These Items Need a Little Love

Recipe for Homemade Marshmallows (sorry, I was having trouble with my internets the last couple of days so I couldn't get this posted sooner).

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So with the holidays over, life is back to normal, well not really, but it's getting there. I have been so exhausted and I've had a migraine for about 4 days (thank goodness it's gone now). I'm now having to deal with the fact that I have to catch up with the time I missed at work for the holidays. Yeah, going away for 2 weeks when you're the only lab assistant is not really a good idea. And because of this I haven't gotten any new pictures taken of all my new goodies (and I've also been ignoring other things like groceries and cleaning). So my list of things to do is not getting any shorter right now, but I promise to have some new things to show you by the end of the week. I have a couple of things that I can't wait to share. ☺

But for now I've noticed a few things in my etsy store that need a little loving!

First off is a pretty orange beaded rope necklace. Now orange is not really my color, but I decided to try something new, and I really like how it turned out. The color is super fun and the beaded ropes are just nice to wear. They are light weight and not too flashy.

The beads are transparent and have a great AB finish to them, so the really glimmer. I finished this one off with great light blue glass bicones and a sterling silver lobster claw clasp.

This necklace is about 17 1/2 inches in length.

Fun and funky for everyone.

You can see it here in my etsy store. Please give it a little love. ☻


Next up is a great lampwork bead. I love this one. The yellow/green colored glass is just fantastic. I love this color and it really pops on the black background.

I like making this beads, it's simple, yet has a pretty cool design. I think I'm going to make a few more. I also have a set of orange ones up on art fire. Those are awesome too. (I tried my hand at a new pink and just burnt the crap out of it, but everyone seems to like that one the best, maybe that's the trick) ☻

This bead is about 3/4 inch wide and 1/2 inch high, so it would make a great little focal bead.

You can check it out here in my etsy store.

Look What I Made!

Okay so they don't really look like much. They sort of look like a mess, but don't be fooled, these are my super yummy homemade marshmallows. Yup I decided to try to make some marshmallows. I'm not really sure why, but I heard that they are better then any store bought one, so I guess I decided to give it a go. And guess what? They are fantastic. They are so good. I can eat them all on their own and I love to put them in my hot chocolate. J loves them, and I keep catching him eating them. I'm so proud of myself. I love to cook, but when it comes to anything sweet, I just can't do it. So my making some homemade marshmallows is a pretty good accomplishment for me. And we're already planning all the flavors we can try next time we make them. YUM!!! Now I just need to figure out a better way to cut them so they don't look so messy!

Green Goddess Earrings

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

I just got a new pair of earrings up in my store. They are a pretty simple pair of dangle earrings, but I still thing they are pretty cool.

I tried something new when I made the earwires. I put a tiny yellow agate bead on the earwire as an accent for the golds and yellows in the glass beads. I think it's kinda of a cool concept.

As always all the hardware is sterling silver.

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I've been working on a few new cuffs over the holiday season. These are pretty simple, but still beautiful. I also decided to bead these up and not attach them to the leather cuffs. This gives them a little bit more of a delicate look. I really like them and hopefully I'll be able to get some pictures taken today or tomorrow!

Purple Hoops

So I've been pretty lazy during my time off from work. I had such a long list of accomplishments, and I have only actually accomplished a couple of them. I've been a little lazy when it comes to blog posting and posting new items in my store. I also have been so far behind on catching up on all my comments, I promise I'll get to them soon. I promise.

I have got a few new things made up (oh no, now I need to drag out the photo tent again and take new pictures).

I have a few new cuffs that I need to get some new pictures of. I'm very pleased with them.

But I also have a new pair of purple beaded hoops up in my store. I love these hoops. The purple beads are so rich and beautiful. The purple and silver beads are both silver lined, so they really catch the light and sparkle. I'm loving these so much (okay I know, I love purple and always will). They just look so beautiful on.

I really like making the beaded hoops, because they use a smaller amount of beads, I can use all my "left over" beads. I have so many more color combos that I can't wait to try out.

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So it's snowing here again. Which is nice, it's been so warm here almost all of the snow has melted. Lets see if we get all of it back.

Well I'm off for now to work on a new cuff and to work on my own website. I'm hoping to have that baby up and running by my birthday next year; so in a couple months. I can't wait to have one central location for everything.

