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Saturday, July 7, 2012

Bead Soup - July 2012

My partner, Judy Turner, has advised me that she has received her Bead Soup so I want to post here what I sent her.  Don't you just love the way all these little stages of the party are posted to instill excitement and build a ferver of anticipation?  I do....

I sent her a focal pendant by Kylie Parry, a green jasper nugget, five porcelain beads by Ingrid Mueller, some topaz crackle beads, fire polished beads, and some wood rondelles.  Oh, and my favorite beads, the two green picasso faceted bicone glass beads.  And, the sugar textured brown beads.  I used some of those on my recent necklace "Tea Time".  And, a fancy floral brass lobster clasp. 

I can't wait to see what she does with it.

She advised that my soup is on its way and I am really excited about receiving it - she makes her own ceramic beads!!!!!

 

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Independence Day and Friendship Bracelets

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Independence Day.

A recent visit to the Veterinarian Chiropractor with Justice in search of assistance with her neck and gait impairment issues in conjunction with the recent giveaway and tutorial by Lesley Watt of Gossiping Goddess got me to friendship bracelets.  I so seldom know where the inspiration for things comes from, but I have been able to identify these two sources as the inspiration, or maybe motivation, to experiment and explore Friendship Bracelets.  I know they have been around for years, my niece wore them, I'm sure your niece wore them, and most every other young girl.  They have presented in many different styles and from different materials.

Lisa, the sweet and friendly receptionist at the vet's office was wearing an arm full of them and they were so cute.  Tiny, waxed linen, macrame -- an adorable mix of color and materials and methods. 

Aren't they cute?

And, then, Lesley came out with her giveaway and tutorial.  Well, who could resist that?  So I dug through my stuff which includes lots of different types of cord - and I haven't even gotten to some of it yet -- and this is what I've done so far.  Well, actually, I've made a couple more since I took this picture, but this will give you an idea.


Toward the back of the picture are three that I made using Lesley's tutorial; however, I did not have any beads or jump rings in 5mm that I could get the thread through the holes -- none that I could find when I wanted them anyway.  So I used other sizes and I even made one using split jump rings because I have tons of those and I also liked the double jump ring look of them.  I'm experimenting with different closures too - I really like the small sizes of the vintage and antique buttons so I am hitting my stash of those for closures.  And, I'm making a few with the macrame wrap closure as well.  I am having a ball making them. 

I then had a hankering (that's a designers term that basically means "your butt is on fire") to make a macrame choker which incorporated a Double Chinese Knot (I had never made one before) and this is the result of that emergency -- I found the pendant in my box of goodies from Pam Cresswell of Indian Creek Studio.  It has the perfect colors in it to go with the deep Merlot Red of one side of the leather and the deep Forest Green of the other side with just enough brown and gold tones to make it interesting.  This necklace is 16", choker length, and lays around the collar bone just perfectly.


I finished the back with basketweave-textured clamps and a lobster clasp.  I hope you enjoy looking as much as I have been enjoying making.......

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Celtic Horse Pendant Necklace

I have had this pendant for well over a year.  It was made by Kara Nina of KNME on etsy.  I love the way the horse is framed by the rest of the pendant.  I strung it with African brass heishi, turquoise vinyl beads, ostrich shell, horn, buri seeds and glass. 

I love the rustic quality of Kara's stoneware.  She also makes fantastic scarves.  It is hard to think about them right now, but I bought one from her and love it.  In the wintertime, I wear it as a necklace.  She is one talented lady.

This is a picture of my scarf.  Doesn't she have a beautiful smile? 

And, this is the necklace. 

Friday, June 29, 2012

Kristi Bowman Donut Blog Hop and Notice of a Giveaway



I am thrilled to participate in Kristi Bowman's "Big Hole" blog hop.  I love the big hole components that she has developed - so many different and wonderful textures.  Kristi sent me this piece as a gift with the message that she was attempting to "entice" me to participate.  Well, that's all it took.  She is such a temptress.


