Christmas Wrap-Up

Twinkle Effect with Google+ Auto Awesome

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?

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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?

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.

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. 

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.

Large Diamond Dangles in Lime Green

Back to the Christmas craft room for me today.   I have so many things to work up (lucky me!) that I'm trying to get on to a system ... diamond dangles ... snowflake ornaments ... beaded ornament hangers .... cards.  But yikes, I'm forgetting tree skirts, garland, gift tags, jewelry and so much more.  I understand why Santa employs so many elves.