekend.  It was a beautiful weekend of sunny weather, lots of shoppers and great sales!  Thank you to all of my past customers and NEW ones who stopped by my booth.  It is always wonderful to be back in La Crosse for the art fair.  It was especially good this year and I will look forward to seeing you next summer. If there is anything I can do for you while I'm here, please call me at 765-661-4307 anytime!  I will be leaving early Sunday morning on Aug 10th. The next event for me is our 40th Central High School class reunion this weekend!  Should be fun to see everyone. I had l... Read full story >>

July 15, 2008 On to the next event! Good Morning Everyone! As the title indicates....I am on to the next event in La Crosse, Wisconsin only 11 days away! This is my biggest juried show of the year. It's always a treat to return to my roots and participate in the Art Fair on the Green, now in it's 50th year. It should be a fun weekend, seeing old friends, my Mother and sister, Katie. I am working hard to accomplish all that I need to do to be ready. Rich and I sealed the seams on my art fair tents last night and will waterproof them tonight. (Just to be safe!) My last show in Wabash was quite a ... Read full story >>

June 15, 2008 Happy Father's Day, Dads Good Morning! Happy Father's Day to all men who are fathers or grandfathers; men who are like fathers to special friends; men who are mentors to less fortunate boys or girls....I have a special place in my heart for MY father who died 8 years ago from Alzheimer's. We miss him terribly and our boys lost a grandfather who loved them immensely. I still have and read often the funeral eulogy our oldest son, Nic wrote for his grandpa's service.  It was beautiful and I will cherish it forever.  I also honor my husband today who is such a wonderful father; ... Read full story >>

April 23, 2008 Greetings to all of you.... Just a quick reminder that graduations are beginning to happen in the next couple weeks.  Also Mother's Day is only 18 days away.  My schedule is filling up quickly and I wanted to let you know that I will be out of town from May 9-13.  I hate to do this right before Mother's Day but I have a niece graduating in North Carolina and I need to be there. I'm hoping if I let you know, it will help you to get your orders in "sooner than later."  I hate to not be here for my customers.  I am having the very first Spring 2008 Unique ... Read full story >>

March 13, 2008 Almost Spring! Hi Everyone!!! It seems like forever since I wrote to say hello to all my valued customers, friends and family. I have recently had a chance to see some customers in Florida, Minnesota and Wisconsin.  Thanks for taking the time to write, come and see me or just calling.  I always love to hear from any one of you, no matter where you are.  The beauty of this web site is the ease in communicating with all of you at one time.  What would we do without our computers??!! I would like to update you on the status of our military friend, Collin Bowen.  I wrote to you in January requesting prayer for ... Read full story >>

January 13, 2008 Urgent Prayers Needed Dear Friends, I have an extreme prayer request. The son of our friends here in Marion has been wounded in Afghanistan. He was driving a humvee and it hit a road side bomb. Four soldiers were in the humvee, 3 died of injuries and our friend is fighting for his life in the Burn Center in San Antonio.  His family is with him. Collin is married, 38 yrs old and has 3 young daughters.  They live in the Baltimore, Maryland area.  Please pray for his recovery and his family.  He was due to end his tour of duty on Jan. 25, but volunteered for once last mission. This tells you what kind of hero he is.  A Caring Bridge web site has been set up to offer your prayers and to read d... Read full story >>

December 29, 2007 Happy New Year 2008 To my customers and friends, Thank you for all the support, encouragement, help with shows, new ideas, loyalty and business you gave me in 2007!  How could my business thrive without all of you helping me in so many ways. There just are not enough words to properly convey my thanks and appreciation!  I will keep trying to find these words for many years to come.  I enjoy what I'm doing so much and having many of you by my side makes it even better!!!  I need to have "sounding boards" that I can bounce ideas and concerns off of.....so many times you were that person.  My goal is striving for perfection in new styles, better beads, better ... Read full story >>

November 25, 2007 Happy Belated Thanksgiving Hello to you!  My Holiday Open House was a tremendous success, being held the weekend before Thanksgiving.  What I didn't realize was how quickly Thanksgiving Day would arrive. Suddenly I knew if I didn't get a turkey on Monday, it would still be frozen on Thursday!! Amazing how it all falls into place.  Our boys were both home and they helped their dad rake a million leaves from our backyard.  Then we had a little blowing snow!  We count our blessings and are thankful for another year of good health, family and friends.  I sincerely hope your Thanksgiving was a blessing too. Read full story >>

October 09, 2007 Very Exciting News! Exciting News….   THIS IS IT!  I am excited to announce a complete, newly designed web site! It has been a long process with many details to be refined, organized, photographed and updated. I am very grateful to Read full story >>

