Holiday Season is HERE....

So, its been another month since I posted last...wow..time just flies so fast when its this time of the year...  Im off now for a week..YAY..so I have a ton of catching up!  Here is a fun Gift Shopping video I know you will enjoy ...

https://youtu.be/A2mDb5r13Ao

Thanks so much to Krafty Max for putting this together...she is an awesome designer.  Here is her website if you want to see more of her work...

http://www.kraftymax.net/

Wow..its been way too long since I posted... Been super busy creating this and that...  Yesterday was the 50th anniversary for the Vacaville Art Gallery and I have been working on making my creations stand out a little more from the rest of the Boutique section of the art gallery.  So I created SIRI..she is so beautiful..well...I think she is..LOL  And here is a look at her.  She is my display piece and is holding onto my watercolor necklaces....  She is now sitting on her pedestal at the art gallery and looks amazing.  I want to make more of these with different colors and different designs.  I have 6 so its going to be a challenge to do them all up differently...well..maybe..LOL  This particular head is created with 90% permanent markers...cool eh?  I have never done a design with just markers...  If you have any ideas of what you think would look great, please feel free to leave me a comment... 

 This one is called Siri...she is a mermaid...

This photo is now my FB home page image...

Ahh...the excitement of a new laptop...

Ok so its like this... I went to Sams club, they have a small selection of decent laptops and I was on the hunt for a new one.  I found the perfect one...it was looking at me and whispering in my ear..."take me home..am the one who will make you happy"...  I talked to my son who knows computers quite well...we discussed all the details which were posted on that tab staring at me.  It was perfect...  So I snatch up the LAST ticket, make my purchase...wait in a line for about 10 minutes...  The excitement of a new laptop was swimming in my head.   I get up there...show the nice lady my receipt.  She calls up one of the other ladies who can open the cage.  I watch her, she grabs the only box that has its flaps open...damn...I say in the back of my mind.  She  looks at it, it looked like it hadnt been removed from the box, but she called in the pro from the computer department to make sure all was well.  The very nice lady shows up...very happy to help me out.  She gently removes the laptop...looks good..all was there.  She said it didnt look like it was used and it didnt...no finger prints, nothing to indicate it was a return.  She said all returns are marked anyway and that one wasnt marked.  So perhaps the taping came loose...and the flaps opened up...it didnt look bad at all.  So my excitement was still there...

I take the lovely silvery laptop home with me...ahhh...its now sitting on my old laptop waiting to get plugged in and set up...my son comes home from work...he is all excited too.  He takes a look at it and tells me its a very nice laptop.  I turn it on for the first time...it stares at me...then suddenly a bunch of programs start being installed... 1 hr of of installs and still not able to use it...but there is light at the end of the tunnel..  I see a pretty yellow background...app icons...YAY...soon soon..I will get to sink my mind and fingers into it...  then...it restarts for the bazillianth time...and continues with installing software...  ok..this is getting old...im getting tired of waiting..my eyes and brain are tired now...its getting late...  Then...just as I was getting ready to consider going to bed... it happened.. a black screen... telling me there was a boot disc error and  it needed to insert a boot disc cd..what the hell?  It has no dvd player...there is no way to install a cd.  My son takes a look at it...hmmm...not a good sign he says.  So he fiddles with it, restarts it...SAME MESSAGE...so he does a scan for hardware errors , perfect, no errors...reboots...SAME MESSAGE...so he does another 50 minute test...  I wait impatiently... SAME MESSAGE... 

DISAPPOINTMENT crawls in my brain...its late, I was tired..had a headache...and my brand new laptop is a LEMON.  So, it goes back to Sams Club today...its the perfect laptop for me...and they have no more in stock...  Do I wait for them to send me one just like it?  Do I get a different one?  You know how people like instant gratification...me included....especially when it comes to laptops..

I will bring you the verdict later tonight...thats if I dont have a new one in my hands...

Ok, so I have to post this...Hehehehe... I love it!

Bet this picture made your day...it did mine!  HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

Fimo Professional True Colors Sample Pack...

 I am so excited...I came home today to an unexpected package in the mail today! I had filled out a survey through a Facebook post about the new Staedtler Fimo Professional True Color polymer clay. They were only handing out so many boxes for free for filling out the survey...  I was fortunate to be one of the winners... I call it a winner because I rarely get things like this because 9 out of 10 times I am too late or just not the lucky one..

