Toast of the Town - Michael's Blog Hop - Step 2

As you can probably guess, I was able to start the process of the project but ran into glitches. Glitches are the story of my life lately!

Anyway, glitches aside, here is the picture of the beads I intended to use.

The beads I finally settled on are: the square & rectangular brown/beige glass, the vintage pearls (about 75 or 80 years old), the ceramic green/blue/brown triangles with black ceramic beads, the shell, and on the plate, I used the tiger's eye tear drops, the tiny 1mm bicone dark brown Czech crystals, and the bicone light brown Czech crystals. All these are in the picture. The rest I put back in my stash for other projects.

In addition, I added faceted Czech crystals that are blue/brown to tie in the blue from the ceramic beads and copper beads. I forgot to take a picture of these beads but you can see them in the pictures below.

This is my necklace finished with the vintage brass pin that I took apart to use as a toggle. Unfortunately, that wonderful idea wasn't so wonderful! It didn't work. The glue I was using wouldn't hold the adapted pin to the toggle. It really needs to be soldered, but it was too late at night to get those tools out. Besides my eyes were too tired! So I have saved that soldering pin project for another bead/wire project. No sweat, back into the soup it goes until another time!

Step 2 - Plan B #3

When I'm working on a project, I always have at least 2 or 3 Plan B's!

I decided to try my hand making my my own toggle and clasp out of 20 gauge bronze copper wire I have in my stash. It worked! Unfortunately, I don't think this wire is really heavy enough to handle the weight of the beads, so I might have to remake the toggle & clasp. However, I first want to wear it & see what happens!

I think the toggle & clasp turned out pretty good! I was surprised at how easy it was to make. I took the ideas out of a Wire Book I have from two different projects. I doubled the wire on the clasp & made my own "set". Now if it will only hold the weight. For kicks I will probably remake the toggle & clasp just in case the lighter gauge wire doesn't hold up. First I need to buy 16 gauge wire.

                      






 Finished necklace! I love it!

Toast of the Town - Michael's Blog Hop - Step 1

Recently I thought I'd entered into Erin Prais-Hintz' challenge in connection to the Michael's Blog Hop she was putting on. But either I forgot to enter or she forgot to e-mail me. No worries! I'm doing it anyway! KayzKreationz was kind enough to send me the instructions from Michael's and the info on the Blog Hop. Although, I'm too late to participate, I really thought this was a cool necklace!

Since Michael's is too far away. I will have to use beads I already own. My toggles are too small so I will have to be creative. Here is a picture of all the beads I hope to use but still need to refine somewhat! I have vintage pearls & crystals, Chech crystals, porcelain, silver, shell, glass, and stone. I might throw in some copper beads as well. It depends on how the colors look together. Anyway I have quite an assortment! I also have two items to use as toggles that aren't really toggles. Both were originally vintage pins that no longer have the pin. I'm going to use one of them.

See Step 2 tomorrow!

Glass, Craft & Artful Goodness: GIVEAWAY!!! - $90 to Spend in my Etsy Store

Hey everybody! Check out this great GIVEAWAY by Tania Tebbit. http://www.facebook.com/tanglebeads or http://www.tanglebeads.com.au! She's a lampwork artist in Australia. She's on the other side of the "pond" from us. There's 3 opportunities to enter!

Glass, Craft & Artful Goodness: GIVEAWAY!!! - $90 to Spend in my Etsy Store: I am living a life full of gratitude and abundance and would like to show some of that gratitude to the wonderful people that have followed...

Bead Soup Blog Party Book

Hey, Yeah, Woohoo & Yippee!

Finally received my Bead Soup Blog Party Book in the mail! It is terrific. There are some really cool projects in there. I cannot wait to try & put my own twist on them. Sorry everybody but that is something I do with everything. When I make new jams, salts, or candies it is always with my own twist on the recipe. Of course, I have been known to completely change everything. Well I do the same thing with jewelry. I start out reading a project & then my mind gets going & I have to try this or that to see how it would look. So now the creating begins......

My Favorite Month of the Year - October!

          October is my favorite month of the year because many personal events happen in this month; my birthday, my anniversary, my daughter's anniversary, and Autumn finally arrives! The air turns cooler, occasionally it rains, the fall wildflowers bloom and the tree leaves turn colors. The cooler weather makes me think of pumpkin and spice.

         I've come up with two new flavors:  Pumpkin & Spice White Chocolate Fudge and Pumpkin Butter Jam (with no peppers in it). I'm not usually a fan of pumpkin but Pumpkin Butter Jam tastes like Apple Butter! It is delicious on hot biscuits and pancakes. 

          I'm always on the lookout for new flavors. So if any of you lovely people have a new idea or a favorite flavor you can pass along, I'd love to hear from you!

Texas Pepper Jam or Texas Pepper Jams

For all you followers out there - Thanks for following us! I want to clear up a problem that has arisen. It seems we have two blogspots: www.TexasPepperJam.blogspot.com and www.TexasPepperJams.blogspot.com. I'm not sure how this happened but they are one and the same, except they're not, because one is Jam and one is Jams. So for now we would like to direct all of our followers to www.TexasPepperJams.blogspot.com. It is our main blog. As we have more time, we will also post on both blogspots. But for now just the one. Thanks for your patience!

Bead Soup Blog Party - Reveal Part 2

My Finished Bead Project

It took me a few more weeks than expected to finish this project due to the complications from two major surgeries on August 20th. At last it is done. It was a blast! Here are the beads my partner, KK Koon sent me.



Two of the beads could be focal points so I used both and incorporated them together. The large shell had a hole for a bale but the smaller one had amber in it with no hole. I wire wrapped it and attached them together. Naturally I didn't have the proper wire for wrapping and couldn't get out to get any, so I used round wire. Very interesting! 

 

 

I love wire so I used copper and vintage bronze copper. Of course, I couldn't just make a necklace with the focal beads. I made ear rings and a bracelet. I used the clasp KK sent me on the bracelet as a dangle with a bead attached because it was such a pretty little heart.

 

 This was a fun challenge learning to use wire in different ways. Many of my friends who've stopped by to see me while recuperating have enjoyed watching this project come together. But not as much as I've enjoyed creating it. Finished at last and now to wear it in public!

 What I discovered yesterday was that I wish I had a bracelet to attach to my copper watch face. So guess what?! I'm going to make that this week with the rest of the beads KK sent me. Will post that picture ASAP.