I will tell you a little bit about my piece.  I love lariat necklaces......period.  As I develop as a designer, I am continuously searching for new ways to make lariats.  I have been working a lot in the tribal style lately and specifically with Barbara Hanselman's Easter Island guys. 

I wanted to do two things with this piece -- I wanted to keep it in the tribal theme, but work in the urchin design of the component that Kristi sent me.  So I used different species of shell in shades of orange and brown.  

I used a Hill Tribe fine silver shell bead together with carved bone and some green heart African trade beads.
For spacers, I used small wood rounds, copper heishi African trade beads from India and copper seed beads.

I ended the two loose strands with a bone disc and an Easter Island clay pendant by Barbara Hanselman.

 This necklace can be worn several different ways.  You can loop the loose ends through the large loop.  This is the longer version to wear it.

 It can be worn with a large wood ring behind the urchin copper ring.  I have attached a cluster of urchin spine dangles to the wood ring.

 It can be worn with a shell ring behind the urchin copper donut.

It can be worn very short, choker style, by threading the ends through the second loop created by the double strand neckstrap.




I hope you enjoyed looking at my versatile, African and Sea Urchin theme lariat necklace.  Now, take a few moments and take a look below where I have listed the other designers whom have used the same component to make something scrumptious to share with us.  I love a blog hop and have looked forward to this for weeks now.  I hope you enjoy the hop as much as I do.

SueBeads
The Crafthopper
LamplightCrafts
Spice Box Designs
All the Pretty Things
Jean A Wells (You are here)
Kristen Stevens

THANK YOU KRISTI for hosting this hop and for enticing me to participate.  


Also, there is a giveaway going on. The Gossiping Goddess is giving away stacking bracelets.  Go to Lesley's blog at HERE to register for her giveaway of three fantastic macrame and bead stacking bracelets in celebration of her first tutorial.  It is free so you need to check that out as well so that in the event you don't win the bracelets -- since it is my plan that I will win them -- you can make your own.  Okay, that is probably what I will have to do as well, but its fun to try anyway.


Porcelain Purple Owl Pendant, Glass Beads and Crystals

I finished this necklace this afternoon.  I used Marti Conrad's porcelain pendant with an intaglio impression of an owl and purple glaze, tiny Czech glass coin beads in purple and pink with picasso, swavorski crystals (I don't use crystals very often, but they seemed appropriate here), and a vintage amber lucite bead all wired onto oxidized copper wire rosary style.


Since the beads I used are small and I used 22 gauge wire, it is quite delicate and lightweight to wear.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Dalmations and Other Spotted Dogs

Marti Conrad made this adorable bracelet cuff and matching charms.  I love the turquoise green on the spotted clay and I love the little spotted dog.  Marti loves dogs so I know that a lot of dog love went into this set.  And if you know just a little tad about me, you know that I also love dogs - probably more than is healthy for me so this set is truly an homage not just to all the spotted dogs out there that are loved by their humans, but all dogs.

I paired the stoneware with some absolutely gorgeous lampwork beads by Deb Houde that look as if they were made to match this cuff, some porcelain black beads by Ingrid Mueller (by the way Ingrid, I need more black beads) and some really nice Brazilian Aquamarines. The earrings are made with black lava beads.  I have a few of the silver ox beads and I am very stingy with them but I thought it went with this bracelet perfectly.

I also want to remind you that Kristi Bowman's Big Hole Component Blog Hop is this Saturday, June 30, so be sure to check back for that.


Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Thunderbirds and Yucca Blooms

My brother-in-law, Todd, recently gave me a hand cast pewter pendant.  Since I rarely have much of a plan when I start making something, I did know that I wanted to use my southwest mix seed beads that I recently acquired and do something in a southwest style.  I also wanted to use some matching flower beads because I got them to go with the seed beads so feel like I need to use them somewhat together.  I am very happy with the way the colors work together.


 I really like the unusual thunderbird in this pendant.  Thank you Todd!  It got me to thinking about the symbolism of the Thunderbird so I did some internet research.

This is what I learned.

