Where Did the Weekend Go?

What happened to weekend I ask?  It just seemed to just fly by and it doesn't seem like a lot got accomplished.

Yesterday mom and I ran around doing errands and mostly just blowing off the morning, but in the afternoon I worked on making beads and mom worked on sawing out pieces to be enameled.

Here are the beads I worked on:

Beads for a project

 

My favorite and mom's favorite beads



Playing with new glass and clear frit

White base with clear frit

Playing with new frit and new glass

My oopps beads - still learning how to fume beads

It was a little cold in the garage so mom set up shop in the kitchen.  She laid down paper to catch the copper shavings and little copper pieces she sawed off.  Trying to keep the cats out of the paper is a new kind of fun.

Mom was on a sawing frenzy.  We just have to file and sand everything she cut out; the worse part of the whole creation process I think.

This is all that still needs to be filed and sanded before we can enamel.  Needless to say there wasn't an enameling session today liked I hoped - oh well. 

Yes, that is a skull in the second picture and I totally dislike it but it is for someone and it has to get done -- gives me the willies.  I don't like scary things, that means I don't watch scary movies either.  I still can't watch the Black Hole without nightmares, and that is a Disney movie.  Big old Army vet freaked out on scary movies.  What is more crazy is that myself and several others watched the Blair Witch movie the day before we went to the field for a week - needless to say none of us wanted to be on guard duty at night.

I did get three new things posted on Etsy today.  The items I posted were One-Decade Rosaries.  Mom won't let me tear them apart because she likes them, but we have had them for two years now and they still haven't sold.  I will give them until next year and if they still haven't sold I am going to rip them apart and make the beads into something else or I will just sell the beads.  We shall see.

That is it for us today.  I am going to head home and do some laundry, vacuum and clean up a bit.  I hope you had a more productive weekend than we did.  Take care and stay warm!

Inspired By...The Challenge of Color

Our Paint Chip Colors

I have been reading Erin's blog for about a year now and I loved the challenges she had.  I know she took a break for awhile and this is her first one - The Challenge of Color.  I so wanted to participate in this challenge but mom and I were going to be swamped during the month of November and I knew that we wouldn't be able to do this challenge justice and I emailed Erin that.  Erin emailed me back and said she mailed us a paint chip and just try to participate if we had the time. 

So, I waited anxiously for the paint chip to arrive, and when it did I started to laugh.  That paint chip was the same colors we were using for another challenge.  We decided to use the same piece because I couldn't pass this up - the piece was perfect.  I think Erin was somehow channeling my thoughts, scary and I apologize Erin for any stray thoughts you may have picked up from me.  Mom and I don't usually work in this color scheme, but that is what these challenges are for, to challenge you to try something new and different.

When mom and I make a piece we don't usually make sketches or lay anything out, we just jump in and cross our fingers that the piece will turn out the way we envision it.  I wanted to make beads that had some of the elements from the paint chip colors and colors for the other challenge we were working on.  For one set of beads I used an ivory base color with frit on top and for the other set of beads I used a dark transparent amber with the same frit color on top.


Our beads with chain from Missficklemedia

I have been drooling over findings from Missficklemedia for months and I finally found a piece worthy of her patina chain.  The paint chip colors were the influence for the color chain I wanted to use.  Shannon's chain is awesome and I highly recommend it!

Now for the focal piece of the necklace I do have to say that idea was from the other challenge that we participated in.  The pendant colors are from that challenge piece but I think the colors go so well with this Color Challenge.

Yes, it is our piece from the Art Bead Scene November Challenge but this piece fit so well with the paint chip that Erin was kind enough to send us.  Mom and I love how everything just came together with this necklace.  How all the colors work together from the tree of life pendant, to our lampwork glass beads to Shannon's patina chain.  And that is it - our "Tree of Life" necklace.  Mom and I are always happy when a piece turns out the way we do envision it and coming out the first time around, not having to tear it apart and re-doing it several times.

I hoped you enjoyed our piece for the Color Challenge.  Please take the time to see the other participants of this challenge:

• Alice Peterson
• Amy Freeland
• Beth McCord
• Brandi Hussey
• Cary Scholes
• Catherine Pruitt
• Cindy Wimmer
• Claire Maunsell
• Cory Tompkins
• Courtney Breul
• Cristi Clothier
• Cynthia Riggs
• Emanda Johnson
• Erin Paris-Hintz
• Holly Westfall
• Janea McDonald
• Jeannie Dukic
• Jennifer Cameron
• Judy Campbell
• Karyn White
• Keirsten Giles
• Kelly Morgan
• Kristie Roeder
• Kristin Stevens
• Lisa Godfrey
• Lisa Tracy
• Lori Anderson
• Mallory Hoffman
• Marie Voyer-Cramp
• Mary McGraw
• Nicole Keller
• Nicole Valentine
• Paige Maxim
• Patty Gasparino
• Rebecca Anderson
• Renate Stark-Krammer
• Rita Parra
• Shannon Chomanczuk
• Sheila Summers
• Stefanie Teufel
• Yelisa Rojas

 Oh yeah...mom and I will be having a giveaway in the next two weeks because our two blogiversary will be this month.  We thought we would share some goodies with you all in celebration.  So keep your eyes out for that.  Have an awesome Friday and have fun on the blog hop!

Total Space Cadet This Week

Color Challenge

This week I have been a total ditz!  I don't know if it is because we only had a three day work week last week, we had a four day holiday or what but I am totally out there.  I haven't blogged about the upcoming color challenge on Erin's blog, mom and I being picked for the November Monthly Challenge winner on Art Bead Scene, and then I totally lost the address to Kristen to send her some goodies and I am sure there is more I have forgotten.  I even write down notes - ahh well.

