I just realized...

that I never posted that picture of the bracelet that I had promised to post.  Well, I really think the word "promise" is maybe too strong possibly...I think.

However...I have realized that I don't know what kind of bracelet I would offer to you, my wonderful, loving, adoring followers.   Wait a second...what do you mean you don't adore me.  We'll discuss that later I guess.  *snff snff*

Whatever...as I was saying...I have some ideas, and I think I will post a couple of examples.  If anyone decides to take me up on my challenge...then you will be able to choose a bracelet and I will make you one very similar.  I can't say I will make you one exactly the same because part of the nature of handmade is that no two items are the same.

The example above is made with large beads, but could be smaller as well

The freshwater pearls can be paired with just about any charm for a cute bracelt

pink and black pearls...I could also do other colors

This is actually a picture of a necklace...but I could do something similar for a bracelet

So...here are some examples for your free bracelet...if you choose to accept my challenge.

****fine print

I will give you color, size, clasp, and charm options

Good night everyone!  I love (like) you so much!

Something Meaningful...

on Etsy.   Here are some of my new listings on Etsy.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/71021594/memory-wire-bracelet-blue-and-white

http://www.etsy.com/listing/71089203/fancy-jasper-gold-and-copper-pearl

http://www.etsy.com/listing/71093862/half-pearls-half-turquoise-necklace-26

I am not a patient person...

And I am ready to have my very first ever giveaway but I don't have enough followers. So I am thinking...how can I get a billion followers...or at least 15 more :)

What do y'all think about this? If you (my wonderful lovely followers) get five people (new people) to follow my blog and post a comment saying that you got them to follow me...I will give you a choice of one of the following lovely gifts!!!
1) a $10 gift certificate to my Etsy listings
2) five extra entries in my first giveaway (when I get enough followers)
3) a free bracelet (pictures to come)

So...if you like this idea...get 5 people to follow my blog and post a comment referencing your user name as the reason they joined

If you don't like this idea...then I'm not sure our relationship is going to work out and I think it's time for us to see other people.

Woo Hoo or woohoo or whatever

I feel like I actually accomplished something!  I have listed a lot of new items...and still have more to list.  Man am I tired of editing pictures!  :(

If there are any really hot guys out there who want to edit my pictures and list all my items on Etsy (for free) send me a msg.  No?  ok...anyone?   oh well.

Although the listing is not my forte (I used to play the piano...so I can use that word) I did get lots of listing work done!  yayayayyay!

Go click on my listings so I can look at it tomorrow morning and say  whuuuut?  50 million people looked at my listing???  I ROCK!

I'm gonna say that to myself tomorrow morning, no matter how many people have looked at my listings...because, to be honest...I do R-O-C-K...but it would be nice to have some concrete proof to provide...just in case my status is challenged.

sooooo...I'm super duper tired...and although I could totally go to sleep right now I most likely won't...but I'm going to use that as an excuse to quit talking to you right now...yawn.

I love you all!  (like) 

follow my blog

then click here!

http://www.etsy.com/your/listings?ref=si_acc

I'm composing a list

Of all the people I should invite to my blog's one week birthday party!!!

What? Too much?

Ok...maybe I'll have a party at the one month mark!

Well...

I took today off of work...at one of my jobs...yes, there's more than one fun-prevention in my life...

I used my fun time today to take LOTS of glorious pictures of jewelry that I haven't listed.

I think that most jewelry maker people are the same way, but I hate the picture taking and Etsy listing process...but I don't have a shop other than Etsy and I haven't found anyone to do the boring part for me (tho my fingers are crossed) so...

I took lots of pictures today and had visions in my head of people seeing them and messaging all their friends and telling them they really have to follow my blog and being at like 30 followers by bedtime tonight.

But...I forgot how long it takes just to get decent pics and then how long it takes to upload them to my truly ancient laptop, not to mention listing on Etsy which takes like 5 hours for each listing. So the world will have to exist for another day or two or five without the benefit of my wonderful jewelry...and I will have to close my eyes tonight without the benefit of millions of followers.

I also kinda forgot I had to go to my second job tonight. :( Sad face is not strong enough.

So check back tomorrow and the next day (really everyday...yes everyday) to see the wonderful pics I took today.

Here it is...

It's finished!  And my friend loves it!

To start...here are some pics of he necklaces from last night after I took them apart.

 Abov are the components of the fist two necklaces from the post last night.  Those were the two sort necklaces with all the smll sections of chain.  I ended up with the two necklaces, a bunch of beads and jump rings and 18 short sections of chain.

The picture above is the second necklace from last night.  I took off all the beads.  I ended up with two long chains, two medium lengths and four tiny sections.

