Whoo-hoo! I Made Another Sale on Etsy!

That's right, I sold another pair of earrings on in my Etsy shop! That's two pairs of the Rawhide earrings this year! I'm almost up to my goal of five items that I made as a New Year's Crafty Resolution. Still no sales of the Very Cherry Earrings. I'm thinking of making them with sterling ear wires and re-listing them with a slightly higher price, see if I get any bites. But I'm happy with just the two Etsy sales, I'm not expecting much out of my first year on there.

And I've started a third blog, one that's for all my other adventures in crafting. I've decided to call it Crafting Under a Cactus. You can also link to it through my profile or the links over on the right hand side of the screen. I wanted to keep this blog about beadwork but I still wanted to talk about my other crafty projects. Figured it was time to start a second blog. So check over there a couple times a month if you're interested in seeing what other creative things I'm working on. I'll also be removing some of the non-bead crafty links I have here and giving them a new home over on the other blog.

Over the weekend, my husband and I decided to undertake the huge task of rearranging the front bedroom (basically, my craft and book storage room) and the living room. We wanted to turn that front bedroom into a study and craft workroom. So we moved the desk into there (it just fit around the corners of the hall, quite the adventure at two in the morning), moved the bookshelves out, moved my craft table to another wall, and re-organized the closet (so all my Stash bins and boxes could now be stored out of sight). We love it. I can actually work at my work table now while my hubby works on his computer at night, and we can still be together in the same room. What a concept! I'll have to take some pictures of the new arrangement and post them here.

And I mentioned a post or two ago that I hosted an earring swap on Swap-Bot. Here are pictures of the earrings I made for my two partners:

The partner I made these for indicated that her favorite colors were blues, green and yellows. I scored the perfect Czech glass rounds a few months back, so I just had to use them. I love them because they're slightly faceted and are the crackled glass. The smaller cube bead and the blue-green round were salvaged from costume/vintage jewelry I found on ShopGoodwill.com.

And the partner I made this pair for had indicated in her profile that most of her clothing was black. I thought these animal print beads would look sharp with black, and at the same time be subtle yet fun.

That about wraps things up for now. Thanks for reading and happy beading!

Week of August 5th-11th, 2007: What Have I Been Up To?

Well, I've been slacking again on posting. I was pretty busy last month with work and RESCUE and really didn't do much jewelry making. Therefore, I had nothing of real interest to post about here. I suppose I could have bored you with something, but I decided to spare you.

Anywho, I'm getting back into the beading swing of things, and I have a few pictures to share.

I've been participating in a number of crafty swaps over at Swap-Bot, and a few have actually been jewelry and bead related. One was to make your partner jewerly using hemp, so I made these for my partner:



(I didn't have a model handy, so I had a bowl stand in for one ;D)





It was fun to dig out the hemp spools and do some knot work again, even if it was just really basic.



I'm coordinating a handmade earring swap. Its closed now, I meant to post here while it was still open, but alas, I've been in La-La land. But I'm planning to coordinate some more on there, we have a number of beady gals, and I'll be sure to post the links here. I'm still working on the earrings for my partners for that swap, but I'll post those when I've completed them.



And I joined one more earring swap. This one had a specific theme to it, the color brown. I had recently learned to make leafy fringe using all seed beads (for both the vines and the leaves). But I wasn't overly thrilled with how the leaves looked. So I decided "Hey, why couldn't I replace the beaded leaves with leaf beads?" (Say that three times fast....) And here is what I came up with, I call it Autumn Foliage:









Hope you enjoyed. Look for more pictures and updates in the coming weeks (no really, I mean it).



Thanks for reading and happy beading!

Adventures In Soldering (I Didn't Burn Down the Studio)

Well, as you may have read last week, I took "Soldering 101" on Saturday. This was one of my Crafty Resolutions for this year, so it feels good to be able to cross something off the list.

Let me just say, I went in a little apprehensive about using the torch and the chemicals. I have taken basic bead lampworking classes, so holding my hands near intense flames was not new to me, but I knew that soldering would be a little bit different. But really, it wasn't that scary or difficult. In fact, I had fun and I can't wait to get some things designed and cut up so I can rent some studio time there and do some more soldering!! I have a small torch of my own, and I can get solder and pickle and the tools, but I may want to take those first few in to the studio so if I need some help or tips, I may be able to pick some one's brain there.

I didn't burn myself or anyone else, nor did I burn down the studio. So I was quite proud of myself. And I didn't even have to remind myself NOT to touch the hot metal with bare fingers. Good me. ;D

We spent the morning going over the different types of solder, safety concerns, and looking at examples of soldered pieces. Then we broke for lunch, because lunch is very important, and had the afternoon to cut up metal into pieces and the practice soldering bits and wire together. A Saturday well spent in my opinion. I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. I feel more confident about soldering (though I still really love the things you can do with cold connections and rivets), and I plan to start experimenting with metals more when the temps here start to cool down (so I can be out in the garage without melting from the heat).





Here are a few pictures of my practice pieces. One didn't work so well, the solder didn't take, but I want to show it anyway, its part of whole "trials and tribulations" of learning to make jewelry.

The other piece I am quite proud of. I may even clean it up and use it in a piece for myself. Or I may just drill a little hole in it and hang it from something on my work table, as a reminder of what I can do now. Taking this class was very empowering for me.

Well, that's the update for now. Thanks for reading and happy beading!

Week of June 19-23, 2007

Wow, where the heck did May go?! I came back from vacation and became a total blog slacker!! I have actually been working on a few things, nothing ready for photos yet. And idiot me, I did an earring swap with the Bead Circle gals and I didn't take pictures of what I sent.