I had so much to talk about this week and of course none of it has been done.  All I got accomplished was a quick blog about the Cup of Bead Soup by Lori.  Lori did a phenomenal job with the pendant and the last of the beads.

Since tomorrow I plan on showing what we did for the color challenge I thought I would do Some of My Favorite Things today.

 

Mini Journal Necklace - Wayfaring Art

Gypsy Earrings Deep Red - Teka & Zoo

Little Family Necklace - Designed By Lu

Secret Places - This Years Girl

The Mice in Nest - Motley Mutton

Where is Thumbkin - Claudias Creation 1

Winter 8x10 - Lucy Snowe Photography

I also have to share with you paintings done by my younger cousin.  I have been after him to create an Etsy site to sell them and I think I have nagged enough that he will finally break down and create one!  He also does pin striping, which is awesome!  I am so proud of him!

He found the painting for $3 and then he added
the alien invasion - I LOVE IT!

A panel he pin striped

That is it - until tomorrow and the big reveal of everyone's color challenge pieces.  I can't wait to see what everyone has done with the paint chips that Erin sent us.

Final Reveal - Cup of Bead Soup by Lori

Beads and Pendant we Sent Lori

Today is the big reveal of the final piece by Lori on Pretty Things.

Mom and I were so excited to finally see the finished piece - there are no words to describe it.  Ok, there is one word - STUNNING!  I had to clean off my computer because I was drooling all over it. 

I am giving you a sneak peek of it.  To see the whole gorgeous piece head on over to Lori's blog and see the whole thing.

I have this warm and fuzzy feeling from just looking at the necklace.  Lori, you are the bomb woman!  Thank you for this stunning piece of art.

Weekend Fun

This weekend mom and I had a show at Sleepy Creek Vineyards.  Joe and Dawn were kind enough to let us set up shop and give demos on Saturday.  We had the whole upstairs gallery to spread out and work.  I was showing people how to saw out copper and mom did demos on how to do Viking Knit.  It was a lot of fun.


Sign that Announced We Were There

As you walked in the front door this sign was sitting in front of the counter.  It was used to announce we were in the house.  I love the little Viking helmets!

Here are signs pointing the way to where we were located - up in the gallery.  It was pretty cool up there and we got our exercise going up and down those steps.

At the top of the stairs we had a presentation running on my laptop of how we make the bowls, make the beads and do Viking Knit.  Over the Christmas holidays mom wants to re-work the presentation and we also need to add the photos of how we make the pendants.

This was where we set up the inventory, so the rest of the space could be used for the sawing demo and the Viking Knit demo.  The table looks a little bare because mom and I forgot to take a tube of our enameled bowls.  We had everything laid out to pack but we just didn't have the tube with the large and small bowls.  Oh well, we have another sale day today that we can lay out the bowls.

This was the sawing set up.  There is a bench pin on each end and then we had saws, saw blades, files and sanding sticks if there was anyone who wanted to try sawing.  It ended up just me doing demonstrations if someone came upstairs.  I guess no one wanted to be brave enough to try sawing.  Mom and I were able to saw out several pendants and set of earrings that I will be enameling next weekend.

Mom even made up instructions.  I love the first line, "If you drink, DON'T SAW!"  Which was a wise move, if I can saw myself without drinking can you imagine what would happen if someone was sawing after having some wine, not a pretty picture!

This was the table set up for Viking Knit demonstrations.  Mom actually had more ladies participate in this demo.  Mom had created a bundle of 24 gauge copper wire and a dowel rod to give to people along with instructions.  All the ladies were very intense on learning how to do the Viking Knit and I think came away with a real appreciation of what mom and I make. 
Today we just plan on having the inventory laid out downstairs.  Then mom and I plan on just sitting there knitting away, talk with Dawn, have some coffee or wine slushies.  A nice and relaxing way to end the four day holiday.

Some of My Favorite Things

Since it is that time of year to be shopping for gifts for family, friends, acquaintances or yourself; I thought I would share some of my favorite things with you guys.  I thought I would do this once a week until Christmas is upon us to help you with gift giving ideas.  All of the pieces I will show you are from shops found on Etsy and this was so hard to just narrow down my choices to eight because I have over 100 shops saved in my favorites on Etsy, and the list just keeps on growing.

Without further ado, here are Some of My Favorite Things:

Star Barn 2 - Xenyas' Shop

Om Red Silk Scarf - Joy in my studio Shop



The Birdz - Julsbeads' Shop



Recycled Brown Leather Handbag - WaterstoneJewelry Shop

Midnight Cedars - Jane Perala Designs Shop

Sterling Silver Etched Cuff Floral - Karla Wheeler Design Shop

Fingerless Gloves - LazyTCrochet Shop

Fiery Autumn - RaceyTay Shop

Happy shopping be it in the stores or on Etsy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

My Family - Aunt, Uncle and Cousins along with
mom and niece and nephew

I wanted to wish everyone a wonderful and family filled (food, must be food) Thanksgiving. 

The above photo is of my wonderful, crazy, and loveable family.  I am so thankful that I have been able to participate in vacations and holidays with them since I got out of the Army.  Thank you for bringing mom and I along.  You guys are the bomb!!!!

To all of our blogging friends - Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.  You have brought so much joy to mom and I over the last year.  We are so thankful for you all.