Cherry Blossoms are Blooming

The Cherry Bloom trees were a gift from Japan in 1912. They signal Washington D. C.’s rite of spring with an explosion of life and color that surrounds the Tidal Basin in a sea of pale pink and white blossoms.

The Peak Bloom Date is defined as the day in which 70 percent of the blossoms of the Yoshino Cherry trees that surround the Tidal Basin are open. The date when the Yoshino Cherry Blossoms reach peak bloom varies from year to year, depending on weather conditions. Cherry Blossom Festival dates are set based on the average date of blooming (April 4), but nature is not always cooperative. Unseasonably warm and/or cool temperatures have resulted in the Yoshino cherries reaching peak bloom as early as March 15 (1990) and as late as April 18 (1958). http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/

Most varieties produce light pink to pure white blossoms, but there are also cherry trees with dark pink or slightly yellowish blossoms. The blossom color of some varieties may change while they are in bloom. For example, a blossom may open as a white flower and change color to pink over the course of a few days.

In case of early blooming trees, the fresh leaves usually do not appear until after full bloom, which gives the trees an attractive, homogenous look while they are in full bloom. In case of later blooming trees, the leaves usually appear before the blossoms, giving the trees a more heterogeneous look. Furthermore, the color of the fresh leaves differs between the varieties. In most cases, the fresh leaves are green, coppery brown, or something in between. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011_species.html

I was inspired by the season , the beautiful colors and a pendant I purchased on Etsy some time ago. I created the necklace below as tribute to Cherry Blossom Festival.








God bless,
Designs by Jenean

An Example of Determination and Inspiration

Madam C.J. Walker (December 23, 1867 – May 25, 1919) was an African-American businesswoman, hair care entrepreneur and philanthropist. She made her fortune by developing and marketing a hugely successful line of beauty and hair products for black women, under the company she founded, Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company

She was born Sarah Breedlove in Delta, Louisiana, the first member of her family to be born free, to parents who had been slaves. At age 14, she married a man named Moses McWilliams and was widowed at age 20. She then moved to St. Louis, Missouri to join her brothers. Sarah worked as a laundress for as little as a dollar and a half a day, but she was able to save enough to educate her daughter. While living in St. Louis, she joined St. Paul's African Methodist Episcopal Church, which helped develop her speaking, interpersonal and organizational skills.

In 1905, she worked as a sales agent for Annie Malone, another black woman entrepreneur who manufactured hair care products. Sarah also consulted with a Denver pharmacist, who analyzed Malone's formula and helped Walker formulate her own products. In addition, she often told reporters that the ingredients for her "Wonderful Hair Grower" had come to her in a dream.

In 1906 she married Charles Joseph Walker, a St. Louis newspaperman[1], and changed her name to "Madam C.J. Walker". She founded the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company to sell hair care products and cosmetics. Madam Walker divorced Walker in 1910 and moved her growing manufacturing operations from St. Louis to a new industrial complex in Indianapolis. By 1917 she had the largest business in the United States owned by an African-American.

Walker saw her personal wealth not as an end in itself, but as a means to promote economic opportunities for others, especially black people. She took great pride in the profitable employment — and alternative to domestic labor — that her company afforded many thousands of black women who worked as commissioned agents. Her agents could earn from $5 to $15 per day in an era when unskilled white laborers were making about $11 per week.[3] Marjorie Joyner, who started work as one of her employees, went on to lead the next generation of African-American beauty entrepreneurs.

Walker was known for her philanthropy, leaving two-thirds of her estate to educational institutions and charities, including the NAACP, the Tuskegee Institute and Bethune-Cookman College. In 1919, her $5,000 pledge to the NAACP's anti-lynching campaign was the largest gift the organization had ever received.

Walker had a mansion called "Villa Lewaro" built in the wealthy New York suburb of Irvington on Hudson, New York, near the estates of John D. Rockefeller and Jay Gould. She spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on furnishings.[4] The Italianate villa was designed by architect Vertner Tandy, the first registered black architect in the state of New York, in 1915. Walker also owned townhouses in Indianapolis and New York.

