Fancy Feet

With the summer festivals coming up, I wanted something to decorate my feet. Anklets are pretty, but since I walk around barefoot a lot, I decided to do up a barefoot sandal. It's my first one, an experiment essentially. The thought that it would come out nice enough that I should make two of them didn't occur to me, of course...and I had only enough beads to do this one.

Next time I'll do things a little differently, and also actually make a matching pair.

Inspirational Circles

Looking around on Etsy I found another inspiration for my trying out "doilys", fellow beadweaver MyFairLady, check out these

Mint Julip Doily Earrings. Aren't they gorgeous!

Trying new things

After being inspired by an incredible artist who does circular beading, namely, http://smadarstreasure.blogspot.com

I decided to give it a whirl. I wasn't sure what this was going to be when I began, but the length of thread left on my needle dictated: pendant.

This one being a prototype, I'll be keeping it for myself...but it was definately fun to work up, and I'm sure I'll be experimenting with different shapes and colors in the near future.

It's mainly brick stitch, with a herringbone bail.

Etsy Bead Weavers Midsummer Madness Sale!

I'm proud to be a part of the EBW Team's Midsummer Madness Sale.
Everything in my shop is on sale, and I'm offering free shipping to anywhere in the USA.
www.beaderjojo.etsy.com


Each shop owner has set their own sale terms. For a list of participating shops, please visit:
http://www.etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com

Ok one more quick one

I loved the colors so much for the last necklace I just needed to make a ring. That way I didn't have to clean up my beads! lol.

Silver lined amber and matte green ring, size 8.

Yay it's done!

I finished the necklace I was previously working on, and I'm very happy with how it turned out. I used copper cones to make a nice neat end, a copper wire guardian to keep the thread from fraying, and a copper clasp. I hope the lovely lady is as happy with it as I am!

What I've been working on...

A festival friend of mine asked me to make an earthy necklace with amber in it for his girlfriend. I must refrain from names for the sake of all parties involved, however, I thought I'd post my progress pics here. I decided on a 2-drop spiral in matte green and silver lined amber, with amber chips in the middle, seperated by copper spacer beads. I'm about 75% done with it, and should have it completed by the end of the weekend.

I love music

Last night I attended a free concert in Groton, CT, at Esker Point Beach. My handsome husband and I arrived at 4-ish, greeted by several friends and then the band members. The band is the Ryan Montbleau Band. I've known these guys for a few years now, and they're some of the most talented musicians I've ever met, yet not a one of them is stuck up or egotistical. Months before I even got engaged, I told Ryan that they would be playing my wedding. Yes...it was pretty much an order. Lol.
If you ever have the chance to attend one of their shows, I highly reccomend it. You will boogie your ass off I guarantee it. Even if you are not normally a dancer and fancy the chair or the wall you will feel the music move slowly through you. By the end of the night you'll be groovin and feeling the good vibe. If you consider yourself a person who appreciates good music, lyrics, rythms, then you won't be dissapointed.
Introduce yourself and say hello to the guys. Not while they are playing music obviously. And maybe that should go without saying but I've seen that shit before...and I'm not talking shouting out song requests but crowd members trying to actually trying to strike up a conversation with individual band members while they are singing and playing. Um, hello? McFly?
They will love to have a conversation with you after the show. Ryan (guitar), Matty (bass), Larry (viola), Jason (keys), James (drums), and Yahuba (percussion) are all down to earth and truly appreciate comments about thier playing, and will inevitably thank you for coming to the show. All around great people.
I love those guys, I feel blessed to call them my friends.


More jewerly related posts later, I promise...but it's noon here, I have the day off from work, the sun is shining, and the hoop is calling. Time to put on some music, stretch, and head outside.

I'm always tickled when I'm browsing through the Etsy treasuries and find that little yellow star, indicating an item of mine has been features. Thank you StudioJMK for including my bracelet!

Etsy Bead Weavers July Challenge - "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

As you may or may not know, I am a proud member of the Etsy Bead Weavers Street Team. This is a group of support and inspiration from fellow bead weavers.
This month I entered my first ever challenge, the theme being "A Midsummer Night's Dream". I took this theme as an opportunity to use up some of those blue beads I've been hoarding.
This bracelet was SO fun to make, the randomness of freeform is a beautiful thing, I love just picking up that needle and seeing what happens.
I used about 16 different colors for this beautiful bracelet, including delica seed beads, toho seed beads, swarovski crystals, bugle beads, and a few glass beads. A beaded toggle clasp blends seamlessly into the design like no premade clasp can.
The focal cabochon is an abalone/paula shell, encased in woven seed beads. The shell measures 5/8" wide by 7/8" tall.
To vote on this challenge, please visit the Etsy Bead Weavers blog Etsy Beadweavers Blog Voting begins July 9th.

Its been a whirlwind of a month

and I've been a busy beader! My latest "goddess" series is coming along nicely. I have 2 dreadlock sleeves made, and I'm currently working on an "upcycled" product. I am beading around used metal containers to turn them into portable ashtrays. They don't have to be used as ashtrays of course, you could put whatever you like in there. The portable ahstrays are a work in progress, but check out the latest dread sleeves, they'll be available for purchase on my etsy site shortly: