Twisted Bead Ring

With the last bits of jewelry wire from the kit I got I made a twisted bead ring using blue and green seed beads.

To form this ring I used one piece of 'memory wire' that I beaded with blue and green seed beads, then twisted. The pearl-like bead in the center is threaded through both wires. The wire ends are secured on the bottom, looping the side with the two ends and the side with a bend securely together.

Scissors

It may seem like something minor, but I have found it important to mark my scissors. The sewing scissors are marked with an initial and sometimes a 's', especially if they are ones that will be traveling with me and my sewing machine (like to the theater). The non-sewing scissors, usually ones that have been demoted from sewing scissors are usually marked with a 'NS' or 'non-sewing'  or 'paper only' on the handle with a black magic marker. It's important to keep your sewing scissors separate from your paper and other scissors, as paper can dull your sewing scissors. Trust me, when I say you will be glad you've marked them to keep track of what they are or are not to be used for.

Beaded Bracelet

With the last bit of wire and beads, I made this rainbow themed wire bracelet. A little color is good for the soul.

A Lost Friend - The Ladies Who Craft

I got the sad news that one of the ladies I visited at the nursing home to do crafts with has passed. Over the years, I have gotten the opportunity to work with a variety of people of all ages and walks of life. I have seen light, creativity, and humor. I have shared, but am humble enough to realize how much has been shared with me. I have taken away as much as I have given, if not received more over the years. This friend was among the true gems and the inspiration behind our little gathering (often in the a room used a beauty parlor or the conference room). She brought along her humor, her unique perception of people, as well shared some of her own knowledge and projects with us. Despite failing health and complications she was determined to live life on her own terms, something that I admired and drove some nutty. (She had great appreciation for that ability.) With her out spoken nature, she never failed to let someone know how she truly felt about them. To our group she added her own creativity, her own desire to take on new things, her sense of humor and wit, as well as her own heart. It can be easy for people to see the gruffness of a person's exterior, but too often people overlook the heart that is there as well. She was one of these special people, full of heart, but unbashful in her approach to life. It's a rare and refreshing combination, that will be missed.

Good-bye, Jen.

A Puppy from my Past

Years ago (no need to get exact with numbers & ages), I learned a little about ceramics by making a ceramic puppy for a Girl Scout fair entry. It was exciting to make something that wasn't out of popcicle sticks or salt dough.

I got to go to the ceramic shop and pick out something, then take it back to the house where my aunt taught me how to clean up the edges and paint the eyes. I even got to learn to a painting technique of dry brushing to accent the brown with white to make it look more like fur.

I don't what or if I placed on it when I entered it in the county fair that year, but I remember it being a chance for me to take on something new and to learn new techniques. It still sits on one of my shelves, initialed and dated on the bottom.

"Unlucky" Charm Bracelet - Hapy Friday the 13th!

Friday the 13th is full of a lot of superstitious elements. It's easy to do an internet search to find out about traditions and superstitions on sites like HowStuffWorks and Wikipedia. In honor of this Friday the 13th, a day that sends dread down some, I made special Friday the 13th charm bracelet. (If you lose your sense of humor you lose everything.)

I had a theme in mind, wanting to create a number of charms for a bracelet that would celebrate things that many people see as unlucky; a black cat, a raven, a full moon, a broken mirror, a bat, an open umbrella (as in the kind opened indoors), a voodoo doll, the number 13, and an owl. To achieve this set of charms I used recycled #6 plastic (from a cookie container) to make shrinkies. You can buy shrinky dink plastic or you can just use #6 plastic often used in deli containers.

Start with # 6 plastic.

Cut shapes. ( I chose uniform circles.)

Decorate. Magic Markers work great. Also don;t be afraid to use a template to trace designs.

I stuck with three colors; black, red, and silver.

I used 'unlucky' symbols such as the number 13, an open umbrella, an own, a raven, a bat, a broken mirror, a black cat, a full moon, and a voodoo doll. Punch holes BEFORE going in oven.

In preheated 350-400 degrees oven place for a few seconds. Watch. They will crinkle, curl up, shrink and then lay out as they are done.

Prep bracelet with chain & latch of desired size.

They will shrink more than half, so be prepared. Here is an example of a shrunken piece in the cut it they came from.

Attach charms with jump rings, Enjoy. Wear.

Bottle Amulet on Beaded Necklace

Yes, another beaded project from cheap little set of beads and wire I go not long enough. This time it's a beaded necklace with a small glass jar amulet.

I used one piece of wire of desired length, the beaded a small section in the central point to wrap around the top of the bottle. (It's held in place by wrapping it around the narrow point, leaving the wider sections above and below.) I secured with a twist, then beaded the sides of the necklace. Using a small section of jewelry making chain and a clasp I finished off the necklace.

For a little more flair I used extra pink seed beads (like the ones used in the necklace) to embellish the lid, attaching them with my mini hot glue gun. I'm a bit torn on how I feel about the lid, but for now it stays.

It's all ready for perfumed oil or a "secret potion." It is that time of year again to think about Ren. Festivals.