Ornament and a craft fair!

It has been a long time since I've updated with anything as most of my beading has had to be on hiatus due to the pressures of grad school, but I made this ornament the other day and wanted to share.  I'm hoping to put some more together as I'll be selling at the new Astoria Market this Sunday, December 12th.  Come by and check it out!

Sorcerer Mickey hat neclace

I love Disney World.  This comes as no surprise to everyone who knows me.  I just came back a week ago from a family trip there.  As I was feeling a little sad to no longer be on vacation I decided to finally do something with some of the Disney charms I picked up on a trip a few years ago.  Disney markets charm bracelets to little girls and several Disney stores both in Florida as well as the one that used to be here in Manhattan have a giant display of various charms.  I picked up a few with the intention of making something more fun than a charm bracelet.  This is a simple necklace using a sorcerer Mickey hat charm with blue stars on it. 

Another vase for a present

I made this vase in pink, white and silver for my grandmother in Israel to match her bedroom. I had to carry it in my hand luggage because I was afraid it might break, but luckily it made it safe and in one piece.

A summer gift

I've had the black and lavender beaded portion of this necklace done for months now but hadn't bothered to actually get around to finishing it until I went away to Israel and gave it as a present.  I also added earrings.  I like the combination of the lavender glass beads with the slightly darker purple seed beads and the interlocking hematite.

New Design - Marina

In keeping with my naming theme of Shakespearean women, I'm calling this new design variations "Marina".  This one I made to match a dress I have, but I'm hoping to put one or two in a different color combination in the Etsy store soon so stay tuned. It's a variation on a design I've done earlier but I like that this one can function as either a choker or sit a bit lower around the throat.

A commission...

A co-worker asked me to create a pair of earrings and bracelet based on an older design I've done before.  This was the first time I'd ever done a bracelet and I didn't really have much of an idea what it would look like when I started, but I ended up with something I really liked and that had a bit of dimension to it which I think works really well for a bracelet. 

Happy Mother's Day!

I sent this to my mother:

Make sure you've called your mother and reminded her how wonderful she is.

Use the Muse IV

The big reveal over at The Beader's Muse happened this week.
Everyone's work is really impressive and so different.  Each time I'm amazed by the different designs everyone comes up with, but this time I think the neutral colors of the kit really lent themselves to pushing people in very different directions.  You can see the gallery of all the participants, including me, here.

My piece for Use the Muse IV:

"Harbingers of Spring"

Vase Again!

I went up to Maine to visit family this past weekend and snapped a picture of a  vase I made in its natural habitat:

Use the Muse IV Sneak Peak

It's taken me until the last minute, but I've just completed by submission for Use the Muse IV which is sponsored by Art Beads.   I really liked the Muse this time around and decided to continue to play with asymmetrical design.  Although it uses many elements of designs that I've done in the past, it is by far the most different thing I've done and I'm pleased with how it has turned out.  The mostly neutral colored kit was fun to branch out from although I kept in a lot of the neutral browns because I could use something in those colors. Several components from the kit are things I'd like to use in the future.

A What Not To Do

Today I learned why it is perhaps not a good idea to use your teeth to pull a needle through a tough seed bead.  In addition to the occasional broken seed bead, you can also break the needle. Having that little tip in your mouth is most assuredly not a good idea.

I'll stick to using pliers from now on.

New Items on Etsy

I put up two finished pieces in the Etsy store.  Go take a look and encourage your friends to take a look!

Vases!

I've been experimenting with some more beaded netting on glass vases.  I have a bunch of ideas to expand on this basic and someday when I have time again it will happen.  I like the simplicity of this one and I think the neutral colors would make it work well with a lot of decor.  I might add some to my Etsy store as I think they would make good hostess gifts.

Birthday present!

 

Nothing much to say as life has been busy, but here is a pair of earrings I made for a friend's birthday this past weekend.  

Custom Order

A friend at work asked me to make a pair of earrings to match a bracelet that she had. It took me a while to find beads to match but I'm happy with the result.

The results:

Works in Progress

I've started experimenting with some new kinds of beads for me. I like the way they are coming together. I think they may make nice bracelets.

New Items on Etsy

I added a pair of earrings and a new necklace style up on Etsy today.

Check them out!

Name me please!

Sometimes by crazy random happenstance you end up with the strangest things that are actually the things you really needed. Today's case in point is my new torso:

She was rescued along with several others (male and female) from a dumpster by a co-worker.
The original intent was for some sort of prank but she never quite made it for that. Instead I brought her home to be my new jewelry model.

I've decided that she needs a name so I'm inviting all my readers (still few enough to count on my fingers I'm sure) to chime in with what you think is a good name for this new piece of plastic who is destined to become an important part of my jewelry photography.