Lost

I apologize for my absence, it's not that I haven't been creating, I have. In fact, it's the only thing that brings me peace right now. It's now the only connection I have to my youngest brother, who passed away suddenly on August 20th at the age of 33. I have no words to express how much this hurts. I know, logically, that everyone suffers the loss of loved ones, that dying is a part of living. And because I was able to accept this fact when my grandfather, father, and grandmother each passed away, I believed I had a solid grasp of this concept. Even when my junior high friend died from a thoughtless gang related game, I knew that the grief would pass, and life would move forward as it's meant to. But there are days now when I just can't wrap my mind around how the world continues as if there's nothing missing.

It breaks my heart that this is the last photo taken of all of us together, and it's about 15 years old.

I miss you so much baby brother.

Win a $250.00 Etsy Gift Card!!!

Who couldn't use $250 just to spend on handcrafted goodies, right? Click the link to enter (via Facebook). Then share so that all your friends can enter too.

http://bit.ly/16KWehD

And hey, if you win, accept Etsy gift cards in my Etsy shop ;)

Jewelry Clasp Inspiration

I saw this clasp on Pinterest and couldn't resist an inspiration version, of course, inspiration pieces are never quite as good as the original, but I like it none the less.
The base is 20 gauge copper wire, with 32 gauge copper wire wrapped around and woven through with 2 mm multi-hued pink and green tourmaline beads.

Polymer clay adventures

Some polymer clay beads my niece and I have been working on this summer

More Butterflies

Testing the email to blog option
Sent from my LG phone

Znetshows.com Partner Picks Summer Challenge and Giveaway, the reveal

OMG!!! What a disappointing week. I've only been able to get online just now (litterally, got off the phone with a tech in India at 12:01 AM this morning) since a power outage knocked out the power to my computer (my entire living room to be precise) last Thursday. My luck since has been along the same vien. But without my computer or TV, I've managed to read six books since messing up my left shoulder, making it impossible to at least finish the pieces I had only half begun before the due date.

Just a reminder, I've participated in a new challenge this summer. The Znetshows.com Partner Picks Summer Challenge and Giveaway was due last Saturday...yeah, last Saturday. You have no idea how disapointed I am not to have been online for the hop. 

So here's how it worked: Hope Smitherman sent out emails asking those of us who've been part of the Znetshows.com design team if we'd like to take part in a partner's challenge. We were asked to pick out seven items from a list to be sent to our partners using an inspiration photo of the beach. When we received our beads, we would then design pieces inspired by the beach.

My partner is the very talented Bee Kuhlman of Mixed Mayhem Studios and you should really check out what she's put together from the photo I chose from the Znetshows.com Pinterest inspiration board. And the ZnetShows blog for the other reveals and the details of a very generous giveaway.

And so, these are the beads that I was lucky enough to work with.

The links will take you directly to the items from their shop.

 

zmx-17-01 Chinese crystal designer glass rondelle beads faceted Waterfall mix

S45-B31SFIVE cultured sea glass square nugget bead

BDS1617-18FIVE Glass pearls round beads Kahaki color 4mm 

M0314-AB vine toggle clasps

M0078-AB Base Metal Aloy charm conch shell 30x15mm

and

M0124-AB Base metal aloy coin beads spiral battern 10mm

And somehow I missed taking a photo of these, but you can see them in the designs pretty clearly

BDS1837-02 Fire agate round beads dyed blue 6mm

And these are the pieces I was able to finish by Saturday July 6th

A Midsummer circlet

Crocheted Bracelet

This was actually the last piece I did. I was getting annoyed by the 'permanently colored' wire I was using flaking off as I manipulated it, I plan to redo the following pieces with actual brass wire when I get it. they'll look so much better with the brass chain.

My wrist doesn't tapper like most, so it's a little tighter than it would be on most people.

Earrings

Necklace, the original idea was beach wedding, but I kind of like the beachy casual of the crocheted design better.

I thought it would be interesting to have the clasp in the front.

The set

Since I gave up on the wire, I'd started on a pair of crocheted barefoot sandals to match the bracelet, but just typing is killing me and I keep having to take breaks, so I have to finish it later and post it after a short break from jewelry making.

Please visit the Znetshows.com blog for all the of the other partner reveals.

'Cause I'm a sucker for a challenge

Still working on those bracelets for the boys...and I've got my beads for the Znetshows June challenge...but why not a few more, right?

June challenge inspiration photo (I'd love to credit the photo if anyone knows where it came from, it wasn't credited on Pinterest)

The beads I received from Znetshows that Bee picked using the beach photo above for inspiration.

Don't forget to check out Bee Kuhlman's blog Mixed Mayhem Studios to see what I picked out using this photo.

This challenge is to be paired with another beader from the Znetshows.com design team; choose from a list of  hundreds of their beautiful beads seven items to be sent to our partner: one stone, one glass pearl, one sea glass, one crystal, one base metal, and two of our own choice; and then create beach themed pieces with what we are sent, and post on our blogs by July 6th.

And then...yesterday I was asked by a friend if I could create a circlet by June 21st for a Midsummer event she's participating in.

an unfinished braided bracelet using the red Tiaria Chinese crystal rondelles from Znetshows.com 

I'd already been working on more of those braided bracelets, only with a double strand of wire, which I believe is called a Celtic braid, which I sent her photos of, and she loved. Here are some ideas of what kind of circlet she needs. As soon as she asked, ideas were running through my mind, but I looked it up anyway, just to be sure I was on the right track...and that I wasn't getting myself in over my head. And I thought maybe I could do both as a combined challenge with my Znetshows design challenge. I asked for her color preferences and sent her a photo of my beads, and she agreed that the blues were good. It was so awesome and exciting, and I couldn't get to sleep till after 4 AM.

Then I saw early this morning that the winner of the last challenge on the facebook group Bead Soup Cafe had posted her challenge and photo for the 8th Non-blogger, blogger challenge (which of course I promptly signed up for today).

You'll never guess the theme.

Seriously, you won't believe it

OMG-Renaissance!!! 

Awesome!! Due July 14th