August 27, 2007 Good Morning to all!   I apologize for the length of time between entries in the NEWS feature.  I know many of you check it when you visit the site. The last entry (July 2nd) seems like yesterday! I will try to bring you up-to-date with my schedule.   My "exciting news" is still in the works.  Sorry to keep you in suspense. It is taking longer than I expected.  As soon as I can announce it I will let you know.  Please ... Read full story >>

July 02, 2007 Hello there!   Whew....it's been a busy 6 weeks since I last wrote to you!  We have been to Ohio and Pennsylvania for weddings....southern Indiana to a lake cottage for some excellent fishing...Northern Wisconsin two separate times to visit cabins in the woods and now I'm home and the suitcase is on the shelf!  Not for long, however.  The end of this month I head back to La Crosse, Wisconsin for my 3rd appearance at the well-established Art Fair on the Green. Last year it was so beastly hot so I'm praying for nicer weather. My Mom and sister will be there to help me which will be great fun and I'm sure, lots of ... Read full story >>

May 13, 2007 Happy M.D.! Dear Friends,   Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers out there!  Happy Mother's Day to women who may not be a mother but are like a mother to someone special! I have one very special friend named Ethel who is like that to me.    I have had ... Read full story >>

April 07, 2007 EASTER! Easter Greetings to all my customers and friends!   I didn't want this weekend to get away from me without wishing all of you a very happy Easter! This is my most favorite holiday of all.  I attended a very impressive Maundy Thursday service which prepared me for the coming of Easter.   I hope to get some instructions on revamping this site.  Just want to alert you if the site seems different, unavailable or a mess, please remember I am trying to update it!  I really don't know what I will be getting into or how long it will take ... Read full story >>

March 03, 2007 I'm home! Hi Friends!   I have been on the go since the first week of January.  Two trips to Florida and one to San Antonio later, my suitcase is now stored on the shelf in the garage!  I had fun times and found some great beads in Texas.   My sister and I visited Mom in Winter Haven, FL.  I always have fun with my 'little' sister, lots ... Read full story >>

January 01, 2007 Happy New Year! Dear Friends,   My very best wishes for a Happy New Year in 2007!    Thank you so much for all your orders, emails, calls and visits in 2006!  It is hard to imagine that another year has come to an end.  I am truly blessed to have found this business and all the wonderful people who support what I am doing.  Just when I am feeling overwhelmed or defeated I hear from one of you with an amazing story or compliment of my work. Somehow you seem to know that I need to hear an encouraging word! I can't count the times this has happened. Words can't convey my appreciation for each and every one of you!   Whether I sell one bracelet or a hundred, I am ... Read full story >>

December 11, 2006 Happy Holidays to all of you!   I just want to send a quick reminder that if you are planning to place an order it should be soon!  I want to be able to get it to you in time. There has been a great deal of activity on the web site which tells me many of you are looking over the selections. Be reminded that many of my newer items are not pictured yet on the site.  Here's a list:   Earrings--$10 & $12 Read full story >>

November 28, 2006 Dear Friends,   Thanksgiving has come and gone and now it's on to the next big holiday! I trust you all had a great Thanksgiving with many thankful blessings. We are so fortunate to have many blessings, some we take for granted every day. We stayed in Marion this year. Our boys were home and they enjoyed seeing their friends. While we missed being with family, it was nice to enjoy our home and all the leftovers!   I have been busy trying to get organized and unpacked after my Holiday Open House. Custom ... Read full story >>

October 16, 2006 Fall Greetings!   Can you believe we are starting to think about the holidays!  Didn't we just do that? Do you find the older you get, the faster time passes?  I sure do.   I guess I'm thinking about the holidays because I am planning an Open House for ... Read full story >>

September 15, 2006 Finally!! Greetings to you ALL!   My apologies for such a long time between "news" updates....time has flown by since my last entry.  We have been on the road so much that sometimes I never unpacked my suitcase....just took out the dirty clothes and put in clean ones!  My Mom came for a visit in August and we had the best time shopping, going out for lunch, and just bumming around.  Both of our boys had birthdays so that meant a quick trip to Bloomington, In. and Chicago to celebrate with them.   Today I head ... Read full story >>

July 19, 2006 Hi Friends!!   Time is just flying by these days.  The summer is going so quickly and the sure sign is when I start thinking about my fall schedule of Art Fairs. I have not done a show since early March and am excited about doing some between now and Christmas.  As I've written, I took a couple months off to have remodelling done in our house and it is about 95% complete....thank goodness! One certainly appreciates normal living conditions after a total make-over!!   Read full story >>

