Sunday, October 20, 2013

New project/challenge on Face Book

Well about a 2 months ago, I joined in on a challenge from from JewelryLessons.com by Eni.  I belong to her group on FB.  Eni created this awesome website where you can purchase jewelry making tutorials from many different artists.  She also created her own Design tutorials where you can learn from her lessons.

Anyway, our first lesson was to make a drawing of a shape and create different ideas as to how you would make a piece of jewelry from it.  Then the next month was to pick a flower and draw it in several ways in which you can create a piece of jewelry.  We focused on shape first, then reshape it, then put it together in a drawing and then make it into a finished piece of jewelry.  We could choose any medium we wanted to, there are no limits as to how you want to make it.  So, with trial and error I put together this fun pendent.  I am going to make it into a necklace eventually.  I love how Humblebeads makes her designs and beads from different types of clay.  She has shared how she creates her designs through Art Bead Scene, she is my inspiration in this design.

first creation, not that pretty... YUK..

second creation, getting there, but needed more work. OK

third attempt, MUCH BETTER, is putting a smile on my face now!  I feel this is the final creation for this design.  I like it a lot.  It was faster and easier to make this time around.  And a bit messier since I used alcohol inks instead of acrylic paints...and I made the press mold much better so it didnt leave a ridge like it did on the first creation..

Please feel free to leave me some feedback.  Thanks...  :-)

Sunday, October 06, 2013

Ginger Snaps My OMG Way Cookies

OMG is the only way I can describe these cookies...  I thought I would treat my husband to a batch of his favorite cookies.  He has been working so hard these days and he took time off to help me out yesterday for the Art Wine and Chocolate Festival that I participated in.  He did all of the unloading and reloading and you all know what a chore that is.  I also had some help from a friend, but I was not able to treat her to cookies just yet.  But I will...

Anyway, these cookies turned out soooo dang good I decided to share it with you.  I also had made this frosting earlier in the week for the class I work in and added that to the cookies...OMG..they are sooo good.  I didnt do a  step by step tutorial but its easy enough to follow...


 ENJOY!!!


Ginger Snaps My OMG Way Cookies




1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 egg
½ cups packed brown sugar
2 tbsp. fresh pureed ginger (in the refrigerated vegetable section at Raley’s) you could use finely chopped dried ginger or freshly grated ginger as a substitute.

2 tbsp. pumpkin spice schnapps (optional)
1 tsp. almond extract
3 ½ cups white flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup molasses
1 tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Soften butter by whipping with your mixer.  Once the butter is nice and fluffy, add sugar, egg, molasses, pureed ginger and brown sugar.  Mix well.  Then add almond extra and pumpkin spice schnapps.  In a medium bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix well with a hand whisk.  Add dry mixture to wet mixture one cup at a time. Use a large cookie scooper and put dough balls about 1 ½ inches apart.  I put 12 on a large cookie sheet.  Bake 10 minutes.  Let cool at least 3 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet or they may fall apart if take off too soon.
NOTE: My recipes are all made from scratch; I do my best to calculate the exact measurements.  Add your own spices to bump up the flavor to your taste!
Makes approximately 3 dozen
For that added extra wow power, I made this awesome frosting.




Maple Brown Sugar My OMG Way Frosting
1 cup softened butter
¼ cup Maple Syrup (I used Mrs. Butterworth’s)
1 cup unpacked Brown Sugar
5-6 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup Whipping Cream
1 tsp salt
Whipping cream as needed

Works best with a Kitchen Aid mixer

In a small pan, melt brown sugar with whipping cream on low heat.  Bring to a slight boil then quickly remove from the stove and pour into a large bowl.  I have a kitchen aid mixer and it works great for this frosting.  I use a plastic paddle which scrapes the sides really well.  Put on high speed and cool down the mixture.  Add syrup and a small amount of whipping cream and whip some more.  The mixture may stick to the sides of the bowl, don’t worry, you can scrap it off with a scrapper. Once the mixture is cooled all of the way, you can start adding the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.

