Backyard Beads

52 Pairs of Earrings Week #3

2012-01-19T14:59:00.000-08:00

It's week number three for the 52 Pairs of Earrings A Year Flickr group. Here are my earrings for the week. I really like these new leaves that I made. I think I'll even make more! I also like that these earrings make a little noise when I move my head. I like noisy earrings for some reason???

What I learned this week:

1. I'm happy that I joined this group. It has (so far) kept me motivated to make new things out of polymer clay.

2. I learned that I agonize over every step in putting the earrings together! (Oh to be Lorelei Eurto, and to be able to make so many beautiful pieces of jewelry in one session AFTER WORKING all day!)

3. I am putting some of the ideas that swirl around in my head into something that I actually make!

4. I can't take pictures worth BEANS. It took a boat load of taking photos in different areas of my house to finally get one that I wanted to use. I still had to doctor it up in Photoshop!

If you feel like making lots of earrings this year, join this group. Or you can just look at what other are making.

P.S. My ears really bother me when I wear brass ear wires. I really like the look of the brass wires or wires that have had a patina added. Does anyone have any suggestions about types of wire to use? Am I the only one with this problem? I know I could use sterling silver, but I'm not crazy about the look of silver.

New Earrings! Woot!

2012-01-13T12:30:00.000-08:00

I guess it's been a long time since I've posted here! Life always seems to get in the way of bead making for some reason! Usually I don't make New Year's resolutions, but this year I have a few. There are a few things I really am planning to do ( I hope to, anyway). I want to make some jewelry from some of the copious tutorials I have purchased online or that I have in my hundreds of magazines and books. I plan to (try) and use the supplies that I have on hand, instead of making more and more, and MORE supply purchases. Also I joined a Flickr group that was started by Anke Humpert. It's called 52 Pairs of Earrings a Year. Here is the group's challenge:

"In 2012 I will challenge myself: I will make more art - regularly!
To stick to it, I will make a pair of earrings each week (mostly polymer clay, but not exclusively!).
So 2012 is going to be a year of 52 pairs of earrings for me....! Earrings are relatively small and who does not like to have more earrings, right?
Like to join the challenge??
Just come in and show what you have made each week!"

So these are my plans! I'm already late with the 52 pairs of earrings. It's week two, but I got one pair made! Hooray! I think they look like pizza slices in this picture! The pizza and the flower are polymer clay. BTW, it's not too late to join the group! If you want to stay motivated to make "something" each week, come join the fun!

Polymer Clay Tutorials Galore

2011-09-17T10:56:00.000-07:00

I've been busily working on all kinds of things, but no polymer clay. If any of my blog readers are interested in finding or trying a polymer clay technique, here is a wonderful list of tutorials that can be found online...and I think they are all for free! Hooray! The picture above shows just a small sampling of the great variety of tutorial links that can be found on a wonderful blog called Iratirita. The blog owner lives in Spain. Not all of the tutorials are in the same language, but most are accompanied by lots of pictures of the technique.

Here they are:
Part 1: Tutorials for all kinds of polymer clay canes and miniatures

Part 2: Tutorials for all kinds of polymer clay techniques. There are beads, boxes, jewelry, surface techniques and more!

These lists must have taken a lot of time to put together. What a great resource though. There are several things there that I may just have to try! Enjoy.

A Micro-Macrame Break From My Break

2011-07-08T08:52:00.000-07:00

Even though I've been on a summer break from making anything from polymer clay, I haven't been on a break from beads. Taking a break from beads would just be too hard to do! Anyway, Malin de Koning blogged about her really cute macrame creations and her good life the other day. She used a bunch of different art beads in a bracelet that she put together. Lo and behold...I had been working on macrame too! I thought that I'd just post a picture of the two bracelets I had made recently. I haven't done any macrame for ages! I had forgotten how much I love it! One thing that's really great about macrame is that it is portable. I can take my project with me anywhere...something that I can't do with polymer clay. These little bangles are made with size 11 seed beads (yikes...maybe that's why they call it micro-macrame), size 6 seed beads, jasper (I think) rounds and some buttons (love these buttons) I have been hoarding. I used Mastex cord because I had some laying around. The pattern was found on Etsy in Knotgypsy's store. It is simple to make and turns out pretty cute! Knotgypsy has some free patterns on her blog. She also has a great resource section where you can find info on the basic knots, materials, and helpful hints.

Taking a Break

2011-06-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a break from blogging to enjoy these warm days and to just hang out. My hands have really been bothering me lately. I have arthritis. The clay is kind of difficult to work with when its 100° outside and also when my hands are hurting. I'll be back though! Have a wonderful summer! Stay cool!

This Makes Me Happy!

2011-05-29T07:26:00.000-07:00

This joyful moon is on my backyard fence. The flowers have decided to bloom around his face. He appears to be enjoying their fragrance. This makes me happy!

Hope you are enjoying your Memorial Day weekend. Please take some time to remember those who have died in our nation's service and to be thankful for all of those who have served. We are going to try to barbeque tomorrow if it ever stops raining.

Elements:

frame: Aaron of nepa

Andrew Thornton's Biggest Giveaway EVER!

2011-05-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Andrew Thornton's Thursday giveaway is huge this week! His sister, Cynthia Thornton, carved the original molds. Andrew has made pendants from the molds out of bronze, copper, and porcelain with a fine-silver coating. Aren't they wonderful! The winner of this giveaway will take home a set of four in each material! The prize has a value of over $220! CLICK HERE to see the full selection available in Andrew's Shop!

Giveaway has ended.

Spread the Word! Barbara Lewis' New Book and Giveaway!

2011-05-27T11:24:00.000-07:00

Barbara Lewis of Painting with Fire Artwear has a book coming out soon. To encourage you to "look inside" the book she is having a GIVEAWAY! Woo Hoo! Her creations are so beautiful! Just look at the designs on the book cover...I love them! You could win this HUGE selection of Barbara's beads in any color your heart desires!

Here's what you have to do ... visit Amazon, take a "Look Inside", click on the "Liked" button, post the contest on your blog and become a follower of Barbara's blog ... if you aren't already. :-) Don't forget to go back to Barbara's and leave a comment that you did all of the above so you'll be entered in the drawing. The winner will be announced next Tuesday. Good luck!
Giveaway has ended.

Elements:

old background paper: fuzzimo

photo frames: aaron of nepa

photo corners: irene alexeeva designs

Bead Table Wednesday

2011-05-25T21:57:00.000-07:00

It's Bead Table Wednesday again! The only thing I've got going on my bead table today is I've been working on this handy dandy little holder for my Kemper cutters. I'm always losing them on my clay table, so I figured this might help me keep track of them. The holder is just a big lump of scrap clay that I've pressed the cutters into and then baked with the cutters in place. I think it will work!

Oh...and what's especially special about this is it really grabs on to the cutters. They don't fall out, but they are easily removed and easily put back into place!

Elements:

masking tape: fuzzimo

Oh, why do they make these toys that distract me.....

2011-05-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

Today, while perusing my favorite blogs, I found this new toy that Pixlr has unveiled called pixlr-o-matic. I had to waste a bunch of time using these fun filters on Casey's lovely face. Pixlr-o-matic is so simple to use...and...there are so many filters to play with! I especially like the frames!

Here's what they are saying about pixlr-o-matic on the Pixlr blog:

"Start off by selecting an image to play with either from your webcam, Facebook, or your computer. The image is brought into the darkroom where you can select from a large number of effects, overlays and borders .. but why take my word for it? Go to http://apps.facebook.com/o-matic/ if you have a Facebook account or http://pixlr.com/o-matic/ if you don't.

A single photo can have more then 25,000 different looks!"

Yeah, woo hoo, for distractions!!!!

A Huge Giveaway!!

2011-05-19T21:52:00.000-07:00

Art Bead Scene is having a humongous giveaway with a little help from Beads 2011. These pictures show only a tiny part of what you could win. There are three ways to enter. Check it out here. Hurry, the winner will be chosen at midnight on May 30!
Giveaway has ended.

Kato Polyclay Color Mixing Chart

2011-05-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

It appears that quite a few people find my blog because they are searching for polymer clay color mixing recipes and ideas. Because it seems so many people are interested in color, I thought I'd post periodically about some of the color resources that are out there on the web. The chart above will give you a starting point for creating lots of wonderful colors with Kato Polyclay. It is available at the Shades of Clay website. The original large version can be found here. This handy chart can be printed and kept right at your clay table. Shades of Clay is a Canadian resource for mixed media and polymer artists. They stock an eclectic range of art and craft supplies and ship world wide. There is a list of color recipes at Shades of Clay as well as this great chart. The list of recipes can be found here. I hope you find these to be of use in your polymer clay adventures! If you have a resource for color mixing ideas, please feel free to let me know. Also, you can click on the word COLOR on the navigation bar at the top of my blog to see past posts about color.

Elements:

frame: Aaron of Nepa

deco tape: Pugly Pixel

Polymer Clay Backstory

2011-05-13T17:12:00.000-07:00

If you make jewelry out of polymer clay, you might be interested in joining the new Flickr Group, Polymer Clay Backstory.

