Cows And Chickens Of MIL

We were at MIL's yesterday afternoon and I managed to take a few shots of her chickens and cows. She had 50+ chickens orginally but I think they're just 40+ now as some of the baby chicks didn't make it plus coons got some of them. She get so much eggs everyday... needless to say, we've been having fresh farms eggs for months.

DH started to pick up some empty shells this week and he got me 7 pieces so far. Hopefully, the cold weather will be over soon so I can start picking them up myself! Planning to add daggers or bicones with these.

Beady-wise, here's a simple pair of earrings with howlite turquoise, hematite & repurposed faceted glass beads.

Enjoy your weekend all!

Simple Bridal Earrings

I made these batch of earrings while watching "American Idol" last night. I'm cheering for Thia, Pia, Scotty & Paul.

Enjoy beading all!

Just Assortment Of Earrings

These are some of more than 2 dozens earrings I made recently. I'm trying to finish some "affordable" pieces for my shop and I went for earrings galore!

Don't worry, bead happy everybody!

Cyber Monday: All About UFOs

I devoted the last couple of days finishing some UFO's which have been sitting in my trays for a while... pieces that had been begging me to put the final touches in them. First are these button-style embroidered pieces, my initial plan was to make these beauties into rings but my bobby pins had been calling me... so here they are! I'll make some white & ecru pins this week for my bridal collection.:)

I ordered a bunch of brass leverbacks a while back and they finally came today! WooHoo! Still remember the dangles I made few moons ago? Well, I finally managed to put earwires on them - but will not bore you with their photos again... plus I made another batch of earrings, some of which I forgot to take pics as they were wrapped right away for a mom ordered them for her girl's prom. I think I finished almost 20 pairs of earrings today - talking about instant gratification!

I also finished a wrap bracelet prior to writing this post, but didn't able to take a shot of it yet. Hope y'all are having a great beading Monday! I sure did!

Beaded Beads From A While Back

Here are some of the beaded beads I blogged a while back, which are now simply hanging on delicate chains.

And I decided to make a set out of the blue one. I meant to make a lariat - with beaded bead at both ends of a copper chain - but it's one of those plans that went side tracked when I found this toggle clasp in my stash. As for the earrings, my initial plan was to add one or 2 beaded links to have a pair of long dangles but I think they're big enough so I changed my plan as well. I need to change the earwires later, I know have antique copped leverbacks somewhere. LOL I made this set yesterday!

Enjoying the nice weather yet? Happy beading all!

Cyber Monday: Oodles Of Simple Pieces

I purchased 5 meters of 2mm greek leather cord a while back and I've been using it in my wrap-around bracelets lately. I need to purchase more as I'm running out of it. Here's a triple wrap-around which is ideal for smaller wrist as I cut the cord a lil short. I miscalculate on the knot allowance - moreso, the piece ended up with one loop only.

I wish I made this one at least double wrap since I have enough jasper for it. I got carried away in cutting my cord for a single wrap.

I've been making pendant assortment for my commissioned Red Hat Society necklace, here's one of them. My plan was to add some fringe but I find the pendant quite big already.

I'm currently overflowing with single beaded beads so I'm trying to use as much of them in simple pieces.

Here's my take on our rainy days lately - The Falling Rain.

I have completed more simple pieces but I'll just share those later. Have fun beading all!

Been Dangling

I have a bunch of left over beads from last year's Challenge Swap (Spring: Yellow & Purple) organized by Jeni so I kept myself busy with them recently. And what better way to use odds & ends beads other than danglers? Can you tell I had fun making these? I have more than what shown here... most probably, pairs will be finished as earrings while singles will be a part of pendant clusters.And here are some of the beaded beads I made a while back - I have more of them to be posted on Monday, along with some wrap-around bracelets I made few days back. I made a few doubles as earrings but I think the ones below will end up as pendants.

I mailed my ring for Vicki yesterday [for the ring swap I organized at BD] so I hope it will get to her soonest. Enjoy beading all!

Purple Bauble Ring For MIL

When I saw this purple sediment cabochon, it reminded me of MIL's purple jacket. I noticed that she's liking purple lately, and since I didn't make any ring for her yet, I thought it's the perfect time to make one for her.

I made an assortment of beaded beads lately - in assorted colors - in which some ended up in my UFO pile. I whipped this pair pretty fast for an instant gratification.

Yay for March! I can't wait for spring - getting tired of wearing winter jackets. LOL DH got a bunch of seeds already - can't wait to dig the garden and start planting some greens. Have fun beading all!

Cyber Monday: Lariat Necklaces Plus Some Easy Peasy Pieces

I can't believe it's the last day of February already - time flies so fast! These are what I accomplished last week - simple necklaces with chains. I've always wanted to make lariats with leaves as focals in assymetrical style so I finally prioritize them recently.

Here's in bronze/brass tones - a combination of (12mm & 6mm) turquoise howlite and (4mm) garnet rounds. I thought of using a lobster clasp for closure at the back but changed my mind at the last minute and made a (delicas & czech seedies) peyote tube as toggle bar instead. The leaf focal was from Helena. The matching earrings hangs on vintage brass earwires.

This lariat in antique copper tone ranges up to 21" in length as I added a 2" extension at the back, closes with a lobster clasp. It has jasper, carnelian, carved flower, and czech leaf. I've had the chain for a while - purchased at Walmart - am sure glad I finally able to put it into good use.

And here's a simple necklace that I find fun to wear - with jasper cabochon focal, hematite, hemalike and purple glass beads.

Finally, commissioned earrings with a "Red Hat Society" theme. I just have to make a pair but decided to make a long and short version. I'm drawn to the long ones though, they sway so nicely!

Happy beading all!

EtsyNEAT Is Having Its First Challenge

As I already mentioned in one of my previous posts, I found a team at etsy that I felt I needed to join - Etsy NeedleArts Team aka EtsyNEAT (Please visit the team blog for further details about the team. Plus it has helpful tips to enjoy!)... hand embroidery and bead embroidery, what not to love? The team is getting active and is now having it's first ever creative challenge wherein the challenge word is "BLUE" - thanks to Spincushions for organizing!

To sweeten the challenge, I immediately whipped up this pair of beaded bead earrings as prize option to the winner. Yes, they're blue, but they're not my entry for the challenge. LOL I know that not everybody wears earrings nor like jewelries, so I'm offering a second option - a gold-tone 3.5" stork scissors. I don't know any embroiderer who doesn't like cute scissors. They're one of my addiction!

Third option is my first ever published pincushion pattern - Flower Garden Biscornu - which was published at an Australian based magazine. The pincushion design is mostly cross stitch with two sided design.

If you're an EtsyNEAT member, don't forget to join the challenge for a chance to win one of the above. The next upcoming event is a pincushion swap, due date sign-up is March 15th.

And lastly, I wanna congratulate the captain and all the leaders for updating the requirements on how to become a member.

Keep threading and needling all! Have a great day!

Cyber Monday: Jewelry Sets

All earrings were done a while back but the necklaces were completed the past week. Simple but I think they're great for everyday use.

Weather here has been nice since the last couple of days... lots of snow had melted!