June 13, 2006 Father's Day! Greetings!   I apologize for not posting something sooner....can't believe it's been over a month since I last wrote.   We are now getting ready to honor all those men in our lives that have been wonderful ... Read full story >>

May 02, 2006 Mother's Day! Good Morning Friends! I don't know about your weather, but ours has been rainy for two days.  I have so much work to do inside that it probably is a good thing for me.  I'm itching to get out in my gardens but with rennovation inside, I can't do that! We have settled our bedrooms after having the floors done and painting each room.  We were living in the basement for 2 weeks and I never knew a "real" bed could be so comfortable! Everything looks beautiful and fresh.  Read full story >>

April 09, 2006 Crazy Days! Hi Friends!!!!! Where did March go?  Time has really gotten away from me in the last 6 weeks and I'll tell you why......... First of all, Happy Palm Sunday! This is my FAVORITE time of year and it has managed to get here without me realizing it. Working on my web site has been delayed due to my untimely decision to remodel this house.  I have been stripping wallpaper since January, ripping ... Read full story >>

February 20, 2006 On the go! Hi Friends!! I will be in Minnesota for the next week visiting my sister and her family. Who doesn't love spending a week with their sister! Oh how I miss having her close by... She will be hosting a bracelet open house while I'm there, so I really will be working. (!) When I return, work will really begin on converting the site over to a new format of online store. I'm excited about it and am anxious to update the web with many new products. I even am working on another new one or two!! I will be checking my email from ... Read full story >>

February 07, 2006 Thank you! Dear Friends, Thank you so much for your prayers. My friend, Daniel is going to be fine. He had lacerations but no head injuries. He has been stitched up and is recuperating in Tegucigalpa and will return to El Sembrador soon. I thank God for sparing his life. Riding a motorcycle without a helmet is a scary thing and that's what he was doing. My prayer now is that something can be learned from this experience....that is ALWAYS my prayer! Just wanted to send you an update and to thank you for the prayer alert! Fondly, ... Read full story >>

February 05, 2006 PRAY! Dear Friends: I have just received an email from Honduras. There has been a motorcycle accident involving my friend, Daniel. He is the husband of the seamstress, Lixa and father to a young son, Bryan. Lixa has made many pieces of clothing for me on various trips I've made to Honduras. Daniel has head injuries and was taken into Tegucigalpa early this morning. Daniel is a teacher in the welding area of El Sembrador. Lixa teaches also at the school and church. PLEASE pray that Daniel's injuries are not serious and for God to use this experience for something positive in their lives. Read full story >>

February 01, 2006 New Photos! Hi Friends, I'm sorry I haven't written for almost a month. I have been traveling almost half the month, in Florida and Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois. I'm very excited to tell you that work is being done to update this web site....FINALLY! New products will be pictured, a new online store format is being done and a new photo gallery is ALREADY here! Look for it on the menu "News about Wilson" and then click on photo gallery link. These are pictures from our last trip in November of 2005. I think you'll enjoy seeing them! I hoping to learn more about updating so I ... Read full story >>

January 03, 2006 HNY! Happy New Year ! My very best wishes to all of you for a good year in 2006. We have so much to be thankful for, don't we? Rich and I spent New Year's Eve out for dinner with friends and then on to their house for movies. It was relaxing and quiet, just the way we like it! I want to share one of my favorite poems with you. Rich's grandmother sent this to all her grandchildren in her own writing,  months before she died and it has remained in our memory ever since. After researching the internet, I found the correct title to be The Paradoxical Commandments by Dr. Kent M. Keith, ... Read full story >>

December 20, 2005 Holiday Greetings to all of you! It has almost been a month since I updated "The News"....my apologies. But it means that I have been very busy with bracelet sales and custom work for the holidays. That's a GOOD thing! I guess because Christmas is only 5 days away, the web sales have tapered off, but local customers are still calling every day and still shopping. I don't mind at all because the studio in the basement is all arranged and my suitcase is back on the shelf in the garage! We expect our boys home, one on Thursday, the other on Saturday. ... Read full story >>

November 21, 2005 Home! Buenos Dias...Good morning! We arrived home late Saturday night from spending a week in Honduras. All of our travel details went smoothly. We were surprised with Wilson being at the airport to meet us along with the Hawks and another boy named Israel. My husband, Rich and son, Nic enjoyed themselves tremendously. They learned about the farm school from missionary, Travis Hawk, who took them on a long tour narrated with El Sembrador history. It was his grandparents that started the school. We were a part of the graduation ceremony. In the morning we attended a ... Read full story >>

