Ready SET go!

This set is bright, fun and when the light catches it sparkles. You've gotta love Swarovski crystals. I accompanied the orange crystals with teal, freshwater pearls all wrapped together with sterling wire. I like the movement of the earrings and will definitely make a similar style for myself.

Just a grillin'

I just had to get a break from the recent heat so we headed to Ocean Shores, Wa for a day on the beach. It was freezing. Okay maybe not freezing, but I could see steam coming out of my mouth when I breathed. It was a nice change from the mid nineties which we are not used to here.

To try something different to BBQ I marinated some chicken tenders and put some kabob sticks through them. Quick and easy.

I like to marinade my meat at least 24 hours before cooking. I find the flavor gets through the meat nicely this way. This is super simple basic recipe, but just in case you have never made your teriyaki marinade before here is how I do mine:

Combine brown sugar, soy a sauce (I prefer Bragg), white wine, freshly grated ginger root, and 2-4 garlic cloves run through the garlic press (you can finely chop if you do not have a press). Mix all ingredients together. Now for the scary part, stick your finger in (make sure you haven not added your meat yet) and see if you like the taste or if it needs more brown sugar. Nine times out of ten I need more sugar. When you are satisfied add your meat and cook the day or so later.

Now if you are one that REALLY needs the measurements here you go:

1/4 C white wine
1/2 C soy a sauce
1C brown sugar
1 tbsp grated ginger root (peel first)
2 lg garlic cloves

It was a blue ribbon day

It literally was a blue ribbon day for me. Over the years I have always thought about entering the fair. I thought it would be my cross stitching, however. I decided to bite the bullet and enter. To my surprise all six entries won a blue ribbon. Talk about validation.

The above photo is of two bracelets. The copper one is wire wrapped with different gems and glass beads. The other one is of faceted smokey quartz, Swarovski crystals and the focal bead is chyrsocolla.

This pair of earring was in the metal class. The filigree (the center silver part) is what I created using twisted silver wire and then adhered a bezel with crystal in the center.

This last photo is of three sets of copper earrings. From left to right is cut copper that has been forged with a faceted amethyst, next is my latest technique of stamping on metal. Those circles were cut on a circle cutter, stamped, oxidized and then buffed. Lastly is some wire wrapped earrings with tiny faceted garnets.

I am just tickled. I have never done this before and was so surprised to have received blue ribbons for everything that I submitted. Thanks for letting me share my joy with you all.

Trying out a new tools

I have been playing around with a few things this week, one is my circle cutter the other is some stamps. Top that off with some stinky liver of sulfa and it has been play time in my studio. I have some nasty new neighbors that are very loud until the wee hours of the morning so I have been doing the liver of sulfa outside for their smelling pleasure. If you aren't familiar with the stuff, it smells like you just boiled a boat load of eggs and are peeling them.

So for these little darlings, I took copper sheet and cut them out with the circle punch. It is extremely loud which is another bonus to get back at my noisy neighbors in the morning. Nothing like hammering steel. From there I sand and buff the edges and then the fun begins. More noise! Stamping with one of my steel stamps to create the design. Then I take my circles outside and dip them into the putrid smelling liquid and rinse those bad boys off. Next is the part I hate because my hands are already sore. The sanding. I take a medium grit of steel wool and buff out the black so the stamped images just have the black. Assemble the earrings and hopefully the renters will be putting in their notice lol.

Beachy Keen

This piece reminds me of hot days at the beach. Dorky I know. I created this "Y" necklace with dyed jade, freshwater pearls and this cool focal bead that I picked up somewhere or other. All this wrapped up on a sterling silver chain.

Ya, I'm loving this design

I am so stuck on this design. It is one of my top sellers so I thought, what the heck, make a pair for myself. Of course this crappy photo doesn't do it justice, but these are lemon topaz that are faceted. The picture looks like some plastic piece of junk. Can somebody wave the photography wand that I can be blessed with more talent with taking photos of jewelry.

Oh a oxidizing I will go...

I have the oxidized bug. After my last few pieces that I shared with you all I did a real fun custom piece and that made me want to create some earrings in the same style. This pair I fused fine sterling silver wire and then hand forged it. Dangling is faceted iolite, citrine and raspberry colored freshwater pearls. I think I will make another pair for myself unless someone local purchases them. Who wants to wear the same jewelry as another right?

It's About Freaking Time

I have FINALLY caught the scrapbooking bug again. It has only been like over a year since I have created a LO. I would have never thought another craft would take over my scrapbooking, but wired jewelry has.

Excuse the glare on the photo. I don't know how to fix it and I am too lazy to redo it. This LO is from my 40th birthday a year and a half ago.

Pee-Yew!

Today I finally got to play with my liver of sulfa. Pee-Yew! I knew it smelt like rotten eggs, but there is always that little something inside me that has to smell it to make sure. Glad I took the warnings of oxidizing my jewelry outside.


This first piece is a bracelet I created using faceted labrodite and fresh water pearls.





Then I did an earring and bracelet set with citrine and freshwater pearls.

The bracelet I added these cool ceramic beads and Swarvoski crystals. I like the links I made for added flair. I am still debating if I should keep this set for myself or not. SOLD

This next bracelet is just a very simply labrodite and pearl. Can you believe I had three lamps and a photo tent when photographing these. Yikes! :( SOLD

Got Wood?

Of course this is just a fraction of the lumber that we need for our deck. Yes if you can't beat em' I say join em'. In other words since we aren't moving at this time (who would in this market???)we figured we might as well make our postage stamp sized yard usable with a deck.

My oh so wonderful friend Mina designed and is construction this magnificent piece of what I like to call luxury.

It is no small affair either. This bad boy is measuring 32ft x 16ft. So basically it is taking over half our our back yard. Is it worth it? You bet your hammer and nails it is.

