July's Birthstone = Ruby

Here's hoping those of you in the US enjoyed your long weekend this past week! This month's birthstone is RUBY! My middle child's birthstone, I love red it's an exciting color, her not so much lol Then again Peridot is mine and I rather like Ruby - grass is always greener isn't it? or redder as the case may be.

The glowing Ruby shall adorn,

Those who in July are born;

Then they'll be exempt and free

From love's doubts and anxiety.

Turquoise and Onyx were the recognized birthstones up until 1912 when it became the Ruby.

I did not know that! I just assumed it had always been Ruby. The kiddo might  be on to something there.

I have a Ruby in Zoisite artisan cut cab, but we're waiting for my Muse to whisper it's inspiration to me for its design. Pretty little stone with it's greens and reds.

In the meantime a Ruby Red treasury for you to enjoy.

Ruby Reds on Etsy

Brass Filigree Ring w/ Ruby Red Heart

Drops of Red

January = Garnet

February = Amethyst

March = Aquamarine

April = Diamond

May = Emerald

June = Pearl

July = Ruby

August = Peridot

September = Sapphire

October = Opal

November = Topaz

December = Turquoise

Thanks for Stoppin' by!

We'll see ya next time!

Bead Soup Blog Party #8 Reveal Beckoning Bohemian

Welcome to Bead Soup Blog Party number 8. The reveal date has finally rolled around and I am excited to show you all that I have made. This is my fourth time participating in the party and I have found it every bit as inspiring as the first, second and third times. This year my partner is Dana James, I wrote a quick blog post introducing her to you here.

She sent these wonderful soup ingredients that just called Bohemian to me, and when I say called I don’t mean whispered. My muse was very clear this was the direction we were taking, and then she went into creative overdrive…………

Together we made armloads of bracelets.

I had never played with memory wire, can you believe it? The stuff has been around for nearly as long as I have been playing with beads and I have never even touched the stuff. Not even once. I had in my mind’s eye stackers. armloads of pretty. I started with the teals, inspired by those gorgeous blues in the lampworked beads. Added those sweet sweet floral head pins and Hey, as long as we’re making stackers, let’s play! I grabbed up many feet of aluminum electrical ground wire riveting the ends together and wrapping the resulting o’s with yards of colorful threads and pearls, adding beads and bells for loads of super lightweight, super colorful, super happy bangles. Super right? We were going to town making these fun little things and it dawned on me, I hadn’t touched a single soup bead since bracelet number one - gasp! Never fear my dear, these are meant for stacking together!!

Returning to the memory wire this time I worked in earth tones picking up the subtler colors in those gorgeous lamp worked beads.

Ready to get in some metal work I made up some textured copper strips and wrapped up some leather fully intending to use one of the clasps Dana had sent. But when I was ready for it, the clasp just didn’t seem to work, sigh. Not one to argue with my muse I finished the clasp using a piece of the leftover copper and textured it so that it matched beautifully. 

I remembered I had this great little bracelet wire from the Bead n Button design challenge that I hadn’t gotten around to using and what better way to showcase one of those lamps than that? I added a stamped filigree, a little flower with crystal center, and a Czech picasso leaf. Just sweet!

Then I made some connectors and played with those cool little copper bars and beads Dana sent. They looked really good with the larger lampworked beads and bracelet number 14 was born. This time I did use one of the clasps Dana sent :)

I had sketched up a design for the focal and ordered the bits I needed from B’Sues. I finished out the detailing while waiting in the lobby at the Drs office while the hubs was getting his eyes dilated. I had planned on etching the mehndi style designs but all I managed to do was discolor the metal ;/ hmmm

While I contemplated discolored metal I formed and forged some frames then wrapped up a couple pair of earrings. I LOVE these earrings. The first pair have Cognac hydro quartz and matching crystals from the soup stash and the second feature those sweet peach pearls Dana sent.

Back to work on the focal I decided I would engrave it instead. Using a dremel and very slow speeds I did something I thought I could not do, I engraved a straight line. Seriously, I once answered a question about engraving with a no you can’t use a dremel, you need special tools……. ahem I stand corrected. ( I think I might really want those special tools now though - engraving is kinda fun!! )

So I engraved not just front but back. Riveted vintage opals and wired the brass lace into place. I added hand made flowers again with crystal centers and a short length of crystal beaded chain.

At this point I thought I was done. I had very little soup left, bullet casings, crystal points, a clasp, pearls and crystals. I so wanted to make one of those cool bullet casing points but the points are 1 mm too big ONE. The hubs says you just need to stretch the casing. LOL That’s all….. the muse leans over and says I have an idea…..

