Turning 50 - Goodbye 2013

50 Years Old - Before and After

The last post of 2013, I thought I'd leave you with a little magic.  2013 was a year of turning 50 - many of my friends, myself, OF COURSE Doctor Who, skateboarding, Johnny Depp, Michael Jordan, Brad Pitt, even Martin Luther King Jr's I Have a Dream speech, hypertext, the nanosecond, and the zip code all reached this major milestone - along with my little Christmas tree.

Christmas Wrap-Up

Twinkle Effect with Google+ Auto Awesome

There are Beads in these Christmas Stickers!

Christmas Gift Tags with Pop-Up Santa Stickers

Although I have far too many Christmas bits and bobs - well, too many for their space as there could never really be too many, could there? - I just couldn't resist these adorable Pop-Up Christmas Stickers I saw the other day.  Lovely vibrant colours and sweet graphics, the piece de resistance is that the puffly little stickers contain tiny shiny beads.

Getting Festive in Old Montreal

I've been having a lovely time in Old Montreal this week, and they are beginning to decorate for the holiday season.  These lovely lit up trees - this one in Place d'Armes between the Maisonneuve Monument and the Notre Dame Basilica - have a dripping motion which is really magical and I would have been able to show you if only it had occurred to me before today (back home now) to use the video setting on my pocket camera.  I'm afraid you'll have to use your imagination for this magical effect. as I never think to use video.

Glittery Snowflakes in Red and Lime Green

Glittery Red Snowflakes with Pearls

We achieved some productivity yesterday, the cats and I, making up a few batches of glittery snowflakes, photography them, packaging them and posting on Etsy. Aren't these red ones festive?  I must say, the cats really aren't much help at these things - quite the opposite - but it's always nice to have their company, even if they do end up sparkling for weeks and helping to spread glitter about the house.

Sonic Screwdriver Beaded Icicle Ornaments

Craft Show is over and it is back to the bling. I have been working up more of the beaded icicles on beaded spiral hangers that I love, and this time I've incorporated the rhinestone encrusted beads.  Serious bling!  Don't the shiny silver beads go lovely with the deep rich colour of these cobalt blue faceted beads?

Craft Show Dress Rehearsal

Coco Chanel is famous for saying that before leaving the house, a lady should stop, look in the mirror, and remove one piece of jewelry. Those were different times, of course, but it is in the spirit of Coco Chanel's words that I am stripping back a little bit of what I have on offer for my craft show table this weekend.  This, you see, is my dining room table serving as the practice hall for the craft show table dress rehearsal.

Beaded Icicle Ornaments on Beaded Spiral Hooks

Beaded Icicles on Beaded Spiral Hooks -  Red & White

November.  Yikes!  It's been a busy few days with Halloween and a few birthdays in the mix. As one of the birthdays was hubby's, I had a couple of days off of crafting and I was a cooking dynamo. A chocolate cake with no icing was requested - so that was as easy as could be - but I went on a cooking blitz and have filled the freezer with many of his favourite meals for weeks to come.   Marathon cooking sessions on blustery grey days of autumn are almost obligatory, and I must say I enjoyed it tremendously.  I know for sure I will enjoy not having to wonder what to make for dinner as things are about to get super busy.

Happy Birthday to my Grandma

My beautiful Grandma

My Grandma would have turned 98 today, and it is the first birthday we are without her.   She would likely have recieved as many cards as her years because my Grandma would talk to people and make friends wherever she went.  People always remembered her with a staggering amount of birthday and Christmas cards.

She was an amazing woman to me, and certainly a source of inspiration in the crafty arts for my family. 

Grandma's biggest craft skills were knitting and crochet where her work was pure perfection.  She made me such beautiful things throughout my life and it gives me enormous pleasure that some of these things still live on - new like the day they were made - so much so that I have been able to  pass them along to friends' children. 

Grandma enjoyed food like she enjoyed life and it would be nice to think that somewhere out there she's having a big birthday feast in celebration.  I'll just bet there's ice cream!

I'll always love you Grandma and feel like you're right here with me.  Switching the numbers this year doesn't get us a lot, but happy 89th birthday!

Multi-Dangle Christmas Earring in Red, White and Green

Christmas Present Earrings in Red, White and Green

Well, I must say, I tried to be nothing but festive while working on these multi-dangle earrings but quite a few swear words were uttered. Under my breath, and to myself, but nontheless, some frustration.  I don't remember it being quite so difficult when I made my first attempt with some Halloween earrings, but I am still new to the multi-dangle style and to working with jump rings.

