My next investment

My next investment should be photography lessons, and possibly a new camera!
I have a hard time getting my jewelry to look half as good in the photos as they do in real life. And I can't ever get anything to look like it was just thrown on to the background. I know the beautiful photos I've seen elsewhere are a result of arranging and posing, but they look natural and effortless. I promise these necklaces are really cute, but you'll just have to take my word for it!

This is a Chinook focal I bought a little while ago. I made the nest with brown speckled e-beads. I put the same beads on large jumprings, to form a chain. I thought the beads would all be on the lower side of the chain, but actually, when I wear it, the chain twists, and they kinda spiral up my neck, which I like better!

Here's a closer shot of the lovely Chinook focal...


This is another Chinook focal. I ALWAYS get a compliment when I wear this necklace. It's an old key from my stash, czech glass leaves, and inexpensive (read: Chinese) lampwork swirly beads.



Take a closer look at that focal! I'm dying to buy more stuff from Chinook, but think I should use some of what I already have first!

My brick and mortar spot

I am not an "etsian", as of yet (well, I'm buying, but not selling). I just don't seem to have the time (nor internet access at home). But I am in 2 "Brick and Mortar" shops. One is in Hyannis Port, MA. I have not seen the shop yet. I hope to get there before the season closes. I do not have my own space there. I think my jewelry is mixed in with other artists, which is fine. If you find yourself walking down Main Street, look for "Menagerie on Main", across from the Kennedy Museum.

The other place I sell my jewelry is Orchard Artworks. It's an artist's cooperative, run by the artists, on a volunteer basis. I work once a month, and in exchange, I get to display and sell my designs there. It's a great little shop, nestled in an old farmhouse in Bryn Athyn, PA. The community of artists is a great mix of jewelry, ceramics, fiber, painting, glass, etc. I am always inspired when I walk in the door. I recently took some photos of my little spot. It's in a 12" deep window - one of the original outside windows.

This is the whole window...


This is a closer shot of the shelves...


and this is an old screen that I hang earrings on...


If you are ever in Bryn Athyn, PA, stop in and say hi!

I'm a winna!

I just won these fabulous pendants form Jeannie! The first winner never claimed them, so now I'm the winner! I love fabric and I love beads, so these are way up my alley!


Aren't these so pretty?!?!?

Jeannie's got another give away going, for some really pretty hand made paper beads. So, check it out!

What a give-away!!

Barbara Lewis is having a fabulous give away. You gotta check it out!

http://paintingwithfireartwear.blogspot.com/2011/05/bead-giveaway.html

I can't wait for her book to be available!!

Stringing Challenge

This is my first time entering Stringing's reader challenge. The theme is Poetry and Prose. I made this necklace from an old broken pin. It's iridescent white with a drawing of a person giving a bouquet to another person. It was made in Czechoslovakia, probably in the 1930's or 1940's (I think).
Here's the link. You need to be a member of the "Beading Daily" community, which just means you subscribe to the free emails. I don't know if it will accept votes if you are not a member, but I figure most bead bloggers are probably members. If you aren't, the emails are mostly fun to read, and sometimes give me new ideas.
Stringing Poetry & Prose challenge:
http://www.stringingmagazine.com/gallery/Poetry-and-Prose/

My design is #18, if you feel like voting for me.

Vintaj March challenge

I entered the Vintaj challenge this month. I have been slacking off about this lately, but I got my act together in time this month! (always a plus)

Anyway, here's the link: http://vintaj.com/wpblog/?p=10782
my necklace is design #1. Feel free to vote for #1!!



And, in case you do vote for #1, THANK YOU!!!!

More "junk"

I am slowly getting photos of the remaining necklaces I made from my Mom's girlhood treasures (junk).
This necklace is made from an overall hook. Can you see it under there, it's to keep the shoulder strap up. And also, a tiny lock & key that was in her box. I added the filigree and hammered ring, and some vintage crystal beads.

Such priceless treasures! (well, they are to me, now)

Recent Designs

I've been on a jewelry making frenzy....

This is a mother of pearl Lilly Pilly focal. I used Blue "quartz" and turquoise.



This is also Lilly Pilly (I LOVE Lilly Pilly). I used yellow turquoise and purple crystals.



This is a ceramic focal from Chinook. The photo turned out very dark - the ceramic piece is gorgeous in person! I used dark blue Czech glass and swirled green lampwork beads.



This is dyed Howlite (from Bead Gallery/ Michael's). I used little czech glass beads - so pretty!




And last but not least, this is a ceramic button from Mudalicious (I've been hoarding this one a little while!)I used some blue dyed coral, and dark blue czech glass beads.