….. and a dragon was born. The focal piece was my favorite up until this point. Pun not intended! I wrapped the point in a strip of engraved brass, followed by a woven strip reaching up behind into wings. At least it did. I didn’t like the way the one wing was sitting. I thought it was too low. I’m using brass, brass is a fairly hard metal and is brittle when work hardened. I gave a slight bend to the wire, and snap! off came the wing. I had to take the whole thing apart and rework the game plan. This is one of those times when uh oh is truly to your advantage. I made a second pair of wings and sawed a new head added vining swirls to the end of the bale to make the back as interesting as the front and wow! Even my son loves this guy. And look….. the second clasp found its way in too!

At the time of this writing I still have several days until reveal……… I wouldn’t be surprised if another little something found its way into this post as my muse doesn’t think we’re quite finished yet :D

As I was saying with the delay I had several extra days to play! And play I did, I finished up two UFO's you can see that post here (fortunate I did too, as I needed a blog post lol)  AND look at that! Two more pair of earrings found their way into the blog party!

First pair is a simple forged pair of brass hoops wrapped with a peach pearl and the second woven and vined brass and copper with smokey quartz and crystal.

I still have quite a few ideas swimming, seriously inspiring this round, BUT it's only a few hours away until reveal. Yesterday was the hubs birthday and Mother's Day is this weekend. I think I'll play with my muse again in a couple days, right now I think I'll spend some quality time with my family and start hopping bright and early - or after I've had a couple sips of coffee  and can form coherent sentences!  :)

We have close to 500 participants again this year… wow! Make sure to visit Dana’s blog  to see what she made with the goodies I sent her (that’s where I’m headed first!! ) then head back to Lori’s blog Pretty Things    to catch the rest of the hop!

And if you'd like to peek at my past soups you can always visit these pages

Bead Soup 5
Bead Soup 6 
Bead Soup 7

Thanks for stoppin by!

We’ll see ya next time!

The Countdown has Begun

This has been another fun soup. I've been turning out 4-5 pieces a week and the ideas just keep coming. The Bead Soup Blog Party is this weekend and I haven't run out of ideas yet - running low on soup, yes, but the ideas keep coming anyway! I think I'm somewhere around 20 pieces made and right this minute I have 3-4 ideas swimming and jostling for attention still. My desk is a mess, beads and wire and tools everywhere, I'm running out of room to work and I can't seem to stop.

But I have to stop. I have to stop long enough to get some pictures taken, long enough to write up a blog post and long enough to schedule it for this weekend. Then if I'm really smart I'll price and draft listings. I usually keep a piece or two for myself and this time I really like everything I made and would be more than happy to keep it all so deciding which I'm willing to let go of will be hard.

I should get going. You know how many pics you have to take in order to get one great shot, I have 20 needing one great shot lol I thought I was going to use my daughter as a model but as it turns out, it's finals week and it's been stormy outside so the photo shoot I had planned is not happening at least it's not likely to happen in time for the hop. Maybe one more cup of coffee first...... maybe the clouds will part just enough.....maybe I can sneak one more piece in...... gotta run!

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

Bead Soup #8 Meet my Partner Dana James

Dana - Celtic Goddess of
Manifestation Magic, Artistry, and Abundance

Bead Soup #8 - The Soup of Danas

Isn't that fun! I started my Hiya Partner e-mail off with Hi Dana! This is Dana!! We both work primarily with wire and beads though our styles differ somewhat, she does a lot more traditional wrapping where I play more with weaving and tiny filigree pieces.

I have taught my kids to bend wire and she teaches at ShipWreck beads. I'm a little envious there. Living in the middle of nowhere means my local bead store is Wal Mart or Hobby Lobby, so basically I shop online lol She not only gets to fondle beads in person but gets to fondle beads with others....who actually GET what I just said!! Fondling beads is no small thing!

Things don't stop there either. I just came home from California and she's headed there as I type this.

Neither of us seems to have an aversion to colors or beads so her soup will most likely be what seems to strike my fancy as I pull it together. I had been playing with soup ideas when My Grandma passed and all my beady stuff is exactly where I left it at that time so not too hard to see where I was going in terms of playtime. I have a few more ideas and only a week to solidify them so I need to get back to it pretty quickly. Having access to beady goodness like ShipWreck makes it a challenge of a sorts but I'm up for it!

Why not stop by Dana's blog and take a peek into her bead and wire goodness from last years Blog Party?! I'm sure she'd love to see you there!

Til Next time!
Thanks for stopping' by!

Socializing Social Media?

What’s on the Desk! My desk has been pretty empty lately between cleaning, assessing goals for the year, and miscellaneous end of year office duties, my Muse has sat patiently waiting for me to quiet and listen.

As most of you know I taught my son Alex how to weave a cross. He was in the process of weaving one and decided he just didn’t like it. I tried to convince him it was a very nice cross but he wasn’t having any of it. So I took it and attached it to a filigree and hung that from a choker I’ve had sitting here that I wasn’t thrilled with. Shhh No I don’t know where he gets it from!! Wait, it’s his father, yup that’s it he gets it from his father! Believe me? Stop laughing! HE is just as bad as I am! Poor kid, between the two of us he didn’t have a chance!

