New Year and New Horizons!

We are fast approaching the new year, and, as always, I'm excited. It's like a fresh start, you know?  I will be teaching a class at our homeschool co-op this semester, and I'm very excited about it. I want to show the kids how to use mixed media to explore the art world.
Here are a couple of projects:

Cigar boxes to transform into memory boxes.

 My 11 and 9 yr old made these yesterday from scrapbook paper. you can make smaller ones to nest inside them, and finish off with a lid.

Gracie learned how to crochet a couple of years ago. I started making a baby blanket for a friend, which renewed her interest in it. This is to be a cap for herself. She is not using a pattern, so we'll have to see how that turns out! :)

I taught my 9 yr old how to crochet yesterday, and this is the result of his hard work. He really wanted to make an armband, but this was a bit too long for his little wrist. Do I really want a son who crochets a ton of stuff? No, but I do think that the fine motor skills he is developing from this are tremendous. And I really just want them to explore art in general, and not to be afraid of trying something, just because you don't know how to do it.  

I didn't get to try crafts until I got married. My in-laws owned a hobby shop, so my hubs knew all sorts of crafty stuff. It has been such a joyous journey for me, and something I have become rather passionate about for kids. Which is why I listen to my sons enthuse about Legos to the 12th power with a smile on my face. Because their minds are exploring the possibilities. Which is vitally important for their generation. I fully believe

 that their generation will create all the things my generation used to dream about.  

So, even though I don't know very much about mixed media, and using recycled materials, I am going to teach a class on it...because it's important.

I would be thrilled with any ideas you may have for our class!  

Blessings, Shirley

Eek! Run, don't walk!! Juls is clearing out.....

Juls is clearing out some beady inventory! If you've lusted drooled over her beads like I have, head on over and get yourself some beady goodness! Cause, really, you need your own handpicked Christmas gift.
Blessings, Shirley

Beading Babes Project #2

Beading Babes is a group started by Karyn of Releases by Rufydoof. We choose a project....or two! We take about a month to bead it, then reveal. I love this group, cause it's very low key. If you don't finish right on time, that's cool. If you make modifications to the pattern, that's cool. If you don't use the exact beads, that's cool. Pretty awesome!

Ok, I'm a bit late on this reveal, I apologize. I was really hoping I could get both finished. And there's no reason I shouldn't have, they were both relatively easy projects. But I got hung up on the clasp for the Sleek in Silver, and just put it to the side while I worked on other things, and totally forgot until I saw everyone's posts today. So, please forgive. I will post pics of the finished item when it's completely finished.

Here is my Earthly Hues. I chose to use some beadlettes I had in my stash instead of the cubes the pattern called for. I thought that might mean I shouldn't do as many sections, but it still worked out the same. I apparently didn't read the bead list correctly, cause I used size 8's, not size 6's, at the increase. Happy accident, cause that meant I didn't have the issue of thread showing. 

My beadlettes were in various shades of grey, shiny and matte. So to give it a bit of a girly edge, I went with a rasberry delica. My jaspers were a tiny bit smaller than the bead list, so I did have some adjustments to the pattern due to that. Overall, quite a quick pattern, and forgiving to make adjustments and variations.

Here is the present state of my Sleek in Silver. I used a wonderful matte bronzey/slate color for the Tila's. And, yes, those are JulsBeads for the dangles instead of briolettes!!  And I'm telling you, they make this necklace rock!!

Since the lampworks are heavier than briolettes, there is extra reinforcing throughout that section.  I'll post an updated pic when I finish the clasp.  Thanks Karyn for another great project. Blessings, Shirley

Color Challenge Reveal

Yeah! It's here! What an awesome challenge this was. Erin @ Treasures Found hosted her second Color Challenge. I was thrilled to participate in this one. I was still very much a newbie and finding all the cool blogs when she had the first one. Apparently she had lots of fun with paint chips at that one! She found a fantastic source of color inspiration for us to use in the site, Design Seeds. My color choice was purple. Design Seeds color chart was: Frozen Heather! Take a look!

Isn't that scrumptious?? But it was a bit harder than I anticipated. I immediately knew I wanted to do another freeform bracelet. I loved the experience with my first one, so I started pulling out colors. Now, Erin never said you needed to use only the colors in the palette, but I really tried hard to stick to that. I had one exception. I had ordered one of the Monday Mixes from Betsy Ramsey over at Red Panda Beads. And one of those was really calling to play with the purple. See?