Well, that's one crafty resolution I dropped the ball on I guess, weekly blog updates. But at least I'm making good on some of the other resolutions I made. This coming Saturday, the 23rd, I will be taking the "Soldering 101" class from the Metal's Edge Studio. I'm really looking forward to this. I haven't really had a chance to mess with the metals in almost a year (I'm going to be so rusty with the jewelers saw, hopefully they won't have us do much cutting, just lots of soldering), and I have all these ideas and sketches that I really couldn't do much with until I learned to solder. So I will be taking pictures of whatever I manage to not destroy or totally screw up and next week I'll share that whole experience with you!!

I've been looking forward to this class for the past two weeks now, and its put me in the mood to work with metals, so I think this weekend I'm going to break out the wire again and start working with that some more. I need a break from eye-straining, hand-cramping stitches.

I also made my first sale on Etsy in May! I sold one pair of the Rawhide earrings to a gal who also works with shelter dogs. How great is that?! And I completed a cute pair of earrings that look like oranges. I just need to get some pictures and then those will be listed in my Etsy shop. So keep checking back for those. No, I don't plan to go with an all fruit theme in my shop, I was just on a role.

Off topic, I've also created a new blog, just for promoting the dogs we foster. I'll be posting pictures and updates there, along with plugging various upcoming RESCUE events and fundraisers. If anything, you can check it out for the "Awwwww" factor. Head on over and check out our newest foster, Jade. Of course, I'll still do a little shameless promotion here, but I figured that topic deserved its very own blog. ;D

Wish I had more to report, but I just wanted to check in and let everyone know I'm still around, still beading, just slacking on the blogging.

Thanks for reading and happy beading!

Week of April 22-28th: I'm Going to Disney World!!

No, really, I am. So I won't be posting much this week and don't expect to hear from me next week. I'll be too busy dancing with Goofy, sporting a pair of mouse ears, and riding the Tea Cups. :D

Have a great weekend everyone! Thanks for reading and happy beading!

Week of April 15th-21st, 2007: Update on Goals

I've been busy, busy, busy lately. But I wanted to take some time today to get caught up on my blog. At the end of the first quarter, I wanted to recap on my goals for this year. But I was a bit busy, time got away from me, and before I knew it, the end of April was approaching. So I'm going to do it now.

If you remember, back at the start of the year, I posted a list of Crafter's Resolutions for 2007 . These were crafting and beading related goals that I have for this year. Much more fun than making resolutions to lose weight or exercise more, right? Here's a listing of the goals and my progress with them so far:

• Complete one amulet bag. NOT YET
• Learn tubular peyote stitch and complete one piece. NOT YET
• Learn Ndebele/herringbone stitch and complete one project. NOT YET
• Complete two complex Eni Oken tutorials (cuff, necklace) and then complete my own variations on her technique. NOT YET
• Buy kit/supplies for PMC and complete two pieces. BOUGHT KIT...
• Complete one new metal jewelry piece (cold connection or soldered). NOT YET
• Take "Solder 101" class from Metal's Edge Studio. TRYING TO SIGN UP FOR JUNE
• Learn basic crochet. STARTED...
• Learn to crochet using beads and wire. NOT YET
• Paint "Zoo" sign letters and Coca-Cola tray. NOT YET
• Woodburing: complete two simple projects such as wall plaques or a trinket box. NOT YET
• Learn to sew using the sewing machine (that I bought after the New Year 2006....). TOOK CLASS, MADE A PAIR OF SLEEP PANTS, AND THEY FIT!!
• Learn Byzantine weave and at least one other chain maille weave. NOT YET
• Sell 5 items (not for charity or to family). SOLD 3 ITEMS....
• Have a small in-home show by August. NOT YET
• Learn to use all the Knifty Knitter looms I have bought in 2006. NOT YET
• Master some complex macrame knotting (micro macrame) and complete one project. NOT YET
• Post to Blog at least once every week (and get the links set up, add more pictures, etc). SO FAR, SO GOOD

Well, I wish I had a few more things crossed off the list at this point, but no. I'll start playing with the PMC probably in May, after my course is done. I'll have more time then, and its something that I just need a whole day for really. Same with the metal and wire projects. I need a full day for those, and that's something I just haven't had in a while. I always have something else to do the first half of the day. But summer will be here soon, and I should hopefully have some more free time on my hands. I did buy two CD-ROMs a couple weeks back, one for knitting and one for crocheting. They give audio and video instructions, along with graphics, to teach you how to knit and to crochet. I started with the knitting one first. I just wanted to do something different. Having fun. Still trying to learn to just keep an even tension (tension is really my nemesis in this sort of thing). But I'll dig into the crochet one in the coming weeks. Hopefully it will help me with the bead crochet.

But I recently found a new site that may help me in my goals. Then again, it may hinder me, and keep me from them.... Its called Swap-Bot. Its an online community of Swappers. Basically, people can set up swaps themselves (host a swap) or just join an existing swap, and then send and receive packages in the mail based on the swap criteria. The swaps are often crafty, ATC swaps being the most popular, and some are just plain fun. I joined two bead related swaps. One was to make cell phone charms, the other was to make earrings. Simple, easy pieces, I know. But lately, I've been more interested in larger, more time consuming projects. So I haven't really felt like just making simple earrings. This swap gave me a chance to recollect my thoughts and ideas, and simplify. I cranked out 6 cell phone charms and two pairs of earrings in the past three nights!! That's more than I do in most weeks. Heck, its more than I've done in the past couple of months! It made me feel productive and creative. I felt good. I needed to do that. It was like a breath of fresh air.

And the Bead Circle is doing a little earring swap as well. I'll be working on those this weekend. Its refreshing to go back to the basics, rather than focusing only on complex stitches.

Well, that's about it for this week. Thanks for reading and happy beading!

Warning: Not Bead Related (But Still Important)

Well, I'm still plugging away at some rainbow pieces (a spiral rope and some earrings), and since I didn't get much time over the weekend for beading, I don't really have much to report. I did however get to listen to most of the rest of the CraftyPod podcasts. I just have about 4 more to listen to and I'm all up to date with her podcasts. Check out last week's post for more about sharing in the "crafty goodness."

