I'm back......again!

Well, well, well.....

How many times have I "come out of retirement"? hahahaha  but I'm here.  And I have some new pieces to share.

oh!

HapPy New YeaR!!

So during my time away.....I've learned how to crochet.  Well, I've always had really really basic knowledge of crotchet.  But no, I couldn't tell you what a double crotchet was let alone a slip knot. I knew how to hold the hook, I knew about wrapping the yarn and I could go a mean chain stitch!  hahahaha but that's it!

Now that I'm thinking about it,  I'm trying to remember what happened in my life that I felt adopting another hobby was necessary...... hmmm.... *thinking*........you know, I really can't remember.  *shrug*

Since my last post back in July, I took some time off......loosely interpreted.....I got lazy.



I started missing my activity of beading.....or the gratification in a finished piece that I purposed myself to accomplish last year, every evening.  
But I didn't get back to the beads. I just couldn't  "see" a design.  I've also had to dismantle my work area and believe it or not....that took my creativity.  Low and behold, my remedy was crochet. Go Figure....

Beanies and scarves!

Oh, I can now make a beanie in my sleep!  But as the yarn supply started to grow so did the dust on my beads!  I missed making jewelry so.... I did what I thought was most logical and fused the two!  I've seen crochet jewelry before but I knew I couldn't ever be that advanced enough with the crochet to ever learn how....but  it's actually a lot easier than I thought.  So , yes...even after I said "NO MORE YARN OR THREAD"... what did I do ?  Yep! I went out and  got more yarn and thread.

These were one of the very first couple of pairs  that I attempted.  I posted them on my Facebook, and the feedback gave me the confidence boost that I needed.  to get back into gear.  So after watching a few youtubes and desperately trying to read crochet patterns (which I still can't do) I can finally say I've got it.  I can make a pair of earrings in NO time flat.  NOW.....the great part....I can finally crochet Russian Beaded Ropes.....*swoon*......

I've wanted to do crochet beaded ropes since I've been beading an now I think I'm skilled enough to do it!  So I hope you'll stay tuned....  

Whoooooaaa....where the heck have you been??

I know I know....bad girl.  I have been out of the swing of things - well, when it comes to blogging.  I've actually crafted a few things....of which I'm quite proud of!  Yes, please insert self tootin' horn right here! hahahaha

First, I've discovered that I have this butterfly addiction. Yep....I can't stop putting them in my creations.  Ahhhh....well, sue me.

I particularly like these because it's like the butterflies are sitting on your shoulder! I think I'm some kind of pixie from Narnia!

The color is just AWE and SOME!
Hmmm....I just may have to keep these for myself....




Micheal Jackson would be so proud...I know I'm giving MANY butterflies!






But I have done some bead weaving.  These peachy little numbers are done with 11o seed beads in gold and rainbow, in a peyote stitch.  This was the first stitch I learned and I still love how easy it is to do.  You can make all kinds of things because it's "hollow".   So I threaded them on to memory wire hoops, a few 8 mm and 6 mm Czech fire polished peach faceted rounds and voila!  Sparkle and flash!

But for the  Pièce de résistance !

"Montezuma"

The  whole design was "instructed" by the focal piece.  Yes, instructed.  Sometimes you have to just let these things tell you how they want to be displayed.  I had been wanting to use those turquoise drops but they felt "Flintstone-esque" to me. I knew whatever I used them for would have to be bold and unapologetic for being whatever it turned out to be.  The pendant caught my eye while I was shopping and Lord KNOWS I have   a pendant stash SO massive....I didn't need more.  But when you see CLEARANCE, you can't pass them by!   BLASPHEMY!

So this is what it came to be....very earthy, regal and strong!  I quite like it....*proud*

"Flutter-byes"

So I've decided....I REALLY love butterflies! hahaha! Actually, I always have.  Let alone half of my back is tattooed with butterflies! They are just so beautiful and the whole larva-caterpillar-cocoon-butterfly cycle is an amazing journey, within itself.  There is so much representation with that life cycle that can be applied to human life that I can relate to so here are a couple of creations that I came up with, that I absolutely adore!

"Monarch"

"...in red"

"...in blue"

A few seed beads, 6mm rounds, rhinestone rondelles, jump rings, ear hooks, memory wire and of course - BUTTERFLIES!  and voila!  I still have a few different colors and will make those up soon!

Lavender Fields.....

Last year, I finally got the opportunity to visit Matanza Winery. BEAUTIFUL! I love lavender and wine...so I was in heaven!

The weather was a bit warm to do the tour on my own but the aromatic pull of the lavender plants made it comfortable....or maybe just put me in a trance.  It seemed complaining about the heat was pointless.  I couldn't muster up enough irritation to pout! hahahahaha.... So I'm here to say....yes, LAVENDER has calming properties!

Lately, I've been in a bit of a funk but I've promised to myself to stay with it....and I'm keeping to it!  I'm very happy with the piece that my memories of Matanza helped to inspire.  It's a bit flashy with lots of sparkles but I also realized that..... I LIKE BLING!!!  I'm in love with this set.  I hope that you feel the calming lavender feel....