November 10, 2005 ADIOS! Good afternoon friends! Details and packing are almost complete. We are leaving tomorrow for our flight to Honduras very early on Saturday. This is the trip we are going for Wilson's high school graduation. Graduation is on the 14th. We will spend the week there returning late on the 19th. This will be my husband's first international trip and first time to meet Wilson! He is nervous about everything and I'm nervous about them finally meeting. I know it will be fine, but I can remember how I felt the first time I went. I guess it is the fear of the unknown. Our oldest son, Nic, is going too. H... Read full story >>

October 22, 2005 Big News! Good Morning to you! We are having a rainy, cool day today which will inspire me to stay inside and make jewelry...just what I need to do! I haven't done much to put my garden to sleep for the winter and if I can't get to it in the next couple days, it may not happen. We start a schedule of travel next Thursday and will be on the road until Dec 3rd! (Weekends that is) We are 3 weeks away from leaving for Honduras! It will be my 8th trip and my husband's 1st! Our son, Nic is going for his 2nd trip. Our youngest son, Adam, is not able to go due to accepting a new j... Read full story >>

October 03, 2005 Good Morning! We have returned from 3 weekends of travel, many miles driven and new customers added! Additionally we had time to spend with family which is always a pleasure. Our schedule is a bit slower for the next 3 weeks. I do have a party in Ohio on the 13th, but that does not involve a weekend nor is it a long trip. I am looking forward to seeing these ladies again, I met them in the summer and this will be a second party for the hostess! This week I have to get busy on a framing job of 16 pieces...I will try to get started ... Read full story >>

September 13, 2005 Good Morning Friends! Its been several weeks since I last wrote and thought I had better say hello!! August was a "slow down" month for me after a VERY busy July. Some may say it was the calm before the storm. The fun begins THIS weekend! We will be in Wisconsin this weekend for a bracelet party. I haven't done a party in a few months and am so looking forward to meeting some new ladies! Here is a brief outline of our schedule: Sept 17- Party in Waunakee, WI Sept 24- Applefest in Gays Mills, WI Read full story >>

August 24, 2005 Good morning, Friends! Our weather has cooled off....what a welcome relief. It feels like fall is in the air even though we will have more hot weather. My husband and I love fall with cooler temperatures, an annual trip to the orchard, and changing leaves. We chose October to be married (almost 32 yrs ago!) because of all these reasons. With fall approaching, it reminds me that my busiest time of year is quickly approaching. I am now putting together a fall schedule that is filling up fast. Where do these weekends go??! If you are interested in a party, please give me a call soon! Just to let ... Read full story >>

August 01, 2005 *Amazing!! Friends... We are home from the Art Fair on the Green. What a fun time! I saw many familiar faces, we were extremely busy even though it was very hot. I was lucky to have the "perfect" spot, under a tree for some shade and next to a music group that was delightful to listen to. The setting was like a picture! I could NOT have done this without the fantastic support of friends, family and husband! Thanks to Kurt and Jeanie for driving up to Wisconsin and all you did to help me. Thanks to Katie(sister),Ryan (nephew), Kurt (brother), Karen(sister-in-law), Kappy (mother), Donna (mother-in-law), Mary and Heather ... Read full story >>

July 27, 2005 Hi everyone!! We are leaving today for La Crosse, Wisconsin for my first juried Art Fair! I'm excited to be going back to my birthplace and to see some friends and family. I will be at the Art Fair on the Green, located on the UW-L campus. We have been producing MANY items, some 400 bracelets and lots of new bead combinations. Please stop in and visit my booth, I'd love to see you!! The fair begins at 10 am on Sat, July 30 and Sun, July 31. We return to Indiana on Mon, Aug 1 and leave again on Fri, Aug 5 for a much needed vacation....back to Northern Wisconsin! I am looking forward to this v... Read full story >>

July 19, 2005 Greetings Friends! It's been a hectic couple weeks since I last wrote to you! My computer hard drive decided to give me problems which made me panic about the possibility of losing all my database, logos, cards, brochures, etc. My computer was 4 years old and experts told me it was time to replace it. I just didn't want to do that now as I'm preparing for a big show in 2 weeks. You guessed it...I have gotten a new system and have spent the last week installng it. What a job to do, and I had to rearrange my whole office due to length of cables, etc. But now I have a great setup, up-to-date equipment and am good to go for several years! ... Read full story >>

