 September is here and with it the Fall/Winter show season has begun! We still have just a few outdoor events (this coming weekend and two more in September) and after that it'll be all indoor again for the rest of the Fall and Winter craft/art shows! I'm excited about some of my newest creations for the jewelry with pearls/stone and leather combos in bracelets and some new simple lightweight necklaces and anklets. Also an upcoming Ladies event where I'll get to play my new guitar - which also means I need to sit down and legit practice!!! That's kinda still falling to the wayside 😳 So, without further due, here is the upcoming show schedule: UPCOMING EVENTS: Date: Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 7 & 8, 2024 Event: Old Creamery Art & Craft Show (NNB & Sauce/Crafts) Time: Sat: 8 am - 5 pm & Sun: 9 am - 4 pm Where: Old Creamery Restaurant, 405 Main Street East Town: Rice, MN Date: Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 Event: St. Cloud East End Festi-Fall (NNB & Sauce/Crafts) Time: Noon - 5 pm Where: Handyman's Hardware (our location) & East End of St. Germain St. Town: St. Cloud, MN Date: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024 Event: NotesNBling Annual Open House (Jewelry Only) Time: 10 am - 4 pm Where: NotesNBling Studios Backyard (Inclement weather-inside) RSVP email: [email protected] for address Town: Sauk Rapids, MN Note: If you've been to the studio before, you know where to be 😊. If you don't, I prefer if you would please email your RSVP to get the address/directions. (Since it's not a business complex location I prefer not to list our address publicly online). If you've been a customer you can also text me if you have my number ❤️. NOTESNBLING JEWELRY: Sadly I have to say that I had to pull out my jewelry from Sweet Bay Boutique as Ashley needed the space for more inventory she has coming in for her beautiful boutique. We may do occasional pop-ups with my jewelry there in the future. In Braham, MN however there is a flower/boutique shop interested in my jewelry and already spoke with the owner. Now it's just finding the right timing for us to talk about the particulars and possibly bringing jewelry there. So that's in the works. New creations drop: First in this series of photos we have one example of a few new glasses keepers (all different color combinations or solids) I created as my stock got super low. So there'll be some new fun ones for keeping your glasses handy. Next is a freshwater pearl and barrel knot leather drop necklace (this was last year's NNB Open House main giveaway), so for the first this season, this simple but elegant necklace is now available for purchase. Matching earrings on a leather loop and some freshwater/stone/leather knot link bracelets have also been created. These were SO fun and I hope you guys will love them, as I'd be eager to make more. Freshwater pearls are getting expensive so I'd like to order a few if I can catch them on sale! Come see these and SO MUCH MORE this weekend (Sat & Sun, Sept. 7 & 8 in Rice at the Creamery Craft Show. LASTLY:
This week there have been some things I've been contemplating on. One is that I need to get something going online sales wise, starting with updating the website and including a shopping cart for weekly drops of random jewelry pieces you guys can purchase during a certain time window. Doing some lives... Maybe show you the pieces in person, so you know what's dropping in the weekly drop. Also thinking about some jewelry making classes. Let me know if you'd be interested in something like that. This can be combined with a live to show you how to make something and I could make that project available as a kit for you to purchase. Lots of things on my mind that at the moment I have no idea how to implement and sadly I cannot afford to pay someone to help me with all the technical aspects, thus it's up to me to have a new learning curve and figure out all the particulars. All I need is TIME and chunks of uninterrupted hours.... Also with so much going on in our world today, the Lord gave me a scripture to focus on this week: Psalm 37:18-19. The Lord knows the days of the blameless and their inheritance will be forever. They will not be ashamed in the time of evil; and in the days of famine they will have abundance. As I've been helping a friend with rides to doctor appointments I'm reminded how important kindness is to one another, even if it means that our schedule gets cramped and some of the creations will have to wait for a later release. It's been a good thing to be there for one another and I'm blessed to know she has other friends who care for and love her too. In another matter - let's remember to be kind to people, even if their actions/reactions aren't what we expect, but often a word spoken in kindness will diffuse the otherwise intense situations. ❤️ Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean to your own understanding. 😊 See you at the shows! Live blessed and thankful, Sam
