Pharaoh Watch Pendant and Necklace

Here is my latest creation.  My husband gave me this gorgeous Pharaoh watch pendant on a necklace many years before the kids were born.  As years went on, the plating on the chain came off and I reacted to the nickel content in the chain.  For a couple of years now, I kept meaning to make a new necklace for it.  I gradually gathered beads I liked and decided to go 3 tiers on this one.  I’m very pleased with the results.

New Tudor Roses and Teaching at Michaels

It's been really busy lately.  I just started last week as a jewelry instructor for Michaels in Oakville.  I gave my first demonstration on Friday night.  I had planned to make a necklace, but I finished it too quickly, so I improvised a coordinating set of earrings.  I'm very happy with the way it turned out.

I will be teaching classes Tuesday nights from 6:30-8:30 in June and July.  I still have to determine more classes beyond that and perhaps come up with some summer classes for kids.  I have launched a Facebook page now (https://www.facebook.com/Francesca.Gougeon.Designs) for Françesca Gougeon Designs to cover both jewelry making and knitting.  Françesca Gougeon Designs on Ravelry is only for my knitting patterns.

Other exciting news, I got the newest Tudor Roses!  I'm so thrilled!  It's a gorgeous book and I love the bits of history in it.  I thought it fitting to photograph me holding it while wearing the Katherine Howard sweater I knit from the first Tudor Roses.

Best Mother's Day Gift Yet

Yesterday was a wonderful Mother's Day.  My amazing children were up at 6:30 (I could hear them puttering about quietly) making me breakfast in bed.  This is a tradition with them.  They do it for us every year for Mother's Day and Father's Day.  They made me cards, too.  This was the first year my son made an animated presentation as an e-card.  Of course, once my daughter saw this, she wanted to do the same although she had already made me a beautiful paper card.  I wish I could share them with you, but it was through my son's school's network.

The pièce de résistance had to be from my husband.  After many years of pleading and waiting, he finally cleaned the garage!  I can actually walk in there without tripping over things.  I might even be able to fit a car in there now.

The weather was gorgeous, at long last!  My husband and the kids worked so hard pretty much all day in the garden and the garage.  They wanted me to relax and not work.  That was a lovely sentiment, but realistically, someone had to do the laundry and cook while they were hard at work outside all day.  I transplanted my eggplant seedlings (I started them indoors 8 weeks ago in pellets) into the newly modified garden patch and started some new seeds in small pots in my little greenhouse outside.  In April, we demolished the children's old swing and slide set which they had outgrown and transformed our old 6 ft. x 12 ft. patch into one 4 ft. x 6 ft. patch and one 6 ft. x 12 ft. patch and this time, they are raised beds.

Since this picture was taken, we've added more soil.  As the weather improves, I hope to have to have pictures with more plants in here.

Phoenix Tattoo

I got my phoenix tattoo at Good Point Tattoos and Piercings in Oakville today. It turned out really well and surpassed my expectations.  I'm really happy with it!  I have gone through many changes since my job change in September.  I thought this was a very appropriate symbol.  Rebirth - rising out of the ashes and starting anew.

More on knitting and gardening coming in the near future.