Creating a maker's space

HA!

That title got your attention, didn't it?

So, I have been in the process of getting my maker's space set up, and getting organized in general now that the big move is over.

The hardest part abut the move for me was that all my crafty stuff didn't get to move into the space I had intended it to. We have a detatched garage at the new place that has 'an apartment' above it, but in actuality, the space isn't really what we imagine it to be. Yet.

So we gutted it and we might end up taking the whole thing down and rebuilding from scratch. Whatever. That's YEARS away (if it even happens) and I need a place to get crafty, like, RIGHT FREAKING NOW.

So- after months of my toolbox being in said garage, wrapped in saran wrap, I unwrapped it and rolled it into the house. Pretty epic right? Not really, because there it sat, in disarray. just waiting for me to get inside and reorganize it.

Before: Sad toolbox in garage- sad closet in the house....

After: Happy Unwrapped toolbox and happy fresh clean closet!!!!

 

My next post will feature the process I went through to organize my beads and make things easier to find! YAY!

 

 



The Stunner

OK- so I have been telling everyone about this necklace that I made.

I feel like it was one of those moments that people say are 'epiphanies.'

But let's be real and say that 'the lightbulb went off in my head' at one point when I was going through my bead bag and I found some really gorgeous onesie/twosie sets of faceted yumminess...

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

March projects and March Book Club

I have been trying to get a blog post completed for over a month!

RIDICULOUS, I know.

 

So without anymore ado, here's what I was up to, you know, a month ago....

 

First off, book club!

Our book club selection was Where'd Ya Go, Bernadette and this piece reflected the deplorable state that the house was in. Andrew Thornton made the polymer clay houses which I used as focals and the gorgeous blue Czech glass is my interpretation of the sadness that the book portrayed, both from Bernadette and her family. Eventually, I will add some chain so that the necklace can be thrown right over the head. And yeah me, I made matching earrings! Woot!

 

 

 

I also made some fun things from the Destash Box I purchased from Lorelei Eurto.

Here's what I came up with:

 

I absolutely fell in love with the focal, which is what made me purchase this particular box. I'm not a huge fan of the faceted yellow crystal beads, but I had a strand of them to use from and Andrew Thornton Destash purchase, and I think that they are quite pretty with the large plastic beads with the gold specs on them.
Here is an up-close look at the large beads in the set of earrings. (Which were particularly difficult to photograph due to their size!)

 

Next up is a pretty green necklace that I made with some gemstone strands that were floating around in my bag. I can't even tell you what these are, but they are such a pretty shade of green. I just love this piece!

 

 I also made this set. It has some vintage plastics and a gorgeous lime green stone with purple flecks in it. It is super funky and I have worn it quite a few times and gotten many compliments.

 

 

The final piece is this pretty hot pink and orange number.

It ties together some Czech glass, vintage plastic, and some gemstones with an art bead focal.

Add a clasp, and Kowabunga!

 

 

So yeah, I was pretty busy a few weeks ago.

I need some solid time to get creative!

 

See you when that happens!

 



 

 

 

 

 

 



Happy Birthday Book Club!!!!!

4 years already?!?!?!

We have had SO much fun and read so many great books. I can't be more thankful than I am for having this in my life. I have made excellent friends, and fallen even more in love with beads and making jewelry.

I love that the books we read push me to read something other than the normal fictional drivel that I usually choose for myself too.

Most importantly though, I am so thankful that I discovered Allegory Gallery some 5 years ago after reading an article in the local paper that said there was a bead store opening in town!

We have had such great times in both of the locations of the shop and I am so happy to be a part of this group and these crazy folks (me included) who get together each month to show off our goodies, trade stories about just about anything, and enjoy each other's company! And yeah, maybe talk a little bit about the book of the month too, ahem....

So, here's the books we have read:

 

My favorites have been: The Bucolic Plague, An Irish Country Doctor, The Cookbook Collector, An Object of Beauty, The Night Circus, Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Book Store, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (also read further into the series), Serena, The Silver Witch (definitely read further into the series), and Where'd You Go Bernadette.

And there are more to come! So, if you are reading my post, and you think you'd want to join us, what's stopping you?????

Anyhow- here's what I made last night. Full disclosure: I read Where'd You Go Bernadette years ago- and I had plans to make something entirely different (and think I still will) but this is what I came up with while we chatted:

 

Once I throw a clasp on this piece, I will be all set! Love it!