Lazy Sunday On Lake Ontario

It was very hard to get moving this morning. Just wanted to stay by the lake.

I can't pass up the rocks in the lake. The lake is really active this morning, so it was hard to get a good picture of the rocky shore under my feet.


I have a bucket and am collecting some nice stones to take home with me. This will prolly be one of the last times we get to stay up here at the lake house. Mic is selling it :( I don't blame him. It is a lot of up keep and so far away from everything, way out here - it just isn't safe.

*tear*


Comet had to test out the waters :)



And yes that is me in my pajamas at noon ;)

New York Blues - More Vacation

Wasn't that a T.V. show??

This 'set' ended up happening while making a bunch of separates :)

Off set design of copper chain, lapis, and crystals

Lapis wrapped in copper with swarovski accents for the focal


Lapis, glass pearls, swarovski, iolite and chalcedony randomish necklace




Copper bangle with lapis, glass pearls, swarovski crystals and chalcedony

I kept working with the same handful until they were all gone and came up with all of these! The strung necklace is the perfect length to wear with the chain necklace as a great compliment. I did make a pair of earrings but forgot to take the picture :)

These stones are such a sweet and gentle combination. Blue is a peaceful color in itself and these stones are a testament to that.

Lapis brings truthfulness, openness, and creativity. It can help organize daily life as well as organizing and quieting a busy or restless mind. Lapis also helps build self-confidence, and is a stone traditionally for royalty. Lapis bring spiritual love and is also known for enhancing love and fidelity within marriage.

Blue chalcedony is said to foster balance between mind, body and spirit. It is a stone of calm and peace that is reputed to reduce or negate hostility, anger, and irritation. It is also reported to metaphysically encourage and ease communication, particularly what would otherwise be emotionally charged communication.

Iolite one of the best stones to use in psychic, healing, and spiritual activities. It helps one grow spiritually in a gentle fashion. It is also said to help build relationships of all kinds.

More Vacation!

Yesterday was so relaxing. We sat around the table and told stories thru the day - some true, most not :)

I took advantage of some quiet time while the men folk were napping and busted out the contents of the Mondo Delux Busy Bag and made some jewelry.

It was overwhelming at first - everything is so hodgepodge - then I just took a breath, and reached in and grabbed a few things, and made myself work with them.

LOVED IT!

This is a multi layer necklace of fresh water pearl, dyed agate and swarovski crystals.



I have a few more of the angel wing pearls left, hopefully enuff for a bracelet and earrings.

Last nite we went to visit James brother. Jon took us to his friends farm and we rode her horses.

James on Pooh Bear the quarter horse, receiving his instruction. He was a sweet baby


Me out bouncing around on Eastman the Thoroughbred. He was hard headed and didn't want to do anything. We had a quiet Jesus come to meetin in the back 40 and he straightened right out - May have been I mentioned the Alpo plant........


We bounced around for an hour, walked em out, and put 'em to bed. Then off in our stinky sweaty clothes to dinner.

I kept smelling my hands - nothing smells better than horse sweat :)

Tonite - THE FAIR!!!!!!!

Vacation!!!!!

Vacation for us is going home to visit family. Illinois for my folks and New York for James'. Wouldn't trade these trips home for any island get away or mountain ron-day-vu.

This is the house I want to call home. Smack dab on the shore line of Lake Ontario. This is a view from the back deck.

This 'Lake' (seems like a small sea to me) takes my breath away. It is so vast. When there is a good breeze, which is 95% of the time out here, the lake actually breaks on the shore like the ocean. Amazing.

From the kitchen table you can sit by the back door and listen to the waves. My favorite spot in the house. We could and do sit here for hours over a beverage and laff and talk for hours. Could completely waste a day right here.

I brought my 'Mondo Delux' busy bag with me for this week, because I didn't know what to bring and panicked :)


I have four trays of seed beads, crystals, findings - already sorted, wire, beading wire, bracelet blanks (hammer at home, cuz I didnt' want to bring my anvil), tools, roll of chain, and a couple tupperware containers with random handfuls of beads. It is going to be fun:)


Today has started off wonderful, a walk with the dog, a wander with the camera, and a stroll down memory lane. Comet may have the right idea, lets take a nap and then see what the rest of the day brings :)
May as well - here it is 11:30 and I am still in my pajamas!!!!

