Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Shameless Momma Birthday Brag!

If you're looking for my BSBP Reveal please click HERE

As of tomorrow, April 17th, I am no longer the mother of 4 teens and a pre-teen.  DAMN IT!  I must have blinked somewhere in the last 20 years!  Tomorrow (at 3:13 p.m. to be precise) my oldest will make another step in her life (and I'm getting quit sick of all these "steps")...she turns 20!!  I swear it was just yesterday that I was 18 and she was a newborn!

How did she go from this....




To this...




To being a senior in high school...



Then this...






And...






Which brings us to present day (ish)...












She's always been a hardheaded girl (I take full responsibility for that character trait), and although she thinks I'm strict and mean, because the world is gentle and kind in her naive eyes, she's grown (LMAO) and is spreading her wings a little more each day.  But...she'll be perpetually 10 in my eyes.  She works full time, moved to the "big city" and is a full time college student.  Hmmm, maybe strict Momma knew what she was doing all along?!?

HAPPY 20TH LAUREN!!  

There were many days I didn't think one of us would make it this far, but here we are, while we'll always be mother & daughter, finally being friends isn't so bad either!!!  Geez...thanks for making me feel OLD!!!

*And I just realized, my youngest turns 12 next week, and my "adopted" daughter turns 20 on April 30th...good grief...can they SLOW DOWN??? :)



Saturday, April 13, 2013

Bead Soup Blog Party 7...Second Reveal


Before I reveal my Bead Soup creations, I’d like to take just a moment to give mad props to Lori Anderson... AGAIN!!   Even extremely under the weather, she’s put together another remarkable BSBP.  While I’ve always enjoyed “hopping”, this time around, I realized our group is more than beads and baubles.   I have witnessed random acts of kindness on a large scale, everyone being patient and working with Lori, and pitching in to help out when they could.  It doesn’t get much better than that!!

My swap partner is the sweet Cherrie Fick.  Cherrie sent me a gorgeous soup…filled with mesmerizing lampwork, artisan ceramics, and Czech glass in earthy shades.  A Vintaj leaf, buttery sari silk, brass spacers and copper rope toggle rounded it out nicely.  Let me say...the neutrals threw me for a loop at first!  They were gorgeous standing all alone...WTH could I do to improve?  Hmmm...So many color choices, so little time!




I usually keep all of my BSBP creations for myself…I’m greedy like that, but this time I thought I’d try a different approach, and create many pieces, and only a keep a few for myself.  Here’s what became of my madness…


This necklace has made its debut in my Etsy shop...he's looking for a new home!

The centerpiece is a fabric and trim collage bird I made, and stitched to a felt backing.  I added lots of wonky stitching, sari silk, punched some holes, added the pretty Picasso Czech beads from my soup, Swarovski crystals, a Vintaj leaf charm, brass toggle, and a few of my own Czech glass dangles.  I love the shabby and tattered look.




Fire and Ice lariat necklace, using the beautiful disc lampwork from my soup.  Mookaite chips, my freeform copper ovals, and luxurious sari silk.  (I had to wrap the lariat chain around the centerpiece oval several times in order to photograph it in its entirety.)




More of Cherrie’s gifted Czech glass spattered throughout the dangles, and the copper toggle she sent.  “Rusted” polymer clay medallion I created, and then drilled, and added the copper wire framework.  Leather, Kuchi buttons, feathers, shells, and bone complete the talisman.




Ahhh…the beyond gorgeous lampwork focal Cherrie sent me!!!  An upcycled creation using (believe it or not) recycled ice maker water line tubing that was wrapped in hemp, and the sari silk Cherrie sent me. I added copper end caps, drilled through both tubes and set the Vintaj leaf and focal off center.  The toggle was created using reclaimed copper wire and a miscellaneous silver circle I wrapped with hemp.  Bone, Cherrie’s brass spacers, recycled cobalt blue glass beads, and an assorted of silver/brass  tribal beads were strung using waxed linen. 


This piece is available now in my Etsy shop

Spring Summer has finally sprung here in VA, and I decided to make a few pieces that were cheery and bright.  The beautiful ceramics/Czech that I received from Cherrie, as well as a beautiful lampwork bead from my last BSBP partner Jenni Connolly.  I added a wooden cloud, sari silk circles, magenta howlite, lots of copper, and mint green Czech glass flowers.  I love it!!


Earrings are now available for purchase in my Etsy store.

Black Picasso Czech glass (a soup component), my own sari silk, polymer clay spears, and magenta howlite.



These recycled steel beads that Cherrie sent me I completely adore!  They paired perfectly with Scorched Earth's ceramic charms!

Then I decided to break away from jewelry, and make something for my newly funky painted (orange, dove gray and mint green...how's that for an odd combo?) foyer.



Freehand embroidery, with seed beads and Cherries brass spacers and Czech glass, that was given a 3D effect, then stitched on to an upcycled fabric, wonky stitching, and displayed in an embroidery hoop.

And finally...


My husband said Ms. Envy must go, as "one creepy art doll hanging in this house is enough!" :)  So, Envy is looking for a new place to call home, you can click HERE if you'd like to adopt her!

Meet "Envy -The Bohemian Bead Fairy"  Gypsy style art doll with the remaining Czech glass from my bead soup, polymer clay face and crown, soft body and wings.  Accented with earrings, Kuchi coin, vial of seed beads, yarn hair, hand dyed vintage lace dress, wooden sticks, and copper spirals.  I thinks she's fun...my husband thinks I've lost my mind!!

Anyway, that sums up my creations for BSBP 7.  I've had a ball!!  I still haven't decided what I'm keeping...decisions, decisions!!  Thank you Cherrie for a gorgeous soup!  Now, I'm off to hop...you can join in too by clicking HERE!!