Inspiration

You Are It!

Whoops! I came pretty close to missing this weeks post! I had one planned and even started to write it up but I got a little sidetracked with life and a couple custom orders. One of the best reasons if you ask me!. Now, just incase you're still hopping - I know I still am!! Bead Soup Post is HERE!

First thing Monday morning my FB feed had not one but two back to back inspirational posts, my daily note from the universe made it the triple threat and then to top it all off the feed for Pinterest and Etsy were both full of inspirational quotes. Well, with the constant feel goods I knew the week was going to be all about inspiration! And all about inspiration it was.

Believe!

We all need the reminder to believe in ourselves from time to time don’t we? Oh the mountains we can move when we do!

Believe, believe you can, believe you will.  Believe it and you can achieve it. I do believe and I hope you do too.

It’s nose back to the grindstone for me... The sketch and price have been approved so I have another custom order to work on.

Custom work is one of my favorite things to do, so it has been a very good week!

Thanks for stoppin by!

We’ll see you next time!

What's on the Desk

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a what’s on my desk post, and thought I might share with you what I’m currently working on.

On my desk, as usual, are several UFO’s. More accurately several projects I have pulled beads for but have not yet begun making. 

Including leftover pieces to a refashion and two UFO’s, one of those in the midst of a refashion itself. I thought I had finished it but I never really loved it. I pulled the bird off it to send out with bead soup and have finally decided why I didn’t like it and what I need to do to fix it. I pulled beads and made a new bird, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten with it. Last of course that poor necklace that has been sitting on my bead board for well over a year now. If I didn’t think the finished piece was going to be beautiful I might scrap the idea and start over but I really do think it’s going to be beautiful …… when I do eventually get back to it.

Beads pulled for  #6

These are the beads I have pulled for sketch number six. I started with this wonderful little stone bead I received from my friend Anne on the Jewelry Making forum. She hinted the beads she sent might look wonderful in filigree and I have to agree.

I had drawn the sketch for the focal and then realized I already had a sketch in my “to do” pile. A couple very small tweaks to the sketch giving it a little more filigree and it easily became number six. I think this one is going to be a really pretty necklace once I get through the take away stage. I love the crystals and the picasso beads but I just haven’t decided if I want them together yet. I think I’ll use gold wire for this one, the gold section in my shop is still a lliiiittle light. In any case, I think those gorgeous soft greens and blues really really call for gold and I’m happy to listen.

On the home front….. jump up and down with me and do the happy dance people! We FINALLY have one room completely finished!!! Unless of course I decide to add crown molding lol It is such a good feeling to have one 100% done, no trim pieces waiting, no paint, no flooring, it’s all done! Here’s to the next one, whichever room it is!

Thanks for stoppin by!

We’ll see you next time!

More blog lovin!

What a nice thing it is, I've featured treasuries here on the blog before. I would give the folks I featured a heads up when I knew I planned to share them here, and when I pinned them to Pinterest but I never really thought about letting folks know when I was a feature. But here we are! How sweet was Giorgia to let me know she was putting a treasury we were both featured in on her blog. Go take a peek!

http://dreamingoldbooks.wordpress.com/etsy-treasuries/

Junes Birthstone: Pearls

Can you believe it's June already? Me neither! Half the year has flown by, just that fast! For those  still hopping away (ahem like me albeit rather slowly at this point - sorry guys!) Bead Soup is HERE

Pearls are the featured birthstone this month.

But as our poem shows that wasn't always the case.......

Who comes with summer to this earth,
And owes to June her hour of birth,
With ring of agate on her hand
Can health, wealth, and long life command.

Cat's Eye, Turquoise and Agate were the accepted stones from the 15th through the 20th centuries. Not bad choices, they're all very pretty stones, and hey! Who wouldn't want to command a long, healthy and wealthy life?! However, come 1912 Pearl and Moonstone replaced the previous stones. Maybe as a nod to Wedding Whites, and a little romantic moon gazing?

As of 2013 Alexandrite has been added to the list, bringing the count back up to three.

I have two er three treasuries to share with you this month. As you may or may not know I am a member of Self Representing Artists in Jewelry Design (SRAJD for short) I was featured in the second treasury along with a few of my fellow SRAJD artisans and their pearl creations and the third is one I created of my fellow SRAJD artisans.

June's Blush on Etsy

June's SRAJD Pearls

This is one birthstone I have used fairly often in my designs, in fresh water, glass and vintage faux varieties. Using Potato, Mostly Round, Mabe (including uncut blisters) and Button shapes. Nineteen listings in my Etsy shop might be a bit much to share with you here, since at least 10 of those listings have already been shared here on this blog for blog hop reveals and my woohoo moment with Bead & Button ( I need to start submitting again, I really enjoyed creating with a magazine in mind ) I think I'll just post one or two.......well maybe three you know to match three treasuries .....

Clustered Pearls, Moonstone, Smokey Quartz Earrings

Vintage Faux Pearls

Glass Pearl and Crystal Earrings

You can click here if you'd like to see ALL 19 PEARL LISTINGS Happy June!

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 you next time!

25 Sketches

  Todays post offers up #s 2, 3, 4, & 5 of my series of 25 sketches. Ideas hoarded away and finding their way into the light of day.  IF you were actually looking for my Bead Soup Post it can be found HERE!

Brass Lotus/Fans

 Sketches two and three were a no brainer. My muse demanded designs in Boho and that they were. I’ve often said inspiration comes from everywhere. I sew or I did quite a lot when my kids were much smaller. So when they out grew some favorite piece of clothing I would try to find a way to extend its life. Sometimes it meant shirts turned into throw pillows, sometimes it meant pants were turned into shorts and sometimes I didn’t get to something in the mending basket before it was completely outgrown. This was the case with a pink poncho/shawl and an embroidered paisley pant leg - a favorite outfit of my younger daughter.  That long forgotten pant leg was the driving force behind the original sketches, Bead Soup the vehicle my Muse used to bring the idea to fruition. She’s a smart one and at times can be quite persistent, and I’m thankful for it! :)

Brass Paisley with Pearls and Leather Tassel

 I make what I love, which pretty much means everything in my shop is from my heart. But, as in all things, we evolve. From time to time there may be an item or two in my shop that no longer reflects my current abilities. Loving what I have made, it makes me sad to think I could do better. So I’ll add a small flourish, a twisted ring or two, a back plate, tighten a twist or a wrap,  and sometimes it means taking the piece back to the original idea I had in the first place before I ran in another direction with it! This is the case with the second two sketches I'm sharing today. 

Trio of Copper Hearts

 The trio of hearts has been in the shop for some time. While I loved the rustic feel of them - I’ve been leaning more in a romantic boho direction. Classics given a touch of whimsy and added elegance in twists and turns. 

This particular sketch was an idea I was playing with using a key as the focal but as I tightened the twists in the hearts I realized the twining in them was what was really needed for the trio.

Silver Hoops

The hoops were simply a matter of finally working out that a small jump ring was all I needed to give the ear wire the flex I wanted without sacrificing the arc. A V-8 moment if you will. I have a pair of woven hoops in the shop that may get the same treatment in time as they have the same type of ear wire.

I hope you've enjoyed your peek into a few more of my sketches and design processes. 5 down and 20 to go! 

Thanks for stoppin' by!

We'll see ya next time!

Love My Art Jewelry: Donuts are Good For You

One of my necklaces has just been showcased along with several other gorgeous pieces of jewelry over on the Love My Art Jewelry blog. Staci also shares how she does a simple wrap for some of her designs.
Go check it out!

Love My Art Jewelry: Donuts are Good For You