Mhoti Studio

I'm so excited to be participating in the AJE July component of the month hop as a guest designer. The hostess this month is Francesca Watson  www.francescawatson.com . She sent us each one of her handmade glass cabochons. I received the loveliest blue iridescent (dichroic) cab. Here is a photo of that cabochon. You can see the beautiful blues in the background with the hint of pinks , sea foam, gold and silver, in the dichroic mix of this bead. The colour shifts as one rotates the cab and it has flashes of iridescence . The second photo shows the depth of metallic colour within this cab. I knew that I had some other special glass beads in my stash, so I went hunting. I had a slew of Unicorn beads with similar character so I decided now was the time to stop hoarding  saving them. I chose  3 yo-yo beads in clear glass with gold flashes of fire on the surface. Now yo-yo beads are interesting designs, they have no holes. The trick was HOW to combine them ...

Oh Canada, my home and native land...... There is so much to love about Canada and being Canadian. I am a native of Canada's Capital city, Ottawa, Ontario.  Ontario is a vast province; from east to west it takes about two days to travel by car.  Part of Ontario is comprised of the Canadian Shield , a HUGE rocky landmass. We are a mineral rich province as one could expect with all those rocks around. We also have the most gorgeous Maple Trees that give us the best Maple Syrup in the world. In Spring these trees warm up, the sap runs, and we have tree growers who tap the sap and make syrup. Sugar shacks abound and one can visit them, watch maple syrup being made (by boiling the sap for hours and hours and hours in huge metal tanks). Some fresh snow packed into a plate , pour on some warm sap and we enjoy the most delicious treat, maple syrup taffy on a stick. YUM. In fall these same Maple trees turn the most amazing shades of red and orange, turning our fo...