New Techniques

A few posts back, I was showing a new technique I was trying to learn - bead crochet ropes, afterall I already crochet.
Well, it didn't go well.  I finished one that ended up being 6 inches - you really cinch it together at the end and I'm done - not big enough for me.  This is one technique that is not for me.  But at least I tried.

Earrings I fell in love with..

I really like all of the jewelry I make, but sometimes I find pieces that I just really, really love and can't wait to wear and it happened this week.  I was making some earrings for my store and these just came together perfectly - so one pair for the store and one pair for me. 

Golem Beads, Vintaj brass findings and a dyed jade beads.

Beadweaving

Sigh....This is what I would like to grow into.  Actually, taking the time to do some beadweaving.  I will be doing the Lori Anderson bead soup blog hop coming up and just got my partner yesterday - Kristen Stevens.  She does some amazing beadweaving - just beautiful stuff.  Here's her blog - My Bead Journey.   We talked on the phone today - its so good to talk to someone else with a beading passion (my husband just doesn't cut it or qualify, and only lends a deaf hear to my beady topics).  And I have questions that I've liked to ask other beaders and now... I will finally have someone to talk to about.  So we were talking about beadweaving - here is my start to beadweaving - simple projects I have completed.  I hope that these are a beginning to more challenging pieces in the future....

 2 peyote stitch bracelets - the first two projects in Mastering Beadwork by Carol Huber Cypher.  I really like the triangle one and wear it frequently. 

And some beaded beads - the pattern is from Beadwork magazine.  Not sure what I am going to do with them yet - that's why there are still strings hanging from it.  I actually made another pair of these - but gave them as a gift. 

Valentine's Jewelry

I've been working on some new jewelry with a Valentine's Day twist.  Of course, I'm a little late to the bandwagon, and realize I should have had Valentine's Day stuff ready just as Christmas was ending. 
Well, they do look like they can be worn anytime, if I do say so myself (especially since I made one for me and have been wearing it for sometime!)....

Happy 2013!

This is as close as Joey will get to Santa.

We're finally back to some normal everyday life; after the holidays and parties and birthdays of the past month and a half.  Here's a look back with pictures.

 Daphne and I went to see the Nutcracker.

 New Year's - they both stayed awake until midnight!

 This guy's excited face - especially when he eats spaghetti.

 Kevin's birthday.

A surprise retirement party.

and back to crafting - learning a new technique for jewelry and finishing a wreath - which I actually started one year ago.   It is so cute - wish I would have finished it earlier to enjoy.

There's also lots more jewelry listed now and will be listed this week on my Etsy store.

Our Living Nativity

Daphne's getting ready for the Christmas season and pulling her brother along...
I really love her imagination, with all the animals (real and imaginary, including Alf and the Handy Manny measuring tape) she could find surrounding the pink-clothed baby Jesus in a shopping cart. 

Patina

So, as I said a few days ago, I finally got some supplies in for the Vintaj embossing and after the fun family-filled Thanksgiving holidays, really got down to work in creating some pieces as I have been wanting to do for awhile - again, nothing like a deadline to make me want to work.  This is so fun - embossing, painting and then finally figuring out what kind of sandpaper to use for reliefing the pieces.  They turned out beautiful!  Each piece is glazed on both sides. I know that the tutorials say you don't need to glaze the Vintaj pieces before or after you patina them, but I was especially worried about the pendants - didn't want the copper pieces to be causing any skin discoloration for those that would like to wear them.  These pieces will be at the 1305 Gallery soon...