Button Swap Reveal!

It's here! IT'S HERE!!! The Button Swap Blog Hop! WOO!

Let's get started.

Here's what my lovely partner, Shanti, sent me.

Such pretty buttons! I decided to play with 2 of the shank buttons. I'll admit, I was not as creative as I would have hoped, but my muse is on vacation, apparently. Or focused on drawing and painting. ANYWAY, here's what I made.

This sparkly shank button makes a lovely and elegant focal. I used teal and mint green beads in the necklace to give it a bit of playfulness. I'm not the best at making necklaces but I do adore them. I used to think I was terrible at making bracelets but I think I've gotten over that little bit of self-doubt. Hopefully, I can get over this bit as well.

Now for my next piece.

I'm so in love with sari ribbon. And I decided to use the long shank button in a bracelet.

When I saw this sparkly focal, I knew I had to have it. I knew it would work wonders in another "rustic elegance" piece.

Here's what I came up with.

I know. A button as a clasp. Not too terribly inventive but this bracelet makes my body dance with happiness. Seriously. I put it on and I can't help but shake my wrist to get the danglies moving and then my shoulders move and before I know it, I'm in a down right boogie. Lol.

I still have three buttons to play with. I'm going to do some hopping and hopefully get some inspiration as to what to do with them!

Want to hop with me?

Alice Peterson  and Kim Bender

Angie Blasingame and Billi R.S. Rothove

 Billi R.S. Rothove and Angie Blasingame

 Birgitta Lejonklou and Pam Farren

 Bonnie Coursolle and Tania Hagen

 Brenda Salzano and Hope Smitherman

 Cat Kerr and Heather Powers

 Cece Cornier and Jeannie Dukic

 Celeste Thurston and Christine Damm

 Christine Damm and Celeste Thurston

 Christine Stonefield and Dana James

 Cilla Watkins and Lori Bowring Michaud

 Cindy Wimmer and Mimi Gardner

 Cynthia Machata and Julia Johnson

 Cynthia Riggs and Lori Finney

 Dana James and Christine Stonefield

Diana Ptaszynski and Erin Prais-Hintz

 Emma Thomas and Rebecca Anderson

 Erin Prais-Hintz and Diana Ptaszynski

 Erin Siegel and Sharon Borsavage

 Heather Powers and Cat Kerr

 Holly Westfall and Sally Russick

 Hope Smitherman and Brenda Salzano

 Jayne Capps and Kim Dworak

 Jeannie Dukic and Cece Cornier

 Jenna Meyers and Kristi Harrison

 Jenna Tomalka and Karen McKillip

 Jenny Davies Reazor and Sandi Volpe

 Julia Johnson and Cynthia Machata

 Kalaya Steede and Kylie Dickman

 Karen McKillip and Jenna Tomalka

 Karen Mitchell and Renetha Stanziano

 Karla Morgen and Mary Govaars

Kay Thomerson and Shannon Chomanczuk

 Kim Ballor and Laurel Steven

 Kim Bender and Alice Peterson

 Kim Dworak and Jayne Capps

 Kim Roberts and Partner unable to participate at this time.

 Kristi Harrison and Jenna Meyers

 Kylie Dickman and Kalaya Steede

 Kym Hunter and Lynda Moseley

 Laurel Steven and Kim Ballor

 Linda Djokic and Patty Gasparino

 Line Labrecque and Teri Baskett

 Liz DeLuca and Lorelei Eurto

 Lorelei Eurto and Liz DeLuca

 Lori Anderson and Niky Sayers

 Lori Bowring Michaud and Cilla Watkins

 Lori Finney and Cynthia Riggs

 Lynda Moseley and Kym Hunter

 Marianna Boylan and Tracy Statler

 Mary Govaars and Karla Morgen

 Mary Harding and Stacie Florer 

 Maureen Baranov and Tracy Bell

 Melissa Martin and Theresa Fosdick

 Michelle Hardy and Peggy Johnson

 Mimi Gardner and Cindy Wimmer

 Nicole Valentine Rimmer and Niki Meiners

 Niki Meiners and Nicole Valentine Rimmer

 Niky Sayers and Lori Anderson

 Pam Farren and Birgitta Lejonklou

* Pam Ferarri and Stefanie Teufel (will share their reveal on a later date)

