Even More Stuff

Yikes.  I was reading that Art Fire suggests you have more than 100 items in your shops to boost sales.  So, I have a question.  When I do a craft show people are always saying, There are just so many things, I don't know what to pick!  So, if they are having a hard time in person, then why are tons of choices better on line?  Is it because they are at home?  But, I believe Art Fire so now I'm listing more goodies.  :)  Have a look!

New Bead Sets!

Wooohooo!  I just finished a bunch of new loose bead sets and am ever so happy! And I got a nice photo of the black and white one from the last post.  Take a look, ok?  Thanks!  :D

Aren't these the coolest links?  I had so much fun making them.  There are more sets listed in my Etsy shop.  You can just click on the link over there>>>>>>

Cool Beads!

Once again I am having far too much fun.  I got all these really cool black and white canes so I decided to make some loose beads to sell in my shops.  Then I got really inspired and made 2 wire wrapped stations to add to the set.  What do you think?  Isn't it fun to have the wire in the set?

 Then I made this from serious inspiration from Irina Miech's book.  She's the best wire artist!  Her stuff is just amazing.  I love these beaded bails.  :D

Lava and Ipo

Once again you are probably wondering how Ipo can get into so much trouble when all she does is sleep?  I wonder the same thing.  I think she just decides that, in her awake mode, she'll wreak as much havoc as possible.  Meanwhile, she's asleep and I'm glad.  ;)

While she was sleeping, I made a pair of earrings using a cane from PenniJo.  I call this, "Lava Rose".  I love how the burnt orange Swarovski crystals really sparkle.  :D

Again With The Ipo

Just look at this little brat.  Is she just too cute?  This is the same little kitty that thinks it's great fun to lay all over my clay work and scatter my beads all over the wood floors.  Sigh.................

America

So, I get tired of always hearing that all the world's problems are America's fault.  Personally, I think America is a pretty terrific country and our men and women serving in the military are the world's BEST!  Because I think this, I made this set in honor of our wonderful country and all those in it.  Pretty sparkly, no?  It's dozens and dozens of Swarovski crystals.  I'm going to list it in my shops for any who feel patriotic.  Thanks America!

Fishy Friend

Fishy needed a pal.  I made her one.  :)  I'm going to make a set of 3 to sell as wall art.  What do you all think?  So far...two are here.  :)

Fishy Fun

We were in B&N the other day and I was reading this Aussie beading magazine.  In there I saw this wire fish a woman had made.  When I got home I found a whole box of copper wire from my darling niece.  Heh, heh.  A fishy was screaming to get out so this is what I made.  It's 4 inches long from lips to tail.  I made the jump rings, too.  I think it would be too cute for words in a bathroom, kid's room or kitchen.  It's for sale.  :) A rare Hawaiian fishy.  :O

Easter Necklace Set

I was playing around with some beautiful watermelon colored clay and my friend PennyJo's molds. { Look over there>>>>> for Pj's molds.  She's Best Flexible Molds. }  Anyway, I decided that this luscious watermelon color just screamed spring time and pearls.  So, using PJ's molds, I put a cross on for Faith, a heart for Love and flowers, tendril and leaves for new growth and Hope.  I did the salt beads thing to make the round beads and am very happy with this whole set.  What do you think??

Donuts

Haaa, fooled you!  Not lard donuts but stone donuts.  :O  I got this wonderful book by Irina Miesch on wire working.  Don't you just LOVE the wire beaded bail?  I do!  :D

Why Me??

Now, you all know that I have puce issues.  And so, with that in mind, the following incident happened:

I am wanting to buy some new Swarovski crystals because, no matter how much stuff I have, I NEVER ever have the right size/shape/color for whatever it is I want to make.  Never.  How some people can actually decide to make something and have/order all the proper ingredients, I will never know.  I have 30 billion dollars worth of supplies and I never have just what the recipe calls for.  HOW does this happen?

Anyway, I am happily ordering all kinds of stuff, not one piece will be what I need next time but, no matter.  HAH!  I come upon a color (no picture) that is described as kind of an amethyst opal color.  Now, doesn't THAT sound pretty?, I innocently ask Self.  I should have known.  I should ALWAYS have known.  :(  It should have screamed at me when it didn't have a picture, right?  Wrong.  So, I order a bunch.

