Spring Mus.....er Ramblings

I've sat down to write several times this week but the words have failed me. Too much stress I think as my muse has been fairly quiet. The weather however has been on the gorgeous side and I have spent a bit of time in the garden weeding and applying a new layer of mulch. Puttering is almost as relaxing as weaving until you decide to set a couple more stones in the pathway!

I did however play with a bit of a basketry weave in wire and while it's a bit wonky here and there I don't think it isn't anything a little tap of the nylon hammer can't fix :) I think I may play with this weave a little more it might just be what the muse was waiting for with Courtney's scarab.

Since it is spring break and my kiddo is waiting to watch a movie with me I'll leave you with a couple photos from my garden wish list on Pinterest......

Source: yourcozyhome.blogspot.com via Dana on Pinterest

I love Lilacs and would love a bush or two in my garden.

Source: sundayinbed.tumblr.com via Dana on Pinterest

I have a couple itty bitty solar lights now but would LOVE to do something creative like this. These baskets would be uber cute done in copper wire don't you think?

Source: flickr.com via Dana on Pinterest

None of my bi-colors are blooming yet, but my deep purples are and they smell wonderful too!

Thanks for stopping by! I'll see you next time!

Dana

182 down 18 to go

Who knew blog hopping could be so exhausting?!

It's not the reading that's wiped me out. It's the high energy of it all. The anticipation, the pure joy and happiness - it's Christmas in every post! :D

This has been an amazing ride and I'm happy to have been a part of it. Truly.

Next time though.......I'm pacing myself!!!! lol I've gone through 182 blogs, pretty sure I left a comment for everyone, my sincere apologies if I didn't. I found a couple blogs I had not marked off that I had already visited and some that I hadn't but had marked. If I missed you please let me know!

Sincere thanks to Lori for co-ordinating and logistics this was world wide and a pretty amazing thing to pull off in sync!

Well then 18 more to go for me and back to dust bunnies and rock laying! Seed starting I think - maybe I can cloche them and protect them from the MagPie's and actually get them into the garden this year! But that's a story for another day! Til next time!

Time for the Bead Soup Reveal!

I have to say this has been a blast and has really allowed me to play and create pieces of jewelry that I wouldn't normally. I've gone big and bold while I usually prefer petite, I've learned to knot and I've gone heavily ornate. and you know what?? I liked it! annnnd I think I wanna do more of it :D I even took apart a vintage necklace to re-use the beads in my creation, this was another first for me, taking the beads from a necklace that wasn't already broken. I surprised myself and enjoyed that too!

Courtney sent some really great ingredients, some were already favs and others have become new favs. Some were in shapes I might not have tried or used if not for this swap and I find myself looking at those shapes in other beads now too - I think my stash may grow a bit this year. I've been trying really hard to use only what I have for the past year, I think it may be ok to splurge a bit before too terribly long!

and now......The Reveal!!

Sand Dollar Focal - Dreaming of Marrakesh
This focal brought to mind the breathtaking colors of an ocean sunset and the bounty of mermaid treasures. In creating my mood boards the visual word play brought me around to Marrakesh and more of those same breathtaking colors and exotic treasures. We travelled from the sands of the ocean to the sands of Marrakesh in all its riches, to a style of jewelry that is bold with an exotic beauty and I really like it!

From Courtneys Soup Ingredients :

• Stamped Brass Sand Dollar Focal
• Polymer disc focal
• FW Pearls in shades of blue, white, browns and purple
• Big gorgeous puffy silver beads
• Mother of pearl round bead frames in ocean blue
• Copper toggle clasp

From my pantry :

• copper plated brass filigree stampings
• copper beads
• copper wire in various gauges
• coppery topaz and rose cathedral glass beads
• deep ocean blue and coppery FW Pearls
• white and copper glass pearls
• silver plate moon connectors
• shell discs

Skeleton key Focal : Key to my Heart

There is no doubt here that Pirates of the Caribbean granted a very generous amount of inspiration from the watery blues of the labradorite and "Black Pearls" to the lines and opera length of the talismans Calypso wore around her neck. It is with a knowing nod to the love affair between Calypso and Davy Jones, that I present to you the Key to my Heart.

From Courtneys Ingredients

• Antique Skeleton key
• Labradorite faceted coins, cubes and rondelles
• black onyx beads
• silver hook

From my pantry:

• labradorite wheels
• labradorite focal heart
• copper wire in various gauges
• deep ocean blue and black FW pearls
• bronzite rounds
• vintage ceramic and brass beads
• sterling silver wire
• steel baling wire (yes, from a hay bale)
• vitrial finish Swarovski crystals
• midnight black softflex beading wire
• 6mm black rainbow ceramic beads
• 11/o emerald seed beads
• 10/o black seed beads

Torch Enameled Bead : Kreuz mit Frühlingsblumen

While debating which ingredients to play with next I stumbled upon a photo of a sunrise in gorgeous pinks and purples - almost the exact shades of the quartz and dyed agate Courtney had sent. Pinks and purples then were the color to work with here and one of those gorgeous enameled beads just happened to be purple. Very spring like shades, the daffodils have begun blooming here so the colors were very fitting, and as my daughter Paige pointed out, very Easter like. Several weeks ago I had read a blog post on Berlin Iron and had been wanting to make a piece of filigree in a similar style ever since, now seemed to be the perfect time.