Packing for vacation

Leaving on vacation today and I am packing a busy bag - along with my books, I am taking
tools
wire
beadalon
4 trays of little bead compartment things for seed beads and crystals
and....

and...


WHAT ELSE!!!! I don't know what else to take. I have such an assortment of beads, and dont' have time to really co ordinate what I would use for certain pieces.

Should I just grab a handful and go? Not worry bout it? Challenge my creativity that way?

What would you take?!!?

Share your designs - Win Beads!

Got this email today, looks fun!
I am gonna try - what bout you?

This is a monthly GIVEAWAY.

EcuadorianHands.com is proud to feature your artwork, and we invite you to submit images of your favorite projects to the Customer photographs section and participate in our monthly draft. You can win US$20-worth of tagua beads and coconut beads (free shipping) to incentive your creativity and environmental awareness using ecofriendly beads. Here's how you can be included:

• We accept and will participate all designs of jewlery beaded WITH ANY MATERIAL), NO RESTRICTIONS!
• Email your name and attached image to contest@ecuadorianhands.com
• Please describe your project (ie: necklace, bracelet, home décor)
• Include the name of your design... If you have named it!

Photography tips:

• Photos should be a minimum of 500x500 pixels
• To best results, place dark designs on a light background and light artwork on a dark background.
  

Winners:

• Will participate all the designs that we will recibe until the 25th of each month (deadline). All these designs will be published in our blog site under the category (contest & promotions). The wining design will be the one that recibes the larger number of comments unitl the 25th day of the next month (counting day). Winner will be announced 5 days after. Ex. Designs receipt until Feb 25th (deadline) will be participating until Mar 25th (counting day), and on Mar 30th we will announcing the winner.
  
• Only one comment per person will count. No repeated comments will be accepted, nor offensive or out of line comments.
• Winner will be notified by email, and will be published in our blog.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the artistic credit of the artwork displayed here, please contact us at contest@ecuadorianhands.com

Would you like to receive information about our Giveaways, Promotions and cool stuffs about our beads? Join our Beads Mailing List!

Learn about Tagua and how we manufacture Tagua Beads

Winners Jewelry Making Contest

FEB 2011 - Meet the Mystic Jaguar by Allie Thornton

MAR 2011 - Design by Accesorios Sara Maruri

April 2011 – Biambi by Coffee Lovah

May 2011 - No contestants

Jewelry Submission Sites

It is always fun to have your design published, and for me, gave me a sense of accomplishment. Someone thought enuff of my designs to publish them - cool :)

I have submitted to and had pieces accepted at Beadage.net. It is a great place to submit your designs, with a beautiful gallery.

Today I found Beading-Design-Jewelry.com - have you heard of them? Not only is it a cool place to submit your designs to, but it has a wealth of information for creating a web site, starting a business, and creating designs.

Or how about a Resource Guide to Making Jewelry - Another great idea packed site that will link back to your site - great advertising!


Kinda fun some of the things you can find!!!

Have a great weekend!

I need to know...

Is there an easy way to go about doing a news letter?

Once a month? 2x a month?

Template to follow?

Formula for ideas to bring it all together?

kuh-nun-drum - I must say

Drill A Stone In Stone - Ever Wonder How It Is Done?

I think I will be featuring other blogs all week - I have found so many cool ones today - I have to share them!

Jenny is featured over at papernstitch and shows you how to drill holes in stone for jewelry making!!!! See the article here!

Making buttons with shrink plastic

This was too good not to re post!

Kimahn over at Scissors.Paper.Wok shows us all a fun way to make buttons with shrink plastic!




I have to agree with her - who doesn't like buttons!

Jo Challenge - Necklace

Yesterdays post was the beads from Jo's challenge


I added copper chain, copper bead caps, chalcedony, swarovski crystals and copper daisy spacers to her choices and came up with this:



It screams summer to me. I can't wait to wear it!

Wednesday Challenge

When Jo was home, she had too much fun pawing thru my supplies and helping me organize my work space.

One of her favorite games is to grab a random grouping of beads and challenge me to make something with it.

