Texas Pepper Jams

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Life Often Gets Way Too Busy!

Yep, life has gotten in the way of blogging for quite awhile now! But I'm back!

Today I finally had a few minutes to catch up on blogs I've missed & see all the new things everyone else is doing. So fun to finally get back in the groove!

Watch out world, here I come!

Thursday, August 28, 2014

BOOK REVIEW! - Easy Beading Vol. 9

Easy Beading - Vol. 9

by Kalmbach Publishers

This is a fabulous hard cover book! Of course, I love books and Kalmbach is a really good publisher. So what's not to like!

The book is a compilation of projects from Bead Style magazines; which are never out-of-date! So if you missed an issue or didn't see as many as you wanted - like me - this book is for you!

I love that Cathy Jakicic, the editor of Bead Style Magazine, organized the book by materials. So if you have a favorite or if you'd like to try something new, you can jump right in! Each chapter is color coded and the color is noted at the bottom of each page! So easy to use! :)

Gemstones
Crystals
Metal & Chain
Glass, Ceramic, & Pearls
Mixed Media

There are so many wonderful projects that it's really hard to pick favorites. Each project is crammed full of Notes, Ideas, Alternate Ideas, Suggestions, and more. There is also a long list of Supplies for each including materials & tools. I love that Shopping Notes are given in many projects to help us find particular products for that project. So whether you are a beginning beader or a more experienced one, the creative ideas will FLOW!

Gemstones - 9 projects in 21 pages

Two of my favorite projects in this section:

"A Beader's Prerogative" is a multi-strand necklace with a very interesting clasp that allows for removing or adding strands for versatility! Lovely!

"All Dressed in White" is a gorgeous necklace that can double as a purse handle! I really have to try this because my phone cover doubles as purse with a chain handle. I'm going to make it a "necklace" instead of the plain chain. How cool is that!!!! AND there are instructions for matching earrings! Twice the BLING!

Crystals - 10 projects in 25 pages

Crystals are the new "diamond" and come in so many shapes these day!

"Palette Play" is a combination of crystals and subtle gemstones in another multi-strand necklace, two bracelets, and two pairs of earrings. They can be worn together as one set or as separate sets.

"Crystal Lattice Bracelet" is for those of us who like to seed bead. It's has a very delicate appearance. The instructions are easy to follow even for the beginner. Bonus earrings to match!

"A Necklace for a New Year" would be gorgeous made out of gold & crystals or silver & crystals. It is definitely a STATEMENT piece. There are instructions for matching earrings, too!

Mixed Media - 29 projects in 67 pages

My absolute FAVORITE section! There are crystals, lucite, metal, leather, chain, fabric, wire, bezels, and so much more!

"Flared Flower Earrings" are a delicate pairing of crystals and lucite that dangle beautifully!

"Exploring Patterns & Rhythms" brings jewelry to music. WHAT? It's a definite play on metaphors. Three single strands that perfectly harmonize in color & beads which can be worn separately or together. Earrings can be made to match.

"Rhapsody in (Faux) Rivets" stacks metal and glass on bead bars for a stylish necklace & earring set. I would add a bracelet to this set and incorporate buttons. This is one of my favorite projects!

"Pick a Cherry Blossom Bracelet" embellishes rings by wire wrapping lucite flowers and crystals. There are instructions for earrings as well. These designs remind me of Spring! Beautiful!

Pearls - 13 projects in 35 pages

Beautiful creations to wear day or night!

"Petals & Pearls" is a bracelet of seed beads around rice pearls. I want to try this with a variety of shape & color combinations. This is a great project for beginners to create something of beauty.

"Ombre Impression" is a triple strand necklace, bracelet, and earring SET! I love sets AND this one is beautiful!

Metal and Chain - 22 projects in 53 pages

This section features "the imagination" to combine metal, chain, beads, string, wire, shell, crystals, and more. There are so many projects to wet the beading appetite!

"Mad for Metals" is a mixture of metal and chain with a vintage-meets-modern idea in a necklace, bracelet, and earring set. Fabulous!

"String Art" has made a come back! Two ideas for earrings of thread wrapped around wire. Memories of the late 1970's and early 1980's!

"Filigree Leaf Drops" can be made into earrings, pendants, or charms.

"Sport Some Sparkle" creates links made from chain wrapped with flower-shaped margarita crystals. These can be linked together to make unique, personalized sets of jewelry.

Glass and Ceramic - 6 projects in 17 pages

Last but not least is this chapter of combining glass & ceramic to make attractive "statement" pieces!

"Telegraph Your Style" wire wraps pieces of glass combined with pearls and chain. Insulator chards of glass are used which often look like pieces of sea glass.

"Shades of the Shoreline" strings Venetian glass in a bright palette of blues and greens. This inspired my imagination to think of other lovely color combinations.

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have!

Many thanks to Kalmbach for publishing it!

Sunday, August 3, 2014

I'm A Choosy Chick - Are You?

Rita with Toltec Jewels is definitely a "Jewel"! She sent out Sue Beads wonderful chicklets. Of course during all the traveling this summer & interruptions, I put my chicklet in a SAFE place & LOST it! I bet nobody is familiar with that scenario, are you?!!?

Anyway after days of searching & cleaning & going through piles, I found the cute little bugger; excuse me, CHICKLET; in with a pile of mail, fancy that!

