Finally!

I don't know what I've been doing with my time, but it does seem it's not what I'd like to do with it.  I took the time the past few days to finally finish something on my bead table.  So here's the Twisted Sister bracelet I finished yesterday.  This Tapestry Beads kit by Jill Wiseman was quick simple and even easy enough for a beginner.  If you give it a try just make sure to read the "adding and ending a thread" section.  If you are like me and can complete a project from simply looking at the diagrams & photos great, but don't skip that section it's full of good info.

This kit was a Christmas gift purchased from Fusion Beads, but I'm glad it came with information on Tapestry Beads.  Now I have to figure out which one I want to try next.

Center Stage Bracelet

Shell Game Bracelet

Kumhimo-these end caps are available too

Happy birthday lil man!

Today my little guy is 9 years old!?! Where do the days go? 

He had a lot of fun with his buddies monkeying around at Kids Adventure Land at the Ocean Expo Park.  He's the one sitting on the top of the center post.  Looks like we've been watching a bit too many monkey shows on Nat Geo. 

Happy birthday to one amazing kid!

I won, I won, I won!

Ok so I should be readying myself to take my son and his friends on a trip to the aquarium, but I just got the best news!  I won a wire wrapping DVD from Lori Anderson's latest giveaway. Look what I'm getting:

It's all mine. Yeah me!

The author Scott David Plumlee is said to be an excellent wire & chain maille artist. 

Okey-dokie now while you leave here to continue spending twice as much time online as you had intended check out Lori's blog Pretty Things.  She is a really great gal and her resilience is inspiring. A big THANKS to her not only for the giveaway, but for sharing her Bead Soup Blog Party idea with the world.

Green Thumb

This is what happens when you plant cactus cuttings.  I've planted and washed my hands twice before taking these pictures.  They don't hurt because I'm use to it now.  About twice a year my cacti get top heavy and start blowing over.

This picture is how crazy it was back in December.  This one & 3 others from previous cutting projects gave me 36 babies this time.  Some of them always die, but I've never had more than 7-8 rooting at once.  I waited way too long this time.

What am I going to do with 40 cacti?

Here's the 4 big boys after their haircuts.

Just in case you were counting this makes 40.

 It's not a green thumb, but it's immune to thorns.  Sorry life's been boring here recently so this is the most exciting thing going on.  Hey I'll take boring sometimes.  It's way better than stressful.

Wishing you a stress-free day!

 

Check out Tree Wings Studio

I just ordered some beads from this artist, and while waiting for them to arrive found a giveaway on her blog.

one of the 3 giveaway sets

Check out the Tree Wings Studio blog.  

Better yet check out her etsy shop plus get a 10% discount off all purchases till March 20th. 

Not your style? That's an even better reason to order.  Get a piece to test you skills and teach you more about yourself and your abilities.  I've learned more in the 3 months I've been working with things that aren't typically me than I have in the last 3 years making pieces in my comfort zone.  The response to my new work is overwhelming as well.

Enjoy your yourself no matter where today takes you! 

What's on the table?

I found myself without a project tray today.  After looking around I realized why.  Here's what's going on here:

Ndebele Bracelet by Lori Schmidt

This button hole took me 4 hours Saturday because it was klutz week for me, and hubby brought home the first season of a show and I got hooked.  The kit was a Christmas gift and so was this one:

Twisted Sister Bracelet by Jill Wiseman

I love this one.  The colors are hard to photograph because they are iridescent.  This pattern is 6 beads per round. It's quick and fun when I need a break from the other projects.  Yep, there is one more.

Beading Babes' new projects are great.  I have to order some things for the necklace, but I had somethings that I think will work for the bracelet.  Very summery like the bracelet I just finished with Martina's flowers, but the cold snap here has me craving summer.

I love it so far.

Ok time to stop talking about these projects and get back to work.  I hope your are enjoying what you're currently working on as much as I am.

Martina's flowers

I've mentioned before that my partner, Martina Nagele, from the Bead Soup Party is intimidatingly amazing.  She made her own bead caps for some of the beads I sent her.  Then she adapted the bead cap design into cute dangling flowers which you can see on her blog: http://mariposa8000.blogspot.com 

Well, I tried my hand at them. My colors are a bit more summery, but only when trying to pick things for this project I realize that I have no red seed beads or dark purple ones either.  That still baffles me.  Well here's my go at it:

Looks way better on that flat.

Love that coral with fire-opal center!

These little guys didn't go with the rest.  Not sure what they'll be yet.

Not too bad for one evening's work.  Better for me than a bowl of ice cream too.