Getting back to the choker, I just adore the copper bale, found a pin on Pinterest and knew it would be perfect for this piece, I whipped one up right away and was not disappointed. While this isn’t a first collaboration for Alex and myself, it is the first one we'll be selling. It’ll be heading to the shop sometime later this week. Along with another piece that I’ll be telling you about next week - the first of my 25 sketches!

As I mentioned and you’ve been reading, I’ve been assessing my goals for the coming year. After looking really closely at my posting habits I haven’t been very sociable as Wind Dancer. I’ve been posting in groups and such but as myself not Wind Dancer….sigh

socialize verb

interact, converse, be sociable, mix, mingle, get together, meet, fraternize, consort; entertain, go out; informal hobnob.

ooooh hobnobbery! I like that!

One of my New Years resolutions/goals was to start using my social media in a more consistent and well, social way. I used to spend a lot of time posting to Twitter, Facebook, here and boy I could hang out on Pinterest! But then I discovered I could feed the blog into Facebook, and feed Facebook into Twitter, and Twitter into Linked in. Whoa what a time saver! But far less social and all duplicate posts, and it dawned on me I really wasn’t posting much about what I was doing as Wind Dancer anymore and I sure wasn’t being social. Oh sure my weekly posts here on the blog are pretty much uninterrupted but Wind Dancers Facebook page and Twitter have gotten quite dusty.

Rebel Mouse does a wonderful job of compiling what I’ve been doing out and about on the interwebs but I still haven’t quite learned how to use it to my advantage yet. I know it all feeds into my Mouse and I can post from it too. I’m thinking maybe what I need to do is unlink all the feeds and use the Mouse as command central to post to all my media so my posts aren’t identical anymore an SEO no no and I can hopefully become more social again. I considered Hoot Suite for this reason but the idea felt slightly off.

Next up on my list then is a regular media schedule, I already post to the blog on Tuesdays and was considering Treasury Thursdays. I still need the rest of the week filled out …….. photography Fridays? photos for the blog, Facebook and listings. Does Twitter still do Follow Fridays? Master Monday….mastery…. Map it out Mondays …mapping out the week, blog theme, what I’m working on , need pics of etc etc. Ok now I’ve got Map it Monday, Blog (talk lol) Tuesday, Treasured Thursday and Photography Friday. That leaves Wednesday…… Wow Wednseday? hmmm whatever wows me? Sharing something someone else has done that wows me? A color scheme, a photo just whatever wows me. I like that!

My media schedule - sounds too official doesn’t it?! ahem
My Schedule of Hobnobbery is as follows:

Map it Monday
Talk Tuesday
Wow Wednesday
Treasured Thursday
Photography Friday

I like that, it gives me prompts of a sort of topics to post on and a routine to follow so that you my awesome followers know you can peek in on any given day to see whats new on that topic. That way it doesn’t really matter if Monday provides a theme for the week to follow or if I’m being completely eclectic. Mondays will always provide a what to expect, Tuesdays will always have a blog post to read, Wednesdays will always have a little eye candy etc etc. It also allows me to post in whatever media I choose AND be social. Did you notice? I gave myself the weekends off. That allows me time to just be me, with the family or online. Or even get a little ahead from time to time.

It may take me a little to get the whole thing pulled together. New habits and all but I’m optimistic and off to a good start I think.

Thanks for stopping by! Feel free to share your social media routines here too. Maybe together we can make it less trudge and more fun! I seem to recall a time in my life where social actually meant FUN not work and I’m sure you do too.

It's finally my turn!

I truly am blessed, my circle is a wonderful one. My family is loving and supportive, everything I could ask for, and so many of my friends are of the talented variety. Many of whom have been published in magazines and books and I just couldn't be prouder! A couple years ago I made the decision (actually resolved to - yup it was a resolution) to put myself out there as well, I started blogging, actually joined a blog hop and started sharing the jewelry I was making. When I was in my 20's this would have been a natural extension of who I am. But as I've gotten older I seem to have coccooned myself up here on my hill. It's safe, warm and comfy - it is my comfort zone and I like it here. I had almost forgotten how to put myself out there and it was scary but I finally did it.

While I had resolved to put myself out there it was my friend Jean Yates that got the ball rolling. I really didn't have a clue as to what to do, but she encouraged me and had me contact a few people. Resulting in some of the nicest rejection letters I could ever receive! Your work is beautiful, just not what we have in mind, please keep submitting we'd love to see more.

Finally I got the are you still interested e-mail and I definitely was! A Designer Challenge from Bead & Button. We were all given the same wonderful beads from A Grain of Sand ( I have actually been drooling over their website for some time now )and were asked to create something using the beads we were given. I LOVE this type of challenge and knew it was going to be so much fun! Psst! the issue is available on the newsstands now!

