Bead Table.....

Wednesday  Thursday!

I know, I know....I had the photos taken but just didn't get the post done!

As always, I have a few projects going at once, and even though I vowed last week that I would plow through finishing all of my un-finished pieces, I backslid this week.

I mostly have been working on my piece for Andrew Thornton's July Reader's challenge...I loved the colors and mixture of elements he chose, so I dove in and purchased one the kits...it includes a ceramic leaf pendant from Melanie Brooks of Earthenwood Studio, a ceramic tube bead from Keith O'Connor, a lampwork glass bead by Bernadette Fuentes, plus a mix of Czech glass, Swarovski crystals, semi-precious stones, vintage  glass, brass chain, and a tiny seed beads.  To top it off, the kit included a mystery item...one of Andrew's own handmade copper coins carved with a leaf !

Watch for a post on August 1, for the reveal of what I created!

This is what has really been occupying my studio time a lot lately....embedding things in solder!  Can't wait to see what these are when they are done!

BTW, June 1 - Or, what I did on my day off :)

So, as I was saying in my last post, I took an extra day off from my 9-5 this past Friday...it was a wonderful break to have an actual 4-day weekend!  Luckily for me, I had a good part of the day to myself, so I put aside my guilt pangs about not cleaning the house or pulling the stupid bermuda grass out of my flower beds and went to my dungeon basement studio and played!

First I enameled...

I have been playing with some pretty color combinations with new transparent enamels I got from Ms. Barbara.  My goal for the little charms will be to fill them with words and/or images and resin...I have some matching pairs (not shown) that will be earrings, other singles will be charms.

After a while, I decided to pull out my solder and practice my Homesteading skills!

These didn't turn out quite as I had hoped...too much solder on the disk before adding the filigree, but they definitely have potential...will be making some more.

These were experiments with using dapped copper washers as a flared bezel...it worked!  They will be getting an image/resin treatment!

And, last, but definitely not least, my favorites...

These have been in my head for a while, just had to find the gumption to sit down and try!  They aren't perfect, but I don't care.  I am going to dangle some pretty briolettes off the ends, I think.  I will absolutely be making more of these!

So, I have my work cut out for me!  Now, to just quit my day job so I can concentrate :)

What's on your bead table today?

BTW - butterflies and flowers

I have been doing lots of stuff lately...except jewelry making, that is!  These were on my table for a while this week - maybe I'll get something made out of part of it soon :)  I had actually enameled a few other pair of butterflies in other colors, but don't know why they aren't in this shot...hmmm.

Streamlining...

my shops, finally!  After serious debate, am closing Melismatic Rosaries on Etsy. Am in the process of moving the listings into my jewelry shop and will just have 1 all-purpose presence there.  I have always integrated them on my website, but for some reason, a couple years ago thought having the separate shop would be beneficial...not so much.  It was just one more place to log in to! 


I have a few more to move, plus I want to jam pack the rest of my jewelry inventory in there.

As a follow-up to last BTW post, my nice history teacher customer LOVED his rosary!!  I delivered it earlier tonight :)

Now, on to 2 more deadlines :)

Bead Table Wednesday - Custom Order Time!

Just finished one and shipped...working on another!

I love custom orders, they are usually rosaries...as these last two were.

This one is for a really nice history teacher who is local...he contacted me, then we met in Starbucks where I showed him my work.  He chose white howlite Aves (the really veiny ones), Balinese silver Paters and sterling construction. A very simple Sacred Heart (with Mary on the reverse) and a simple, yet very elegant crucifix.  I hope he loves it :)  I wish all custom orders were so easy!

What is on your bead table today?

BTW - Czech Glass, Spring Flowers, and a Giveaway!

Because it is Bead Table Wednesday,

because it is Spring,

because I love Spring Flowers,

because I am still not over my SBS Wire cover high,

and, most importantly,

because you all totally rock,

I would like to give a special reader an assortment of Czech glass beads to create your own "Spring Flowers"!

All you have to do is leaf me a comment (get it? I kill myself!) and answer this question:

"What is your favorite Spring flower?"

I will choose a random comment on Saturday morning (April 2).  Make sure you include contact info!  I will choose an assortment of beads from my stash...enough to make a couple pairs of earrings or pendants.