July 03, 2005 Greetings and Happy 4th of July tomorrow! Today we will have our oldest son, Nic and his girl with us for a cookout. We are looking forward to seeing them and spending the day with them.  Tomorrow we will go north in Indiana to a small town festival where Kathleen used to live and help celebrate the 4th with them! Business has been busy and not without some scary moments!  Last Monday my hard drive crashed on the computer.  LUCKILY my data was retrieved and saved to a new hard drive. The thought of losing my logos, prayers, invoices and customer email addresses was enough to stress me out, big time! I have excellent computer people w... Read full story >>

June 19, 2005 ...Father's Day Happy Father's Day to all fathers around the world... It is GOOD to be home! I've been here 9 days and am finally feeling rested, organized and ready to think seriously about designing new styles for upcoming events. Since May 17th my priorities had a different direction, one that I didn't really have a choice over. And I can't believe my last Honduran trip is over.  It seems like a year passes so quickly and it's time to go again! Once I get home I can't believe it's over! Our youngest son is home this weekend for Father's Day and to attend a wedding. I am reminded of past Father's Days when the boys proudly gave their Dad homemade ... Read full story >>

May 30, 2005 Greetings from Honduras!!! I arrived safely last Friday and all my luggage made it.  That was an answer to prayer! I have spent some good time with Wilson already and he is great!  It is always so good to see him, however, I'm always nervous when I first see him... He is handsome, and getting more so as he gets older. He is in school this week, and next week will be on vacation.  He will move into the house I'm staying in with the Hawks, along with 3 other boys, and that will allow us to have our meals together and really spend our whole days together. It will be fun for me and for them.  The Hawks go above their duties to make these boys feel welcome and special.  It is the beginning of the rainy season and we ... Read full story >>

May 24, 2005 Greetings..... I just returned today from North Carolina.  The memorial service for my aunt was very nice but it was quite emotional for all of us. Now I unpack, wash clothes, and pack again....I leave tomorrow for my next trip to Honduras. It was planned a long time ago, which made it hectic for me to be at the funeral and back in time to get ready.  I hope you have felt adequately informed of my absences, and that you don't need a bracelet or item before I get back.  I did have many emails and messages to answer.  I will return on June 10 and ... Read full story >>

May 11, 2005 ...Travel Schedule Good Morning! Mother's Day created a very busy week of sales.....almost like Christmas! It came upon me quickly and luckily I had a good supply of jewelry made. I have had another death in our family. My 90 yr-old aunt has passed away in North Carolina...quite suddenly. I was to travel there this Sunday for a visit. Now I will be leaving on the 17th for her funeral. My schedule will become very hectic in the next month and I'm hoping many of you will read this update to be aware of where I am... North Carolina..........May 17-24 Read full story >>

May 03, 2005 New Email address! Happy May to all of you!! Orders have been coming in and requests for parties are filling up my month already!  This month will fly by just like all the past ones... Very important information for you.......I have a new email address effective NOW. I will be sending a message to all my address book, but haven't had the chance to figure out how to do that!!  I thought this was the quickest way to alert those of you that check the "NEWS" portion of my site. Please make these changes in your ... Read full story >>

April 23, 2005 Good Morning on a rainy Saturday!! It has been several weeks since I last wrote....how fast time flies when you're having fun!! We just returned from 6 days in Wisconsin.  I did a party in Prairie du Chien and met some delightful ladies! My hostess discovered that she had worked with my husband's grandmother many years ago.......now it is a small world, isn't it?? I continue to be in awe of my business and how rewarding all aspects of it are to me. Read full story >>

March 31, 2005 ...Urgent! Urgent! If you were the person that emailed me last night regarding having a party, please do so again, sending me your phone number and location.  I have tried to reply to your email, and it is being returned as 'undeliverable'. The address starts out...amkelsey01. I am frustrated as I don't have any other way to contact you and don't want you to think I'm not responding. You mentioned that you have a client with one of my bracelets. Thanks. Julie ... Read full story >>

March 30, 2005 Good Morning friends! Spring weather has definitely come to Marion, Indiana. We are looking for a high today of 70's....doesn't that sound great? The leaves of my red tulips are up, so color is just around the corner! My exciting news flash is...................On March 19th I received a thank you note from the WHITE HOUSE!!! First, the envelope was addressed in a beautiful, calligraphed script with blue ink. The note of thanks was embossed with fancy script and also had a picture of the White House at ... Read full story >>

March 19, 2005 Hello...... We are leaving for Wisconsin tomorrow and will be out of town until Good Friday.  If you have urgent orders call me on my cell number (765) 661-4307. I'm not expecting to be able to check my email until we return home. I have just written a prayer for Easter........my favorite holiday of all!  I pray God's blessings on all of you during this next week. I am working on some new collections for spring, using the hot colors for spring, greens, pinks, light blue, Read full story >>