 I added some silver chain from my own stash...here are the pics of those chains

So...I started by sorting the black chain by size, then adding the short pieces together.  I ended up with quite a few chains.  I started with the thickest silver chain as my base and started adding chains using jump rings.

There isn't much more to say...except that I know the lighting on these pictures isn't that great.  I will try to take some better pics tomorrow. 

See below for the finished necklace!

Here is a pic of the bottom of the necklace

The entire neclace

The mixture of chains

A close up on the chains.



Like I said...I will try to take some better lighted pics tomorrow. 

I showed it to my friend and she loves it.  Tell me what you think!

So...my friend

said tonight that she wanted a necklace with black in it...and she wanted it long...so I said "let's go shopping"

Off to the store we go.  We went to this local store that sells a lot of jewelry for between $1 and $5...I love to get their stuff and take it apart and make something new.  I had seen some necklaces with black colored chain in different sizes.

To buy chain in three or four different sizes at the craft store would cost more than getting a few necklaces and adding the lengths together, plus, the craft stores don't generally carry black chain and if they do they may have one size. 

I tell her, on the way to the store, that I think (and I am very good at thinking) that she needs a necklace with a large pendant.  See..she doesn't like to wear anything that has color...well I guess white is a color and she may or may not wear white underwear...we aren't close enough for me to know for sure.  Oh...and I think she accidentally bought a dark purple shirt once...she probably thought it was black.

Anyhow...I told her I think she needs a large black (because I know she won't wear it otherwise) pendant...I think that it would make her jewelry stand out a bit.

So...you will see in the pictures below that she purchased four necklaces.

the two above are multi-chain, with a few beads...you can see all the different sizes of chain.  I will take them apart to make fewer strands that are longer.  I'm guessing the end length will be about 30 inches or so.

The necklace above (two pics, one necklace) is about 30 inches or so...it's only two strands of chain.  I will remove the beads...and detangle the necklace of course!   :)

So those three necklaces will be the base for the necklace my friend first requested.  I will put it together with some silver chain and possibly some black/grey beads. 

This necklace...

is the one that she picked out because she realizes that my thinking abilities (as mentioned above) are awesome...and she definitely needs a necklace with a large pendant.  I took a close up pic of the necklace because it has some nice little shell beads in it...those are the ones that look like chunks.  The pendant is shell and has a gradient look...from a grey to black.

So...I will be working on this necklace and can't wait to show you the results!!!

Exciting developement!!!

I have wonderful news!!!  Well, it's wonderful to me at least. 

I love, love, love making custom pieces.  If you tell me...I want a necklace like...this (insert your own ideas here) and give me a couple requirements...like length, colors, number of strands...and then let me go with it...I LOVE it

So...this morning, my friend (who has a blog that I will mention in a minute...do you feel the suspense?) texted me and said "hey...could I buy one of your pieces and do a giveaway on my blog"  (it was something like that) and I said..."hey...how about I give you a piece to give away"  then I said "hey again...what about if I make it to be themed after your blog"    she said "hey...you are the smartest person ever in the whole wide world" (I may have imagined that part...but I'm not sure) and I was like..."hey, I am huh"

So...by now, I would love to know how many times you thought to yourself  "hay is for horses" but I would also love to share my friends blog name with you.

Her blog can be found....drumroll please...here

http://saraswearsalot.blogspot.com/

So...back on track...

I am going to make a really cool necklace for Sara and she will give it to some lucky (very) follower on her blog!!!  Please remember that Sara may very well decide that she must, MUST keep this awesome necklace once it is done...but you can get mad at her about that.

So...check out her blog if you want to have a chance to win this totally unique; never, ever to be repeated necklace directly from Sara of  http://saraswearsalot.blogspot.com/

Soooo...you will see pics soon of the charm that will be used...and updates as I make progress on the necklace.

So...one last time...check it out
http://saraswearsalot.blogspot.com/

YAY!

Let's try this again...

So, last night I was super excited to post a couple of new pictures of some pieces that I am working on...and I couldn't get the computer to upload the pictures no matter what I did!!!

I have been excited all day to get home and try again!  Side note: I think jobs are made to keep us from doing the fun things we want to do!!!

So...I am home, and I'm about to try again...keep your fingers crossed!!!

Yay!  Do you recognize the heart?  Look back at the first picture I posted and you will see that it used to be attached to an earring.  It looked a little like this -

Now...yes, I know that I'm not the very best picture taker!  I know the flash caused a bit of a discolored area on these, but they are silvertone (which is a fancy way of say silver colored but not real silver!)

