I may have gone just a tad overboard.....

It's never a good idea to shop for beads...from your IPad...late at night...sitting on the couch....when it is quiet and you are bored....or is it?

Well, I did just that two days ago...at Happy Mango Beads.  And I received the biggest package in the mail today (TWO DAYS!!!).  Want to see my loot?

Look at all that lusciousness!!  Here are a few close-ups of my favorites (okay...they are all my favorites!)

I have been totally enamored with recycled glass beads (above).  They are handcrafted and are not perfectly round - love that organic feel - but they are perfectly frosty and matte.

Lapis Lazuli Chips - these are quite large - one of my favorite gemstones.  The beads in the middle of the above picture - with the unique striping are Sandcast Glass beads - made from crushed glass.  The bottom lentil shaped beads are also recycled glass - love this shape!

Burmese Jade discs - I am in love with every single color here!

This last pic features Russian Amazonite (third strand from the top) gemstones in a lentil shape and old Chevron Beads from Nepal - those may be my favorite of the whole bunch!

Now, if I could just find the time to make something with all these beauties!

Tomorrow is Friday - can I get a collective YEAH???!!!

Thanks for stopping by today!!

xo

Patti

Happy Birthday

Today is my Father's Birthday.  He would have been 85 years old....he left us over 9 years ago and not a day goes by without missing this most special Dad.    Since this is also Memorial Day Weekend, I thought I would share this most awesome photo of him.

On this Memorial Day Weekend, let's not forget the true meaning of this most special Holiday.  I'd like to thank all those who have served for my freedom, past, present, and future, as well as their loved ones.  

Please - BE SAFE!

Thanks for stopping by!

xo

Patti

Goodbye!

Yesterday turned out to be quite an emotional day for me.  Although I moved into my new home in the beginning of March, I had settlement on my "old" home yesterday.  I went there in the morning - one last time - to make sure the mail box was empty and everything was "just right" for the new home owners.  That's when it hit me...it's not mine anymore!

Thirteen years were spent in this house - no this HOME.  I turned 40 here...hell, I turned 50 here!  My Sam and Abby - God rest their souls - were raised here...my father passed away when I lived here.  Sarge absolutely LOVED this fully treed backyard!  SO.MANY.MEMORIES.  I really did not expect the water works to flow...but they did.  I snapped the photos below yesterday, from my phone.

Two of my all time favorite trees are at this house. 

This Birch Tree, above grew so tall in 13 years - taller than the house itself.  It provided much need shade in the summer, and who doesn't love the bark of a birch tree when its last leaves fall?

My Japanese Maple - I swear, the leaves were a different brilliant hue every single day!  Man, I love this tree!

This is not to say I do not not love my new home, and I do!  It was just very hard to say good bye to this home!

I hope the new homeowners create as many wonderful memories as I did! Sniff! :)

Happy Wednesday - thanks for stopping by!

xo

Patti

Spotlight on Kristi Bowman Designs

My last post featured a few earrings made with gorgeous white copper clay from artist Kristi Bowman (her shop can be found here).  Well, I ran out, so I had to buy some more!

I ordered a few copper components for earring pairs, and a pair of white copper clay Coptic Crosses.  Kristi was extremely generous and included much more than I originally ordered!  Kristi - a fellow horse lover (who is not a horse lover???) - wanted to help me in my continuing efforts to raise funds in support of Miracle Horse Rescue.

Look at all these beauties!

I am particularly fond of these copper Buddha charms

And look at the design possibilities with these!  Her ability to achieve such a lovely patina with a torch amazes me!

I chose these to work with first - Goddess Charms

Not only is the texture and the color phenomenal, but there is just the slightest arc in those charms - that arc is what causes the copper to reflect the light so perfectly!

I topped these beautiful Goddess charms with equally lovely, organic lampwork beads by Juith Billig

Judith entitled these beads Turquoise Relics - I love the name as much as the beads!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart Kristi!!  Please be sure to visit Kristi's shop - I could spend all day there!

Thanks for stopping by today - have a lovely weekend!  And, Happy Mother's Day!!!!

xo 

Patti

Saturday

I don't know if it is the weather (Winter? Spring? Summer?), or just my "old age", but these past couple of weeks have me dragging!  The torrential rain from last week had me hunkering down in the studio - that way, I did not have to look out the window at my freshly planted landscaping washing away....story for another day.

Recently, Kristi Bowman posted some lovely findings she made from White Copper Clay - I scooped them up and made a few pairs of earrings. The first pair, below, feature these awesome Tibetan beads with Turquoise and coral inlay.

Tiny Czech glass beads in a lovely turquoise felt "right" for these drops. These are so pretty in person!

Pretty Czech glass and natural toned bone beads for these most awesome Ammonite shaped components.

I have been considering taking a few classes in Precious Metal Clay (PMC) - I should have done this last year when the classes were offered locally, but the timing was just not right.  In the meantime, I have purchased a few books to read up on what is required..on my "To Do" list for now!

In the meantime, I returned to Cindy Wimmer's book, The Missing Link, for more inspiration on link design.  This bracelet features cool recycled African glass beads

I FINALLY decided upon a design for this drop-dead-gorgeous focal bead gifted to me by the lovely Jan Onipenco of Molten Mayhem.  She donated tons of beads to me - all proceeds from the sale of jewelry made with these beads are donated to Miracle Horse Rescue.  LOOK AT THIS SCULPTURE!  This bead sat on my bench for months - I could not figure out a design to "do it justice".  It is quite simply 3D Wearable Art - love it!

I settled on a link from Cindy's book that quite frankly, took me several attempts to complete!  It was challenging, but so worth the effort!

Each link is made from two pieces of interlocking wire.  I have no idea how Cindy came up with this design, but I am sure glad she did!

I soldered a ring from heavy gauge copper, and wrapped three coils of Argentium Silver around the ring.  The Fish bead is wrapped in 14 gauge copper to the ring, flanked with tiny coiled jump rings, and a perfectly orange orphan bead by Kerry Bogert.

Other chain designs I used with this bead were just not substantial enough to complement the pendant.  I do love how this turned out!

I still cannot believe it is May already - time flies when you are having fun, right?!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend - the weather is spectacular in Northern Virginia!  FINALLY!  Thanks for stopping by today!

xo

Patti