Bead Soup and Necklaces

I received my bead soup in the mail from my partner, Sandi this past weekend.  I got lots green wooden ovals, two mint green enamel beads, a handmade polymer clay focal, off white shell beads and a toggle clasp.

Close up of the focal:

I already know what I am going to make with them.  I already completed a bracelet with the two enamel beads.  I am planning on making a necklace and a pair of earrings.  This is a great challenge, I love the color green but never use this particular shade in jewelry.  I also got a chance to make a couple of necklaces this weekend using some of my new vintage lucite. 

I used one of the large bird beads from capturedmoments.etsy.com as the focal with some dangly chain hanging down.

I also made this necklace.  When I was stringing it, I had originally planned to have the clasp go on the side.

But, I think it could work in the back too.

Last necklace is with some more Gaea beads and a Green Girl Studios clasp that was too pretty to hide in the back.

That's all.  Hope everyone got a chance to play with some beads last weekend!

Mail Loot

Everything I ordered last week decided to come in the mail yesterday.  Love opening my mailbox to tiny packages of beady goodness. 

All vintage lucite from blacksheepbeads.etsy.com and some ceramic components from capturedmoments.etsy.com.



I even got a chance to play with some of them yesterday in the afternoon.  Two bracelets and some more earrings.  I don't know what it is with me and earrings lately, I never make them, but seem to be on a roll. 

I have been trying to find a craft show that I can apply to for this year.  I have never done one with a booth at a craft show, only home shows and work parties, so I thought I would give it a go.  The only frustrating thing is that all of them request a picture of your display, but since I have never been to a show I don't have a picture of a display.  Maybe I will just set it up in my garage.  I don't know, anyone have suggestions?

My Bead Table Wednesday

There is this great Flickr group that Heather Powers started called BTW, Bead Table Wednesday.  I was finally able to figure out how to upload a picture into the program.  This is the result of my work-in-progress.

 My Valentine's Day necklace.  With a heart pendant by Gaea.  Super cute on.  My bead table was actually my bead laptray.  Can you imagine how messy my actual room is that houses the bead collection?  Maybe I will take a picture to share.  I don't know - it is pretty scary.

So...

I was looking in this box yesterday, putting stuff away and I noticed that those wooden pendants all the way to the left of the picture would match to a lot of my vintage lucite that I have had for awhile.

These pendants:

So after my boy went down for his nap and during my quiet time I made this -

And this -

And this -

And just to use up the last of the beads, this -

Nothing too amazing, but I was able to relax for a couple of hours.  My son is going through a stubborn phase that is trying on both my nerves and my disposition.  Hopefully he outgrows it.  Hopefully.  Finally these last pieces were made with those scrapbooking flowers I posted last week.  Very sweet spring designs.

I think I am going to just add some thin chain to the brass envelopes for a lightweight charm necklace.  In other news - my bead soup partner Sandi has sent out my stash.  I will post pictures once I receive it.

Craft Store Goodies

With my leftover Christmas gift cards in hand I stopped by Joann's the other day to get some new earwires because I used all of mine up.  Unfortunately for me, they were having a sale.  40% off all beads and findings.  So, I got more than earwires.

I bought these huge lobster claws in antique copper, brass, silver and gunmetal.  I don't know what I will use them for, but I am always looking for large clasps.  I also got some chain in an antique silver color.  I like this particular brand, all of their findings are lead/nickel free.



Only four strands of beads - how strong am I?  Three resin strands and one Czech glass.

Just because I didn't have this particular set and felt like I needed to complete the collection.

 These are stickers I found in the scrapbook section, I think I will add them to some unfinished wood circles after I paint them.

One more Vintage Groove pendant, I think I will use the acrylic beads with this pendant.

That is all for now - I finally used all of my gift cards.

Lima Beads Stuff

I got a great mix of artisan pendants and beads in the mail yesterday from Lima Beads.  It was my first time ordering from that company, but I have to say I was pretty impressed.  They shipped it out super quick and I received my order in two days.  They also have a great selection of artist beads and I splurged on some new pendants.

First I made this necklace with an adorable Green Girl Studios pendant, ceramic beads, wood beads, Czech glass flowers and a flower clasp.

I seem to be on a Gaea beads buying kick which continues with this awesome heart pendant.  I strung it with Czech glass, ceramic beads and seed beads.

Close up of the pendant - it is really beautiful in person.

The last piece is an asymmetrical one, which I do not attempt too often because I can never pull it off and they look funny to me.  But this one turned out alright.  I used some dyed jade rounds, some teal gemstone beads and wooden circles.  The pendant is a picture of Medusa from Green Girl Studios (I just finished watching Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief).

I am glad I was able to make some necklaces after last weeks earring bonanza.  And to think I have more Gaea beads coming in the mail - I may have a problem.

I made some earrings

And here they are:

All of the heart earrings were for a custom Valentine's Day order.  The other ones were inspired by a fantastic bag of buttons that I purchased at Hobby Lobby the other day.  They are labeled "Grandma's button collection" and they have a vintage style to them.  I got a huge bag for $5.99.  I might be making lots of stuff with buttons for awhile.  The only things a made this week were earrings, I made so many I ran out of earring wires - you can see one of the pairs in the montage does not have any earwires on them. 

In other news, I decided to make a different bead soup for my blog party partner, Sandi Lee James from http://www.dobedobeaddo.blogspot.com/.  I like this one much better.  I hope she likes it, it is going out in the mail tomorrow!