So this is what I got...6, 3oz. packs of clay...

This awesome color chart telling you the mixes and what they look like.  Its a huge list of colors, this is a small example.  The page is folded 7 times.  The 4 center pages are all the different mixes you can make. And I am sure you can make your own mixes...  I am anxious to get my hands into these clays and make some mixes of my own.  I do wish they included black, but then the numbers would be odd and the box would need to be bigger...hehehe...

This is also one of the folded pages...a nice color wheel.

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So you can see how the excitement of playing with a new clay is going to be.  I will do another post once I get to dig in and have a little fun and let you know how it went.  This may take me a little time..I started back to work today so I will be pretty busy for a little while until my schedule is set.  So, come back in about a month...or follow my blog or facebook or twitter... L0(

My Creations for ZnetShows Summer Magazine

Well, I had this awesome write up about this challenge for the Summer Issue of Creative Spark magazine from Znetshows.com.  And I managed to delete the entire page..  Don't ask, cuz really I dont know how I lost the whole thing.  Once I realized I made the mistake, I did the control Z, normal response to undoing a mistake right...NOT.. It would not work.  SOoooo, I am going to have to delay writing up the entire post again.  But for now... You can enjoy the pictures ...and the magazine.  Isn't that the most important part anyway...LOL

Summer Issue Create Spark 2015 magazine is here...

You can find me on page 87.  There is so much awesomeness with this issue, you dont want to miss out.  I am more impressed with each issue of all the beautiful creations.

Here is the yummy bundle of cultured sea glass beads I received.. I was to make NON jewelry pieces...

S03-37   http://www.znetshows.com/GemShow/Retail/itemdetail.asp?ref=itembrowser.asp?StoneType=0&StoneSubType=0&shape=0&productLine=0&style=0&color=0&Keywords=s03-37&etc=&vendor=0&format=2&extra1=0&extra2=0&extra3=0&PTitle=Item%20Browser&PageNum=1&TotalPages=1&PerPage=20&ItemID=S03-37-ONE

PMX5-B22  http://www.znetshows.com/GemShow/Retail/group5.asp?ProductCode=PMX5&vendorkey=4&NavbarFlag=1

S14-B37  http://www.znetshows.com/GemShow/Retail/group5.asp?ProductCode=S14&vendorkey=4&NavbarFlag=1

P30-B37  http://www.znetshows.com/GemShow/Retail/group5.asp?ProductCode=P30&vendorkey=4&NavbarFlag=1

S04-B22  http://www.znetshows.com/GemShow/Retail/group5.asp?ProductCode=S04&vendorkey=4&NavbarFlag=1

Here is what I made...

FAN PULLS...LOVE THESE...but the charms need to be on both sides..other than that, they fit quite nicely on my kitchen and dining room fan pulls

These are lanyards... I call these BLT..LOL These are the first things that came across my mind when asked to make something different.  I wear lanyards at work and the students I work with make these to raise moola for the class to buy food and other stuff!

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Stitch markers...these are perfect for those who crochet or knit. I have been making stitch markers for some time now but never really made them like these.. They turned out really pretty.  I just love this color combination.

These are the extra beads I received with my bundle of joy.  The more I work with the sea glass beads, the more I really do like them.  I have liked them all along, but wow..they are so cool!

This is one of my extra pieces of sea glass beads. The bracelet is quite yummy I might add.  It fits so nicely.  I will post more pics later today.

I am not really a ring person, but I do like to make them and how awesome is this???.  This is my prototype, I think it needs a little more work but I do like it..and its actually fun to wear..  :-)  The challenge is that is has two holes...so bending the wire is a tad of a challenge and the glass chipped just a tiny tiny bit..not enough to really make a difference in the ring, you cant really tell it got chipped, but I know its there... I think I will need to use a lighter gauge wire,

:-)   Chris

Bead and Button Publication...

Yippee... My necklace was accepted into the Bead and Button August publication.  You can find me on page 17 along with other beautiful creations.

Znetshow's Summer Issue is in the makings...YAY

I received my fun stash of sea glass bead from ZNETSHOWS last week and I already have my pieces made. smile emoticon

But I am going to keep it a secret for now...sorry no peeking yet! LOL The things I made are NON jewelry pieces...that is my only hint... The reveal date is set for July so be on the look out! Here is a picture of my beads of choice...

Aren't these just a lovely bundle of eye candy?

Wired Tree Agate Stone Necklace...

