We were having a nice beautiful Fall. Then just before Halloween it felt like snow. Much like when it feels like it is going to rain. And I noticed that the ground was frozen. So knew if we did get snow it would last unless the temperature or the Chinook Winds come up. But that typically happens in January.

Well, it snowed. And the temperatures did not go up. Nor did the Chinook Winds. So we have snow. Over night we got about 5 1/2 inches of new snow. So one day it was Fall here and the next Winter.

We were having a nice beautiful Fall. Then just before Halloween it felt like snow. Much like when it feels like it is going to rain. And I noticed that the ground was frozen. So knew if we did get snow it would last unless the temperature or the Chinook Winds come up. But that typically happens in January.

Well, it snowed. And the temperatures did not go up. Nor did the Chinook Winds. So we have snow. Over night we got about 5 1/2 inches of new snow. So one day it was Fall here and the next Winter.

Alaska Handmade Jewelry created a unique nickel-silver wire wrapped pendent using a boro glass bead made by Alaska Boro. The design incorporates a cabochon made with cobalt blue, silver, a thread of white along with clear for a one of a kind pendant bead.

The bead was custom wrapped with special meanings woven into the creative design. The pendant is 54 mm high by 18 mm wide.

It is a pleasure to design with Boro Glass. However wrapping a glass cabochon is not for a beginner wire artist.

This summer in Alaska has been a very pleasant one. Instead of the rainy and chilly summer we had last year, this summer has not only provided lots of hours of sun and great temperatures it has also provided some very lovely flowers. So I thought it would be nice to share some with you.

This is a white, tending to be more cream colored rose that bloomed this year in our neighborhood. It is from a neighbor's yard that puts out tea roses each year in containers. The rose containers are taken in and wintered over inside. Winters here are to long for some plants to survive if left outside. The warmth that the ground reaches is also to low for many plants.

From the same neighbor's yard comes this beautiful Rose. As you can see with the different angle of sunlight we have many of the flowers glow. And flowers are quite popular here. With our short growing season every bit of the seasons are squeezed out of the seasons. As spring approaches each year Alaskans are really looking forward to the growing season, having flowers, and container gardens.

While many people think of Alaska as lots of land left in it's natural state and come to see that. At the same time they are not disappointed by the foliage that goes hand in hand with the beautiful scenes found in Alaska.

Earlier we shared with you about betting on the ice, now and winter official breaks up and Spring is here. Also told you about people betting when the ice thaws and moves out. How that is recorded and people win.

Today on the news the announcement has been made. Here is a link to a local TV station for you to read more. http://www.ktuu.com/news/ktuu-nenana-ice-classic-ends-050511,0,5232586.s...

Spring is here, yippee! Our crocus have started blooming. The are well known as the neighborhood's first flowers. Hope you are having a great Spring.

Break up, is another term that is used in Alaska. Because of the snow we get and lakes and rivers freeze up when Spring is coming here it take a while. The time that Spring takes to melt all of the snow, thaw the rivers and lakes and ground is called Break Up.

The term Break Up is fitting also because there is a places that set up various methods of telling when the ice breaks and actually goes out. The purpose of doing this is Alaskan fun. People enter date and time for which ever lotto they prefer. Then wait for the fun and see who wins. Here is a link with some information about the process: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,869038,00.html

All sorts of items show up as the snow melts. And there are clean up days organized to take care of that.

So if you hear of Break Up in Alaska you will know that it is not some new reality show.

From this picture you can see Alaska in winter. Alaska is a unique place. Isn't that an understatement. The point that I am getting to is that many people visit Alaska. Some like it so much they stay. Some live here a period of time because of work and then move onto other places. Others visit and forever love Alaska.

This being the case people do contact us and ask about Alaska. Others that have moved have left their heart here. Most always people want to hear about Alaska. And often those that have been here and left for what ever reason, become lonesome for Alaska. People that have never been here are also curious about Alaska. This is quite obvious when we call a place in the lower 48 for something.

As you can see in the last of the previous paragraph, we have some terms here that are not common in most of the Continental United States. So to clarify that, I will try to share the meaning of such terms. The term, the lower 48 is the Continental United States. So the two states excluded from the 50 states is Hawaii and Alaska.

Another term is termination dust. That is the first snow fall that we see in the mountains.

The last term for now is Midnight Sun. you have heard that the number that the sun is up here in the winter becomes very few, actually is 7 hours and 35 minutes. With most of those hours being sunrise and sunset with the sun low in the sky. And as long as 24 hours in the summer in June. So many times at midnight it is daylight. And so called midnight sun.

New items have been added to our Reduced listing. There are six sweet additions to this bargain section. Several I am very fond of. So you won't want to miss out.

Remember, at Alaska Handmade Jewelry the reduced section changes without notice. So get the bargain you want while it is listed.

1/21/11

Several items have been put into the Reduced category. Items will be removed and added to this category on a regular basis. Take advantage of the bargains while they are available.

You know we at Alaska Handmade Jewelry are going to get our hands on these. They are very cute. We hope to making many items with these little guys.

Please Note: A very limited number of these beads will be made. If you are interested, contact us.
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New at Alaska Boro is a snowman bead. It is guaranteed to ‘not melt’ once it exits Alaska for warmer climates!

This sample snowman bead is 22.5 mm in height with a 3/32 mandrel hole. Each is handmade using white, black and red boro glass. The scarf on some beads will vary both in color and placement.

Each snowman boro bead consists of three beads all made on the same mandrel. The top hat is rolled on a graphite marver to make a small cylinder. The rim is then added. The scarf, in this model, is made using a stringer of twisted red and white glass.

November 30, 2010