Sleepy Critters

Tree Wing Studio is giving away one of her precious little sleepy critters beads.   I don't want you to go over there and try to win something, because I want to win!  However, I am going to show you how sweet and adorable her beads are, and I am going to say her deadline is coming quickly...

Getting My Craft On! - Menu Board

I admit it- I'm not crafty.  Yes, I make jewelry, but that's about it.  I rarely use scissors, glue or paper for anything other than lists or stuff for the girls to do.

But I found this amazing idea on Pinterest- it's a menu board by Sarah Potter, and it is beautiful.
Here's hers:

Isn't it beautiful?  She used an old cookie sheet and covered it with fabric.

So, I copied her idea. I found a magnetic, dry erase board at Walmart for about $5.  Then I used hot glue and covered it with fabric.  I found the cute clothes pins in the office supplies at Walmart, too.  I hot-glued my letters on the pins, then hot-glued them on the board.

Sarah's is a lot prettier, but I'm very proud of my crafty self. 

My success makes me want to try again, and do something else crafty!  Maybe I can do some things with the girls this summer.  Just one thing a week or so.  I'm not very brave or creative with the whole 'crafty' thing; however, there are FABULOUS craft ideas on Pinterest and I want to make this summer fun and more organized.  I hate getting to the end of the summer and trying to remember what we did with all that time.

Bead Soup Blog Party Follow-Up Piece

I made another piece with Michelle's wonderful soup!  I used the last piece of Carnelian and created a fun wire hoop pendant.

I added some wonderful Jasper to the chain, and ended up with a fun & elegant necklace.

I am delighted with the weight and feel of the chain and pendant.

Thank you, Michelle!

An Extra Smile- Bead Soup Teaser

I have a teaser for the Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal!  My reveal date isn't until April 20th, so the big reveal isn't for a week.  Which is good, because I'm not done!

However-  I have two pieces completed, and I want to share just a tidbit of what I've been working on...

LOVELY beads!  

from my partner Michelle

Come back in a week and let me show you the completed pieces!

See you then.

An Extra Smile!

Hey!  I forgot!

I won some beads this week from Cyndi Lavin and the Best Beads Shop.  I'm pretty excited because each of the three packages contains beads I will actually use!  Woo-hoo!

 I was a little nervous that I'd end up with either really ugly beads, seed beads, or pony beads...  Not that I can't do anything with ugly beads, or seed beads or pony beads...  But the beads I won are lovely!

The ones that say they are yellow with pink and white are actually a lime green that I love.  Green is my favorite color, you know!  And I can already see them in a multi-strand bracelet.
The Garnet red ones are perfect for some of my flower wire-work pieces.
And the Ivory full coating ones- well, they are sparkly!  So they are guaranteed a place of honor.

I probably can't do anything with these beads right now, because I'm in the middle of Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party, but I'm sure looking forward to working with them!

BONUS Fun Day!- My Garden Bracelet

Yesterday was the Bead Star submission date, so I ran around like CRAZY. Trying to get my pics taken before metal-smithing and while the sun was shining.

I didn't want to wait til after class, 'cuz of the time difference. Alaska time is an hour after Pacific coast time, and I wasn't sure when they'd shut down the entries.

So, I've got extra photos of the work I've been doing, and I wanted to share!!!

I made this bracelet about a month ago. I love the way the seed beads wind around the rose quartz and the center frame. I fought with that strand of seed beads! It would not do what I wanted it to do at first, but I finally won the battle.

I think my favorite bit is the butterfly charm

It's hard to see, but there's also a strand of fluorite with with the strand of green pearls.

I'm calling this one 'My Garden', because it reminds me of soft pink flowers and fluttering butterflies.