Crazy Blog!

For some strange reason,  my blog isn't letting me comment.  Every time I try to post one,  it takes me back to the sign in page.  Very strange. 

I do read the comments and thanks for writing them.  I'll try to get this figured out,  but in the meantime ,  be assured,  I do read them!!!

I Got Busy!

Happy Thursday!! 

Maggie wanted a simple bracelet  and earrings to go with a gorgeous dress she's wearing to a wedding.    After I picked myself off the floor..........Maggie is not a bracelet or necklace or even a dangly earring type person.   She wears a watch and a pair of studs.  I was surprised.  So,  I pulled out a few things,  some nice Turquoise and Sterling Silver for her earrings and seed beads for her bracelet.    The way her dress is,  she has blue turquoise faux beads at the top of the dress and greenish turquoise with a blend of silver/gray,  white and black design on the rest.    For her bracelet,  I used seed beads in green and blue turquoise and white, gray and black. 

For her earrings,  I used some Hubei Turquoise with Sterling Silver.    I just happened to have the earrings,  and since I'm very very very low on silver wire,  and didn't want to have to buy more,  I opted to use those.

I hope she loves them.  I think they are cute.

I still don't have another desk or even a table to work off of in this bedroom.  I SO don't want to keep the dining room table covered in beads.    I haunted some second hand stores and Goodwill stores on Tuesday,  in hopes of finding something suitable and inexpensive.    I didn't find anything. 

I have to work on getting a few things put up in the living room today.  I'm so tired of bare walls in there.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!

I Still Have Packed Boxes

Hello!  Long time no see!!  We got moved...completely!!  Not everything is unpacked and put up.  I did make a pantry out of my hall closet.  There just wasn't enough room in the kitchen for all my dishes.  One of my lower cabinets is filled with wine glasses and margarita glasses...I didn't realize I had so many!! 

We just came back from Cali visiting the kids, grandkids and my JerBear's sister.   We had a GREAT time,  and as always,  it's good to be home.   One of my friends from Cali is in town and I had a small luncheon for her and a few friends yesterday.  This morning I took one of my neighbors from the previous place to the doctor and since I didn't get much sleep last night,  I've been dragging.  I had told JerBear last night I'd make brats for dinner and I sure don't want to disappoint him !!!

My friend Maggie needs a bracelet for a dress she's wearing to a wedding this month.   I have a pearl bracelet I need to clean up and send to my friend Lucia!!  I've been sitting on that one for a while!!  I've got to get in and dig out my beads.   I know where two boxes are....but it will be a  hunt to find them all!!   I'm anxious to get back to beading and feeling productive again!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Memorial Day

Just a quick note to say Thank You for your service to those who served and to remember those who served and never came back.   Too often we forget to do this.

We have 99 percent of everything moved over.  My 16 qt. pot,  some soft drinks and a few casserole dishes are still in the pantry,  but I'll get those Wednesday when I go back to the old place.   I'll clean the fridge,  but I think I'll get Merry Maids or someone to come put the polish on it.  I just don't have the want to,  anymore,  to even go back there. 

I get my new washer and dryer Tuesday!  WOOOHOOOO!!!   If it were left to me,  I would have had it delivered  a week ago....   It's going to get a workout on Tuesday!! 

Our little community had a meet and greet Sunday afternoon.  We have a lot of artists,  few business people,  people in the medical profession and several retirees.  Very nice new neighbors.  Afterwards ,  me,  the manager's wife (our next door neighbor) and another new friend hopped into the hot tub before calling it a night. 

I cooked our first dinner in the new place last Wednesday.  Friday evening we grilled brats and then had the leftovers Saturday when Maggie helped us move the patio furniture.    Today will be a ribeye and chicken wings! Yum..

All my beads and chains are still packed.  I'm hoping to get to them  soon.  The downstairs decorating will have to get done before the beads are unpacked.  I still have to get a beading table,  I don't want to go back to using the dining room table!! 

Thanks for stopping by!! 

We're packing!

