Breast Cancer Awareness

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and did you know that one in every eight women will experience the disease at some point in her life? Early detection is important and organizations like the National Breast Cancer Foundation are working hard to help women get early diagnosis and treatment.

Wear pink in a big way and support breast cancer awareness.

All profits from the sale of this  necklace will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Shop CAREFREE JEWELRY BY LISA

Freshwater Pearl Earrings

I am always amazed by the variety of colors and sizes of freshwater pearls that are available on the market today.  And have been adding quite a few to my inventory but don't expect to be holding on to them for very long. These deep grays are perfect for a simple pair of sterling silver earrings.

And then there's those little green coin pearls... so delicate.  Sigh, if only I had the whole strand for a necklace. But the earrings are nice too!

 I am working on a pearl necklace with even more different kinds of freshwater pearls.  But that one is more of a project so I hope to show it to you soon.

 click here:

Czech Glass Bead Bracelet and Earrings

Colorful triangle shaped Czech glass beads are a great start for a simple patinated copper wire bracelet.

And then I had to go and make some earrings too!

You can stop by my shop to see them anytime.

OPEN 24 hours!!!

CarefreeJewelry.Etsy.com

Summer Garden

 A few things from my garden.

Meyer Lemon

Lady Slippers

Moss Roses

Succulents

(specific name unknown)

How is your summer growing?

Click here for more great shots:

           

A Good Ol' Swap...

My blogging friend Kathy over at KathyinOzarks had run across some lovely blue green Czech glass picasso finish beads that she wanted to have made into a bracelet...and we decided to do a swap. I would make her some form of wrap-around style bracelet adding beads and materials from my personal collection and she in turn would provide me with some of her wonderful handmade soap.

I decided to try working with memory wire, adding a variety of different spacers and a few complimenting Czech beads of my own. Here is the result:

Can't forget the pressed coin beads used at the ends and tied off with sari silk ribbon. Such lovely beads, and a fun project to complete.

Now onto the soaps! I received two bars and a moisturizer which I absolutely adore. The butter moisturizer is made with sweet almond oil and has a wonderful light clean fragrance. The consistency is like whipped butter -and I am using this moisturizer every night. The soaps are also sure to be favorites. One is glycerin with dried calendula petals and the 2nd is a goat milk with pink Himalayan salt (for abrasive). The fragrances are amazing, my favorite is the goat milk bar which smells like honey.

I love the idea of trading different kinds of handmade goods. It was an awesome swap!

Thanks Kathy

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KathyinOzarks Handmade Soaps

Yellow Bead Earrings

Extra long Sterling Silver Earrings

measure 3 inches in length.

Hand hammered Sterling Silver,

I am going for a primitive look...

 New.

Stop by my Etsy shop.

July-Oween !

Getting ready for Halloween early this year.

Have you ever celebrated Christmas in July?
                                                           ...well just think of this as another variation.

                                                                           Cute,  

       and a little creepy.

"Tis the Season" beads by Cousin

Find them at A.C. Moore

Pearls Pearls Pearls

The 2014 Bloghop

Thank you MiShel for again sponsoring this wonderful bloghop

-and here are my pearls...

I decided to experiment with glass pearls and crystals this time around and am seeking a more "extravagant" look. Perhaps next time I will try genuine. ;)

The true advantage of working with glass is of course the $ cost. -And all these beautiful luxuriant pearls are available by Cousin at AC Moore if you happen to have one of those stores close to you.

Now to see more stunning designs be sure to stop by MiShel Designs and see what she has done with pearls and real gold. Its absolutely fabulous!

click here:

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Making a Bale Part II

The handmade sterling silver bale...

 

Here is a little summary of the steps I took to make the bale.  

First I cut a 1x2 inch strip of 26g silver sheet and applied texture by hammering it with heavy grit sandpaper.

Next I cut and sanded the edges of the oblong shaped bale and prepared it for drilling. A single hole would be used to fit a small rivet. I like to tape down my pieces with clear scotch tape to keep them secure and see exactly where I am drilling.

 After drilling the hole I annealed the bale with a butane torch to keep the metal soft and get it ready for bending the shape in half to hold the rock pendant.  I decided to use a silver headpin for a rivet.

The flat bale was bent over a stainless steel rod that was roughly the same thickness as the rock pendant. Once the bale was bent and fitted to the pendant I drilled the second hole at the back of the bale using the original first hole as a guide to insure a good fit. Next I inserted the silver headpin/rivet with the head of the pin showing at the front of the bale. At the back I trimmed the pin to a shorter length suitable for hammering. The rivet was actually trimmed back about half again as much as you can see in the photo before actually hammering to close the end. Its also important to file the rivet flat before hammering.

Finally I annealed and formed 14g sterling silver wire around one of the beads to hold the bale.

And here is the final result.

A great costume piece. I think I will call it:

"Wilma"

(After one of my favorite childhood cartoon characters... can you guess which one?)

Leafy Green Necklace

 

Another Bead Crochet Necklace...

 

 

 

 

Love that silver leafy toggle clasp!

 

 

 

New at my shop.

Click here for more information.

Can't Pass on This Give Away!

Oleander Blooms

Art and Tree Chatter is sponsoring a give away you simply cannot pass up. If you win, take your pick from more than a dozen flowered resin bracelets. $50 value. Gorgeous! You have to see.  Just click the button below:

Charmed by Charms at Jo Ann's

Love these new interchangeable charms and bracelets! Have you noticed that golden hand shaped charm before? It's an ancient symbol thought to bring good luck and happiness. You can find out more about the history of this symbol by
clicking here to About.com.

 

 

Look for Cousin's fun new connecting charms and bracelets in silver and gold at
Jo Ann Fabric and Craft Stores.

 

 

Stack a bunch together. Perfect for summer wear.

 

 

This is just a small sampling of the many interchangeable charms and styles available.

Stop by Jo Ann to see more.

 

 

;)

 

 

Making a Bale

Designing with gemstone beads and a matching focal by Cousin. 

I will keep you updated on my progress.

 

 

 

What's on your bead table today?

 

 

 

 

New Projects - Bead Crochet

 A new 22 inch bead crochet necklace completed with 8/0 seed beads in blue. black and violet.

This pattern was a new experiment and I am happy with the results.

 

You can click here to see it at my Etsy shop.

 

 

 

 

Desert Flowers at Sunset

Sunlight at the end of the day.

 

 

Shadows -

 

 

Muted colors -

 

 

Can you see the nest?

 

 

Sunset

 

A pleasant weekend- now on to Monday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Green Hematite Necklace

Prima Bead has a great new selection of hematite in different colors and sizes. I could not resist picking some up and had to show you the project made from them. The necklace strand was made by alternating 2mm matte rainbow hexagons with green/blue squares.

 

The green bell shaped focal has to be seen in person to appreciate the way it changes color, captures and reflects light. It was cut and polished from glass fibereye by David Horste. I purchased it a fair number of years ago and you can find similar beads at his etsy shop.

The sterling silver connector has a nice textured finish and I made it by drilling, cutting and sanding the shape from a strip of silver sheet. The silver had been previously textured by putting it through a rolling mill with heavy grit sandpaper.

I also made the clasp using 14 gauge sterling silver wire, quality jewelry pliers and a chasing hammer.

 

A fun project made in just around 4 hours.

 

For sale at my Etsy shop soon.

 

 



A Daffodil

Adding to 30 Words Thursday...

 

 

 

 

 

Spring, a time for great inspiration, creativity and thought. There is so much beauty in this world – only if we take time to look.

Expression, only as an artist can.

 Thank you Erin at Treasures Found!

 



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