For this Jo challenge she chose these beads.



Natural sapphire, matte finish dyed agate, labradorite and fresh water pearl.

Time to put my thinking cap on :)

Give away from Lorelei's Blog!!!

Look at all these fun things that Lorelei is giving away!!
Stop by her blog to enter!!!

USA's Longest Yard Sale

Have you seen this?

The 127 Sale

659 miles of yard sales from Michigan to Alabama.

Do you live along or near the route? Have you gone before? I would love to go for a bit of a drive on August 6th and see what I may find!

What is your best yard sale treasure?

Cool Finds At The FleaMarket

Went to the flea market while Jo was in town. Is always fun to run around looking at treasures and trash.

This booth blew my mind. His work was amazing. I couldn't pass these up.




The pendant is an Irish 1/2 crown and the earrings are South African pennies.

I don't know if it against the law to 'deface' money like this, and I hope it isn't, because I love these so much!!!

Purpose Pendant - Amber

I got a custom order for a purpose pendant, needing a meaning of good health, balance and after talking to her a bit, needing to overcome some fears. The customer gave me free creative rein over the project, saying "I trust your judgement"

These are the hardest custom orders. I always wonder in the back of my mind if they will like it.

Here is what I did:


I chose amber as the focal stone due to its healing properties.
Amber, according to mystical lore is beneficial for purifying the body, and general healing purposes. It is reputed to cleanse its environment by drawing out negativity, and to relieve physical pain the same way. It is used mystically to bring the energies of patience, protection, psychic shielding, romantic love, sensuality, purification, balance, healing and calmness to those who wear or carry it. It is considered a good luck charm for marriage.

Calcite increases and amplifies energy. All calcites are helpful in lessening of fear and reducing stress. Calcite is a protecting, purifying, grounding and centering stone, and can help bring inner peace. Calcite is also a stone of spirituality, wisdom and reconciliation.

Citrine is known as a "success" stone because it is said in folklore to promote success and abundance, especially in business and commerce. Its lore also says that it enhances mental clarity, confidence, happiness and will power. Citrine is purported to bring good fortune, sometimes in very unexpected ways. Citrine is also a good general protection stone according to crystal healing lore. It is said to alleviate depression and self-doubt, and diminish irrational mood swings due to the effect of mental clarity it has.


Sunstone is a powerful stone for dispelling fears and phobias of all kinds. In addition to dispelling fears and phobias, sunstone also decreases stress and lifts depression. Sunstone also brings good luck and abundance. This stone increases personal power and will, as well as life force energy.

Pearls attune the wearer to ebb and flow of life. They are calming and centering. They give purity and promote faith, charity, and integrity, truth and loyalty. They especially enhance personal integrity.

Then added the color blue for peace.

It makes for a stunning combination - the warmth of the yellows and the 'pop' of the blue. I would compliment most any outfit, and serves a purpose at the same time!

Jo's Got Game

While Leigh was home for a visit - we had fun sitting around the table crafting. She has some mad skills at putting a design together. She pushed the beads around the table for a bit, til she got it just the way she wanted it, then told me - "Make this for me Mom"

So I did :)




In return, she made me these earrings :)


I think she has a future :)

More fun in the mail from Australia!!!

Bartering is a beautiful beautiful thing :)




I made some bails for Davinia of BackPocket Designs and in return she sent me the awesome polymer pieces!!! I can't wait to work with them.

I love the 'abstract' designs on these pieces. Is like each one can tell its own story.

Anyone a fan of Anne McCaffery "Dragon Riders" series? The bottom large round one reminds me of a landscape or the horizon in one of her tales.

THANK YOU DEE!!!

Summer clovers in resin

Over the weekend I sucked it up, mixed up a mess of resin, and poured another bezel cup using a clover given to me by a friend who wanted them set in resin.

I was nervous as all get out because the last one I tried turned out milky, for a lack of better words.

This time - PERFECT!! It was like it was set behind glass. This go around, I set it up under a can light and let it 'bake' that may be the key for me and resin.

Leigh was home and had a blast taking pictures with the light box.

Here is the finished product.



Close up of the pendant


Earrings I made to accent the necklace


I learned this weekend - dont' be afraid to try new things :)