Madam Walker died on May 25, 1919, at age 51, at her estate Villa Lewaro. She was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.

References
^ http://www.madamcjwalker.com/bio_madam_cj_walker.aspx
^ "Twelve Famous Dreams". brilliantdreams.com. Retrieved 2006-10-03.
^ Henry Louis Gates Jr., "Madam's Crusade", Time magazine, December 7, 1998, Canadian edition.
^ "Madam C.J. Walker–Beauty Culturist Dies". Chicago Defender (Robert Abbott). 1919-05-31.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madam_C._J._Walker?wasRedirected=true




Jet Black Engine Earring
God bless,
Designs by Jenean

Failure then Success

I am really inspired by this video listed below. Everyone should have a dream but others may not believe in you and your dream and they may try to discourage you. Have faith even if no one else does.

Hebrews 11:1 NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, [a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. (amplified version)
Famous Failures Video



Be inspired, Be believing

God bless

Designs by Jenean

There's strength in number

It is so wonderful to see so many people and organizations supporting breast cancer research. All those living with the diagnosis, know that you are not alone.

Throughout the month of October do not be surprised to see a lot of pink on the football fields. In an effort to raise awareness about breast cancer the NFL has teamed up with the American Cancer Society and celebrities and have added pink splashes to uniforms, towels and equipment.
NFL Raising Awareness

What could be better than supporting a great cause like breast cancer awareness, than to do so by purchasing products to beautify yourself or loved ones. With Avon having its fantastic annual "Walk for a Cure" that was here and gone at the end of September there are still other ways to support companies that support breast cancer awareness and research through the rest of October.
Avon's Support

Yoplait®'s save lids to save lives. During their annual drive, for every pink lid you send in by December 31, 2009 Yoplait® will donate 10 cents to Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, up to $1.5 million. And they guarantee a donation of at least $500,000. So grab your friends, coworkers, yoga class or neighbors and start getting involved today.
Yoplait's Support

Search the Internet to find more ways you can support breast cancer research.

Designs by Jenean will be donating a portion of sales from all pink items sold in the shop in the month of October.
Breast Cancer Awareness

A wise man once said:
"If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves." - Thomas A. Edison

Let's astound ourselves.


God bless,
Designs by Jenean

Circle of Promise

I joined the Circle of Promise

It's October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness
Month.





Although breast cancer continues to impact people from all backgrounds, there are significant differences within the mortality rates among racial groups. From 2000-2003 African American women had a 36 percent higher death rate than white women, giving them the highest death rate and poorest survival rate of any other racial or ethnic group for breast cancer in the U.S.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure® has pledged to do our part to ensure that African American women are empowered with the information and tools they need to take charge of their own health and serve as ambassadors in their local communities. Komen for the Cure’s Circle of Promise campaign is designed to engage African American women to help end breast cancer forever by fostering increased awareness, support, empowerment and action.
http://www.circleofpromise.org/index.php

A portion of the sales of pink items in my shop will be donated to the Susan G. Komen - Karmanos Cancer Institute during the month of October.
http://www.komen.org/

I am HOPE

I am HOPE

I am Hopeful for real change
I am Optimistic for the future
I am Prayerful for peace
I am Envisioning a better day

I am HOPE

Jenean Matthews

Sparkling Baby Blues

Meet Frankie, the rare blue-eyed baby koala named after Sinatra

What a interesting and cute story. This is unusual, a koala born with blue eyes. He is adorable. The koala lives in Australia. I did a search on Google for animals born with blue eyes. There’s also a tiger and a wolf and more.
Frankie's story





Feeling inspired, I designed a pearl necklace named Sparkling Baby Blues.

I’m Too Blessed to be Stressed

There's so much talk of lay offs, mortgage foreclosures, bankruptcies and more. This appears to be a stressful period. However, I firmly believe that God is in control and I'm too blessed to be stressed. Just as some are passing on stories of how hard times are, know that there are plenty of triumphant stories as well.