OK, so, it's late February, and I'm just now getting around to using one of my Christmas gifts. I received a tabletop photo light booth from my Mom (she asked what I wanted). It's pretty cool. It folds up into it's own carrying case, and came with a tripod and 2 lights, and a couple different fabric backgrounds. I used a piece of fuzzy fabric I already had for these photos. I think I need more light. The photos look dark on my screen at work, but they looked fine on my screen at home, after I brightened them up a little, and cropped them, in Photoshop. If anyone has any tips for getting more light on the subject.... I know, natural light is preferred, but I work full time, and it's hard to get photos of things. There is only so much daylight...although, I've been enjoying the slightly longer days lately...sorry I drifted a little there. (I'm sooooo ready for Spring!!)

Anyway, these are some simple necklaces I finished recently. The green one is mother of pearl, sort of like a Lilly Pilly focal, but not quite as nice or detailed. The brown & orange one is Lilly Pilly. The crazy leaf shaped one is also mother of pearl, but printed on. I got it years ago at, I think, the first Beadfest I ever went to. I bought so many beads that day!!

One Girl's Treasures....

A little while ago, my Mother gave me her box of girlhood "treasures", to see if I could make jewelry out of any of it. I have been making "found object" jewelry, so I was excited to see what she had. It's funny, as we went through the dirty cigar box, piece by piece, she would tell me..."That was Aunt Ruby's" or "I found that on the farm". She sounded like she was reverting to her childhood, speaking like a little girl, in awe of her glamorous aunties, or recalling adventurous outings on the farm. It was a sweet, tender moment for me. They were still "treasures" in her eyes. I was honored that she gave these things to me.
I made some necklaces out of the fantastic buttons - Mom has those necklaces, so I still need to snap photos of them.

There was a cool yellow buckle. Here's what I did with it:


Here's a close up



After the buttons and buckles, I moved on to the little trinkets, keys, various oddities. I grouped all the items so I could make 3 necklaces: one for me, one for my sister Laura and one for my niece Isabelle (named after my Mom's mother - Isabel).

The first thing I fell in love with was the aluminum ID bracelet plaque. I hammered it flat (it was curved, for the wrist). I'm keeping this one!!


She doesn't remember who made it for her...she really did live on "Lucky Street".



This one is for my sister. The bakelite horseshoe is really cool. And, I punched a hole in Mom's Girl Scout pin (my mom was our girl scout leader and my sister was a brownie leader for a year, I think). The "pearl" is made of wood. My sister doesn't golf, but I liked the the golf bag in this grouping.


This one will be for my niece. She's a gifted athlete, excelling in soccer and volleyball. Really, she's good at what ever she tries. This necklace has a football, a basketball (with authentic green oxidation) and a scotty dog.



All the keys were from Mom's box. The only things I added were the hammered rings to hang them from and a couple jumprings and glass beads. Mom really enjoyed looking at the finished "charm necklaces".
Incidentally, in the dirty old cigar box, there was a beautiful (but dirty) sterling compact. I cleaned it up and gave it to Mom. Not all "junk" is necessarily worthless.

Ultra Fab Giveaway by Juls

The poor woman has lost her mind (what? again?) and you won't believe what she's giving away!

Hopefully you disregard this post, and do not leave a comment on her blog, thus increasing my personal chances of winning.

Take a look here, you'll see what I'm talking about!

and now for something festive...

I will admit that I saw this idea in Fire mountain gems (for the earrings), so I can't take credit for the basic idea.
Millefiori center bead with Czech glass flower cone beads on either end.




But why stop at earrings?!?!



I love my new "Hard Candy" necklace.

Color Palette Challenge blog hop is finally here!!

Just a refresher about the challenge…Erin Prais-Hintz put out the challenge to anyone who wanted to participate. We would pick a color, and then she would pick a palette with that color in it. She mailed color palettes to the participants a couple weeks ago. We then were to make a necklace using one or all of the colors in the palette. Sounds simply enough.

The color I chose was “green”.
Here is my palette:



A grey/ tan color with no name, “Claywork”, “Forest Tapestry” and “Clever Clover”. (that Forest Tapestry is a dark green - kinda looks like black on my screen)

So, I pulled out all kinds of beads from my stash that were in the palette. I happened to have some pretty things from Mudalicious that I bought a year or so ago (yes, it was my plan to hoard them forever!!).

I made 2 necklaces. Here we go!

#1 – “Clever Clay”


The focal is a ceramic key (from Mudalicious) in an orangey clay color. I used some faceted Citrine rounds, carved Smokey Quartz leaves, faceted Red Jasper rondels, swirled green lampwork rounds, light green Freshwater Pearls and a Vintaj Fastenable, bead caps, jumprings and chain. Every color from the palette is here. The smokey leaves are very light, and look like the grey/tan swatch. The swirly green beads have dark and light green in them. I really like this necklace, and I plan to keep it. (so I can continue to hoard that ceramic key)

And a close up of the fabulous ceramic key!