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 We are now halfway through August already and it seems the year sure has been flying by. So are the days of longer daytime hours ☀️ that will begin to dwindle more and more as time goes by. 🥲 😟😩 Kids are going back to school already too, where has the summer gone? Our summer has been busy with some craft shows, a festival, inventory at the store in Elbow Lake, helping a friend and for Warren some fishing and working. After a very long pause we actually have a music event coming up where we will have one hour set to play. So I'm cramming and practicing!! It's kinda scary when you try to play one of the songs you've written and you can't remember quite how it goes because it's been way too long.... However, it's coming together.... UPCOMING EVENTS: Date: Saturday, August 17 Event: Revival By The River Time: Sat: 9am-3pm. OUR SET time slot: 10-11am Where: Wilson Park Town: St. Cloud, MN Date: Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 7 & 8, 2024 Event: Old Creamery Art & Craft Show (NNB & Sauce/Crafts) Time: Sat: 8 am - 5 pm & Sun: 9 am - 4 pm Where: Old Creamery Restaurant, 405 Main Street East Town: Rice, MN Date: Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 Event: St. Cloud East End Festi-Fall (NNB & Sauce/Crafts) Time: Noon - 5 pm Where: Handyman's Hardware (our location) & East End of St. Germain St. Town: St. Cloud, MN  NOTESNBLING: It's been an absolute honor to create some simple pearl necklaces for gifts for ladies who attended a ladies retreat in Fosston, MN, where I also had the opportunity to lead worship for the group. It was such a fun and educational time. Here are some items I've been working on: My beach glass knotted leather necklaces have always been a popular item for the last couple years or so. This time I needed to re-stock some more neutral colors and chose white for the beach glass beads and a sandy grey brown leather representing the beach for the necklace part. The hoops were I placed the dangle drops and charms on are handcrafted and hammered. The bracelet is one of many new Ammonite bracelets you can use with essential oil drops on the lava beads. The bracelets are sturdy stretch cord. Lastly the keychains are just too cute and the cat charms are a special buy I have found. Once they are gone...they are gone and only those two shown above are left. LASTLY: So at the ladies retreat we learned biblical symbolisms and one of them was the pearl - hence the pearl necklaces I had created for everyone attending. Pearls symbolize beauty and salvation. Isaiah 61:10 - I delight greatly in the Lord, my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. The pearl also symbolizes value and prosperity: Matthew 13:45-46 - Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. MUSIC! This coming Saturday should be a very nice day, so come on out to Wilson Park in St. Cloud and see us if you don't have any plans. Below is the poster for the lineup that day. We are on fairly early from 10-11.  Until next month... keep your eyes fixed steady upon the Lord to remain in peace in this crazy world.
In HIs grace, Sam  Hellooooo Summer!! Warm greetings to all! How is everyone enjoying their summer so far? We just got done with Fireworks selling season and we were beat, glad we are done being in the TNT tent at Coborns Parking Lot in Sauk Rapids for 10+ hours per day for 2 weeks and we are thankful for our customers (many repeats from years past) and our friends for stopping by. It was a good year and the temperatures were absolutely perfect for being outdoors all day! A few windy days that weren't so much fun and one super super windy day that was challenging for product and nerves alike, however we survived that too. Now...on to more outdoorsy events, but this time with jewelry and hubby with his BBQ Sauce and Crafts.... UPCOMING EVENTS: Date: Thursday, July 18, 2024 Event: Art In The Gardens (NNB & Sauce/Crafts) Time: 10 am - 6 pm Where: Munsinger Gardens, 1301 Riverside Dr. SE Town: St. Cloud, MN Date: Saturday, July 20, 2024 Event: Arts Fest (NNB only) Time: 9 am - 3 pm Where: Robinson Park Town: Pine City, MN Date: Friday & Saturday, August 2 & 3, 2024 Event: Flekke Fest (NNB & BBQ Sauce/Crafts) Time: 9 am - 4 pm each day Where: KR Digital Frame & Gift Shop, 15 Central Ave. S Town: Elbow Lake, MN NOTESNBLING: My creativity was a little set back for the month of June and July due to getting ready for and selling Fireworks for two and a half weeks with all the preparations and then being there to sell each day. However, I always manage to make something here and there, so here are a few new things: I had so much fun making these! The earrings have Tierra Cast components. If you know anything of Tierra Cast, they are an American Made company that closed end of last year after being 35 years (I believe) in the business and it is a very sad loss for all makers. Due to "supply-chain" issues which sadly we seem to hear way too much about, they decided to shut their doors. So whenever I find Tierra Cast components, I try to snatch them up, as they are quality made in the USA and I prefer those products for my jewelry. All the bracelets are leather and components I get from a company in the Cities. They truly are so fun to wear! The magnetic closure thin leather ones make a great addition to any "arm stack". The Buckle bracelet features nice soft chunky leather cord for a cool look that even a guy can wear. LASTLY:
Last couple of months I had shared a bit what I have learned at a ladies retreat a friend hosted. It was quite insightful to ponder on the Seasons Of Life.... Here is the final installment: The Old Age Season Of Life. They shall bear fruit in old age, they shall be fresh and flourishing. Psalm 92:14. This is really great news to read, as this season is one that's not much talked or thought about, especially when we are young or in prime of life and we are doing our thing, working, creating, running a business or whatever life has for us to do. We are not taught in a Sunday Service how to prepare for old age and what we might expect, spiritually, physically and emotionally. It's one of those things that when you get there you kind of have to work through some acceptance of things and pondering the question "what now?", "what am I going to do with the rest of my life?". Our bodies don't function like they used to, so we face losses (teeth, hearing, eyesight, surgeries) and we grieve those losses. We also find that many of our own aging friends are passing on and leaving us behind. However, there are some advantages as we get older. We have learned from past mistakes and can help others to not make them, we have gained wisdom, we are more careful with our choices and we value things differently. We embrace family, friends, people in general a lot more than before. There are advantages such as discounts seniors get and the best of all is "Silver Sneakers", where I can go to the gym without the monthly charges!! 😊 Psalm 92:14 says that we can remain spiritually alive, vigorous and fruitful, even in old age! Fruitfulness glorifies God and accomplishes His will for our lives. It is our spiritual fruitfulness that demonstrates we are true disciples of Jesus Christ and it brings glory to God. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit so you will be My disciples. John 15:8. Even though we are aging, God is still at work in us, refashioning us into the image that we were made for, the image that's after the likeness of Jesus and as we are being formed into His image, His glory is being shown through us. But we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18. Although now we must live each day prepared to be with the Lord and since we don't know when that day is, we must live every day fulfilling our purpose, which is to glorify God in everything we do and say. Our heart attitude matters to God, if we garden, do crafts, go to or sell at craft shows, still are in the workforce or going on vacations more than before when we were working. We may now have more chances to spend time with our friends, a neighbor, family or young people we can positively influence through the life experiences we have gained. Therefore.... Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. WHATEVER YOU DO in word and deed, DO ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS through Him to God the Father. May you all have a wonderful July and summer fun. I will see a lot of you at the shows that are coming up! Looking forward to hugging some necks! With gratefulness and joy, Sam  Greetings to all, May has been a busy month with shows and markets, visit from a friend and a lil get-away to buy beads!! The FIRST outdoor show of the season "Avon Spring Fling" in the park was quite the wet and cool adventure. Needless to say that we didn't have many visitors and all I sold was one keychain....🤷♀️ Then we were one of the vendors for Terebinth Refuge's Fund Raiser Event "Stronger Together", supporting women who got caught up in sex trafficking... I learned a lot of things I didn't know about or thought even possible. Really sad. The Spring Market at Bobbing Bobber Brewing Co. in Hutchinson was a great success! My ladies from last year ordered design requests a couple weeks earlier and they were eager to see their choices to pick from. I gained some new customers, hugging friends' necks I haven't seen in quite a while and it was nice that hubby set up too and helped me with the tent before he set up his Sauce booth inside. So all in all it was a busy and successful May. Now on to June with only one show for the Jewelry, but since we will do the TNT Fireworks Tent at Coborns Parking Lot in Sauk Rapids again this year, I'm ok with that, as June is exhausting with sitting outside in the tent for 10 hours a day for 10+ days. Now....the event list for the summer.... UPCOMING EVENTS: Date: Sunday June 9, 2024 Event: Rum River Days Festival & Craft Show (NNB/Sauce/Crafts) Time: 10 am - 3 pm Where: Princeton Speedway, 1400 N 3rd Street. Town: Princeton, MN Date: Thursday, July 18, 2024 Event: Art In The Gardens (NNB & Sauce/Crafts) Time: 10 am - 6 pm Where: Munsinger Gardens, 1301 Riverside