March 13, 2005 Good Morning! Yesterday I was in Portland, Indiana at the Tri Kappa Art Fair.  It was a good show...I had a great location and we met MANY nice people. There were some touching moments during the day as ladies purchased bracelets.  One lady was buying a bracelet for herself with the 'Loss of Loved One' prayer.  She had lost her husband and was overcome with emotion when I asked her which prayer she wanted. She had to point to the prayer because she couldn't speak. I was also sad for her.......I'm not the person to cry in front of because I will join you with tears of my own.  If I h... Read full story >>

February 20, 2005 Update on Wilson in Honduras..... Its been a long time since I told you anything about Wilson...he is the student I have been helping educate since 2001. He is now in his last year of high school and will graduate in November of this year.  He turned 20 on Dec. 23rd.  He has just returned from their "summer" vacation where he worked in a factory in San Pedro Sula, his hometown.  I don't know what type of work it was, but he did tell me there were some cute girls working with him!  He's a ... Read full story >>

February 19, 2005 Greetings to all of you!! I want to let you know that I will be in Wisconsin most of next week.  My 96 year old godfather has passed away and I will be in Green Bay for the funeral. I will be leaving Tuesday the 22nd and returning Sat. the 26th.  Please call my cell phone if you need to reach me. (765) 661-4307. When I return, I will be preparing for an Art Fair in Portland, Indiana on March 12th. Also I am planning to apply to my first juried show in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.  This is held on the college campus and is in late July.  Wish me luck on being accepted!! Read full story >>

February 07, 2005 Good Morning Friends! I am home following a show in Riverside, Illinois at the Riverside United Methodist Church. It was a good show as this was the premiere event. Thank you to all of you that stopped by my booth, I enjoyed meeting and chatting with you! I also hope you are finding my web site easy to surf through! Please write to me if you have ANY questions.... Valentine's Day is just around the corner.  I am writing a new prayer just for the occasion of ... Read full story >>

January 29, 2005 Hi Friends!! I am home from North Carolina and now getting ready for an Art Fair in Riverside, Illinois...near Chicago. It will be on Sat. Feb 5th at the Riverside United Methodist Church.......if you are in the area, stop in to see me!! News Flash: I have sent a bracelet to our First Lady, Laura Bush!! I have received notice that it was delivered on January 19th @ 4:30 am. I have heard nothing more, but happy that it was delivered. Read full story >>

January 20, 2005 The New Year has begun with some new ideas being put into reality.  So many of you said it would be nice to have the prayer reprinted on a card so your recipient could read the prayer often without having to take it out of the prayer box.  Well...............I am doing just that.  I am printing each prayer onto a business card. Once I get all 47 (!) prayers formatted, it won't be too hard to reprint them.  I thank all of you that have made this suggestion to me in the past!!  I appreciate your feed back so much.  Keep those comments coming!! Read full story >>

December 30, 2004 Greetings to all of my customers!!! Before this year ends,  I want to thank each one of you for all that you did to make 2004 a very successful year for Julie's Prayers and Squares!! I would have not predicted such a year and am truly blessed in SO many ways. I have loved meeting each and every customer...it's hard to describe in words how meaningful your words of gratitude, encouragement and satisfaction have meant to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a ... Read full story >>

December 12, 2004 Good Morning!! I have a new bracelet style I wanted to share with you.........it is called the Birthstone Bracelet.  Send me the months that your Grandmother's grandchildren were born in, and I will make a bracelet with beads to represent each one. I use the birthstone beads and filler beads in silver to enhance the colored beads.  Yesterday I wrote a new prayer for this special style called the Birthstone Prayer.  This will work for a mother and her children, an aunt and her nieces and nephews, and other special situations.  If there are more than twelve births to be represented, I will use only one bead per month. Otherwise, the bracelet would get too ... Read full story >>

December 07, 2004 Just a reminder to holiday shoppers...we now have only 10 days until the 17th, which is the cut-off date for my guarantee to ship your gift and have it arrive on or before the 24th. Yes, I know, the holiday is getting here faster this year!! I will ship after the 17th, however it may not make the destination. I have been quite busy with customers stopping by the house to shop and also with online orders. It would upset me if I couldn't get your gifts to you, so P-L-E-A-S-E don't delay. Read full story >>