But today, I just wanted to do a short post about something very near and dear to my heart. When I was 18, I was diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy. This is fancy-schmancy medical term for "we have no idea why, but you are now a person with epilepsy, you lucky person you." There was some history of juvenile epilepsy in the family tree, but how extensive, we're not sure, as epilepsy wasn't exactly openly talked about in days of yore.

I've been blessed in that my epilepsy is completely controlled by a low dose of meds and that it doesn't really affect my day to day life in a major way. I've been seizure free (knock on wood) for almost 12 years now. But for many of the over 2.7 million people out there with epilepsy, they are not that lucky. It affects every moment of every day. It affects how they are able to live their lives. So because of that, I like to do my part to help out. I'm a member of the Arizona chapter of the Epilepsy Foundation. I donate yearly. I'm even comtemplating being in one of next years Run/Walks, if I can get myself in a little better shape by then. If I tried it today, I'd drop after a mile!!! Uff.

Last night I heard about something pretty cool that is being done to help further the efforts of the Epilepsy Foundation, and I just wanted to share it and get the word out. If you haven't seen the show Heroes, on NBC, you can catch the rest of the season later this month. And I highly recommend you do, its an entertaining show. One of the characters on the show has a son with epilepsy. So they have set up an auction to sell paintings from the show, which will benefit the Epilepsy Foundation. How cool is that?! If you are a fan of the show, you are familiar with the character Isaac, who paints the future. It is those paintings, that were used on the show, that will be up for auction. And some are really pretty neat looking. So go check it out.

Thanks for reading and happy beading!

The CraftyPod: The Podcast All About Making Stuff

What? You haven't discovered the wonders and joy of CraftyPod yet? For shame!

Well, you're just lucky you stumbled upon my blog this week then, so that you can learn about this wonderful site. The CraftyPod is a "blog and podcast all about making stuff", and its hosted by the wonderful Sister Diane. She posts to the blog a couple times a week and does a podcast about every other week. You can either listen to them right there on the site or download them onto your computer. You can also subscribe to her podcasts so that when a new one is published, its sent right to your computer. How convenient!

I lurked on her blog for a few months but never listened to her podcasts, because I couldn't figure out how. But I finally figured it out and I recently downloaded all 47 of her podcasts and have put them on my mp3 player. I have a long daily commute (3 hours per day, 1.5 hours each way) and boy do those podcasts make that commute that much more tolerable. I've listened to about 10 of them so far, and they certainly help to invoke the ol' crafty muse.

She covers all aspects of crafting, from beading to crochet, to papercrafts and ethnic arts. She usually starts out with a history of the technique, then a project or two and follows up with some great related resources. Some of her podcasts are interviews with great crafters from around the country. You're sure to find something to piques your crafty interests. She even did a podcast all about pipe cleaners. Talk about covering all your bases! And her regular blog posts also cover a wide range of crafty topics, including local gatherings and events she attends (such as Portland SuperCrafty and Church of Craft). Its entertaining and inspiring to read. And her enthusiasm for crafting really shines through in her podcasts. She has a wonderful broadcasting voice, clear and spunky sounding. She's fun to listen to. So scoot over there after you read this, or heck, just go there now, you can always come back here later!!!

Through her site I have found links to some great podcasts and other blogs. See her site links list for a complete listing of links. I'm in the process of downloading all of the CraftyChica's Podcast and also those from CraftSanity. Can't wait to finish downloading those and getting them onto my mp3 player as well. Sister Diane, if I could hug you, I would, for introducing me to wonderful world of crafty podcasts! I may have just found a new addiction....

Oh, and I can't forget to mention her musical choices. Love them, love them, love them. I walk around with her theme song in my head all the time now. "Zu-zu-zu zoom zoom zoom". Listen to a few podcasts and you'll hear just what I mean. ;D

That's it for this week. Thanks for reading and happy beading!

What a Way to Start the Week! (I've had a busy weekend...) - Week of March 25 - 31

Saturday we had Chinese food for lunch. I had two fortune cookies (I love fortune cookies, they are beyond yummy). I got the following two fortunes:

"Sunday is a good day for relaxing."
"Nothing can keep you from reaching your goals."

These inspired me I guess, or at the very least, they helped to invoke my muse. This weekend I did more crafty things than I've had a chance to do in a while, and I managed to get quite a lot accomplished.


Saturday morning I decided that this weekend I would finish up the belt my MIL asked me to make for her. We had bought the beads back in October, and in January, I picked up some additional coordinating pearl beads to go with the ones we had bought. But until this weekend, I hadn't really done much with the project. I spent a few hours one weekend sketching pattern ideas, but then set them aside, totally uninspired. But this weekend, that all changed. On Saturday, I strung the beads for the main part of the belt. Saturday night, I had my MIL "try it on" to make sure I had the length right. Then Sunday, I created the clasp and the dangle of beads. This is the finished belt:




And here are some close up shots of the pattern of the beads and of the wire clasp that I made for it using 16ga and 26ga(I think) wire and a potato pearl:



But I didn't stop there on Sunday. I had a "Wrist of Flurries" bracelet that I had assembled back in December, but just hadn't finished it off with a clasp yet. So Sunday, I experimented with one of my clasp ideas, using elastic and a button. It looks a little cheap frankly, not real polished or professional. It works, but I won't sell that version or anything. Originally, I had used a toggle clasp (see the first set of photos) and it worked okay, but I didn't really like the way it "wore". It just didn't look a great when being worn. The bracelet is quite wide, and the little toggle didn't hold it together neatly. I'll have to play with some other ideas. But here's a picture of both the original piece (where I used a toggle clasp) and the new version (where I used a beaded loop of white elastic).
The first is of the original one with the toggle clasp (I love the snowflake buttons, they worked perfectly with 6/0 beads):

And here's some shots of the elastic band clasp version (I adore the white round clasp button, so I'll probably remove the band and try something different with this one):




I had assembled another wide peyote band bracelet in shades of blue-green. Again, I just had the clasp part to work out. So Sunday, I finished that up and used the toggle clasp. It works fine on this bracelet, since it's not quite as wide of the "Flurries" one.

