Vacation Sale

Now until I come back from vacation use code FALLSALE25 for 25% off all beading patterns and instructions in my etsy shop. All the Patterns are digital and available for instant download.

Thanks for stopping by!

Family Time and Birthdays

I am happy and sappy so I am going to let you know: My heart is always in Michigan with family. Rosanne had a birthday party for me over Labor Day. Thank you Rosanne!
I was so thankful not to share turning a year older with a hurricane!

Rosanne made home-made Margarita Pizzas with fresh basil, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Yumm!

There was cake and ice cream
and presents!

The best birthday party ever surrounded by my Son and Daughters.

And sister Susie.

Plus all of my grandchildren

And my sweet Momma too!

My Birthday was a day
I will always Treasure.

She Let Go

Photo by Flower Story 

She Let go 

Written by Ernest Holmes

She let go.

She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go.

She let go of the fear.

She let go of the judgments.

She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head.

She let go of the committee of indecision within her.

She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons.

Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.

She didn’t ask anyone for advice.

She didn’t read a book on how to let go.

She didn’t search the scriptures.

She just let go.

She let go of all of the memories that held her back.

She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward.

She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do
it just right.

She didn’t promise to let go.

She didn’t journal about it.

She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer.

She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper.

She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope.

She just let go.

She didn’t analyze whether she should let go.

She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter.

She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment.

She didn’t call the prayer line.

She didn’t utter one word.

She just let go.

No one was around when it happened.

There was no applause or congratulations.

No one thanked her or praised her.

No one noticed a thing.

Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.

There was no effort.

There was no struggle.

It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad.

It was what it was, and it is just that.

In the space of letting go, she let it all be.

A small smile came over her face.

A light breeze blew through her. And the sun and the moon shone
forevermore…”

- Ernest Holmes.

The New Shape In Beads

There is a flood of new bead shapes arriving to inspire the bead world.
They are like super hero's with names like Super Duo's, Bead Studs, Spikes, Rizo's, Pyramids, Peanuts, Long Drops, Long Magatamas, Bricks and 2-Hole Lentils. They have inspired designer to create new and exciting patterns. The shapes of these beads add a new diminsion to flat bead work.

I have been most inspired by the new Miyuki long drops. I love the matte and permanent galvanized colors. I am looking forward to using these in a bead crocheted rope.

Here are a few examples of the different shape beads. 

(These photos do not depict the actual size of the beads)

Now you need a great design to create something with your new shapes of beads.  Let me introduce you to Linda Roberts of BeadsforEver. I love her clever use of Rizos and SuperDuos in these Tri-Dangle earrings. You can purchase the tutorial here. Stop by BeadsforEver on Etsy and to see more of Linda's designs.

Resourses for the new shapes in beads can be purchased from the following online shops.

Bellomodo

Whimbeads

*Disclaimer: no monetary gain was made from listing these resourses* 

Saturday's Date Day

We had a date Saturday morning at Morning Call for Beignets and Lattes.

It's more than coffee and a doughnut.  It's a community.

We should go more often. We save it for a special treat
when company comes to visit.  We were special that day!

Before You Speak

This Sufi Saying is similar to one I used raising my children. Think before you speak. If it is something mean and will hurt someone's feelings keep it to yourself. I am proud of the adults my children have grown up to be.

Photograph by Beverly Herman
The saying by Sufi

Recovering

Time has gone by both fast and slow since surgery on May 17th. I am very limited with what I can do. I've made a comfortable nest on the recliner sofa. I am so looking forward to climbing the stairs and sleeping in my own bed. In the mean time I am stuck here in front the T.V. watching crazy programs my husband likes. I am not a big fan of watching the tube. So I have been sleeping a lot.

Wednesday I take my second trip down the stairs for a drive to the Doctor's office. There are 17 stitches below my toe and 3 more by my big toe. I know getting the stitches removed will relieve a lot of the discomfort. I took a before and after picture but promised my self I would not share it on social media. There are a few weak tummies out there I don't want to upset.

I have managed to do a little beading

I see a few more bangles in my future. The box of beads I brought down stairs is filled with seed beads and crystals. It's easy beading and there is enough there to keep me busy for awhile.

Thanks for stopping by.

I've Been in Bangle Mood

Love'N Those bangles is a bracelet with substance. It's made to make a statement. Created with bronze glass pearls and Ruby AB crystals. Tiny bronze embellishments sparkle with in the design. Dress it up or dress it down this bangle bracelet it is perfect for day time or a night on the town.

 

New listing in my Etsy Shop

Created with Jade glass pearls and crystals. Tiny bronze embellishments sparkle with in the design. Dress it up or dress it down this bangle bracelet will be your favorite all summer long.

New Listing in my Etsy Shop

Are you in Bangle Mood?

Winner Mother's Day Give Away

The number Generator picked #8.
Congratulations May Wong! I will be contacting you for your mailing address.

I loved reading all the comments.
I want to thank you all for stopping by and saying something kind on Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's Day Give-Away

I feel I am truly blessed to have such a great Mom. She is wise, kind and generous with a nurturing spirit. I can't wait to go home this summer and visit with her. Last year about this time we were traveling to the Bead & Button show. My Mom and I have taken lots of roads trips over the years. We travel well together and have the best time.

In honor of my Mom I am having a give-away. I love these crystal tennis bracelets so much.
I've made a lot of them.
I want to give one away.
This one is made with bronze seed beads and my favorite color of Swarvoski crystals Pacific Opal AB.
It will fit a 7 inch wrist comfortably.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment saying something nice about any thing. It could be about your Mom, sister, brother, cousin, best friend, your pet, your day or even your car! I will draw a name tomorrow night May 13th. Make sure you leave a way for me to contact you in your comment.

Happy Mother's Day!

