Hi there - I finished this necklace today , finally. It's one I actually started quite some time ago and totally lost my muse on. Since I should be working on either Christmas gifts or fabric , she has naturally made a re-appearance in the jewelry department lol. In this photo the stones look green , but in the last photo they're much truer to color. It's made with facted amazonite , chunky larimar

nuggets , a very cool sort of 'pinched' magnesite (they look a bit like seeds to me) and
some really lovely bronzestone - it carries a beautiful golden shimmer all through it. I also made it adjustable in length. A girlfriend had mentioned that like me , she preferred longer necklaces , and it got me to thinking. I have this gift - everytime I'm truly in the mood to wear a particular piece , it's the wrong length for whatever the top

is I'm in. Sooo , I decided this one would work with anything a girl felt like wearing lol. And I love the sweet chocolate pearls swinging just above the pendant - I'm thinking I should add some drops just at the left shoulder , where the ribbon connects. Then when the ribbon is removed , you'd still have a little interest trailing down the nape of the neck. . .
But not tonight *smile*.

As for the photo's , please forgive - I took the pictures at night , and my light wasn't good. The colors here work so well together , I should have waited and done them in the morning light.

I'm such a tard sometimes. . .

I just thought of this , wish I'd used in the post below. Does anyone else buy great old stuff (like O say old tins) specifically to distress , paint , and otherwise alter them - then get them home and think 'but they look so old and cool now - I can't cover that up. .'

Is it just me?

Tag I'm It

Christy , Bev , and Beks have all tagged me to list 6 things about myself that no-one cares to hear lol - I evidently need to be 'quirky , yet boring'.

I'll do my best.

Here are the rules...
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules.
3. Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
4. Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
5. Go to each person's blog and leave a comment that lets them know they've been tagged.

1) I hate to dust.

2) When I watch creature features , I hit mute when I start to panic , and when the lighting gets really dim I turn the sound up like it's going to help me see better. (?) I have hit the ceiling any number of times now , you'd think I'd learn.

3)I love shows that have to do w/the supernatural - like , for instance , Supernatural. Fringe is pretty good too.

4)I require most of our pillows or I can't sleep. Two under my head - one fat , one thin , thin goes on top - and another fat one to prop myself up with.

5)I blow dry my art more often than I blow dry my hair.

6)I'm into boots. Bev posted a while ago about how hard it is to find cute comfortable shoes and she's right. Boots , on the other hand , have nice solid heels , traction and style.

Stray thought:
I will never forget watching some show , What Not to Wear I think , and shaking my head when they dressed the nanny up in a suit and heels to take the kids to the park. WhatEVer. I wear clothes I can go down the slide in , stomp in puddles in , and take him to the river in. We still try to drown each other stomping in puddles - every mom should zen a little when there are good puddles. Experience the full Puddle Potential. Jump up and come down HARD WITH BOTH FEET - really punch it. Your kids will think they've died and gone to heaven , trust me. Dirty clothes are why washers were invented - it just can't get any easier.

anyway - I'd tag six more people , but everyone I know has played this game lol. Please forgive me ladies , but thanks for thinking of me all. I swear if I have a brainstorm , I'll come back and tag somebody ok?

A few bits here , a few bits there. . .

Back again - I got some photo's of a few jewelry pieces and thought I'd better get them up before I ditz off again lol. This pair I really enjoy. I used a pair of antique safety pins and some lovely Amazonite from Szarka.

This pair I made months ago , back in July , maybe? I had come across some vintage floral cabs on Etsy and didn't really know what to do with them at the time - wound up using them here with some tiny pearls from an old necklace , aventurine , and a pair of old keys. I tried to get photo's , couldn't get a good one and then never got back to it. Today went quite well though. :)

And these I made a few weeks ago. I used opal and pearls , but the metal came from a belt I found at the thrift. It was one of the ugliest things I've ever seen , but both my gf and the girl at the counter raved over this thing. I had no problem taking it apart , which I can't say for many of the items I bring home lol. Sometimes I'll see a great piece and refuse to even buy it , but there are quite a few I'll buy anyway and then wind up wearing them as is lol.

Well , at least I've gotten a few things up - see , I haven't quit arting , I'm just a rotten rotten blogger lol. Better start the cacciatore up , we're taking some dinner up to the folks tonight and I don't like cooking up there. I like my big pots and pans , all my spices and seasonings , and the fact that my dad's not breathing down my neck while I'm trying to work lol. For an individual that has just recently learned how to boil water , he is just Chock FULL of instruction.

Yes I'm using my sarcasm. Ahem.

Experimenting with new things

Hi all - thought I'd share what I've been up to , finished or not *smiles*. I joined an online workshop called Fibre in Form , hosted be the wonderful Lynda Monk and Carol McFee.We're working on creating texture on canvas and fabric using many different media and it's been lots of fun , but fair challenging to those of us (me) that are learning how to sew on the fly. I've never sewed. I glued. I have now sewn , but can't say I'm very good at it yet - I spend more time trying to figure out why I'm not sewing than actually sewing. The free motion on Tyvek is just not happening - yet. It will happen , though. The group has been very helpful and supportive , in particular Susan Ithalo who is just a GEM , lol.
Each of these pieces were for a particular lesson , but I didn't really stick to the color schemes outlined - I was in the mood for deep/dark and that was where I went. I'm very pleased with both of these in real life , particularly this one to the left. It doesn't show well , but I used a mica-based paint , and it's quite reflective. It's like dark snow , actually - if you've ever seen the way snow can glitter in the sun , that's what this stuff does.

This last bit I did stick to the colors I was supposed to use - the purpose was to create a rusty look. I'm thinking I might hit it with a contrasting color and see what happens (grin) but for the moment this is where it's at. It would look rustier with more of the Trans. Red Iron Oxide - but Purple Diowhatsit sounds more interesting lol. Or Tim's color washes? Haven't done that yet. . .



We used some inks/paints with our sewn samples - remember I said I don't sew now - but in the next steps , we made these. I feel like the queen of UFO's (un-finished objects) now. I have three jewelry bits on the table , one finished for weeks , two in process that should be done but I just haven't had time. Brady's been keeping us very busy - he was asked to be in a 'challenge group' this year at school (cuz he's SO Smart!), and we got off to a pretty rocky start with that , but schedules are smoother now. We're (Dan and I) also working two charity events for families and children with financial challenges , which makes me pretty happy. Hopefully it'll make the kids and parents happy , too.
Anyway , I'll try to get back soon with a finished art piece and get some photo's of the jewelry too. I've got some idea's on what I'd like to do with these fabrics and beads , but we shall see. . .