Spring?!

First day of Spring and we woke up to snow! 

At least I have this pretty treasury to look at :)

'Carnival!' by greetingsfromjane

25 PINK Striped Straws ... HeyYoYo $4.00	PRINTABLE PARTY CIRCLES... tomkatstudio $12.00	Enjoy vintage look circ... homemadecircus $45.00	Carnival Stickers pumpkinbeans $6.00
CLOWNING AROUND gift se... Melsfunsuds $7.00	Fun Popcorn Soap LoveLeeSoaps $4.50	Carnival felt flower hy... louandlee $20.00	Vintage Carnival Invite... BushelandPeckP... $20.00
Fun Belt Buckle- Collab... bmused $20.00	Carnival Birthday Bunti... BlueMoonStudio... $25.00	Circus Clown Chunky Rin... MichellesCharm... $5.00	Elephant with Letter JessicaBush $25.00
S A L E - Handmade Poly... EarthTonesOnli... $11.50	bright lights - fine ar... donnahwhittake... $25.00	White - 48 Raffle Ticke... greenridge $0.99	Bozo Brother Clowns - C... HeyHarriet $6.00

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.

Full Moon

An honor to be in this beautiful treasury.....

'Purnama - a Celebration of the Full Moon' by Indounik

Blow O wind to where my loved one is. Touch him and come touch me soon. I'll feel his gentle touch through you and meet his beauty in the moon. These things are much for the one who loves. One can live by them alone: that he and I breathe the same air and that the Earth we tread is one. ~ From the Hindu epic, the Ramayana.

Moon light - Sterling s... artisanlook $194.00	Lake Erie 5, Moonrise -... jennifersquire... $35.00	SHINNY ORGANIC NATURAL-... CGPGemBeads $13.79	FULL MOON, vintage Swar... plasticouture $24.50
Pale Moon Face Bubble R... bnoelbijoux $16.00	Lotus Rising LotusArtwork $75.00	cradled moon, a celesti... ORphotography $15.00	Super Moon Funkychunkies $22.00
Supporting the Moon - 8... judemcconkey $30.00	Mother of Pearl and Gre... Serrelynda $28.00	Handmade Polymer Clay P... EarthTonesOnli... $6.00	Moon Over Owls Earrings... decoratethediv... $20.00
Phases of the Moon Brac... nerdgoddess $15.00	By the light of the Moo... mingtaphotogra... $28.00	White Plumeria TheSnapShot $25.00	Moonlit Ocean Quilted W... CraftsandCultu... $200.00

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.

I have this spot on my worktable where items I have bought sit and wait for my inspiration to take over.  Sometimes, as in the case of my vintage brass pieces, they get a little dusty.  But, FINALLY, it came to me.  Maybe it was my brain telling me how sick and tired it was of this cold weather or maybe (crossing fingers) it was my creative side speaking to me.
 Either way...

My new pretties made with some of those vintage brass pieces. 

They sing to me with the promise of warm breezes and blue skies.

What a Trip!

The Bead Soup Party has come to a conclusion and boy, was it a blast!  Not only did I meet a bunch of really cool people, but my eyes were given the opportunity to feast on some beautiful works of art.  But, good lord, I AM EXHAUSTED!  That was an awful lot of blog hopping :)

I want to thank everyone who took the time to stop by and look at my goodies and I really appreciate all of the warm, positive comments that were left...makes a gal feel so good.

Now, back to the grind...

Addiction

Let's face it, we all have one, maybe two, possibly even three things we can't get enough of.  For me, it's usually all about food.  If I'm not eating it, I'm thinking about when it's going to happen again. 

Yes, it's horrible, but something I have lived with and will live with the rest of my days. 

I've accepted it.  There, enough said. 

 So how, you may ask, does this pertain to my craft?  Okay, meet my second addiction...shiny beads.  I'm not talking about rhinestones and all the bling you see out there. I'm talking about beads that you can see your reflection in. 

I have always coated my polymer with a special gloss (4 coats, to be exact).  Boy, do I love how they shine!  But, I have felt as if I were always cheating myself out of something.  I was never quite sure of what that was until I did the research.  You see, the pros (polymer clay big wigs) sand and buff their beads.  I have always thought this to be quite tedious and way too time consuming.  But after reading several testimonies and seeing the finished products, I figured it was worth a shot. 

Now I'm hooked.  I can smooth out my beads (sanding) and buff each one until I get the desired glossed effect.  Yes, it may take a little more time and my fingers do get sore, but it's worth it.

So, although I may never stop thinking about all the yummies that will find their way into my mouth, at least one of my addictions have met with a happier outcome. 

Cheers to all!

The Big 500

Well, I did it...500 sales.  It's a number I'm proud of considering I knew nothing about polymer clay when I began this journey.  So a BIG thank you goes out to all my wonderful supporters and customers.  Are we ready for the giveaway?!

