Sunday Sweets

You may remember I won some beads a few weeks ago from Earthenwood Studios. My six yr old niece loved them in the picture when I entered the giveaway & I promised to make her something if I won. I finished the bracelets I made & I wanted to share them before I gave them to her. I made a pair of tiny little bracelets, one for her & one for one of her best friends. These are small, not quite 5 inches. I used my niece's 'bead mix' on her tray,(yes, she has her own mix & tray for her to work from when she is over) which consists of a lot of stone twist beads,(remember those?!)seed beads,tiny pearls & the plastic chunky pink beads she bought @ this summer's bead show here in Tulsa.It was all I could do to drag her away from the crystals strung on silk w/ tassels @ that show, she was in L~O~V~E! Have a beady Sunday.

Snowy Saturday

I'm 'snowed in' but as much by choice as anything. The roads have a layer of ice under all that pretty snow & I'm well stocked up on essentials, so why not just stay in? I'm using this time to finish getting ready for next week's show. I have a couple of new booth display pieces, & I'm going to use heart shaped cards for earrings. Bead Soup unveiling is 4 days after that, so I have plenty to work on! Don't forget, Bead Soup Party group on flickr has lots of pictures now, & will be a great single place to see all the pieces together.
I'm leaving you w/ a shot taken from my front door yesterday afternoon. It was about 4:30 & snow was still falling.

Snow Days?

Here in Oklahoma we are preparing for big weather tomorrow.Rain turning to sleet & ice tomorrow followed by snow. I can deal w/ being snowed in, but I do hope the power stays on,dealing w/ the whole fridge full of food thing & all. I can bead fairly well w/o power since my beading table has good north light, but it will make for early nights if it does come to that. I can even cook on the gas grill outside if I need to.
On the bead soup front, I'm still moving beads around, haven't committed to a design yet. I have one in mind & even had a little breakthrough last night. Updates soon!

Sneak Peek

I'm working w/ my bead soup mix & while I have a couple of ideas I am torn between, I did make a quick pr of earrings. I don't think this is breaking any rules to show them, so here they are!

Bead Soup Arrives!

I got my beads today, WOW! Kate's polymer focal is really fabulous. She also included a copper wire bead, square copper toggle & some really nice green stone beads,I think I actually have these same beads :).She included lots of other beads too. The packaging was fun, a handmade envelope, stitched from magazine/catalog pages,very cool. Before the beads got here I had thought I would end up making a bracelet,(my jewelry of choice) but now I am going w/ a necklace. I've already started moving them around on a tray. Now I'm off to post some photos on the Bead Soup Group page on flickr. Have a beady saturday!

Giveaway

Stephanie @ www.soigathered.typepad.com is having a fabulous giveaway. You can win her wonderful copper/enameled house, shown here. Head over & throw your name in the hat!

Class Session 1

Metalsmithing class made & met tonight.Three of us from the previous class & 3tonight,5 in total from previous advanced classes. We didn't have any special assignment for the evening, we ordered supplies from Rio Grande & went through some new jewelry books someone had brought in to share.I ordered 2 different widths of flat wire for rings. I still have a small sheet of silver so I'll wait until I have a specific need to order more.I'm not going into class w/ any hard & fast ideas about what I want to make yet, I'll focus on techniques again & see what develops. 'Teach' brought up a few things we'll be looking into & enameling was one of them, yay! He also said he could help me make bowls from the rounds I got in my collage package of scrap metals last class. All in all a good first class.
On another note I got a sneak preview of my Bead Soup items.Funny thing, we sent almost identical colour schemes! The main difference being copper vs. silver. The irony of that is, of course, I had chosen copper first, but switched to silver when I went w/ a second swap grouping(see Bead Soup Confessions for the tawdry story!). I guess the sneak peek means it is on the way & should be here any time now. If you haven't heard, there is a flickr group for the all the Bead Soup participants to show their works.

