Bead Soup Bracelets

So I got the opportunity to get back into the classroom last week when my Aunt and some of her friends came to Allegory for a fundraiser bracelet making class.

I was a little bit nervous, because I was making a bracelet that I had never made before but always wanted to try. And it was also completely out of my comfort zone- it used waxed linen!!!!!

If you know me, I HATE waxed linen, because I can't stand the feeling of the wax on my hands....

But the results of the project are awesome. And the ladies were so much fun to work with, that I forgot all about it!

Here we are having a blast:

I had some time on my hands last night and I felt the need to get creative. So here's what I came up with:

 

It was dark and the lighting wasn't super great, so I took pictures 3 different ways.

These were SO much fun to make, and I will definitely be making some more!

Summer Break Projects

I took the kids with me to the shop one day because it is summer break and I didn't have a sitter and it was fun to see what they would come up with project-wise. And we did have a ton of fun!

It was also nice to be able to make some stuff of my own because I had had an evening of inspiration the night before where I made a necklace that I absolutely love. (And consequently forgot to get a photo of)

As everyone knows, I have sort of been a little bit 'over everything' lately.
The house, the kids, the husband, the job, etc.

So when inspiration hit, I was riding a much needed wave of creativity and came up with this stuff:

Had this pretty strand of agate and these cute little spiral spacers laying around. This piece has Picasso seed bead spacers and I used my awesome looper tool to create a faux wire wrapped necklace that you can throw over your head and go. And how can you not be happy with the colors when you wear it?

 

 

So, I was definitely in a color scheme-y kind of mood when I came up with this piece. The colors didn't photograph as well as I would have liked and they look like they clash, but the cracked agate in this  piece has lots of pinks, whites, purples and browns.

I don't know if I absolutely LOVE the pattern I chose, and I might re-string it...

Either way, the oval shaped amethysts, and the diamond shaped rose quartz that highlight a single faceted moonstone make for a pretty piece.

 

And then we come to this piece....

I absolutely positively adore this.

BUT- it isn't long enough and I will definitely be looking into my toolbox to see if I can find some more ceramic or art beads that I can add to it to give it length so that you can see all the amazing beads that are on it.

And because you are probably wondering what I have been working on since?

Nothing.
Absolutely nothing......

Stay tuned until the next surge of inspiration!

May Book Club Project: Mistborn

In true form, I haven't read a single stinking book this year!
And although I gave it a good effort this month by downloading the audio book to listen to in Florida, it just didn't happen....
I took a five minute listen and instantly switched back over to music so I wouldn't ruin my frozen drink buzz at the pool!

But hey, I tried it and I just didn't like it.

Anyhow- the Google synopsis described the book as: gray and ashen, fantasy, blah blah blah. :)

So hey- I like gray. I could definitely find some stuff in my stash to make a project!

And this happened:

 

The large glass beads are from an Andrew Thornton Destash and the spacers are a pretty gray and blue speckled Picasso seed bead. The focal is a Staci Louise Original etched feather that I think is quite cool.

 

 

I am quite happy with this piece whether or not it fit into any part of the book or not!

 

And oh yeah- Alison and I had some fun with the fact that neither of us read the book...

Here we are at the local coffee shop, Abigails, "reading" and "discussing".

 

 

 

 

Stay tuned for next month, where we are reading, The Bees, by Laline Paull