Brass Buddha Necklace

The year comes to a close with my thinking about all the bad things that have happened to me that I suppose I deserve. You always get what you pay for. Nothing happens for no reason. I may be so consumed with my latest heartbreak that I cannot even think straight, but I do know that the universe is paying me back for any heartbreaks I may have caused. I guess it's just something you have to learn to live with.

I made this necklace as a christmas present for someone who always says that karma is a bitch.

Silver and Turquoise Heart

This silver and turquoise heart represents my broken heart held together with tiny silvery strands. The bird represents the song that is still locked up there.

Christmas Bling

It wouldn't be christmas if I didn't hang some sort of bling from my neck despite the fact that we spent the day on my uncle's dock in our jeans. This necklace actually did look good with the velvet shirt I wore for the occassion.

Bead Space

Just set up a Bead Space site. It's just like My Space but is for jewelry makers and beaders. In just a short time I have made a bunch of friends on there. My musician friends over at My Space haven't all been this swift.

Since it's time for the holidays, my creativity has been frozen. Probably has to do with a severe case of SAD, but I'm hanging in there regardless.

I need some good luck so I present some lucky bracelets. I feel that lucky bracelets are for agnostics like me looking to cover all bases.

Wrist Cuff Weekend

A few cuffs made by Liz and Toni K. over the weekend.
Modeled by Toni K.


Sacred Heart of the bottle cap on grandma's embroidered doily cuff. Denim band.


Tie Dyed trim from Aunt Ann's inheritance cuff with button from mom's button box cuff.



Faces cuff with Aunt Ann's lace and Darbella Designs face cabs.


Faces cuff in all its glory.



Little lace skull cuff.

Antique Keys Necklace

Picked up some old keys and an old keyhole at the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market last Saturday. They've been screaming to be chained up for a necklace ever since. Whew.

such a groovy bead

The picture on the jasper bead reminded me of the time I spent in the wilds of Arizona- in the petrified forest or the painted desert, or both. It screamed for some pearls and semi-precious beads as a bezel.

I'm a huge, huge fan of picture stones, beads and cabs.

Ho Ho Ho

Swarovski Christmas Tree Earrings.

Day of the Dead Charm Necklaces

I couldn't wait to string up these Day of the Dead babies from Silver Crow Creations, one of my favorite online places to shop.

They look nice worn together or separately.

One is the MINI HAND-PAINTED CERAMIC DAY OF THE DEAD MARIPOSA BEAD
and the other is
MINI HAND-PAINTED CERAMIC CATRINA BEAD

They come in different colors. They are on this web page at a mere $2.85 each.

Thinking of Spring on the First Snow Day of Winter

Eyelash yarn, glass beads, leaf and flower beads make for warm and fuzzy neckware.
Click for larger view as always.

"Steampunk" Fish

Inspired by Christi Friesen's steampunk critters
I tried my hand at a fish using black Fimo clay, bronze powders and stuff from my stash including old watch parts, tiny beads and brass filigree. Not bad for a first try. It's inspired me to try some other things with a lot of old jewelry I've collected. Stay tuned.

Charming Necklace

Fleur de Lis Necklace

Made this one for a friend of mine for Christmas. It's made of brass and copper with vintage looking charms based on old school tattoo art.

Time in a Pendant

The time pendant was made by dumping some watch parts in a brass bezel and then pouring Judi Kins Amazing Glaze over it. I baked it in the oven until the glaze melted and now there's a smooth as glass finish on it.

I think the embossing powder is a great idea for sealing these bezel pendants. It works much faster than 2 part epoxy resins and the one part gloss sealers. I didn't have to worry about dust and ripples on the surface because there was no waiting time for anything to dry.

Before: Jewelry display

Yikes, what a mess and this is just a small detail of the room that is my supposed studio. It's such an ordeal to get something off these displays that I mostly don't even bother to wear any jewelry. I'm having a lull in my creative mind, so it's probably time to revamp my room and organize my stuff. I dare not show photos of all the storage boxes and bags of stuff on the floor that came home from the stores and never made it into a drawer or on to a shelf. More before and after pictures will come... maybe.

For inspiring ways to store and/or display your stuff at home, Jennifer Perkins has 4 blog posts on this exact topic. How Ya Hangin'?
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV

Another Completed Bag

Isn't it odd that I made jewelry and bags and I don't wear bags or jewelry?
What is up with that?

I fell in love with this Birdie Sling by Amy Butler pattern and ordered it despite my dwindling funds. I had the very textural fabrics in my stash. It's kind of weird that it's November 23rd and the temp is below freezing and I made such a summery bag. Guess I'll be all set to shop on aa tropical vacation this winter. I wish. It has 2 roomy pockets which didn't photograph well because of the wild tie died/quilted fabric I used in the lining. So you won't be seeing those pics.






I'm trying very hard not to buy fabric and to use up what I have. Anyway, I think I'll vacuum the dining room floor today and put away the sewing stuff for now and take out the polymer clay since receiving these 2 books in the past 2 weeks: Polymer Clay and Mixed Media, Together at Last by Christi Friesen and The Art of Polymer Clay Millefiori Techniques by Donna Kato. I have taken classes from both of these amazing ladies and can't wait to dig into some new projects.

Favorite Necklace

This is my favorite necklace. It features some charms from Green Girl Studios, silver beads, fire agate, coral and turquoise along with some shell disks. It looks fabulous on black, brown and denim. Actually it looks fabulous on anything. (click for larger version.)

