Finally Used the Flower Focal

Remember how two entries ago, I was trying to work with a Round Rabbit flower focal and instead I wound up with this fairy necklace?

Over the weekend, I decided come hell or high water that I was going to use that focal. I don't know why I was so dead set on it, but I was. I'd gotten some fab cherry quartz at the AKS Gem show 2 weeks ago, and I couldn't stop picturing it with the flower. Probably because it reminded me of this necklace I made a couple of years ago. Since I eventually removed it from etsy because I couldn't stop wearing it (I'm wearing it right now!), I didn't want to make something so similar. But I couldn't help myself from using the cherry quartz. I paired it with some Czech glass and strung it on turquoise waxed Irish linen. It's fun and colorful and springy, though I'm still not sure it was the best use of that flower. I think it's just my matchy matchy neurons twitching because the matchiness of the blues/turquoises don't seem to be close enough to draw it together. Like the focal's just the wrong shade of blues. Or am I being ridiculous?

EDIT: I am not being ridiculous! Kashmira's comment below is convincing me it should be paired with all white. Next question. White beads, but what color cord? Turquoise like it's already on, white for the sake of matching, or red in case someone who digs red, white & blue wants it?

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April Flower

New stuff! I made this bracelet last night. It's a bracelet! It's asymmetrical! Two things I usually fail at, but I think this one's a winner. I've had this vintage red flower button for a couple of years. I loved it, but never knew what to do with it until last night. Actually, I could say the same about the green & red dot lampwork bead and the green bead - it's made like a cotton pearl, but differently coated. I guess asymmetrical bracelets are the way to use up those cool singular beads I've got lying around. Now, if the salon customers would just embrace bracelets. Not once have I ever sold one there, and there have been a few really cute ones, albeit symmetrical...

I posted a quick iPhone snap of this necklace on Facebook the other day, but here it is in all its glory. Round Rabbit focal, Czech beads, opalite beads, vintage lavender seed beads, silver spacers and waxed Irish linen. Of course I missed Easter, but rabbits are cute all year. Not just on Easter!

Lorelei's e-book & more

For those of you who don't already know, Lorelei just released an ebook called Asymmetry Made Easy, which I just had to buy. It was way too late last night, and I didn't have the time this morning - but I can't wait to read it! A quick peek revealed that it's going to be very fun & helpful. I really struggle with asymmetry and while I get the concept, I have a hard time doing it. I can't wait to see what the master has to say about it! Get your own copy here: http://lorelei1141.blogspot.com/2012/04/ebook-is-ready.html

Meanwhile, I made this necklace over the weekend with one of my long-hoarded Golem pendants. I figured since I just got a few new ones, it was time to let one of the older ones go. This is the first time (but surely not the last) that I've put waxed linen cording together with sari, and I like it.

Totally 80's or Pride? You Decide!

I'd been hanging onto this Golem Studio heart pendant for quite some time now, just waiting for the perfect beads to come together. And when Lima Beads announced a new shipment of Czech glass last week (on pay day no less!) I just had to buy a ton. I wasn't even thinking of the heart pendant when I ordered, or at least not consciously. Just as well, I might have overdone it. When the beads arrived on Monday, I sorted them into their own Czech glass bin and then it hit me! I had the perfect first project. I pulled out the heart pendant, and the rest was history. I got side tracked by my fave TV show (RuPaul's Drag Race, which demands 100% focus, so I can't bead through it), and after that it was midnight. So I finished it last night and I just LOVE it!

I can't decide though, is it more 80's a la Punky Brewster / Care Bears / Rainbow Brite? Or is it more Gay Pride? Maybe one of RuPaul's girls might like it? haha.

And the best part is that I already made the matching earrings a few months ago!

I'm not going to list them on etsy just yet - I'll give it a chance at the salon first. (Unless of course anyone just has to have it, let me know. I won't be making a salon run for at least another week or so.)

Lee Crashed My Party!

My birthday is next week. The one we all dread. The Big 4-0. So I knew I had to do something really special. After much deliberation and opinion gathering, I decided the easiest and most likely to be successful plan was to have an early evening until late night gathering at a centrally located bar -- tomorrow. There's this couple I'm friends with -- one works there, and the other insisted on cooking jambalaya for 50. Another friend was going to make my cake, Steve and I were going to pick up some finger sandwiches, and I was going to make my world famous guacamole and my new specialty, sun dried tomato & basil hummus. I was so very excited, I could hardly wait. And then that stupid Tropical Storm Lee developed and decided to rain on my parade. I awoke around 3 am to discover the power was off, and then an hour or so later, the first of three robo-calls announcing a tornado warning again woke me.