Once I received the beads, I got to work designing several pieces. I had came across the term parure and knew immediately that was what I wanted to create. A suite of pieces designed to be worn together or separately as the mood strikes.

I created a pair of earrings that matched the tassel on the main piece. A multi strand brass, crystal, and pearl necklace. A single strand of small pearls on brass. And of course the main piece with that gorgeous Mabe pearl and embellished RAW. The focal was my interpretation of an Art Deco piece I found while researching. I also made a multi strand bracelet featuring Vintaj filigree as the connectors/clasp. I love this set!

Close up of the connectors I made for the multi strand that was chosen for the magazine.

So there you have it! My first!! published piece. It's been several months since I was first contacted and I have to say I am still just as thrilled as I was the day I got the e-mail. I think I may have to keep putting myself out there, I had forgotten how fun it can be!

Thanks for taking a peek!
We'll see ya next time!

The Here and Now…. or Looking Back and Planning Forward

The end of the year is fast approaching. I’ve been assessing my goals and where I stand, I’ve met or have nearly met most of them - yay me! So it’s time to create a new plan for the new year, building on where I am now and in keeping with where I want to go.



During the Bead Hoarders Blog Hop, Perri mentioned idea hoarding, and I had to admit I had been hoarding quite a few ideas. Mine mine mine, my precious….. all mine! Maybe not quite that bad, but it was getting there. So first things first! I’m going to sift through my sketches and pull 25 of them into the light. Originally I thought 52, a sort of on the fly homage to YOJ but, I do like to participate in a hop or two and that might tend to over load my plate. 25 on the other hand gives me plenty to work with and leaves me time to play, learn new techniques, and participate in hops, so that’s my number and I’m sticking with it!

I’ve noticed I have not been as active with Wind Dancers FB page as I would like to be or even as much as I used to be. As an added bonus the 25 sketches gives me a way to engage, to show my processes and start sharing again. I’ve also been looking into Rebel Mouse, if what I’m reading is right, it can act as the front page for the blog here and feed into FB the way this blog used to. What’s cool is it gives me back the ability to share the pins I find that are relevant to my blog posts. I really really liked that and I miss being able to share them. Annnnd it turns all that I spend way too much time on (place your fav soc. media site here) into actual productive time again. That kind of jazzes me, must be the Virgo coming out! Organization AND Productivity WHOOT!

Expect to see (hopefully) some finished UFO’s over the next few weeks I have a couple I’d like to get finished up by years end (knocks on wood!) and of course the home made Christmas features, only SIX weeks left!! Yikes, I haven't even decided yet what I’ll be making for gifts this year! ….. sigh I feel so behind …. Then we can get started on the new years postings!

Thanks so much for stopping by!
We’ll see you next time!

What's on the Desk...

I could have sworn I posted last week, but I don't see the post I could swear I posted. Then again I had an entire post worked out in my head on Monday and thought I had written it to post on Tuesday but nope to that too. sighs

Turns out the broken tooth is a dead tooth and needs to come out, next week in fact. But I get a brand new one in it's place. Looks like I'll be pretty loopy for a day or two so if my post is a little incoherent please accept my apologies in advance!!

Erins most awesome little bead is still on walk about, sooo we've postponed our reveal date. On the bright side, Paige and I have decided on the design for it once it does arrive. I'm really looking forward to working on that with her this weekend.

What I have been working on the past week or so is my Design Challenge piece for Bead and Button. ooh I had so much going on last month I don't know if I actually said anything here. I - are you ready? - was chosen - I'm so excited!! - to be one of the designers to participate in Bead and Buttons Design Challenge!! I've been giddy ever since! I received the most wonderful assortment of beautiful little baubles from A Grain of Sand. I drool over that site on a regular basis as it is but now I'm drooling over my own desk lol I have been having so much fun playing with these and I'm so happy with the way it's all coming together - I wish I could show you....... but you'll have to wait for the February issue. Don't worry I will remind you {HUGE GRINS} so excited, does happy dance back over to my desk. haha new laptops are awesome you can dance with them!

Thank you so much for stopping by!
We'll see ya next time!

I Reject Your Label and Add my Own?

I, like many of my fellow artisans, am on Linked In.
While you are on your profile they have this little pop up that asks you to recommend your connections.
Does so and so know this?
Does so and so know about that?
Most of the time I ignore those little boxes as they like to ask questions of me in regards to folks I've "just met". I don't know them well enough to know their backgrounds as yet. Most are fellow jewelers, some are in antiques and still others are in other avenues of home spun goodness whether it's in the business of publishing about it or of selling it.

I have recently been getting a flush of recommendations for sculpture and textile design. While I can do both, it's not what I do. So, I have been hitting the little x.
But then I got to thinking about it. I CAN sculpt and I CAN screen print, knit, crochet and sew, I HAVE done all of the above. In fact if you really want to, you could say the copper roses I made for my son were small sculptures, I did form them from a piece of copper sheet that I cut from that roll standing in the corner over there. Maybe I was hasty in my x-ing out those recommendations.