The focus of this group is stated as follows: "The purpose of this group is to share photos and ideas of your polymer clay work, primarily the BACKSIDE of your work. Ex. - how you work findings, bails, earring posts and embellishments into your work. We would also like to see how you strung non traditional beads & focal beads & and any unusual ways you have dealt with combining your elements into one cohesive piece. We also encourage finishes and glazing ideas be featured."

I don't know about you, but I am usually at a loss as to how to finish the back of a piece as nicely as it is finished on the front. This group has some good photos of finishing ideas. Enjoy!

Want to Heat Up Your Blog?

2011-05-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

I just had to post this link to Totally Severe. These are the cutest and wildest background images I've come across in a while. The picture above is just a sample of what you'll find if you visit Totally Severe. When you visit, just click on a sample that you like and it will appear as a page background so you can see how it might look on your blog. Best of all they are free to use. Just post a link to the website if you use an image. To use one, first save a copy to your hard drive. Then go to your blog's Template Designer.
.

Click on Background. Then select Upload Image. Find the image where you saved it and upload. Now you're all set.

Hope you'll find something you like. I would change my background if I hadn't just spent a bunch of time setting my blog up like it is currently. Maybe as the weather heats up, I'll feel like heating up my blog too. Enjoy!

Bead Table Wednesday

2011-05-04T14:50:00.000-07:00

A dear bloggy friend (Lorelei, you know who you are.) asked me to make her some beads. I told her I would if I could remember how. I have been doing all kinds of stuff, but not one thing beady. The cobwebs were growing over my bead table. The dust was thick in the studio. I decided that I would give it a go, since it was this special friend who had asked. After sweeping away the dust and cobwebs and stifling many sneezes, these are what I've managed so far. I think it's all coming back to me! I had to post a pic since it's Bead Table Wednesday!! Maybe I should have taken a picture of the dust and cobwebs that were there for the past few weeks.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

I just found out from my bloggy friend, Malin de Koning, that there are Easter witches! Who would have thought?? After all these years, I never knew until now. If you'd like to hear the story of the Easter witch, Malin did a nice little video about the witches (complete with costume) on her blog here. Malin does periodic Swedish lessons which are quite informative. Also here is a link to a story about the Island of the Easter Witches, Blå Jungfrun. You can even go visit the island if you are brave enough. Anyway, have a wonderful Easter weekend everyone! Stay away from the witches!

The Peeps are Here!

2011-04-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

....sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, preservatives, yellow dye (or whatever) and carnauba wax eyes....YUM YUM!

Who eats these things anyway? Just looking at them makes my teeth hurt.

Oh No! It's That Time Again...or...The Real Backyard Beads Revealed!

2011-03-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

I am an allergy sufferer. Every spring I am miserable. I sneeze. My eyes itch. My eyes water. My nose runs. But...oh, isn't nature grand? Look at these beauties. It amazes me that something so tiny, can be so wonderfully lovely, so perfect!, so bead-like. I guess you could say that these little pollen gems are the real backyard beads. But...oh...how they make me suffer.

Bead Table Wednesday

2011-03-16T17:24:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's Bead Table Wednesday again! This month is just flying by! On my table today are some bead patterns I've been working on. I hope you like them!!

It's Bead Table Wednesday!

2011-03-09T20:26:00.000-08:00

It's Bead Table Wednesday again. The beads on my table are fresh out of the oven. Make sure to visit the Bead Table Wednesday Flickr Group. Join the fun and show us your bead table. Mine is not always pretty. That's why I took this close up!!

My Good Old Friend...

2011-03-04T12:45:00.000-08:00

I'd like for you to meet my old friend. She is my Farberware Convection Turbo Oven. She is as old as the hills. You can see her attractive faux wood grain. Maybe she was born in the '70s. I don't know. I'm not sure. She probably has her birthday printed on her somewhere. I'm afraid to look. I don't want to move her. I don't want her to break. She lives in my garage. She likes it there. She showed up one day at a garage sale. She was in a garage when I found her. I think she cost me about $10. I knew I had to have her. It was love at first sight. I remembered reading somewhere how wonderful these old Farberware ovens were. Who ever wrote about her was right. She holds a temperature like a champ...no hot spots, no temperature fluctuation, no burnt translucent clay. Did I mention that I love her?

If you bake polymer clay you will know what I'm talking about. You know you have to have an oven that stays at the temperature you set. You don't want hot spots. You don't want overcooked translucent clay. If you ever get a chance to bring one of these sweet ovens home, do it! Don't even hesitate. You will fall in love too!

Goes Great with a Cup of Coffee!! I'm featured on Polymer Clay Daily!

2011-03-03T06:02:00.000-08:00

What a special treat to wake up this morning (yes, I'm always happy to wake up), pour myself a cup of coffee, settle in to read my favorite blogs...and then...to find my grungy beads featured on Cynthia Tinapple's Polymer Clay Daily! Thank you, Cynthia, for featuring my beads! Now, if the rain will go away, my day will be perfect!

Bead Table Wednesday

2011-03-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

How did this happen? Who made this mess? Where is my bead table? I need to start cleaning up on Tuesday for Bead Table Wednesday!

BTW

2011-02-02T13:17:00.000-08:00

It's Bead Table Wednesday again! It is beginning to look like the grungier I can make my beads, the better I like them. Seems like I'm trying to make a mess??? What's on your bead table today?

Bead Table Wednesday

2011-01-26T21:43:00.000-08:00

Well, it's already Thursday for you folks on the East Coast, but here in California it's still "Bead Table Wednesday" (aka BTW). I thought I'd get this picture of my bead table posted before the clock strikes midnight. Not having the nerve to show all the crapola on my bead table, I took a really tight shot so all you could see is this little section.

Bead Table Wednesday is the brainchild of Heather Powers. You can read about it on her blog, Humblebeads. There is a Flickr group to join if you have the nerve to post a picture of your mess...err...CrEAtiOns.

Looking for my Muse

2011-01-14T12:31:00.000-08:00

Cough cough. Hack hack. Whine whine!! Sniffle sniffle. I'm sick. I hate it! It's gray outside. My cats are scratching the you-know-what out of my sofa...even though there are two (TWO!) scratch posts right there in front of it. I feel generally miserable...so I thought I'd make some beads!!!!!

I began feeling even more yucky (why does it always get worse as the day progresses) so I didn't try to take any fancy photos. I just stuck the beads in one of my succulent bowls (They are not even cured yet). The beads sort of looked like they belonged in there. I couldn't find my charging cord for my camera so I used my daughter's (drooling now) Canon Rebel. What a cool camera. I don't know how to use it, but it is just cool. It even sounds cool!

These bead designs have been percolating in my head for a while now. The round beads are textured. The cylinder beads are smooth. My favorites have the texture. Should I make more? No more today. I'm going to go take a nap. First...one more little whine! whine <-----see it.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T07:31:00.000-08:00

My goal for the new year is to find my muse. She may have run off with this guy!

Happy new year, everybody!!!

Mine....all mine!

2010-11-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

This morning while perusing my favorite blogs, I came upon a post by Shannon LeVart, aka Missficklemedia. Shannon was showcasing some new pieces she had made. She posted a picture of this oh-so adorable necklace she calls Falls Enchantment. I immediately fell in love. I had to have it!! So I hopped on over to her Etsy store and snapped it up! I mean, after all it's just a few weeks after my birthday. I should still be celebrating by buying lovely things for myself, right??? Right!! I just visited Shannon's Etsy store again and, lo and behold, she has listed another one of these beauties. There's still time for you to get one too! Shannon has another Etsy store, Missficklemedia, where she sells wonderful rustic components which she hand patinas. I love her stuff!!

Woot woot!! GIANTS! Woot!

2010-11-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

Way to go GIANTS!!! Hoooooorrrayyyy!!

I Adore this Sweet Face!

2010-09-02T21:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, I really am a sucker for a pretty face. Take a look at this cat. She sits in baskets and wears hats. She remains very calm and relaxed when she has stuff placed on top of her head. I think she likes it. She always has such a content look on her face. She even has her own blog called Basket Cat Blog. I want her!

Image from Cute Overload.

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton: Thursday Giveaway...

2010-08-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

Every Thursday Andrew Thornton has a blog giveaway. This week he's giving away some gorgeous items from Sue Beads. Sue makes such lovely beads. I just adore those "sugar beads". Drop by Andrew's blog to find out how to enter.
Giveaway has ended.

Alice Instanbul is Having a Welcome Back Blog Giveaway!

2010-08-22T10:30:00.000-07:00

Alice Istanbul is relaunching her comeback with a blog giveaway. She took five months away from everything. Now she's back and is celebrating a new start by giving away this wonderful "a rose is a rose is a rose" pendant. Here is what Alice says about this piece: "Crowned with my hand drawn Art and Crafts style rose, embellished with balls of fine silver, and organic curves of sterling wire, this Art Nouveau necklace features a gorgeous opalescent glass cabochon in orange. Beneath the beautiful blue and purple flashes of the glass lie more roses. Roses on the back, too." I say, I think it it beautiful!