You can see a few imperfections due to not all the beads being the exact same size and shape, but I like it that way. As one author put it, things like that are okay, think of them as your own little spirit beads (check out the great book I linked to above is you want to understand that more).

After all of that, I took all those pictures I'd been meaning to take. I needed new pictures of my Very Cherry Earrings for my Etsy shop, since I made some new pairs (with fixed crimps). I also took some pics of my Rawhide earrings to replace the ones I currently have up on Etsy, since I realized that I took most of those with the Sepia setting on. Doh. If you want to see those, you'll have to visit my Etsy shop. And of course, I took all the pics you see above. Plus, a few weeks back I was inspired by all the polymer clay artists I was seeing on Etsy. Many make mini foods, mini food charms, and mini food beads. I also found some great polymer clay artist sites who are doing the mini foods thing too. These look so fun to make and are always just too cute. So I tried my hand at it and made a slice of Key Lime Pie.

This is what I came up with:

Not too bad if I do say so myself. By no means perfect or sell-able, but it was a fun little experiment.

And here are some pictures of my experiment with making a clasp out of clay:


And in addition to all that, I folded and put away all the laundry, cleaned up around the house, copied some new music onto my MP3 player, cleaned the cat litter, did dishes, downloaded every single podcast from CraftyPod (if you've never seen her site, you must check it out today, look for a post about it later this week) and much more. I got a lot done in just two days. I feel so much better for it too. Its amazing how those little things that you just can't seem to find time to do, can really weigh heavy on your mind, and bog you down. I feel really, well, not to be too cliche, but, free. Just getting something done, accomplishing something, can do wonders for one's mood and outlook. And then the fact that I finally completed a few old In Progress projects, really was just the icing on the cake (or would that be on the key lime pie?).

Add to all of this the fact that our foster dog Dorothy was adopted on Saturday, and it was a great weekend!

Monday and Tuesday I finished up a pair of rainbow earrings (pics hopefully next week), and started a new spiral rope necklace, also in rainbow. The craftiness continues. And on the drive home yesterday, I recorded two more blog posts that I hope to get typed up and posted this week. Wow me.

Oh, and we got a new foster dog on Monday. His name is Aidan and he's a 7.7lb Chihuahua (he's smaller than our cats or out Min Pin). Check him out if you need an "Awwww" moment. :D

Here's hoping I continue to have a productive and crafty week, and that you do too!

Thanks for reading and happy beading!

Week of March 18 - 24, 2007

I decided today that I am in desperate need of a full week's vacation, where I don't have to run any errands or do any housework, no one calls from work, and I'm home alone all day. Why? So I can get some crafting done and finally have some decent pieces to post up on my Etsy shop. Its frustrating to not have any time in the evenings, look forward to the weekend, only to end up having a million other things that must be done instead over the weekend. Its a little depressing actually, since crafting is my sanity, my zen, my meditation. I have so many ideas, so many new techniques and projects I'm just itching to try, but I just can't seem to find the time. I have the supplies and equipment for three different projects piled up on the living coffee table now (my workplace of choice if there's something good on TV). I put everything out on Saturday. Did I get to touch them yet? Nope. Here's hoping I get to do some more beading this coming Sunday eh?

*Sigh*

Bead-wise, I was on a mission the other day to find silver-lined orange 10/0 seed beads. I had trouble finding them. I had every other color of the rainbow in that style except orange (I'm working on a rainbow colored piece, could you tell?). I went to the shop where I had bought all the other colors. They had silver-lined 6/0 orange seed beads, and every other color in the 10/0. Grrrr. Went home. Next day, I went to another shop. No such luck at first. But then I found them. *Heavenly music and spotlight appeared at the end the bead aisle* So that's on the agenda for this coming week/weekend, get the rainbow colored earrings started. I also picked up some neat "fruit-shaped" beads, so look for another pair of fruity earrings being added to the collection in the near future. ;D

I did finish the clasp that was giving me fits a post ago. I scrapped the idea of making something with clay. But I may dig that out in the future and see what I come up with. It has possibilities for future projects, just not this one. Instead, I ended up using to hook-and-eye style clasps. Seemed to work well. I need to get pictures. That's my motto for the year, I need to get pictures. I say it just about every post.

Today I set up a Flickr account and a My Space page. I uploaded a couple of pics to the Flickr account, but haven't added tags or any of that. Not sure what I'll do with it, Photobucket has served me well thus far, but Flickr has networking potential, and everyone seems to use it and love it, so I jumped on the bandwagon. We'll just have to see. You can feel free to visit my Flickr page, but its not much yet: Beaded Desert Does Flickr

Same goes for MySpace. Frankly, I never thought I'd bother to join. The place kind of scares me. A lot of strange people crawl around there..... But then again, it has networking potential, a lot of people use it for that, and with successful results (based on what I've read in the Etsy forums), so I'm giving it a try. I haven't really set up much there yet, created the account and filled out a few profile details (though I kept it vague): Beaded Desert's MySpace Page . I have thought about setting up a page there for our foster dogs, but I have no idea if that would help to give them more exposure or not. Be interesting to see how many friends they'd get though, wouldn't it?

************************************************************************************

Final sewing class tonight. Last week, I cut out the patterns and the fabric, then stitched up each leg. Tonight, I get to attach the legs together, put in the elastic waistband, and sew up the hem of the pant legs. And viola! New sleep pants for me. I'm looking forward to trying more sewing. I don't always sew a perfectly straight seam, but that will come with practice. I've been looking at patterns online, mostly for tops. But I think making some simple pillow would be good practice for me too (and if I screw up, the dog will still enjoy sleeping on them). So next time you're looking for me, if I'm not in the bead aisles, I might just be hiding in the pattern books or behind the mounds of fabric at the local craft supply store. (Just one more reason for my husband to dread my going to the local craft shops.)

