Not-Exactly "Bead" Table Wednesday

What WAS on my desk this morning were my completed Bead Soup pieces. . .but I can't show you those YET!!

So, I cleaned off the ole craft desk and set out a  new task.

After the kind words and encouragement from may of you last week about my text donuts, I decided to get to work on them today.

I even decided to try some maps too.

Again, I'm really enjoying the process
So that's what's on my Bead Table This Wednesday.

Check out the Bead Table Wednesday Flickr Group for more!

Bead Table Wednesday

☼☼ As far as the 'Chopped' Mystery Basket (Jewelry Edition) I do think I will attempt it. First, I have to get my thoughts straight about it (how I choose who gets to participate, how many get to play, what I'll call it, time limits, rules, etc.) THEN, I'll be giving y'all a chance to participate. OH. . .and THANKS for the feedback on that idea as well! It was much appreciated!

☼☼ GIVEAWAY---- Laurel Moon Jewelry is giving away this fabulous stash of Earthenwood beads and components.

☼☼ Etsy Shop
New

Bumble Queen Earrings

On Sale

Sweet Simplicity Earrings

Now to get back to those donuts. . .then maybe even break out the BEADS!!

Pantry Organization and My Menu

I'm just popping in here at the end of the day to share my menu for the week and show off what I did in my pantry.

Using these ordinary jars (from pickles, mayo, and LOTS of pasta sauce)

I made this section of my disaster of a pantry (don't judge!)

Look like this

All I used was some spray paint for the lids and some chalkboard paint.

I'm so excited about the transformation.

Now if I can just make the rest of the pantry look as pretty.

That's a challenge for another day!

Let's get to the menu before Meal Plan Monday runs out on me!!

Breakfasts: Cereal/grits, muffins, cinnamon sugar croissants, waffles, eggs w/bacon & toast, nutella turnovers

Lunches: Leftovers, bean burritos, pb&j, tuna noodles, quesidillas, turkey sandwiches, soup w/grilled cheese

Dinners:

Rotisserie chicken w/corn & mac-n-cheese

Slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham w/peas

Chicken marsala casserole w/pasta & broccoli

Grilled steaks w/sweet potatoes & veggies (not sure yet)

Check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more fantastic Meal Plan Monday ideas.

I'm off to think about organizing other areas of the house!

Later y'all!

I Heart Macro: Muffins

I had so much interest in the Strawberry filled coconut oatmeal muffins on my meal plan this past Monday that I thought I'd make them the subject for today's I Heart Macro.

Raspberry preserves used to fill the muffins

Muffin batter

A peek inside the muffin

Just a bite or two left

By the way. . .They were delicious. Not too sweet, but definitely delectable.

Lori at Studio Waterstone hosts I Heart Macro Sunday each week.

On last snippet before I get back to my Sunday. My owl necklace was included in this beautiful treasury!

Here's hoping everyone that is/was in Irene's path is staying safe!

Just Throwing it Out There

I'm not feeling well today, but I've got all kinds of things swirling around in my head that I want to get out before the weekend. So here goes nothing. I pray it all makes sense.

The first two subjects I DESPERATELY want your opinion on.

First, I finished making the above bracelet this morning. As I was making the little text donuts I found myself REALLY enjoying the process. I posted that picture on facebook earlier today and had a comment or two about them. As such, I'm considering possibly making more to sell in the shop. What do you think? I should probably do some research first to see what the market for these currently is. But, I'd love to hear your opinion. 

Secondly. . .Pat and I have been watching a lot of Food Network lately. He's more of a Good Eats fan while I enjoy Chopped more. Anyway, as I was watching a Chopped marathon the other week, I was struck with an idea. Now, I don't know if you are familiar with the show or not. . . but basically chefs are given a mystery basket of ingredients that they MUST include in a dish. It starts with four chefs and one is cut each round. There's an appetizer, entree, and dessert rounds and three very picky judges. But, that's not important. What interests me in this context is the MYSTERY BASKET. I was thinking how fun it would be to send out a few mystery baskets of my own design and see what the jewelry chefs out there can create. Now, if you've seen the show you know that the items in the mystery baskets are not your run-of-the-mill ingredients. Often they include something(s) the chefs have never heard of or have no idea how to even cook/use. I'm not interested in the judging or 'chopping' portion of the show, just the mystery basket and creation portions. This probably has a lot to do with the anticipation that's going on right now with all the Bead Soup. In any case, would anyone at all be interested in joining up for this? As you can probably tell, I haven't thought this through completely. I just figured I'd through it out there and see what kind of response I get before I do anything else. Let me know!

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

There's quite a few giveaways flying around this week that I need to go ahead and let  you know about.

• Sweet Therese from Therese's Treasures has hit 50 followers on her blog and is giving away a pretty bracelet.

• The Vintaj blog has a beautiful collection of Kylie Parry Studio Beads and Vintaj findings up for grabs.
• Leslie Todd at No Stone Unstrung has been playing around with torch enameling and is generously giving away a few of her new enameled items. (sorry I couldn't get the picture, but go there and you'll see)

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Finally, there are yet another couple of items that have been added to the SALE section of the shop.