NOTE: My recipes are all made from scratch; I do my best to calculate the exact measurements.  You may need to add more powdered sugar, cream or maple syrup.  You can substitute syrup with maple flavoring, but the syrup gives the frosting a nice creamy texture. 

By Christina Miles 2013

Tuesday, October 01, 2013

Whoooo hooo... I am published in the Beadwork Magazine!

I have been waiting such a long time to announce this..  I had to wait for the magazine to come out first...so here it is... You will find my earrings on page 82 of the BeadWork Quick and Easy Special addition...Oh yeah!  My first submission to a magazine.  I am soooo excited.  Would love to get your feedback on the design.  As you see, most of the beads are from ZnetShows...

THANKS BILL for the beautiful beads...  I hope I made you proud!  :-)

Love this Glossi Digital Magazine...

If you take a real close look, you will find my tutorial of how to make this super cute and easy fish pendent... There are so many fantastic designs by all the designers for ZnetShows... Enjoy!

Saturday, September 28, 2013

What is your mermaid name???


I found this on face book today and thought it would be fun for you to see what your mermaid name would be.  


Mine is: 
Mara Dancer...

Feel free to post your name in the comments...  HAVE FUN!

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Cabochon Blog Hop Reveal

I belong to this awesome group on Facebook and one of the members, Sally Russik, decided to put together a fun challenge making Cabochons. She put togethers these great tutorials on making cabochons if you needed a little extra help. I thought it would be great to go to the rock store which is where I found one of the cabs I made which you will see below. My other cab is this amazing hand made Tree of Life Lampwork Focal Bead made by Susan Lambert I had lots of fun putting both pieces together and I hope you like them too.

This cab I chose to do wire wrapping.  I felt is was best to have as much of the natural beauty show.  I am not all the experienced yet with the wire wrapping, but I think it turned out fairly nice.
I had the beautiful beads that I knew would match perfectly with this slice of agate.  The beads tend to change colors when under different lighting which makes adds even more interest to them.  I made a kumihimo rope for the back part of the necklace using sari silk.
To really see the agate, I took this picture holding it up to the sky.  See all the fun layers of color?

This is my second Cabochon...

Is this yummy or what?  I LOVE this.  It took me some time to make this one.  I wasnt sure at first what I wanted to do with this bead, I just knew I was going to do something fun.  It is still not complete, but I will get it done soon.  SO, the dangles at the bottom are supposed to be the roots.  I was thinking of using copper somehow and mix it in as the roots but that idea flew out of my head quickly once I found the right beads.  I love those tiny white beads, I think those are shells, but I am not 100% sure...but I had to have them.


After I finished the bead work on the cabochon, I wasnt sure what I was going to do for the necklace part.  So, I dug through some of the threads that I recently purchased and decided that the light pale sea foam green thread was going to do the job.  I didnt want the thread to be too dark.  I wan the tree to stand out the most from this necklace.  So I found the tutorial on the micro macrame and really liked this pattern.  I picked through my stash and found the beads I felt would really tie in together with the cab.  Its not totally what I imagined it would look like but I think it worked out just fine.  :-)

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my creations...please feel free to leave me a comment or two...and dont forget to check out ALL of the other designers creations.  I cant wait to see what everybody made.

THANKS SALLY!!!


Your Host:  Sally Russick
Alicia Marinache           
Lynn  Jobber           
Jenny Davies-Reazor           
Jo-Ann  Woolverton           
Marde Lowe           
Dawn Doucette           
Mary K McGraw           
Gloria Allen           

Cheri  Reed           
Sonya Stille           
Elizabeth Owens Dwy           
Veralynne   Malone           
Tania Hagen           
Lynsey  Brooks           
YOU ARE HERE -----> Christina Miles                                                
Holly  Westfall           
Kathy  Lindemer           
Patti Vanderbloemen           

Therese Frank           
Adrienne Berry           
Liz   E            
Tanty  Sri Hartanti           
Renetha Stanziano           
Marlene  Cupo           
Sandi Volpe           
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson           

Mischelle Fanucchi           
Tracy  Stillman           
Skylar Bre'z           
Ann Schroeder           
Jess Green           
Susan Kennedy           
Stacie  Florer           
Cathie  Carroll           
Susan F.       