Here is a look at my finished piece I taught over the weekend. We had a great time creating all the trees necklaces.  They are not quite finished yet, but I cant wait to see what the ladies end up with when they are done!!! Be on the look out in about a month and I will post all of the finished pieces...

Before....

After

Are these awesome or what???

Special Order Rifle Casings

I was asked about 3 weeks ago from a young lady via Etsy,  if I would be interest in creating something from the casings that were fired at her fathers funeral. My heart dropped a tad because I always hate to hear of someones passing.  I accepted the challenge!  A couple of weeks of us writing each other back and forth, we finally decided on the keychains.  I did a little practice drawings and a little research on what to draw on the casings.  We came up with the idea of flowers from Hawaii and some simple vines.  I dug through my "junk jewelry" and found some great items I knew would look awesome and that would relate to her father.  She sent me the casings and I got to work almost immediately when they arrived at my house.

I am so thrilled that they turned out beautifully! I have not done many casings this size, only about 3 others.  And these were so special I didnt want to make any kind of error.  I asked if I could show off these casings, and she said "Feel free, you should be proud, they look great!  I feel very honored that she had asked me and I am so glad she really likes them.

Thank you again Celeste!

Another Creative Spark Magazine hits the net!

I am quite excited about this magazine.  Not because I have some of my creations in it, but because it is packed with so much, such creativity from many designers. Each time the magazine comes out, I see some really amazing pieces.  Its funny that we all have such different views of what to create when we get our beads in the mail.

This time there were a small handful of us who received the NEW porcelain beads from ZNETSHOWS.  I knew which ones I was getting from the email I was sent.  I actually have been wanting to play with these beads since they came out!  I was all geared up for my package to arrive and when it did...it was the first thing I opened.  I know I know...they are just beads right?  Well..yes, they are, but to a bead junkie, every bead is exciting to get! I love the feel of them, so smooth, so light and the designs are so pretty.  I am not one for blue, but it seems like every month, blue is getting easier and easier for me to work with.  Its mental I know!  I do like the color, but some colors are just easier to work with!!

So, I got to crackin! I knew kind of what I wanted for a couple of the pendents.  The beads are very vintage to me, so I took out my stash of vintage beads and played a little with them.  I then decided I was going to do wire wrapping for the necklaces.  I don't think I have made an entire necklace with just wrapping beads with wire.  It was quite fun actually.  I think one of my inspirational artists when it come to the vintage designs is Cindy Cima Edwards. If you have not seen her work, take a peek at her facebook page. She has some amazing pieces and I just love her work.

 THANKS FOR THE INSPIRATION CINDY! XO

So why stop at one necklace right, I ended up making 2.  Also 3 sets of earrings and 1 fun bracelet out of memory wire..yes, I love that memory wire!

Check out the magazine... Creative Spark Fall 2014  you can find my creations on page 96.

Finally, we were all asked about what we liked about Winter the most.  I wrote a blurp in the magazine, but I also made a little poem on a photo I took... Hubby and I were heading back home from the West Coast on a little outing for my birthday in December.  This photo is enhanced, but only to show the amazing view of it.  It really did look this way to the eye.  We had a storm during those 3 days we were on the coast and driving back home, everything was wet, green, foggy, cloudy and just some beautiful scenery.

I hope you enjoy the magazine and all the beautiful creations.  I do have a few more designs made, but i'm considering submitting them into a magazine.  I need to do more of that.  But if they do not get accepted, I will share them here later on.

ENJOY!!!

Happy February!

Dang, this year is already flying away!  To start the year off, I made a fun trip to my nephew's wedding...it was beautiful!  The perfect day, no wind, not very cold, and nice and sunny at a vineyard where the bride works.  On my way there...300 miles drive...all by myself..which is what I have done for many moons...  I guess I messed up my back. It has stayed with me now for over a month.  Not much fun I admit.  I had to take a day off work here and there...and icepack it frequently.  Today finally I got my MRI.  I hope its an easy fix because I want it to be done now!!!  But with all the aches and pains, I still managed to hold down my day job, work my extra hours and create some really pretty jewelry out of the beads I received from ZNETSHOWS.  The online magazine comes out very soon, just a matter of days in fact.  I will post more pictures of the jewelry I made that I was not able to get in the magazine.  Its mainly because I ran out of time and wasn't able to get the write up for it.

But here is a teaser of what I made...more about this very soon..

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!