My beads and chains and wire are all packed.   We are moving , hopefully  I can pick up the keys this weekend.   I have boxes stacked in front of my large window in the second bedroom,  on the bed,  behind JerBear's chair, on the kitchen table and in our bedroom.  I've run out of room.  I need to get the key.....hahaha!!!   I know how I'm going to do this since we have plenty of time to move.  I'll go in and decorate first.  That's more important than bringing  in the food..well maybe not MORE important!!!  Anyone who knows me,  know I can't stand bare walls.   I am definitely NOT a minimalist.  I can deal with a bit of bare space. 

The new kitchen has the space over the cabinets and I already know what's going up there.  The downstairs bathroom has very little wall space,  due to the Jack and Jill design and it being so small.  It will be a piece of cake!

The living room has a fireplace and cathedral ceiling.    I'll bet it's at least 15 feet high.  That's going to be my decorating dilemma.   I could paint.  But,  I'm really scared of heights,  so,  I think I'll not.    It's the wall behind where the flat screen will go.   I may just have to buy something.  Big.  I'll figure it out,  it may take me looking at it for a couple of weeks,  but it will come to me!

There are two patios.  One off the living room and one off the downstairs bedroom.    They are just a few feet apart.  I'm thinking of putting down stones to take the patio off the bedroom out a several feet to accommodate a table and chairs and umbrella.  I love eating outside and the sun will be blocked by the time we have dinner. 

I'll post some before and after photos after the move.   And as soon as we get settled in,  I'll unpack my beads and get hopefully gets something done!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Happy Easter!!!

Have a Happy Easter everyone!! 

JerBear was off on Friday,  so we had breakfast with Carol and Jer.   It's a always a good weekend when JerBear is off. 

I haven't done any work lately.  My dining room table is clean.

Check back and have a Happy Easter,  and thanks for stopping by!!

A Sunny Morning In April

I haven't been blogging lately.  I haven't made anything lately....  anything to write about anyway.  I guess you could say my muse has been gone for so long I forgot what it looked like!

We have a loved one in JerBears family with a serious illness.   We have a  friend who , thank goodness, dodged the bullet, and the same with a granddaughter.  

Anyhoo,  I'll post something when I actually get something made! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

It's April already!!

Wow!  It's been a while since I've posted!   I really haven't done much for a month.  I did find out someone stole the earrings that I made to go with the set for JerBear's boss,  that was being donated to the Charity Horse show.     Who would do that?  

Anyhoo,  I tore apart the 10 strand bracelet in the story below this one and I'm using a different kind of clasp since the last one was not strong enough.  I don't have it finished yet.  It will look similar to the one I previously made....maybe just like it!!  haha

Temps hit 100 yesterday,  and try as we might,  we're trying to go without using the A/C until we absolutely have to.  We're trying to keep the bills down.  It's supposed to cool off again next week. 

Stay cool and thanks for checking out my blog! 

Lazy Monday

Well,  I'm another year older (thank God) and my house is clean. 

I had to put everything up for a couple of weeks waiting on the due diligence to be over with.   I have a necklace for SunnyD I need to make.  Did I say my house is clean?? 

I really can't wait to get everything out and start to work on Sunny's piece,  but I really love having my dining room table cleaned off.  I also enjoy not stepping on hidden beads!!

One of my bead stores is going out of business,  so I stopped in last week and bought a few things.  This happens to be the closest store to me.  I'll miss them.  They are really nice people!  And helpful!

I think I'll finish my coffee,   watch a little HGTV and enjoy my afternoon before going to the gym!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Gorgeous Turquoise

I went.  I saw.  I bought.  You guessed it.  I went to the bead store.  I saw the Turquoise.  I bought some strands.  

This is Hubei Turquoise.   Chinese Turquoise.  I made it using a magnetic clasp and I think it's too light for a ten strand bracelet.  I'll have to find another clasp with five loops.   I mixed a little silver in with the copper to give a  little "umph".   There is also hematite,  copper beads and pearls.  

I took it  with me  to show the gals at JerBear's office yesterday,  and one strand broke.  I was using Silamide thread,  and hadn't cemented the crimps yet.  My bad.   

I really like the rice shaped strand,  and I'll bet it would make a really cute necklace. 

I haven't done much else in the last week,  at least nothing to write about.   It's kind of nice to have the dining room table clean!  But,  work calls. 

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!

Jewelry for JerBear's Boss

I finished the jewelry set I made for JerBear's boss.   She's going to donate it in the Carousal Charity Horse Show silent auction.    I hope it makes a lot of money for them. 