Dr. SE Town: St. Cloud, MN Date: Saturday, July 20, 2024 Event: Arts Fest (NNB only) Time: 9 am - 3 pm Where: Robinson Park Town: Pine City, MN Other events for the year are listed in the "Events Page" if you want to look ahead. NOTES N BLING JEWELRY: With the Bobbing Bobber event in May, I had a few design requests by my ladies from last year who fell in love with my jewelry. So I was quite busy to get all the different styles created so that they would have options to choose from.... Those requests were all the scroll hearts, leaves and the hoop. These items are hand formed, hammered and paired with either Czech Chrystal, Eliza Mine (getting rare) Turquoise, African Turquoise & Czech, Kingman Mine Turquoise and Beach glass beads. All earrings are on Sterling Silver Ear wires. Then I made some fun key chains and added vintage Czech flower beads on a leather fringe. I hope to snag more of those vintage beads.... For the other key chains I used repurposed beads and added fun charms. The bracelets - there are two for dog lovers and a leather one with feather slider for people with small wrists. If you hover over the pictures, it will show description and price. To order just send me an email with the screen shot of the item you like to purchase, message me on my FB page (www.facebook.com/NotesNBling), or if you have my phone number, shoot me a text. LASTLY:
Last month I shared a bit what I have learned at a ladies retreat a friend hosted. It was quite insightful to ponder on the Seasons Of Life.... The Resting Season... Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you saying, "The Lord your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land". Josua 1:13. The Hebrew word for "rest" is "nuwach", which means to settle down, to dwell, to withdraw, to rest. God will plant us in a particular place or area to settle down and dwell so that we have the needed space the He requires for us to withdraw and rest. Sometimes God does pull us away from anything that is distracting us for the good reason that we need to have a season of rest, especially when our spiritual productivity is slipping. He also puts us in a season of rest if we are bitter toward our calling, are over worked or frustrated with people we are called to minister to. God knows what's best for us and for others. We may not like it, but it's good to wait on the Lord, to renew our strength. The spiritual fruit developing in this season is the fruit of kindness. The Mid Life Season Of Life.... During this season of life we have many questions such as what should we be doing now, where should we go, where should we live. How do we pay bills, how do we stay fulfilled in getting older. We may struggle with uncertainty but we have to be willing to let go of being threatened by this season of life. Often in this season we struggle with finding purpose and meaning of life which leads to lack of enjoyment, emptiness and uncertainty. The thing is we define ourselves so much by what we "do", like a career, ministry, business, art etc. So when we aren't doing all that anymore we go through an emotional crisis because we feel purposeless. This is a season no-one prepares us for but we must remember that we never lose purpose or meaning, because we are uniquely created and our contribution to the world only we can fulfill and none other. God will always show the way. For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 The Transition Season Of Life.... This is the season between seasons. It can last for a long time and can contain a mixture of joy and sadness. Sometimes moving from one season to the next can be emotionally painful as we have to let go of old mindsets and not yet understanding the why. The transition season doesn't have anything to do with our function or role, rather it's about who we are becoming. Something is changing within us and once this change has taken place, we enter into our next season a different person. Also if we don't recognize that we are in a transition season we can get stuck there for years, so since we don't want to be stuck and it's only meant to journey through, we need to be open for God to grow us spiritually and change us to produce good spiritual fruit. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6. There is one more season, but I'll cover that in the next "Notes" for July. Until then I wish you all a great beginning of Summer and that you can enjoy this season being outdoors (meaning not a lot of mosquitos), soak in the sunshine (Vitamin D), meet up with friends and family, or go on a fun trip, or just enjoy the back yard, plant flowers or a garden and have some grilling time. Lets hope for non-severe weather, pray for those who are inundated with terrible storms and losses and in all things keep hopeful, faithful and most of all entrust all to God, in the bad and the good. Hope to see you at the shows. If you can't make a show and need something, get hold of me via Facebook messenger through my page (Facebook.com/NotesNBling) or email me and if you have my phone number, you can also text. Be blessed till next time with much love, Sam  Who else is excited that Spring has sprung finally for good and the temperatures are on the upswing? 