If you'd like to welcome Alice back and enter her giveaway, you can find out how at Alice's blog, Alice Instanbul Designs.

Cool Color Tools

2010-08-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

Today I thought I'd post about a couple of color tools that I really like. One tool is made for Firefox (web browser) the other can be found on the web. Sometimes I find that I just can't come up with a new color scheme to work with. What I like to do is find an image that has a color that speaks to me. Sometimes I will search Flickr for a word that describes a look or a feeling. I can find all kinds of color ideas that way. Today I searched for "soft". This is one of the images that came up.

There are lots of ways to draw a color from a web image. I'm just going to show you this great Firefox extension. If you don't use Firefox as your web browser (you should), you'll have to find another tool to grab a color from an image you like. The tool I use is Colorzilla. As I said, Colorzilla is made for Firefox. The icon sits in the lower corner of the browser (see arrow above). All you need to do is click on that little dropper icon, then click on your favorite color in the image.

Colorzilla will grab the color. Once you have made a color choice, double click on the dropper and a color box will appear with the HEX color code of the color you picked (see arrow above). Copy the code.

Now, here comes the fun tool....Color Wizard. Just paste the code for that gorgeous color that you found in your image into the box that says "Enter Hex Code" (see arrow number 1). Press the "SET" button. Woo hoo... Up will pop all those beautiful variations of your color in the horizontal color bars of Color Wizard (see arrow number 2). You'll see hue variations, saturation variations, as well as variations of tint and shade. Wait!! That's not all! Down below (see arrow number 3) you'll be able to find color combinations...all the wonderful colors that will go with that gorgeous color you picked in the first place! You can pick from six types of color schemes. There's monochromatic, analogous, triadic, tetradic, complimentary and split-complementary. Color Wizard is found at Colors on the Web. Colors on the Web has lots of color tools and color information. Color Wizard is my favorite though.

These tools can be helpful any time you want to work with color. I really find them useful. I hope you will too!

A Celebration and a Lovely Giveaway!

2010-08-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

To celebrate her first design in Beadwork magazine, Nancy, of Beading from the Heart, is giving away one of her necklaces featured in the August/September 2010 issue of the magazine. This lovely cranberry necklace is perfect for the fall! The description on Beadwork's web page is: "Delicate and divine—right-angle-weave squares of crystal bicones and lustrous seed beads form this airy necklace". I think it's gorgeous!

There are lots of ways to enter! Find out how right here! Good luck!
Giveaway has ended.

Want to Learn Something New? Check out CraftEdu

2010-08-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of making the same old stuff? Want to try something new? Well, CraftEdu might just be the place to find your niche. CraftEdu has been around for just a short while, but it has developed quite a following. It is the brain child of Vernon and Donna Kato. Donna wanted to find a simpler way to teach her craft...something simpler than traveling back and forth across the country. Maybe a way to teach from home. Voila, CraftEdu was born.

The lineup of classes is amazing. Not only can you buy a class, you can communicate with your instructor in the Instructor Classroom. You can find the full faculty list here. If you are even more adventurous, you might want to join the faculty and teach some classes of your own!

New classes are being added regularly. Here is just a small sampling of their impressive list of instructors.

There is even a ClassEdu blog. If want to keep up with the new classes that are being added, you'll want to become a follower of that blog. If you having a desire to learn something new, then CraftEdu just might be the place for you.

Marie Segal's 14th Giveaway!

2010-08-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

Wow! It seems like lots of people are giving lots of stuff away lately! Is there something in the air?? Marie Segal loves to give things away! In fact, this is her fourteenth giveaway! This time she's giving away one of her gorgeous hearts!. This one is unzipped and has a bee inside. Marie has some different hearts in her Etsy store. If you are not patient enough to find out if you will win this one, check out the others at her store. You won't be disappointed! You can enter by clicking on the picture above or by clicking on the picture in my sidebar. You can have lots of chances to enter too! Good luck!

And a huge P.S.!! As you can see, I have been having fun creating with Photoshop! If you are interested in some really cute and FREE graphic elements to use on your blog posts, just visit Katrina at Pugly Pixel. Click on the picture above to see her freebies. Katrina generously shares her creations for all of us to use! You can find her terms of use here. Thank you Katrina! I love your stuff and your blog and your dogs, Pugly and otherwise!
Giveaway has ended.

Something New Has Been Added to Blogger in Draft

2010-07-31T15:50:00.000-07:00

Blogger in Draft has just recently added the option to upload your own background image. Hooray...it's about time! First go to the Template Designer. Click on Background: Background Image. The "Select Background Image" box will open. There at the top (see arrow in my picture) you will now find the option to upload an image. Find an image and upload it. Click Done. You will then have the option to align the image any way you want to; or you can tile the image and have it fill the page. Pretty easy...pretty cool! This will only work with the templates that have the option to have a background...Simple template for instance.

Giveaway Alert!

2010-07-31T05:45:00.000-07:00

Woo Hoo! More bloggers are giving away some more great stuff!

Beads of Clay is giving away a pair of Wubbers bailing pliers, a spool of Vintaj wire, and an assortment of ceramic beads. Enter here.

Havana Beads is giving away these gorgeous little glass beads in "neutral". Enter here.

Good luck!!
Giveaways have ended.

Andrew Thornton is Celebrating his Blog Anniversary with an Amazing Giveaway!

2010-07-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

Every Thursday Andrew Thornton has a wonderful and generous giveaway. This Thursday he's having an extra-special wonderful and generous giveaway...and a celebration! Andrews blog is 4 years old! I think that's a good reason to celebrate! One lucky winner will claim the bead hoard shown above. The prize consists of dyed bone strands and shell chain from Bead Trust, artisan lampwork beads by Maria Richmond of Lost Marbles Lampwork, Tim Holahan of Fire Garden Glass, Stephanie Maddalena, Donna Johnson of Dancing Light Jewelry and Valerie Logan of Gray Parrot Glass, Czech glass from Talisman Associates Inc., chunky African glass beads from a shop in New York City, ceramics from Keith O'Connor and Peru, natural brass from Vintaj, carved stone by Dean Crane of Two Cranes, a rose gold plated aspen leaf, carved stone Chinese zodiac symbols, resin-encased bamboo from Priscilla Marban, enameled Mexican silver, a silver ring with a set pearl, and two bracelets (one with turquoise and coral and the other with color and mother of pearl). Made by Andrew are polymer clay components, bronze clay links, and some one-of-a-kind shrink plastic components. This is a treasure trove of beads! There are several ways to enter. Check it out, here.
Giveaway has ended.

Cute Alert!!

2010-07-18T15:26:00.000-07:00

How cute is this? Cathe Holden never ceases to amaze me. She is one of those talented people who can take a little of this and a little of that and make it into something amazing! She made this cute little pea pod pendant out of a thrift store shoe and a few SALE items from her local Michael's store! After whipping it up, she even added a tiny twisted silver tendril as an accent. I love it! This is something I'd definitely wear! If you'd like to see how she made this little pea pod and maybe make one of your own, you can find out how at Cathe's blog, Just Something I Made. Here is the link. Enjoy! Hmmmmmmm, I think I have some of those green pearls laying around somewhere...

Hearts and Flowers

2010-06-28T16:17:00.000-07:00

It really feels like summer in California, so I thought I'd make something to celebrate. I love charms, so I put some flowered heart-shaped polymer clay charms together with some wire-wrapped beaded flower charms...and...voila...hearts and flowers!! I've even included some Swarovski crystal beads for added bling! These make me happy!

Totally Amazing Giveaway!!

2010-06-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

Denise Yezbak Moore is have this totally amazing best-bead-giveaway-ever GIVEAWAY! If you'd like to enter (why wouldn't you?), you can find out how right HERE. Good luck!
Giveaway has ended.

A Little Peek at What I've Been Creating

2010-05-21T13:36:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd post a quick pic of what I've been working on. A painterly look is what I'm trying to achieve. I think I'm getting closer. These beads will be called "Blossoms". (My husband thinks they look like Hawaiian shirts.) Still not certain what shaped beads I want to make more of....round, oval, lentil, egg-shaped, short and squatty, long and lean, large or small, or in between...I don't know. What do you think? (Bet you didn't know I'm a poet too :))

Earrings from Mary Jane

2010-05-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane had a giveaway on her blog, Mairedodd. I was the lucky winner of these lovely earrings! I can't wait to wear them. I really like the different finishes on the raku beads. The package arrived today. Mary Jane had them wrapped in denim. The packaging was so cute. I should have taken a picture, but found myself tearing into it before I could get my camera! Mary Jane makes really beautiful jewelry. If you want to see more, just visit her Etsy shop. Thank you for having this giveaway, Mary Jane! I'm glad I won! Hooray!

My Favorite Baby Beads....in like....FOREVER!