The necklace is made with leather,  hammered copper rings, spirals,  homemade chain,  storebought chain,  Nacazari Turquoise and  other turquoise.  It has a rather large Spiny Oyster slab looking pretty just dangling. 

The bracelet is made from the same leather and large chain.  It too has the Nacazari Turquoise and some copper spirals. 

Thanks Heather for modeling the bracelet!!



I made the earrings and the chain on them.   

Now comes the hard part....naming them.  

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Groundhog Day!!!

Brrrrr...it's VERY cold!  I still have groceries in the back of the car.  It's too cold to go get them.    I'll let JerBear bring them in when he gets home. 

I haven't done a great lot.  I've also been working on a footstool.  I painted it,  and decided I'm not real happy with all of it.    I've made about four feet of chain.  Another foot and it will be as long as I am tall. 

This necklace is made of copper and leather,  with Pietersite beads.  Pietersite is such a beautiful stone.  The colors run from blues, to browns to reds, to creams...oh..just gorgeous!!  The clasp is handmade.

This  leather necklace has a Spiny Oyster as the center of attention. 

This is the footstool I've been working on.  I found some wallpaper border with roosters ( I love roosters) and it doesn't quite go with the some of the colors I used.  I'll glue it on,  and then repaint and then apply polyurethane.  I have a  larger bench that's still  raw that I'm going to do something with.  

I haven't painted anything in ages (a few years).   I'm out of practice. 

Anyhoo.  I'll post photos of the stool when completed. 

Thanks for looking!!

Jackie's Birthday

Hard to believe ,  but my daughter turns 31 today.  Wow.  Is she getting old!?!!!   I have a son who is at the end of his thirties this year,  he'll be 39 ,  and a daughter at the beginning.    I think I need a tissue.

I haven't worked a great lot this week,  Ross is here.   I worked on Jackie's gift,  earrings  and two bracelets.   I was in such a hurry to get them to her,  I packed her box and realized I didn't take photos.  Oh well.  I hope she likes them.   

Anyhoo...back to visiting with Ross.  Have a great day!!

Saturday Morning

It's chilly this early in the morning!   I'm only halfway through my second cup of coffee and I hope by the end of this posting I won't sound like I wrote it in my sleep!!

I bought some leather working tools the other day.  I'm still practicing ,  learning what to use with what thickness (rivets).   We may need to move into a barn with all the hammering (sometimes me yelling with the hammering) and I would love to be able to learn how to make lampwork beads.  Can't have that in an apartment. 

I need a new hammer.   Nuff said.

These photos don't show all the jewelry I have,  just those that really look great together.   The Turquoise,  corals,  spiny oysters and all the copper and sterling silver.   My friend named these the "Scottsdale" line.  Sounds good to me!! 

I can sit for hours and make chain.  I timed myself one time.  To make a foot of chain,  it took me an hour and a half.   You figure the time to cut the length,  make sure it's blunt cut,  twist it and connect it,  it does take a while.  Or,  maybe I'm just slow.  Don't know.  But I do love doing it!!

For some reason,  I never make a lot of earrings.  I do love earrings.  I was in Macy's the other day and found a gorgeous pair of earrings......

This is such a cute pair!!!    I haven't worn them but a couple of times.  

Have a great weekend.  We're going to do the same!

Thanks for stopping by!

New Earrings for 2011

January 1, 2011.  Time flies.   One of my resolutions for this new year is to tend to my blog more.  Of course,  if I could keep from getting viruses....

Anyhoo....

I have been busy today.  Not just lounging in front of the tv,  or watching JerBear change the channel from a show to a game...every ....couple....of.minutes....,  but I've made several sets of earrings. 

This pair is twisted copper with a blue coral bead dangling. 

This next pair of earrings  is made from leather and cable chain and my handmade squigglies.  I think this one is VERY cute!!! 

This pair I partially wrapped  to give a little interest.  

These earrings are SO cute!  Again,  the leather with copper squiggles. 

This pair of wrapped wire is surprisingly light. 

Last but not least,  more wire wrapped with wrapped squigglies. 

All earrings have handmade (by me) earwires and "squigglies".   

Thanks for stopping by!!!