7000 Bracelets for Hope

7000 Bracelets for Hope. Such a wonderful cause. When I heard about it, I jumped at the chance to make a bracelet for a mother or caretaker who has a child they are caring for. Someone who needs to know that we are out here, appreciating them, and praying for them and their families. 

The Global Genes Project uses jeans/denim as their theme so I chose a denim blue cord for my wrap bracelet. But it seemed a little dark so I added a strand of baby blue! Something I've never done before. I love the little pop of baby blue in the finished bracelet below.

The bracelet is a simple wrap bracelet. No metal so the wearer can wear it whenever they want and won't have to worry about tarnish. I mean, they have enough to worry about without tarnish or green wrists creeping up into their thoughts.

Sorry for the crappy picture- camera currently out of commission. Only have my camera phone :-/

Check out all the other lovely artists creating bracelets for some really deserving people.

Elysian Studios and One Kiss Creations

The Studio Sublime

Crafty Hope

The Gossiping Goddess

SilverRose Designs

Firefly Visions

Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Michelle Mach

Pine Ridge Treasures

Backstory Beads

Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

Carefree Jewelry by Lisa

Sue Beads

MiShel Designs

Created Treasures

Taralinda Muses

My Life Under The Bus

Elizabeth Creates

SilverNikNats

Erin Siegel Jewelry

Carolyn’s Creations

My Life…one bead at a time

Fresh Baked Designs

Songbeads

Sunshine Bliss

Lori Anderson

Rainy Days Designs

Pat Barden Jewelry

Tell Your Girlfriends

Therese's Treasures

Windrock Studio

Bead Lola Bead

Spice Box Designs

Antiquity Travelers

Vitamin C...A Daily Dose of Creativity

Beads and Bread

Sharyl's Jewelry and Reflections

Ahtee's Blog

Thoughtful-Notions

Beads for Brains:365

Wild Sally Road

All The Pretty Things

Skye's Creative Chaos

My Addictions...Handcrafted Jewelry by Patti

Lindy's Designs

Falling Into The Sky

Star Hitched Wagon

Mama's Got to Doodle

10KDgroup

Pink

So, I had a lovely Bead Table Wednesday post all planned out for yesterday...

But then I had to deal with my bank showering me with unknown fees that ended up overdrawing my account...

And I just wasn't in the mood after that... lol.

But I did post some new pink things into the shop. Pink makes me happy.

One more day before I choose people for the Beady Round Robin! So far, there are three gals and me. Room for 2 more people!!! Check out this post for more details.

Beady Round Robin

I've been bouncing this idea around in my head for a while now and I think I'd like to start a Beady Round Robin.


I got the idea from an article in Bead Trends and after surfing the bead blogs, I see that some people have done this before! And I think it's a wonderful idea to have something that several people have worked on and given their love to.


I need 3 more people to participate. Seems my blog has been getting a lot of traffic lately but not many comments so depending on how many people comment, I'll either pick people by a random number generator or if there's only 3 comments, well... they're the 3 people! :P

READ THIS ENTIRE POST BEFORE YOU COMMENT!

Here's the rundown:

1) 6 people will be participating! Three people have already told me they want to play via my Facebook page so I thought it was only fair that I'd let them in on the first go.

2) We'll be making necklaces! LONG necklaces! ^_^ Each person will make a 5 inch length of necklace and send it off to the next person. Keep in mind that not everyone has the same skill set so please keep it simple. If you're a beadweaver, maybe leave some loops for us stringers and wire workers to attach links to. If you're a stringer, maybe start a necklace on a length of bead wire and stick it on bead stoppers so people can add on to it. Also, if you're gonna use oxidized metals or metals with a patina, remember not all of us will be able to patina or oxidize what we add on to it.

3) Each person will send a little notebook with their creations so we can chronicle our beady journey. Let the person know things like why you chose certain beads or colors. Or maybe if you worked on the piece while on vacation somewhere...

4) I'd like to keep the turn-around for each working to 1 week. I know that some of us are busy and might not be able to fit it into our schedules so that is something to consider.

5) Blogs- Not necessary but would be fun! I'd like to ask you, however, to only reveal a TINY part of  the length YOU'RE working on. Maybe a snapshot of a special bead or a section of wire work. I'd like the person who the necklace is being made for to have a nice surprise and be the one to reveal the whole thing. Do take pictures of what you worked on, however, so you can post about it after everyone has finished their pieces.

So that's it! My Beady Round Robin! If you're interested in participating, please leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you!

I will be picking people on Friday, the 24th! ^_^

I really hope there are people who want to participate! You just never know with these things :P

Pink Jade

From http://www.earthstreasure.com : "pink Jade is said to have such a strong effect on the nervous system that even if one holds it in their palm they can feel the resonating energy within."

Well, I certainly enjoyed holding these little beauties in my hand. Got a small strand on sale at JoAnn's this weekend. 50% off! How could I pass that up?

I also read in one of my books last night that pink jade is good for love... not a burning lustful love, but a true love that lasts. I can't remember the exact quote but it still tickled me... pink... :P

See, I knew pink would cheer me up after yesterday's post. :)

Hope everyone had a lovely Monday! This week is going to be an awesome one!