Michelle Caballero       
Sabine Dittrich           
Kristina Johansson           
Kimberly Sturrup-Roberts           
Melissa  Meman           
Cheryl McCloud         
Michelle  Timms           
Cindy  Pack                    
Lynda  Carson        

Cynthia  Machata           
Julia  Harris           
Karin  Slaton      
Ingrid  Anderson           
Jasvanti  Patel         
Inge  von Roos         
Molly Alexander          
Toltec Jewels           
Jasvanti Patel           

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

CHARMS....oh yea!

I was on the hunt for some small dolphin and mermaid charms and came across this awesome Etsy shop by Nicole De Brium.  I was very amazed that I received my order within 5 days.  Now that is quick!  Especially going from England to California.  Once I opened my package I was very excited to find an extra bag of goodies.  The charms are very cute, just as seen in the pictures.  The quality too is excellent.  I have bough many charms and these are very well made, and not the thin or too heavy of a charm.  Even the larger pieces I am quite happy with.

Here is the entire order, look how fun these are...

The star fish pendents are sooo pretty I think!


Here is TINK, I have some fun plans for her...
And this is the extra bag of goodies I received...I am lovin those shoes, the sos rings and all the other pieces...


Sunday, August 18, 2013

Ive been Highlighted... :-)

Today I got an email from Hand Made Artists letting me know I had one of my bullet casing earrings put in a HIGHLIGHT group... to see my creation along with many other great designers, check it out here... STEAMPUNK   THANKS Andrew...

I forgot I had this handy tool!

I forgot I had purchased a yarn winder a couple of years ago for all the fun yarns I have.  I had purchased these beautiful skeins of Sari Silk from Divinity Fibers on Etsy last year.  They were nicely twisted together but over time after taking a piece here and a piece there...the fiber was starting to get tangled and messy.... 

Then...today, the LIGHT came on...DUH..I can make my life a little easier if I just use the tools I have...or remember that I have them.  LOL.  So, I pulled out my handy dandy yarn spooler and whipped those tangled skeins into these beautifully wrapped spools of fiber.  

Ahhh...much easier to use, much easier to store... 


 I think I just like looking at them now...hehehehe.. 


 My little Lily kitty crouched down in that kitty play mode and was getting ready to play with the fiber as I was rolling it up...but all I had to say was...Hey, what are you think of doing? She looked at me...sat down, well crouched down...and just watched me unravel the fiber and then wind it all up on my handy dandy yarn winder...  Well worth the cost of this little winder.  They are not cheap I must admit, but something I know will last me a long time and I know I will use it over and over....

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Bargain of the day!

Well, its sad that our OSH is closing soon, but I am sooooo HAPPY too because I got some great deals today.  I bought the last 2 huge sheets of copper for half price...YUP, you heard me right...half price.  I was so excited because I wasnt sure if they still had the sheets there.  The last time I went, last week, they only had stuff for 20% off, so not a big deal really.  But NOW...ALL the metals are HALF price...Oh yea...I was/am very happy.  I even got me a few spools for just over $2 each....  They are not quite out of things yet in the store, there are lots of things still to sell.  Now if I can wait it out another week, they may have the wire even cheaper..but I bet it will be gone by the time I get back there.

Now, with all this copper, I guess I need to start playing with it...  :-)


It is covered with fingerprints...hehehe...but look how huge those sheets are!  26 gauge, so a perfect weight to play play play...