Better pic! Last nights hurried photos color was a bit off - todays pic in filtered daylight, much better!!



From Courtneys Ingredients

• Faceted Rose Quartz
• Dyed Agate
• Enameled Filigree Bead

From my Pantry:

• micro faceted rose quartz
• copper wire
• fine silver wire
• copper beads
• Swarovski crystals
• Miyuki fringe beads

Well, I've had my fun! Let's head on over to Courtney's BLOG and see what she's done with the ingredients I sent her! Just in case the hyperlink didn't work........http://beadsbybreul.blogspot.com/ Then if you've got your coffee and your comfy chair you can continue on the hop with these wonderfully talented peeps!



Have fun and we'll see you next time!

A Post, A Post, I need a Post!

Forgot I didn't have one waiting in the queue! Biggest best grin! I've been writing my posts as the mood struck and then placing them in the queue so they would automatically post at even intervals helping me become less sporadic and keeping my writing natural. Until, that is, you forget you don't have a post written lol

On the desk today is piece three for the Bead Soup Blog Party on Saturday. It's been a long week and I haven't been feeling very creative so it's still lacking a couple inches of chain. It's coming along and it's really pretty and far more ornate than my usual. I'm really glad that that's the purpose of Bead Soup :D I have a tendency to start a project and then put it aside if it isn't in my norm. These three projects have pushed me to pick up ideas and run with them. Reminded me to play with my beads and just enjoy the process and the outcome.

Unfortunately, It doesn't look like I'll get to the Scarab before the hop but I will be sure to post it when I do have time play..... I do however, have for you the inspiration pic for number three. It is a repin from my Sunrise board on Pinterest, the colors caught my attention out of the corner of my eye as I was looking through the beads Courtney sent. Effectively choosing what to use next for me.

Source: flickr.com via Dana on Pinterest

Make sure to pop back in on Saturday to see what I made. I'll also have a list of the other Bead Soup'ers so you can hop the blogs with us. Just make sure you have a comfy chair, your coffee or tea and a drool rag ready! There are a lot of us and we are one talented group!! I can't wait to see what everyone else has been making!

Skeleton Key Sneak Peek

........... taaadaaaa

Source: Uploaded by user via Dana on Pinterest

Got those beads moved and now my pliers are in the way. Maybe I should clean off my desk.........nahhhhh A clean desk makes my muse quiet and I really enjoy our time together, that's why we brought the second desk into the office to begin with!!
I gotta tell you, I really like the way the key is turning out.
Apparently I was on a search and destroy mission the other day, I dunno.... but I lost all my text messages, Pinterest was going haywire and I killed the washing machine o_O yikes! then the monitor on my poor little Mac grew a new line *sad face* so I need to get back to work on backing everything up. Sadly I still have one last folder to sort from when the HD crashed - (luckily the pin in the lid was just loose - tightened back up and the washer lives!! whew!)
Thankfully....I'm almost finished with this piece, ....I just need to do some filing and office stuff before I can get back to it. I think I might still have time to play with those enameled beads or the scarab or maybe the quartz with some filigree......... ideas ideas ideas :)

Be sure to check back in on the 3rd for the reveal!

Til Next Time!
Dana

Sand Dollar Sneak Peak

Source: Uploaded by user via Dana on Pinterest

aww the beads are hiding the sketch :( Guess you'll just have to check back in on March 3rd for the Bead Soup Blog Party reveal

I wonder if I can get a better shot of the skeleton key??? Check back next week to see!

Did I Forget to Mention the Key?

Courtney actually sent me a third focal. An antique skeleton key! I loved this key! My younger daughter wanted to steal the key, I had to threaten to throw pillows at her to keep it for myself! But, it just didn't talk to me the way the other two did. With Valentine's just around the corner all I could see was "the Key to my Heart" not much in the way of challenge there. Then I remembered the type writer key clasp - and maybe a little steampunkish thought is brewing here. I may have to start another board - Skeleton keys, jailor's key ring, key to my heart............ Davy Jones Locker...... Pirates!! Oh I need to start this board...........coming Johnny!!

Source: google.com via Dana on Pinterest

the rest of the board :D
http://pinterest.com/winddancerspin/bead-soup-inspiration-skeleton-key-focal/

Til Next Time!