Bead Soup Reveal

It is finally here-reveal day!  I'm excited to show you what I made with the lovely bead soup sent by my new friend, Dee Clark.  This is the first time I participated in the Bead Soup Blog Hop and I'm here to tell you that I'm sorry I missed it before.  It has been so much fun visiting other blogs to see not only what they sent and received but to find lots of wonderful blogs and have the chance to meet new creative people. 

This is the soup I received from Dee...

The soup I received from Dee was beautiful and a departure from what I would normally choose to work with.  It has made me more aware that it good to try new things-there is always something to be learned.  While visiting Dee's blog I noticed that she does viking knit.   I have wanted to learn this technique for a long time and this gave me the push I needed to stop putting it off and just do it!  

The lovely mix of Dee's handmade glass beads and ceramic focal called for something special to set them off and I think the viking knit chain did just that.  

The soup also contained beautiful bead caps-the perfect thing to finish the wire wrapped beads.

 The chain is made up of wire wrapped beads and my favorite hammered and soldered circle links.

Dee sent such wonderful mixture that I wanted to use a few more beads.
So this is the second necklace I made using the green poppy jasper and a few of the seed beads.

Hope you like my necklaces!

Now I'm off to see what you made!

Easter Eggs in the Mail!

Don't you just love to get a special treat in the mail?  

I was trying to think of something unique I could send my grandchildren for Easter.  For me the internet has become a treasure trove of wonderful ideas right at my fingertips.  So after a short search I found Making Memories...One Fun Thing After Another blog and Erin had the perfect idea.

Plastic Easter eggs filled with treats and sent through the mail.  Yes, that's right you can mail them without packing them in a box.  WOW! how special is that.  This is something fun that I would love to receive.  Wouldn't you?

What you need:

• Plastic eggs-big ones, not the usual ones that you hide.  (I found mine at Dollar General)
• Easter grass to give the feeling of an Easter basket
• Small treats-wrapped candy, stickers, gum etc.-pack light and it doesn't take much to fill one

Be sure to tape around the middle of the egg so it won't fall open.  Make an address label and take to the Post Office.  It cost $2.24 to mail each one-they were mailed as a small parcel.

Wonder who these are going to...

I wish I could see their faces when they receive them in the mail!

I'm already thinking up something else to mail-this was so much fun!

Aren't Grandchildren Amazing!

I never fail to be amazed by what children say and  am reminded of Art Linkletter's TV show, "Kids say the darndest things".

My five year old grandson doesn't go to preschool on Tuesday's.  He spends the day with me.  While he was with me this week he said, "I wish every day was a Grandmama day!"   

Eli  
five years old

Do they know how to get to us or not...

even when they don't know it.

Published, 2nd Time!

Last week I was in Ornamentea in Raleigh and was surprised to find the latest issue of Jewelry Affaire magazine.  My magazine hasn't arrived so I couldn't wait to look at it!  I have two necklaces featured and they look wonderful even if I do say so.  There is something so exciting about seeing what you created in print and in a beautiful magazine!

The first necklace "In Focus" features  a vintage dress clip and opticians lens.

The second "Wedding Memories" was inspired by a  vintage piece of 1916 sheet music.

 The April issue is full of beautiful jewelry...

Check it out when you have a minute!

New Treasures!

Sunday we went to Raleigh to take our grandsons home. This gave us me an excuse to go to the Flea Market at the NC State Fairgrounds.  It turned out to be a beautiful sunny but windy day.  Lots of sellers and treasures to be found.

Last May I went to Cameron Antiques Fair and came across a dealer that had just what I wanted- lots of interesting jewelry possibilities!  I was overwhelmed with their stash and spent most of my time in their booth.  When I returned to the September show I was disappointed to find that they were not there.

So today was my day! 

I ran into Kristina and I found that they also have an Etsy site, EandO. Check it out when you get chance.  I love their shop announcement! 

"If there is something in particular you are looking for, chances are you can find it here- if you don't see what you need, then we have plenty of what you don't need but will probably enjoy!"  

Here are some of today's treasures...

I am always on the lookout for flatware and even found some of that...

A fun and productive day...

I can't wait to see what it becomes!

Boys Love to Climb a Tree!

Our three youngest grandsons enjoying the beautiful sunny day on Saturday...

Nathan, Noah and Eli

Hope you had time to get out and enjoy the day!

        

New Tools!

I am so excited to show you my new tool.  I made a trip to Raleigh Thursday to pick up two of my grandsons for the week end.  While waiting for school to get out I had time for a quick trip to my favorite shop, Ornamentea.  If you haven't been and are close enough it is worth the trip.  They also have a website.

I've been waiting for a while to buy a dapping set and it was the first thing I saw when I got in the store.  I couldn't decide between this and a smaller version-but in the end thought this would be the best choice.

 This is my other new tool-

This week end is full and sometimes you have to delay gratification-but isn't it hard-so this will have to wait until next week-or maybe later as we have painters coming Monday morning to paint the bedroom and kitchen.

Do you have a dapping set and/or disk cutter?

I would love to see what you made!

Collections

I love to see what people collect and learn how their collections started.  Most times I have found that the collection was not intentional-they just kind of fell into it.  That happened to me with the things I collected over the years.  Some have gone by the way side while others have kept my interest for many years.

My first hobby as a child was collecting stamps-preferring U.S. commemorative stamps. While I still have the collection, this is one I didn't continue.

As a teenager, I collected inspirational quotes and verses. I still have these and have added many more over the years.  

For many years, I collected Depression glass-Hazel Atlas-cobalt blue Moderntone pattern.  I now have a complete set and don't actively look for more but I do have it prominently displayed in my china cabinet.

My next collection began at a yard sale where I bought a vintage wedding cake topper.  This one topper led to many more and to friends and family finding them for me.  After all isn't your collection a great gift idea?  So I have many more than I would have bought myself.  Although I no longer buy these, I still enjoy looking at them and have loaned them for wedding displays.

The one the right started it all!

This brings me to my collection of vintage Carteret County postcards.  In 1998, having newly discovered Ebay, I typed in Beaufort just to see if there was anything for sale. I found my first vintage postcard and  a new and ongoing hobby.  I have cards dating back to 1906 and love the history they document.  This collection led to a book collaboration with my son, Kevin. We researched and used the cards to publish a book detailing the history of Carteret County through these vintage images.  This is the one hobby I still maintain and am always on the look out for a card I don't have.

Do you have a collection?

How did it start?

To Consign or Not??

How did you decide how to sell your jewelry?

This seems more difficult than it should be for me.  Probably like most of you, I started making jewelry because it made me happy and was a great outlet for my creative side.  But then before I knew it, I had lots of jewelry and was wondering what to do with it.  There is only so much that you can wear yourself and/or give as gifts.

Last year  I sold at four of our county Arts Coalition shows.  I met and talked to lots of great people and did very good with my sales.  I have my set up and displays ready to go, so I plan to do this again this year.

This is all well and good but I still enjoy making jewelry and now I'm back at the same spot trying to decide what my next move will be. I want to create when I feel like it, make what I like and not feel like I am pressured to make something all the time.  But with the inventory that I have on hand, I feel like I need to do more than the few shows I did last year.

I'm now at the stage of "Do I do consignment or not".  How do I decide?
How do I get past the idea of all the work I put into making something and then paying 30-40% of the sales price for having it consigned?

Do you sell your jewelry?

Where do you sell?

How did you decide?

Tips and ideas are all welcome...