I love all flowers, but my all-time, forever, favorite Spring blossom is the daffodil!  My Mama always had a yard full of them...I don't remember ever having crocus, so the dafs were always harbingers of Spring.  We called them "buttercups" and I still do, even though I know that an actual buttercup is a totally different flower.  Mama had lots of varieties..the simple ones you see on the roadside, really ruffly double ones, bi-color, white ones, and paper-whites. One year after she died, I dug some up to bring home with me to plant in my yard, and the bulbs had been there so long that I had to get help to dig them out.   Every year when my meager collection blooms, I kick myself for not having planted more the previous autumn....this year I am definitely going to do it!  Sadly, I don't think I have any more of those heirloom ones from Mama.  I need to make a trip back down south to raid my sisters' yards!

Here are a few I picked yesterday...pretty, aren't they? They are in my favorite McCoy vase (another addiction of mine).  I should have taken the photo somewhere else, though, because my milkglass cake plate is distracting :)



So, what's your favorite Spring flower?

Bead Table Wednesday..portable version, and some completed BTW stuff

I had a show this past weekend and took some things to work on while I was there, as I like to do.  Luckily, I had been to The Container Store, which I love, and found these cool little plastic "briefcases".  This is open on the breakfast table as we speak!

Lots of stuff!  Here is the closed version...I may have to go get a few more!  I can envision them for lots of things besides jewelry.  They were only $3.99, but I have to drive to Rockville. They are about an inch deep, and have handles that fold over and out of the way.

I decided this week that for all BTW posts going forward, after I share the current BTW pics, I am going to show completed items from previous BTW posts.  That will keep me honest, so to speak, and help me with my follow-through!  I have too many unfinished pieces laying around!  Here is a collage of finished projects that were in various stages of completion on my table in previous posts...


L to R, top to bottom:  sterling, copper, silver leaf jasper and garnet earrings; poppy jasper & sterling earrings; swarovski, sterling & coral rosary bracelet; and turquoise and sterling earrings!

What's on your bead table today?

Bead Table Wednesday

I have lots of ideas swimming, but am also trying to get ready for my next Arts Market/1st Saturday this weekend, so trying to finish up a few things that have been started a while...as usual!

Here we have some turquoise coins that were left over from my gorgeous bead soup mix.  I have wrapped them in sterling and have earwires, but need to dangle something...don't know what yet!

The brass rings are a kit that  was graciously sent to me by Scott David Plumlee, after leaving a comment on Erin Prais-Hintz's post about his book.  I started them as soon as I got it, but had to leave it in order to complete my bead soup project, now am ready to get back to them!  I will post about them when I am done.

The enameled/riveted component in the corner was supposed to be a part of a piece I was going to create for Art Bead Scene's February Challenge, but alas, this was as far as I got!  Too bad the color palette doesn't match the March challenge!  I want to finish it though...I am going to add some little czech glass flower beads...it should be pretty sweet!

I found this on my camera today when I was downloading my BTW photos :)

What is on your bead table today?

BTW Quickie...

First, the embarrassing shot.  This is my actual main workdesk...although there is no open space on which to work!  Everytime I start to clean and organize it, I find something I forgot about and of course go off on a tangent. 

Gotta love recycled frozen entree trays!

From my downstairs work space, aka "the dining room table," here is a little collection of sodalite wrapped in sterling from an abandoned project, some pretty red agate, brass cubes and a brass pendant with a resined digital mandala...I'm thinkin' necklace.

yet another cool effect from Picnik :)

Bead Table Wednesday, finally, and some new stuff :)

So Heather, over at HumbleBeads does this cool blog/Flickr group called Bead Table Wednesday's and I joined, but then of course things kept getting in the way of my actually posting!

I had pictures all ready to go last week and am not sure what happened...they ended up on Flickr, but I never got a post done...anywhoooo...

Here is my photo for today.  Please note, I work in about 4 different places in my house.  My actual bead table is so completely covered, it is scary!  I have another space in the basement with my enamels and torches.  So, today's photo is all laid out on the dining room table - MY FAV PLACE TO WORK!

Here you will see a copper component I just finished - it was a trial one I fell in love with in the latest SBS Wire, by Dia Daniels.  It was going to be earrings, but it is just too honkin' big, so maybe a pendant.  Also shown are 2 pairs of enameled tube-y/rice shaped brass components that have been wrapped in copper wire and have little Czech glass flowers dangling - sweet, no?  There are also some very fun Czech glass beads I just got from Arte Bella that I want to incorporate somewhere. 

So, last week I took this photo of a bunch of Valentine-themed things I was working on...still am!

 Here are a couple of pairs of earrings that I finally finished....


Fun Czech glass beads from Arte Bella, textured copper washers, wrapped onto my sterling earwires

Swirled, hammered, and stamped copper wire, with faceted carnelian dangles, my sterling earwires



So, what is on your table?