Maybe I have been too hasty in placing myself in a small box with a label of jewelry maker. My lips and fingers have said time and time again, Artist first. They refuse to be placed in a small box with a label and yet there I am x-ing out a recommendation that doesn't fit with that label I seem to have placed upon myself!

If I am to be an artist first should I not embrace all that I CAN do rather than ignore it in favor of what I CURRENTLY do? For that matter why couldn't I sculpt a focal and screen print some ribbon to make a truly unique piece of jewelry. Fully embracing the OTHER things and welcoming them into what I currently do…..
I enjoy combining techniques and styles, always have, it's just what I DO!
huh Imagine that……

Thanks for stoppin' by! If you'd like to leave me a comment, I'd love to know what other things you can do to enhance what you do but might not have thought of. We'll see ya next time!

read label gif found here: http://npic.orst.edu/health/readlabel.html
rolls of labels found here: http://www.webermarking.com/

Proudly Embracing my "Idea Hoarding"?

During the Bead Hoarder's Hop my dear friend Perri mentioned sometimes what we are hoarding is the idea as opposed to the beads. What? pshhh who isn't?
Wait…..
Jean has been encouraging me to write, to share my ideas. (outside of my comfort zone but I've been working on it Jean!)
Perri hints I'm hoarding those ideas. (oh look! there's my comfort zone!!)
Those two things do not usually go together. One cannot hoard and share at the same time. They are essentially opposites.

hoard : noun
1: A stock or store of money or valued objects, typically one that is secret or carefully guarded:

3: An amassed store of useful information or facts, retained for future use

share .verb [ with obj. ]
3: use, occupy, or enjoy something jointly with another or others:



I immediately took to Google and plunked in Hoarder of Ideas and found these:

"Freelancers are FULL of good ideas, and entrepreneurs are even worse. So I know you have all these little bits of ideas kicking around. You stash, you store, you fill up your hard drive with half-written files and snippets full of good intentions.
Just in case. Because one day you might need them. You’re planning to do something with them.

One day."

http://menwithpens.ca/hoarding-ideas/

I have been self employed my entire adult life, I have ideas for a second etsy store, ideas for this, ideas for that. written down, tucked away, filed for later - and I have started writing down ideas for blog posts so I can have something for later just in case I forget to write - you've even heard me plan that! I have stacks of post it notes filled with sketches of design ideas for jewelry, those I've made and have yet to make. Notes about colors of beads to use, which beads to use, their sizes and even on occasion the exact inspiration for the idea itself.

Certainly sounding like the shoe fits doesn't it? Before my computer died I also had lots of inspiration files hoarded err tucked away in folders on the hard drive - now I have Pinterest and probably have about the same number of files stashed away there. lol But I'm not guarding them, squirreling them away from others, all my boards are public, I freely share those finds and it makes me happy when I get the notifications that someone has repinned one of them.

and then this...

"But there comes a time when we should use them, donate them, share them, or toss them. We should stop treating the products of our research, observation, and contemplation as if they were precious objects. Let them go: Give them to your students, your colleagues, your friends, or anybody who might be able to make something from them.
Imagine what you’ll be able to do when freed from the guilt, the burden, the crowding, the clutter of your old stuff. What might the clarity offer?"

http://chronicle.com/blogs/conversation/2012/08/27/are-you-an-idea-hoarder/

hmmm……



Maybe it is time. Time to organize my sketches, sort through them. No need to keep the ones already brought to life. Could be fun for a look book, from concept to fruition, but would I actually follow through on that? <-- hahaha did you need any more proof??!
OK then! It is definitely time to sort and toss, maybe write out a tutorial or two so I can really share. Clean the clutter from the pile on my desk and brain so I can get back to playing, to creating a new stack of sketches, or even better yet pretties to wear!

So glad you stopped by….. if you've been hoarding ideas too, feel free to share in the comments!
Maybe together we can break the habit and start using our ideas instead of letting them get dusty.

Happy Birthday America!

It's the Fourth of July, Independence Day here in the US. I had planned on sharing the goodies I got from Lori this week but my camera batteries died and I had a ton of other things going on - I started writing that post half a dozen times, writing and rewriting and finally I thought FIREWORKS! That's the blog post I should be sharing. Thank you Lori, for the awesome box of sweetness, I'll write about it next week :) Enjoy the show!!



HAve a wonderful holiday weekend!
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 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!

Three Days to Go Until Reveal...

As I write this post, I'm working out this weekends reveal post and editing the pics I took this morning.
I finished my final piece yesterday and I'm very happy with it. I learned several new skills making it, some I've talked about already and the rest I'll tell you about this weekend. You need something to look forward to right? Ooooh you're looking forward to the pics! Ok then, I have quite a few for you so I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed!