Fading Light Necklace

Copper Disc Earrings

Now that I've gotten all that out of my system I'm feeling a bit better. Here's to a fantastic weekend ahead!

Please, please, please let me know how you feel about the text donuts and the jewelry-maker's version of chopped. Please!

Everyone Else is Heading Back to Class. . .

I got to do something today that I haven't done in a VERY long time.

I took a class at my local bead store.

Blue Girl Beading Co. is located in Gulf Shores, AL at 2220 East 2nd Street, Suite F

Inside the store is wall-to-wall goodies.

And that's only a peek!

They've got at least four of these old printer's cabinets (that I think are as cool as all get-out) that are used for storing the bulk of their beads and findings. But of course the walls are also covered in sparklies as well!

Now, about my class.

I decided to take the "Texture, Patina, and Polish" class to get more comfortable working with heavy tools and metal. 

I ended up being the only one enrolled. As such, I got plenty of one-on-one attention from Tara, the shop's owner. (Tara is a DELIGHT as is her husband, Jack, who is also often in the shop.) The goal of the class today was to make a pair of earrings. Tara had me draw out my design, cut out the metal shapes, file the metal, texture it, patina it, and punch holes. 

She even showed me how to make my own ear wires from which to hang the earrings. It was a BLAST.

I know these are not 'perfect', but heck it was my first try and I'm quite happy with them!

There's a calendar on their website with plenty of different classes. As well, Tara often takes classes herself in order to share her skills in the shop. As well, she makes some of the coolest jewelry pieces that she sells there in the shop and at various shows.

If you are ever in the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Fairhope. . .or just basically in South Alabama/Northwest Florida, you should totally head over to Blue Girl Beading!!

If you can't make it, please check out the Blue Girl Beading Co. Website as well as their Facebook Page. It's a real treat.

A Quick Bead Table Wednesday

I just had a great lunch date that spent catching up with an old friend who just moved back to the area. Don't you just love when that happens?

Now I'm short on time before I have to run out again for an evening with the nieces. 

So, let me just get to the goodies.

It's Bead Table Wednesday once again. I awoke this morning with another design idea, so this is what's on my craft desk currently.

Glass and Jasper beads and waxed linen cord

Washers and paper and Mod Podge

 

Join in the fun at the Bead Table Wednesday Flickr Group.

Bead Table Wednesday

As well, several of you inquired what was made with the goodies I 'teased' you with yesterday. 

Here are the results of my labor.

Earrings made with alcohol ink-colored buttons and beads from SueBeads (I'm hoping to work up a tutorial on the buttons SOON)

A simple necklace with a Vintaj filigree piece and a Tim Holz fragment tag backed with paper from a French book.

So that's it. . .what's on your table today?

Creative Distraction

I've had to put the bead soup away for a little while.

My mind was absolutely consumed with it and I wasn't getting anything else done.

So I've spent the day attempting to be creative while keeping my mind off the soup that is sitting just a few feet away!

I've played with my alcohol inks

And bits of paper

And buttons

And beads (of course)

I even got a few things made.

Success!

In addition, these earrings are on sale.

Planets Aligned Earrings

And this necklace was listed.

Take a Chance Necklace

Now back to the grind! ;)

Bead Soup, Meal Plan, Treasuries, and Giveaways (it's packed in tight here)

I've got so much I want to share today, that I'm not sure if I should try to cram it all into this one post or spread it out for several days. Hmmmmm. Let me just start this off and see where it goes.

The bead soup is kicking my butt. Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely LOVING what Andrea sent me, but I'm having the hardest time deciding how best to highlight the beautiful Golem focal she sent. Do I go minimal so the pendant really is the focal or do I go a little crazy and just have fun with it? I CANNOT decide. I've sketched and sketched ideas.

See!! And that's not even all of them. . .sigh. It's a good thing the reveal is not for a few more weeks. (and yes, I know my sketching sucks. It's the equivalent of stick people. . but I know what I mean) No worries, I don't think I've revealed anything about my design (I kept the one I'm leaning toward out of the pictures!)

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Since it is Monday and I labored over my menu, I think it's best that I share it now.

Breakfasts: Cereal/grits, waffles, muffins, eggs w/bacon & toast, strawberry filled oatmeal coconut muffins (probably will be raspberry instead of strawberry)

Lunches: Homemade hot pockets (from freezer), bean burritoes, BBQ beef sandwiches w/tator tots, quesidillas, tuna noodles, soup w/grilled cheese, leftovers

Dinners:

Creamy mushrooms and dill pork chops w/fresh green beans

Chicken tortilla soup

Bowtie lasagna w/salad

Slow cooker scalloped potatoes with Ham w/peas

Share your own meal plan or just check out the other Meal Plan Monday goodness over at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Over the weekend, there was quite a bit of activity in the Bead Soup yahoo group as far as Etsy Treasuries. I've got quite a few to share. First is the one I made:


Then there were a few that featured something I made:





There are quite a few more floating around Etsy. Just search in treasuries for BeadSoup2011 and I'm sure you'll stumble on them!