So after much deliberation and opinion gathering, I decided to cancel my party. I hope to reschedule it soon, but September is a very busy month, and it'd be a little anti-climactic to celebrate my birthday a month late. Things have kind of slowed down for now, but the storm isn't moving. It's just sitting there dropping rain all over the Gulf Coast. They promise much more over the next two days. Fortunately, I didn't get the finger sandwiches. But I did have 10 avocados ripening on the window sill. We polished off one batch of guacamole last night. Four more batches to go...

The silver lining, I guess, is that I got to finish up a few pieces of jewelry and even managed to photograph them in a brief sunny reprieve we had a couple of hours ago. Tonight, I'll be making a huge pot of Donald Link's Chicken & Rice with Mushrooms Soup. My mom gave everyone his cookbook a couple of Christmases ago, and I've made this soup quite a few times. It's easy and delicious, and will be the perfect antidote to all this howling wind and rain. I wonder if it pairs well with guacamole...

Mushrooms, Birds, & Handmade Clasps

I haven't been particularly inspired in the last couple of weeks. I don't know if it's the heat, or because I'm looking forward to the new things I'll be getting at the upcoming bead show next month. But I'm just not feeling it. I did, however, manage to come up with a few things last week. I am really enjoying making my own clasps at least.

Anyone know what the pendant is? It was unmarked when I got it a year and a half ago. Some sort of jasper I'm guessing. It's really pretty and goes well with the millefiori/foiled beads I used.

Remember when I made the bird pendants from a mold I created? I do like the way this one came out. I'd made myself a necklace with one at the time, but now that I've made this, I'm going to have to revisit the other one. It also includes some betel nut beads and Czech glass.

 These mod little earrings are blackstone and Czech glass. 

And these cute retro styled mushrooms are paired with faux coral.

Can't wait 'til the bead show. It's no Bead & Button or Tucson, but it's the best we get here in NOLA and I'm excited!

Short & Sweet

Because my computer's already crashed twice, and my lunch hour totally got pre-empted by work, I'm going to make this short & sweet. Here's my latest & greatest.

Red Czech glass beads, my own hand made red tin beadcaps, ice blue vintage semiprecious stone beads, gunmetal wire, chain & clasp.

Coconut shell beads & Czech glass.

Dyed turquoise beads & antiqued bronze owls and bead caps.

Antique bronze swirly drops & faceted garnet beads.

Recycled rhinestones and shell rounds.

Pink Lucite flowers w/ Swarovski crystals (request for a friend).

I've got something coming up soon -- I just need to figure out a clasp and one small detail, but it's my first necklace with a Green Girl Studios piece, and I'm pretty excited about it!

No Time to be Chatty

My productive streak has indeed continued. Hooray!

I made a Shannon Levart inspired bracelet.

And several pairs of earrings (including one for myself, not pictured). 

And just because I'm always talking about my dog, I thought I'd include pictures of our cat. I had to buy her this fancy contraption to elevate her food so the dog couldn't reach it. It took a few days to adjust, but now she likes eating up there.

Hang on to Yourself

I've been somewhat productive this week. Hooray for me! And considering there was yet another incident with my dog that's pretty amazing. She's back to normal sick now, instead of omgshe'sabouttodie sick, which was Monday and Tuesday. And just from sneaking a little dog food on Sunday!?

So here are some earrings and a bracelet I've made this week. I started another bracelet last night, but I still have more to do before it's done.

Recycled gun charm & black beads, new coral red beads.

 

A Very Bracelety Day

I've been working on these the last couple of nights, and finished the last one this morning. I love bracelets, even though I don't wear them often. I hope these will find happy wrists :)

 Vintage taupe bicones & rhinestone rondelles, vintage (or at least upcycled) glass pearls, recycled sari silk ribbon. I'd been hoarding this particular piece, and now I know why. All beads from my friend's treasure box.

Recycled sari ribbon, recycled nut beads, shell connectors, vintage buttons.

 

This is for a smaller wrist. Czech glass recently purchased from Lima Beads, ceramic rondelles, hand antiqued copper wire wrapping & clasp.