Eye pendant

After my mom passed away and I had the fun job of cleaning out the house in order to sell it, I came across a set of match boxes that had lenticular eyes and lips on them. I cut out an eye and glued it in this brass pendant. It's really quite eery when it winks at you.

Thinking about what to do with the lips. It'll come to me.

copper and brass pendant

Some of this pendant was made in a class on Saturday. I cut out the copper and put rivets in it.
It features some brass and copper doodads I had kicking around in my stash.

Silver Wire Bracelet Class

This morning I attended a class where we made these charming but terribly easy to make silver bracelets with sliders, pearls and crystals. It was a lot of fun and very rewarding considering we were finished in an hour.

La Vida Pendant

I took a class with my favorite teacher, Linda Twohill at Beads N Stitches in Hicksville, NY yesterday where we played with brass and copper. We drilled, etched, riveted, domed, stamped, cut and made several pieces. My favorite part of any class with Linda is using her awesome tools. This was my favorite piece. There is a little cup for holding a magic crystal or something interesting. It's about the size of a quarter. It's also pretty obvious that I am not well practiced in stamping on metal, but I kind of liked the funky way it came out nevertheless.

As much as I enjoy using the torch, cold connections are a lot of fun. I still need a lot more practice using rivets and grommets/eyelets on metal.

Vintage brooch from old jewelry

This artist wants to clear off the dining room table and turn the house back into a house, but I still have sewing to finish and pillow covers to make. sigh. The holidays are coming and I would like to be able to invite people over without being embarrassed about the mess in the dining room that has spread to the kitchen and the living room.

Looking forward to getting back into jewelry making and diving into my box of vintage jewelry, watch parts, old charms and findings. (I already have a work area away from the living areas of the house.) Tomorrow I'm taking a little metal smithing class at my local bead store for fun and inspiration. God knows I already have all the supplies here at home... but I like the social aspect of a class and to learn from someone else.

I made this brooch from a bunch of old earrings I picked up at tag sales or inherited. There are a few other doo dads in there that I bought. I think it's kind of fun.

And yet another jeans bag

I'm trying to get these out of my system, but I think I will keep making them until I come up with one I am thrilled with.

This one has some nifty flying hearts and a really long frayed strap so that I can wear it under my coat. There's plenty of room for a small wallet, some keys and other junk.



The back sports a little pocket for maybe the cell phone.

Denim Rose Purse

I got the idea from a designer bag to make a rose out of fabric. Since I am in 'old denim jeans' mode and in to making small bags for when I go out at night, I sewed a denim rose on to a back pocket from some jeans I have ripped up. The rose part makes 2 exterior pockets on the purse which comes in very handy. It's lined in pink cotton.

I used a waistband from a pair of jeans to make the clasp...


... and sewed the waistband to the back.

Works in Progress: scrappy evening bag

Not sure what has possessed me to work on this bag for days and days and days. It's made from hubby's old jeans, my aunt's old lace and ribbons, mom's buttons and some funky brass charms. The strap will be made from the waistband of the jeans. This bag is not fully embellished yet. I think it will be over the top. why not? The next one will be different.

Below is the back of the bag that utilizes some lace that I painted, some brass charms and a weird ribbon I made on the computer.




Below is a closeup of the front of the bag. I don't know where I got the picture, but I printed it onto silk fabric. That lace there must be 50 years old. It's pretty fragile.



As always, click images for larger picture.

On the sewing table: inherited

Bored with the colors of old and new lace, I got out my fabric paints and attempted to change all that.


I inherited a bunch of neat handmade lace from my friend's mom. It's just beautiful and of course, I am dying it when I feel the need.


I inherited my mom's ginormous button tin and there are quite a few adorable buttons for embellishments that I've separated from the rest. I am particularly tickled by anything with rhinestones in it.


My aunt was a dressmaker and made bridal gowns. I was lucky enough to inherit some antique lace and trims from her. The crazy thing about that particular inheritance is that some price tags are still on her sewing supplies and she paid like 19 cents for many beautiful yards of lace. It's quite fragile now though.

When I was going through my mom's sewing basket I was also amazed at how inexpensive notions were 40-50 years ago. Can you imagine spending 10 cents for dozens of snaps? Or 12 cents for a dozen needles? I am using the stuff now. It's pretty cool to dig through what's left of other women's lives of sewing and mending.

I suppose that one day, someone will have my enormous stash. God help them.

Finished red bag

This latest bag features sample fabrics from a home dec swatch book and ready made fringe from the sewing store.

Red patchwork bag in progress

These very sturdy scrap fabrics from home dec sample books are being tested in a simple design I came up with. I think the bag is screaming for a gusset and/or some fringe. So today I'll be taking a trip to my friendly fabric store to see what they have.

We haven't been able to eat at the dining room table in weeks. I wonder why.

Work in Progress:Tapestry bag

This was a practice project because I'm planning to sew a very large tote bag from the same fabrics. I bought a number of home dec sample fabric books from eBay and just love the tapestry samples even though they are tough to sew on my portable sewing machine. This bag is something I've been working on for a couple of days and it uses fabric samples. It still needs a bit of tweaking, but I think I would use this bag over the winter.

Note to self: Cut out the lining before sewing the bag together. Boy it's tough to get it right otherwise.


click for larger image

Dia De Los Muertos

My son and I crammed as much Mexicana we could on this fisher price truck we found at a garage sale for a fabulous Day of The Dead Shrine-mobile.

Happy Halloween!