New Beads

I don't always get to go out in the winter and make beads. But this past weekend we had temperatures in the 50's, so I went out and and had a great time!  Lots of  blues, greens and turquoise of course, since these are my favorite colors. But I threw in some purple and some red, white and blue too. 

My parents gave me a couple button mandrels for Christmas. These buttons are kinda fun to make. They are kinda thick, but I think they will be great for some of the knitting my mom and Kate do. I also think I am going to use one for a project in the Aspire to Wire eCourse with Kerry Bogert that I am currently taking. Every project has been amazing!

Brian's Quilt

I said I would post when I finished. And I did, I finished it last night!! The colors really are so pretty and the swirl pattern from the quilting(that I had someone else do) really looks so good with the swirls in some of the different fabrics.

It is really nice to be done with this project and to have two quilts that will definitely brighten up any room. Now do I start another one or say I'm done with the quilting thing. Its just that all those pretty fabrics call to me....

My Trip to Oberlin

Well, I went on a bead shopping trip yesterday. Which is never a good thing. Bead Paradise is a bead store that is about 45 minutes away. I have been going there for forever. When the kids were smaller, they would have to go with me. They would crawl around on the floor and pick up all the loose beads, it would keep them busy for hours.  When I finally finished picking out the beads I had to have, Brian and Kate would take there little pile up to Ruth, the owner. They would be so proud of themselves. Ruth was always so nice. She would bag them up and hand them back to them...they were thrilled! (I wonder if they still have these in there rooms somewhere?)

Anyway, every January she has a big 25% off sale. I think she does it to get ready to go to Tuscan. I can't stay away from a sale!! So I always head over once or twice during the month. I didn't buy a lot and it is really kind of a funny mix, but this is what I got.

This is a strand of Blue Lace Agate. I just loved the chunky rough cut of it. I already have an idea for a necklace, that I may have to fight my daughter for. The different shades of blues stripes in these stones is really so interesting.

I also bought a couple of older strands of spacers. Bead Paradise has alot of vintage beads and findings. I find these older strands really fascinating. They have more detail and some wear and tear to them. I got a  strand of brass beads and two different sizes of Ethiopian silver. Ethiopian silver is not as pure as sterling silver, which is 925 parts pure silver. The Ethiopian silver is only about 833 parts of pure silver. Anyway, I think these spacers are a great shape and cant wait to use them in some of my pieces.

The last little batch of beads i bought is very eclectic. I wanted to get some pure white beads. I'm not sure these are exactly what I was looking for, but I couldn't leave them behind. The turquoise flowers...well they are my color and it is fun to use these in summer pieces. I had to have the oranges because the last time I was there I bought limes...need I say more?

So this was my trip to Oberlin. It is a great store to go to but make sure you have plenty of time to visit, they have so much to look at

New Scissor Fobs

I made a bunch of scissor fobs today! These are so much fun to make. They are great for that small pair of scissors that you are using for quilting, knitting or stitching. I also know people use them for zipper pulls. I have taken the pictures and they will all be in my Etsy shop in the next day or two. Look at http://www.etsy.com/shop/snazzydoodle

Kate's Quilt

I am embarrassed to admit how long ago I started this quilt, but in the interest of complete disclosure I will...I started this quilt 10 years I ago. Actually, I have a hard time believe it was that long ago, but it was. I decided I was going to make the kids quilts to go in their new rooms. They picked out the colors, nice bright colors. Kate picked green and purple and Brian went with green and blue.  I got the quilt tops done right away, and then they just sat. It took me awhile to find the backing fabric and then someone to quilt them for me. But finally, in the past few months, I picked up these quilts and decided to finish them .So this is Kate's, I finished it last night! I am so thrilled that it is completed. I already have the binding attached on Brian's and hope to finish it up in the next week. I love the colors of both of them! Very cheerful. Now I am not exactly sure what I am going to do with them. As Brian is out of the house in his own apartment and Kate only has one more semester at school and then she will be hitting the real world. I don't think they will even want them.  I am thinking they will look really nice in an extra bedroom with two twin beds in it....hmmm....

2013

The start of another year! So many possibilities.

I have no idea what the new year will bring. Life is always a surprise. We never really know what is going to be around the bend. I can tell you what I hope to do this year..... 


I hope to be a better mom to my kids. Life has thrown us some unexpected curves in the last couple of years and put us into circumstances we never thought we would be in. And although I believe that we will always be close, they are in their 20's and starting lives of their own. I have to let them grow and make mistakes. And they will have to do the same for me.

I hope do better at telling the family and friends in my life that they are important to me. I never would have gotten thru this without all of them! Everyone of them can make me laugh and cry and then laugh again. I love all of them for this.

I hope to find a real job! One that I can love and grow into. One that lets me be creative...somehow, and work with people so that maybe I can make their life better or easier or happier. Unfortunately, I have no idea what this job would be, but now is the time to figure it out.

I hope to create better jewelry designs. Make better lampwork beads, use different wire, maybe different shapes of wire. I am signed up to take Kerry Bogert's  Aspire to Wire course and am very excited for it.

I hope I get better at blogging...I use all the old excuses of no time, nothing to write, who wants to read what I have to say. But...I do want to keep a better watch on my life and maybe this is the way to do it.

I'm sure there are so many things I should work on for this year. I do know you have to stay positive. That things always seem to work out. And just roll with the punches...lol. Some have said it may not be a good year because of the number 13 or the year of the snake. I disagree, I may not love snakes but the number 13 has always be special to me. So I think it is going to be a great year. One of changes, challenges and growth!