A couple of things

Well, I thought once the holidays were over and the decorations put away, I would be able to settle into my winter routine.  But, I was really busy again last week and so I haven't gotten to do much creating!  But, I did manage to finish a square for the Bead and Button Bead-It-Forward bead quilt.  For the last two years, Kathy at Bead Soup  has had a get together on New Year's Day to make squares for the quilt. Kathy then collects all the beaders' squares and sends them off to Bead and Button.  I can't make it to the shop that day but this year I decided to make a square on my own.  The theme this year is flowers and I decided to bead embroider my square.  This is what it looks like finished and ready to go.

 

 

I used a ribbon flower that was a sample for my friend Christen Brown's book, Ribbonwork Gardens.

I backstitched with 11's and a drop bead mix and then stitched the flower in the middle. 

 

 

When that was finished I really wanted to do some wire work.  I had treated myself to several C-Koop components when Bead Soup had a trunk show of their fantastic enameled components.  I told myself it was a Christmas present to me!  So, I wanted to make a bracelet with some of the pieces and I decided to make one similar to the squirrel bracelet I made my daughter in the fall.  

This is what I came up with.

 

 

 

I had gotten 6 flowers on head pins and I used three in the bracelet.  You'll be seeing the others soon in another piece I have in mind! There is a base piece with holes in it and I wrapped the wire from the head pin around the base and coiled the ends to look like tendrils.   I used copper wire for the bracelet and two enameled bead.  I used an enameled toggle to finish it. 

 

That's about all I've accomplished this month.  I think things are finally settling down and so I hope to show you the other things I have in mind for the rest of my gift to myself!

 

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you have a good day and that you get to spend some time making something fun!   





Another Fall post

Well, Thanksgiving is behind us and we have an extra week to get ready for Christmas.  I've actually gotten a lot of my shopping done.  I always want to have my gifts taken care of before Thanksgiving but it never happens.  This year I'm about half way there!  Hooray!!  So, I thought I'd share a bracelet I made for Fall, though it wasn't for me.

My daughter loves squirrels.  I found this great bracelet link at Beadaholique several weeks ago.  I knew I had to use it to make a bracelet for her.  I also ordered some small ceramic beads to go with it.  Here's the bracelet.



I used copper wire for the bracelet which I oxidized with Liver of Sulfur.  She loves it and that makes me happy!!!  I do have some new Fall tags I made that I'll share next week and then it will be on to Christmas and all the fun stuff there is to create for that great holiday!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and, by now, are over the food stupor!  Thanks for taking the time to visit.