One Finished UFO and the last of my babies has Graduated HS

I mentioned earlier one of my very first on the desk postings included a UFO of an embroidered piece. A recent Art Jewelry Elements blog posting issued a challenge - FINISH A UFO! oooh game on!! So I choose that embroidered piece to finish. I had planned on it anyway so it was serendipitous timing lol

I've had this design in my head since the moment I saw the beads Kateri (and most awesome nephew) had offered up for the months drawing. But once I had the beads in my hands, they were soooo pretty, I was immediately intimidated. I had to do them justice, but could I? Then I won the beads from John (I was on a roll) , the gold stone daggers were perfect for the design :) but I was still not quite there. So I bought some turquoise and some bronze delicas ......I was almost there I could feel it.
I've been playing with stamped filigree lately and it hit me as I was cleaning off my desk THAT was the missing ingredient to the design in my minds eye. And Finally it all came together.

My Copper Sunrise
Mt first embroidered piece. Gold stone, red tigers eye, turquoise, wood and seeds, stamped brass and acrylic leaves. Twisted Copper wire borders the embroidery and plain solid copper wire makes up the chain and connectors. The earrings sport forged copper paddles, turquoise and also feature leather.









I'll be wearing them tonight (Friday night) at my son's graduation. I'm prescheduling this post so I don't forget :) Busy couple of days coming up!! I'm so very proud of him, that sweet little boy who hid behind my legs has grown to become such a fine young man.

I'm going before I make myself cry :) Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting...
We'll see you next time!

My Bead Soup Favs

Since Lori added the contest feature to the blog party, and since the winners "should" be announced by the time this posts (Yes I prescheduled this one lol). I thought it might be fun to compare my favorites to the judges favorites. There were several other pieces I loved, but they didn't seem to make it into the contest portion.

In no particular order .... Here are my picks:

http://pinterest.com/pin/96827460710926780
Pinterest apparently doesn't allow embedding pics anymore {phooey!} It was so easy to pin and keep all the info with the pic. The above pin is the floral goodness of Kumi of Malie Kai Designs - her blog:
http://maliekaidesigns.blogspot.com/2013/03/bead-soup-7-reveal.html

http://pinterest.com/pin/96827460710927973
This Mood Bracelet by Donna Millard Jewelry

http://pinterest.com/pin/96827460710961444/
Jean Yates Heartlands Necklace, Jean's blog:
http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/03/reveal-for-bsbp-7-part-one-in-which-i.html

http://pinterest.com/pin/96827460710973724/
Sweet charm bracelet by Lola of Bead Lola Bead, her blog:
http://beadlolabead.blogspot.com/2013/03/7th-bead-soup-blog-party-1st-reveal.html

http://pinterest.com/pin/96827460711014789/
Another charm bracelet,this one by Audrey of Toki No Hourousha, her blog:
http://esperianterra.blogspot.ca/2013/04/bead-soup-blog-party-6-reveal-2-reveal.html

http://pinterest.com/pin/96827460711015836/
A sweet necklace by Michaela

http://pinterest.com/pin/96827460711129050
This sweet embroidered piece - I LOVE - from June

I obviously have a very romantique style lol Lots of hearts and flowers in this group! But, hang on! There is one more favorite.........

http://pinterest.com/pin/96827460711144334/
A touch of industrialism! Go figure, but I like it! Necklace by Elsie of ladelizchica.blogspot.com.

There you have it! Can't wait to see the judges picks, cross your fingers, eyes, toes, etc one of MINE also makes their list :D

Thanks for stopping by and having a little fun with me!
See ya next time!

Blast from the Past

I'll have to come back and edit this post to add a pic later. Last day of finals so another short post from me again today.

Currently on the Desk:
*Forged hoops - oops! I misdrilled the hole on one earring for the latch so I need to recut the ends, forge, file, and drill again.
*Ribbon choker and simple pendant awaiting a rolled hem to finish. Probably won't take five minutes if I just pick up the needle lol
*A beadwoven necklace with a gorgeous lampworked focal first couple of inches have been started and it is going to be a pretty one! Day to day life has slowed me down on this one, these tiny beads need a clear head and I have had a head ache for several days now, hoping the cause goes away and soon!
*A bead embroidered set - gorgeous gorgeous colors in these stones! Beads are laid out and waiting for that first stitch! Seems like I've been planning this one for ages, but it's more about me trying to live up to the beauty of these stones and do them justice. I want all the details to be just right - I'm starting to think I may just have to dive in........

Remember this post from way back in 2011. It's when I created the first On The Desk post. I've finished all those projects (yay me!) except two. The one in the photo shown in the original post - it's still sitting on the bead tray, and the bead embroidery piece. This last weeks cleaning spurt prompted a let's get a UFO (UnFinished Object) done mood and six and a half hours later the bead embroidery piece is looking pretty darn good. I'm going to work up some chain while I decide whether it needs any more beading added to it before I begin cutting away the extra backing. I am very happy with it so far.