Inadvertently I signed up for three blog hops to post on the same day. Normally that wouldn't be a problem but we also went out of town on this weekend for business in Houston, TX . So I've been trying to write the posts at the hotel & their internet is SO SLOW. Therefore, I apologize Rita for posting on Sunday instead of Saturday. At midnight last night I just couldn't wait for the internet to work any longer.

Here is part of the collection that intertwines with the Haberdashery Blog Hop. You will have to look at that post to see the whole collection. Yes, I made a whole SET!

Now off to see the other wonderful DESIGNS everyone has created. THANK YOU RITA for hosting this wonderful challenge. Click here to see the other designers!

Haberdashery Blog Hop

This blog hop really excited me when I ran across it! Why? Because it's being hosted by Melissa Trudinger of Bead Recipes from Australia! In October, my husband & I are going to Australia & New Zealand; first as delegates for a religious convention & then 6 more weeks for our anniversary! We are so excited!!!!! It will be another trip of a life time! But that is another post NOT THIS ONE!

SO......... Melissa invited us to use fabric, buttons, ribbon, etc... to create something of a HABERDASHERY - haby for short. Since, I have a habit of collecting, as I think many of us do....., leftover pieces of things, broken jewelry items, odds & ends, buttons, etc... this was going to be a FUN challenge! She has even created a Pinterest Board.

THANK YOU MELISSA for hosting & the excitingly interesting Pinterest Board! I just love adjectives!

One of my odds & ends is the lovely little CHICKLET from Sue Beads for the Chicklet Design Challenge hosted by Rita of Toltec Jewels

http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/2014/08/choosy-chicks-choose-chicklets-blog-hop.html

This was the first creation in my design. I started it well over a year ago for something to do with buttons. As you can see it is DIFFERENT! So while I was looking at this focal, ideas began popping for the Chicklet Design Challenge. So the necklace came next that incorporated the two hops together.

Of course, I love sets! So earrings & a bracelet came next ......

In all the pieces, if you really look, you can see beads of various kinds; african paper, african trading, ceramic, glass, coral, etc...; buttons of all varieties & ages; odds & ends from various broken & found things (I love to recycle or as Rita calls it "Upcycle") Thanks Rita, I love that word!!!!! I even think on my bracelet I have another "found" bead from Sue Beads.

I hope you enjoy my Eclectic wonderings & creations!

Now off to the Haberdashery - want to join me! Click here for the "Hopping List"!

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Summer Carnival Blog Hop !

It's been a busy busy busy ........ summer! Where did the time go? When Lisa sent me the beads months ago I had all kinds of plans for them. Well you know the adage - Best laid plans of mice and men - that's me this summer. Lots of plans and Lots of interferences!

Beads I had to work with. I think most of these came from Znetshows.com which has a wonderful selection of beads including this sea glass at very reasonable prices.

I love sets soooo......

I wanted to match an anklet I had made last year to make a complete set. These beads were perfect!

This is the anklet I made last summer for the Summer Elements Blog Hop by Rita with Toltec Jewels. I wore it when my husband & I went on our first solo couple vacation for our anniversary to Cabo San Lucas. BLAST!!!

Not a great picture. Definitely need a new one. But I'm in Houston, TX & the anklet is in New Braunfels (at home), soooooo.... This will have to do!

Thank you Lisa for putting on this wonderful blog hop! I will be creating more items with the rest of the beads at a later date. I have some fantastic ideas for those lovely blue crystals!

Now I'm off to take a wonderful carnival ride! Join me by clicking here - CARNIVAL RIDE!

Saturday, June 14, 2014

The Ocean Blog Hop --- 2nd Reveal!

To kick off the summer, I joined in the Ocean Blog Hop. Lisa Lodge of A Grateful Artist is our wonderful Hostess! Thank you Lisa for hosting!

Here's the beads I received.

This hop was fun because I love walking on the beach & collecting shells & sea glass, swimming & scuba diving in the ocean.
I've seen so many beautiful beaded items lately that other creative artists have done, I was inspired.


Playing with the beads


Sewing the "islands" together

Ocean Blog Hop June 14^th Reveal:

Your hostess: Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Ev Shelby, Raindrop Creations

Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends (Posting Later)

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams

Ema Kilroy, Ema K Designs

Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks

Catherine Yvonne King, Catherine's Musings

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes (Posting Sunday)

Shaiha Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings

Chris Eisenberg, Wanderware (Posting Sunday)

Eleanor Burian Moore, The Charmed Life

Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz
Jill Bradley, Chat 2 Jill
Rebecca Ednie, Eclectic Endeavours

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Waxed Linen Jewelry Blog Hop

"What comes around, goes around!" Or is it "What goes around, comes back around!"

Wax Linen was very popular back in the 60's & 70's.

&&&&

It is making a come back! :))))

Thank you Diana Ptasnyski of Suburban Girl Studio for putting on this wonderful blog hop! It has been a walk down memory lane for me. I haven't used waxed linen since the early 70's when I took a jewelry making class as a freshman in high school. I even found some of my old waxed linen, clay beads, & jewelry from then!

For this project, though, I used new linen in 4 colors & paper beads from Africa in a macrame bracelet. Added in are a few silver beads left over from several remade projects for my sister-in-law & niece.