The give away is closed.  Thank you for leaving a comment.

Happy Feet

The last five years I have been wearing Yoga Sandals. I love these sandals. I could walk for hours in them. You might say they have been around the world and back with me. They have walked the sandy beaches of tropical islands and through airports traveling to Michigan.

I even had toe toe socks for every holiday and wore them during the winter months. I thought I had happy feet wearing wearing my Yoga sandals.

This past year I lost 35 lbs. I started walking more. My feet started to protest. It progressed to a point where the pain in my feet kept me awake at night. I knew it was time to find a foot doctor.

The Podiatrist confirmed my suspension. Years of having flat feet caused bunions on both of my feet. Not wearing proper shoes added to the condition. Surgery is scheduled for next Friday on the 17th. The right foot is first and than the left later on.

There will be no driving for 4 weeks. It's going to be an interesting experience as I live on the second floor in a townhouse. The doctor explained how to walk on my foot after surgery to get up stairs. Once I am in my house that where I be for the next three days.

I've traded in my Yoga sandals for a sturdy pair of shoes with arch supports. Oh lucky me! I know it's going to a bit of a haul but I am looking forward to having happy feet again.

I have been beading like crazy trying to keep my nervous energy under control. 18 bracelets in 6 weeks. 6 are class examples. One was donated as a door prize at the last bead show. Another one was a gift for a friend. A few are new projects for Bead Cruise 2014. I can't wait to share them in my next post.

Thanks for stopping by.

The Sand and the Sea with Humblebeads

I colored outside of the box this weekend crocheting bracelets. I don't usually use bright colored seed beads. My color palette runs with matte metallics and earth tones.

I wanted to show case Art Beads with bead crocheted. Last year I bought these color mixes from Whim Beads. The Ocean is called Fandango. I exchanged a green and added a blue for this combination. The Sand is a mix called Rainforest. I left it alone. It was just right.

The Art Beads are disc beads made by my talented daughter and favorite bead artist Heather Powers of Humblebeads. They were the perfect accent beads for the Sand and the Sea Bracelets.

Stop by Humblebeads. Where you will find beads and inspiration to spark your creativity.

Thanks for stopping!

iPhone Photo Classes

Photos: I've been taking an online course from Photojojo University called Phoneography 101. I thought I knew it all when it came to taking photos with my iphone. There are a few tips and tricks left for me to learn. Lesson three is about Natural and Artificial lighting.  My favorite photo editing app is called PhotoToaster. You have the option of changing the light in your photo from Clarity, Tune-up, Pro, Backlit, Flash and Recover highlights. I took this picture of me facing my front door. I used the Blacklit option in PhotoToaster to achieve this effect with the picture. The afternoon sun was bright. The sparkle from my red crystal earrings bounced light on my reflection. You can see it on the left side of the shiloutte. One little red dot. That is what caught my attention and inspired me to take this photo! My husband thinks I am crazy with my ninja picture taking skills.  One of his questions were "how many pictures can you take of the sky"? My answer "ALOT".  I call them SKYSCAPES.  Every evening the clouds and setting sun paint a new scene for me to snap a photo of.

You can find more of my photos here.

P.S. Soon I will be able to share photos of the my bead projects.
They are new class projects for Bead Cruise 2014.
Thanks for stopping by.

Hello My Lonely Blog

Where did the time go?  

It's been almost two months since I have made a blog post.

Where have I been? Around the world and back again.  

Sailing the high seas on Bead Cruise 2013.

What did I learn? How to rivet metal.  Thanks to Tracy Stanley who is awesome! She showed me how to swing that hammer and rivet.  I swore I would always be faithful to my seed beads.  Now I see an oppurtunity to mix seed beads with these metal creations.

This is my first rivet pendant.

I came home and went through all my metal charms, 

ordered rivets and hammered away. 

I believe metal and me are meant to be.  Shopping with my sister Rosanne we scored a BIGkick by Vintaj at Michael's for $24.99, saving over $65.  The die cuts were marked down to $2.99.  I dug my tool box out of the closet looking for tools to use with metal.  It was like opening a treasure chest.  I found a dampling block, hammers, files, steel wool, safety glasses and letter stamps.  I had all those things from teaching an etching classes 5 or 6 years ago. I am so glad I did not get rid of these things.  Especially since I claimed I did not like working with metal!

For now though all the tools are back in the tool box.  The seed beads are calling.  I have a few projects to complete before I can spend more time hammering away.

Thanks for stopping by!

Kristi Bowman Designs

Time is flying by and the Bead Cruise is just around the corner. Preparations are in full swing. I am gathering supplies and making kits. I am looking forward to teaching new projects.
Have you met Kristi of Kristi Bowman Designs She created the copper Ammonite component incorporated in Queen Wanna Bead's design.

These unique organic components and designs are handmade using Metal Clay, Copper, Bronze and Fine Silver. These Organic Jewelry Designs are hand-made from beginning to end with PMC Precious Metal Clay.

Like the Ancient Mayans she draws from her knowledge of the stitches to create with the elements of the Earth. Fire from goldstone, pearls from the sea and stones from far away lands she weaves with the color teal to create beauty. She is Queen Wanna Bead.

Like the Ancient Mayans she draws from her knowledge of the stitches to create with the elements of the Earth. Fire from goldstone, pearls from the sea and stones from far away lands she weaves with the color teal to create beauty. She is Queen Wanna Bead.

Kristi is a regular contributor to Every Day Earrings Blog

You can purchase these earrings.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/121600929/handmade-fossilized-inca-arrowhead

You will also find more of Kristi's designs on Pinterest.

Visit her blog for updates and to see new designs.

If you are a designer you will love working with these components. If you are looking for that special piece of Artisan Jewelry stop by visit KristiBowmanDesigns on Etsy.

2013