Grow Your Blog Party!

Well the big day has finally arrived and I am looking forward to meeting some new bloggers and expanding my horizons a bit! I just found our blog hop sponsor, Vicki over at 2 Bags Full.  She does wonderful things with yarn and loves to travel and blog about it.

 

For those of you interested, I have been operating this little blog for over a year now. As the banner states, I love to talk about arts, crafts and jewelry... the things I like to do, and what others are up to too! And like many, have been expressing myself artistically since an early age. My interests really began in drawing and painting but over the years, have gravitated more toward jewelry making -metal and bead work to be more specific. I have also tried my hand at lots of other artsy crafty mediums and have a healthy respect for those that put serious time into it. I live in the Southwestern United States and gather great inspiration from landscape and wildlife. Hope you enjoy my blog and plan to follow along ;)

 

And now for the BIG surprise! Hey hey its a give away, and ANYONE MAY ENTER!!!! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. Isn't that easy? Just be sure that I can find your email address in case you happen to be the lucky winner of this 24 inch red peyote stitch necklace (made by me of course!):

 

 

 

 

Get your entry in by January 31st! The winner will be announced on February 1st!!!!!

 

Also stop by 2 Bags Full to check out all the wonderful participants by clicking here ;)

 

 

 

 

A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss

An Interesting proverb that carries many different meanings. Today I like to think of it as:

 

Those who keep moving never lack in fresh ideas or creativity.

 

 

   I took these stones out of my rock tumbler today to check and see how they were progressing.  They are in phase 2 of the grinding and polishing process. 

 

 

The directions always say to keep tumbling the stones with this particular grit until shiny. To me, they look smooth but not shiny. So back to the tumbler they must go for me to check another day ;) 

 

 

These close-ups for iheartMacro make me begin to wonder about the stones' actual smoothness.

 

 

Hey, they're just rocks. Its all relative... I guess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here for more great shots:

 





 

Fluorite and Pearl Earrings

Hypoallergenic niobium earrings with flourite beads and freshwater pearls.

 

 

Party Time!

Beautiful swarovski crystals and chain...

 

 

 

This works perfectly with a black evening dress, don't you agree?

 

 

 

Many thanks to Prima Bead for supplying the chain and crystals.

Stop by their site by clicking here.

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Merry Christmas!!

A rare daytime public appearance to investigate holiday decorations.

 

 

"I vant to be alone dahling" - She is so camera shy...

 

 

I feel like a loathsome papparazzi, having overstepped the mutually agreed upon boundaries.

...You don't even want to see or count the outtakes.

I have had an easier time of it attempting to capture wildlife photos outside.

But all is forgiven now and so we wish you a:

 

 

Merry Christmas!!

 

 

 

 

Christmas Holiday Necklaces

Have put two new Christmas holiday necklaces together with some beautiful components courtesy of Prima Bead. I do my best to avoid keeping a large inventory of beads around and Prima offers a gorgeous variety of fine quality glass crystals in just the right quantities.

 

This second candy cane necklace is done in beautiful faux pearls with a sterling silver plated toggle clasp.  The colors are so deep and rich looking, I think it will work perfectly with a nice sweater on Christmas day.

 Click here to stop by and visit Prima Bead.

Hoping you are happy, healthy and enjoying all the fun of this holiday season!

 

 

And the Owl Necklace goes to...

Following a thorough and scientific drawing process,

with an independent 3rd party officiating,

 

 

the winner is:

 

 

 

 

Yay!!  Congratulations to Yolande ;)