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Here's hoping I'll do a photo update in the next week or so. Thanks for reading and happy beading!

Week of March 11-17, 2007

Ackkkkk! I just realized I didn't post to my blog last week! Bad blogger, bad bad bad.

Okay, I'm done beating myself up. I had a busy week, what can I say. Tuesday of last week I started my sewing class. We're a small class of 3, which is nice. We chose our patterns and our fabrics Tuesday night. I went with some simple elastic waist sleep pants. I chose a light spring green fabric with little daisies all over it. I needed a pattern that wasn't "one way", like a stripe or plaid, so I chose daisies-all-over. Tonight is class two. We'll be laying out and cutting out our patterns/fabric and hopefully be able to start sewing. We'll have the week to sew and I assume class three will cover putting in the elastic waistband (elastic waistband is required) and finishing up the pieces. I'm enjoying it so far. My sewing machine isn't quite so complicated and scary now. I still tend to push down all the way on the pedal and sew faster than the Tasmanian Devil, but I'll get used to the pressure eventually.

I got no bead work done last week. Honestly, beyond sewing class and my database class, I don't recall much of what I did work on last week. But over the weekend, I redid the Very Cherry Earrings I have for sale on Etsy. When I made them, I was not an expert with crimps. So I just put some crimp beads on, flattened them with a needle-nose pliers, and called it good. Since learning more, and since buying a crimp tool, every time I look at the picture of them, it drives me nuts to see that poor crimp job. So I practiced over the weekend, made a number of new pairs, with nice crimps. I'll need to take new pics and replace the old with the new.

I also attempted to make a clasp using head pins and polymer clay. I have a specific piece that needs the right type of clasp, and so far, I haven't found something like it for sale. So I decided to try to make one. Turned out okay, but looked messy and unprofessional. Going to try something similar, only it will be entirely wire. I have some other ideas too, involving space bars. If any of them works, I'll take pics of the various attempts and post them later this month.

Beyond that, not much beading last week. I should have a little more time this week to do some, but we'll see. My goal for the week is to finish up a beaded belt for my MIL. I've been toying with various layouts and trying to figure out how I would finish it off. So tomorrow and Thursday I will string a couple of different layouts and see how they look (and if I have enough beads for them).

We got a new foster dog yesterday. Her name is Dorothy . RESCUE lists her as a 5 year old Corgi mix. I agree on the 5 year old part (she has some gray on her chin like my 6 year old min pin does), but I don't really see corgi. Actually, I kind of see Doxie. Doxie and something taller of course. She did great her first night with us. Didn't really interact with the min pin, avoided the cats (they seem to intimidate and scare her a bit). Enjoys snuggling close and just chillin'. She's very cute and well behaved. I don't see her staying with RESCUE long before she's adopted. You have to look at her photo gallery and check out those ears! Yes, one always flops down and the other is always sticking up or out straight. They are too cute. I love dogs with funny ears. :D

Well that about wraps it up for now. Thanks for reading and happy beading!

Photo Updates

My order from PMC Supply! Isn't it lovely?!

And here are some shots of the hobby bench, finally. I got the room all straightened up and everything organized. Its a good feeling. The close up shot is of the Button Drawer.

Etsy Spotlight - February 18-24, 2007

If you're an artist trying to sell your work, you know that one very important and often difficult aspect of that is: PROMOTION! PROMOTION! PROMOTION! Getting the word out about your work, without exceeding an often minimal (if at all existent) budget. As I mentioned in a previous posting, I opened an Etsy shop this month. I only have two items in there for now, but over the coming months I'll add more. I didn't want to just open an empty shop. Since opening my shop I have had plenty of time to spend browsing their oh-so-helpful (and oh-so-addictive) forums. I have seen a lot of great shops and more beautiful handmade works than I can fully comprehend. I am learning so much from those friendly folks. I have also made a few purchases myself (beefing up the ol' feedback a little, create a presence for myself) and I am taking note of my buying experiences for future reference. From the convos with the sellers, to packaging, and the little extras sellers include as a thank you for your purchase, I'm taking note and getting ideas.

So this week I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite shops. Some of these I have purchased from, and some just have great works that I admire and love to look at, even though I may never actually purchase something from them. I hope to do a special Etsy Spotlight once or twice a month so I can help promote my fellow artists and craftspeople that are the Etsy Community.

The first shop I wanted to highlight belongs to insidedesign. Currently, insidedesign specializes in handmade jewelry and banners and avatars for Etsy sellers to use in their own shops. I purchased my awesome desert scene banner and cactus avatar from her. She created a custom design for me, based on a very vague idea, and came up with a great design for a very reasonable price.

The second shop I want to highlight is one I have not yet purchased from, but I love to browse and see what's new. uppity woman designs creates the cutest sock animals ever! Of course, she sells a number of other handmade crafty items, but its her sock animals that drew me in.

And the third shop I want to highlight this time is JPATPURSES. JPATPURSES specializes in quilted handbags and accessories. I have been drooling over one of her bags for a week or two now, but she has a number that I wouldn't mind owning.

Just going to spotlight three shops this week, as my hands and brain are tired from a long week of computer work.

But be sure to visit the shops I have linked to and then visit the Etsy homepage and check out the newest listings. Visit the forums, especially the Promotion and Critiques section (where sellers can post links to various items they want to promote at that time). I know you'll find something you'll love and will want to buy. And I know you'll find some favorite shops of your own. You'll be supporting artists across the country and around the world, and also just helping to further promote and keep alive the world of handmade arts and crafts.

