Ordinary Extraordinary Everyday Mini Photo Challenge hosted by Sally Russick - days 11-15

Days 11 - 15

A Time To Stitch Seven sign up is here


Hi Y'all,

This is the last five days of Sally's mini photo challenge.  This has been a challenge for me to take photos of the prompts everyday, but I managed to get it done.
Here are the last five prompts.

Day 11 - Macro

I could not decide what I wanted to take a macro shot of so I grabbed this oval crystal and stared shooting I like this shot because it captured the items that was surrounding the crystal in my living room.


Day 12 - Temptation

I could have taken shots of all the Valentine candy in the stores, but this is my real temptation it is so hard to not buy something when I go visit my friend Cynthia the owner of the Enchanted Bead store.


Day 13 - Sweetness

My guy Chris, got me hooked on these little sweet candies when he came for Christmas and New Years this past year.

Day 14 - Love

My little guy Chewy loves me unconditionally, nuff said!

Day 15 - Togetherness

Everyday, need I say more?

Thank you for stopping by, please go visit the others participating in this challenge here.

Therese

A Time To Stitch Seven - Bead Embroidery Sign Ups - hosted by Therese and Christine

Hi Y'all,

It is time for another go around of "A Time To Stitch" hosted by myself and Christine Altmiller, this round is number seven and I am happy to announce that it will be Bead Embroidery, Christine, said it was not one of her favorites, but that she is willing to give it a chance.  I was so excited that she gave in, because it is my favorite form of free form beading.

In case some of you do not know, I have been making stone cabochons lately, one of my new loves, and I have decided that I would have a little giveaway with the people that sign up for this challenge.
I will pick eight random people, four from my blog and four from Christine's blog, to receive one of my stone cabochons.  I will post a picture of the eight cabochons when I decide which eight I am willing to part with, LOL, no seriously it is a tough decision, because I am a hoarder love my stones.

The sign up is from today 2/16/15 through Friday 2/20/15, on my blog or Christine's blog.

Here are links to some web pages for inspiration and instructions for bead embroidery:

My Bead Embroidery board on Pintrest

https://www.pinterest.com/tmpfrank/bead-embroidery/

Beads East

http://www.beadseast.com/free-bead-embroidery-tutorial.html

You Tube

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bead+embroidery+tutorial

Amazon has many books on bead embroidery, for instruction and inspiration. 

Come join me and Christine in this challenge.

Happy beading Y'all,

Therese

Ordinary Extraordinary Everyday Mini Photo Challenge week two 6-10

Week two 6-10

Hi Y'all,

This is week two of Sally Russick's Ordinary Extraordinary Everyday Mini Photo Challenge

photos days 6-10.

Day Six - Minimal

Day six was on Saturday Feb. 7, 2015, I was trying to think of what I could take a photo of the shows minimal.  Then I looked out the window at the parking lot.  Monday through Friday the lot is jammed full of cars, but on Saturday and Sunday just the minimal amount.  These vehicles are pretty much office vehicles with the exception of Dovie's white Toyota Corolla and my red Nissan Versa behind the SUV in the first row. 

Day seven - Daily Chaos

My sweet Chewy Jr.  he is a daily chaos in my life when I am trying to get ready for work, or really anytime of the day, but I love him to pieces he is my Chew Man! Sorry about the blurry picture it is very hard to get him being still.  If y'all are wondering he is part Chihuahua and part Jack Russell, hence the not being able to stay still.

Day eight - Words

My favorite coffee mug.  I could have opened a book, or took a photo of a bill board, but I was looking at my coffee mug and it had the perfect words on it. Sweet Coffee!

Day nine - Night Time Calm

This was taken off of my back porch with my iPhone 6 notice the sky it is the night time calm before the storm.

Day ten - Outside

It is a gorgeous day in Montgomery, AL the temperature is 68 today (2-11-15). Yes the skies are this blue in Alabama!

Thank you for stopping by, please go and visit the others participating here.

Therese

Ordinary Extraordinary Everyday Mini Photo Challenge hosted by Sally Russick

Hi Y'all,

I decided that I would participate in Sally Russick's Ordinary Extraordinary Everyday photo challenge.  Sally set up 15 days of prompts for us to take photos of for the next 15 days and we are to post every 5th day. The first 5 days prompts are:  1- reflection, 2- wrapping, 3- kitchen ritual, 4- paper, and 5- repetition.  Here are my interpretation of the prompts. 

1. Reflection

This is my Webber grill and when I came home from work and let my dog Chewy out I saw how pretty the sky and trees were reflecting on the lid of the grill. Of course now you can see me and my house as well in the reflection.

2. Wrapping

Lately I have really gotten into making stone cabochons so I have been buying stones to cab.  These came in the mail the other day all wrapped up in bubble wrap.

