Ahtee's Links- What I'm Reading

ammjewelry- I LOVE copper and Millie uses it perfectly in this wonderful bracelet.

Be~Jeweled by jana- Jana’s necklace and earrings set is just lovely. And you know what? There’s a FRIED marble in it.

A Bead a Day- The electric sparkly beads in the bracelet… heck, the bracelet itself, would also make me smile, Lisa. So pretty.

The Beaded Carpet- Mikki’s entry for “Your Designs Rock” by Rings & Things- A breathtakingly beautiful choker.

Beads, Beads, Beads- Katrin’s color for the month was blue and she used it well!

The Blue Between- Fossil inspired beads by Pam. Little fossils captured in glass.

Dawno's Beaded Badge Lanyards and Jewelry- Dawno uses up her stash and features a silver leaf she has been hiding from us! :P

JustATish Designs- Again, I love copper. Inspiration hits and a pendant is born.

Lampwork Diva aka Cindy Gimbrone- I think Cindy’s necklace is one I would wear with a little black dress…

Lorelei's Blog- If I had a week off, I don’t think I’d be as productive as Lorelei. I’d probably just sleep all week… Such pretty pieces!

Pearl and Pebble- A fantastic entry to Art Bead Scene’s February Challenge. I love that vintage button clasp!

Sue Beads- Sue tries her hand at enameling. So pretty… It takes courage to show our works in progress and first attempts.

Summers Studio- Leann, I’m also ready for spring! I love the sakura beads!

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton- Andrew’s cute caterpillar bracelet’s a winner!

Zuleykha's polymer clay- Zuleykha found some ADORABLE raspberry beads! They really do look good enough to eat! O_O

Who is "Ahtee?"- Week 9

My friend posted a picture on Facebook of Marilyn Monroe in a bathing suit. And you know what? She was not a twig. That made me smile.

I certainly am not a twig. I'm closer to a tree trunk than a twig. But I want to believe that I'm beautiful. My boyfriend says I am. My mom says that there is no such thing as an ugly person (physically, she means... my mom made that point clear- there ARE ugly spirited people). My dad, though he does say that I'm fat, says that I'm pretty. Why is it so hard for me to see it?

I am going to love myself a little bit more. I think that I can be pretty. I don't wear make-up but I think I can still be pretty without it.

I'm going to close with five things about myself that I think are beautiful:
1) My smile
2) I think I have a cute nose (that is obviously Filipino...hehehe)
3) um... my ears are... shaped... like... ears? Lol.
4) I have deep brown eyes. I like my eyes.
5) My hands. I know you can't see them, but they're pretty small. Not slender, but small. They match me. I'm small but not slender...

Romance in Brass

My latest piece is an asymmetrical necklace featuring a large brass flower pendant. Dragonflies, flowers, pink glass beads, and peach colored seed beads make it very feminine (so says the designer :P).

Below is a different shot of the whole set. Also, I've taken close-ups of different parts of the necklace.

Adventures with Rod- Volumes 1 & 2

The past three Thursdays, Rod and I have had the day off together and we've been going on mini-adventures. What's wonderful is we get to spend the day together and more often than not, we're talking about creating and what projects we're working on... and we go off in search of random things.


Last week, we went to the Old Barn Antique Mall in San Juan Capistrano. So much vintage jewelry! I couldn't afford any of it, but it certainly was beautiful and made me want to go home and play with my beads. I also loved looking at the jewelry stands and boxes. Rod gave me one of the catalogs that got sent to him at work that's filled with fixtures and displays... It makes me want to open up my own little shop.

We also saw LOTS of Pyrex. My sister-in-law collects old Pyrex. They're really pretty, I think. And make food look even yummier. But maybe that's me...



This week, we went to Laguna Beach. We walked past a jewelry shop that was featuring the work of an artist named Enric Torres. The pieces reminded me so much of Mucha. So pretty.

We sat by the beach and had a little picnic. I sketched and he did a little watercolor painting. It was a really good day. I hope we have more adventures together...

No Two Pair Are Alike...

On Sunday, I made these two pairs of earrings. The first is a bit more "classic" with the big white porcelain bead and dark glass pearls. The other is a bit more "fun" with the seed bead hoops and copper flowers. One feels a bit cold and the other warm... colorwise anyway.

I'm not sure if I'm developing a "style" like a painter develops their style... but I feel more confident when I'm going into a piece. Perhaps that's what its about... confidence.

Who is "Ahtee?"- Week 8

Before I start, I just want to say, I can't believe how much I miss the internet when it's not available at my house... A remodel of sorts is going on in the living room and the internet has been down at my place since LAST WEEK! I thought my cousins had given it up for Lent without telling me!!! Lol.

Ok. Now. On to my late picture. I was told, when I yawn, I look like a panda. So. Here is my best "yawn face." And there is Beckett... one of my Valentine's Day presents.

Me? Panda?... Maaaaybe.... Haha.

Purple Pillars

Glass crackle beads are fun. They're even better when they're in a shape that isn't just a sphere. These amethyst colored glass crackle beads were sitting in my stash and, I believe were a buy from around Thanksgiving. I remember making earrings for someone with them for Christmas. I still had some of the copper components and tried to make them again.

This is what I came up with. I think it's close to what I made for Christmas.