Thanks for reading and happy beading!

What a Wonderful Week! - February 18-24

I had a wonderful week this week!

Last week I bought myself a number of lovely handmade items from Etsy. Two headbands by Nestlings, a resin pendant with a polymer clay koi in it by BabaYagaDesigns(its too cool), a cute dog print fabric zipper pouch by Christina's, and a soy candle (fresh cut grass scent) and some soaps by MartinsvilleEmporium,(which all smell amazing!!). These all arrived on the same day earlier this week. They also arrived on the same day that the box of beads from the Bead Circle Bead Swap arrived!! Oh the decisions I have with that. And the next day, my order from PMC Supply arrived!! I'm going to be home all weekend so I will get to play with all my new toys and treasures. Can't wait! I'll be able to cross off a Crafter's Resolution soon (buying the PMC starter kit and making some pieces). I'm still figuring out Bead Creator Pro. I've tried bringing some images in, but I have to read up on how to change the palettes and set it to only use certain colors and all that fun stuff. So no news on that front, no fun patterns yet.
Over the long weekend I managed to fill up the rest of the drawers in my new storage unit. And I got the room straightened up and organized. I can actually find the beads or tools or projects that I am looking for. What a concept! Now I just need to get some photos of it to share with you all. Its wonderful. I still have some space in some of the drawers, to grow. I did find I needed to keep most of my tackle boxes of beads for now, but that's okay. I was able to empty all of the plastic shoe boxes I was using so there's less stuff stacked up on the work space.

Obviously, it doesn't take much to make me a happy crafter.

I also managed to sign up for the sewing class this week. Starts March 5th. You can read about my sewing class angst in a previous post. I will need to do some shopping for some additional supplies I don't have yet, but otherwise, can't wait. I'm just so excited about taking the class. We can make either sleep pants, shorts, or a skirt. Think I'll go with the sleep pants. That way, if I mess up and make one leg longer than the other, I can still wear them (because no one but my husband and I will see them). So in a few more weeks, that will be yet another resolution I can cross off!!! Its the sort of thing that makes you feel good.

And to top it all off, our little foster dog Buttons went to her forever home on Tuesday. Her adopter was so excited to get her that he called earlier in the day to see if it would be alright for him to stop by earlier than planned to pick her up. He just couldn't wait. That was just so great to know she's going somewhere where they are just so excited and happy to have her. I know she'll be loved and spoiled rotten (but in a good way).

Add to all of that having Monday off work for the holiday and Tuesday off work to attend a seminar, leaving only 3 days of actual office time. So all in all, its been a wonderful week.

How was your week?

Thanks for reading and happy beading!

Website of the Week - PMC Supply

Yesterday I celebrated the big 3-0, so happy birthday to me. We celebrated by going out for dinner (steak, mmmmm) and when we got home, I ordered my birthday present - goodies from PMC Supply. So I figured, why not highlight them as Website of the Week?!

Since it was one of my Crafter's Resolutions for the year (see January post) to buy a starter kit and begin working with PMC, I figured I'd take advantage of my birthday and do just that. I purchased the basic kit and some other tools and a book, to get me started. Hopefully that will arrive next week and I can start sharing my experiences with that media.

The website itself is great. Not only can you shop (they require a minimum $25 order, but you get free shipping on orders of $100 or more), but they also have instructions, tip and tricks, and free online instructional videos. You can buy all you need to get started, from tools to metal clay to firing options (torches or kilns), and even extras like gemstones and dichroic cabochons and silver findings. There's even a Wholesale page for those of you out there lucky enough to have yourself a license.

There's a wonderful gallery of finished pieces by various artists. Its eye candy for hours and inspiration for days. And their instruction and project sheets are easy to follow and include plenty of photos so you can really see what they're talking about.

If you're even just interested in learning more about metal clay, check the site out. Do some reading, and see what you think. I enjoy working with clay in general, so I'm looking forward to using the metal clay. I already have some ideas for first projects floating around my head (and a few I've gotten down on paper).

Look for more entries on metal clay in the future!



As for beading this week, I managed to finish a choker I was asked to make. But I may rethink how I finished it. The choker is a simple even-count peyote band, using pearl-white, clear and clear-AB size 6 seed beads (its about 1 1/4 inch wide). It looks nice in general, but I'm not happy with the clasp attachment. I'll probably work on it some more tonight. I have that and a couple of other pieces I'm working on for someone, and my goal is to finish them before Sunday evening.

I also finished up some more of my Rawhide earrings. I'm going to put two pairs up for sale on my Etsy shop, see how they do. I'll donate the proceeds to RESCUE if they do sell. I plan to post those later today (if the photos I took last night turned out that is). So look for them later today or sometime over the weekend.

Speaking of RESCUE, our little foster dog Buttons was adopted on Saturday. She's spending the week with us while her new dad is out of town, but she'll be heading off to her forever home on Tuesday, so wish her luck.

That's all for this week's edition. Thanks for reading and happy beading!

New Organizational Tool, Etsy, Foster Dogs and So Much More!

Since my last post, I have not had a chance to touch my bead crochet. Maybe later this week. But I have good reason. On Thursday, I picked up our new foster dog. She's a stumpy legged little dog with a major overbite (her lower jaw is about almost and inch shorter than her upper, but she eats and destroys toys just fine). Her name is Buttons, and so far, she's been a great little foster dog. Good with our Miniature Pinscher and great with our two cats. She's even tried to help me bead a little bit. When we got home Thursday night, I spent the evening bathing her and then just watching her adjust to home life (ie. making sure she didn't pee anywhere she shouldn't and didn't have a desire to chase cats).