2010-05-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

I made these little baby beads today. They are my favorite little beads in FOREVER! They came out of the oven with little cracks.....Cracks....CrACkS....CRACKS....CRACKS! Aaaaargh! Oh well, back to the drawing board.

Marie Segal suggested reheating the beads and then plunging them in an ice water bath until they cool. It worked like a charm! Cracks are closed up tight! Yeah! Thank you, Marie!

Bunch O' Beads and a Small Whine!

2010-04-23T16:55:00.000-07:00

I just thought I'd post a picture of this bunch o' beads I've been working on. They are on my bunch o' mess work table. I've been working on a lot of different things in an attempt to figure out what I like????? In case anyone has been wondering where I've gone...I am still here, just a little confused. Having the attention span of a gnat can be difficult! I make one design and then another and another. Then I think I don't like anything. Oh well!

On another note....I was messing around with my blog and lost ALL of my gadgets! I am so annoyed! I hate Blogger sometimes. Really, it was my own fault, but I have to blame somebody! What kinds of gadgets did I have? I don't know! There were a bunch though! Somehow I will have to repair them, but what were they! SH_ _!

(Boy...I just reread this post. What a grouch!)

Remembering Earth...on Earth Day and Everyday

2010-04-22T16:01:00.000-07:00

Treat the earth well.

It was not given to you by your parents,

it was loaned to you by your children.

We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors,

we borrow it from our Children.

Ancient Indian Proverb

I hope this day finds you thinking of ways to do your part in making our Earth a healthier place to be.

Image from Wondercliparts.

Happy Easter Everyone!!

2010-04-03T19:11:00.000-07:00

Maxwell

Casey

Max and Casey, my illustrious assistants, have put on their bunny ears to wish all of your a very Happy Easter! I hope you are spending time with the people you love! Have a happy Easter!

I tried so hard to get them in a picture together, but they just refused to cooperate.

See what Maxwell is sitting on. A few seconds ago, there were some sorted piles of seed beads on that mat. Wonder what happened to them??? He thinks he's a good helper. Oh well, sigh...

Pretties in My Snail Mail....Just for Me!!

2010-04-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago my friend, Pam, sent me an IM saying that some snail mail was coming my way! Woo hoo! I love snail mail because you never know what your gonna' get! Anyway yesterday a package arrived...it was just for me! Look what I found inside! Aren't they beautiful! Pam knows how I love earthy colors. These beads are gorgeous! Thank you, Pam! More of Pam's pretties can be found in her Etsy shop. Pam's blog is here.

I Just Received This Email......

2010-03-31T10:29:00.000-07:00

A friend just sent me the following in an email. I thought it was appropriate...just in keeping with my recent poll.

LIVING WILL

Last night, my kids and I were sitting in the living room and I said to them, 'I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug.'

They got up, unplugged the Computer, and threw out my wine.
THEY ARE SO ON MY SHIT LIST ...

The Poll Has Ended... Most of Us are Addicts.

2010-03-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

My little scientific poll has ended. The results are in. Most who voted are computer addicts. Out of the 27 people who voted, only one person tries to get important things done before going on the computer. Yay, Cindy! Alas, most of the rest of us are not so disciplined. 8 (29%) people voted that they don't limit their time on the computer. 17 (62%) actually admitted that they are addicted to the computer (WAY TO GO, THREE CHEERS, for being so forthright and admitting it!!!!) No one voted that they limit their time on the computer to a set number of minutes. No one voted that the DON'T spend too much time on the computer (which probably means that they DO spend too much time on the computer) . One person voted "Other". I don't know what that means.

Surfingcat is annoyed by her compulsive need to check everything - has anyone left any new comments for me anywhere, who's updated their blog, who's read mine, who's put new photos on flickr .... Sound familiar??? Yup! Fer sure!

Carol has no desire to break the habit. She says, "We are all creative, we are all social, if not in person, cyberly. Of course we are going to be on the computer too much. I have no answers because I have no desire to break the habit."

Conducting this poll has been eye-opening to me, because it points out that I am not alone. There are lots of us out there. It is a way of being social although when we turn off the computer does this society disappear? Not really. I don't think so. I've made lots of new friends. I think of you as friends. I've met some of you in person and had good times with like-minded people. As Beader Bubbe points out, there are worse addictions. Her advice is to "surf, blog and read emails - it's what we enjoy! How many people can say they are happy? We can!"
I guess computer use should be like anything else--in moderation. We need to find balance in all aspects of life; and this is one aspect....it's not going away!

Maxine cartoons from The Maxine Collection.

Beth is an Artist....Three Trees Art

2010-03-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

Beth McLarnan's post entitled "I Am An Artist" begins with this quote from Clarissa Pinkola Estes.
'It may also be that a woman's creative process is misunderstood or disrespected by those around her. It is up to her to inform them that when she has "that look" in her eyes, it does not mean she is a vacant lot waiting to be filled. It means she is balancing a big card house of ideas on a single fingertip, and she is carefully connecting all the cards using tiny crystalline bones and a little spit, and if she can just get it all to the table without it falling down or flying apart, she can bring an image from the unseen world into being.'

~ Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Women Who Run With the Wolves

Beth goes on to tell a story about her life as an artist. She reminded me of myself. I thought that I was the only person who ever spent any time lying on my back staring upward and away as the rest of the world passed me by. I thought I was the only person who wondered how many blues there actually are in the sky and if a person could actually sit on a cloud. I thought I was the only person who said "F_ _k you, you fat bitch" to the hairy-backed cow who hit me in the knee with a hockey stick during a game because the boy that she liked was in love with me and she was such a slut she couldn't keep a boyfriend anyway, I mean just look at her, who the hell does she think she is, stupid pig....Uh, oh I digress....back to what I was writing....Anyway, Beth writes so eloquently and with such feeling that I was hooked! I had to read more.

Then I saw her jewelry....I fell in love. Beth's creations are so whimsical and colorful. She uses such a variety of elements and brings them all together in some really amazing eclectic pieces. I asked Beth if I could share some pictures of her work on my blog. She said I could. So I did. Just take a look! If you want to take a look at Beth's fun and insightful blog, it is Three Trees Art. She also has an Etsy store. Go there. You won't be disappointed.

Oh How I Love a Beautiful Package.....

2010-03-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

...but, even better is what's inside!
Anne of Gardanne had a giveaway on her blog. I was the lucky winner! Yay me! If you would like some of Anne's beads, you can find them in her Etsy shop. These are all mine and they are spectacular! Thank you, Anne!

Look What I Found! A Fun and Easy Way to Change the Look of Your Blog!

2010-03-19T23:15:00.000-07:00

I'm probably the last person to find out about this...but...if I'm not, I'll share with you. Blogger has this really cool new way to design the look of your blog! That's why my blog looks different (again). It's called Blogger in Draft. All you have to do is sign in to draft.blogger.com. This will take you to your dashboard. Dashboard will look the way it usually does, except for the option to check "Make Blogger in Draft my default dashboard." Check this option if you want to keep messing with the look of your blog. Click on Layout. Layout will look like it usually does, except there is a new option (near the top of the page) called Template Designer. Clicking on this will take you to lots of cool design and color options. You can use a slider to adjust column widths. They even have background patterns and pictures your can add! I like this! Even posting is improved! I am still tweaking, but I think this is fun! If you use it, leave a post so I can take a look at your creation. Enjoy!

Have questions? Help for Blogger Template Designer can be found here.

How Do You Limit Your Computer Time? Poll Included .

2010-03-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

Okay...here goes....My name is Doreen and I am a computer addict! I just thought I'd post this question here ~ How do you (or do you) limit your time at the computer? I just HAVE to check my email, send email, read all the blog posts everyone has made, leave comments, check Ebay, check Etsy, shop for something, buy something, buy something else, find an answer to a question, look at Craigslist, check my blog, play with Photoshop, and all that other stuff I just HAVE to do. Please feel free to comment. Any strategies will be appreciated! Now...off to the grocery store and the post office....Feel free to take the poll located in my sidebar. Use the scroll bar beneath the poll to see all of the results.

Maxine cartoon from The Maxine Collection.

Alice in Wonderland...a few mysteries solved

2010-03-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

Sunday I was finally able to get a chance to see Alice In Wonderland. Our family schedules have been so busy that Sunday was the first chance we had to see it together. We saw it in IMAX 3D which was totally amazing! If you do go see this movie, I hope you try to see it in IMAX 3D for a real WOW factor! Anyway, this movie has received really mixed reviews...seems as if people either loved it or hated it. I was one of the "loved it" people! I knew I would love it before I even went. What's not to love??? I love Johnny Depp. I love Tim Burton. I love Alice In Wonderland. I love 3D movies. I loved everything about this movie!!! It left me with lots of questions though. I kept wondering, "How'd they do that???" So I thought I do a little research and share what I found with you.

