Hey Ma look! A mistake!

So the last few weeks, I've noticed this trend in my jewelry that I'm making silly 'mistakes' in many of my pieces.  Now, keep in mind...I'm not seeing these 'mistakes' until the piece has been made and usually photographed, that I see it - grrrr!  There are times that being a perfectionist blows!  HOWEVER, I've decided that there are no mistakes in HANDCRAFTED art, these imperfections show it's HANDCRAFTED!  No big box company would EVER let a piece with a 'mistake' leave the warehouse...but since I decide what goes out the door....imperfections give my piece character!

I present to you my value-enhanced, handcrafted, necklace 'WOODn't you like to own me?'

http://www.etsy.com/listing/129882806/yellow-purple-blue-pink-and-brown-wood

Putting the FUN Back In My Life

Holy Crickets has it been a loooooooong winter here!  Just this week - we had another FOOT of SNOW!!  THIS is why I moved to DC!

As you can imagine, gray skies and a bunch of personal drama (You can help by clicking here) has REALLY damped my spirits.  I've been struggling with depression for most of my life and after being here just 1 winter, I know why.  It's just SO dark, gray and dreary for SO long!  I miss the sun, I miss playing in the Cherry Blossoms and I miss the freedom of SPRING!  This has also been evident in my jewelry...pretty boring or not even happening at ALL.  SO sad and making me feel even worse about things. 

A few days ago, I'd had enough.  It's time to start putting some FUN back in to my life.  SO....here is the fruit of that labor. 

You WOODn't Know It's Spring....

I Went To A Craft Show and Came Home Hammered

I SAW her standing there..

 No Need To Be Crabby, Linda!

Shameless Plug...Or Beg

Friends - Many of you know that due to some unforeseen circumstances, I ended up moving home last summer rather hastily.  I'm DESPERATE to get my things back to me...including my car, hospital style bed, camera, other jewelry supplies, clothing, shoes... everything.  If YOU feel led to Help A Sistah Out, would you?  ANY donation will help!  THANK YOU! 

http://www.gofundme.com/2hw19k

BEAD SOUP! Nom Nom!

BEAD SOUP REVEAL!!!

Ok some of you are like...uh...what?!

Several months ago, I joined a little group known as Bead Soup Cafe and what we do there is several times a year, a very SWEET and ORGANIZED woman opens up the opportunity to exchange "Bead Soup" with a partner, who has a style quite different from your own.  You are given a few weeks to put together a BANGING piece of jewelry from what is sent to you.  It is requested that you send REALLY nice beads and must have a clasp as well as a 'focal' piece.  Over 500!! People signed up and you can see them all right here: http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/2013/03/7th-bead-soup-blog-party-first-reveal.html

My partner was a very kind and adorable lady named Jackie and her blog is: http://jaacquelinesjewels.blogspot.com/ - please take a moment to visit!  She's from the great Commonwealth of Kentucky! (I don't think KY is a state? - anyway)  She sent me a beautiful mixture of beads that she made and thought would go together swimingly. =)  

If I'm being honest, it was a challenge for me (and it should have been).  I'm much more of a bright, chunky, silvery kinda gal and was presented with a mixture totally out of my comfort zone.  If I'm being more honest - i LOVED it!  I LOVED being stretched to look at things I wouldn't typically gravitate towards and making it kinda fit my style.  SO - without further adieu I give you what was sent to me.  

 

And THIS is what I made!!!   I LOVE IT!! =)  OH and she MADE the STUNNER of a pendant and the matching beads - she MADE THEM!!

Day 6 - Use a different metal

Today's challenge is to try a different metal - here I come copper....

Typically, I'm a silver girl.  I don't know why - I just like it.  Today's challenge was to use a different metal, so I went with copper.  I found these GORGEOUS earring pieces and purchased these stunning vintage, czech glass beads and found out how beautiful they look together!  Proud of this one. =)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/125688978/vintage-copper-and-green-earrings

Day 5 - Use some leftovers

YAY!  Use some leftovers!! 

These beads are awe-some!  When I first started beading, I purchased these little tubes of glass beads.  They were a nice variety for a good price and at that point, I was still a beginner and didn't need anything fancy (do I NEED fancy now?  NO!).  I've come to LOVE these beads because I can make ADORABLE pieces for a decent price and still good quality.  These beads are some of my oldest and some of my favoritest!  OH - and I made a new product too - medical id bracelets. =)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/125580554/multicolor-medical-id-bracelet

Day 4 - Try a New Beading Weave....um...

So - today is "Try a New Beading Weave" day - I don't bead weave.  Instead, I decided to do 'Finish a project' day...so that's what I did. 

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I will be having a piece of my jewelry in BeadStyle Magazine (the largest in the World), in July!  I made this piece in the same style as the piece that will be in the magazine.  I made it a little more formal/bridal - just because I could. =)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/125571526/pearl-crystal-silver-bib-style-necklace

Day 3 - A piece for a friend

A few weeks ago, a girlfriend asked me to create a badge holder for her, for her newly minted badge!  I have been working on a few different options for her and am awaiting her decision on which she likes best =)

YAY!  I also made another badge that could be purchased by anyone, but is simply beautiful, if I do say so myself. =)

https://www.etsy.com/listing/125572285/badgelanyard-holder-silver-and-clear

Day 2: A simple strung necklace

A simple strung necklace - I chose to re-do a necklace I had that hadn't sold.  Here's the new...


Here is day 2:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/100672149/pink-cream-and-silver-necklace

And the old:

Giving it a Whirl!

In my last post, I talked about not being in my bead room, enough.  SO!  I have decided to do a 30 day beading challenge.  An online supplier has issued a challenge and offered a calendar of 30 days of beading fun and I'm going to give it a whirl!

Day 1:
A pair of earrings
https://www.etsy.com/listing/125259832/light-blue-springy-wire-earrings