She Made/She Made January Reveal

Hi Y'all,

It's time to show y'all what I made with the items that Christine of One Kiss Creations blog picked out of our stash for us to create with.  Here is what she picked for us to create with this month...

(borrowed from Christine's blog)

Red blister pearls that I gave to Christine and vintage acrylic beads that Christine gave to me. First let me show you what I made with the vintage acrylic beads.

These beads have a very pretty star burst design on the top and bottom of the beads it reminded me of the center of a flower.  So I was thinking how can I make these look like flowers and still make a piece of jewelry with them.  It did not take me long to think of Kristen Steven's Pop Out Pearls pattern, which can be found here.  I had to modify the pattern to fit around the 10 mm beads which as you can see turned out just right.  I was going to make the bracelet, but as I was making the components I thought how neat they would look as the focal for a necklace.  

I played around with the lay out of the components until I came up with this design.  The neck straps are Russian Spiral.  Kristen was telling me how she had done a Russian Spiral using twin beads and I tried and tried to do it myself, but I just could not envision how it was done and got very frustrated and decided to just do a regular Russian Spiral.  I had several of the bronze Czech fire polished 4 mm beads left so I did an inch on each side with them for a little bit of detailing in the ropes. I am very pleased with how this one turned out and I still have enough of the vintage beads left to do a pair of earrings to go with the necklace.

Next the red pearl that I gave to Christine.  Oh my did I have a time with these!  I started three different designs and had to tear them out, because they were just not working the pearls just did not want to be sewn into a design, so I strung them up.  

I had these crystal roundels, one string is clear AB x 2 that I used as the side neck straps, another one is clear AB, that I alternated with red AB crystal roundels.  The pearls I strung with clear crystal 4 mm rounds. I twisted the pearl strand with the roundel strand and crimped each end to keep them from untwisting. I used a Sterling Silver plated heart toggle clasp to complete the necklace.  This photo does not show the Bling that this necklace has.  It catches the light and is almost blinding.

If you have not already please go by Christine's blog and see what she has created using the vintage beads and the red blister pearls.

Happy beading Y'all

Therese

Focusing on Life 52 Photos - Week 4 Create Art

Hi Y'all,

First I would like to say thank you to all of you that left comments on last two week's of Focusing on Life blog posts.  I appreciate all of your comments and I apologize to you for not responding back.  I will try to do better in the future.  

It is week four of Focusing on Life 52 photos created by Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime blog.  This weeks prompt is Create Art.   Well I went a route away from jewelry making although I kept the Bling factor.  I recently bought a hot fix crystal tool and some hot fix crystals to Bling up some shoes for a friend of mine, but she still has not decided on one of the hundred or so pairs of shoes that she owns to Bling.  So I decided to use some of the crystals I bought to Bling up my Kindle cover.

First I drew a flower on the cover, then I started adhering the crystals.

When I got around to the fifth petal I ran out of the pink crystals.  I will be going back to Michael's this weekend and getting more hot fix crystals to finish my flower.  I had fun using the hot fix tool and will be Bling up a lot more items in the future.   I used pic monkey to edit my photos this week.  My cover is the pink color in the first photo, not the orange in the second photo.

Please go on over to Sally's blog to see what every one else has created in week four of Focusing on Life 52 photos challenge.

Happy beading Y'all,

Therese

Focusing on Life - Week 3 Time To Relax

Hi Y'all,

It is week three of Focusing on Life and this weeks prompt is a time to relax.   So here is how I relax.

After being here all day...

My co-worker Angle

I like to come home and do this...

My bead table set up for my next project She made/She made.

It is funny, but really to me working with seed beads is the best stress buster, besides sex, that I have found to do.  I am 53 and single, my son is 29 and on his own, so I really do not have anything else to do when I get home from work then bead for a little while.  

Please go by Sally Russick blog and check out what she and everyone else participating in Focusing on Life does when they get a chance to relax.

Happy beading Y'all,

Therese

Focusing on Life 52 photo - Words

Hi Y'all,

Today is week two of Focusing on Life 52 photos challenge created by Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime blog.  Each Saturday we will get a prompt, you take a photograph that represents the prompt, then on the following Saturday you write a blog post about the photograph that is your representation of the prompt.

This Saturday's prompt was to take a photograph that represents the word that you chose for yourself this year.  My word is...

Adj.	1.	serene - not agitated; without losing self-possession; "spoke in a calm voice"; "remained calm throughout the uproar"; "he remained serene in the midst of turbulence"; "a serene expression on her face"; "she became more tranquil"; "tranquil life in the country" calm, tranquil, unagitated composed - serenely self-possessed and free from agitation especially in times of stress; "the performer seemed completely composed as she stepped onto the stage"; "I felt calm and more composed than I had in a long time"
	2.	serene - completely clear and fine; "serene skies and a bright blue sea" clear - free from clouds or mist or haze; "on a clear day"

(The sky here when I took the photograph, 1-11-13, was not quit clear from clouds, but it is still a beautiful blue with a few wispy clouds.)

Last year my word was Awake.  I chose awake, because I was going to take each day with my eyes and mind open to my surroundings and my beading.  I would remind myself of my word often and it helped me become a more aware person and less self centered.  It also allowed me to open myself up to new possibilities in my beading and to realize that seed beading was where my heart belonged.  So by being awake in 2012 it brings me into feeling serene in 2013 more self assured, calm, and tranquil.  Definition 1 of the word serene applies to my chosen profession of being a Police Communication Officer, it is very important to keep one's head in an emergency and when you are trying to get information out of a person that is freaking out on the other end of the phone line. 