First...How'd they take this Hunka' Hunka' Burnin' Hunka', Johnny Depp, and make him into a wild and crazy big-eyed Mad Hatter? I mean look at that hatter!!! There was no way I would have known that that was Johnny Depp had I not known in advance. What the heck is going on with those freakish eyes?? I mean, those are eyes that nightmares are made from! Turns out The Mad Hatter’s eyes were slightly enlarged making them between 10 and 15 percent bigger than Johnny Depp’s own. They used makeup and special effects to make them appear larger....probably like a Photoshop warp or Kai's Power Goo. Creepy!

How'd they make Helena Bonham Carter's head so big? Turns out they used a special 4K hi-def camera called a Dalsa with 4,000 lines of resolution. It is one of two cameras in the world capable of bringing off this effect. She had this huge camera dedicated to her to separately shoot her head in every scene. It enabled her head to be blown up to twice its size in post-production without losing any image quality. (I wonder if they used it on her boobs in the first photo?) She also had to endure three hours of makeup each morning.

How'd they turn Matt Lucas into Tweedledee and Tweedledum? This is not too far of a stretch...I mean, just look at him!! He's a Tweedle for sure! They could have filmed him as is, and he would have looked the same! But the whole thing was done in front of a green screen. You find out about this process and see lots of pictures here. Matt Lucas is such a character. For those of your unfamiliar with his work, I recommend taking a look at the award-winning BBC comedy series, Little Britain (hilarious).

How'd they turn Stephen Fry into the Cheshire Cat? No, they didn't really turn him into the Cheshire Cat, but I love Stephen Fry, so I had to add this. I didn't even know Stephen Fry was the voice of the Cheshire Cat until I saw his name in the credits at the end of the movie. (BTW, stay for the credits...you'll see more 3D magic.) You can see what was involved in creating the Cheshire Cat here. Stephen Fry is a wonderfully talented man. He appeared in two of my all-time favorite shows with Hugh Laurie (House). I highly recommend watching him and Hugh Laurie in Jeeves and Wooster as well as their BBC comedy sketch show, A Bit of Fry and Laurie. If you have Netflix, be sure to add them to the top of your queue. You'll laugh your face off! I haven't looked at House in the same way since I saw these.

Anyway, I hope you get a chance to see this movie. As you can see, it left me with lots of questions. If you want a few more fun facts about this movie, you can find a list here. Enjoy!

And the Winner Is.......

2010-03-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

The winner is, my friend, Barbara Lewis!!!!! Hooray! Congratulations Barbara! If you'll give me your address, I'll get your prize out to you right away.

Thank you all for your lovely and supportive comments. They are all so appreciated! Also, a big thank you to all of you who blogged about me and to everyone who entered.

I like giveaways! This giveaway has given me the opportunity to meet lots of new people and visit many new blogs. It's been a very enjoyable experience! I highly recommend it!!

Graphics used are from Irene Alexeeva from the Weeklendar kit.

A Big Thank You, A New Etsy Shop & A GIVEAWAY!!

2010-03-01T05:11:00.000-08:00

First off, I want to give a huge thank you to Maire Dodd and Cindy (Alchemical Journey) who gave me that final push I needed to open an Etsy Shop. Those of you who have been following my blog know that I have been procrastinating forever about selling on Etsy. I was never sure what to sell...I thought I didn't have enough of anything to sell...I know that I have the attention span of a gnat and am always changing the kinds of beads I make...and on...and on...and on.

Then I read this post by Cindy. This was a post she wrote back in December, mind you...(It still took me a while.). Cindy was having trouble getting over that last hump that kept stopping her from opening her shop, Alchemy of Life. Then dear Maire gave her the little shove that she needed! Cindy wrote, "Maire, who creates wonderful, innovative and soulful jewelry, gave me the push that I needed...list 5 things in your shop by Wednesday! The timing was right, I was ready for the challenge, and I also felt that it was now or never...so I went for it!" Well, this post really struck a chord with me. I knew I had to go for it! It only took me two and a half months after reading that post to mull it over! Then last week, as I was working on some new beads, I decided that this was it! List 5 things in your Etsy shop by Sunday!!! So I did it! Whoo Hoo! Well, actually I listed 6 things. They are pretty much all the same things...but...hey...it's a start!

So, without further ado, I hereby announce the grand opening of my Etsy shop, Doreen's Backyard Beads!! I am celebrating this opening by having a giveaway! The winner will receive this set of Wild Things beads which are like those currently in my Etsy shop. You can have one chance to win by doing #1 below. You can also have a second chance by doing #2.

1. Leave a comment on this post. (one chance)

2. Blog about my grand opening and giveaway. Then come back and leave another comment here telling me that you blogged about it. (one chance)

Hopefully, I can keep this straight. Then next Sunday I will use a random number generator to pick the winner! Good Luck!! Giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Barbara Lewis!

Julie is Celebrating 400 Blog Posts With a Giveaway!

2010-02-28T06:59:00.000-08:00

Julie of Prairie Thistle is celebrating her 400th blog post by having a giveaway. Just look at this beautiful Madonna and Child reliquary pendant! Julie has put so much detail into this wonderful piece. She has even included a piece of lace and the tiny porcelain pot complete with flowers! Wow! You can find out how to enter here. Good Luck!! (But I really hope I win.)

Extra, Extra, Read All About It! Barbara's Beautiful Beads Could Be Yours!

2010-02-19T12:36:00.000-08:00

Barbara Lewis is moving her blog. She wants word of her move to be spread throughout the blog world, so she is having a giveaway! Just look at these beauties! To find out how you could win one of these sets of colorful lovelies, just visit Barbara's new blog, Painting with Fire Artwear.
Giveaway has ended.

Jen Judd is Celebrating with a Giveaway!

2010-02-17T07:44:00.000-08:00

Jen Judd is celebrating Art Bead Scene's Carnival by having a giveaway! Wow, these are some beautiful beads! Visit Jen's blog to see how you can enter to win one of these gorgeous sets of beads. There will be four winners! Hooray! Giveaway has ended. I won! Whoo Hoo!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T07:19:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope you are all spending this day with the one you love! My darling husband gave me a box of my favorite See's chocolates for Valentine's Day. I know it's bad for me...I know I shouldn't eat it...but I just looooove it!!! I love it so much! I love it toooo much! For those of you on the east coast (or elsewhere) who have never had See's chocolate, I would advise you to go to their website right now and order yourself a great big box! You won't be sorry!!! Yum! I love you, honey!! Thank you!

Bead Soup...Big Giveaway Celebration at Lucid Moon Studio!

2010-02-10T13:29:00.001-08:00

Lisa at Lucid Moon Studio was a participant in Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Party. Visit Lisa's blog to see what she created with her bead soup. I just adore what Lisa has been making with ICE resin! Lisa decided to have her own celebration by giving away some wonderful prizes (like the owl pendant above)! Just scroll down on her bead soup post to see what she's giving away! Lisa has also posted a list of all of the other Bead Soup Party participants. Take a look at all the participants' blogs to see some amazing creations! Check out the Flickr Bead Soup Party pages too! Giveaway has ended.

A Little Birdie Told Me...Summers Studio is Having A Giveaway!

2010-02-09T12:50:00.000-08:00

Leann Weih of Summers Studio is hosting a First Friday Freebie! Leann has been blogging for a little over a year. She is thankful for all the support she has received from all of her bloggy friends...so...she's having this giveaway. Some lucky person (hope it's me) will win a big bowl of her wonderful beads! Take a look here to find out how to enter. Giveaway has ended.

Cat Kerr is Having a Giveaway!

2010-02-09T07:31:00.000-08:00

Cat Kerr is giving away one of her beautiful mixed media pendants. If you'd like a chance to win, visit Cat's blog, In the Light of the Moon, to see how to enter. Good luck!! Giveaway has ended.

A Glorious Day!

2010-01-30T16:43:00.000-08:00

What a gorgeous day here in central California! After several days of rain, we are having a little break. The temperature is around 60 degrees. The sky is blue and filled with beautiful whipped-cream puffs! They are cumulus clouds...big fat puffy flat-bottomed clouds in a gorgeous sky of blue! I love it! The rain has taken all the gunk out of the atmosphere and we can see for miles and miles! This is my favorite kind of day! Hooray!

And.....tonight we can see a huge full moon!

I know it's been a while since I've posted about my beady adventures. I have been having lots of hand pain lately. I have arthritis in my fingers and pain in wrists and hands...especially at the base of my thumbs. After years and years of working as a dental hygienist, I think my hands have had it! I've needed to give them a rest for a while. I'm taking Advil and wearing a brace at night. My hands are feeling somewhat better, but I'm kind of hesitant to give them a beading workout right now...hopefully soon though.

Meanwhile....I'll be visiting A Whimsical Bohemian so I can see who is joining in on the One World One Heart giveaway. At the time of this post, there are 854 participants. This event is so much fun! It is a way to bring bloggers together from all over the world. All you need to have to participate is an active blog. If you haven't visited before, please take a look.

