Wednesday's Worktable

On my worktable today: color!

And not just any color... bright primary colors, that I don't usually put together. At least, not is such a bold fashion.

I've finally gotten a chance to start tackling my backlog of projects... These are designs that I actually planned out months ago, and just haven't gotten a chance to do. (You know, because life has gotten in the way. Bleh.)

One such project involved making this tassel:

...and then making this necklace to go with it:

So much color! I love that the focal bead is two-sided, so you get to choose which mood you're in for the day. 

I also love the fact that I would have completely overlooked these beads if my sister-in-law hadn't admired them. We were shopping together, and she pointed out the focal bead. I would have completely passed it by! So, many thanks to her for helping me step out of my comfort zone and play with something I would have never tried.

And there you go... that's what I'm up to this week. Oh, and I have one more of these bright-and-bold necklaces that I'm working on... I'm about halfway done with the tassel. We'll see how it turns out. :)

Thanks for stopping by today to see what I'm up to... I'm so glad to have something bright and colorful to share.

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

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P.S. I'm doing a giveaway! It ends on Friday. Go here for more information! :)

Finished it!

I'm doing a giveaway! It ends on Friday. Go here for more information! :)

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So, I couldn't wait until my Wednesday Worktable post... I wanted to show off the necklace that I made with last week's components!

The entire thing is made with India agate, paired with a mix of bronze and copper. I'm particularly pleased with the little swirl on the top of the leaf. (I suppose it's the little things that make me happy.)

...By golly, it feels awesome to have shiny pretty jewelry to share. Here's to, hopefully, many many more! :)

And now it's time for me to do laundry. Heh.

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Wednesday's Worktable

I'm doing a giveaway! Go here for more information! :)

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On my worktable this week: more Autumn hues!

Those components are partially from this month's Bargain Bead Box--and I'm very, very happy to report that there's considerably less emotional baggage attached to Fall colors than there has been, even as recently as last week. Today, my creating is more playing than it is working through complicated emotions.

...It feels really, really good to be creating again.

I have no idea what the final iteration of this necklace is going to be--I have already changed the design three times. That's okay, though... As I said, it is really nice just to be playing again. We shall see what it looks like when I'm finally done!

Thank you for stopping by to see what I'm up to today... Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Wonder and Whimsy Monthly Challenge - October Edition

...and Giveaway!!

Yep, there's a Giveaway this month! Details are at the bottom of this entry... Keep reading to find them--or just scroll until you see it. :)

First things first, though: this month's challenge. I came up with this challenge when I was visiting my parents last month. While there, I spent a fair amount of time going through boxes of my stuff in their basement. I got rid of quite a bit of it, but I also found some treasures--like my binder of letters from my late mother-in-law, my trowel from archaeological field school, and my rock collection from when I was in 2nd grade.

And I also found some beads.

...Not only did I find some beads, I found some necklaces that I made back when I was in middle school:

Both are made with glass and metal--and, honestly, the construction has held up pretty well considering these were made in the 1990s by a self-taught jewelry novice.

Oh! And I even found the jewelry that I wore to prom... Hah!

I remember that I wasn't happy with the offerings I found in stores, so I bought two pairs of earrings and a plain beaded choker. Some simple manipulation later, and I had a matching set:

...Not revolutionary, I realize, but it still makes me happy that I was thinking outside the box even then. I guess I come by this jewelry thing honestly.

And now, to the beads.

Nestled amongst other middle school memorabilia, I found these two boxes:

Each box is full of a collection of large seed beads, some large glass, and some findings. (The one on the left has bobby pins and wire, and the one on the right has necklace and earring findings.)

Here's a close-up of the contents of the multi-themed box:

...And now, for my Monthly Challenge. 

As you might guess, my challenge is to make something with the contents of this box. My goal is to mainly use what is in here--although I'm sure other findings and such will make their way in. And! If I have time, I may even remake some of the necklaces I showed earlier to reflect my more recent skill set.

Now, you may have noticed that I only revealed the contents of one of those bead boxes. So, what about the other one? Well, that answer to that brings us to:

The Giveaway!

That's right! I want to give someone this box: 

By my best estimation, this collection of beads was put together sometime in the 1990s. (Egads, I guess that means they're vintage? Heh, I feel a little old.) While they are not gemstones or handmade lampwork, this is still a happy mix of colors--and they're a special little bit of my past. I want to share that little part of me; hopefully these beads will bring someone some joy.

