A Wandering Heart

The current color challenge for the BAO etsy team includes olive green, eggplant, and bronze. The olive green I had no problem with, the eggplant on the other hand puzzled me. I ended up going to the craft store and buying a bottle of "eggplant" paint and then matching my beads to that. I call it purple! But for the sake of the challenge my purple is the exact color of the eggplant paint!

My daughter saw this little saying and liked it so I decided to use it. It is so true, just because you look like you are wandering without out purpose or plan doesn't really mean much. If God is in control of our lives and our plans are His plans...There is a distinct path. Often others can't see it because it is narrow and on small stones instead of wide sidewalk. My heart is not lost, just on the narrow path.

Don't Rain on my Parade

I didn't realize that it had been so long since I had posted.
In my mind of course, I blog daily!
Of course I'm working on some new things for summer. Bead embroidery has consumed my time lately. It could be reverting back to my childhood days of actual embroidery, or those days of smocking. Which ever the appeal. I find it very rewarding.

It is often hard to turn a negative into a positive. That was the goal with this little totem pole face. I loved it's snarling glare, but that doesn't sound very nice. Hence a turn around!! Don't rain on my parade was created. Enjoy!

One before Two

Number one today is to finish my front flower garden. I started reworking it last Friday and haven't gotten back to it. The perennials were going crazy and looking too Snakey.
Number Two is BEADING. I can't do number two until I finish number one.....
I've got a couple of new ideas in my head and can't wait to get those beads strung.
Here is a little taste....
This necklace I finished yesterday.
I was pleased with the mix of bead work along with the metal.
I always struggle to make wearable pieces, not just the art!!!
Going to the yard!!!

Back to the Beginning

Way back when, I'm not so sure how long ago,
I finally figured out how to do the Peyote stitch by doing beaded beads.
I created a great necklace with 3 large beaded beads, then attached them to other glass and vintage beads with wiring.
Mom loved it, my brother and sister in law bought it for her, my cousin saw it....now I'm doing another.
Actually it is finished, photographs to prove it!
I surprized myself that I was faster and neater than on the other necklace.
It was a nice little surprize to my self that I had progressed.
Now if I could every get RAW, or right angle weave as they call it. It has simply alluded me!!
Jordan is at GA Tech this week for tennis camp. He is LOVING it!

Finished the September BeadWeaver Challenge

The challenge Topic for September was:
"Show Your Colors"
We had been discussing how some of beadweavers Have a hard time using bright colors or certain colors so the theme was born.

I knew I wanted to try the bead embrodiery, I'm still learning it and captured by what can be done with it.

I knew that I loved the glass bubbles in all the bright colors...so the piece sort of created itself.

The poll should be up soon so that you can vote on your favorite piece. Click on the the link to the Etsy-beadweavers blog to see the other pieces.

September 11th remembered

Well, life is a little different since the the 9-11 attacks. I think it has made my family a little bit more alert, definitely more aware of surroundings and more careful to say "I love you, have a good day". Make sure that you let all those around you that you love and care for, know how you feel.

I've mentioned my friend Natalie several times, she is such a free spirit. She loves yard sales, flee markets and anything funky and at a good bargain. She bought these great wood hearts. one for me and one for her. This is the necklace that I created for her! I think I'll do one just like it with my heart. You never know we may show up at school wearing them on the same day. Thanks, Natalie!

Still At it...But Not Much Time

WELL, just as I thought, once school has begun I am way busy and have a limited amount of creative time.
I made an awesome trade with a friend of mine, Natalie. She is the pack rat, queen of thrift stores and yard sale junkie number ONE.
I am making her a couple of pieces of jewelry in exchange for a box of vintage beads and buttons. As I decide what I'm going to do I'll post the projects so that you can see them.
This piece was part of an Etsy challenge to make something with the rainbow colors and leave them in the right order. I was very pleased with the way it turned out. You can see it and other items at my Etsy store.

IT'S OVER! summer break that is....

We officially start back to school in 12 hours!
Needless to say it has been a crazy week getting the room ready, meeting the kids, getting my teenagers ready, keeping the house clean so that real estate agents can show it!!
I am ready to get started though. I love the new beginning, a fresh set of kids, I even bought me some new pens and folders!
Hopefully we'll feel fall in the air soon, it is stifling HOT.
The thing that I'll miss most is the time that I won't get to bead, blog, list and promote!! I'll just have to fit everything into the little available slots I guess.

This is one of my newest necklaces. It is one of the Knots that I love to do in Free form Peyote. This one is more horizontal than vertical. The colors are a yummy pink,light olive, taupe and burgandy!

Here is to a great school Year.

CRAZY

Whew...who knew it would be so crazy and hard to get a house ready for sale.There are millions of houses up for sale and I just can't imagine that every one of those people are working this hard!!

The house is looking fantastic. they came out and took pictures the other day and most of them were incredible. They were definitely enticing enough to make you want to see the house in person!

I've been fitting a little beading in ...just for sanity sake...and to be able to list new things. I really hate to just re list an item to be seen.

This is the latest necklace that I finished/
I called the piece " Tutti Fruiti"
I'm in love with the pink, Orange, yellow combo.
I guess i need to move to another color combo soon.
Happy Sunday, dawn

Tuesday - back to beading

House is up for sale!
going crazy trying to keep it clean!

what should I do?
Bead!

