Hmmmm... seems it has been awhile since my last post and even longer since my last real post, not just posting collections that I have created. I'm sorry, I think about posting quite often, but seems like there just isn't enough time in the day. And well, like many people, I've been extremely busy with the holidays...
Halloween wasn't too bad but we had guests for Thanksgiving so there was a bit of rearranging to accommodate 3 dogs, 2 cats, and 4 adults staying with us for a week. It was a good time and it blew by too quickly! I just love the fact that my kids were so happy to give up their rooms and beds for their grandparents and Aunt and Uncle and camped out upstairs in my studio. And the unconditional love and affection from 5 dogs and 5 cats - simply amazing! Oh and being in the kitchen with my mom, sister, and Danni again - well, it was priceless.
Halloween wasn't too bad but we had guests for Thanksgiving so there was a bit of rearranging to accommodate 3 dogs, 2 cats, and 4 adults staying with us for a week. It was a good time and it blew by too quickly! I just love the fact that my kids were so happy to give up their rooms and beds for their grandparents and Aunt and Uncle and camped out upstairs in my studio. And the unconditional love and affection from 5 dogs and 5 cats - simply amazing! Oh and being in the kitchen with my mom, sister, and Danni again - well, it was priceless.
And now with Christmas only 10 days away... well, busy, busy! I haven't made many handmade items as gifts this year... a few of the ladies will be getting some beaded jewelry, but we have done a crazy amount of baking! I like to make things for my family, but the kids are older and its getting harder to do things without them knowing about it. But, their birthdays are coming and I will make them a few things for these special days and they are more likely to enjoy it because it won't be as overwhelming of a time like Christmas can be. I've already got fabric selected and cut out, now I just need time to myself to continue my love-hate relationship with my sewing machine, LOL.
Anyway, I thought I would post pictures of the projects I have completed in the last few weeks. Here we go! This first one is called S.W.A.K. Cuff in an odd-count 3-drop Peyote cuff and I did two versions... one in silver and the other in gold. The silver one is for sale in my shop. And the pattern is available in my second shop, 3PeepsDesignsToo.
I've created several pairs of paw print earrings to go with the various dog cuffs and paw print cuffs. And I am in the process of making more paw prints for some more paw print cuffs as gifts. One of the pairs of earrings was a Secret Santa gift, then another is for a contest give away hosted by Crafting for Animals Guild on Artfire, and then others are in my shop.
These are two brooches that I created while experimenting and trying to learn something new. I had a lot of fun and am very pleased with how these turned out. I am giving these away as gifts and will have to make some more.
This bracelet was created for the Artfire Beadweavers Guild and their Silver and Gold Challenge. It consists of several brass jump rings that I have peyote stitched around using 15/0s Delicas in two shades of silver and two shades of gold. I beaded up a simple toggle to insert into one of the beaded circles as the clasp. It is listed in my Artfire shop.
I have stitched up a Panda Cuff in my first 3-drop odd-count Peyote cuff. I love the way it turned out! The hardest part was finding a button or bead for the clasp... I finally found one that reminds me of bamboo. I love this cuff and may have to make one up for myself. It is also available in my shop.
The next one is a necklace in tubular Peyote stitch with some beading on the outside edge to give it a little extra kick. It too, came about from experimenting, I haven't done tubular Peyote for quite some time and it was good to go back and practice and then make a few things with this stitch.
And last but not least, my kids made their annual ornaments for family members and this year they chose to create some Christmas Spiders. I think they came out great and once again was just amazed at the differences between the two beaders and their spiders.
I'm currently designing new cuff patterns in flat Peyote stitch.... funny how I keep going back to them. My husband is a bit under the weather so I've been able to spend a few hours late at night designing like I do when he goes on business trips... now I just need to get beading!