Thank you for visiting and please go and visit the others that are taking part in Focusing on Life.

Happy beading Y'all,

Therese

12 Days of Christmas Day 12 01/05/13

Hi Y'all,

Yesterday was the last day of the 12 Days of Christmas Handmade Gift Swap.  Day 12's gift was from Gina Hockett here is what Gina sent to me...

cute little box that held a beautiful...

hand crafted bracelet.  Gina must have done her homework, because pink is my favorite color along with green.  I wore the bracelet yesterday, cause it went perfect with the sweater I was wearing when I opened the package.

Thank you Gina I love the bracelet.

It maybe day 12 of the Christmas gift swap, but we all have one more gift from Andrew, so when I receive his gift I will post what he sent.

This has been so much fun opening a gift a day and prolonging the Christmas joy.  Thank you so much Lorelei for thinking up this wonderful project.

Happy beading Y'all,

Therese

Focusing on Life Week One: Self Portrait

Hi Y'all,

Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime blog put out the call for those of us that would like to join her in a year long photo taking challenge.  So I said yeah what the heck a change from always blogging about my jewelry in 2013 would be a nice change and break up the monotony of jewelry post.  The challenge is to take a photo of the prompt that will be emailed out each week and then blog about your photo on the following Saturday.  Easy right?  Well I thought so until we got the first prompt and it was to take a self portrait.  Like so many I do not really like to have my picture taken for one reason or another, although I am in many pictures with family and friends.  I was once told when I used to do Creative Memories scrap booking that having photos of you is just one way of letting future generations know that you truly did exist. 

I am some what of a procrastinator, so of course I waited until the last minute to start taking photos of myself.  In this picture, which in my opinion is the best of the ones that I took, I am sitting in front of my photo tent I had just finished taking pictures of a cuff that I had bead embroidered.  So here I am!

I am also dressed in an old t-shirt and sweat pants, because I just got off from work and no plans of going out anywhere except to the post office to mail a package, because the piece that I was to put in the mail was still sitting on the table by the photo tent.  I did put in a pair of earring before I left the house.

I am excited about this Focus on Life through photography and will be looking forward to receiving my prompt for each week. So come on back next Saturday and see what I have to share with y'all.

Happy beading Y'all,

Therese







12 Days of Christmas Handmade Gift Swap Day 11 1/4/13

Hi Y'all,

It is day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas Handmade Gift Swap and today I opened my gift from Suzanne Reynolds of Over The Moon, Too blog.  Here is what Suzanne gave to me...

I love the packaging Suzanne did lovely envelope with a bird in the corner and on the back it was sealed with a pretty little stamp that you will see soon.

Inside of the pretty packaging was this beautiful handmade journal cover.  It is pieced batik material and quilted with decorative machine stitching.  I love it and I have decided that I am going to use it as an address book, so I can keep up with all my new beady and blogging friends addresses.

Here is the stamp that was sealing the back of the envelope.  The first thing I noticed was the rabbit.  I love rabbits and I collect them (not the live ones) in all types of mediums, so how could I rip through this one.  I carefully opened the envelope and when I saw what was inside I knew where this rabbit and rose would call home.  They will now decorate my title page of my new address book.

Thank you Suzanne I love my new little address book.

Tomorrow is day 12 and I will open my gift from Gina Hockett  http://www.freestyleelements.blogspot.com.

Happy beading Y'all

Therese

12 Days of Christmas Handmade Gift Swap Day 10 1/3/2013

Hi Y'all,

It is day 10 of the 12 Days of Christmas Handmade Gift Swap.  Today I opened my gift from Rita of Toltec Jewels blog.  Here is what Rita sent to me...

Rita sent two Mr and Mrs Snowman hot pads along with the wrapped goodies

Rita beaded a sweet little snowflake ornament/pendant and that was not all she also sent a little scarf to go with the little sombrero and then a bees wax candle that is made to burn for a long time.

Thank you Rita I love my gifts and will think of you when I use them.

Tomorrow is day 11 and I will be opening the gift that Suzanne Reynolds  suzannereynolds.blogspot.com sent.

Happy beading Y'all,

Therese

12 Days of Christmas Handmade Gift Swap Days 8 and 9

Hi Y'all,

I was MIA with day 8 post, but I am here today to give you days 8 and 9.  

On day 8 I opened the gift from Erin Prais-Hintz Treasures Found blog.  Here is what Erin sent to me...

In this cute little package was these 

four napkin/card holder rings that Erin wire wrapped  faceted glass beads and glass pearls around to make any place setting pretty and festive.  Thank you Erin I love them.  I can not wait for an occasion to use them.

Today day 9 I opened my gift from Melissa Trudinger of Bead Recipes blog.  This is what Melissa sent to me...

Oh how sweet and oh so cute I love the card with Santa driving a vintage VW van.  I wonder if it is just a fluke or if Melissa knows about Lorelei and her husband's like for vintage VW vans.

Inside the cute packaging was this sweet little snowflake pendant and

this beautiful ornament with a crystal dangling from it.

Thank you Melissa I love my gifts from you and will always look back at this Handmade Gift Swap when I hang this ornament on my tree.

Tomorrow day 10 I will be opening the gift from Toltec Jewels www.JewelSchoolFriends.com

Happy beading Y'all,

Therese