Still Exhausted

Well I'm officially still exhausted from the holiday season, and it's not really over yet! I've only just begun getting back into the "productive" mode. I'm working on a cuff, and planning my next challenge entry (hint: I'm trying something I've never tried before for this one, woohoo ☺)

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I've been busy trying to get all my merchandise in my 1000 markets store. I've been listing like crazy lately. I have a whole bunch of made to order beaded rings.

I also have a few other things. I have a great orange striped cuff. The colors remind me of hard candy, yummy!

It's simple, but still pretty fun. I've been focusing on a little bit more of a geometric style lately; more shapes and lines. I'm enjoying the simple beauty that it leads too. I've always loved simple lines, so I'm trying to express this in my beadwork and even in my new lampwork beads. Sometimes simple can be very beautiful.

I've also been working with fireline for the first time. I've never used it before, so stay tuned for a few new cuffs that aren't on leather. They should be really nice.


I also have been working with some new materials. Right now it's freshwater pearls. I kinda went on a buying spree over the summer, I think I ended up with at least 10 different colors. They are all so beautiful, but I had never done a lot of work with them. So finally I decided to try and idea out.

I made a pair of earrings for myself using vintage Japanese rounds. They are pretty fun to wear and I always get a lot of complements when I wear them, so I decided to try it with the freshwater pearls. I think this design works nicely.

Again, this design is pretty basic and simple, but still oh so pretty. And I just love the color of these pearls, a beautiful ruby red color. It's so rich.

All of these things are in my 1000 Markets store.

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Thank you everyone that stopped by over the holidays. We all had a pretty good Christmas here. I wanted to get some pictures of all the snow we got, but it got pretty warm that last couple of days and actually has been raining here. So maybe I'll get some new snow pictures up later.

Again I hope everyone had a happy holiday season, and I hope the new year brings more happiness and creativeness.

Christmas Is over, now....

it's almost the new year. Time for making new goals and trying your hardest to keep them. This year my goals are to apply for some juried shows (and not chickening out). I also want to buy a new torch and a oxygen concentrator. So we'll see what the year brings.

But first here are a few pics of our Christmas.

Here's Toonces hoping everyone had as fun a Christmas as she did. She stole this ribbon off a gift, so J thought she would look cute wearing it.

And here she is enjoying her wrapping paper and new tinsel balls, YAY! (and J's playing his new snow boarding video game, you can see it in the background).


And of course here's Nacho, tuckered out from everything.


I got a new point and shoot for Christmas, so now I can go back to taking pictures of everywhere we go and everything we do. I love the SLR, but having a nice point and shoot is nice. I can shove it in my purse and always have it just in case.

Now off to work on my 1000 Markets store and build my new website (that's my goal for next week, lets hope that works out).

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Five Golden Rings

Well not quite, but I do have a few new beaded rings to offer up today.

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I just listed a few new beaded rings in my 1000 Markets store.

All of these rings are made to order, so If you see something you like, let me know what size you need.

I really like making the beaded rings, and I really love wearing them. I have a number of different rings myself.

Most of the rings I listed are just simple beaded bands, some with a little embellishment, but nothing to fancy.


But I did list a really fun cocktail ring. I used a really pretty teal color and some frosted glass squares. I really love how it turned out.

I couldn't wait to show it off. I wanted to keep this one too, but I figured I already have two, that's enough for now ☺

My cocktail rings are not made to order, but feel free to order a custom one in any color and size you would like.

All of my beaded rings can be found in my 1000 Markets store. Check them out HERE.

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Looks like the snow here has stopped for now. Monday should be sunny (but a mere 7˚, burrrr). But the snow should be back by Tuesday. I'll post some new pictures of all the snow here in Wisconsin. It will be a pretty snow filled Christmas this year.

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Snow, Snow, Snow

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We got another 12 inches of snow last night and this morning. There is a lot of snow out there. But the weekend started a lot sooner because the college closed at noon today, so we all got a half day. Sweet. This picture was taken this morning when I got up. My neighbors probably think I'm spying on them because I just stuck the camera lens between the blinds to minimize the glare from the flash (I was lazy this morning and just had the camera on automatic). A lot of things were closed here in Southeastern Wisconsin; schools, businesses, the airport. It was a pretty bad storm. But it has now passed and we need to start shoveling, yuck! And there is more snow on the way this weekend. You got to love the Midwest.