So, how to win? Simply comment on this post! Oh, and please be sure to leave an email address, so that I'll know how to contact you. I'm willing to ship internationally, so everyone can feel free to enter. On Friday, October 26th, I'll draw the winner's name out of a hat. I'll post the winner here in my challenge reveal, as well as contact them via their provided email addresses. 

So! Come by on Friday, October 26th to see what I end up making... and see who the winner of the Giveaway is!

Until then, have a wonderful October everyone! And best of luck winning these beads! :)

Wednesday's Worktable

My beading table has been pretty bare these last few months. I've been making things, but not nearly as many as I usually do.

...Which is okay. 

Instead of beading, I have been getting back into the rhythm of life. The last few months have been busy with travel--I have visited Baltimore and New York and Western Maryland. They have been full of organizing and paring down--I recently donated five bags to a local charity. 

And these months have been full of grieving. 

My mother-in-law passing has been very very hard, on my husband and on me. I find a lot of my creating is trying to tackle that loss. She and I both love Autumn... I keep finding myself drawn to Autumn designs, thinking of her. The above beads, for example. Eventually, I made two necklaces with them... One to give to my best friend, and one to sell. 

I don't think I can keep one for me. Not right now.

...And, I realize that I never showed these. These are the memorial keychains that I made for my husband and his brothers using the funeral flower beads that I made:

And here is the necklace that I made for their sister:

Patty was an amazing musician, so it seemed so fitting to use guitar-pick shapes for these pieces. They just feel like her.

I don't know what it says about me--when I am grieving, I make things for other people. I give gifts and delight in using my talents to bring them beauty. I guess it's just part of who I am. Helping others in turn helps me. Their delight is a balm to my heart.

So, that is what I have been working on recently--taking steps to grieve and process feelings through creating. Hopefully my work will soon start taking a turn for the more cheerful... in the meantime, thank you for being there while I heal.

Have a lovely day, everyone. And for you in places with the four seasons--may you all have a beautiful Autumn.

Hello, October!

...I think I'm ready to be back.

I'm going to take it slowly, I think, but I really have missed this creative space. Thank you everyone for being so patient with me as I've been slowly healing. I'm still grieving--I think it will be an ongoing process--but life is continuing apace... 

And I'm beginning to see beauty more and more as the days go on.

Today's sunrise

So... here is to a beautiful Autumn. Here is to a hopeful resurgence of creativity. Here is to sharing pictures of pretty things, and seeing the beauty in the everyday.

Thank you for hanging in there with me. May you all have a beautiful October. 

Just a litte update...

These last few weeks have been very, very hard. 

I'm slowly picking up the pieces, stitching my heart back together and trying to continue on with mundane everyday life things. Like groceries. And laundry. And yardwork. 

I have also been pouring myself into make beads from the funeral flowers. My goal is to use those beads to make memorial jewelry pieces for the family... It won't take away the hurt, but it has helped me to have my hands busy with something I know to do. Besides, Patty loved flowers and jewelry both--and I think this is a fitting tribute, and would have made her smile.

...and now I know that white roses turn into tan/brown beads. Huh. Who knew?

I'm also getting read to go on vacation coming up soon, so I will continue to be scarce here. Thank you all for being patient with me as I tackle this loss. I'm doing my best not to push the grief away, but to embrace it and feel it and hopefully have it turn to healing. I'm so grateful that I loved her so much that I am hurting this much... She was definitely a gift, and a dear dear friend.

My love to you all. May your upcoming week treat you kindly.

My mother-in-law passed away Tuesday evening. 

She was an incredibly dear friend. I started writing letters to her back when I was in middle school, and have known her for more than 20 years (I think the actual count is 26?). She was a fellow writer with a wonderfully quirky sense of humor, she was incredibly supportive of my jewelry making, and she just so happened to be the mother of the man I fell in love with. I couldn't have been more lucky.

And now, faced with her loss--realizing that there are stories that she will never finish writing, and my own stories that I will never get to share with her--I am grieving. 

My husband is grieving. 

His family is grieving.

...I may not be back on my blog for a little while. The world is still bright and full of wonder, but my heart is shattered. I am blessed that I knew her so well--and I am blessed that I can be part of this family as we lean on each other and mourn. 

I wish you all peace and a beautiful August... hold your loved ones close, and please keep looking for beauty. 

I will be back when I am able.