Travel Challenge Staycation - Olympia WA

 Welcome to the Travel Challenge Staycation version.  This year Erin decided to have us blog about our home town.  I currently live in Olympia Washington.  I moved here approximately 22 years ago when my daughter was ready to start high school. 

Olympia is the capital of the state of Washington and was established as a city in 1859.  It is also the county seat of Thurston County.  It makes up part of the tri-city area of Puget Sound, the other cities being Lacey and Tumwater.

On my staycation I took daily walks with my dog., Hank.  He is a Chow and Lab mix and the most gentle dog that I know.  He is a very people person, always loving some attention.

The strap over his nose is called a "Gentle Lead" which allows me to have a bit of control over him as he is a big dog (90 lbs.)  He doesn't mind it too much but is glad to get it off once we are home.

One of Hank's favorite places to visit.  The wait staff always has a doggie biscuit or two when we come by.

On one of our walks we discovered an older car.  Not sure of the age but Olympia does have several car collector clubs.  Here is a link to pictures of a recent show:  12th-annual-tenino-quarrymen-car show

You will see giant sunflowers in peoples yards as they grow to six-seven feet tall.

or you can see growing pumpkins

or possibly even a family of deer

This was the first time that I had seen a pair of fawns.

Here is a preview of the beads that I used in my jewelry set.

I decided to make something with wood for two reasons.  I had the beads already and Olympia is a port that exports logs to other areas of the world.  I was hoping to get a picture of one of the trucks taking the logs down to the docks but wasn't able to.  I also used agates as they are a type of stone that is found here in Washington.

This pictures shows of the red-orange agates that I used both in the necklace and in the earrings.

Please visit Erin's website (2nd-annual-challenge-of-travel)  to see the list of other participants.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will come again.

Carolyn

Millenium Moment Giveaway

Pips from Pips Jewellery is having a giveaway (a-millenium-moment-calls-for-giveaway) to celebrate having 1000 likes on her Facebook page. 

Pips is a polymer clay bead artist from Bath, United Kingdom.  She is giving away of some of her newly designed polymer clay beads.  She has pictures of some of her current beads on her giveaway blog page that are so beautiful.  Here are a couple of beads from her web page that I like.

Remember leaves

Clemetis bud

I am looking forward to seeing what the new beads look like and would love to win some.

If you would like a chance to win some free beads, please visit the link above and find out how to enter the giveaway.

Thanks for stopping by.

Be sure to come back on Saturday, August 31, to see what I made for Erin's Travel Staycation Challenge.  See you then if not before.

Carolyn