I never told the kiddo what my inspiration was for this piece, but my Art Major daughter nailed it! I asked how she liked it and what she thought of it. The kiddo immediately rambled off the exact inspiration I had used and the feel I was going for with the piece. It brought a tear to my eye, so happy I was able to convey what I wanted and so proud of her for being able to define the period and styles so easily.

With things getting cleaned up and UFO's getting finished up it feels like May is on the verge of being a very productive month around here! Maybe I'll even tackle finishing up the laundry room and the weight room {grin}

Thanks for stoppin' by!
We'll see you next time!

Spring Cleaning

The weather has been beautiful lately causing a small "I need to do some spring cleaning" urge. Being as it was so nice, I thought I might do a little weeding but it hit 80 a little faster than I thought it would and ended up mulching what I weeded the other day instead. I shred old catalogs, junk mail etc and use it as a weed mat, when I ran out I headed into the studio and started shredding the stack of last years and older catalogs. Once I had a full bag ready to go I wasn't quite ready to stop the cleaning up effort and well - I mentioned a couple weeks ago I had decided I needed to reorganize my stash, that's just what I did! It feels so much cleaner in there and I can actually find my beads again! Want to hear something funny? Had I cleaned when I said I decided to, I wouldn't have needed to buy any seeds for the corsage!! lol I already had the colors, but my seeds were in three different spots and I couldn't see what colors I already had. Oh well, I have a very nice range of soft pinks now!

Quickie post today, those finals are stressing Paige and I don't want to add to it by monopolizing her computer for too long.
Thanks for stopping by!
See ya next time!

PS the roses are starting to bloom!! Paige and Elena picked a small spring bouquet of wild Verbena from the side of the driveway too and it smells heavenly! Take time to smell a spring bouquet yourself, doesn't matter if it comes from the garden, drive way or florist. Flowers can always brighten up your day.

It's Finals Week Next Week....

Sooo I have very limited time on Paige's computer until finals are over and done with. Term papers! On the bright side, the job we've been waiting on to get started has FINALLY started!!! Yay! Hopefully this means I'll be getting my new computer sooner rather than later!

As prom was this last weekend I thought you might like to see the finished corsage.





Don't they look good together?

Unfortunately he was exhausted, getting very little sleep the night before and ducked out on after prom JUST BEFORE they called his name to win an iPad! awww, and he could use a new computer too. Such is the way.

The school year is winding down, finals and award ceremonies are gearing up, Graduation for my baby is in just a couple weeks. Time to buy stock in Kleenex people! I was plenty teary eyed when he got his drivers license! lol

Thanks so much for stopping by! I have gorgeous Iris' in bloom in the garden today. Here's to an equal amount of beauty in your life today as well.
See ya next time!

Quickie Update = Boutonniere

Still working on corsage and boutonniere, just popping my head up long enough to show an in progress pic of the boutonniere. It still needs a pin, debating on which way to pin it :)

Corsage is coming along nicely. The beaded rose still needs a couple more petals and then I think we're ready for assembly. Debating on making it a wristlet......two nights and two days to go.



Well, I'd better get back to work!
See ya next time! Thanks so much for stopping by!

It's Prom Time Once Again

and it's our last one to boot. My baby is a Senior in High School this year. He would like the corsage to be special.

Roses to match her dress.

She would like his boutonniere to match her corsage.

So I get to make both this year. The original idea was to bead Roses in the same way I did the Stargazer for his date several years ago. While I think that will be beautiful for her, it might be just the tiniest bit feminine for him, even with the woven copper edging. What to do?

What most of you don't know is way back in December I decided I would write a tutorial for you, my blog readers. Then I was asked to write a tutorial for a magazine. I was so excited I of course said yes! and promptly gave them the one I had planned for the blog. It still hasn't published - but, if I scaled it up just a bit it would be perfect for a boutonniere..... and that is what I did!



Now we have a rose delicate enough for her and masculine enough for him! Her corsage will feature the beaded rose with woven edging and have smaller copper buds. His will feature a copper rose and beaded babies breath to match hers. Problem solved!

Now, the big dilemma. I haven't mastered a pretty seam when it comes to soldering yet. Do I chance a messy weld on the stem? I could hide any blotchiness with a ribbon, or by plating. But do I want to? I have time to think on that one a bit. I have a beaded rose to finish, babies breath to make up, and some ribboning to do still while I wait on some gorgeous Bead Caps from Fusion Beads to show up, I thought they looked just right for the base of the rose! Which is another option for hiding any messiness, hmmm

In case you were wondering.... Alex's rose is one inch in diameter, one and three quarter tall, and is made of one single piece of copper. Jade's rose is one inch and made of three pieces. The leaves vary in size with the longest being two inches.

While I'm beading and pondering my garden is waking up. I take my leave while giving you a pic of a real flower....



Thanks for stopping by!
See ya next time!