 Patty Gasparino and Linda Djokic

 Peggy Johnson and Michelle Hardy

 Rebecca Anderson and Emma Thomas

 Rebekah Payne and Sue Kennedy

 Renetha Stanziano and Karen Mitchell

 Rose Binoya (<--YOU ARE HERE) and Shanti Johnson

 Sally Russick and Holly Westfall

 Sandi Volpe and Jenny Davies Reazor

 Shannon Chomanczuk and Kay Thomerson

 Shanti Johnson and Rose Binoya

 Sharon Borsavage and Erin Siegel

 Shirley Moore and Veralynne Malone

 Stacie Florer and Mary Harding

* Stefanie Teufel and Pam Ferarri (will share their reveal on a later date)

 Sue Hamel and Terry Carter

 Sue Kennedy and Rebekah Payne

 Tania Hagen and Bonnie Coursolle

 Tania Spivey and Teresa Gagne

 Teresa Gagne and Tania Spivey

 Teri Baskett and Line Labrecque

 Terry Carter and Sue Hamel

 Theresa Fosdick and Melissa Martin

 Tracy Bell and Maureen Baranov

 Tracy Statler and Marianna Boylan

 Veralynne Malone and Shirley Moore

Thank you, Cindy, for hosting this challenge! I loved it! <3

Crocheted Bracelet and Instagram Rant

I love embroidery floss. It comes in SO MANY colors. And isn't so expensive it breaks the bank. I've been teaching myself to crochet off and on for a few months now and wanted to try my hand at making a bracelet.

I decided to do a multi-color bracelet. I chose three colors I thought went well together and gathered them up losely.

I did a long chain with the thread. I love how random it looks.

I ran into some trouble with the double crochet stitch. The hook didn't want to hold the floss sometimes. I'm thinking a slightly larger hook would be better. I'm using a 3.25 hook here.

The finished bracelet. I'm wearing it now and it's super comfy. It needs some tweaking in the design, I think. Like maybe a better button for the clasp. I'm thinking of adding glass beads. Right now, it looks a bit juvenille and that's not what I want. Oh sure, girly is ok but I wanted something a bit more... hip, I guess. Lol.

I've been spending a lot of time making bracelets. I want to try and make more necklaces but just can't seem to "get it." :-\

On a side note, I'm loving Instagram. I love that I can instantly upload my photos of projects (of anything really), and get feedback. I love looking at everyone else's works, too. AND I just die when I see all the cute puppies.

I know all the iPhone users are upset that it's come to Android and I suppose understand. I, myself, have a 7 year old Mac Powerbook which I love to death and prefer above all others but don't hate on other computers. I think it's funny there's a hashtag for all the Android hate/iPhone love and they're blaming the slowness of the program on the fact that Android users have access to the app now (oh, and they're blaming the Facebook buyout too). I haven't had a problem with my HTC. Instagram works great on my phone... maybe it's the iPhone... or their phone provider :P

2 Weeks

Wearing this necklace today. Dragonflies inspire me. They represent growth. Rebirth. Feminine strength. I love dragonflies.

Wow. Has it really been two weeks since I've updated the blog? Wow.

It's been longer since I've uploaded anything new to my Etsy. Changed that today. Made a new beach bracelet.

Pretty shell rounds. Shiny.

I had such a nasty cold last week. Sore throat. Aches. And then now, my cold is gone... but hey, there's allergies now! YAY! Lol.

The job hunt has slowed since I was hired by *insert big craft store name here.* I was hired as an instructor. Oh, it was lovely at first. I had some great students. Had a good 4 class run. But now, no students for 2 weeks. And no students means no work. And because I'm an instructor, the other employees tell me that I can't be trained to help on the floor. It's rather frustrating. I really miss working. So much so that when the boyfriend complains about work, I say something like, "Well, at least you HAVE a job." Or, "I wish I could work."

It's really discouraging but my Etsy sales have picked up a tiny bit. My dream is to live off of my jewelry. That would be so lovely. But I'm not there yet. Must pick up the pace.

Ugh. My right nostril is clogged. Ew, right?

Hope everyone is having a fantastic Tuesday!

BTW: Bracelet Frames

[[[ If you're looking for the Bead Soup blog post, it's HERE. :) ]]]

Happy Bead Table Wednesday! Lets take a look at my desk...

I'm making bracelet frames. I LOVE this bracelet so much I wanted to make more to sell. I wear mine day and night. I only take it off to shower... Very comfy.