November 30, 2004 I had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday in Verona, Wisconsin. Our sons were with us, as were several other family members.  My Holiday Open House in Madison was very busy, seeing many former customers and some new ones!  Thanks to all of you who attended, it was great to see you! I have now put my suitcase back on the shelf in the garage...it has been out since Oct 13th! I am home all this month to be able to take orders, ship gifts or have you stop by.  I'm anticipating a busy month of December. As a reminder, I will ship gifts for you anywhere. Do keep in mind I can not guarantee arrival before ... Read full story >>

November 17, 2004 The student in Honduras that I support with a scholarship, Wilson, is now on a "summer" vacation from classes at El Sembrador.  Please keep him in your prayers as he is traveling around and perhaps will encounter unsafe areas.  I am feeling anxious about his safety. The safety net of the school is gone. Wilson will not return to El Sembrador until the end of January. When he does return, it will be his last year to attend, and then he will decide if he wants to continue his education at a university somewhere. I will be relieved when he is back, however, Wilson is a good kid and a committed Christian. If you want to see his picture and read about him, click on menu called News about Wilson. Read full story >>

November 15, 2004 Good morning to you! Its Monday morning and I am getting ready for a two-day Holiday Open House here in Marion. If you are visiting this site and are close to Marion, IN., please stop by!! November 20 & 21 from 10-6 each day... I am making many new pieces all this week.......the selection will be great for holiday shopping!! Email me if you'd like directions....I'd love to meet you!! If you wish to order for the holidays, please remember that shipping anything during this time of year takes a little longer due to an increased volume of mail.  I can usually get things in the mail within ... Read full story >>

November 03, 2004 Good morning.........day after the big election! I stayed up too late watching returns. We have just returned from 9 days in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Visiting family is always fun and meeting new women at bracelet parties is just the best part of my job!! My sister hosted 2 parties in Minneapolis and they were big hits with her friends. Christmas shopping couldn't be easier and many ladies did just that! My schedule this month is very hectic....2 art fairs back to back and a few parties......and 2 holiday open houses back to back, one in Indiana and one in Wisconsin. Be sure to call or write to me if you have questions about ... Read full story >>

October 09, 2004 It has been so long since I have done a news update……my apologies! My schedule has been busy and I have really gotten a taste of what it's like to be retired. Prayers and Squares really can be a full time job and I am just loving it!!  Thanks for visiting the site, for your messages and calls.  I love hearing from each one of you wherever you are located. I have been designing and introducing some new products.  That's part of the reason I haven't gotten news updates done.  In addition to quite a lot of travel, parties, art fairs and programs, the new products have required some ... Read full story >>

August 25, 2004 Good morning!  I have just returned from doing 2 parties in Wisconsin.  They were very nice and I met some wonderful ladies!  And to make it even better, my jewelry and mission story captured attention of all who attended. Last week would have been my first week of day care as our school started last Tuesday. I really do feel retired now!  I celebrated by going out for lunch.......what do we always do to celebrate anything.....have lunch with a friend!! I have an extremely busy fall planned and I couldn't be more excited.  Several parties, some programs in churches, art fairs and open houses are set. We will travel to Atlanta, Minneapolis, Indianapolis and s... Read full story >>

August 08, 2004 This summer has really gone quickly, it is August already! We have just returned from my first party in Cleveland, Ohio...I spoke in a church following their service. It was a beautiful setting and naturally I met some wonderful ladies! I have some new products to get pictured on the web.......bookmarks called "bead-marks" and "bead-bobs" which are similar to a zipper pull and also key chains called ___________?? These are still in the testing stage as I want to make sure they are durable.  Look for some new prayers to go into the prayer box for a safe driving teen, general safe driving and whatever else I can think of!! I also want to remind you that if your jewelry does not hold up to normal use, I want to fix ... Read full story >>

July 21, 2004 I can't believe how quickly this summer is passing...now July is almost over!!  I am headed to Wisconsin for 2 parties this weekend.  My supply of jewelry had gotten so low, I was in a panic.  I have just made over 100 new bracelets, many with the new beads from Honduras and northern Wisconsin. I am working on my fall schedule as the Art Fair applications are starting to arrive. I have trips to schedule to Minneapolis, Atlanta, LaCrescent Minnesota and Indianapolis!  Anybody have a used helicopter to sell??! I will be adding some new experiences to my Mission Story from my last trip. I ... Read full story >>

July 04, 2004 Happy 4th of  July to all of you!! I am home again after spending a week in the north woods of Wisconsin.  I was in Minocqua at my sister's lake cabin with brother, sister, spouses, nieces, nephews and our own 2 sons.  It was a great time of relaxing, eating, doing puzzles and swimming.  I even golfed after about 15 years and surprised myself greatly! So, now home to get organized, make bracelets and schedule parties so I can "go" again!  I found some neat beads in Tegucigalpa, Honduras and also some in northern Wisconsin.  I am anxious to make some new bracelets! Just a reminder.........if your bracelet beads are not wearing well do let me know.  I have a policy to replace them free of charge because I want ... Read full story >>

