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Welcome to my blog! When I started this blog it was all about wire crochet jewelry. I fell in love with the first piece I saw and I had to learn how. I was "hooked"!



Showing posts with label pendant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pendant. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Not Too Motivated...

Happy New Year! 

I really haven't been too motivated since the craft shows in December and Christmas!  The only new jewelry I've made is this wrap bracelet.

I've seen these in all the magazines and several websites.  I really like them so I thought I'd give one a try.  Normally they're made with leather cord and beading thread.  I used what I had on hand, which was rubber cord and 28 gauge copper wire.  I used green aventurine beads and found this button in my button box that matches pretty well.  These are a lot of fun.  I'm anxious to make more using real leather and a variety of beads!

Speaking of leather... this is a necklace I made for the last craft show,

a piece of brown leather captured inside a copper spool knitted chain with a copper and mother of pearl pendant.  I'd like to make another one with black leather and silver wire. 

Well, that's it for now!  Hopefully my motivation will return soon!

~Today's Quote~

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."
~ Maria Robinson

Friday, October 1, 2010

"Colors of Fall" with Artbeads!


As an Artbeads design partner, we're celebrating the gorgeous colors of fall!

For the beginning of my design I chose this beautiful Copper Heart Shaped Leaf Pendant.  The selection of pendants is huge, so this wasn't an easy task!  But I fell in love with this one.  I dangled it from the top but it also has a piece on the back for stringing it horizontally.  I used copper wire to compliment the copper on the pendant.


I chose the rest of the beads from their glass beads.  I chose rust picasso roundelles, carnelain opal, chestnut coral and siam from the Czech fire-polished beads for most of the design.  I was not disappointed in the colors!  I love them!  I also added a second strand of 3/0 Dark Copper TOHO beads and finished it off with a 12mm copper-plated curled toggle clasp from their selection of clasps.  I liked that the curled design of the toggle clasp matched the swirls on the pendant. 


I liked the colors together so much that I decided to use the leftover beads and copper wire to crochet this pendant.  I really like the look of it on a leather cord!


Thank you, Artbeads, for allowing me to work with these beautiful beads and to celebrate the glorious colors of fall! 

Disclosure: I am a Blogging for Beaders partner with Artbeads. The above noted items were provided to me free of charge, to be used for design purposes, or for my honest review of them. I have not been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received.

~Today's Quote~

Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive... then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.

~Howard Thurman

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

I am SO Lucky!

Look at what I won from Tish at JustaTish Designs! 


Oh my gosh!  This beautiful pendant and all of these seed beads!  I love this wire wrapped pendant.  I've never had anything like it before and I will treasure it!  It came wrapped in that cute little fabric pouch.  I was so excited about the pendant that I completely forgot about the seed beads Tish was generous enough to include!  She had purchased hanks and shared half of them with the winner! 

Besides making the most beautiful jewelry, Tish has been a great source of inspiration for me.  Thanks for always encouraging me, Tish!  Please check out her blog where you will always find something interesting.  It also includes links to her website where you can purchase her jewelry, facebook and twitter. 

Tish also has a great love of animals.  There is a cause near and dear to her heart, "Christmas for Chamberlin".  Tish will be donating 15% of her sales from now through Christmas to help Chamberlin.  Please click the link above to read the story and see a video of Chamberlin.  Tish says, "He needs more surgery's, more PT, more love, and more support. Along with the donation to Chamberlin, I am also offering a free pair of earrings with every order.  Do a little something for yourself, and do a lot for Chamberlin."  What else can I say after that, except...

Thank you, Tish, for everything.  I thank you and I'm sure Chamberlin does.

~Today's Quote~

Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.
~James Matthew Barrie

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

"Summertime" with Artbeads Necklace

Artbeads and Summertime Blogging Fun

As a design partner with Artbeads I got to choose items from their huge selection of pendants, charms and glass beads for the theme, "Summertime".  It was such a hard decision because they have so much to choose from.  I looked and looked but just kept coming back to this stoneware peace sign pendant.  I just love the bright flowers and little lady bug (and the peace sign!).  This is such a fun pendant!  The colors are so bright and it has a nice glossy finish. 


I wanted to incorporate all the bright colors in the pendant, so to complete the necklace I chose the following from their selection of glass beads:


Thank you, Artbeads!

Disclosure: I am a Blogging for Beaders partner with Artbeads. The above noted items were provided to me free of charge, to be used for design purposes, or for my honest review of them. I have not been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received.