So I took the hearts off of the earrings...which were clip by the way.  I could never rock earrings this big!  But power to the people who can!  You go!

I decided on purple beads because...I don't know...they were calling out to me!

So...I decided I would try doing the cluster, dangles like I did on the read one in the first post.

Pictures of the finished product are on their way...

Number 2...

The big beads in the back, right...I got those for my birthday from a really good friend!  They are resin...not glass, but quality none the less.  The ones at the bottom right...I got in New Orleans on my vacation!  YAY!

I decided to add some glass seed beads in different shades of brown and copper...so...one strand or two...hmmmm.

I will post the finshed necklaces tomorrow after my *fun-preventing* work!

Creativity...or not

I always love crafting and creating something new...but there are, inevitably, days when I just am not feeling it!  Sometimes, those sneaky days morph into a week...and...I shudder to say...every now and then a month...or two.

I always come back to my jewelry, and after finishing that first peice I always ask myself why...why!!! do I let myself go so long without doing something creative and crafty???

I always feel happier and more productive when I make something that I can be proud of. 

Unfortunately, there really are those days that I could sit and stare at my beads, move them around on the table...take them out, put them away...and...nothing.  It's like my brain just won't do it.

Other days, I sit down and ideas are zooming around in my brain too fast for me to grab them all.  I'll sit down to see what my hands make...and eight hours later go stumbling to my bed with a sore butt (from all the sitting) and tired hands...but happier for it all.

So I am making myself a deal...I will at least visit with my beads once a week...even if I put them back in their containers the same way they came out.  Sometimes just looking at all the colors and touching them brings ideas! 

I think we all get too caught up in life sometimes and forget about the simple things that make our lives more enjoyable!  Beading is definitely one of those things for me!

So...my next two projects...

well...I guess they will have to wait for tomorrow night.  I seem to be experiencing some technical difficulties with my pictures  :(

Thanks to my new followers!!!  I love you...well, love is a strong word...but I do like you...really I do!!!

I'm learning...I'm learning

Thank you to my friends who said  "add a link to your Etsy!"

Thank you even more for not adding "duh" to the end of that  :)

So...in a stroke of sheer genius...I have added a link to my Etsy...that's where my jewelry is listed for sale.

Click the link that says "My jewelry on Etsy" 

It's up there...to the left...at the top of the blog.

YAY!

Follow who's blog? Follow MY blog!!!

What good is a blog without followers?  Right?  Right?

Help me to get 25 followers and I will have my first drawing.  I think 25 is a nice round number!

What will the drawing be for you ask...well...help me and find out!

My first blog!

Ok...I am computer savvy...or I at least consider myself to be, but this will be my first blog!  I am creating this blog to share some of my creative process and pictures of the beginning stages of some of my pieces. 

All of the jewelry that I create is one of a kind.  I couldn't make an exact duplicate of most of my peices if I wanted to...and the only way I will make something similar is if it's requested.  That is one of the best parts of creating jewelry!  When I finish a peice, I can move on to something new and it's never boring!

I have planned some fun things for down the road...including drawings for people who subscribe to my blog!

If you like jewelry - wearing it and/or making it - you should definitely follow my blog.  Even if you hate jewelry...you should follow my blog!  You could win some jewelry and give it to someone who does like jewelry!!! 


So...here we go!

I bought these necklaces and earrings at a local jewelry store this weekend.  I am always looking for pieces that I can take apart and use to create something new.

I will show each piece, along with the beads from my own stash (which is considerable) that will go into creating a new, one of a kind piece of jewelry!

I love the four glass pendants that I got.  They are easy to remove from the leather-cord necklace that they came on and glass pendants are great for making a beautiful necklace.  The earrings have these huge hearts on them that I think will be great pendants because of their size.  The two black and white pieces will be mixed together when I get to them.  I love that huge circle pendant, it's shell with a design printed on it.

I only use items for my jewelry that I know will last for a very long time, as long as it is taken care of...so glass peices are perfect!  The color is in the glass, so it won't wear off, stain your skin, and leave you with a white bead.

Here is what I chose for my first project from my new goodies!  The heart pendant you will recognize from the picture above.  The othe beads came from my supplies. 

I used a few different shades of red, but stayed with the deeper colors.  I also put in a few grey beads because I love the silver accent in the middle of the heart.  All of these beads are individually added to what are called head pins, they are like very thin nails.  After each one is secured to a pin, I can add it to the chain necklace.  I tried something new on this necklace, I created little "bunches" of beads.  I think it turned out great.  Check out the finished product on my Etsy page and let me know what you think by using the link below!!!

What the heart wants