 There's my anvil. And yes, that hammer is tiny. The idea was it wouldn't hurt as much if I struck my finger with it... Yeah. Not so much. Also, it was like $5 or something like that. Oh, and I don't have a pad thingy for my anvil. I WAS using my planner but I figured out that if I kept it at home under my anvil, I never used it. :P The book works pretty well for muffling the sound of my little hammer.

Here are some of the frames. They then become...

This! Zebra jasper the tag said. But when I looked up the stone online, zebra jasper was black and white... this looks more like "landscape jasper." But I'm going to trust my bead tag until someone else tells me it's wrong. Then, this becomes...

This! And it's even listed in the shop! I'm all kinds of productive today.

I want to make a bunch of these in different colors. Here's where I bought this silk. I've had it FOREVER. Last night, I almost bought a bunch of silk but stopped myself. I think I'll make the frames first AND THEN buy the colored silk to match. See! Then I know I'll use the ribbon. :)

What's on YOUR bead table today?

Check out the BTW Flickr group!

And, soup's on! Dig in!

I had this post ready to go yesterday but noooo... it wasn't there when I went to look this about... oh... 15 minutes ago. Oh Blogger, you are so fickle. I am reposting this now and will have to hop tomorrow! First day of my new job today! WOOT! 

The wonderful Lori Anderson has put together this Bead Soup Party and I was one of the lucky few chosen to participate. Love you, Lori!!!

Here are the beads my partner, Kathy, sent me. Don't you just love those bronze pieces and that stone?! And the round piece on the right? From her button collection. AND Czech glass beads!? Love.

Here's what I came up with:

I've been trying to make my pieces more interesting and has presented with a lovely opportunity to play with a new material: wire mesh tubular ribbon. I love how the stones look in the ribbon.

Added some Czech glass beads and a lucite flower. I am absolutely head over heels for that moon pendant.

And of course, I couldn't get away without some wire wrapping...

I used copper wire and some seed beads to make the frame. That stone is such a wonderful shape and sits on top of the frame so beautifully.

I used some silk sari ribbon I bought many many moons ago. Knotted and used a wood bead as a clasp. Simple, but pretty. And it feels great on my wrist.

That ribbon makes me ridiculously giddy. Though, I learned that just because the scraps are sewn end to end doesn't mean it's the most secure binding. SO. When you yank, sometimes, it will come apart. Do try not to scream out obscenities in the middle of the night if this happens to you. :P

I had such big plans for my lovely beads, but was hit with a nasty cold on Sunday. I haven't done much making and creating since then. My bed and I were good friends this week. Here's what I was left with:

As you can see, I started to work on a few different pieces, but never finished. Hopefully, I'll have a second companion post with those pieces sometime next week.

I don't normally work with this color pallet. Oh, I always want to but when I go out and buy beads for myself, they usually end up being purples or pinks... copper wire... sometimes, shiny brass. Thank you, Kathy, for sending me such lovely beads and giving me the opportunity to work outside my comfort zone.

Check out Kathy's blog here.

And hop on over to Lori's blog for a list of all the bead soup players.

Just a Touch of Red

I make a lot of bracelets. And thought I would make the heart clasp (from this post) into a necklace... but... well... I just couldn't help myself. Lol.

Doesn't it make a lovely bracelet?

And I especially love the red flower. I love how it just pops out against the blue-green.

Listed here! And don't forget. Use coupon code "LOVE2012" for 20% off. :)

Happy Saturday!

Color Driven Designs

Remember this post?
Which had the Pantone Spring 2012 color report? 

Well, that inspired this:

Which kinda looks like a guitar, to tell you the truth. The boyfriend pointed it out to me.. but it's supposed to be a heart key...

Then, THAT led to this:

Cabaret pink, margarita green, and gray... LOVE that color combo.

THAT led to this:

More wire wrapping and combining THREE colors- solar yellow, tangerine tango, and sodalite blue. I strung some seed beads to finish the bracelet. Using the colored waxed Irish linen cord led to THIS:

Yeah. I'm not too thrilled with this design. Blue. Bellflower. Yellow. And cabaret.

But hey, you can't win 'em all.

