The weather is absolutely terrible - so it was a perfect time to race for the studio (getting wet in the process!) and play while the wind howled!
I got out all my bugle beads, seed beads, and dagger beads, just to see what I had - and was astonished at how many different places I had stashed them! And here I thought I was fairly organized....hoo boy - embarrassing!
Moving right along - have far fewer bugle beads than the others - have daggers with no matching seed beads...but....there were enough to spark my imagination for a couple of new (well, more than that, but that's all I had time for!).
I cranked up the radio and the heater....and sat down with the beads....first my favorite color, blue...with a combination of clear transparent color, and opaque pearly color - and the fringe earring pattern that I know by heart...oh, so pretty!!
Then I looked at the green....and there sat the ones I disliked a LOT last time I tried this - but looking at them again - I know why - the color 'tones' don't match, so the whole pattern just doesn't hold together visually. With that in mind, I picked some really pale green pearly seed beads (Ceylon finish, I think), and frosted white bugle beads. The dagger beads I had were the same tone as the seed beads, so they looked good! This combination really appealed to me - the pale shade of green, and the matte white bugles...nice!
I have one more new combination I'm going to try - brought them in to work on tonight - and the mind is percolating about my 'verse purse' - next project to re-visit!
Here's today's goodies:
are they not very pretty?? Course you have to like pastel colors...lol!and here's the green version:
Next version, I'm going to try a wider, longer version...in more favorite colors... stay tuned!
Even though I have not been terribly active doing jewelry and crafts - I have been VERY busy! Happy to say that all Christmas presents that needed making are all done - just need boxes and wrapping - good feeling that!
I also have joined a couple of groups here on the net. I have always wanted to do a bit of 'giving back' with my crafts - but never could find a good way to do that. Now I have found not one, but two! I first found a site through reading another crafting blog - called Heartmade Blessings - they have a group of people (like me) who make afghan squares in colors and sizes that are requested. They make afghans for anyone going through a crisis - from families of soldiers who gave their lives, to chemo patients, to anything that an afghan would let the recipient know they are cared for. It is a good feeling to contribute to this effort.
I then found another site, called "Hero-ghans" - and this one is for families of those in our armed services who have died in service to our country. Done in patriotic colors, and according to their rules - on this one you let them know what you have ready - and then fill a request. The notes received back from the families are touching - and such rich payment for very little effort.
On both of these sites, you identify your square with a tag, giving your name and location - how neat to receive one of these afghans and see how many different people and places contributed to it!
Changing gears....today I did get some time out in my studio, and started looking through the beads I have on hand. I found the prettiest crystal star beads from Rings N Things that I had totally forgotten I had! Resisting the impulse to complicate it....I decided to just make a simple dangle....and oh, how I like it!
Took a long head pin, slid on the pretty little star, and then some sparkly crystal Delica beads - and that was it! Simple, and very pretty!
Here they are (did I tell you I finally got my trusty scanner working again on my studio laptop? Yay and Yay!!):
and a close up of the star....so sparkly!
I'm calling these my "Star of Bethlehem" earrings - seemed the best name for them!
More to come.....stay tuned!
Well, I know it's been a while - but that truly surprised me. But then, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then....
I, in a word, got disenchanted - I had spread out my crafts among WAY too many venues - and for whatever reasons, none of them were doing anything much. A few people looked, some even commented - and it wasn't that I didn't like what I put out there - I love every single design. But...enough is enough!
I dumped them - all of them. Well - except for this blog and the website (with very little on it) that shares the name with the blog. Quit Etsy, Artfire, ByMe, Handmade....and those that I cannot even remember (you know you are stretched too thin when you can't remember them all). Took a bit of time to do that.
Then I did more thinking....why is it that I seem to be 'forever learning' - that I am a 'jack of all trades, but master of none?' I am just so fascinated by all the techniques and materials out there....I just want to try them all! I still do! So...what to do, what to do??
Should I just continue with trying out all the things I can (and I have a LOT of 'stuff' to experiment with) - or try and pick one and become very proficient at that. Do any of you have that problem? Am I the only one doing this? Lol! Maybe I am (please leave me a comment if you are....would be nice to know I'm not alone in this!)
So...for now...I'm picking an area - and then I'm revisiting what I've already done with it....and then try new things - to become more proficient...and explore other ways to use it!
So...I'm back....with camera in hand (need to build a light box) - so stay tuned for whatever it is that I decide to try first!
