Christmas Time

While it aggravates the stuffing out of me to start seeing Christmas stuff out in the stores before Halloween is even here, I do realize that if you are a crafter, you do have to get started early.

I was thinking about making bracelets for my daughter and grand daughter. I may still give it a try. I was thinking about making my daughter one with a larger, kind of Hello Kitty-ish face as the focal point, and my grand daughter one with smaller faces linked together so that it goes all the way round with little kitty faces. They are both Hello Kitty crazies.*L*

I also thought about making some red and green pieces, maybe for myself, or maybe even to sell. I came across one that I did 2 or 3 years ago that I really do like. I didn't use the traditional red and green, but more of a garnet red and olivine green and gold. It is a little more narrow than I like to wear, but I still love the way it looks in those colors.  I was going to post a picture of this piece, but I cannot find it. I just had it a couple of days ago, what the heck did I do with it!? *Smacks head on the desk and couple of times* Nope, that didn't help, still can't remember where I put it.

This is what happens when you start getting old, people.Just letting you know. Smacking my head against my desk like that probably doesn't help, either.
If I come across that bracelet again, I will post the picture.

Focused Shopper

I was going through some beads, looking for some more pearls for the project I am working on, and came across a bag of beads that I had forgotten about. About 4 years ago I had gone to a bead show in Ft. Worth, Texas with a couple of friends. I think they looked at every bead , finding, and tool they had in the place.

Me? I was looking for things I could use in bridal jewelry. I had just quit my job at the pharmacy to start my business. I had decided bridal jewelry was my thing. I love weddings, and I love jewelry, so this seem the natural choice for me.

Now, I knew that the trend in bridal jewelry was changing, and that brides were using more color in their attire, but for some reason, pearls and diamonds ( pearls and crystals) stick in my head as bridal. This kind of surprised me because I cater to what I call Bohemian Brides. Brides who want to go outside the traditional box. I was thinking that I would go funky in the design part of it, I guess.

Anyway, when we were all through with our shopping, we went to one of the cash counters to check out. Everybody in front of me and behind me had 4 or 5 baskets full of stuff.  When it came my turn to check out, I put my one little basket on the counter. I had 4 types of beads and several clasps in the basket. The lady looked in the basket, looked at me and smiled. She said, " I think you are the most focused shopper I have seen in here all day!"

These are the beads I had in the basket. I have used all of them, except for the hearts, in one thing or another. I am still waiting for just the right idea to pop into my head for the hearts. I am sure when the right person comes along, those hearts will be the first thing I think of.

Out of thousands of square feet of beads, this is what I took away with me!*L*


My ideas of what is bridal jewelry and what isn't has since changed. I still use lots of pearls and crystals, but now I can add color, and different types of beads, and still see it as a bridal piece.

The REAL Beginning

I think this is the piece that actually sparked my interest in beads and beading.  This piece belonged to my grandmother.

We were not allowed to go into my grandparents' bedroom when we visited them. IF we did, we were not supposed to touch anything, period.  I remember kind of sneaking into that forbidden room to take a look at Grandma's necklaces... I mean really, how was I supposed to resist the call of jewelry hanging on the corner of her mirror? I was only 5 or 6.

I soooo wanted to have a closer look at this necklace, so I very gingerly slid my little hand under the focal point and looked at it closely, discovering it was made of safety pins and glass beads with a turquoise color inside! I think I lifted it off the mirror and sat down on the little bench  in front of the dressing table. I looked at it from the front, I looked at it from the back, and I looked at from every angle I could, wondering how Grandma turned safety pins and beads into such a beautiful necklace.  I got caught with the necklace in my hand, but I think Grandma could tell that I was truly interested in what I was looking at, so I didn't get in trouble. She just told me to be careful with it and put it back when I was finished looking at it. From that day on, I knew I wanted to own this piece, someday.

My mom got this necklace after my grandmother passed. I don't think I ever knew she had it. We, my mom and I , had both started designing and making handwoven beaded jewelry, and were talking about this piece, that piece, and I mentioned Grandma's safety pin and bead Squash Blossom necklace. She told me she had it and I could take it home with me when I left. I was both excited and reluctant to take it. I told Mom I would just like to know that I could have it when she passed, some day. She told me she never wore it and I might as well take it now. I don't think I was ever so excited to have a piece of jewelry in my possession! Thank you Mom for letting me have this piece. It is one of my most prized pieces, something I had dreamed of owning since I was a little girl, and probably REALLY what sparked my interest in beading.

One of Those Days

It has been one of those days, and it's only a little after 10 in the morning.


I have been working on a necklace inspired by a Middle Eastern bridal piece. The design has changed about 4 times already. That part is ok. The part that is frustrating me is I am using size 15 seed beads in the piece and I have noticed, more than halfway through the piece, I have miscounted beads in 2 places. Is that something people will notice? No, but I know that mistake is there and it's bugging me! Do I undo the piece to where the mistake occurred, or do I just keep going? Really, it's not something that is going to affect the looks or the way it hangs, or anything, why can't I just leave it the way it is and finish the silly thing?

This is a picture of the very beginning of the piece. I will post another picture of the finished piece, and let you know whether I took it apart and corrected it. By-the-way, the mistake is not in the part that I am showing, so don't look for the mistake in it.*L*

On the bright side of things, I did, finally get some pictures of other pieces taken and downloaded onto my computer. The first one is a gold and peridot green piece I did a few months ago. It kind of has that Middle Eastern look to it. I don't know if that is because of the gold or the shapes I used or what.  What do you think, does it look kind of Middle Eastern to you?

And this is a barefoot sandal. I love the turquoise and peach/apricot colors together. Now, I just need to make another one to go with it.

This is part of a bridal collection I am working on. Very simple design, but in person it is gorgeous. When the light hits all the crystals, and the crystal colored twisted bugles, the sparkle is fantastic. And, it is so versatile with the ribbon. It can be tied at the back, on the side, or in the front.

 Ok, I have ended this blog on a positive note, so it is time for me to get back to work and finish that piece. The frustration is gone and I am ready. Let's do this thing!

My Progression

At first I was just stringing beads on a wire, using different color combinations and different sizes of beads in a piece, etc. But, I get bored easily so straight stringing didn't last long. I decided to experiment and see what else I could come up with.
 I soon went from this:                                                                              

         

to this:                   

And on then to these:

The last two pictured are bridal sets I made for my youngest sister and my daughter's best friend, who is now my niece.

Stay tuned for my next collection. I have become interested in Middle Eastern bridal jewelry and am working  a few pieces for that collection.