The Thunderbird is a powerful spirit helper. His eyes flash lightning while his wing beats roll out thunder. He is related to the spirits of air and water, and he holds in his heart and mind the most raw and elemental power of nature. He has a destructive power, whose use is always followed by cleansing and freshness. The Thunderbird causes the storm whose following calm reaffirms life, youth and healing.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Daisies and Turtles

Just completed two new bracelets. 

The first is using Marti Conrad's wonderful speckled stoneware.  It is a daisy cuff bracelet and a pair of matching earrings.
I added a fun little "pod" lampwork bead by Deb Houde and an inspiration charm "Love Much - Laugh Often."

With this turtle bracelet, I made the opportunity to use some Vintaj patina to change the silver turtle to a green and brown turtle.  I made a chain using triangle shaped seed beads and used two gorgeous lampwork bead by Lynda Cogbill.

I really like this one and if it doesn't sell soon, I may keep it.  To make another one though, I will need to get more purple beads. 

Friday, June 22, 2012

Big Hole Blog Hop Teaser

Kristi Bowman of Dream Some Designs is hosting a blog hop with a scheduled reveal date of June 30, 2012.  Kristi makes beautiful copper clay components using some of the most wonderful textures available in handmade jewelry components.  This hop is a way of introducing her new "big hole donut" copper clay components.

Kristi surprised me with a sample of one of these wonderful components and invited me to participate in her hop.  While the full reveal is next Saturday, today is sneak peak day.  Be sure to check back next week to see what I and the other participants made with these.


Oh, my goodness, is that orange in there?  Yep, I love orange.  Anyway, if you have some time, take a few minutes to work through the following list to see if other's are giving us a "sneak peak" at their work. 

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Justice Marie

Let me say that this entry is primarily for my own purpose - making a history regarding Justice and I don't expect you all to read through this, unless, of course, you want to.

What a day it has been.  Those of you that regularly follow my blog will recall that my old friend, Justice Marie developed a problem in her neck about six to eight weeks ago in which she experienced a sharp pain when she would sit up from a laying down position.  So much so that she would yelp out in pain.  My vet wanted to sedate her to take x-rays and I was reluctant to do that at her age.  So, we treated it with Previcox and Tramidol hoping that by controlling the pain the condition, whatever it was, would resolve itself.

It took about two and a half weeks, but it did seem to resolve itself as she quit yelping and showed no other symptoms.  She continued to be able to get up and down with no hesitation and apparently with no pain.  Then she developed a gait impairment on her left front leg - not really a full blown limp, but not a normal gait either.  Sort of a hobble.  After much consulting with my vet, I decided that it was time, at her age, to put her on previcox on a permanent basis to see if maybe she was just experiencing some onset of arthritis pain or other old-age aches and pains.  After being on previcox two weeks, the gait was not changed at all. 

Three people have told me that the neck and the limp (for lack of a better term) could be related.  So today I took her to a dog Chiropractor, who is also a DVM.  She examined her and found that the C-3, C-4 and C-5 were not completely normal - although I don't understand enough of what she said about them to be able to even tell you - but in any event she did adjust them.  I am going to take her back in a week for another adjustment but only time will tell if the adjustments will have any effect on her.  She did say that she saw no reason at this point to do any x-rays.  The only option that my other vet gave me to resolve disc issues was surgery.  Much like people doctors I guess.  I hope that the adjustments help her.  She's such a good dog and I don't want her being in any pain at all.  I really like this new vet.

Justice has a lump on the front of one of her hind knees that was there at Christmas.  I had it looked at then and the vet said it was a fatty tumor.  Well, it has doubled in size in the last six months and the vet today said that I really need to have it removed.  She doesn't believe that a fatty tumor would have doubled in size and she also said it was in a strange place for a fatty tumor.  While she said it was not an emergency, she recommended that I have it removed as it could likely be a mast cell tumor.   So, it looks like I will have to have her sedated anyway.  Maybe we can do x-rays of the neck then......



Now, for the jewelry part:  The previous listing is about a collection of polymer clay and sari silk bracelets I have been making recently.  Well, today, I received a request for, and made, another one without the skull and bones.  The woman I made it for loves cats for I put a couple of "cat" charms on it.