A new addition and artBLISS!

I have been a VERY BAD blogger lately.....but I have a very good reason!  On March 26th, this little guy became a permanent member of my family:

 

 

He was adopted from the local Prince William County Animal Shelter ( a kill shelter....ugh).  He was named Sarge, and his name seemed to fit him, so Sarge it is.  He was picked up as a stray on 2/16/13, and 10 days later was put on the adoption list.  I believe his days were numbered, as he had a big Red Dot on his badge.  Anyway, he is a beagle/pointer mix - fully grown - and estimated to be between 1-2 years of age.  He was mal-nourished when he got home...but not anymore!  He has put on 5 pounds and is now at his optimum weight of 40 pounds. My vet also did some major bloodwork and discovered that certain levels are very high and he may have Lyme Disease - though he shows absolutely no symptoms.  So, 30 days of antibiotics just in case.  He is the sweetest little guy!  And, he was housebroken in 1 day!  He is an ESCAPE ARTIST and does suffer from separation anxiety - working on these things now! I believe he was somebody's pet, as he is very well mannered!

 

So, my life has been quite full these days!  However, I was so excited to get my email from artBLISS announcing registration is open for September classes!  Yay! !  I am filling every hour of this 3 day weekend - 2 classes with Richard Salley & Jessica Papke, and classes from my all time favorite teachers ever - Stacie Florer and Kerry Bogert! 

 

 

  

The classes with Richard Salley and Jessica Papke are focused on ring-making.  I am finding my inner metal-smith these days and believe this is the path I want to take.  Stacie's class will focus on post earrings - (I purchased several of these post earrings from Stacie as gifts for myself and family members and they are drop-dead gorgeous)!

 

Image from Stacie Florer's store on Etsy.

 

Kerry's class will focus on making a unique wrapped bracelet using one of her awesome lampwork beads as the button closure. 

 

I am very excited about these classes and I hope to see some of you at this fantastic event!

 

I hope to get back to regular blogging soon - I have been creating some beautiful pendants and rings from some cabochons...just need to get them photographed and sit down to focus on my blog again.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Focus on Life Week 12 - Observe the Curve

This week's prompt from Sally Russick is to "Observe the Curves" in your life. So, I practiced my soldering and came up with a couple of curves...

Even the lampwork cabochon made by Kerry Bogert had curves!

Very cosmic...don't you think?

 

My niece, Sarah, actually asked me to make her a ring - a thick ring.  Man-I had no idea how thick 20 gauge silver sheet was until I tried to really curve it!

The tiny amethyst (5mm) ring was an afterthought.  But...I love that little ring!

To find out what others are observing this week, hop on over to Sally's blog here.

Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy the weekend!

Progress via a Gift

Since my jewelry class debacle (I posted about it here), I have decided to brush off the negativity and put the soldering tips I learned to use.

I have had a friend via "the Internet" for many, many years now.  She is a very special person who has been going through some tough times lately.  She had a stroke last August, actually - two strokes - and she has been progressing wonderfully.  During this terrible time, her father was diagnosed with Cancer.  Having gone through this dreadful disease with my late father 8 years ago, I know all too well what she is going through.

She is one Tough Broad - in a good way (I would love to be called a Tough Broad!)  She is dealing with these emotional and physical hardships in the most beautiful way, and I am awestruck by her strength and beauty.

I wanted to give her something, specifically, I wanted to make her something that would reflect how I feel.  So, I did my best and put what little skills I have to use and I made her this pendant.

It features a cabochon by, quite frankly - yes I am going to say it - my FAVORITE lampwork artist - Sue Kennedy.  I usually say "one of my favorites" - but her work truly speaks to me and if you saw the amount of my purchases of lampwork beads from etsy, the majority are from Sue!  So there...I said it!  Anyway, I stamped the words STRENGTH on the back of the pendant (can you believe I forgot to take pictures of the back! ha!)  I was lucky to find in my stash other GORGEOUS lampwork beads by the ultra talented Donna Millard - a match made in heaven!

Naturally, I completed this necklace with swirled links (again - credit for this design goes to Kerry Bogert!).  This necklace had to be 100% handmade!  I oxidized, buffed, tumbled, buffed again....

My friend has a friend who was recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  I am so tired of reading about one more person stricken with this horrible, horrible disease.  My immediate thoughts ran to Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp - a way-too-young mother who was also recently stricken with the Big C.  For those of you who may not know Marie (how can you not know her work??!!), she is an extremely talented jewelry AND component designer who has bravely shared her journey via the WWW.  Marie has exhibited an awesome amount of COURAGE during her ordeal....so I made a "kind of" matching pendant for my friend's friend:

Again - a most lovely cabochon by Sue and I believe these are my favorite color combinations!  And, how befitting to augment this cabochon with yet more gorgeous lovelies in purple by Donna.