She has the prettiest ab finish that just sparkles.

Wanna see how she well she plays with Frozen Heather?? Lookee!!

 There's that pretty topaz hanging on the edge.

 And looping around a clear ab crystal.

I ended up with lots of bridges on this one.

I totally realize that this is a busy piece, but it just wouldn't let me stop!

It really wanted to curve over, so I let it!

Check this pretty little toggle. It's a pattern from Grace Nehls in Feb 2011 B&B.

This is the back side, which I thought was pretty as well.

This color palette was a challenge, since I was trying to use up stash, and it was a lot harder than I thought to get that blue/green included. I apologize for my pics. When I took them, the colors seemed to show true. Once I'd uploaded them last night, the purples looked a lot more blue! So, those "blue" beads around the edge are really more of a purple color. I had a total blast making this, and working with the awesome Design Seeds color palette! Please go visit them when you have a chance.

Here is the list of the other participants (and their color palettes) in the challenge!

1	Norma Turvey	Teal	Color Crave
2	Jeannie Dukic	Green	Mineral Tones
3	Mary McGraw	Teal	Embellished Hues
4	Jo Tinley	Red	Decadent Tones
5	Rebecca Anderson	Pink	Tulip Tones
6	Kristi Jaro	Red	Temple Entrance
7	Stephani Gorman	Green	Dew Tones
8	Melissa Meman	Green	Fruit Star
9	Kathleen Lange Klik	Teal	Silk Hues
10	Cynthia Riggs	Red	Autumn Comfort
11	Heidi Post	Teal	Flora Bright
12	Cece Cormier	Teal	Merino Teal
13	Amy Freeland	Gray	Cultured Tones
14	Alice Peterson	Blue	Island Play
15	Rose Noble	Gray	Autumn Stacked
16	Kristina Johansson	Yellow	Sunny Flower
17	Kirsi Luostarinen	Teal	Dragon Hues
18	Tari Kahrs	Orange	Citrus Tones
19	Mallory Hoffman	Purple	Petaled Dark
20	Molly Alexander	Brown	Peppered Tones
21	Regina Santerre	Red	Frosted Berry
22	Emanda Johnson	Teal	Color Purl
23	Amy Severino	Orange	Winged Tones
24	Bobbie Rafferty	Teal	Lime Hues
25	Tanya Goodwin	Gray	Pecked Tones
26	Lisa Lodge	Blue	Nocturnal Tones
27	Hope Smitherman	Blue	Bloom Tones
28	Linda Landig	Green	Cacti Dark
29	Ambra Gostoli	Teal	Perched Autumn
30	Lori Bowring-Michaud	Blue	Sharpened Blue
31	Pippa Chandler	Teal	Hungarian Hues
32	Keirsten Giles	Purple	Mineral Brights
33	Jennifer Justman	Blue	Autumn Rays
34	Sandy Richardson	Purple	Moroccan Brights
35	CJ Bauschka	Teal	Teal Air
36	Shaiha Williams	Teal	Sushi Hues
37	Kay Thomerson	Purple	Autumn Spectrum
38	Sally Russick	Purple	Golden Gate Tones
39	Cilla Watkins	Purple	Autumn Infused
40	Shirley Moore	Purple	Frozen  Heather     You are here!!
41	Jenni Connolly	Gray	Paw Tones
42	Tamara Soper	Green	Field Tones
43	Sharyl McMillian-Nelson	Blue	Nested Blues
44	Jen Velasquez	Pink	Sweetened Tints
45	Maria Grimes	Red	Bright Bloom
46	Elisabeth Auld	Gray	Petaled Tints
47	Susan Kennedy	Pink	Zinnia Tones
48	Shannon Chomanczuk	Gray	Autumn Leaf
49	Holly Westfall	Yellow	Sprinkled Tones
50	Patty Gasparino	Red	Color Carton
51	Angela Little	Pink	Singapore Brights
52	Lizzie Zawinski	Green	Budding Hues
53	Kristen Stevens	Pink	Scooped Tones
54	Dawn Doucette	Brown	Jarred Tones