I toddle blithely through life until one sunny day, my package arrives.  Yay!  I rush into my studio and rip open the package.

Holy shit.  WHAT is THIS???  They have sent me 144 crystals the color of Geritol.  Swell.  This can't be right.  I think to Self, whiskey tango foxtrot is it with me and puce?  I hate puce.  I am plagued by puce.  But, I am now the unhappy owner of Geritol colored crystals.

So, I start thinking about it.  ALWAYS a mistake.  I have mental images of Adolph and Heinie Swarovski hitting the Jaegermeister and discussing their new puce colored bicones. " Und so, Heinie, dese silly Amerikaners vill buy anyting, ja?  Ja, Dolph, ve can make dese und sell dem to da stupid Amerikaners, dey vill buy dem und dey vill LIKE dem!  Ja, Heinie, have anodder Jaegermeister.  Danke, I vill."  I hate these guys.

So... it will cost me more than I want to spend to return them.  Plus, I probably won't endear myself to the company I bought them from if I insist upon knowing WHY they are selling puce bicones.  So, I put my new Geritol colored bicones away figuring one day I will find a use for them.  I am bummed.

The I get a new beading magazine and decide...YAY!  I will make a fun necklace for Spring and Easter... I figure God probably doesn't mind puce.  I whip out my Swarovskis.  (Heinie and Dolph are passed out cold).  Hmmm, there they are in their little baggie staring at me.  Puce bicones.  Hmmm.

So, I get to thinking.  (Oh NO!)  I recall Pammie, my beading guru, telling me that beads aren't always the color we think they are.  Oh yeah?  Nope, says she... they change color out of their confinement baggies and with/against other beads.  Ok, Pammie knows all.

I get out the puce abominations and dump them on my beading mat.  I now have a mat full of Geritol colored Swarovskis that are loose rather than confined.  Swell.  So, undaunted, I get out all my seed beads and start pairing them with the puce crystals.

OMG!!!! Pammie was right!  Heinie and Dolph...take a hike!  This is what I made, despite Heinie and Dolph's best efforts.  :D  Pretty Easter-ish, yanno?  :D

Yet Another Cuff

I'm on a roll!  :)  Here's another one... what do you think?

Another Cuff and Fun Earrings

And so, I love cuffs!  And I love green.  So... here's a great cuff, don'tcha think? And a fun pair of beady earrings.

The Look of Love

This is the infamous Ipo.  After wreaking havoc all day and getting yelled at went for a nap.  She did this all by herself.  I was looking for the brat and couldn't find her in any of her regular sleeping habitats and there she was under my comforter on the couch.  How cute is this?  :D

Selling Is Hard Work!

It occurs to me that many people have lots of online places they sell.  I have two.  Etsy and ArtFire.  It makes me crazy keeping up with them!  HOW do you guys who have several places manage?  It must be an all day affair.  Get up, drink coffee, sit at the computer.  Eat lunch, go back to the computer, eat dinner, go back to the computer.  Get up the next day, drink coffee and sit at the computer.

Makes me tired thinking about it.  Right now I'm having a break from editing a zillion photos.  Sigh....  This one came out super, tho.  I love this!  What do you think?

Yikes! Blue!

My clay friend Carolyn Stearns made this gorgeous cane and kindly gave it to me. This is what I did with it.  The end caps are flower canes.  Even though I am not a blue person, I just love this set!

And, in my beading frenzy, I also made the the Irish bracelet, too.  :)

Chopped Liver

Due to a very funny remark from my clay Pal Beej's daughter, she will henceforth  be referred to by her new nickname of "Chopped Liver" or CL for short.  :D  Poor CL missed out when I sent Beej a box of goodies.  So, in order to atone for my oversight, I made her this bracelet.  I hope it will let me out of the dog house.  :D

Being Illegal

Hah!  Fooled you, didn't I?  You thought I was going to get into some grim subject.  Nope.  I was just going to say that if I have any more fun, I'll be illegal! :D  I'm beading my little heart out, claying, wire working, and beading some more.  Here are my latest goodies.  Thanks for looking!  :D