My BFFs

2010-01-10T18:56:00.000-08:00

I'd like to introduce you to my new BFF, Max. Here he is on the bed with my other BFF, Casey. Casey has appeared on my blog several times before. I decided Casey needed a buddy. Friday I went to the shelter and found this little seal point Siamese. I think he's about 10-12 weeks old. I don't really know though. We've named him Max. He was in a cage with his blue point brother. I wish I could have brought them both home, but I figured my husband wouldn't like it if he had to share the bed with me and three cats. It is really surprising how fast these two took to each other. Usually it's recommended that the newcomer and the established cat be introduced to each other gradually, but these guys became friends right away. Only on occasion will Casey try to eat Max, but otherwise all is well! Hooray!

Backyard Bead with Bling!

2009-12-31T19:33:00.000-08:00

Happy new year, everyone! I hope 2010 finds you enjoying good health and happiness!

I have always loved the look of polymer clay and seed beads, so I decided to create some poymer clay and seed bead bling for the new year! This necklace was really fun to make. It's my version (with alterations) of the Japanese Silk necklace pattern by Lynn Davy. The pattern was published in Step by Step Beads November-December 2008 issue. I loved making the herringbone fringe and the picot tips with pearls...just lots of sparkles and bling! I've posted two pictures to show the front and the back of my bead. I hope you like it!

My Favorite Tips for 2009...or Where is My Ruler??

2009-12-26T15:42:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of tips I found in 2009 that I think are really useful. I use these all the time, so I thought I'd post about them here. Someone posted about these cool rulers that can be printed out and taped to your desk. I don't know why I didn't do this sooner. There is one on my work table. I use it to measure thread, wire, clay, beads, everything. I also have one taped to my computer table. The one by my computer comes in really handy when I am shopping on line and trying to figure out what 8mm (or some other measurement) looks like. Before I found this, I was forever looking for my steel ruler. Somehow it would always disappear. Now I always have a ruler right there when I need it. No more wasting time with the endless searches for the disappearing ruler! I just used the wide packing tape to tape them where they would always be visible. I can't remember who blogged about this, but I'd like to give a big thank you to whoever it was. These rulers are great! If you'd like to print your own ruler, you can find them here.

The second cool tip was from Heather Powers. This tip was posted on the Art Bead Scene Blog. The tip was about a handy printable size chart for cabochons (or beads). It's just a great reference tool for quickly determining what a certain size cabochon looks like. If you'd like one of your own, you can download it from Fire Mountain Gems and Beads....and it's free!

Anyway, those are my favorite tips for 2009. If you have any favorites of your own, I'd love to hear about them!

Playing with the Clay Again!

2009-11-04T09:56:00.000-08:00

My muse has finally returned after a long vacation! I have been playing with the clay again! I've been trying to achieve a sort of painterly effect with my designs.These are a few of the designs I've come up with so far...

The above beads are dimensional. They have raised elements.

I want to give a huge thank you to Heather of Humblebeads for her kind and encouraging words. You really gave me the push (or the boot, ha) that I needed, Heather! Thank you so much!!

Also, I thank all of you who have left messages for me! I appreciate them so much. I wish there was a way to answer you all individually. There are so many wonderful people out there who follow my blog. Thank you all for thinking of me!

A Little Slice of Paradise

2009-09-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

Almost every morning I take a long walk with Mom through my local little slice of paradise. I thought that since this is something I do daily, I'd share a few pictures here. There is a gorgeous little lake here in Lodi. It's a wonderful place to go to just unwind.

There is a walking trail in the wilderness. I can really notice the seasons changing here. Right now the fall colors are appearing. There are lots of leaves on the ground. I see lots of wonderful wild life too. I've seen deer, foxes, hawks, squirrels, geese, ducks, raccoons, opossums, lots of birds, and more. Above is a little squirrel on the trail in front of me.

There is a white egret (and a white rag) in the tree in the photo above.

Look at these cool vines hanging from the trees and tumbling into the creek.

Be careful not to touch the poison oak. It's turning red now, so it's really easy to spot.

Wish you could join me on my walk...then you could experience this little slice of paradise too.

Tina Holden Rocks! A Rockin' Giveaway!

2009-09-11T14:03:00.000-07:00

Tina Holden is having a rockin' giveaway! She is giving away a lovely rock bracelet like this one! Well, it really isn't made of rocks. Tina makes these great imitative beach pebbles out of polymer clay. They sure look like the real thing to me. You can find out how you can enter at Tina's blog, Polymer Clay Bytes. Giveaway has ended.

And in other news......

I know, I know....the only posting I have been doing lately is about these great giveaways so many generous people are having. I think maybe my muse is trying to come back to me though. I bought this great new book by Sharilyn Miller called Contemporary Copper Jewelry. Sharilyn has done a nice little review of this book on her blog here. You can look inside this book here. There are some really interesting projects in there that are calling to me (like the bracelet above). I just purchased some copper wire. I just have to get busy and make something. I also have some interesting new bead ideas I want to try....Note to self: MUST GET BUSY!

Super Duper Blog (Block) Party Giveaway!

2009-08-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

Jeanette Blix is having a super duper Blog (Block) Party Giveaway. There are lots and lots of great prizes. She's giving away a Jumbo Butane Torch, Tronex Flush Cutters or Swanstrom Round Nose Pliers. The winner can pick one of the above prizes. She's also giving away a custom-made metal design stamp. There is also a gorgeous pair of handcrafted earrings she created in sterling silver and Swarovksi crytals. She is also giving away Amy Jazwinski's donation of a custom business card design. Cindy Wimmer has donated a lovely “wish” pendant. And finally, Christine Damm has donated a great set of her Tudor beads.

Visit Jeanette's blog to see how you can enter to win! Wow!
Giveaway has ended.

Mermaids Giveaway!!

2009-08-27T14:07:00.000-07:00

The good folks over at Green Girl Studios supplied this awesome little collection of mermaid charms and pendants as a fun giveaway for Art Bead Scene blog readers! Aren't they just too cute??!! You can find out how to enter to win them here. Good luck!
Giveaway has ended.

Can't Wait for a Very Important Date!

2009-08-07T10:06:00.001-07:00

I don't usually get too excited over movies (unless it's Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings), but Tim Burton's version of Alice In Wonderland is one movie I can hardly wait to see! AND, it will be in 3D! I will be counting the days!

I adore Johnny Depp (yes, drool) and Helena Bonham Carter fascinates me. The sets, costumes and special effects in this movie look amazing. If you'd like to see a teaser trailer, it is here. Let's see...March 5, 2010...that's 210 days...be here before you know it!

Help Me! My Muse has Run Away!

2009-08-06T08:06:00.001-07:00

Several people have asked me when I'm going to make some more beads. I am pretty sure that my muse has left the building. She left when the temperature rose and my bench polisher died. She's been spotted a few times in my backyard amongst the flowers, but she's certainly not in my studio. What to do? What to do? What do you do when your muse deserts you? How do you get her to come back?

Image: A Fairy Resting in a Hammock Spun from Cobwebs. Amelia Jane Murray, Lady Oswald. 1927-1929

An Exciting Giveaway

2009-08-05T16:53:00.000-07:00

Cindy Pack of Cindy's Art and Soul is having a giveaway. Cindy is giving away a gift of $50 to spend in any of her shops or on her website. You can spend it any way you want! There are several ways to enter. You can find out how here.

More of Cindy's creations can be seen in her Etsy store. Cindy's website can be found here. Cindy has links to her other stores listed on her blog. Take a look! You'll like what you find!
Giveaway has ended.

I'm a Winner!

2009-07-30T09:35:00.000-07:00

I won these gorgeous earrings and a beautiful matching lentil bead! Heather of Humblebeads had a day-long studio tour yesterday. It was fun! There were lots of pictures of Heather's workspace and lots of great ideas for getting organized in the studio. I am so happy to be a winner! Thank you, Heather! But wait...it's not over yet! If you enter before midnight tonight, you may have a chance to win $50 worth of Humblebeads. Just go here to see how to enter.
Giveaway has ended.

Heather said that the design of these earrings was inspired by Denise Peck's new book, 101 Wire Earrings. What a cool book! You can look inside here. Heather wrote a glowing review about the book here. This book has such cute earrings designs that I had to buy a copy. I also bought Vegan Brunch by my favorite cookbook author, Isa Chandra Moskowitz...that way I qualified for free shipping :)

A small side note... If any of you were following my baby bird story, I just haven't had the heart to continue writing about it. There was tragedy in my backyard. I am not certain what happened. I think the parents may have actually killed the baby birds. There was one left which they abandoned. It was so sad.

Rainbow image by listentoreason. Creative Commons.

Humblebeads Studio Tour

2009-07-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

Heather at Humblebeads is having a studio tour and open house. Stop by and take a peek! She is so organized. Seeing her space (almost) makes me want to go clean up mine!

Live, Love, Laugh! It's my Lucky Day!

