Now that we’ve had the birthday party, it’s safe for me to show the necklace I created for my sister.  If you know her at all, then you could guess that I made this for her, since booger green is her “signature color.”  I used 80 zillion seed beads (I believe they are 11^, but they could be smaller),  6^ seeds,cultured pearls, lemon jasper rondelles (I LOVE these!), an assortment of glass beads, and sterling silver components.  The pendant was created from a button from my grandmother’s buttons stash: chosen because they were particularly close.

My swap beads are gone, as is my Bead Soup mix.  Tomorrow I’ll be listing some hearts on Etsy, along with some spacer beads that came out of the kiln today.  I used a new glaze on them and now I think I have a new favorite!  They’re delish!

I had planned on glazing tonight but I’m afraid that I have a migraine on the way–my little internal barometer started warning me of a storm earlier today, but now I’m teetering at the brink….

On Monday I had to take my husband to the chiropractor for an adjustment; you can only watch a 44 year old man walking around like an 80 year old for so long.  While he was at his appointment, I headed down the road to Goodwill to see what I was missing.

Well, apparently they had received a donation from a large store (I’m thinking Target, maybe..) of necklaces.  I picked up 4 double-stranded seed beed necklaces in various metallic colors, and then I found these:

I’ve been wanting to add to my wooden bead stash, as I think they make a lovely accent to ceramic beads.  I got some mahogany, walnut, black, and natural stained beads, along with a strand that has no finish at all (which means custom colors). Different shapes and sizes, too.

Lets just say I got a LOT of beads to add to the stash for very little money.

What a surprise when I woke up yesterday morning to a convo that another one of my pendants was featured in a treasury (http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=61830).   And then this afternoon I opened up Google Reader to the Handmade Business blog (http://handmade-business-blogspot.com)  and found one of my pictures of my work table looking back at me.   I also found the jackpot lot of ceramic molds that I’ve been looking for–ginger jars, cookie jars, vases, bowls, etc.  I’ve had to wade my way through a lot of figurine molds that I’ll never use (you know, like smurfs and ET and whatnot–but I had to take the lot of molds), and now have them set out, ready to use.  Now if the sun would come back out I could take photos and do some pouring!

Thank you, inmyheadstudios, for including me in this lovely treasury.   And don’t forget to check out the article on this week’s shop of the week, A Cagey Bee.

Here are a few picks from the Etsy Twitter Team for this week.  And don’t forget to check out the write-up for this week’s featured shop, tamdoll, on the etsytwitter blog.

tamdoll

 curiousmess

 bluecole

FirebirdHouse

A few items from the Maine Team:

Cupcake Girl by indigotwin

Nubian Goat by JLRPhotography

ACEO Sunflower by OneKeeneKat

Enjoy!

One of my new rings made the Etsy Twitter Team Treasury “Hot Pink”.  Thanks Mandizzle!

Update: since I’m having issues with WordPress, here are the links to the treasury ( http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=55322 ) and to Mandizzle’s shop ( http://Mandizzle.etsy.com )

  And look what I found while I was on my lunch break!  Lots of finished pendants and beads will fit in these.

We’re in the final days of tax season, and hopefully I can get rested up soon and back to clay work. Priority number one is finishing up a couple of orders that have been in the queue for awhile (thanks for your patience ladies!), then I’m reclaiming the spare room.  I lost my craft room when Isaac came along, and since hubby has a great big garage, I’m feeling like it’s time to get the tools and stuff out of the spare room.  MINE!!!  It takes a huge bite into my productivity when I have to setup and breakdown during Isaac’s afternoon nap.   I’ve decided that this time my studio will be filled with vintage and vintage-style stuff that I’ve been collecting.  It will be a huge undertaking, but if I want to step the business up a notch something has to be done.     I recently received a couple of issues of Cloth Paper Scissors “Studios”, so now I’m all inspired now.  I know it’s customary to take “before” pictures, but it’s too embarrassing!

Have a Happy Easter, Everyone!

got a chance to make some jewelry out of my own ceramic pieces.  These earrings are available in my etsy shop: http://dwinchelldesigns.etsy.com   I’m running a special on shipping now till Christmas:  Free domestic shipping on orders over $15.  

I created a chickadee ornament this weekend, and today it was finally dry enough to create the mold.  I had bought some silicone baking dishes at Mardens last week, and they work great for pouring my plaster molds.  Pops right out, nice round edges.  I think I better get some gloves for mixing the plaster, though, b/c I suspect that the next time I do it my hands are going to react to the plaster. 

Off to make some ornaments for the kids. 

December Bead Trends Magazine, page 79.  Whoopee!!!  They also chose them for one of the shots on the table of contents page. 

I have some projects up my sleeves involving some ceramic beads and ear wires that I’ll be submitting around.