Ebony Wood

I got some wonderful Ebony Our Father beads yesterday. That wood is smooth as silk. I can't wait to make some more ebony rosaries using these new and interesting beads.
Peace!

14k Gold Natural Tahitian Pearl Rosary

I'm working on a 14k gold natural Tahitian Pearl rosary. The luster on these pearls unbelievable! I will post a picture when it's done. Some lucky lady will pray on this rosary. It will be a true heirloom that will go down through the ages. I think this rosary is being made for the right reasons, too -- for the honor and glory of Our Lady.

Whew!

I've been working at opitmizing my website. Of course my trusty web master has done almost all the work. Infact, this Blog is her idea. I wonder if anyone will read it. Tomorrow I will be going to work on a new rosary. I'm not sure what it will be yet. Almost all of my rosaries are one of a kind, so when they are gone, they're gone. Sometimes, I can make something similar, though.
My prayer life is going well. The other day, I confessed to the Lord that I wanted to be beautiful. The Blessed Mother said in Medjugorje that she is beautiful because she loves. So....I'm trying to do the beautiful thing and put a rein on my unloving thoughts. This is where I can use your prayer.
Peace to you all.

Ebony Wood Rosary

Today, I made a new rosary out of some very nice Ebony Wood beads. They are so smooth! I think these rosary beads will be a pleasure to pray with. Tonight I will say my rosary on them for whoever will eventually own them.
I'm trying to think of some inexpensiver options for rosaries. I can't bring myself to lower the quality or to make plain unimaginative rosaries so I'm using different woods right now.
If you have any ideas, let me know.

Rosary Beads Bracelet

Today I made a fantastic rosary bracelet using a little of this and a little of that -- gemstones of all kinds and some Czech glass. I picture it for a teenager or someone who is a little off the beaten path. It's really a fun bracelet, yet it's an entire rosary to be worn on the wrist. You can check it out at http://heirloomrosaries.com/chapletsjewelry.html. I decided not to charge for the stones since they are sort of just there in their little boxes waiting to be used for something special. I just charged for the sterling silver involved. I will make more of these rosaries if someone likes them, but no two will be alike.

New Rosary Beads

I just put up a new set of rosary beads on Page 2 of the catalog. It's the Mother of Pearl one. This rosary is ultra feminine. I picture someone with a strong devotion to Our Lady praying on this rosary, or maybe a little girl. I think that having a beautiful rosary calls us to prayer. And, not only that, but it brings honor to Our Lady, the Blessed Mother. That the most important reason I make my rosaries.
The Our Father beads are so beautiful. I have someone who makes the most beautiful lampwork beads to make some of my Our Father beads. She heats up glass rods with a big torch and twirls the molten glass around a narrow metal rod. Then she applies the flowers and leaves with various thin rods of glass in different colors. The finished bead goes into a kiln to slowly cool. That way the bead has durability. I took a class once and I learned that I neither have the patience nor the skill to make my own beads. When I first asked Melanie, she said no, but I dared to ask again a few years later and she said yes. I must have caught her at a good time. Thank you, Melanie!

How to Pray

Prayer can be as simple as talking to God. He hears every cry of the heart, even the unspoken ones.
When Jesus' disciples asked him to tell them how to pray, he gave them the Lord's Paryeras the example. When we take it line by line, and examine it, we get an idea of how to model the prayers we speak to God.
Our Father, who art in heaven.... This invites us to see our God as a Father. He gave us life and He sustains us in this life. In the beginning we acknowlege who God is for us. Thank you, Lord!
Hallowed be your name.... May your name be held holy. He deserves our respect, our honor, our obedience and our love. God calls to us; we need to respond to Him. Praise Him!
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.... Surrender to the Father's plan would bring a heaven on earth. I remember when I gave my life to the Lord, I knew somehow that I needed to surrender to His will for my life.
Give us this day our daily bread.... He knows we need things (food, shelter, clothing, etc) to live in this world. Don't hesitate to ask. If it should come, it will. Don't ask for a storehouse full. It will be sufficient for the day.
And forgive us our trespasses.... Forgive us our sins, our stumbles, our offenses against God and people, and our faults and failings.
As we forgive those who trespass against us.... Let it all go, the grumbles, little grudges, little frustrations brought on by other people and life's situations. Is it really so important as to ruin our eternity?
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.... Keep that old slewfoot away from us. Let us recognize when he is trying to trip us up and reject him in the Name of Jesus!

The Rosary is a wonderful way to pray. It never fails to bring peace. The Blessed Mother is our closest ally in this life. She really cares for us and is a vip in heaven! It pays to have friends in high places.

The Divine Mercy Chaplet has been given to St. Faustina as a means of bringing Divine Mercy into the world. If said in the presence of the dying, mercy for that person's sould is guaranteed. That's powerful stuff! Jesus said this goes for the worst sinner. Have you ever wished you could be baptized again so that all your sins would be remissed (washed away)? Well, the Divine Mercy Novena begins on Good Friday and ends on the night before Easter. If said daily and if we go to confession within one week of Easter Vigil our sins will be washed away like a new baptism. I really suggest reading the Diary of Sr. Faustina (Diary of a Soul). It's so inspiring to hear how much the Lord years after us and wants to give us His mercy.