#2 – “Clay Work”


The focal is a ceramic button, also from Mudalicious, and a Vintaj Fastenable. The ceramic button is tan/ beige, with little areas of orange. The other beads are not exotic. I picked up the carved bone flower and the orange-brown ceramic beads at Michael’s. And the pretty faceted dark green Czech glass beads are from Beadfest (sorry, don’t remember vendor). The beadcaps are from Vintaj. The chain is antique copper, and is from AC Moore or Michael’s. I got it on sale, and don’t recall exactly where it came from. I really like this necklace too. I might sell it, or give it as a gift.

A little closer look...

And a close up of the button – really cool!



OK, so here are links to all the other participants! ENJOY!! And be sure to leave a comment!!

• Alice Peterson
• Amy Freeland
• Beth McCord
• Brandi Hussey
• Cary Scholes
• Catherine Pruitt
• Cindy Wimmer
• Claire Maunsell
• Cory Tompkins
• Courtney Breul
• Cristi Clothier
• Cynthia Riggs
• Emanda Johnson
• Holly Westfall
• Janea McDonald
• Jeannie Dukic
• Jennifer Cameron
• Judy Campbell
• Karyn White
• Keirsten Giles
• Kelly Morgan
• Kristie Roeder
• Kristin Stevens
• Lisa Godfrey
• Lisa Tracy
• Lori Anderson
• Mallory Hoffman
• Marie Voyer-Cramp
• Mary McGraw
• Nicole Keller
• Nicole Valentine
• Paige Maxim
• Patty Gasparino
• Rebecca Anderson
• Renate Stark-Krammer
• Rita Parra
• Shannon Chomanczuk
• Sheila Summers
• Stefanie Teufel
• Yelisa Rojas

Color Palette Challenge Update

Well, I just received an email from Erin Prais-Hintz (ok, all the blog hop participants did, not just me). I’m so excited about this challenge. I can not wait to post my photos on Friday!!

So, looking at the list of chances to win a random prize, I think I actually qualify for all the chances:
-Creating something!
-Using all the colors in my palette
-Naming the piece(s) with the paint color names
-Participating in the blog hop on Friday
-Using an art bead
-And, please, everyone, come back on Friday to see all the entries!!

Here’s my palette I received in the mail -


You’ll have to come back here on Friday to see my creation(s)!!
I'll also have a list of links to the other blogs, to make it easy to check out everyone else's creations!

One more cross, and then I'll move on

OK, I know, you're tired of seeing these crosses - or are you??? I can't look at them enough. I want to get a magnifying glass so I can see them MORE. I'm totally smitten.

Anyway, this one was the "odd" cross. The first 2 are specifically to be gifts for my Mom and a girlfriend. But this one is foot loose and fancy free. Of course, I forgot to snap a shot of the other side of the cross, but the turquoise beads match the back side perfectly. And the little purple rounds are some stone, but I didn't write it down, so I have no idea. But they matched really well to the dots on the front of the cross. The little blue glass beads I bought at Joann's, probably 3 years ago.




And the close up...how beautiful is this cross?

Another gorgeous cross!!

Here's is another beautiful cross (by Juls)



A slightly closer look...


Look at this cross!!!

izze necklace

My niece, Isabelle, liked the bottle caps beads made with the Izze bottle caps, since it's her nickname.
So, I got 2 of them and I made this necklace to give her for Christmas.

I hope she likes it!!

I know, right?

This cross is so FAB-U-LOUS. Made by Juli Cannon, purchased by me.
For the necklace, I used Czech glass beads and Vintaj brass. It's going to be a gift for my Mom, so I made it symmetrical (She's an old-fashioned lady).

Here's a close up of the cross!

Vintaj Challenge

I entered the Vintaj "Wandering Journey" challenge this month. My design is number 7.

Here's the link, if you have the inclination to vote:
http://vintaj.com/wpblog/?p=8968

There are only 7 entries this time around, so maybe I could actually win!!

Erin's Color Challenge

My color swatches arrived in the mail the other day. Erin very cleverly affixed a label to one side, and mailed it like a postcard - clever girl!!
I love my palette. I immediately went to my stash and started pulling out stuff to use. Problem is, I found too many beads to use. If I were to use all of them, it would be a colossal mess. I put together about 3 focals. I actually made one necklace that might be a keeper. Of course, we are waiting until Dec 3 to reveal. I will make a few more pieces, and see how they turn out.
Thanks for the inspiration Erin!!