In a previous post I talked about these great little drawer units that came with a matching desktop. Well, I bought them, and over the weekend I set them up. They look great! They don't come with quite enough drawer dividers (you need two long and two short to have really stable separation, there are 8 drawers, 12 long dividers, 15 short dividers - - you do the math), but my FIL had said earlier that he didn't use all of his so I'm going to see if he still has any to spare. I filled a couple of drawers with my various seed and bugle beads (these beads were living in a clear shoebox before, as I ran out of tackle boxes), and one with all my wire and wire tools. Now I just need to fill the rest of the drawers, finish straightening up the room, and then I can take pictures. I didn't take any yet, because the rooms looks like a cyclone has passed through. And I didn't want you to see that. I want you to think I'm organized. Yeah, that's it. Anywho, moving on.

I also set up an Etsy Shop today. I called it Beaded Desert Designs, of course. I need to come up with a banner still. I tried creating one, but I had issues with sizing, so that is a work in progress. But I decided to post one item anyway, just so I had something there. My "Very Cherry Earrings" (not original, but its fun to say, so that's why I'm using it) are my first piece up for sale. Now I have that much more motivation to get some more nice pieces completed and offer them up for sale. Creating an Etsy shop was not on my official list of Crafter's Resolutions, but it was there in my mind, as something I wanted to do later this year. But I had other motivations to get it going now. More on that in the future (you'll just have to keep checking back now woncha ;D).

So did I get any beading done this weekend? But of course my dear, but of course. I am working on a little bracelet actually, that I designed myself. I used peyote stitch to create some beaded beads in a bright spring green. Then I dug out these large glass flower beads I have (almost like buttons). I'm attaching a vine of bead to each flower, then I'll string the beaded beads and flowers together, like a large vine/branch. I'm still working out some kinks with the flower and vine part. I have some other projects that MUST be done this week though, so this one will probably sit on the back burner for a bit.

Well, that's about it for now. Just trying to keep my resolution of weekly posts. Thanks for reading and happy beading!

The Further Adventures of Bead Crochet

Well Monday night I finished loading all the beads onto the thread. Took most of the evening, I kept getting distracted by a loud, colorful box across the room from me (the TV). I'd probably get more done if I didn't work in front of the TV like that, eh? So last night I was finally able to start trying to crochet with it. I have no pictures to share, as I ended up pulling it all out last night and will start it again tonight. But I'll share my experiences anyway, you'll just have to use your imagination and visualize the process.

First off, my arch nemesis, tension, was an issue. But I think I got the hang of it after a few rounds, it started to even out. But then I decided that if I was using a slightly smaller crochet hook, it would probably be easier and the stitches could be a little tighter. But otherwise, it looked pretty good. The beads were lining up nicely and forming a nice spiral pattern (I'm using two colors, a silver-lined teal and a copper-lined black). No beads were "inside" the tube. So I was pretty proud of the 1.5 inches worth I did last night. But I decided to pull it out and try again tonight using a smaller hook. We'll see how that goes. I think I'll surf around later today too, and see what the smallest size hook available is, just out of curiosity. I imagine that if I want to use some finer threads, that I'd need smaller hooks??? I'll have to do some more research on bead crochet myself, see what is recommended. I have some projects in some magazines I plan to dig out, see what they suggest.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading and happy beading!

Learning to Bead Crochet and Other News

Mandi, over at The Bead Circle Blog, posted about a great new site the other day, Bead Pattern Central. I saw "Pattern" and was all over that in a minute. Its really a great little site. They offer patterns for sale, and most are at what I would consider to be reasonable rates. The website is easy to use, easy to navigate, and doesn't take too long to load. But what I like best is that they offer free tutorials on some basic techniques, and some of the tutorials are actually animated! I spent a little while over the weekend watching the tubular bead crochet animated tutorial. I also want to try out the Russian Spiral, looks like a neat stitch that I don't think I've seen before (well, I may have and they just called it something else).

I decided after watching the tutorial over and over again, that tubular bead crochet doesn't really look that difficult. So I printed out the instructions and gave it a try yesterday afternoon.
The tutorial has you using 45" of beads and an additional 36" of thread. Sounds simple enough. So I spent an hour or two loading beads on the thread I was going to use (I was using a fine crochet thread, think its #10 or something like that, and size 6 seed beads). I still don't quite have 45" worth on there. My hands started to cramp up after about 2 1/2 ft of beads. I'll finish loading beads tonight and try the stitching part. If I manage to make something, I'll take some pictures and post them, hopefully later this week (but then again, you know me, it may be later than that...).

I also finished off my first real project using a Knifty Knitter yesterday. I made a little handbag. I'm going to knit a little flap to use for closure, which I want to attach with a button. Then I plan to attach some beads along the bottom seam to give it some sparkle. And I think I may just do a spiral rope for the handle/strap, further carry the beadwork into the piece. I haven't decided if I want to try to create a liner yet or not, but I probably will, so I can actually use the bag (I carry a lot of little stuff). I used a brown, tan and blue variegated Fun Fur yarn, so the bag is fuzzy and the colors wrap around it in diagonal bands. That part was accidental, it just happened, but its one of those happy whoopsies. I'll take pictures when its all finished.

And the biggest news from the weekend. My husband and I have been fostering a dog for almost 2 years now (it would be two years February 9th or thereabouts). The dog came to RESCUE around the New Year two years ago. His name is Tango and he's a Queensland Heeler mix (we think with some kind of terrier). Well, he was finally adopted, officially, on Saturday, by a wonderful woman. We are so happy he has finally found his forever home. We will miss his funny little face, his goofy antics, and his Wookiee-like grunts and growls, but we know that he chose this adopter himself (he just had to wait until she could open her home up to him, her previous dog passed away some months back and she was finally ready now). And we know she will give him the exercise and mental stimulation that he needs, she'll give him the additional training and discipline a herding dog thrives on, and she'll love him unconditionally. (She even lets him sleep on the bed, he's going to be spoiled :D). We'll be getting a new foster dog tomorrow possibly. Hopefully, this one won't take so long to find his/her forever home, but we'll happily shelter and love him/her until that time comes, just as we did with Tango.