More Diamond Dangles with Acrylic Paint Splotch Beads

Acrylic Paint Splotch Beads in Purple

Back to the Christmas ornaments today. October seems to be flying by, and with Halloween this week and the calendars turning to November (must remember it's husbands birthday!) it's going to be full on Christmas soon and hopefully I'll be busy with sales. Certainly I'll be busy with other things.  I've done a few more wreaths for our Craft Show which is now two weeks away and am playing with space layouts to see what's what, so it was time to get back to some Etsy focus.

Fussy but Royal Beaded Ornament Hooks!

My beaded ornament hooks are getting fancier and fancier these days.  I keep being drawn to these fabulous special beads - in this case more rhinestone bling, in silver - and when I saw these deep midnight blue faceted crystal beads I just couldn't leave them as a bracelet.  The colour is so deep and rich and they shine like crazy.  I knew they would look great paired with the bright silver gems and the style puts me in mind of the 'royal ring' that once belonged to Diana and now belongs to Kate.  I've always loved that ring.

Santa's Beaded Ornament Hangers

Santa's Beaded Ornament Hooks?

These - I like to imagine - are the beaded ornament hooks that Santa might have on his tree. They couldn't be any more Christmas-y could they?   Bling and shiny in holiday colours of red and green with crystal icy accents, surely these are what Mrs. Claus would choose.

Plush Toy Wreaths

Here are some of the wreaths I've been working on.   Cute little Christmas plush toys are wired into the center to give them an uber-festive look.

Christmas Cards and Wreaths

'I Love Snow' Snowman & Snowflake Cards

I've been making steady progress with my mini trees and their tree skirts, and there is a nice little blizzard of snowflakes ready and put away for the craft show.  With the holidays getting closer and the fact that my supply was quickly dwingling, it was finally time to get back to some cards and gift tags.

Mini Skirts for Mini Trees #2, 3 and 4!

Last week I posted about my first mini skirt for my mini trees, and this week I am happy to update that three more are complete.  There are at least four more to do, if I can manage it, and perhaps more hiding in boxes I haven't yet opened.

Shiny Silver Snowflakes

Wowza, talk about shine and sparkle!  Working on these silver snowflakes at my craft room table,  with the sun streaming in, I was tempted to put on a pair of sunglasses.  En masse, they were almost blinding with their shine, sparkle and close friend glitter.  I just love them.

Seussical with Large Diamond Dangles ... & Snowflakes

It's a drizzly day and there is a Doctor Who marathon on television. In short, it's a perfect crafting day.   Really with conditions like this I should be working on my Tardis Christmas Ornaments - I got some fabulous charms to work up - but I think those will wait for next week when the End of 10 will air.  I`ll need something to distract me from crying through the entire episode.

S is for Santa Spiral Beaded Ornament Hooks

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!  This is one of the things on my crafting table today.  Spiral beaded ornament hooks are back, and I'm trying to work up a number of variations in some basic colour schemes.  My friend Catherine named these "S is for Santa" spiral hooks, and I think that's a perfect name.  They are so jolly.

Mini Skirts for Mini Trees #1

It's like the Doctor Who Christmas invasion - Christmas trees are everywhere - living room, dining room, craft room, spare bedroom ...  they've just sprung up here there and everywhere.   In preparation for my upcoming craft show, I'm sprucing up my mini Christmas Trees and editing their ornaments.  Each one has such a lot of character with a huge variety of trimmings and garland.

Bright Pink Buttons

Quick little update today.   The weather lately has been absolutely perfect for autumn, and despite the fact my street is full of construction vehicles it has been quiet for a couple of days so I've been taking advantage and doing some work out in the garden. 

Button Dangles in Red and Purple

Red Button Christmas Ornaments

For some reason, tins of buttons make me happy.  I understand why buttons off clothing I`ve had throughout my life would be a nostalgic thing, or vintage buttons with all their fascinating shapes and details would be an exciting thing - but even modern, bright, random buttons are such happy, cheerful little characters, don't you think?

Paint Splotch Acrylic Beads in Diamond Dangles

Painted Splotch Acrylic Beads with Cats Eye Shiny Beads

Here are some more of my selection of fabulous beads.  I call them Paint Splotch beads and I have them in a lovely variety of colours.  They match so very nicely with these super shiny cats eye like beads that I've used before in my Cats Eye Beaded Ornament Hangers. 

Shiny Christmas Ball Snowflake Earrings

Shiny Christmas Ball Snowflake Earrings in Red

More fun with Christmas earrings - this time in a more holly jolly, fun and festive mood.   I recently found these shiny metallic coloured beads in a variety of colours, and with etched accents that have almost a holographic effect in that they reflect many colours as they move.

Multi-Colour Rhinestone Bead Christmas Earrings

Rhinestone Bead Earrings with Snowflakes and Crystal Crackle Glass Beads

Yesterday's crafting session was back to the Christmas earrings, and this time my primary focus was these 14mm multi-colour rhinestone beads.  I thought it might be more productive if I focused on one element - which was these stunning beads - worked up with a variety of charms and other focal beads.

