"Jewelia"s" New Dress

Last year I introduced you to my dress form-"Jewelia".  

At the time she was showing off her new finery-a dress made of vintage crocheted doilies.

This is what she looked like then...

Recently while getting prepared for an outdoor show I decided "Jewelia" 

needed something a little more exciting and colorful.  

After looking for a vintage 1950s prom dress without success, 

I decided to make one myself. 

One yard of satin fabric and six yards of tulle later this is the dress I came up with-

"Jewelia" graced my show and was a hit drawing the attention to my booth I was looking for.

This is the new "Jewelia"....

Bracelet Make-Over

This is the bracelet I made at Bead Fest in Kim St. Jean's "Ruffled Bracelet" class.

While I loved learning the fold forming technique, I'm don't think I would 

wear this bracelet-it's not quite my style. So I felt a bracelet "do-over" was called for.

I took it apart, re-annealed it and then was able to cut it into 3 separate pieces.

This is what I made with 2 of the pieces...now I do really like them!

Have you done any "do-overs"?

Bead Soup Reveal Day

It is finally here-"Reveal Day"-can't wait to show you what I made...

My "SOUP" partner is Loretta Carstensen of designsbyloretta.blogspot.com.  Loretta lives in South Ogden, Utah.   She is retired and along with making jewelry loves to travel with her husband.

This is the "bead soup" I received. 

Thanks, Loretta for a beautiful "soup"!

The large red beads are glass African trade beads 

and the small ones are red jasper. I don't know what the focal bead is. 

Please let me know if you do.

In the beginning I didn't think this would be such a hard challenge but the more I looked at it the harder it became. I wanted to complement the focal and not overpower or take away from it. After much thought and deliberation, I finally decided the focal needed some wire wrapping...but that was only part of the necklace.  Again, I had to set it aside and ponder how to add just the right chain to set it off.  This is the design I came up with.

The toggle clasp was bright brass that I patinated to match the bronze wire links.

I also made a pair of earrings using the red jasper beads.

The African trade beads will remain in my stash for a while waiting patiently for an idea to "pop" into my head...so until later be sure to check out Loretta's blog along with all the other participants in the Blog Hop.

I'm off to blog hop and see what you made...

Thanks again, Lori for a fun Bead Soup Blog Hop!

Latest Blooms

So beautiful...I just have to show them

Outside my Window

Couldn't resist...this is what is growing in my yard-

 The irises are in full bloom...

 The azaleas have been so beautiful but are beginning to fade...

Bead Fest

Just coming back down to earth from my adventure at Philadelphia Bead Fest.  This was my first time attending Bead Fest. Living  in a small town with limited access to great "bead" shopping, I have to say seeing so many beads in one place was sensory overload. But I soon recovered and found lots of goodies!

I was fortunate to take classes from two great jewelry artists, Linda Larsen and Kim St. Jean.

Linda Larsen taught the first class "Lockets".

These are some of  her class samples...

There was lots of sawing, which I hate but I did get better at it and maybe don't hate it quite as much.  We learned techniques for making a hinge and shaping the locket but  having it "snap" closed  was what we were looking for in the end.

This was my finished locket... so proud of it...not perfect but you have to start somewhere!

My next four classes were with Kim St. Jean.
The classes were "Copper Soldered Necklace", "Ruffled Bracelet", " and "Greek Goddess" and Air Chasing".

 So many techniques and tips learned from Kim-like....

 How to know if you had the flame right...

  Soldering the bezel...

  Making a bail....

 Using a metal brake....

 Annealing metal...

 Fold Forming...

These are my finished pieces...

 Now the hard work begins...trying to remember all I saw and figuring out how to apply the techniques.

The Bead Soup I Sent

This is the "Bead Soup" I sent my partner, Loretta Carstensen.  I can't wait to seeing her ideas and creation.

A few little packages....

Wrapped in a little handmade pouch...

And this is the soup...

Choice of deer antlers for the focal, a mix of Czech glass beads,

Betel nut beads, wood beads, copper 22 caliber shell casings, 

vintage shell beads, a copper clasp, copper spacers 

with sari silk and voile ribbons.

Bead Soup has Arrived!!

I happy to introduce my "Bead Soup" partner, Loretta Carstensen and show you the "Soup" I received.

First a little about my partner-

Loretta recently moved from Palm Springs, Ca. to South Ogden, Utah to be closer to her family. Loretta is a retired Insurance Agent.  Since her retirement, she volunteers at the local hospital.  She also has a travel trailer and enjoys traveling with her husband.

She likes creating all kinds of jewelry and makes a lot of her own beads and pendants from polymer clay. Loretta said she was buying a lot of polymer beads and decided she wanted to try making them so, she bought a book and taught herself.

I hope you will visit Loretta on her blog, designsbyloretta.blogspot.com to see her creations and learn more about her.

Now for the soup-

Excited to receive this package from Loretta!

Couldn't wait to see what was in it-

Loretta didn't know what the stone is...any ideas?  

The large red beads are glass African trade beads 

and the small red ones are jasper.

I'm going to let the "soup" simmer for a while and on 

May 3rd I'll show you what it became.

How to Make a Bench Block Pillow

For a long time I have been using a piece of rubber under my bench block.  In preparation for going to Bead Fest and the hammering in the classes I am registered for I need a real bench pillow.
This is how I made my new pillow:

Materials:
1/4 yard suede fabric
Lining fabric  (I used an old sheet)
Thread
Sand
BB's

I found suede fabric which doesn't ravel in Hobby Lobby.  It is $9.99 a yard-I only needed 1/4 yard so my cost for the fabric is very reasonable-$2.50-which is enough to make four pillows.

This is the fabric-front and back....

Measure your bench block -is it 2 x 2 or 4 x 4 or another random size?  Draw a pattern of the shape and then add 1" to each side.  I rounded my corners making it easier to turn inside out.
This is my pattern..

Using the pattern, cut two from both the suede fabric.  With right side to right side, sew 1/4" seam around the edge leaving a space open from corner to corner to turn right side out and to insert the lining bag.  I double stitched the seam.  Turn inside out.

Cut two from the lining fabric.  With right side to right side, sew 1/4" seam around the edge leaving a space open to turn right side out.  After turning inside out, stitch close to the edge of the bag.

Place the lining bag inside the cover and fill with a mixture of dry sand and BB's.  Pin the opening and stitch closed twice.

Insert the filled bag inside the cover,pin the opening closed and stitch the opening twice.

My finished bench pillow....

Bead Fest

Remember the song, "I'm so excited!".

Perfect description for me, my friend and I are  registered for Bead Fest Philadelphia in April.  This will be my first time attending a big show like Bead Fest and I am so looking forward to going!  A great opportunity to learn new techniques and to shop, shop, shop!  I don't really know what to expect but I am sure we will be overwhelmed with all the vendors and their offerings.  Kind of like "Country-Come-to-Town! if you know what I mean.

I'm feeling pretty good about having the planning behind us-flight and hotel are booked and workshops have been scheduledr.  And now only two months to go until time!

Can't wait!!!