2009-07-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

Today is my lucky day...and I am jumping for JOY! I won this absolutely gorgeous "Live, Love, Laugh" bracelet from Cindy Wimmer! Lucky for me that Cindy decided to do a blog makeover! When the makeover of Sweet Bead Studio blog was complete, Cindy was so happy that she decided to celebrate with a giveaway! Now, I am so happy because I won! Thank you, Cindy...this bracelet is sooooo me! I love everything about it! Congratulations to the other winners too! Shirley Cook won the Fretz embossing hammer. Christine Damm won the "Joy" mixed metal necklace. Marcia Markle won a surprise bonus pair of earrings. You can visit Cindy and see her lovely blog makeover here. HURRAY!

BTW, if you've been following my EGG story. There are four eggs now. Momma mockingbird is getting real protective of the nest so I haven't had the heart to take another picture. She doesn't like it. I get the bird "evil eye"!!

Is The Third Time a Charm?

2009-07-05T10:43:00.000-07:00

Today we have three eggs!! That's been one a day, so far. I tried to sneak out there and take a picture. The first time I went out, I looked all around...no birds to be seen anywhere. I walked right next to the rose tree with my camera. Oh no! I heard a fluttering sound, so I turned around and went back in the house.

A while later, I ventured out again....the birds were gone. As soon as I clicked my camera to take the picture, I looked up...there was a mockingbird on the wire looking down at me. They are sneaky little birds who appear out of nowhere! I got out of there real quick!

CAT DETERRENT, Hurray: A cat was in the backyard last night. My cat lets me know that we have an intruder by running around, going from window to window, and meowing his fool head off! I think I have solved the cat dilemma though. I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner. A while back, we were having problems with the neighbors' dog doing her business on our front lawn. We bought these really super cool and effective Scarecrow motion activated sprinklers. Here is some info about these great gadgets:

The Scarecrow consistently creates a memorable and unpleasant experience through a combination of:

Sudden unexpected noise
Unexpected movement
Water spray

The animal immediately associates this unpleasant experience with the location. To avoid similar surprises, they begin to avoid the area. While humans flee several steps after activating a Scarecrow motion-activated sprinkler, animals are scared to a much greater degree, run much further and stay away longer.

Yes, humans do flee several steps after activating one of these! I have forgotten that it was there and nearly jumped out of my pants when I set it off!

Here is a before and after picture showing how the Scarecrow works. See that deer running away in the second picture?? That's going to be that cat that was in my backyard last night! I hope whoever invented these is a rich person because they are deserving of it. These sprinklers really work! The dog quit coming into our yard. I just have to go buy a nine volt battery...then I'll stick the Scarecrow in the backyard. I am pretty sure that it can be adjusted so the birds don't set it off.

Hope you all had a happy 4th of July! We had a smiley-faced fireworks last night! It's the first one I've ever seen! How do they do that?

And Then There Were Two....

2009-07-04T13:44:00.000-07:00

This morning I peeked into the nest. There was only one egg. Now it's around noon. I looked again. This is what I found! We have two eggs! Aren't they beautiful!!?? They are sort of blue-green with cinnamon spots. Momma mockingbird laid one egg yesterday and one today! How many more will there be? She watched as I took this picture. I hope I didn't scare her away!

This is what I found out about mockingbirds nesting habits:
The female lays 3 to 5 pale blue or green eggs that are blotched with russet or cinnamon. She then incubates the eggs about 11 to 13 days. Both parents feed the hatchlings for about 12 days. The entire procedure of incubation and fledging approximates between 23 to 25 days.

By mid-July we should have babies! Note to cats: KEEP OUT!!

This is the rose tree where the birds decided to nest. Recently I gave it a good trim because I had been fighting powdery mildew. I also had been spraying it...not anymore though. I guess the powdery mildew will just have to take over for a while.

A Bit of Backyard Bling!

2009-07-02T18:02:00.001-07:00

Just thought I'd post a couple of pictures of the bracelet I made today. This piece started out to be just a simple bracelet. When I thought it was finished I looked it over. I felt like it needed something. I made a couple of charms. Then the charms multiplied! Now it's got lots and lots of bling! It sure didn't end up how I had initially envisioned it. It took on a life of its' own.

My studio (spare bedroom) has beads from top to bottom now. It will take me another day to clean it up. I have to say again how much I admire all of you who can put together several pieces of jewelry in a few hours. Making jewelry always takes me forever!

By the way...stay tuned!! The mockingbirds are building a nest right outside my window. There is a rose tree in my backyard. It's a young rose tree...about four feet tall with a little pouf of leaves and flowers on top. This is where they have decided to nest! Above is a picture of what mockingbird eggs look like. My mockingbirds are still bringing twigs and grass to make their nest. Hopefully, I'll have baby pictures to show you soon.

Nest photo from Wikimedia.org

It's Too Hot!!

2009-06-28T15:40:00.000-07:00

It's just too too too hot! It's 106 degrees and rising! This morning I made some beads. They are just sitting there. How can I turn on the oven when it's so dang hot? The ideal temperature for working with polymer clay is something like 72 degrees. The hotter it gets, the mooshier the clay gets. Even with my air conditioner on, it's just too hot!

Where do you live? I wonder if it's hot there? Maybe I need to come visit!

Sun image from veryicon.com

A Summer Fun Giveaway!

2009-06-27T09:20:00.000-07:00

Here is another fun giveaway. It's Allen Designs Goody giveaway. All these cuties were made by Michelle. To find out the several ways you can enter to win, check out Michelle's blog, here. Good luck!

Gonna' Be Three Lucky Winners....

2009-06-27T05:59:00.000-07:00

Cindy Wimmer of Sweet Bead Studio is celebrating because her blog re-design is finally complete. She's celebrating by having a fantastic giveaway! The lucky winners will get either a cool embossing hammer by master silversmith, Bill Fretz...or a fabulous mixed metal stamped pendant called "Joy"...or a stamped copper, wirework and lampwork bracelet called “Live, Laugh, Love”. There will be three lucky winners! There are lots of ways to enter. To find out how you can win, visit Cindy's blog, here. Good luck to you (and me)! If you'd like to see Cindy's other wonderful creations you can visit her Etsy shop, here. Hooray!

A Little Tribute to Elsa Mora

2009-06-26T10:02:00.000-07:00

I bought a little pendant from a very talented lady who I have admired for a long time. Her name is Elsa Mora (Bio sheet here and here). Elsa is creative in so many different ways. It's hard for me to know where to start. I'll just write a little bit about her. If you want to know more, I will point you in the direction of her blogs and her Etsy shop. First, I want you to see her pendants. Elsa creates these tiny works of art. Each one is drawn by her. You don't receive a copy of her drawing on the pendant...you get her original hand-drawn tiny piece of art. Each one is unique. Each one is precious. You can click on the picture to get a closer look. Elsa blogs about her pendants before she puts them in her Etsy shop. The only thing is, you have to be fast and shop right away. If you blink, they will be gone!

This little masterpiece belongs to me. I took a picture with a dime so you can see how tiny and precious it is.

And then there is this stunning piece which isn't mine, but I wish it was!
Elsa makes these tiny felt pins and other creative pieces of jewelry. Make sure to check out her Flickr site.
Elsa has a book. It is called Blossom Buddies. She makes these little beauties out of flower parts.

Elsa is an illustrator. Her work makes me happy!

Elsa creates wonderful papercuts.

As you can see, this lady is amazing. I have just touched the surface in showing some of the wonderful things Elsa does. To find out more, visit her blogs and her Etsy shop. Elsa's main blog is here. Her main blog is where she posts about her jewelry creations and where she lets you know when she's got more of her pendants in her Etsy shop (remember you have to shop fast). Here is where she blogs about her papercuts. She has started posting tutorials for anyone interested in learning how to make these. Here is Elsa's blog about personal style where she shows her amazing wardrobe. Elsa blogs about her new book here. And....her Flickr...oh my! Or...just do a Google image search...Wow! This is one fascinating and talented lady...and I am the proud owner of one of her precious masterpieces!

Blast from the Past!

2009-06-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

Since I seem to be on vacation from all things beady, I thought I'd post a picture of one of my earliest polymer clay creations. This necklace was really fun to make. It was sort of an exercise in color mixing, since it has all the colors of the rainbow...and then some! Also, as the colors of the polymer clay beads move around the rainbow, so do the colors of the Swarovski cubes. The necklace design wasn't my idea though. I saw a similar one at a craft show and thought it was cute. I decided to try my hand at making something close to it, but not exactly the same. This is what I came up with. You can click on the picture to get a closer view.

Backyard Happenings

2009-06-09T12:22:00.000-07:00

We have a sunflower! One of the giants has produced a flower (see previous post). I am surprised to see that this bee loves it!

I have been busy digging up bulbs. Last fall I planted crocus and freesia. Their blooms were so beautiful. The only thing was, I planted them together in clumps. The crocus bloomed first. Crocus are smaller than the freesia, so lots of the beautiful crocus blooms were hidden amongst the leaves of the taller freesia. I decided that next year I wanted to plant the two types of bulbs separately...so I dug them up. Look at all the babies they produced! I am so amazed by all my babies! The picture just shows one little group. I have these little groupings of bulbs all over my backyard. Only thing is, I have a huge dilemma...which bulbs are which?? Beats me?? I think the bulbs on the left are freesia and the bulbs on the right are crocus. Who knows what those little bulbs are. Now what?