3. Kitchen Ritual

Every morning I make coffee when I am off in my kitchen, when at work in our break area, and every afternoon I fix a bottle of water with a flavored drink packet.

4. Paper

At work we use a lot of paper whether it is to write on or to gather information from.  This is my co-worker Susan she was my relief and she is all set up to start her shift.

5. Repetition

Yes one more photo of my work place.  I was trying to think of something other then taking a photo of a beaded project, so it hit me we have seven stations in our radio room and each one is set up exactly the same with the NCIC computer, radio log computer, and the digital radio system computer, and telephone. My co-workers in the photo are( from closest to farthest) Wanda, Dovie, and Keisha. Today was casual Friday no uniform Yay!  

Now please visit the others participating here

Therese

A Time To Stitch Six Challenge hosted by Therese Frank and Christine Altmiller

Hi Y'all,

Welcome to mine and Christine's sixth "A Time To Stitch" challenge.  This time around our objective was to create a piece or pieces using a graphed chart, word chart, or picture chart using peyote, square, RAW, or brick stitches.  The item could be one, two, or three dimensional.  We also were given permission by Amy Severino to use the Bead-it-forward pattern squares.  Which I was excited about.  I have been playing around with Beadtool 4 and came up with these four square patterns for the 2015 Bead-it-forward project.  The project's proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Foundation.

I still have to put the squares on 2 by 2 inch bead backing squares before I mail them out.  I love rabbits I collect them (not live ones).  So when I found out this year's theme was the Animal Kingdom I knew I was going to make a rabbit square, well I ended up making two.  Amy enjoys going out to see the Snowy Owls that migrate to the coast of Massachusetts.  I read her blog post about the owls and decided that I would try to make a snowy owl square, so after many attempts I came up with a side profile of the owl.  Peacock feathers are all the rage now it seems, so I made a Peacock feather square too.   I took the idea for the square from the bracelet I stitched for this challenge.

I was reading the blogs and  Sweet Freedom Designs featured a Peacock Feather bracelet that was in the October 2013 Bead&Button magazine and I fell in love with the design and knew right away I had to do one for this challenge.  So I pulled out the colors I wanted to use and found the pattern on the Bead&Button web site.  There is also a Zebra print one too.  

I have also lately been into making needle cases using tubular peyote stitch.  I have made several and given them away as gifts.  I have made up a few patterns using Beadtool 4.  This one is called Indian Blanket #4.  Can you find my mistake Uh I mean spirit bead?  

I would like to thank everyone that is participating in the ATTS 6 challenge and I can not wait to go by and visit each of your blogs.  A big thank you to my co host and friend Christine this challenge just would not be the same without you.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting, please go by and visit the other participates as well and leave a comment too we enjoy hearing from you.

1-Therese Frank  (Host)    

2-Christine Altmiller  (Host)

3-Cynthia Machata

4-Samantha Wescott

5-Karin Slaton

6-Wendy

7-Dagi (Kokopelli)

8-Lola

9-Paula

10-Karin G.

11-Becky Pancake

12-Ana Cravidao

13-Alenka

14-Debbie (Kepi)

15-Nelly May

16-LiliKrist

17-Sally Russick

18-Maryanne

19-Kim

20-Amy

Happy beading Y'all
Therese

Holiday Ornament Swap/Hop - Hosted by Sally Russick

Hi Y'all,

It is time for Sally Russick's Holiday Ornament Swap and Blog Hop.  This is my third year participating in this event, and I am already looking forward to next year's swap/hop.

Wow this year is almost over I hope all is well with you and yours and you are ready for a festive Christmas, Hanuka, or Kwanzaa Season, spent with family and friends. This is the first year in 31 years that I will not be celebrating Christmas with my Son.  He has flown half way around the world to New Zealand to spend the holiday with his sweet girlfriend.

Okay that is enough about my woes you came to see what my partner Karen Williams and I swapped.

Well first of all I was excited and intimidated at the same time when I found out that Sally Russick paired me with, Karen Williams, Freeform bead weaver extraordinaire!  I have been a fan of Karen's for a few years now. So what do you do for an amazing seed beadiest.  Well being a bead weaver I did something with cylinder seed beads.  Here is what I made for Karen.

I found a tutorial for a 3D star on Etsy by JoyHarmonDesigns I have not done many 3D beading designs and this little star... well lets just say it almost wasn't, but I pushed myself to stick with it and I am very pleased with the end results.  The art bead is a snowflake clay charm is by Linda Landig. Linda just started working with clay earlier this year, but you would think that she has been doing it for years.  I love her clay charms and pendants.

I did the star in a dark red and accented it with bronze, because Karen said that she likes the jewel tones and has several ornaments and decorations in dark red. 