June 20, 2004 I am back from Honduras!! I returned early Friday morning and as always, there is so much to look at, friends to talk to, unpacking...the only hitch of the whole trip was that my luggage didn't arrive until day #4!! For some strange reason and the 1st time, I put a change of underwear and a nightshirt in my carry on. It will now become a ritual when I travel! I had my toothbrush, and shampoo, etc...so I did amazingly well with only the clothes on my back. I was more concerned that I wouldn't see anything of my belongings again. Theft is very common and happens quite often in Honduras. But once my bag arrived, everything seemed to be in it. My trip was full of good, quality time with Wilson, every day! It was also full of things that happened for the first time ever, which is a ... Read full story >>

June 03, 2004 Just reminding you that I leave this Saturday late afternoon to spend the night in Indy before my flight early Sunday morning.  I will hopefully be able to check my messages and web site while in Honduras, but am not sure. I am excited and always a little nervous, but once I get going I'm fine!  I do get butterflies when I'm about to see Wilson again...this time he gets to travel to Tegucigalpa with missionaries to pick me up at the airport.  I am taking him lots of things he needs, like shoes, shorts, sox, etc... and of course treats and snacks!!  He loves that part! Keep me in your prayers...Julie ... Read full story >>

May 29, 2004 I have ended my day care career as of yesterday.  It was a very tearful day, not only for my families, but for me too.  It is amazing how making a change can bring about so many different emotions, fears and excitement...all in one. I covet your prayers as I adjust to retirement and the new adventure with Prayers and Squares.   Fondly, Julie... Read full story >>

May 25, 2004 I have just added an article that was in our local newspaper featuring my bracelets and story.  Click on IN THE NEWS to read it. It appeared the week before Mother's Day, and I sold MANY bracelets the following week!! Wow...talk about a good form of advertisement!!  Julie... Read full story >>

May 15, 2004 After 19 years of owning a private in-home day care, I have announced my retirement. My last day will be May 28th. It is bittersweet for me, in that I will miss my children, some of whom I've had for 8 years. And I'm not good with saying good-bye! The sweet part is that I will devote myself full time to building my jewelry business, traveling, doing more art fairs and home parties. I was featured in a Sunday article of our local newspaper, and the response has been so amazing. I hope to put it on the web site for you to read.  Please keep me in your prayers as I end a career that has been my livelihood; it has provided me with some 200 children to care for;it has humbled our own sons in many ways and watched them grow up (they now are 22 & 24) and it has touched my heart in ... Read full story >>

May 09, 2004 I'd like to wish all Mothers out there a very happy Mother's Day today. So many of you bought bracelets with a 'mother' prayer that you will be giving today.  I am so appreciative of your business and pray that the prayer box bracelet or necklace you are giving will bring special joy to your Mother or Mother-in-Law, Wife or Sister, etc......Thank you, Julie... Read full story >>

May 06, 2004 My next trip to Honduras has been set. I will be gone from June 6-17. I am not going with a workteam and will spend more time with Wilson as he will have a vacation from classes. I am looking forward to doing things with him, like bike riding or a movie. I also plan to have more dresses made there, not only for the experience but for wearing as I do my programs and parties. My 6th trip is only a month away! I have had a record month of April with shows, parties and travel.  Its been wonderful!  Julie... Read full story >>

April 08, 2004 I am preparing for an Art Fair in Mooresville, Indiana on Saturday, the 10th. I have made some really beautiful bracelets. Just want to wish you all a Happy Easter...may the celebration of Easter bring new meaning to your spiritual journey! Julie... Read full story >>

March 26, 2004 We just got back from our bead buying trip in Michigan. I found some great crystals in all colors...now to get new bracelets made! Julie... Read full story >>

March 19, 2004 It's spring break time...Rich and I are headed up to Michigan to shop for beads! We are going to New Buffalo where we have discovered some 12 antique shops! We will just explore the area and see what we can find... Also I have a friend leaving for Ireland tomorrow. Yes...I sent money with her for Irish beads IF she finds any. I'll let you know!... Read full story >>

March 12, 2004 Today I'm off to Portland, Indiana to do a Spring Craft Fair on Saturday. I just decided yesterday to do this, so it will be interesting to see if I can pull it together. I just love a good challenge! Wish me luck... Julie... Read full story >>