"Matanza Wine"

When trends come in....

So from the VH-1 ridiculously painful to watch reality show, "Basketball Wives" - the women aren't all wives of NBA players....are pretty fashionable.  I'll give them that much...probably, the only GOOD & SANE thing about the show.  I can go on and on about how these ladies are destroying the foundation of the NAACP, one episode at a time but you'll have to go to my "alter ego" blog for that.

I believe I made a post some time ago about their earrings on the show....ahhh yes....here it is: Fad vs. Fab

So, after you've read that, you'll know that I don't particularly like make these earrings....no matter how cute they are!

Blah!

Ahhhhh, well....I've been asked again....and well, as much as it disturbs me.....the earrings are cute and I've yet again made earrings with a BW flare. I just have such a hard time associating myself with this trend.  *sigh*

So here's what I've created......and just typing up this blog about 'em....I hadn't realized, until now that the name I gave them....is quite appropriate!  NJoye!

"I've Got The Blues"

We're All Different....but the same....

I have missed my beautiful jewelry blog so much...

I've been making alot of really neat things and posting them to my facebook (www.facebook.com/jewels2njoye4u) so please if you're out there, click the link just in case I run out of time to post here.

Geesh....I've got some catching up to do!

So tonight's creation, I LOVE.  I found these paper beads.....I can't remember where....but I've seen them online and when I found them on one of my Saturday buy-beadathons, I had to have them!  I've had them for a while now.  I decided that what ever I did with them, would have to be absolutely special.  I didn't want to create anything that would take away from the uniqueness of the beads so I decided a simple stringing of graduating size obsidian beads would do the job.

"Same Difference"

The thing that I love the most about paper beads is that - they are all different. You can buy them separately or strung but it doesn't much matter because there will still be variations with the spiraling of the paper. Cool, right!?

In the midst of the paper beads, I used metallic pyrite beads for a little extra kick.  You all know I love my sparkle.  When researching what the components of pyrite was...I learned that this mineral is most commonly known as "Fool's Gold".  Awesome!  I've always heard of "fool's gold" and just thought it was like an old wives tale/cliche to mean somebody was taken advantage of with a "thing" that was worth nothing....*shrug* I guess I wasn't absolutely wrong, right?

I love the way this turned out! The drop earrings mirror the graduating sizes of the obsidian  beads in the necklace (which I learned is volcanic glass...yeah...it really comes from lava!)...the pyrite and finally the paper bead. I repeated this in the wrap bracelet. Mission accomplished. The accompanying beads didn't take away from my beloved paper beads. I <3 me sometimes! hahahahaha...

As I tried to come up with a name for this set and began to write this blog post, I sat back and took in everything about these beads...the shape, the colors, the differences, you know?  I began to relate that to people.  Yes, on to my humanitarian platform I go.

I'm a member of many beading and jewelry designing communities and I've met A LOT of people. People who I admire. People from different places, different languages, different cultures, races and religions and we've all connected with one thing in common.  And within this one thing, we all are so unique and different but on the other side of the coin, we all share the same love for jewelry making.  We share many of the same frustrations and feelings of accomplishments. I was floored when a discussion came up and a lady mentioned her "box of ugly"! I thought I was the only one with a box of mishaps!  And then there's our physical and geographical differences.....well, those little things....just don't seem to matter.  I've befriended a wonderful woman all the way in German.  We try to communicate and share friendly conversations about our children, our weekends and all the general things girls gab about....and I think that's amazing.  So, yes....metaphorically speaking....if these beads that are so different can be put together to become this beautiful piece of work, why can't people....aren't we all made from the same "material"?

I'm baaaaaccckkk!!!

It's good to be back!!  I've been away from jewelry making and have been in prom chaos.  I made the attempt of doing my daughters dress....thinking...."oh, it's just a simple dress....barely there".....I had NO clue what I was getting into with the chiffon draping!!  I had no idea it would take so long....never mind....I totally got confused about the prom date....thinking I had at least a week to kick my a** into gear and get sewing.....ha!  When she casually reminded me the week prior, "Mom, you  know prom is Saturday"?

Panic in OVERDRIVE!!

So, needless to say....we went out of budget to get another dress.  The money I spent on fabric was the dress budget....*smh*....what was I thinking!  Well, needless to say....I found a dress shop that saved my life!! The designer and owner was so much fun and amazing!!  If you're in the North Valley/Sacramento area and need formal wear....PLEASE check out Britt Steele!

SO in other new:

YES!!

I had come across this pattern some time ago and fell in love!  I wanted to give it a try but of course....I thought it would be time consuming and I'm a instant gratification girl.  No wonder I ever got into bead weaving to begin with, right?!  BUT this sweet little piece builds up quickly and it's so much easier to make than it looks.  My perfect pattern!  I got the tutorial from Off The Beaded Path.  She does WONDERFUL bead work!  Definitely a new favorite of mine.  There's a necklace that goes with the bracelet but I'll have to give that a try later.  IT is absolutely gorgeous!

It feels great to be back to beading after the short hiatus!  If funny how much I miss it when I'm away!