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Before I head out to get dinner made, let me share with you a few great GIVEAWAYS going on right now:

• Kristi Bowman at Dream Some Designs hit a milestone of 400 sales and is having a giveaway to celebrate. Check out the details on her blog.
• Shiny Little Things is giving away a copy of Heather Powers' new book.
• Betsy of My Salavaged Treasures is having a blogaversary giveaway.
• Ganea Beads is giving away a clay pendant, some of her wing dings, and some rings from MyElements.

That was too much in one post wasn't it? I'm totally working on my. . .oversharing. . .I promise.

I Heart Macro: Beach Log and Bad Dieter

I completely forgot I had these first two pictures on my camera (and I think they're the coolest anyway)

I just love the bits of seaweed and sand in this shot

The crackled/burned potion is just so cool

They're sections of this driftwood log I spotted on the beach.

For your viewing pleasure (please look away if you are dieting in any way. . .it was shameful enough for me to even eat them. But, they were DELICIOUS!)

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Homemade Ice Cream

Don't worry, these items were not consumed at the same time!

Head over to Studio Waterstone for more I Heart Macro

Lastly, I want to let you know that a couple of items were added to my SALE section of the shop on Friday. (I might forget before tomorrow.)

I hope you enjoy whatever is left of your weekend!

So Full of FAIL

I want to go ahead and say that I’ve been blogging for a while now, and I consider myself a fairly skilled person when it comes to technology. That kind of arrogance always leads to problems. Case in point: yesterday, I discovered what a huge LOSER I can be sometimes.

See, for a good long while I’ve been wanting to be able to reply to comments via e-mail (rather than clogging up my comments page with responses from moi.) I kept searching the settings in blogger to try to figure out how to do this. (Seriously, I went through all the setting SEVERAL times over the past eight months or so.) Yesterday afternoon I finally broke down and asked another blogger. Within minutes of hitting the send button on that request for help, I figured it out by myself. GAHHHHH!!! All I have to do is just reply to the e-mail alerts that Blogger sends me. You have NO IDEA how big of a fool I feel for simply not getting this. I think I was under the assumption that the e-mail I received about the comments was just an alert and one of those “do not reply to this” e-mails. . . how very wrong I was.

So, unless anyone has an issue with this, I’m no longer going to reply to comments in the comments section. I’ll actually send out a personal e-mail to each of you who leave a comment. The only time I plan on writing a comment to myself is to clear up anything, to answer a question, when there is no e-mail for the commenter, or when some other issue arises. I actually already started with the e-mails yesterday (when I realized how easy it was.) Does anyone foresee any problems with this?? Please let me know!

I just had to fess up as to how big of a goober I can be and why you may see changes in the comments section.**

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Now for some eye candy-

Magic Stirs Bracelet

 

 

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Before I forget. . .. a GIVEAWAY!
Beading Arts has a review of and is giving away a copy of Margot Potter's new book. Head over there to read the review and enter for a chance to win!

**{Hopefully my failure helps someone else who wants to do the same thing. Yes, I am risking my own embarrassment to help. Of course, I do realize that everyone else probably already knew how to reply to comments via e-mail and I may be just making myself look like a bigger idiot than I feel. Ah well. It is what it is.}

What's with Today, Today?

(First off, can you name the movie that quote comes from?)

I don't know exactly what got into me this morning, but I actually got up and out of bed when my alarm sounded. Unless I have to be somewhere, the alarm is meaningless. It usually tends to be more of an alert system (by the way, morning is here when you decide to finally get your lazy butt out of the bed.)

However, this morning I got right up. Perhaps I'm excited about Bead Table Wednesday or (more accurately) the bead soup that's sitting on my bead table. MAYBE I'm actually starting to behave like a grown-up.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Nah, it must be the bead soup.

After starting breakfast and pouring a cuppa coffee, I headed into the craft room and allowed myself to cut the strings on the strung beads (as Kate suggested.) Of course, I'm still a bit neurotic. So, I only slid a few beads off each of the strings. Let me admit that I HAVE already separated my beads into piles. One pile is with the focal and the other is with the clasp.

Of course, I've still not quite figured out what I'm going to DO with either pile AND I still haven't pulled out any of my own beads. It'll come in time, I'm sure of it.

Bead Table Wednesday

Be sure to visit the Bead Table Wednesday Flickr Group for more BTW fabulousness.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

While I'm on the topic of bead soup. . .Andrea revealed some shots of what I sent to her. I'm so happy she likes the lot!

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

I do have one GIVEAWAY announcement

- Gardanne is having a pretty great bead giveaway on her blog. As well, you should check out the sale she is having in prep for BeadFest - 15% off everything in both of her shops. There are also links on her sales page to a several other beaders who are having sales for the same purpose. AWESOME!!

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

New Necklace

Float On Necklace

Now, let me go see what this soup can become!