Welcome to my blog, Lilmummy Likes... It was created to participate in blog hops when I lived overseas. The wonderful people in our online, beading community kept me inspired and sane for those 4 years.
For the past few years I was in S.E. Louisiana where I was lucky enough join the Bead Society of Slidell. Local bead buddies, including "The Bead Girls," were more fun and inspiration than this girl could handle so this blog went dormant.
Back overseas only days after Christmas, and I'm back to hopping.
Thanks for stopping by for Swap N Hop 2017.
Linda Anderson, the creator of Bead Peeps & this hop, is amazing. She cares about us individually as well as collectively. I'm so grateful to be able to participate this year.
So let's reintroduce my partner, Heather Canepa. Heather lives in Nevada. We connected through Instagram. As seed beaders we had a few things in common like our love for Swarovski bicones & size 11/0 seed beads. She prefers Delicas while I prefer rounds.
She also introduced me to the AVAA bead. Will there ever be an end to the Czech shaped bead madness? I've given up trying to keep up with them all.
The packet Heather mailed to me never arrived. She mentioned sending a second packet, but if she did it didn't make it in time either. All anyone can do is their best, and I'm sure she did that. So let's just show you what she received.
You'll also see some Delicas,
a magnet clasp,
some sakura (cherry blossom) findings,
hallow glass beads w/caps for fill-it-yourself earrings,
a little pottery dish,
a kokeshi pen,
fancy chocolates,
and the round seed beads leftover from the handmade beads.
When you are done here don't forget to head over to see what Heather created at: http://www.desertjewelrydesigns.blogspot.com
Now as for my work (she hangs her head in shame). I signed up from a hotel room as we'd only just arrived in mainland Japan. Our household goods were delayed and delayed again so Heather's packet was all purchased and created just for her BEFORE the international deadline. (See I did have things going in the right direction.) I even got them in the mail on time. Then life kicked me a few times. During this I was beading though. See...
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| I actually made 4 Mt. Fuji charms. |
Above you see lots of prototypes for the beaded beads I sent Heather & an earring kit I picked up during my last trip to Hobby Lobby before leaving the US. Hey wait, it's missing an ear wire. Yep. Noticed that after the photo. No mate to be found so they now have lever back ear wires with star accents. My son said they looked like Cowboy Earrings before. There is no denying that now.
Remember me telling you how Linda treated us all so well. Yep. She checked in on me. I told her I was going to make myself some beads like I made Heather. Well this is as far as that went. The only valid excuse I have is that it took so much longer to unpack in a smaller space.
The movers literally couldn't get anything else in that room. I had boxes from floor to ceiling with barely enough room to open the door. Plus more filling up living room. Half my craft room was in my bedroom Friday, and some of it's still there. My last craft room was 12ft x24ft. I'm now in a 10ft x10ft space. So all craft storage/small space organizing tips are welcome. Let's hear your favorite tips and tricks.
My favorite thing about moving is rediscovering treasures. Here are a few Spring time ones I found while hunting for that pair of ear wires and a jump ring.
Okay last thing from me. What do I put in these tiny, hollow, glass globes? Yes, I bought myself some when I bought the set for Heather. At the store they had rabbit fur, firepolish, glitter & seed beads in the examples. Help me think outside the box. I'm thinking of my tiniest bits of sea glass or dandelion seeds. The silver caps are glue on so it's a once and done kinda thing. Oh and Yuzawaya is the name of a local craft store here in Yokosuka, Japan. I also found a bead shop by the train station. It's called Parts Club. I look forward to going to it's Tokyo location in the future.
If you are thinking, "You moved to Japan. I want to see pictures." You can thank iPhone for sparing you that pleasure. Some sort of update and over 900 photos from the last 3 months are GONE. So any tips for recovering them would also be appreciated.
Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks even more for sharing your time with me. You are awesome!
Want to comment, but don't know what to say?
Recap: Tell me your small space, craft storage solutions. OR
What would you fill the tiny glass orbs with? OR
Do you know how to bring back photos deleted during an update for iPhone 7?
Ready to hop? Check out the other participants in the#BeadPeepsSwapNhop17 below
Sounds like you are middle of an adventure and later down the lane might even find a moment to laugh about it. But for now, I think you did a great job of sending awesome goodies to your partner that you made and participated today with a post. Hopefully everything will be alright soon
ReplyDeleteYou are so right. I friend once told me to always question my stress with, "will it matter in 5 years?" Thanks for reminding me of that at a point when I really needed to remember.
DeleteWow! Your life sounds a little crazy right now, I sincerely hope you get your pictures back. What a shame you never got your swap beads though.
ReplyDeleteYou are too kind. I got some of the pictures back. Those babies are backed up in two places now. Hey if the beads show up later it'll be an great surprise.
DeleteI hate to hear that your swap never got to you. Here's hoping it's just held up and will get there eventually. I understand the dilemma of a small craft space. I'm still trying to work it all in. My only advice is to use as much vertical/wall space as you can - lots of shelves. I love the little spring goodies you uncovered in your search. Fun! And, as far as the tubes, I recently made a little necklace with a little jar and put some sand and very small shells/coral from a vacation in it. Anyway, good luck with the unpacking!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip! I always think that for closets, but hadn't for the craft room. Oh and love the vaca memory jar idea. I have several pieces like that from Nomades, the Salt of the Earth line.
DeleteHi Ginger, I like your pansies. Sorry your package didn't arrive. I bet living in Japan will be exciting.
ReplyDeleteThanks Becky. Living here has been exciting so far. I can't wait for the adventures ahead.
DeleteSorry to hear your beads didn't make it. Love the Mt. Fuji charm!
ReplyDeleteThanks Christina. Heather's appreciation for Delicas led me to give them another shot. Certainly glad she taught me that.
DeleteSorry about your photos and I hope you will be able to recover them. Your Mount Fuji pieces are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you Robin. I really enjoyed making the Fuji pieces. I did get back about a 5th of the photos. So that was great.
DeleteI love the flowers. You are so talented! I hope your package gets to you and isn't lost in the abyss of the mail system.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kristina. I love flowers of all kinds. Why it didn't dawn on me to bead flowers sooner is still a mystery. :)
DeleteWhat's with the post these days? Too many packages late or lost for this swap :( The one I sent was one month late, too :( Hats off to you for this post, this is so kind to your partner and all of us. Your beaded charms are so artful! I don't use an i-phone but don't you back up the info on i-cloud or something like that?
ReplyDelete