Do you want to see what Karen sent to me? Well let me show you.  I swear when I opened the box and saw what she sent to me, one could probably hear my squeal with delight for miles.  Karen sent me an ornament made with one of her freeform beaded beads it is absolutely beautiful. Oh yeah, I guess you want me to hush and show you the ornament, right?

See I told you it was beautiful in wintery whites and blues.  Here is a picture of it hanging on my tree.

Oh and not only did Karen send me this beautiful ornament she also included her new book Explorations in Freeform Peyote Beading.  It is a very informative book with lots of easy to follow instructions on the art of Freeform Peyote.  

If you do not already have a copy of this wonderful book you can get one on Amazon.com.   You will see some of our beady friends in this book as well.

I want to thank you Sally for doing this Holiday Ornament Swap/Hop again this year.  It is always fun to find out who one's partner is going to be, what you will create, and what you will receive.

Now please take the time to go visit my partner Karen and the other's in this swap/hop.

1.  Sally Russick  and Tanya Goodwin
2.  Veralynne Malone  and Sally Russick 

3.  Melissa Trudinger  and Elisabeth Auld

4.  Erin Prais-Hintz  and Lesley Watt 

5.  Jenny Davies-Reazor and Patti Vanderbloemen 

6.  Kim Bender-Hora and Beth and Evie McCord

7.  Becky Pancake and Lynne Bowland 

8.  Therese Frank  and Karen Williams

9.   Melissa Meman  and Linda Hanes 

10.   Sandi Volpe  and Linda Landig 

11. Alicia Marinache  and Susan Kennedy  

Thank you for stopping by and visiting Happy Holidays to you, please leave a comment, because I enjoy hearing from you.

Happy beading Y'all,

Therese 

Whoops Blog Hop - Hosted by Cynthia of Antiquity Travelers Blog

Hi Y'all,

I know that I have not posted much in the past few months and I admit it is becoming a pattern, that I only post when I have a Challenge reveal.  I am going to get better in 2015.  Anyway yes I am posting, because a wonderful beady blogging friend, Cynthia Machata asked me, and others, if I would like to play around with some really huge balls, and being the type of woman I am, I of course said hell yeah!

The big balls are actually 16 MM gray glass pearls from Znet Shows, that Cynthia had left over from a previous challenge for Znet Shows, hence the name of the blog hop "Whoops", because she ordered to many not realizing how big they were when she ordered them. I forgot to take a before picture, but here is a picture of what Cynthia did with her pearls from the Znet Shows Challenge.

I love this necklace it is so pretty and will go with just about anything dressed up or down!

When I got my package with the large glass pearls I knew right away what I was going to do, so I went to my stash and pulled out all of my gray glass pearls.  I had gray glass pearls in 3 mm, 4 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm, 12 mm, and 14 mm in various shades of gray from very light to dark. Perfect I thought, but if y'all don't know me I am all about the Bling!, so I went to my crystal stash and pulled out as many of the same size Czech rounds in clear AB that I had to match the sizes of the pearls and what I did not have I purchased at my local bead store Enchanted Bead.  Now to decide on the color of the seed beads I wanted to use, so you guessed it, I went to my seed bead stash and pulled out my metallic colors of silver, hematite, bronze, and gold.  I laid each color beside the pearls and crystals and I chose the hematite seed beads in sizes 11 and 8.  The stitch I chose to create my piece with is the tubular net stitch.

Here is what I created...

      For the clasp I peyoted a loop using the size ll seed beads and I had some 2 mm clear AB Czech crystals that I went around the outside of the loop with and I used one of the 14 MM gray glass pearls as the other side of the clasp.

Here is a close up of the center of my necklace...

The first weekend in December was my Gem and Mineral Society's Gem and Mineral Show and I was working at the welcome desk.  Well to keep busy between greeting people to the show I was working on this necklace.  I had a lot of people, as well as club members, comment on the necklace and ask a lot of question about the stitch I was using and if I taught classes and so on.  I told them that I do teach  classes at the Enchanted Bead and I told them where the store was, so hopefully one or two will show up for a class or two.

Thank you Cynthia for asking me to play with these huge ball, Um I mean big glass pearls, I had a great time creating with them.

Thank you to Y'all for stopping by and visiting my blog, please leave a comment I love hearing what y'all have to say.

Now please stop by and show my fellow beady buddies a little love too.

Linda    http://lindysdesigns.blogspot.com/

Bobbie     http://www.beadsongjewelry.com/

Christine   http://onekisscreations.blogspot.com/

Hope    http://www.craftyhope.com/

Therese  http://theresestreasures59.blogspot.com/

Val  http://missvalscreations.blogspot.com/

and Me  http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com/

Happy beading Y'all

Therese