SIDENOTE: Listed 2 magazines into the destash section. 2 issues of Step by Step Wire Jewelry. Want? Check it out :)

Fingers

My fingers have developed lovely calluses from making these earrings. The tiny seed beads were a bit of a pain to wire wrap but I love how they look all lined up and sparkly.

This bracelet was a little easier on my fingers. Look at the deep purple of that amethyst.

I've been creating and uploading pretty regularly now for about 3 weeks. My shop has gone from around 30 items to almost 100. I'm told that's how you get sales on Etsy... uploading and such. My fingers are crossed.

Pretty Sure I'm Obsessed...

... with making these bracelets O_O

I will be having a giveaway next week!

There's a conference I want to attend in March... MUST RAISE FUNDS >.< Still no job. Things were looking ok with sales last week but no sales yet this week. Must keep thinking positive!

I think I'll go blog hopping tomorrow. I haven't visited blogs in while. YAY!

My Poor Shop

Been working on pretties for a submission.

All of the above are now in a padded envelope at my editor's office. My favorite is the first pair of earrings.

I've also been working on some affordable single wrap bracelets. Probably price them at around $6 each.

But even these pretties won't be making it into my shop right now. They're going off to a fundraiser sale for my cousin's home school group on Friday (I think...), along with some studs and hair accessories I've been making. So busy... and none going into my shop.

I must make something for my shop. I must... maybe tomorrow. But for now, I think I can make a few more bracelets before dinner...

Time for lunch?

Woke up and had a rough conversation with my student loan people. "Loss of job" is a silly reason to want to change the day of your student loan payment, apparently.

SOOO, after breakfast, I dove into finishing up a submission I'm turning in on the 15th... a few hours later, I knew it was time for lunch when this happened:

I remembered to check the knot before closing this cover... but I trimmed the ends BEFORE checking and sooo, I can't make the knot bigger. AAAND... I got mad and growled and my tummy responded with it's own growl and that's when I made myself some quinoa and veggies.

Will redo the bracelet tomorrow. :)

Also made some hairpins. Love? I love. :P

Friday tomorrow! And Veteran's Day! YAY!

Printer Tray Tuesday: Pineapple Quartz

I have a printer's tray at home full of beads from my stash waiting to be turned into wonderful pieces. And thus, I have dubbed Tuesday to be "Printer Tray Tuesday."

Compartment number 2!:
-lucite flowers (man, I love those flowers, don't I?)
-pineapple quartz
-carved bone rounds
-1 button

I got the pineapple quartz from this awesome bead store in the Fashion District in LA last year. Aaaand the strand sat in my bead stash since that awesome day. I know. Horrible.

I dug around the beads that didn't make it into one of the 23 compartments of the printer's tray and added some amber glass rounds to the mix. The bracelet is strung on red waxed linen thread, which I am loving right now.

The colors clash with this lovely rainy day I'm experiencing today, but that's ok. My muse seems to still be stuck in summer mode which is fine with me... as long as she keeps me creating, I'm a happy camper.

Today is a rainy rainy day. The boyfriend and I are at Starbucks enjoying some coffee. I love fall.

Happy Tuesday, everyone! <3

Monday Muses: Amber

Burnt Orange Amber Earrings by by TatianaG

Amber-Filigree Cuff by badkarmacreations

Antique Owl and Leaf Necklace by HandmadebyTinaB

I have been doing a lot... A LOT of purple and pink pieces. Right now, probably because it's fall, I'm loving amber. It's such a deep and beautiful color. And pairing it with copper or antiqued gold or brass is just lovely.

A Wonderful and Simple Bracelet

Remember my Monday Muses post? The first bracelet featured from Summers Studio was inspired by a tutorial Erin Siegel posted on her blog a little while ago. The bracelet she made was a simple and beautiful bracelet and I wanted to try it.

I started with a copper link and a ceramic bead from Yolanda's Clay that I bought from a craft show last year. I didn't have the 1mm waxed cord so I decided to use this paper (yes, PAPER) cord I had in my stash.

I doubled up the cord thinking it would look better with the bigger link. And I love how it looks... but then I couldn't fit all four strands through the ceramic bead! O_O

Luckily for me though, the bead I bought from Yolanda's Clay was from a whole baggie of beads! And there was a round that fit all four strands. YAY!

I made the bracelet a little bigger than in the tutorial because I have meatier arms and I like my bracelets a little loose. I love it. I'm wearing it today!

Do check out Erin's tutorial. You'll be glad you did!