I have been thinking of this idea for quite some time - ever since I made some for gifts last Christmas - and now would like to share, in hopes that some of you would also like to give a 'natural' gift!
The 'cleanin' up' part, of course refers to soap - now, I am not one of those super-talented people who can get around lye and water and come out with something lovely and useful. I envy them, but I am not them. So...wanting to make this myself, I turned to a wonderful site I used before - Bramble Berry. They have such a huge selection, not to mention a wealth of information, but they are also responsive and helpful when you email with a question. This time, all I did was refresh my memory on the process - I've done this many times, but it's been a while!
I used two different bases for my efforts this time. The trusty clear glycerin melt-and-pour base, and a new one for me - a white opaque melt-and-pour base.
The white base I tinted a lovely shade of pink, using liquid colors made for soap - and the white base took to the color beautifully. I had a mold that was a lovely 3-D heart, and this just seemed to be the perfect color and shape for my Warm Vanilla scent (from Bramble Berry - so I know it is the proper quality, and meets all the standards for something you will be putting on your face). Oh, my - this looks and smells so good!
The clear melt-and-pour soap I tinted a gorgeous color of bright pink - not obsessed with the color, but the scent I wanted for this batch was pink grapefruit - so what other color could I possibly use? I used molds in geometric shapes for the soap, and when it was done - it smelled delicious! (not going to eat it, tho!)
The other half of my idea came from my desire to make something natural and from materials made here in the US. I have described elsewhere on this blog my less-than-successful search for that. I had researched knitting stitches - finding some that were reversible - so whichever side you look at, it is pretty! I wanted to knit face cloths out of cotton - a simple, natural fiber that would feel good on your skin.
For the warm vanilla pink heart soap, I decided to use pure white cotton - and I picked "Wonder White Cottontots" by Bernat - it is pure cotton, and is made in Canada (pretty close to our own USA as a source!). I had a pattern that made raised ridges in a diagonal pattern across the cloth, which not only gave it interest, but a mild scrubbing effect too!
For the wonderful pink grapefruit soaps, I picked another of my favorite colors - specifically "Cornflower Blue Sugar'n Cream" by Lily. This is also pure cotton, also made in Canada, and the most lovely shade of blue that contrasts so nicely with the bright pink of the soap! The pattern I chose for this was called "Inverness Diamonds" - such a pretty pattern!
Both cloths have a border all around them of 4 knit stitches, and measure right around 8" square. Not too big, not too small!
These will be going up on my Studio 2:14 website later this week - but I wanted to share just a bit of the background, and a couple of photos with you here first!
More options, colors and patterns coming soon!! When they hit the website, you will be able to buy the sets as shown, or each piece separately.
Just a short post to let you all know that the "Fruit Of The Spirit" earrings are up on my new website - Studio 2:14 !
Now you can read the whole story - how I created them, and the list of the fruit along with the corresponding colors. It makes for pretty interesting reading! Come read what you don't know about some of our most familiar colors!
Tomorrow I'm changing gears, and putting up a craft...or maybe more....
I have a version of my "Fruit Of The Spirit" earrings on my iCraft site - but after they were done, although they were very pretty - half of the crystals weren't visible.
In the end, I didn't care for this - it may have made the earrings 3-D, but since there are 9 fruits, I wanted all 9 crystal beads visible too. I had an idea of how to accomplish this, and added incentive was a dear friend who is also a customer (thanks, Dee!). I made a new version - and all the crystals were now on the front side of the earring. Very pretty, and I was pleased to have my friend purchase them.
Then I got to thinking - what if I made the swirls smaller, making the crystal beads stand out more...how would that look? Nothing would do but to try it - and when they were done, my heart and mind said "YES!" This is how I want them to look!
This is now the final revision - and the way I will be making this design from now on. The balance is just right. Tomorrow I hope to have them on my website, ready for sale, but wanted to give you a sneak peek here first!
The earrings are wire-wrapped - silver-plated 24 gauge wire over an oval base - just over an inch in length. There are nine separate wires, and each one holds a different color crystal - and completed with a spiral. Each one is then bent into shape around the oval to complete the earring. They are attached to sterling silver french earwires.
You'll have to wait to see these on my website Studio 2:14 to find out the colors of the crystals, and how each one represents a fruit of the Spirit - a list of these will be included with each pair of earrings sold.
I truly love this design - and welcome any feedback on them!
More to come tomorrow - both jewelry and other crafts....can't wait!!
Next version, I'm going to try a wider, longer version...in more favorite colors... stay tuned!