Tari Khars of PearlandPebble was my 500th Etsy sale so she'll be receiving and extra set of beads.

And now for my blog followers....

My husband did the pick...

Boot-C of Mamas Got to Doodle!
Hey Boot-C, thanks for being a reader and I'll contact you for an
address so I can send you some pretties.
Cheers to all!

New Beads

We've had an unusually warm winter here in Central Oregon.  Temps have been sticking

 between 40-50 for the last 3 weeks.  Might seem cold, but last year our winter lasted until May!  My feelings are mixed...I love the snow, but I love to be able to be outside, running,

hiking, soaking up the sun.  I guess my heart is content with the warmth and the blue

skies because I made these last night. 

The contrast between the blue and browns is

so calming and full of warmth.  I've decided to sell sets that include different shapes...

any thoughts on this?

Yummy Soup

Okay, I have to admit, when I found out I'd been paired up with Anna, I began secretly hoping my soup would contain a scrap or two of turquoise.  You see, I had scurried over to her blog (omg, so beautiful) and found out she lives in New Mexico.  New Mexico, that's where I'm from!  Oh, and how she captures the beauty of the southwest... so....I thought she may have a bit of turquoise in her stash of treasures.
Maybe, just maybe, she'd share a little...?

Oh sweet mama....would you look at all that glory?!
Nuggets AND rondelles, yes, I am spoiled.
Oh and look at all that copper.  One of my most favorite materials to work with. 
The accent beads are so full of color!  Excuse me while I wipe away my drool....
And look at this beauty...

Isn't she beautiful?  She's from Green Girl Studios.

I knew, just KNEW immediately what I was going to create...actually, there is so much generosity here I think I'll be making a couple of things.
Thank you Anna, for sending a little Southwest my way and reminding me of home :)
Be sure to check back February 26th for the big reveal.
This is going to be one heck of a party!

Bead Soup Has Arrived!

I've been anxiously awaiting my package from Anna a.k.a. The Laughing Raven and I got it today!!

Oh, and what treasures I found in my little box.

Unfortunately, there's no sun today so you'll have to come back tomorrow

for pictures of my new treasures....

Winter Treasures

Look at the pretties I picked up this weekend. 

The sun was out and it was quite seasonably warm so off I went on a scavenger hunt/hike.  

I tend to annoy my fellow hikers with my oohs and aaaahs as I try to take in the foliage around me...

and then I gobble it all up.

And what do I do with them?  They will soon be turned into molds for future beads and pendants,  especially that awesome looking pod thingy at the bottom there.  Kinda like these...

Cheers!

Giveaway

Alrighty my friends. 

My etsy bead shop has almost hit its 500th sale (yay!) and I'd like to show my gratitude by doing a giveaway, which I've never done, I don't know why, I'm really not a scrooge in any way. 

Soooo, when the mark is hit, not only will that person receive an extra set of beads,

 but I'll also send one of my blog followers a set of beads too.

So stayed tuned....

Cheers!



Bead Soup Blog Party!

Have you joined?  I just did and I'm totally excited.  Can't wait to see who my partner is and what the materials will look like!

 

Thanks, Lori, for putting this fun together!

And a Happy New Year To You...

What a crazy couple of weeks and I've loved every minute of them...except the days I spent in bed due to a tummy flu...ugh.  I've enjoyed having my little men home from school, much time spent with family, and a beautiful end to the year. 

And to start off the New Year....

All items in my Bead shop will be 10% off for the upcoming week.  I've taken the last two weeks off and I have a lot of new ideas floating around...so out with the old, in with the new.

Upon completing your purchase, I'll send a quick refund back your way.

Happy New Year!

Peace, Love, and Happiness!



Snowed In...

So far 6 inches of the white stuff has dumped with more to come.

Woohoo!

Yes, I love snow.  BUT, I don't like to drive in it because I am a big chicken.  So, that means we stay home and do fun Christmas projects and play in snow.  AND the best part of all....I get to bead more...yes, my name is Alison ans I am a beading addict...that felt really good. :)

I just finished these little lovelies with some of my beads
and now I'm off to make another pair for myself

Because of the mix in colors, I've found they practically go with everything. Here's to having a productive day!

Closing Shop

Closing shop tonight for the upcoming Christmas show.

Have a fabulous weekend!



I've got Christmas on the mind, how could I not with it surrounding me everywhere I go.  Not that I mind...I have always been a bit of a geek about this holiday.  It usually takes me about a week to decorate due to the massive amounts of decorations I own.  So, as usual, beading is put on the back burner and even more so now that I am fortunate enough to have my jewelry pieces in a cute little boutique AND now I'm preparing for an upcoming Christmas show.  Busy, busy, busy!

One of my bracelets...

My ruby red...

Dreaming of blue skies....

all using my clay beads, which is my goal, but sometimes I do without.

There are just too many different kinds of beads out there;

a gal could go crazy!

Thanks for letting me share and I hope you're enjoying

the beginning of this glorious season.