Saturday's post is going to be very picture heavy!

For todays post, let me remind you who my partner is and all the wonderful goodies she sent me.
Jennifer Lavite of Dry Gulch Beads and Jewelry is my wonderful partner. I popped over to her blog to see if I couldn't find a little snippet to give you a better idea of who she is. Honestly I thought I'd find a post on some of her lamp work, but instead this post jumped out at me.

http://www.drygulchbeadsandjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-variety-of-jewelry-has-been-made.html
I love being surrounded by piles of ribbons, jars of buttons, and boxes and walls full of beads. I feel like a lucky person. This has been such a fun challenge, with a trinket here and a flourish there, a variety of jewelry has been created. We can't wait for the reveal to show what's been made with the beautiful Bead Soup we received from Dana Hickey of Magpie Approved. One thing for sure...it's so easy to make things that you love work together!

If that doesn't tell you exactly who she is, I don't know what would. I believe she has got what we would all love to have, what we should all aspire to.

If you love what you do, you shall never work a day of your life.

Not to say there is no work involved, but that work is worth all the effort put into it, because it fuels you in return. <3

I'll leave you with a bit of my inspiration and a hint of what to look forward to this weekend.

Source: beautiful-portals.tumblr.com viaDana on Pinterest

Source: celticmysteryschool.com viaDana on Pinterest

The Goddess known as Danaan, Danu, Anu, Anna, Don, or Dana is the goddess of Manifestation Magic, Artistry, and Abundance in Irish Celtic mythology. The Tuatha de Danaan are her people, now know known as the Sidhe or faeries. Pretty apropos I think, I'm also a Virgo. :)

See you Saturday! Thanks for stopping by!

Been a couple weeks, but I am still here....

Just been keeping busy on this end and time slips away from me on weeks like that.

On the home front: Hubs has finally decided it's time to hook up the Whirlpool bath YAY!! however I was in the middle of painting a mural on the wall above the tub.... Pics of mural soon, promise! In fact, now that I'm trying to write a blog post he's decided to pull the tub so I could work on mural while he runs for parts. Isn't that the way?! lol

So keeping this short.... Lori Anderson of Bead Soup fame is hosting another blog hop. Memories and Thanks. I had intended on participating in this one but got busy and I knew I'd be completely overwhelmed had I added one more thing to my plate. Do visit, it's a wonderful way to give thanks to those who lift you and memorialize those who left too soon.

I'm off! Need to get those paintbrushes whirring!!
Thanks for stopping by!
See you next time!
Dana

All Reveals in One Place

If like me, you got behind on your hopping for the Bead Soup Blog Party, I have got some great news for you! Tanya has finished compiling all our reveal blog posts! You can see the whole Hop on three pages - one for each reveal!

https://sites.google.com/site/beadsoupparty2012/home/Reveal-1

I started you off on Reveal One just click on the tabs up top to navigate to Reveals two and three.

After the creative frenzy my poor desk was covered - I mean covered!!!! - with bits of wire and beads and tools and sketches and UFO's. It was a disaster area. As much as my muse loves a mess to create in, I don't so much like mess. Yes, I like to see and touch but mess equals chaos to my brain.

So I got to putting away and finishing up a couple ideas and suddenly my desk is starting to show itself again! Happiness! I can think again and create again!! It's funny, I brought the second desk up from the basement so I could keep a clean desk and a messy desk - but messy will not be contained. I feel much better now that I've gotten some cleaning up and finishing up done.

I even managed to snap a couple pics. Nice overcast day it was - until I walked outside with camera in hand. The sun was so happy to see me it popped out from behind that cloud with a fierceness of light! Shadows were casting shadows! There in the shade of the Hickory is a pallet of the last of the cinder blocks. On the cinder blocks is an old oak board, once upon a time it was the shelf I kept my pots and gardening hand tools on. All weathered and grey and in the bright shade...... sounds like the formula for some great pics doesn't it? Neutral background and natural light with no shadows, so I snapped a few. I know the weathered board has been done to death but I think these just may be some of my better photos. If only I hadn't sneezed lol Kidding, I didn't bring the tripod out so many of them were a bit fuzzy. But I did get a couple really nice ones!



Thanks for stopping by! See ya next time!

Are you ready for the final installment of Bead Soup #6?
It's happening this weekend on the 25th!
I don't don't know about you but I'm feeling kind of guilty that I haven't made it all the way through the second reveal yet. That's why I'm thankful Tanya put together the page that has all the soups in one spot! It's been soooo helpful! I may not have made it to each of the blogs yet, but I have seen all the wonderful works so far. WE are a Talented Group!
Here for your Hopping pleasure...... Reveal number 3!

