In the Red

The little bracelet and earrings were made for my friend to match her red necklace.  She loves wearing the memory-wired bracelets and is my best customer.  She wore a pretty lime and black jacket to church today and I want to make her a matching necklace, just because.  I love you, M.  Thanks for being my friend.

The necklace was put in my Etsy shop to match a bracelet I put there this week.  I'm giving Etsy another try.

Song of Songs 2:12 (NIV)

"Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land."

Newly Designed Bracelet

Strands shown separately

Woven around main beads

Twisted around itself and reattached to starting ring

Looks like two bracelets

This design came to me about 4:30 a.m. the night before last and I was so excited that I couldn't sleep.  I've been too busy to make it until this morning early, another early morning rising.  I believe God answered my request to use scripture as I create and this is the result.  I've put it in my Etsy shop.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5


I used glass leaves, glass and metal beads and crystals.  It's fun to play with and versatile in appearance.  I hope someone likes it as much as I do because I don't think I can wait four months to make it mine.  I'm going to have to make another one but a little different--maybe a little easier to wear but with the same appearance.

Original attachment of "The Vine"

Back on Etsy

On Etsy

I've decided to put some of the jewelry left over from my sale of last week on Etsy.  Though I did pretty well, I have many items left over with no where to sell them, so....
I've asked $22.50--less than I offered it at the sale.  What do you think of the price?  Does it sound fair?  I love making jewelry and want it to sell, but I must make enough to purchase beads and findings and pay for my time.  This necklace took about one hour to make, only since it was my third or fourth of this style.  The first ones I make take longer since, being self-taught, it takes me a while to figure things out.  I'm hoping to stick with the shop and see if posting new items every other day will help sell them.  There are so many people on Etsy now that one MUST market aggressively and I'm not one to shout out my wares, so to speak.

Adding More Jewelry

A Few More Earrings

A Reworked Bracelet

A New Necklace

I've been working the last couple of days on more additions to the grouping of jewelry to be shown tomorrow.  Now I have to get everything together and establish prices--not a pleasant job.  I want to be fair but I also want to make a good profit so I can make more jewelry.  Wish me well.

Jewelry Galore

Boho Necklace

Same Necklace with Bracelet and Earrings

Wrap Bracelets and Earrings

Pearl Necklace/Earrings Duo and Fun Bracelets

Yes, I've been busy lately in between going to the chiropractor due to too much sitting in one spot.  She suggested I only sit for 30 min. at a time, timing it with a timer.  I'm to sit a certain way so as not to irritate my back.  When your foot and back start to tingle, you know it's time and... yes, I'm addicted to making jewelry.  What we go through for our addictions!  Honestly!

Pretty in Pink

Every time I make one of these necklaces, I forget the details.  This time I took a picture on a bead board to help remind me of measurements.  Yes, I'm a slow learner.  This one turned out so beautifully so I made a matching bracelet and earrings.  Hopefully they will sell at the "tea" my friend is having next week to help me sell them.  I have left over feather dangles, domino necklaces, baby flowered headbands, rolled flower headbands, bird earrings and a flower bib necklace to sell from the shops that have transitioned out of my life.  Now, the pricing--so difficult for me to price fairly yet high enough so I can actually make a profit.  

Wear Four Ways

 This is an adaptable crocheted (knotted, as some catalogs insinuate) beaded necklace/bracelet.  I've used three different color combinations and mixed glass bead styles.  It's very versatile and I will have trouble letting it go but if someone wants it, who am I to argue?  Hopefully it will sell at the tea.

Many Bracelets

Made for friend

To sell

To sell

To sell

To sell

For me

The top bracelet was remade this week.  My teacher friend had me make a bracelet to incorporate the "lovely" charm her little son had gifted her at Christmas.  She wouldn't wear the pendant but is liking wearing this bracelet.  She got it caught and the whole thing went flying--thus, the remake.  A couple of beads had escaped due to the mishap but I replaced them from my stash.

The next four bracelets will be put up for sale by a friend of mine who is having a tea for some of our church friends.  Our church does not look highly on members "selling their wares" in the building.  I guess they are afraid of being whipped by Christ.So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.
John 2:15

I certainly respect that and do not want to do anything to disrespect the Lord and his church--thus the tea idea.

The last one I made just for fun.  I had the idea to use all flat pieces and used all I had in this memory wired bracelet.  It wasn't enough to wrap twice, which I regret, but it's still interesting.  I'm  not really sure I like it--maybe a little too bohemian.

Corner Bookmarks

I found these on Pinterest and made a few for a couple of my friends, a Mother/daughter dynamic duo, who share back-to-back birthdays.  

Just fold over the bottom corner of an envelope until the sides meet, draw a semicircle from the edge to the fold, cut out, trace heart on a plain piece of paper and trim 1/8" smaller, trace that template on pattered paper, cut it out and glue it to the corner heart.  I trimmed my patterned paper afterward with glitter glue to make it sparkle.  One must have sparkle.  There you have it--so easy.

Finished Commission

My friend loves this and hopes her granddaughter doesn't so she can keep it. 

On to other things, mainly cleaning the yard and wonderful stuff like that today. 

 I sorted my beads and findings yesterday--2 1/2 hours worth, and I'm still not done.  My husband doesn't really appreciate all the "hard work" that I did because he's a He-man and probably feels that I wasted my time.  It will definitely save time in the long run for me because then I won't have to spend it searching.  We'll see.  It really needed to be done and I was grateful to have had a free day to do it.

OUT WITH WINTER

IN WITH SPRING

OK, so it's been Spring-like for a month but now it's official.  Hope you have a great Spring day.

Filling Commissions

She wanted red.  We went together to choose the beads and chain and here's how they turned out.

Her granddaughter can't wear earrings because metal, even gold,  irritates her ears.  I used silicone glue to coat the metal.  Maybe it will work.  I'm starting on the second set.  Photos to come.

Another Wonderful Weed

Born with the knack

My husband, daughter and granddaughter all have it--finding four-leaf clovers.

What about a six-leaf one?

My granddaughter found this one yesterday.

I look down and see clovers and they all look the same.  They can see the different ones.

WOW!

Wonderful Weeds

Maybe they mean trouble to you but to me and my grandchildren, they are beautiful.  Hannah picked the tiny purple ones and Seth picked almost every dandelion in the yard that day.  The purples went into a glass that sat proudly on the kitchen table for Mommy.  Seth wound up giving me all the little yellow dandies that he had stuck in his pocket that lovely, sunny Spring day saying, "Here, Grandma, you keep these and take them home with you.  When you look at them, you can think of me."  Oh, little Seth, how I treasure these little weeds that have now blossomed into fluff and I do think of you and your pretty sister and that flower-picking day in early Spring.  Yes, I think of you often.

Grandchild 14 Has Arrived

I'm home after my attempt at helping my daughter adjust to having baby number 3.  He's a little sweetie and seems to be working into a semi-normal sleep/eat pattern, especially for only one week old.  His big brother and sister like him, too, and are also adjusting to the the new family member.  I feel so blessed with my family and also blessed with health to be able to spend time with them.  I miss them already.  Now back to my "normal."  Wish I were there, though.