Winter Wonderland Snowflakes

Beautiful glass 'confetti' beads really make these snowflake icicles

It was back to the snowflake ornaments yesterday - this time in Winter Wonderland variations.  Glass confetti beads are among my very favourites, and as I had the perfect shade of tiny seed beads to accompany them we were off and running. 

Crochet Christmas Stocking

Sir Stands-a-Lot models the new stocking

 Finished object Fridays - what an inspiration!  I must say that wanting to have the occasional blog post for Work-in-Progress Wednesdays or Finished-Object Fridays really does help spur you along.
On Wednesday I was looking for some crochet coaster patterns when I came across a little Christmas booklet for Loops & Threads Impeccable worsted.

Seussical Icicle Dangle Ornaments

Seussical Red and Lime Green Christmas Ornaments

 Look at these fabulous beads!  Don't you just think they were made for Christmas decorations?  True, I think that of almost everything, but these beads especially.  Large red and white polka dots with lime green and bright white stripes - more holly, jolly festive they could not be!  These icicle style snowflake dangle ornaments are accented with white glass pearls and crystal, light gold and opaque white in a mixture of 6/0, 8/0 and 10/0 seed beads.

Crocheted Bead Garland

Gold Beads with Red Cotton Thread with Gold Flecks

I am beginning to feel a bit beaded out. It will be temporary, I can assure you, but after many weeks of beaded ornament hangers, snowflake ornaments, diamond dangles, button whimsies and the like, my brain is in bead overload.  Now you might be thinking ... "hey, those look a lot like beads"  and it's true they do, but the difference is that I didn't string them.   No beading required!  This is a project for the crochet category. So, for a beading break, my work in progress is to finish up some of my garland to crochet.

Purple Hearts

Deep Purple and Silver Filigree Hearts

I've had these beautiful silver filigree hearts before and made some lovely earrings - matching them with deep red crystal beads.  Lovely, that is, if you are at least one quarter giraffe.  They were a little too much.  So, they have been sitting in one of the myriad "almost finished" boxes awaiting  inspiration.

Oh Won't You Be ... my Teddy Bear?

New packaging for individual ornaments

While I was on a roll with the mercury glass reminiscent Christmas ball beads I thought I should work up some ornaments as well as the ornament hangers.   Before I found the multi-colour assortment, I found these beads in Christmas Green and Christmas Red and wanted to pair them with these lovely large Teddy Bear pendant charms.

Luxurious Red Velvety Beads

Luxurious Red Velvety Beads in Beaded Ornament Hangers

These are some more of my recent fabulous new bead finds.  Rich red velvety beads - in a huge 22mm.  They seem very luxurious to me, so I have paired them in these beaded ornament hooks with deep opaque colours and rich metallic gold seed beads. 

Vintage Mercury Glass Look Beaded Ornament Hangers

Super Shiny 20mm Acrylic Beads in beaded ornament hangers

Remember those beautiful mercury glass Christmas ornaments of days gone by? The super shiny ones that reflected everything around them in a magical way but would shatter to smithereens if you ever dropped them?  Well these gorgeous 20mm acrylic beads are just like them - without the shatter worries.

Rudolph's Nose Bling Beaded Ornament Hooks

Rudolph's Nose Shiny Red Rhinestone Bling Beaded Ornament Hooks

Hello again craft blogosphere! Well, I'm back after a lovely visit with my Auntie Carole from England. The production ban is lifted and it is time to find high gear in the Christmas crafting focus.   The shelves are stacked with shiny beads of an enormous variety and myriad other crafting supplies and it is time to get B-U-S-Y!!!

Production Ban

Lovely assortment of beads that came in the post!

I have put myself under a strict production ban.  One of my Aunt's from England is visiting me next week and I am determined to get the craft room all sorted and in order.  I am hoping, at some point, that we will be doing some crafting together but at the very least I need to tidy out some of the boxes and craft supplies that are currently living all over the spare bedroom.  There's photography to catch up on, packaging to catch up on, then to find a place for it all ...so much to do...  So it's no production for a few days, and yes it is torture.

Snowflakes in Amber and Gold

Snowflake Ornaments with Lovely Gold Tone Beads and Embellishments

It's snowing again!  Back to the Christmas ornaments, and to the snowflakes in particular.    And, as I am trying not to string the words 'yellow' and 'snow' together, these are snowflakes in amber and gold!  Much more posh, don't you think?