Hostess, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Agi Kiss, Moonsafari Beads
Alice Peterson, Alice Dreaming
Alison Sachs, Beads by Earthtones
Amanda Dittloff, Passion Smashin'
Andra Marasteanu, Bijoux de Monanage
Angie Szlovak, SweetBeads
Anitra Gordy, Leelu Creations
Ann Sherwood, Ann's Blog
Arlene Dean, A Glass Bash
Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution
Barb Solem, Vivi Magoo Presents

Barbara Blaszczyk, laboratorim Flory
Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Bianca Odenthal, Zydies Glasperlen
Birgit Klughardt, GitesBeads
Bobbie Rafferty, Beadsong Jewelry
Bonnie Coursolle, Jasper Gems
Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
Charlene Jacka, Clay Space
Cherrie Fick, En La Lumie're
Cheryl Foiles, Get Your Bead On
Christie Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Christina Miles, Wings n Scales
Christina Stofmeel, Feng Beads
Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design
Cindy Cima Edwards, Live to Design
CJ Bauschka, 4 His Glory Creations
Claire Smith, Embergrass Jewelry
Cynthia Riggs, Cynth's Blog
Dana Fowler, Trunk Full of Treasure
Dawn Pierro, Turtle Moon Designs
Dee Elgie, Cherry Obsidia
Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous

Dot Lewallwn, Speedie Beadie
Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads
Eva Kovacs, Ewa gyongyos vilaga!
Evelyn Duberry, Sheba Makeda
Fay Wolfenden, Torch Fairy
Fen Li, Bead Flora Jewels
Gail Zwang, Angel Moose Enterprises
Geneva Collins, Torque Story
Grace Dorsey, Fan of the Flame
Gretchen Nation, Art Food Lodging>br>
Hannah Annear, Squintessential
Hajer Waheed, My Beaded World
Heather Goldsmith, As I Bead It
Heather Otto, The Craft Hopper
Heidi Kingman, My Bead Therapy
Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
Isolina Perez, Isolina Perez
Jacqueline Keller, CreARTelier
Jane Haag, Did You Make Something Today?
Janeen Sorensen, Wild Vanilla Designs
Jean Peter, Jean P. Designs

Jennifer Judd, Jen Judd Rocks
Jennifer L Justman, Soul's Fire Designs
Joanna Matuszczyk, Bizuteria z filcu
Joanne Brown, Jo's Jewels
Joanne Lockwood, Jo Bunkum
Joyce Becker, Joyce's Joyful Gems
Judy Riley, Three Red Beads
Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
Karen Williams, Baublicious
Karin von Hoeren, Creative Ideen
Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
Kashmira Patel, Sadafule .. always in bloom!
Kate Richbourg, We Can Make That at Home

Katrin Lembke, AllesPerle
Kathy Combs, Torched in Texas
Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz
Kelley Fogle, My Life, One Bead at at Time
Kelly Hosford Patterson, Traveling Side Show

Klaudette Koon, Only Road
Lara Lutrick, Lampwork Beads by Lara
Laura Guenther, Blue Antiquities

Laurie Lalonde, Simply Mod Jewelry
Lilik Kristiani, Soul of My Embodiment
Linda Younkman, Lindy's Designs
Lisa Chapman, Beach Cat Beads
Lisa Lodge, Pine Ridge Treasures
Loretta Carstensen, Designs by Loretta
Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
Lori Dorrington, Lori's Adventures in Etsy Land
Lupe Meter, Gem's PC Corner
Lynn Davis, LLYYNN

Malin de Koning, Beading by Malin
Mandi Effron, Craft-o-licious
Mandy Williamson, Mimi's Beading
Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter
Maria Rosa Sharrow, Willow Street Shops
Marianne Baxter, Simply Seablime Jewelry
Marina Dobrynina, Savon Feutre
Marjolein Trewavas, Room for Change
Marelene Cupo, Amazing Designs
Marsha Neal, Marsha Neal Studio

Marta Kaczerowska, uhuhu
Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes
Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry Blog
Michelle Burnett, Reverie and Revival
Michelle Escano-Caballero, The Cabby Crafter
Miko Wiropati, Uniquely Yunikua
Milla Hope, LB Creative Arts and Crafts
Mimi Gardner, Other Curiosities
Miranda Ackerley, MirandackArts
Natalie McKenna, grubbi

Noemi Baena, fuego, metal, y color
Pam Ferrari, Ferrari Originals
Pam Sears, Crazy Creative Corner
Penny Neville, Copper Penny
Rachel Baron, R. Baron Designs
Rachel Myers, Rockabead Jewelry
Rana Wilson, Definitive Designs by R. Wilson
Rebecca Anderson, Song Beads
Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
Riki Schumacher, Riki Jewelry

Rose Binoya, Ahtee's Blog
Rossana De Gaspari, Rdegas Blog
Sally Anderson, Wild Sally Road
Sandi James, Do Be Do Bead Do
Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
Sandra Wollberg, City of Brass Stories
Sarah Goode, Pookledo

Sarah Small, blog by salla
Shai Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings
Shawn Mills, Shawn Marie Designs with Bent Wire
Sheila Davis, Stone Designs by Sheila

