Rainbow beads

In these dark and desperate times, my gran daughter Sophie's rainbow beads add a bit of cheer.

Rainbow beads

She's only six years old and has started on bead stringing projects

Addictive handicraft for Sophie

and this colorful bracelet is one of her creations.

Sophie's rainbow bracelet

These beads are very versatile and can be twisted to form different shapes and identities.

Lo and behold its a unicorn 😉

It can also decorate the wrist

Sits snugly on the wrist

Another attempt at  bracelet making

Cute charm bracelet

And the present that started it all.

A box of children's beads

This post began with rainbow beads and to conclude I present a rainbow in the sky to dispel gloom and doom. 😇

Rainbow in the sky symbolises hope.

Good Bye Pig N Welcome Ratty....

Bye Pig n Welcome Rat....

Bye Pig N Welcome Rat

Its CNY time again n this lunar new year post features the intelligent Rat. Chinese zodiac runs in 12 year cycles n 12 years have flown since my post on the Year of the Rat 2008. (see link below)

https://baiyu-quietmuse.blogspot.com/2008/02/gong-xi-fa-cai-here-comes-ratty.html

I have few rat collectibles and can only rustle  up 5 pieces but none as impressive as the 2008 piece.😑

The first is a black incense pot ( perhaps color wise not so appropriate  for CNY ) with  5 rats carved on it. Not sure what the symbolism of Rats on a Pot is but its pretty striking

Black bronze pot with 5 rat carvings

Next is a snuff bottle with rat etched on both sides borrowed from Heng.

Snuff bottle with rat drawing

Again the color is black. Seems black and white are the 2 colors for depicting rats. Below are 2 whitish grey small jade carvings of the tiny creature.

Crouching rat

One on the right has a touch of green in the jade

And last I managed to get this pink glass Micky Mouse to cheer up this post of Lunar New Year 2020 of the Rat

Is it Year of the Rat or Year of the Mouse?  🐭🐁🐀