Think Spring

Spring cannot come fast enough for me. I can feel it coming. The days are getting longer and my hyacinths are budding. I decided to create a spring bracelet with lilac and turquiose colors. The yellow background is just thrown in for good measure. To me it screams Easter now, but on the wrist it is very pretty. I might have to keep this one for myself.

Can I get a woot woot?

Woot! Woot! I did it! Freaking finally! I lost almost two pounds and this means I am at my five pound marker. Only F O U R weeks to do it lol. So this means I get my prize.
The last time I lost a ton of weight what worked for me was setting out a prize for every five pound loss. My first prize is some self tanner lotion for my face. It has been killing me not to buy this stuff. I always crave a little color around this time of year. Don't worry, I will do the rest of my body to. Don't want to come out looking all redneck. Not an attractive look on women. Hell, it isn't a very attractive look on men.

It's my party and I will cry if I want to.

Ya, this is about how I feel with my progress with my weight loss. Yes, I know I started WW to not gain any more weight while on Prednisone. Just call me selfish, but I would like to lose some to. I know, what an idea. To actually lose weight while dieting. Oops a healthy lifestyle. My bad.

In case you haven't guessed, I didn't lose a damn thing at my WW meeting last night. I am following it to a "T" to. There are girls that started the same night I did and are half my size that are up to ten pounds. Me? Can I get to freaking five pounds in three weeks? In my best Steve Martin voice, "Nooooooooooooooooo".

Onward and forward. I will get to that stupid five pound loss. I will do it!

Pearls Oh Beautiful Pearls

Oh how I love my pearl sales. Something inside me gives me the warm fuzzies when I can get a good deal on the things I love. Of course I am always attracted to the bright and dark colors. I wanted one of almost everything. It was so hard to stick within my budget. Okay so I didn't actually stick to my budget, but I only went over by $50 so that should count for something shouldn't it. We're talking pearls people! Half off sale!

As soon as I got all my goodies home and everything sorted and priced out I quickly got to work on one of my custom orders. Thankfully this one included freshwater pearls so I could play with my new finds. I think I need to make myself some new pretties for spring. It is just around the corner and I deserve it.

Are you freaking kidding me?

Yes, I realize that steriods make you gain weight and I should be happy for a loss, but after two weeks on Weight Watchers I STILL have not lossed five pounds. This is so not typical for me in the first two weeks of a healthy eating plan. I am trying so hard not to get discouraged. I know I should be thanking my lucky stars that I am not gaining anymore. Still! Can I just have some damn wine with my cheese. Nope! Too many damn points.

What Have You Done Today To Make You Feel Proud?

Yes, I drank the Kool-Aide. I mean come on we all know at least one person who has done well with Weight Watchers (WW). It seems to be a program that we all can do so what the heck. My health has stabilized to a point where I can enjoy life again and can leave the house and exercise so this is a great time to start.

I bit the bullet last Wednesday and drove to a meeting. Everyone seemed nice, but coupled with someone. Got to get a weight loss buddy that is local. I stood in line for a half an hour which that in itself should be adapted to Activity Points. Once it was my turn I swear to God I did everything to prolong the enviatable, THE SCALE. Oh, it is not like I don't know how much I weigh. With my frequent visits to my doctors I readily jump on the scale for them when asked. There is something jumping on the scale when it isn't a medical proffessional who is weighing you. I just kept telling myself she has seen worse.

Then we have the important question to answer: Shoes or no shoes? Now I don't have to tell you larger girls that bending down to put your shoes on sucks. I mean we have rolls we have to contend with when we bend over. "Oh, what the heck", I thought. "Let's keep them on". Seriously, I may weigh a pound or so more, but come summer time when I want a bigger loss I can just put on some sandals instead of my heavey Sketchers.

Fine, we solved that problem and get on the scale. Silence. I swear I heard crickets. All those times getting weighed in at TOPS, I was waiting for my results. Nothing! They don't tell you unless you ask, but they write it down for you. Whew! I think I might like this place. Just one question, how the heck did I gain ten pounds in three weeks? Damn Prednisone. Hey, I am on it and I am going to blame it. At least those ten pounds. I will take responsibility for the other 90 I gained.

Ya, I have 100 to lose. Gulp! Hey, I have lost 73 pounds before. I can do it. I am not even looking at the big picture, but just the week. I will be happy to lose one pound. If I lose more, I will be very happy. I am going on with blinders with this one. Just one week at a time. Can I get woot woot? What have you done lately to make you feel proud?

Fabulas Filigree

I made this earring for a Christmas party a few months back. This was the first time I have ever made a filigree. A filigree is the middle, focal of this earring. It is normally used to hang things from or between beads.

This was my first time using twisted wire and I liked it. It was also the first time that I got to set a stone. Okay, not a stone ,but Czeck glass. Still! We're talking setting people. Of course my photography sucks here, but the bottom clear big is an Eygptian crystal. Very cool! With Valentine's day just around the corner I think I need to drag these out.

I'm back baby

Poor health sucks, but I am on the mend so it is time to play again. I took a class this week and had some fun with a new technique. Some of you will recognize this as a dream catcher. From my understanding the principal is the same, just minus proper placement of the beads and a feather.

This pendent consists of faceted labrodite, rose quartz, freshwater pearl, Swarvoski crystal and glass beads.

Since this was my first one, I had to play with other colors and sizes. I ended up also making a pair of earrings that I am looking forward to wearing and another multi colored pendant with blues, greens and purples laying on green silk that I will probably list in my little store. I just may end up giving that one to my mother.

Now the hung is on for pretty, tiny beads. With the craze of big beads I seem to be low on the tiny ones, but that just gives me an excuse to shop.