People have gone through times like this in the past and have survived. It is not the end of the world. Don't look out in the future with gloom and doom; instead take life one day at a time. One positive step you can take is to take time to count your blessings. It's not ALL bad. Do you have family and/or friends that love you, do you have your health, can you see, touch, feel, smell and/or hear, do you have a roof over your head, clothes on your back, food to eat. If you have a number of these things going for you, then you are blessed. Take a deep breath, let it out, relax and instead of stressing count your blessings.



God bless,


Jenean
Designs by Jenean

Designs by Jenean Video

I finally did it. I finally became a part of the video world. Please feel free to take a look at my Youtube video. Almost 6,000 views in less than 24 hours!

Here's the link to the Youtube page.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntdUR-R-LYE




Thanks.

God bless,

Jenean
Designs by Jenean

In Search for Your Purpose

I was visiting another Etsy member's blogLSKcrochet, and she wrote something on January 9, 2008, that spoke volumes to me. She was sitting with God while crocheting, looking to find her purpose in life. And she believes God finally revealed her purpose, which is her gift and passion for crocheting. You can view LSKcrochet's blog at http://lskcrochet.blogspot.com/.

I am passionate about beading. When I'm beading I'm so relaxed and excited about the project I'm working on. When I'm not beading I'm thinking of new designs. The dictionary defines passion as “a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object or concept.” And even more deeply, the suffering of Jesus at the crucifixion. God places passion in each one of us to fulfill His purpose in our life and to bring us joy for ourselves and sharing with others. What is your passion?



God Bless,


Jenean
Designs by Jenean

Night Beauty

Northern lights or Auroras, according to wiki, are natural different colored light displays, which are usually observed in the night sky, particularly in the polar zone. The aurora borealis are beautiful to view. They are very inspirational to me. I like to buy aurora borealis (AB) crystals for my jewelry. However, in this piece I was inspired by a pendant that reminded me of aurora borealis, a night beauty.

God Bless,

Jenean
Designs by Jenean

FREE Shipping

Free shipping for U.S residents will be continued until further notice. I have added a new category called Rings, and I have added four new rings.








God Bless,



Jenean
Designs by Jenean

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Designs by Jenean recognizes Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Please take some time to pray for those fighting this fight and find a way to make a difference. A portion of all the sales made in the month of October from Designs by Jenean will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

God Bless Everyone,


Jenean

Will the “Real” Survivors Please Stand Up

I watched a program which showed how there are refugees from Africa that are in need of help. I began to reflect on the turmoil the people from Africa have suffered over the years. I began to wonder are the people surviving. Yet, I read information on the internet which shows the total population of Africa is estimated to be at 888 million people. The population is growing rapidly and some project it to grow to 1 Billion by 2015.

Over the years, many in the population have survived famine, droughts, wars, Aids and corrupt governments. Yet, the people on that continent continue to grow.

I began to wonder whether I could overcome such obstacles and continue to grow in my life. Sometimes, the things that I face in my everyday life weary me. However, when I think about how I overcome life’s challenges, I remember that I don’t go through trials and tribulations by myself. When I face obstacles, I remind myself of Romans 8:31-37,

31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

I can overcome all things reminding myself that I am more than a conqueror. I am a survivor.

Remain overcomers by trusting in God.

God Bless Everyone,

Jenean
Designs by Jenean

A Time for Sharing and Caring

A Time for Sharing and Caring

Time seems to get away from us because we are so busy. When we wake up in the morning we have a list a mile long of things that need to be accomplished that day. We can stay so busy with the things on the list that we may not take time to consider what’s going on with others outside of the things on the list.

I received a little tap on the shoulder the other day while surfing on Etsy forums. Etsy has teamed up with Rape Response Services, http://www.raperesponseservices.org, to raise awareness and money for an important cause. Here are a few facts from the website.

