Vintage button necklace…

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This is what you get after watching a night of royal wedding coverage.  I'm serious!  It all happened so subconsciously.  A pretty vintage button, a few crystals, some nostalgia and blingo!  And besides, anything to use a vintage button for jewelry, right?  To make this I used a large Katiedid component, Beadalon gunmetal chain, button with round shank on back, Swarovski crystals, 3mm coral beads, and a Vintaj Arte metal leaf charm. Also, I sanded the Katiedid and put a coat of liver of sulphur on it….to antique it a bit, you know?

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The button with a round shank on the back made it so I could string it just like a bead with the same head pin it's hanging from.  Use a touch of tubing on both sides of the shank to center it—no adhesive required (jic you want to use your button for something else later on).  Ok?

I've always loved vintage.  If I was going to prom, I would wear this little gem.  Or the Royal Wedding for that matter.  Hey, a girl can dream!

Preciosa and Vintaj….Love.


 

Right before Christmas I headed to Cleveland to tape a segment for Beads Baubles and Jewels. It was a blast seeing and meeting new friends.  Katie Hacker has some great pictures on her blog from the week.  Beads Baubles and Jewels has tons of interesting techniques if you are looking for new ideas to expand your jewelry making repertoire.  The above video is from a segment I did this summer that has already aired featuring John Bead's Preciosa Crystal Pendants.  I also used Beadalon's gunmetal chain and Vintaj's natural brass components.  You can find a detailed picture and instructions for this piece here.  I hope you have a great day that includes doing something creative. 

*The television show, Beads Baubles and Jewels airs on PBS.

Merry 2011…

"Merry 2011!"  This is what my college freshman cousin texted back to me after I wished his family (who were somewhere skiing–I love their NYE style btw) a Happy New Year.  It made me smile and giggle.  He is refreshing!  

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This is me and Rocker earlier today, warm and toasty in our new cabin digs and oh so lucky to have each other.  Rocker suggested we give you our best mysterious model look.  Did we get it?  Haha.  We love us some PhotoBooth!  Which leads me to I got a new computer finally….I converted to Mac-alisism! Praise the Lord!  My old one was old and that's all I need to say.  Ok, but I feel like I'm driving a caddy when I work on this thing.  Smooth.  Fast.  I love it!  

2010's life brought ups and downs…just like every year.  I'm lucky, that's one thing I know for sure.  I made so many new friends this past year and a beautiful new place to live and work fell from the stars into my lap.  Still no "Mr. Right."  I think that's ok for now though.  I found that my work really grew and changed this year and some neat projects fell into my lap.  I tried some new things, like my first Steampunk necklace that uses Jangles parts featured in Winter 2010 Stringing magazine.  

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Thank you everyone who has friended me on facebook.  Facebook…whoulda thought?!  If you haven't, please come on over and look me up!  I want to also say thank you to those of you who purchased my Metalworking 101 for Beaders book this past year and dropped lines to say hello.  I have a few goals for 2011 and one of them is to teach more creative jewelry workshops anywhere and everywhere starting with the Indiana Bead Society on March 19th.


 

There's lots more, but I'll stop here.  I like this song  so I'm sharing!  It gives me that get-up-and-go-do-whatever-you-need-to-get- done-energy….which is what I'm all about this year.

Picture Blocks…

Hello Crescendoh.com readers!  Thanks for clicking over…   It's an honor to be featured on Crescendoh-thank you, Jenny.  Dear readers, I do hope you find some fun ideas over here from food to crafts, I love living a creative life.

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These photo blocks seem really timely since I have a few friends with babies on the way.  I can see them tucked in a nursery with pictures of grandma and grandpa or siblings.  Although, I think they are fun for big kids (like me) too.  You can find sweet little blocks in antique stores and ebay for around $1 each. 

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I pulled the twirly wire photo holders from a pre-made photo holder.  Michael's has some unfinished wood blocks with the coils right now for 99cents that you could use (they were tucked in a dollar rack at our store).  Drill a hole in the center of the block, string some beads and even a thimble on the wire and glue them in the hole.  Done!

A moment of silence now as this week I have managed to lose my SD camera card that had 1090 pictures on it.  Shame on me for not downloading them sooner.  Argh.  Lesson learned.  Although, maybe now that I have admitted to losing it to the world, it will turn up!  Fingers crossed.