Sheryl Stephens, Babble Bead
Shiraz Biggie, Secret Song Designs
Solange Collin, Ahowin Handcrafted Jewelry
Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads
Stephanie Dixon, The Dixon Chick
Susan Kennedy, Sue Beads
Susan Sheehan, Strands of Thought
Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beadphoria
Sweet Freedom, Sweet Freedom Designs
Tabatha Dinger, Modernly Created
Tania Hagen, Pelima Jewellery Design

Tanya Boden, Fusion Muse
Terri Gauthier, Blooming Ideas
Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo
Tracy Stillman, Tracy Stillman Designs

and......
Hajer Waheed - http://mybeadedworld.wordpress.com

Busy, busy?

I subscribe to Brass Tack Thinking, it's one of my favorite blogs. Every time Amber write a new post it shows up in my mail box and I tend to read it first over everything else. Well, unless my Mom or kids e-mail then they get priority :)

As I was reading todays post this line struck me....

we are convincing ourselves of our own “busyness” because we lack clarity of focus and priorities

Ouch! Guilty as charged. I'm always busy, always doing something, but on too many days it seems like I get nothing accomplished.

I have become fairly proficient at multitasking, doing several things at once. The problem is it always seems to take so much longer to finish things. Point in case all my On the Desk posts that list all the in progress/UFO's. I have several projects still not finished or even made progress on. I like to look at these as things to do when the muse flees but when taking a hard look at my productivity they sure seem to make me feel guilty. ack! I hope this isn't becoming a recurring theme.... I seem to recall another post about feeling guilty over the number of my UFO's recently - in June I think.

Maybe it's time to review my routine and make a few adjustments, instead of a large block of time for jewelry making I can break that into two smaller blocks of time. One for UFO's and the other for design/create. Maybe I can add writing to my daily list, whether it's a thought, a description, or a blog post doesn't matter so long as it's a daily process - could help avoid those oops it's Friday and I didn't post this week moments!! shhh I know it's Friday, I've been BUSY!

On a personal note, the kids go back to school in just a few days. Boy, It's going to be quiet around here.

Maybe it is a recurring theme after all. I review my routine when they get out of school and again when they go back....... hmmmm

Thanks for stopping by, see ya next time!

Busy Busy! Summer is almost here!

I'm sorry I missed last weeks posting! My son Alex has been having a wonderful couple of weeks and I have just been absorbed in his joy! We were invited to an awards banquet and were considering blowing it off. Who wants to sit for a couple hours and listen to how wonderful everyone else's kids are when you're pretty much inclined to think yours are every bit as wonderful, right? lol His instructor tells him it's a must attend, so we put the good clothes on lol and omg he's Student of the Year!

He opted to compete in Skills USA this year. Alex is second year auto shop and really enjoys it, but regretted not trying last year. His scores on the written test were so high it earned him an invitation to the AAA Ford Competition in Batesville at Mark Martin's. Only 10 teams are invited and scholarships are awarded to each participant.

Each team is given a car with the same problems. They each have one and a half hours to find and fix all 9 problems. Alex was the second team to get their car started and were the fourth team to finish. They lost points here and there, never having worked on air conditioning they completely passed on trying to locate the problem and fixing it - turns out it was a plug unplugged under the dash oops! So they finished in 9th place. But to be 16 and to be in the top 9 in the state is such a huge honor! I just really couldn't ask for any more than that, it was such a great learning experience for him. He came home with tools, a scholarship and a job offer!

Since auto shop is no longer just a class in high school - it's vocational study at the University. He also has completed his course of studies and "graduates" tomorrow night.

It is finals week at the University and my younger daughter is finishing her freshman year. It's so hard to believe how fast this year has flown by! She has her classes scheduled for next year and have made sure she's met all her requirements to keep her scholarship going. She's really looking forward to getting her Etsy shop up and running this summer - be on the look out for updates on that front!

Last but not least I've changed my profile picture on Etsy. In embracing the hand made movement, as we all have, I've decided to make my hands in the process of making one of my filigree pieces my new avatar. Though I suppose technically since it is still me, it's just a new profile pic! Big Grin!

The idea came to me when reading the forums at Etsy. They were discussing a silent protest showing their disproval of a manufacturer as having been chosen as the seller of the week. Ooops!! This as they are cracking down on drop shippers and resellers or at least trying to step up their efforts. Then a team mate of mine on the wired team is suspended for her rather wordy thank you for supporting hand made announcement while she places her shop on vacation for rebranding. On her blog she shared a photo of her hands.

And well darn it if hand made isn't ALL about our hearts and hands and so it just makes perfect sense to me.

So here they are my hands as avi - though I guess I could have used a full size pic instead of the avi sized one huh?

Be good to yourselves, enjoy your summers! Thanks for stopping by and we'll see you next time!
Dana