Unrelated things

Unrelated stuff, just things I've made lately...in no particular order.

 First up, I got some Earthenwood hearts that were "overstock". They are crackled, with spotty green glaze.

Next are some earrings. These are made with my enameled beads. I think this is my favorite filigree bead to enamel. Dangling below are Czech glass flower beads, with filigree brass bead caps and small filigree copper rond beads.

These are the same bead as above, but in a slightly different color (more yellow, less pink). Hanging below on some jumpring chain are small Czech glass flower beads with bali-style copper daisy spacers and tiny copper rounds. Very swingy!

That's it for now. I hope you all enjoy your weekend, where ever you are. Here in Philly, we're hoping the rain will stop before Monday! Enjoy!

Scorched Earth goodies

This post is long over due. I bought some really cool drops back in July from Scorched Earth on etsy. When I was shopping, I had in mind to make earrings, since the drops are sold in pairs. I went a little hog wild, and bought way more than I needed - I mean really, how many pairs of earrings do I need to make. While each drop is OOAK due to the nature of handmade things, they are also quite similar, and every earring would look like the next, just a different (but fabulous) color. Included in my package were some "gifts". I love getting gifts, and I really loved these. Among the gifts were the spike drops in different colors, with stripes. I had not picked them, but I loved them. Going through the package, unwrapping each piece, they were in a pile on the the table. That's when it occured to me that  they would all make a fabulous necklace. So, I made 2 pair of earrings (but did not take photos of them) and a fabulous necklace. Everytime I wear it, I get compliments. I seems to go with everything in my closet. When worn, the drops are "crowded" and overlap a bit.

The photography on etsy is much better than mine - the colors are so gorgeous in person!

I'm ordering more, to make some Christmas gifts!

5 day self imposed challenge

I'm still talking about my bead society (Bucks County Bead Society), and last month's meeting. We had show and tell and I brought what I had made that week.....related background story.....

At my full-time job, we had been "asked" to rotate working 11am to 7pm once every 10 weeks or so. The week of the last bead society meeting was the week I was working the "late shift".

On Monday, I thought I'd see if the couple extra hours I had in the morning were enough time to make jewelry. I had a strand of grey top drilled pearls I wanted to use (I bought them at Beadfest for my sister, but she didn't like them, and I already have about 5 gallons of pearls, so I didn't want to add them to my stash). Anyway. I made this necklace. Grey pearls with copper bali daisy spacers. The added bonus is that I used a Green Girl Studios pendant that I have been hoarding for probably 10 years!! So, I was very pleased with myself.

On Tuesday morning, I had some left-over ideas in my head. There were more pearls that I wanted to use (and not add to the already ridiculous pearl stash). So, I went to the bead room, to do another design. I used tiny copper round spacer beads from Panda Hall between the pearls. The added bonus here is that I used a beautiful lampwork bead (by Jennifer Cameron) I just bought at Beadfest, and did not add it to my humongous stash of lampwork beads!! (my stash is really getting too big - and that's something I never thought I'd ever say!)

  

 

 

On Wednesday morning, with more left-over ideas in my head, I had now set a goal to make something every day that week! As I was making Tuesday's necklace, I noticed that the strand of pearls looked good with the lampwork bead, but they also looked good with my enameled flower pendant. What to do?!? I used half of the strand for each necklace, and added chain at the back for the needed length. This pendant is one of my enameled flowers layered with a Vintaj filigree flower.

 

 

This is where I need to talk about the bead society again. For my show and tell that Wed night, I took my 3 necklaces I had made that week and told my story (same as above). I think I actually heard clapping! They cheered me! They were so supportive of my little goal that week. This, compared to my husband, who I did not even tell. Because, I know if I told him I made jewelry every morning that week, he would have asked if I did anything else, like clean something, wash something, etc. He just doesn't "get it", but the bead society members do!

On Thursday, I used another strand of pearls from Beadfest. While rummaging through things earlier in the week, I ran across some antique copper discs with different leaf designs. I most likely got them on clearance at Michaels or AC Moore. I bought 2 packages of 3, thinking they'd make cute earrings, and they would have, but they are way too heavy. So, I made a pendant. I forgot to snap a photo of the back of the pendant, but I used 2 discs, so there's a cute leaf design on the back of the pendant too. I had the mother of pearl leaves, from Fire Mountain, on hand.

 

On Friday, I decided to make a necklace with one of the wire wrapped pendants I made at the bead society meeting. I really liked the red in this cabachon, so I went with it. I bought the tiny picasso Czech cut beads at Beadfest a couple years ago from Grain of Sand. They were sold by the hank, with mixed colors on every strand. So I picked a strand with plenty of red beads. And I sprinkled in some random Czech beads that were laying around, to add texture. I also added a length of chain, to give it a slightly heavier look.

 

 Believe it or not, I had time to make a second necklace that morning! I used another wire wrapped cab from the bead society meeting. It's black with raku. I liked how it looked with the Czech glass I found in my stash - black with green picasso finish.

 

 

To wrap up this post, my additional pleasure that week was, after making jewelry for a couple hours, I came downstairs, took my shower, and got dressed for work, picking out clothes to wear with my new necklace I made that morning!