Stressed and Depressed

Some people lose weight when they're stressed out. I gain. Even if I have no appetite. Even if I don't eat the whole day... I gain.

Some people sleep more when they're anxious about something. I wake up in the middle of the night. Or can't sleep for days.

I haven't heard back about my two job interviews. Both seemed to have gone really well. One job will get me back to what I was making at Borders... maybe even more. The other would be so rewarding and fun.

For two nights now, I've bolted upright in the middle of a dream... woken up several times during the night with my heart racing. Bad dreams, my boyfriend thinks. But when I wake up, my mind goes to money problems, disappointing people with my lateness, or wondering how we're going to get through the next few days. And then I can't fall asleep for a while... and once I do, it's only for an hour before it happens again.

Unbelievably stressed out and I don't understand why it comes in spurts. Most days, I'm fine. Most days, I can deal with the pressure and the unknown but sometimes, whether for days or weeks, I can't sleep. I don't want to eat. My hair falls out. I'm just a wreck.

But my problems aren't worse than they were... they just seem worse. I'm still in the same place I was in September- unemployed. The bills are the same. Everything... the same. I just can't figure it out.

Perhaps I'm not trying hard enough to find a job. Perhaps people don't want to employ an ex-GM as an underling. Blah.

Sorry to be so depressing. On the bright side, I'm working on something pink. I can't possibly stay depressed while working on pink things.

Book Destash

Updated the shop tonight. Added some books to the destash section. 

Check them out here. The first one I have here is probably my favorite. Lots and lots of tips. Happiness.

Happy Friday, all!

Suburban Girl Studio Design Team

These flowers make me smile. So sweet and lovely. They're from Suburban Girl Studio... She's looking for 3 people to join her design team! Hop on over to her blog here and check it out if you're interested. Wouldn't you just love a chance to play with these? I know I do!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Last night, my sister came for a visit and she took me out to dinner. We had yummy shrimp and AWESOME macarons and boba tea. Macarons are my fave cookie right now. So yummy. Expensive but they really feel like such a treat when I have them.

The boyfriend and I made each other cards this year. No present as we are both totally broke but we painted cards. That's the one I made there. He likes blue... and dragons.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Sunday Snippets and Beady Round Robin?

-My camera is currently out of commission. Sigh. It's card was mangled by a card ready with a bent prong. BLAH.

-My hands smell like pennies. I dug around my car for change for coffee. Ah, the joys of being addicted to coffee AND having no job. :P (The cashier ended up giving me my coffee for free. WIN!)

-A really fun job opportunity has presented itself to me this past week. The GM said I was basically hired but it's not "official" yet so I can't spill the beans just yet. Afraid it will all be taken away O_O

-Re-did the blog. Was a bit of a pain but I like it. It needed some love.

AAAAND the beady round robin:

I read an article in Bead Trends about a beading round robin. Essentially, 6 ladies make a six inch piece of bead work (chain, string, seed beads... what have you) and pass that piece along the circle until it comes back to you as a really pretty 36 inch long necklace that has been around the country.

Anyone interested in doing this with me? I'd love to make something for you. And I'd love to have something made by all of you... it's a real community project, I think.

What say you?

Soup's On!

My bead soup arrived last week! And look! It's just YUMMY! I'm in love with that stone. And the pressed Czech beads? YAY!

I've never worked with mesh wire ribbon. I'm excited and am sketching out oodles of designs.

So in love with this focal.

My partner, Kathy, received her soup as well! I went a bit overboard with the beads. I remember going through my stash and pulling out things I thought she'd like... a bead or two here or there and then it became a PILE. I did try to slim it down a bit but but but... I just couldn't! Lol. I know. Terrible.

I can't wait to see what she comes up with :D

A Giveaway From Across the Pond

Pips Jewellery is giving away a set of her lovely petal and flower capped beads. They're absolutely lovely! So go on over and enter yourself into the giveaway! You can't pass this up... they're just so pretty.

A bit of a break

I missed BTW yesterday. But it was for a good reason...

My hands hurt something awful. I think I've been wire wrapping too much. Especially with those little seed beads? Ugh. But I just love they way it looks! O_O Seed beads make me insanely happy. They come in so many colors and sparkle and and and... I just love pouring them out, running my fingers through them, and then pouring them back into their tubes. Repeat... like 5 times. :P

But it's strange. It's my index fingers that hurt the most. I suppose I'm gripping the wire strangely.

Also, I have the most lovely callous on my left index finger.

So. I've been taking a break... a few days. I suspect tomorrow I'll be back at it. Maybe not wire wrapping. Maybe some new bracelets.

I've also been designing beads in my sketchbook. Nothing noteworthy to show you yet but I'm dying to play with polymer clay. If any of you are following me on Pinterest, you'll see that I've been pinning polymer clay tutes (and... bento stuff :P) like mad.

Here are some of my faves so far.

 Faux Ceramic Pendant

Faux Raku

Pendant Painted with Alcohol Inks

All these use alcohol inks. I bought a set a little while ago and other than painting copper, I want to know what else I can do with these lovely inks.

SIDENOTE: I have another interview tomorrow. This time with the district manager... so that makes 4 interviews total after tomorrow. Still have a chance to mess this up... heh...