I've been wanting to make this necklace for a year.
Its been in my mind trying to be created. So I finally got to it.
I named it TROPICANA.
It is full of beaded beads and beaded loops that are embellished. I use peyote stitch in most of it. There are glass beads and vintage beads mixed in. The parts are connected with sterling wire.

I did list it today on my Etsy store, but I might just have to "buy"it for myself.
I'm working on another one in the same colors but totally different style.I hope I can finish it today.

good luck with the beading today!

For Sale - Finally

Well, We have finally done it.
Lisa came today with the sign.
This is a picture of Lisa, our agent and Keith putting the sign out.
We went and bought a few plants to sit on the porch, and have a few odds and ends to do but basically we are there!

I'm working on a custom piece and a necklace that I envisioned last year and never did. So now that I'm not painting I can bead a little bit.

Monday I'll start cleaning again.

Middle of the Week

Well, I totally look like I have some weird skin disease. I painted the back porch and the upstairs porch yesterday with a brick red oil base paint. Needless to say ,I was not very neat when it came to my feet. I guess I can't wear my flip flops in public for a few days! All of the painting is finished!!!YEA!!! Today is clean the house like a maniac day. Hopefully after tomorrow I can actually spend some time beading. I sure miss my daily dose.
This piece I did a while ago.. just rephotographed it. I think that it fits with the beachy summer theme I've got going on.
i did go in and rename some of my jewelry. They weren't coming up on searches and should have. I'll check today.I just think that If you put in the exact title, it should come up!

Monday - Almost there

My son Jordan did okay in his tennis tournament this weekend. He didn't win or place but we can see how his game is improving. He will play again this weekend so we'll see how he does then. For those watching the progress, we called the real estate agent and we are set to list on Wednesday afternoon.Still cleaning and doing a few touch up things but man are we close. Were praying that it sells incredibly fast!!We would love to be in a new house before school starts in August.

I just can't seem to help doing these beachy, shell pieces.I must be getting some salt air breezes during the day.( likely chance since we are at least 5 hrs. from the beach) But here is the lastest piece I listed on Etsy today.
It is intitiled " Seaweed Treasures " I wrote a catchy little poem to go with it. You can check it out on my etsy store.

Thursday - still the maid didn't show

so.....I'm cleaning baseboards and floors on my hands and knees.
I did get the front porch painted.

New piece i finished last night.

I named it Key Lime Pie and Lemonade.

The rose quartz beads I found at a flee market
in south Fla. I could just imagine some
little southern lady sipping her lemonade
and fanning a gentle breeze!

I started another beachy looking piece today.
Sort of reminds me of fishing nets. Maybe I'll
finish tonight.
Oh.. It might need a little fish..maybe I can
find a fish bead...
this is how all the good pieces evolve..
we'll see

Sunday - The Day of Rest

God knew what He was doing when He
told us to take a day off and rest.

Didn't do any work today.
Went to church and floated
around the pool.

Then wham!!
I got an idea for a necklace
and had to start beading.
I finished one and here it is.

TROPICAL BREEZE DOUBLE LARIAT.

I just got it listed on my Etsy
shop and I've got a similar one in
my head waiting on my fingers to get busy.

Hot and Hazy days of June

Its hot,
hazy,
summertime,
in Georgia..
No better place to be.

This is WOODS AND STREAM necklace
that I just listed on Etsy.
Think cool, bubbling stream,
gentle breeze the smells of a forest.

Happy Saturday.. gotta get to work!

busy week ahead

This was a fun piece to make. It actually started out as a Peyote choker and just didn't look like I wanted it to, so I started knoting it and adding larger beads. This was the result. Often things don't turn out like I start them. Thats the charm of creativity!! I have a couple of pieces I'm working on now, maybe I'll finish today and show them. That is if I get the kitchen Cabinets painted. Thats my real goal for the day. Toodaloo.

Saturday

I just listed a new piece on my etsy sight. Here's the picture. This one is called KNOT AFRAID OF COLOR. Talk about a process.. this one started out as a half inch wide peyote strip that I was going to embellish with beads. It never looked right,so I started tying knots with the beaded strip and this was the creation!!

On our way to the tennis courts, hopefully I can get some good shots of my son,Jordan.

Easter Morning...

HAPPY EASTER MORNING!!

Easter is about life, creation, purpose, passion, enthusiasm.

It is about being, about living, not giving up or settling.

It is about always trying.

It is about being who you were created to be and savoring the reality of knowing that there is no one else like you!!

My goal on friday was to make a necklace with the beads shown below. This baby took a mind of its own. I thought I had the thing finished just using 2 colors of pink and 1 color of green seed beads. When I went to hang it on some type of necklace, nothing looked right. It was too prissy to wear with jeans or a t-shirt. I think that a necklace should be able to be worn dressy and casual, the same piece. SO out came the brown and this evolved... I love it ..hope you do. While this was progressing the second necklace hatched out of my head and I had to do it really fast before I forgot it. Many of the same colors but a totally different look and feel. I'll list them on my shop site this evening. Have a blessed and creative day, dawn