My Newest bundle of joy!

I love it when I get that call from Beads On Main to remind me when they are having their awesome sale.  How often do you get to go to a local bead store and get a nice yummy discount?  Yes, and yummy I mean a whopping 40% of ALL items in the store other than the already marked down items.  Beads On Main does this about 3 times a year and I just love their store.  They have lots of fun metals that I cant find in other bead stores or even online!  They carry a large variety of bead which are different than my other favorite bead store, The Bead Gallery.  So, today, after work, driving in stop and go traffic off and on, I headed on down to Beads On Main.  Jessica was there chatting away with her customers while I walked in.  I was in AWE...they had totally reorganized the little shop.  It was beautiful...all set up for the holiday season..and lots of new stuff!  Normally I walk into a bead store with an agenda, but today I wanted to just look around and see what I could find.  I dont NEED any more beads...I just WANTED some new fun stuff to play with.  I probably spent an whole hour plus wandering around.  As you see in the photo below...I really had a great time...

I will take more pictures soon and show you more of what I bought...and perhaps a few finished pieces too once I dig in...

Awww....look at my babies....

Aren't they just the cutest little creatures???  I just had to share this picture...there are actually 2 pictures here that I merged into one...  Gracie is on the left and Lily is on the right..they are sisters we adopted when they were just 6 months old.  Can you guess which one is the feistiest?

7000 Bracelets of HOPE

Znetshows has invited all of their designers to join them in supporting THE GLOBAL GENES PROJECT in creating bracelets in support for all those who are affected with rare and unusual genes. We were given a choice of two different beads, pearls and crystals, all in blue.  Once we chose our beads, they were quickly sent to us.  We had less than 2 weeks to create our bracelets. Today I shipped mine off.  I chose to use the magic stretch so my bracelets would be a little more flexible for different sized wrists. I used a variety of  metal components to add a little more bling to the bracelets.

This is the front view of the bracelets.  After I finished making the bracelets, I still thought they were a little plain.  I went through a box of my fabric and found this awesome piece of blue jean material.  I tore strips and tied them around on one end of the clasp.

This is the backside.  It looks really busy here but they really are much prettier with the fabric strips tied on.

Now you can see each bracelet here.  The theme used by the Global Genes Project is jeans.  So I needed to make sure that not only the blue was used in the bracelets but a hint of jean material...

I made some cards to go along with the bracelets.  I used one of the support badges and I found this beautiful saying and added it to the card.

"Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul

And sings the tune without the words

And never stops at all."

~Emily Dickinson 

I attached the cards with the same strips of jean material onto the bracelets and packed them into a box and off the went today.

If you are interested in participating, please check out the GLOBAL GENES PROJECT

If you just want to learn more, go to their website and read some of the amazing stories.. they will put tears in your eyes of sadness and happiness and hope!

Winter is coming...

Yes, before we know it, winter will be knocking at our door.  I know in some states its already there...but for CA..it takes some time to bring it on!  Today though...the wind sure picked up.  64 degrees is not that cold, but man when that wind rips through it can sure go to the bones!  So, today I stayed inside for the most of it, but I did make a quick run to the bead store.

We have 2 awesome bead stores here and one is usually closed on Sundays but the other is usually open everyday!  I like them both, they seem to carry different beads and all the fun elements to create with.  I bought me some cute scissor charms for a special order I have and a few extra beads for the Winter Challenge from ZnetShows.  So I thought I would give you a little peak at the colors I have going.  The challenge is all about the beautiful pearl.  Who can pass those up?  I actually have a necklace all finished but I am not ready to share that just yet...soon though I promise!  It will be worth the wait trust me.  I am learning more about making metal links...I bought the book.. The Missing Link, a book well worth every penny!  Cindy Wimmer has an amazing book packed with nothing but good stuff.  I will write up a little review on it later.  Anyway, here is my little bundle of joy!

Yes, I believe this is a beautiful mix.  You can see those yummy crystals?  Trust me, they make the necklace soooo amazing!  I still have a lot to make for this challenge, earrings, perhaps a bracelet or two, or even another necklace.  The deadline is Novermber 18th, then it goes into publication for the Creative Spark Glossi...  I cant wait to see what the other designers have created...  I will be back with a few more teasers this week!  :-)

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...  :-)

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!!!

DOWNLOAD PDF CLICK HERE...

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

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!

Click to view Fall 2013 Creative Spark on GLOSSI.COM

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!

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!!!

visit her blog here

Your Host:  Sally Russick

D Lynne  Bowland

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           

Ginger Bishop

Renetha Stanziano           

Marlene  Cupo           

Sandi Volpe           

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson           

Niky  Sayers

Mischelle Fanucchi           

Tracy  Stillman           

Skylar Bre'z           

Ann Schroeder           

Paula Kramer

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           

Karin Grosset Grange       

Jasvanti  Patel         

Inge  von Roos         

Molly Alexander          

Toltec Jewels           

Jasvanti Patel