BOO! Ghost Earrings

Halloween Ghost Earrings in Silver, Orange and Black

BOO! I've got some ghost earrings for you.  I thought I had better press on with my Halloween plans and have made up some more earring styles.  These Tibetan Silver ghost charms are just too cute, I thought I'd go in-for-a-penny-in-for-a-pound and embrace the Halloween black and orange.
 

Starry Starry Night ...

Acrylic Blue Faceted Stars on Beaded Hangers

Well hello and happy September!  It seems you turn the calendar and the nights are suddenly cold. Speaking of nights, I've made up some more Christmas ornaments.  For a little variety, they are neither snowflakes nor diamond dangles - but a variation - with these acrylic star pendant charms.

Pretty Glass Beads

Glass Beads wirh Diamond Collar Spacers Beaded Ornament Hooks

This week has been busy with a great deal of sorting, sourcing and planning things I want to make in the next few weeks.  The overall picture is still one of creative chaos, but there are pockets where I can actually see what I have to work with, and to work up.

Halloween Witch Earrings

Tibetan Silver Witch Earrings in Black and Lime Green

Well, well, it looks like someone has given herself nearly a week off of craft blogging.  It happens quickly doesn't it?  Actually, I've been very busy crafting - I made this one pair of Halloween earrings!  Ahh, but it's what this one pair of earrings represents - that's the thing.

More Gift Tags

Birthday Gift Tags with Foam Embellishments

There has been a bit of a paper craft gift tag theme this week-end and can you believe it they're not ALL Christmasy.   I couldn't resist these colourful foamy characters with googly eyes (that's the best bit) and I thought they'd make cute gift tags with my circle punches and some co-ordinating papers.  Owls seem to be extraordinarily popular these days.  Especially the purple ones ;)

Q is for Quick: Puffy Gift Tags

Festive gift tags with glitter papers

I don't know if you've noticed on my blogs I follow list, but there are a number of holiday themed paper craft challenge sites that I enjoy following.  It's amazing to me the beautiful things that people are creating.

First Tree Skirt of 2013

Christmas Tree Skirt in traditional holiday colours

I've finished my first tree skirt of the year - and just in time for a "Finished Object Friday" to boot.   I've kept this one simple - without fancy stitches or fancy yarns - and it has worked up pretty quickly.

Snowflake Blizzard

Snowflakes in Silver

It's a blizzard around here as I'm back to the snowflakes today - and this time they are silver.  Trying to get back into the production groove I've worked up all of  my lovely large silver grey pearls.  I've actually used 4 sizes of silver grey pearls for a graduated effect and the all-important sparkly rondelle also in a silver grey colour.  I thought they looked dramatic and elegant on the shiny black paper.

Pear Gem Dangles

Pear Gem Dangles with Pearls, Faceted Crystals and Champagne Seed Beads

The lovely frosted champagne colour seed beads that I used in the hanger portion of these new gem ornaments were the inspiration for this version of my pear shaped gem dangles.  I have interspersed them with translucent seed beads in the same colour to make them stand out.  This started to remind me of champagne, so I kept the focal beads simple - the champagne bubbles in pearls and clear faceted acrylic beads. 

Happy Birthday Mum!

Happy Birthday Mum!

It's my Mum's Birthday today. Happy Birthday Mum!  This is the card that I made, and it has a special significance that I hope my Mum will get.  Some time in the 70's we had a bathroom that was decorated with smiley face wallpaper - oh yes! - and accessories to match.  It was my favourite bar none.  Given the style of my Mum's normal decorating, I think I may have had a hand in picking out the famous wallpaper - but we all ended up liking it.

Traditional Tree Skirts with Faux Fur Yarns

Stop the presses -  my in-laws have a Christmas tree. For the first time since I met my husband (many, many, many moons ago) my mother and father-in-law put up a Christmas Tree last year.  They would decorate, but because of many animals in the home avoided the tree.  I just couldn't let such an exciting development as this go without making them a tree skirt, so this is the one I made for them - and it is loaded with a variety of the faux fur yarns.

Craft Kits: Victorian Elegance Beaded Garland

I had occassion yesterday to be reminded of my garland kits, and I realize that I have never blogged about them.  And you crafty folks might be interested as now is a good time to start making things for the holidays.

Animal Print Shell Bracelets

Funky Leopard Print Shell Beads

One of the good things about having taken some time off from craft blogging, is that there are a fair number of things to catch up on updating.  As I am unlikely to want too many animal print things for the Christmas Tree (though there are a few exceptions!), I though these beads would work up nicely into bracelets.

Christmas Magic Glitter Pots

Christmas magic ... in pots of glitter

This is one of my new styles for 2013 .. the Glitter Pot Ornament.  Being constantly on the look-out for anything that I can string some wire and beads through, I was delighted when I found these little glass vials with plastic stoppers that contained a hole.