🙋♀️ Now also the outdoor events are beginning with our first one being this Saturday, May 4 at the Wobegon Trail Park in Avon, MN. Of course in true spring weather fashion, the weather is supposed to be rainy.... let's hope this changes, but so far it's not a big wind event and for that I'm grateful! The temperatures however will be nice in the mid 60's, so hope to see some of you come out and visit my booth (turquoise tent many of you know) and hubby will be there under his bright orange tent with his homemade BBQ sauce and some wood crafts. You won't miss us with those bright colored tents!! UPCOMING EVENTS: Date: Saturday, May 4, 2024 Event: Avon Spring Fling Outdoor Market Time: 9am - 1pm Where: Wobegon Trailhead Park Town: Avon, MN Date: Saturday, May 11, 2024 Event: Stronger Together (Terebinth Refuge) Time: 9am - 2pm Where: Park Event Center, 500 Division Street Town: Waite Park, MN Date: Saturday May 18, 2024 Event: Bobbing Bobber Brewing Co. Vendor Market (NNB/Sauce/Crafts) Time: 10 am - 5 pm Where: Bobbing Bobber Brewing Co., 900 Highway 15 S. Town: Hutchinson, MN Date: Sunday June 9, 2024 Event: Rum River Days Festival & Craft Show (NNB/Sauce/Crafts) Time: 10 am - 3 pm Where: Princeton Speedway, 1400 N 3rd Street. Town: Princeton, MN NOTESNBLING: I have some exciting news! I now have a corner at the Sweet Bay Boutique in Pierz (30799 73rd Street, Pierz, MN). For now it's just a small shelf unit, but I hope as things take off to add a second shelf and a background panel - all depending on how the boutique would like to proceed. New items created as of late: First picture is a distressed Czech heart bead on handcrafted non-tarnish brass hoop and matching Czech bead. Second picture is a handprinted clay feather with gemstone Heishi and Eliza Mine Turquoise (from Arizona). Third Picture is Premo Crystal crosses on handcrafted & hammered non tarnish brass hoop. The fourth picture is an Ammonite & Lava "Diffuser" bracelet. Lastly picture number 5 is a brass Spring Bird with Czech Sunflower and Picasso Beads and yellow tube beads to create a unique summery look on knotted leather and partially handcrafted closure. These and more items I've created are also posted on my Facebook Page: Facebook.com/NotesNBling and of course are available at my booth at the upcoming shows. You may also visit my studio by making an appointment via Facebook Messenger through my page, my phone number (if you have my card) or shoot me an email at: [email protected]. AND LASTLY:
There are not enough words to express my gratitude to all of you my customers, friends and family who continue to support this small business of mine. THANK YOU from all my heart for continuing to love and purchase my creations. Also.... I've started playing music again a little bit. Mainly for ladies retreats hosted by a friend of mine. At least it's a start to get back into music - and see where the Lord leads. I've learned a bit about the seasons of life we all experience at particular times in our lifetimes. For example ...The Dry Season (you may feel far from the Lord, or have given up on your vision/dreams) but remember God's Gifts are without repentance, so if God told us something or to do something, He hasn't changed His mind. ...The Wilderness Season (during this time we can't see God is working on our behalf, it's a time of lack, time of waiting - but we are to wait with expectation during this time of character development) ....The Pruning Season (a temporary cutting away of maybe things or people so we can grow spiritually. The Lord may cut away relationships, friendships, ministries, a job, habits, attitudes, wrong beliefs and mindsets). ...The Harvest Season (we reap during this season from the seeds we have sown in the previous seasons of our life). ....The Grief, Sorrow & Loss Season of Life (grief is mental suffering over afflictions or loss, to grieve, to mourn is to express sorrow. Grief wasn't part of God's original plan, but because of sin and the fall of mankind we will to through seasons of grief as consequences. There are many causes of grief from the loss of loved ones to sudden illness, rebellious children, failed marriages or loss of a job /career/dream). Never deny the pain, or pretend it didn't happen. Process your pain and allow God to heal you. There are other seasons I'll get to in the next "Notes" for June.... It's just been very interesting to learn about the seasons of life. With that I will sign off and hope to see, hug and talk to you all throughout this next month. Until June.... may God keep you and watch over you and may His face shine upon you. In Christ, Sam |
Christian Organic Folk Singer/Songwriter & Author
based in Minnesota See my Jewelry!
 Psalm 100 Scripture
1 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. 3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations. Archives
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