I stamped the word COURAGE on the back of this pendant (again...no pictures of the back!  Shame on me!)

I made matching earrings - swirled links for the both of them.

My heart goes to anyone who is struggling with health issues...especially Cancer.  As only an "onlooker", as in I am not there physically, I feel helpless.  But, I say my prayers and hope the Good Lord takes the utmost care for not only those who are going through the actual physical suffering, but also the caretakers - their suffering is just as real.

Thanks for stopping by today...

Focus on Life / Week 11

This week, Sally Russick's Focus on Life prompt is "The Possibilities are Endless".  

 

Growing up as a child, my mother ALWAYS baked daily - breads, cookies, cakes - you name it.  I did not want for any carbohydrates, which explains alot.... There is nothing like the smell of freshly baked goods wafting from the oven...nothing compares!

 

When Mom moved in with me, I promised her I would try to have homemade bread on hand for her (and me!) , as well.  So twice a month, I bake bread.  And life is good!

 



 Hop on over to Sally's blog to see everyone else's Possibilities...

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your weekend!

Thank you Christine Altmiller!

I have met some wonderful beady friends through social networking such as blogging and Facebook.  One of these very special friends is Christine Altmiller of One Kiss Creations.  It is because of Christine's co-sponsorship of a bracelet donation blog hop to the Rare Foundation's 7000 Bracelets of Hope Campaign in 2012 that I have donated many bracelets to this wonderful organization.  Thanks Christine!

 

Christine always writes the sweetest comments on my blog posts.  Recently, she commented that she loved my wire work, especially the swirled link chain that I have been obsessed with lately.  So, I wrote her back, told her to give me her address and I would send her one.  She had an even better idea - let's swap jewelry! 

 

Now, unlike Yours Truly, Christine is an extremely talented bead weaver extraordinaire. In addition to hosting and participating in several blog hops related to this gorgeous art form, she and Therese have a monthly challenge  where they use the same beads to create their own designs.  I cannot even fathom threading a needle and weaving these teeny, weeny, tiny beads to form such beautiful wearable art!  Anyway, this is what Christine made just for me!!!

 

Look at this fantastic bezel around a rock that Christine picked up at the shores of Lake Michigan!  In her own words, she "picked the rock for the sneak peak inside the opening."  How many people do you know can pick up a rock and see the gorgeous beauty?  A true artist sees the beauty in nature, as she did here!

The back of the focal is as beautiful as the front! 

The chain is stunning - it is made with garnet and citrine - in my mind, I imagined myself counting beads, dropping beads, stringing the wrong bead, becoming upset, tearing it apart...you get my drift here....

Look at this toggle!!!  In her note, Christine named all the stitches she used to create this beautiful piece and I still have no idea how she made this toggle (or any of it!)  Isn't this amazing?!

This necklace is the perfect length - and I gravitate towards darker colors as well.  It is absolutely beautiful!

Not only did I receive a stunner of a necklace, but she made me these gorgeous matching earrings which she calls "Feather Earrings" - THE PERFECT SIZE EARRINGS FOR MY LITTLE EARS! (I did not mean to shout - but I am excited!)

The best part of this "trade" is the new friendship I have formed - I am so deeply grateful - I have few "live" friends and I cherish the friendship I have formed!  I feel so blessed!

Now - I will repeat that I am not a bead weaver - so I made Christine a necklace with a gorgeous piece of jasper - landscape jasper to be exact.

 

I made the bail with the two-tone coiling technique I learned from Kerry Bogert.

I made some rolled beads (actual name is Cocoon Beads) as Christine commented that she likes those!  Of course I added some swirled links (thank you again Kerry for the tut!)

The coordinating jasper beads have a wonderful, almost tubular shape to them.

 



 

I added an awesome twisted wire copper clasp made by Marie-Noel Voyer- Cramp

I had a hard time picking an earring design...

 

So, I just sent two pair!

I made Christine's set during a very troubling period - my niece had just lost her four and a half year golden retriever Daisy.  Daisy was a very intricate part of my life.  When my first dog, Abby passed away nearly 3 years ago, Rachel had moved close by and I took care of Daisy (with my remaining boy, Sam) during the day Monday-Friday (like a doggy day care!)  Daisy became Sam's rock - as he just was not the same after losing his litter mate sister, Abby.  After Sam passed away last June, Daisy would come to keep me company twice a month - in addition to weekend jaunts with her cousins in my yard.  Her illness was quick - and the 10 days she was sick, which included surgery, was very hard on everyone in my family.  To this day, I still cry for Abby, Sam, and now Daisy.  Daisy was truly an Ambassador of Love.  There is NO LOVE like that of a Dog.  I love you Daisy - and I miss you - and I thank you for being in my life for the short time you were here!

Daisy and Sam

Thank you again Christine, and thank you for stopping by!