World's Greatest Bead Sweepstakes


Checkout Artbeads' "The World Greatest Bead" Sweepstakes.  Click here for details!

~Today's Quote~

How do we change the world?
One single act of random kindness at a time.

~from the movie, Evan Almighty

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Inspired by Wedding Flowers and The Wedding Story


Erin of Treasures Found::Inspiration is Everywhere does a monthly challenge.  The challenge this month is to create something “Inspired by Wedding Flowers".   I decided to use my daughter’s wedding flowers as my inspiration. 

Please note that I didn't properly follow the rules for this challenge.  I just used it as a starting point for my own enjoyment!  If you're interested in joining the challenge please read the rules!

The Wedding Story…
Once upon a time there was a 16 year old girl who fell in love with a 25 year old guy.  They decided it was time to tell the parents. The young man came to talk to my husband.  Now my husband is a big guy so you have to admire the courage it took for this young man to tell him that he was in love with his daughter!  Well, my husband told him in no uncertain terms to stay away from his daughter!  We knew him and didn’t have a problem with him personally. He’s a nice young man and we approved of him, but as parents had a problem with the age difference since our daughter was still in high school.


Well, they continued to talk on the phone, but I’m sure they didn’t see each other because that was forbidden.  (Uh huh, I’ll just keep on believing that!)  The subject of them dating kept coming up and finally my husband agreed, with strict conditions!  They continued to date through her high school years and the day came that he proposed.  The wedding plans began!


We planned an outdoor wedding for May 6 at a garden a few miles from here.  Imagine walking through a vine covered canopy, down a lovely wooded path, past a small waterfall to arrive at the wedding site.  It was going to be beautiful!  Her flowers were Stargazer Lilies.  The wedding colors were hot pink and lime green.  She walked down the aisle to "Beautiful Mess “ by Diamond Rio.  A little unconventional but that is “their” song.  That’s what I love about weddings now days.  You can be unique, you can be you, you can do anything you want to do!


We planned to have the reception there, also.  I envisioned this lovely “afternoon tea” setting with guests lingering, enjoying the beautiful gardens, while having their cake and punch. Well, that was not to be…


It rained and rained and rained.  All day.  It wasn’t sprinkles, it wasn’t pouring.  Just a nice steady shower.  There was a small chapel on the property and that was our back-up plan if necessary.  We knew it would be very crowded but it would work.  She was so disappointed and determined that she wanted to be married outside.  Luckily, one of the guests was a Boy Scout leader and, “always being prepared”, he arrived early AND he had a canopy with him! They quickly set it up for the wedding party.  We sent someone to town to buy all the umbrellas they could find and she was married in the garden!


It was a quick ceremony due to the rain.  The unity candle and reception were moved to a hall they had rented for the party afterwards.  Due to our oldest daughter “knowing people” we were able to have an arch and yards of tulle and twinkle lights delivered and managed to set up a very pretty backdrop for the reception table!

As they say, “All’s well that ends well“.  It wasn’t exactly the wedding of her dreams but it still turned out beautiful and they just celebrated their 4th wedding anniversary!

I put together a little slide show with some of the wedding pictures.



And now for the jewelry:

"Katie's Bouquet"

I used small white seed beads with a pearl finish, and pink, green and yellow seed beads as accents on black wire.  I added some Czech Fire Polished beads. The color in these beads ranges from the palest pink to dark pink.  The pendant is from a garage sale find.  I think it resembles a lily.  If I had shopped for beads for this project it would have been more elaborate, but due to the distance of the nearest bead shop and the temptations involved with ordering online I just used what I had on hand!


  I enjoyed this trip down memory lane and hope you did, too! 

~Today's Quote~

"Some see age as a restriction, some see age as a number, I see age as mind over matter.
 If you don't mind it don't matter!"

Friday, April 16, 2010

All the way from Australia!

I was lucky enough to win a bracelet giveaway from Davinia in Australia!  It arrived today and let me tell you I got the royal treatment!
Inside was a nice handwritten note and a very cute decorated tin...

She even included some extra goodies~ a pair of her wallpaper earrings and two pendants that she made using Tim Holtz memory frames!

AND she sent the cutest little koala...!!!

She made me feel so special! 

The bracelet is awesome and includes a hook clasp that she made herself.
I can't wait to make something with the pendants!

Drop by her blog, Deez News, to see her latest creations and take a look in her Artfire Studio!

Thank you so much for Everything, Davinia!

~Today's Quote~
You give but little when you give of your possessions. 
 It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
~Kahlil Gibran
~♥~