Bead Soup Confessions

I admit it, I have a confession to make about my Bead Soup Swap. When I was putting together a mix of beads, I liked it so much I had to keep it for myself! I don't ususally use a 'focal' bead so when I put together my mix I was trying some different combinations from my usual style.Now don't get me wrong, I had very comparable beads to swap, (an even better clasp truth be told)the main difference was from copper metals to silver. Now I am moving beads & pieces around trying to decide just what I am going to do w/ this grouping. I am planning to mix chain & stringing, maybe even some wire links added in. I want to step out of my confines w/ this piece. I've seen some really inspiring pieces during my daily blog readings & I want to try my wings a little,push myself for more.
On another note, I got a call about my metalsmithing class. The class may not 'make' w/ enough students. I'll know more on Thursday, which is the first night of class. If class doens't make, I may just rent studio time to keep my hand in @ using the torch. I'm not set up here @ home yet, & I don't want to rush into that while I am working on so many other things. I bought the rest of the supplies I need to start soldering glass charms yesterday & I'm getting my soldering tray ready. Pictures coming soon!

Saturday Seconds

I'm 1/2 way through my 'to~do' list for the day. Basketball game,check(we won) & photos? Well I have the tent set up(maybe a 30 inch square was a bit large, I'm thinking 16 inches would have sufficed!) & I have taken a couple of test shots. These are the beads I won last weekend on www.earthenwood-beads.blogspot.com . In addition to the string of beads & sweet little hearts, I got one of her fabulous pendants. Is it wrong to be even more excited about that? So here it is, a shot of my winnings,first one out of the tent.

Basketball & Light Tents

Today's to~do list is pretty short. I am going to go watch my 9 yr old nephew's basketball game & then I am going to try out my new light tent. The tent came this week & I haven't cleared a space to set it up yet. I rarely have a clear tabletop & this tent is pretty good sized.It came w/ 2 lights, but I will still be working w/o a tripod,baby steps.I forgot to take photos of any earrings 2 weeks ago so those are first on the list. I am still working out just how I am going to hang them for the shot. I really like earrings best when they are hanging. I'm going to go through my inspiration pictures & see what strikes me. I already want to try using a big spindle of natural coloured string. I've also seen bottles used effectively. & Lord knows I have PLENTY of bottle! Happy Saturday, hope yours is as productive as you want it to be~

It's Not Too Late!

Just a reminder,KC Willis' Marketing Mindset Workshop hasn't started yet, you still have time to sign up. Just reading the forums & exchanging comments w/ the people already signed up has been informational & inspiring. I can hardly wait to begin.

Tuesday Tidbits

I have my partner for the Bead Soup swap, Kate Clawson. Her blog is http://organicodysseys.blogspot.com Through that link you can also find her shop.After seeing her work I am sticking w/ my original grouping of beads. I could agonise(some more)but I've been messing w/ them since the announcement was made & it's time to let them go.
On another note I have downloaded some photos of jewelryto my flickr account. I'm still figuring it all out @ once, photos, downloading, & manipulating this blog's layout.Until I can get this layout just right, you can see some of my work there. I can be found by going to flickr & searching people for Boot~C. Oddly enough there is another Boot~C but w/ a small 'c', that isn't me!
Now I'm off to the post office to mail Kate's beads.Hope it's warming up where you are, who would have thought 35 would be considered 'warming up'?

Bead Soup

Just a reminder, today it the last day to sign up for the Bead Soup party over @ Pretty Things. You have until midnight eastern time.

Bead Soup

I have decided to break out of my comfort zone & enter a swap. Since growth is my word for the year I really think this is a perfect way to get started. It is so easy to sit back, read blogs & admire work thinking ' I could have done that' or ' I would have done that so much differently', well you get the picture. www.lorianderson.blogspot.com of pretty things blog is throwing the party. You gather a focal, some coordinating beads or spacers & an interesting clasp(of the non~lobster variety). If this sounds like fun, head on over & sign up!
On another note, KC Willis is having a giveaway on her blog www.kcwillis.blogspot.com Please head over to see her fabulous angel. She teaches classes online, (how easy) in her techniques & even marketing. Her upcoming schedule is listed for you to drool over, & yes even choose one! Enjoy your growth this year, Boot~C

Happy New Year!