Thunderstorms, Crafts and a Sweet Friend

We've been having severe thunderstorms here (severe for us; probably not severe by midwestern standards). Last Sunday night, the thunderclaps were so loud that they woke alot of people out of a sound sleep, including me and David and my mother. The lightning was so bright that it lit up the sky - as well as our bedroom and bathroom - and it went on for what seemed like a long time. Mother Nature is very impressive!

It has happened on a couple of other days, and I don't like to go out and walk when I think lightning might strike. I know the odds aren't great that I'll get hit, but I prefer to wait it out indoors, so my exercise schedule has been a little bit "off." What to do while waiting out a storm? How about a craft project?

My parents' 60th wedding anniversary is coming up in August, and I am creating the table centerpieces for a celebration. I've ordered the invitations, the cake, the flowers - it's been great fun. The cake has a beach-theme (my mother's request), so the centerpieces have, as well. I've been designing these in my head for a couple of months, and while stuck indoors this week, I went to my "workshop" (a corner of the garage that I have filled with driftwood, shells and sea glass), fired up the hot glue gun, and got creative.

This is the result:

It's a wreath, covered with shells and sea glass. 

I learned how to do this years ago - a friend taught me - but back then, I made large wreaths with driftwood, which required a drill and wire. I don't want to do that any more - now, it's just me and my hot glue gun.

The next step is to put a candle in the middle of the wreath, and set both of them on a glass plate, with a little bed of sand in the plate, and a homemade "placemat" underneath (I'll do that the day of the party). 

It will look something like this (without the backdrop).

I was having so much fun that I lost track of time, and worked for three hours, skipping breakfast and lunch (by accident)! David finally came downstairs to find me, and I was shocked to learn that it was 2:30 P.M.

 Since there was more thunder today, I finished all four of them. Working with a hot glue gun and beach glass is great fun, and can be very therapeutic (and addictive).

On another topic, today I received a package; it had birthday gifts and a card in it. I don't normally review my gifts online, but these are so special that I had to show you.

This is a mobius bracelet, with a verse inscribed on it (Matthew 22: 37). The verse is taken from the Old Testament, and is known as the Shema. According to Wikipedia, "Jesus of Nazereth [s/b spelled Nazareth] considered the beginning exhortation of the Shema to be the first of his two greatest commandments: 'The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.' (KJV)." The bracelet has the last part of the quote on it; I love it!

The second gift in the box was this:

The photo doesn't quite do it justice. I think there is a lot of symbolism in all of the ornaments on the cross; it would be wonderful to meet this artist and ask her about it. I hung it up right away, near where I work.

Thank you so much, MB! I love you, dear friend.