Listen to the mockingbird! It seems that every year the birds fight for territory in my backyard. First the scrub jays are around. Then come the mockingbirds. When they are here together, they squawk at each other and chase each other. Right now the mockingbirds are dominant. Their singing has been so beautiful lately. They sing so many different songs. Here is a note about the mockingbird's song from a website called Learn Bird Songs: "The song is a long-continued stream of loud phrases, many being imitations of other birds' songs and calls along with the sounds of squeaky gates, machinery, barking dogs, and humans whistling. Mockingbirds often sing at night". I just love to listen to them. I really got serenaded this morning while I was digging up the bulbs. If you'd like to hear their beautiful songs, you can listen to them here. My bird visitors are mostly singing the melodies that you can hear on the recording...not too much squawking going on right now.
Happy Spring! Summer is right around the corner.

Mockingbird image is from Wikimedia Commons.

I Puffy Heart Lia Bowen

2009-06-08T06:48:00.000-07:00

Today Lorelei sent out a puffy heart to Jill Popowich of Jill Popowich Designs in Metal, just because she LOOOOved her designs.
Lorelei's post compelled me to send out my own puffy heart to someone who's designs I have been drooling over...SO here's my humongous big old puffy heart going out to Lia Bowen of Bullfinch & Barbury!!Lia says this about her shop:..."Bullfinch and Barbury is a collection of hand-fabricated adornments. Each piece is dressed in lavish layers of vitreous enamel, creating a smooth, durable, glass-like surface with vivid colors and exquisite texture. Each and every piece is unique, with a rich, painterly, hand-hewn look".

....Yes, I seriously looove her jewelry! Lia has a blog too. You can find it here. Her Etsy shop can be found here.WHO DO YOU PUFFY HEART? Send them out a big puffy heart for all the world to see!

Cristi Makes Pretty!

2009-05-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

Cristi of 2IfBySea gave me permission to post a picture of her gorgeous creation. She used one of my Cozumel beads. She did my little bead proud by making it the focal piece of her wonderful design. In honor of Cristi's creation, I made a whole new blog background (again) to showcase this piece! Thank you, Cristi!

Cristi also posted about this on her blog. If you'd like to see another view of this pretty you can see it here.

Reaching for the Sky

2009-05-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

Only a couple of months ago (really, it hasn't been very long), my daughter showed me her four little seedlings. She had planted some sunflower seeds. She asked, "Mom, can I plant these in the backyard somewhere". Mind you, these little guys were about an inch tall. I told her she could, thinking they would grow to about four feet tall, bloom, and that would be the end of them. So, she stuck them in the dirt. Well, here is one of those seedlings just a short time later. They have grown to eight feet tall, at least! They still haven't bloomed!! How big do they get? I think they grow 6 inches every couple of days!! The fence in the picture is six feet. Pretty soon I'll be posting about Doreen and the beanstalk as I climb up into the clouds!

Casey, my studio helper and most un-photogenic cat EVER, likes to sit under the sunflowers in the shade. He looks so cute until I try to take his picture. As soon as I point the camera at him, he turns away or makes a goofy face.

Polymer Clay Color Mixing Guide for Kato Polyclay

2009-05-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

Today I wanted to share a little more about polymer clay color mixing. If you like Kato Polymer Clay (it's my absolute fave!), you absolutely have to have this great Color Mixing Guide by Adolia's Creations. I know, I know, you can make your own color mixing guide....but if you've ever tried doing this you know how time consuming it can be. You have to measure out all your colors, mix the colors, write down the quantities you used, make a color chip, bake the color chip, mark the color chip, etc., etc. Well, Adolia has done all of this work for you and made these great recipe guides! These would take FOREVER to make if you tried to do it yourself. If you use a lot of clay and mix a lot of colors, I think these are well worth the price! She has a set that uses all the regular Kato colors and another set that uses the metallic colors and the color concentrates. Each set comes with an instruction booklet that contains color pictures and she also includes a laminated recipe card. Very nicely done!

Now I must add that I rarely mix a color exactly to a recipe. (I like to whip things together fast...never to recreate the same thing again...nothing scientific for me!) Usually I use these guides by first deciding what color want. I then find a color chip close to that color, look at the quantities used in the recipe and just wing it by guesstimating, using the recipe as a starting point. Then I add my own color touches to the mix to produce the shade I want. Works out great! This is so helpful for producing just the right color!

Adolia also has an eBay store. She regularly has auctions for the Color Mixing Guides. If you bid, you can usually save some money off of her regular price:-)

When Life Gives You Lemons.....

2009-05-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

Make Lemonade! I didn't like these beads. They were bad, bad, bad from the start. I didn't like the colors. I didn't like the patterns. I thought they were too big. I forgot them in the oven. My bench polisher died when I tried to polish them. They were just bumming me out big time. I gave them a rest for a few days. I was determined though. I sneaked into my studio and gave them another look. On second thought, they weren't TOO bad. The colors kind of grew on me. The patterns...well they looked kind of cool. I decided that I liked them without a high polish. Instead of throwing them into my bead boneyard basket, I was determined to put them together into something I could wear. I got out my handy-dandy Stretch Magic and strung them with some big ol' silver jump rings I had laying around. Well, much to my amazement, these beads have grown on me! I actually like them! I am even going to wear them to a birthday/Memorial Day party tomorrow. Hurray!

Has anybody worked with Stretch Magic before? I don't know what to do with the ends. I used a crimp bead, but I'm afraid to cut the ends to short. Any ideas? I'll restring these at a later time, but for now.....

I thought I'd post a picture of my fabulous photo set up . Of course, it's in my backyard. That's one of the reasons this is Backyard Beads, you know. Anyway, I've used lots of natural surfaces out there to photograph on, but I seem to always like the way the photos turn out on this lovely frog. Gribbit!

I had to add this picture of Casey, my studio assistant. He hates having his photo taken. Out of about six attempts, this is the only one where I got him straight on. He usually takes off or looks away when I try to snap his photo. Look how irritated he is!

A Super Fab Giveaway!

2009-05-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

Fab Fibers is giving away these gorgeous beads made by Carolyn Driver from Blue Heeler Glass. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment here and post about the giveaway on your blog. Good luck to (me) you!

New Wire Jewelry Blog with Lessons!

2009-05-13T15:56:00.000-07:00

Sharilyn Miller has a new blog she calls Wire Jewelry Lessons. Sharilyn says about her new blog, "For wire-art jewelry enthusiasts! Articles, essays, tutorials and more... If you want to make beautiful wire jewelry, this is the place to be."

Sharilyn is the author of two of my favorite books, Bead on a Wire and Rubber Stamped Jewelry. She has also authored several other books and made several instructional videos. Check out her new blog for lots of great ideas and tutorials.

A Small Vacation with Mom

2009-05-10T18:12:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day has been really fun. My husband and I are having a small vacation in Lake Tahoe with Mom. Here are Mom and me posing with Mount Tallac in the background. The scenery was gorgeous as we walked along on our Mother's Day adventure.
We took a nice little hike on some of the trails near the Taylor Creek Visitor Center. The weather and the scenery could not have been more perfect today.
We visited the Tallac Historic Site. This is the Pope Estate.
Lake Tahoe is beautiful.

Nature is in her full glory!
Hope you got to spend time with your mom today too. I love you, Mom!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms and everybody else. I hope you get to spend time with your mom today. I'm spending time with mine!

I Know I'm Dorky But...

2009-05-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

I know I need to get back to posting about beads. I have a batch that I made, but can't seem to get around to polishing them. When I finally do the polishing, I'll post a picture. Right now my fascination seems to be my little sprouters in the backyard. These little mushrooms are cracking me up. The 'shrooms I posted about previously have all gone away, but now (in a different area of my garden) these little white-stemmed fuzzy guys are popping up all over. The white stems really stand out against the black mulch.

Cathe's Cute Flowers and a Tutorial!

2009-05-06T09:46:00.001-07:00

Cathe Holden of Just Something I Made has come up with the most ever-so-cool idea! I thought her idea was so cute and absolutely marvelous that I asked her if I could post about it here. She graciously gave me permission, so here it is. Just look at these darling little flowers and leaves she made from Shrinky Dink shrink plastic sheets that she bought at the thrift store no less!! Not only did Cathe come up with this great idea, but she made a tutorial so all of us can make some too!

I have been following Cathe's blog for some time now. She always has the best ideas and makes the cutest things....and she very often shares them! If you scroll down to the bottom of my blog page, you'll see a wonderful little sign made by Cathe. It's the "Keep Going So Much More Blog to See" sign. See, it points right at the "Older Posts" link (pretty nifty, huh?). You can get one of these or one of the other great fun gadgets made by Cathe here.

Thank you, Cathe!

The photo above was taken by Cathe Holden and used by me with her permission.