So Tango, we'll miss you dearly, but we know you've found your forever home and that makes us the happiest foster parents ever!

Thanks for reading and happy beading!

Website of the Week January 21-27 - D&I Beads

Today I wanted to sing the praises of one of my favorite local bead shops, D&I Beads.

They are located at 7420 W. Cactus Road in Peoria, Arizona. The shopping center they are in is located on the northeast corner of 75th Avenue and Cactus. Lucky for me, I live on the west side of the Valley, so they're only a short drive away!

They have an online store as well, with free shipping to Arizona shoppers. And they only require a minimum $25 order (not a hard amount to reach to when you're buying beads). I don't see myself buying much online, since they are so close, but now I can look ahead of time to get an idea of pricing and such for certain types of beads. Love that.

D&I have a fabulous selection of beads, of course, but they also have a pretty extensive selection of yarns (for the knitters and crocheters out there), with prices comparable to you big chain hobby supply shops. In addition, they offer classes and wonderful customer service. Every time I walk in, I'm greeted. If I look lost or confused, someone spots it and asks if I need help. Usually, I'm just trying to decide if something is more pink or purple, more green or more blue. Or if I already have those beads at home. But anywho. The staff are also very helpful when it comes to selecting items for a specific project you might be working on, giving you advice on what might work instead, and even helping to show you a few simple, basic techniques, right there at the counter. Gotta love that. And you can't beat their sales, which they have regularly, along with their coupons (which appear in various Valley publications but are also available for printing from their website)!

What I love most about their shop though is that everything is hanging on hooks, for the most part (the metal beads and some findings, crystals, and specialty bits are in the glass case/counter). You walk in and the walls are covered in strings of beads. They have a few aisles set up, like short little walls, all covered in strings of beads. Love it!! I can touch the beads, hold them next to other strings of beads, see them from all angles, feel them (I love the feel of beads). Beats Internet shopping anytime. And when it comes to the natural stone beads, you can look them over for flaws or for interesting irregularities (I actually love the flaws and irregularities, gives the stone character), and chose the string that works best for you.

You can see photos of their fabulous showroom here: Walls of Beads (IE. Pure Heaven)
and here: "Beads, Glorious Beads!".

And their seed bead aisles? I usually spend the most time there. Seeds in everyone color and finish. And all the necessary sizes. They also carry Delicas and the like, but I still love my size 11 seed beads.

They also have a large "bin" of glass beads, 15 cents each I believe. I love to dig in that bin, to feel the beads roll over my hands and through my fingers, to hear them lightly clink together. Kind of like when you were a kid and enjoyed digging your hands and feet into the sand. Same thing, only now its beads. I usually spend a few minutes picking out a handful that go together, mostly to make earrings. Its not an easy task, finding ones that go together or "match", but its fun to try.

So, if you're ever in the Phoenix Metro area, and you're looking for a fun little bead shop with great selection and great prices, and don't forget great service, check out D&I Beads. You won't regret it. And you might just run into me, experiencing beaded bliss in the big glass bead bin. ;D

Thanks for reading and happy beading!

Not Much to Say...

Well, to make up for not posting anything last week, I'm posting something now. I actually have a entire entry written up (showcasing a local bead shop), but I've been so busy that I haven't had a chance to type it up and post it. Will do later this week.

Started a course at a local community college Thursday night, had a small event on Saturday for RESCUE (which I was busy preparing for during the week) , then I had training for new volunteers both Saturday and Sunday, and so by yesterday morning, I was worn out, literally. I even took the day off from work and just snoozed and made myself take it easy. Sometimes, you just have to listen to what your body says (especially when its whining, complaining or throwing an all out temper tantrum) and rest finally. Still feel tired, slight cough, but better.

So after a week of running about preparing for the weekend, and a weekend where I was hardly home, I didn't get much beading done. I did manage to complete a Lotus Necklace which I did in purple seed beads and crystals. Essentially, it is a string of seed beads with petal shaped extensions of seed beads, and in the petals are drops of crystals. Turned out cute. Need to make some adjustments on the number of beads used in the central petal, but overall, nice easy piece. I found the pattern on about.com (I won't link to it, I'm sure you hate pop-ups as much as I do). But if you look for free bead patterns on that site, you'll find the project. Going to create another one using a different shade of purple seed beads.

I also started working on a simple peyote-stitched-beaded-bead bracelet. This project comes from the Beading Pattern Desk Calendar. Its a great little calendar, especially if you are new to beading. Cute, simple projects with very easy to follow directions. They cover many of the most common and basic techniques in beading, from knot tying to simple stringing and simple to complex beadweaving. They even cover wire and other media. Also helps you to keep motivated and inspired, with new projects every day or so. I know I'll end up keeping many of the projects just as reference for future projects of my own.

My father-in-law is a hobbyist like me. His hobby involves tiny pieces of wood (he builds model ships), but he understands the need for a great workspace and storage unit. He bought these great little drawer units, with side panels, that make great storage. Knowing about the need for attractive storage space, he showed them to me over the weekend. They also accommodate a desktop or can be stacked. So they can be used just for storage, or do double duty and be part of the workspace. And they come in a lovely wood color, so they look nice (unlike my current set up of a plastic card table and some plastic rolling carts with drawers, along with countless tackle boxes stacked on top of said table). The best part though is the side panels. They're like little doors that swing out and inside the door panel are hooks, where I could hang finished pieces of jewelry and/or tools!!! I've been contemplating them all weekend and I think I'm going to get them. If I do, I'll post pictures. We've been trying to figure out how we can rearrange the room where I store all my craft stuff, and still have my stuff be accessible yet attractively stored away. My husband even agrees they'd be great for this. We'll see.

Wish I had more to share in the way of beading. But really, I need a nap. Guess I had more to say than I originally though...

So, thanks for reading and happy beading!