* Anyone can be a victim of sexual violence. Age, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, and size do not matter. Victims come from all different backgrounds.
* Most often, sexual violence happens between people who know each other. The perpetrator may be a friend, family member, spouse, or dating partner.
* Both men and women can be raped. No one ever asks for or deserves to be raped.
* Rape is not an act of overwhelming love or passion; it is an act of VIOLENCE. Rape is a crime that is punishable by law.
* A large number of sexual assaults involve the use of alcohol or other drugs.
* Incest is the most common form of sexual violence.
* Alcohol, drugs, manipulation, and/or coercion are used more often than physical force in order to get a victim to comply.
* You have the right to work and/or go to school in an environment free from sexual harassment. Your employer or school can be held liable for failing to take appropriate steps to ensure this.
* Victims are not chosen because of their age, the way they look, or what they wear. They are chosen because of their perceived vulnerability or the perpetrator’s opportunity.
* Rape is the most under-reported violent crime in the United States.
Visit the site for more information.

Designs by Jenean is donating a portion of the proceeds of the sale of two watches to a great cause through Hope and Healing. To find all the listings from other members on Etsy, search for the term/tag hopeandhealing.

It’s time to share and care.

God Bless Everyone

Jenean
http://www.designsbyjenean.etsy.com

Your Only Handicap is in your mind

When you hear or see the word "handicap" what do you think in your mind. Do you think of a disability, a physical or mental limitation? Or maybe when you hear the word "handicap" you think of it as a way to get an advantage. Such as when a race or a sporting event is handicapped, someone will get an advantage, an opportunity to win.

There are many people with certain physical limitations but not mental limitations. They find a way to overcome obstacles. A young man with scoliosis, a curvature of the spine, tried out for the show, So You Think You Can Dance. He was excellent in his craft, despite his physical handicap. When watching him dance, I could see in his face that he didn't see himself with a limitation, he knew he could dance. Although he wasn't invited to continue on to Las Vegas, he so impressed the judges, one in particular and was offered an opportunity to try out for a spot in a movie. His physical body may have placed certain limitations on him, but he didn't hold that same limiting image in his mind. I think we will be seeing more of this young man in the future.

In contrast, in sporting events, there's a different type of handicap. In horseracing, a jockey, on the most favored horse to win, may be given a physical handicap. The jockey is weighed down with weights to equalize the playing field. Life has a way of doing this sometimes. You may know someone or meet someone and be given a certain amount of favor with that person. As a result of your association with this person, your designs may be placed in a busy store or you may receive a certain amount of advertising.

Either way you want to think about it, use a handicap to your advantage. One of the best ways to change to a more positive point of view is to read motivation, spiritual and inspirational books. I encourage everyone to find a book and start encouraging yourself.

Bookmarks

God Bless Everyone

Jenean
Designs by Jenean

Simple pleasures

Sometimes in life you have to find the simple pleasures to keep you going. My simple pleasure is chai latte tea. I love to come home from a hard day of work and make a cup of chai latte tea. I love the smell and taste of the tea and it calms me. Being inspired by this tea, I have designed a necklace and earring set called Chai Delight with a Donut.

What is your simple pleasure? Go and enjoy it.

God Bless Everyone,

Jenean
Designs by Jenean

Inspired by March

I'm inspired by everyone's excitement over the color green this month, so I made another green necklace. This piece is being sold on my http://designsbyjenean.etsy.com shop. I've learned some interesting things about St. Patrick on wikipedia. Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick Wikipedia also says the following about the four leaf clover, "According to legend, each leaflet represents something: the first is for hope, the second is for faith, the third is for love, and the fourth is for luck." Enjoy the rest of the month everyone.

God bless everyone,
Jenean

Butterfly necklace

Today is the first day of my blogging experience. I was inspired to start a blog by my fellow beaders at Etsy.com. We are joining together to share ideas and support each other. I sell my designs on my own web site at http://www.designsbyjenean.com and on Esty at http://designsbyjenean.etsy.com. I love the community at Etsy but I also like the freedom to create and market with my own web site.

I have been thinking a lot about spring lately. The weather is warming here in Michigan and I'm noticing a lot of spring colors cropping up in the fashion industry. In response to the inspiration I'm receiving, I created my first spring piece.

http://www.designsbyjenean.com/ngreenbutterfly.html

God bless everyone,

Jenean