And here's our little bobcat out in the snow (minus the bob tail). This is her favorite time of year. She is obsessed with snow. When anyone comes into the house she runs over and tries to eat the snow they brought in with them. Then she will just play with it for a while. And this is the only time I let her outside. She loves to play in the snow. She digs and jumps through it. She could stay out there for hours playing. The only thing she hates in her leash, it won't allow her to leave the deck, and that's just not cool in her book. She feels she should be able to just go. Which would probably be okay for most cats, but not this one, it's a bad idea. And after she's had enough of snow she follows me back into the house, takes a short nap and then is sitting at the patio door wanting to go play again. Then she'll loose interest and go harass Nacho (we think she has kitten ADHD).

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On to beady goodness. I have a new obsession. Cocktail Rings. Big, make a statement cocktail rings. I love them. I've seen wooden ones, and acrylic ones, and glass ones. You name it. I just love them.

I stopped by Half Price Books last weekend (love that place) to see what they had in the glass and beads sections. I found a few books I wanted but this close to Christmas I try to not buy for myself. But I did find The Art & Elegance of Beadwork. What a fantastic book. So many pretty pictures to inspire. So of course as I'm looking through it, I am frantically sketching new ideas. And low and behold there is a pattern for a cocktail ring. Cool.

So I made one, and liked it, but had some ideas of my own. Here is what I've come up with so far. The blue on is following (most) of the directions in the book. I like it a lot, but like I said had a few ideas on how to change it. The book's rings had a central bead as the focal point, well I forgot to grab one and I was already all comfy under a blanket with my beading tray, so I left it off.

I love the coral colored one. It's awesome. I'm going to make a few more of these and get them a little bit more perfected. They're pretty rough right now. And then I'm hoping to be offering these in the future. Stay tuned for more cocktail rings. Because every girl should have a few (hundred)!!!!

Lots of New News!

Well the weeks is winding down. I only have a couple more days left of work, and then a wonderful 2 week vacation. Oh how nice that will be. I have a lot planned for those weeks. I have a few Christmas dinners, and a couple of parties, plus I think I am going to start working on my own website. I've been putting it off and putting it off, but I think it's time for me to step up and work on it. That should be interesting. And my mind is just overflowing with new ideas, I can't wait to have enough free time to just sit down and work. WooHoo.

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Next up is the winner of the December Etsy-Beadweaver's Street Team Challenge winner. A big congratulations to Karin of Gypsy Eyes Jewelry who won with her Queen of the Frozen Tundra necklace. It is truly a beautiful necklace.

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*UPDATE*
My Sea Goddess Necklace has been featured on the community page on 1000 Markets as a Staff Pick. Awesome.
Check it out here.

And finally I have a few new lampwork beads up on etsy. They are fun little focal beads. Click HERE to check that out.

I also have a new necklace up on 1000 markets. It's one of my favorite, favorite ones. It was really hard for me to put it up for sale, but J keeps telling me that I'll never make any money by hording everything I make for myself. LOL.

It really is lovely. I just went crazy during a pearl sale a few months back. I couldn't help myself, I bought every color I could get my little hands on. Problem is, I had never ever worked with pearls before and had no idea what to do with then. Well looking through my bead stash one day I discovered that the light green ones matched some glass beads I had, and this necklace was born.

It's NINE strands of tiny little transparent purple seed beads. I then used the freshwater pears and the glass beads for accents, but it need something more. I have some aluminum beads, that again, I had no idea what to do with, so I decided they would give a nice light weight sparkles to the necklace. And of course it's all topped off with a sterling silver toggle clasp.

I made this necklace a few months back, it's been to a couple shows with me, and everyone seems to love it. But I just wasn't able to get a decent picture of it, and I still don't feel these pictures do it much justice. It is much more vibrant in person.

You can check it out in my 1000 markets shop if you'd like.

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And one more picture of my sleeping cats. I just can't get over them sitting next to each other for a few hours without trying to kill each other.

Here they are sleeping. But don't let this picture fool you, they are not angles, not even close. They both can be such naughty little things, but we love them no matter what.