Thanks to resources on Twitter, I knew that last night’s House “Wilson” was written by a doctor. It was a very good episode dealing with a more normal doctor’s day – not that living with House is normal by any means. It also shows some beyond the call of duty sacrifice. Those who wanted to see House + Cuddy were not happy I’m sure. I think we need to allow things to evolve the way they are evolving, rather than force plot resolutions on artists.

It was a good script. House is beginning to understand how much he needs Wilson’s friendship – I think he knew it all along – now he can say he needs him. We all seriously need our friends…

Check out ebay today – my beads and jewelry http://stores.ebay.com/Cats-Paw-Artifacts

It’s fun, and flirty and classy and adorable. Just what we all want to be, right? Meet: The Big Pearl Bracelet. Look at this one I caught a shot of; a boiled wool (or felt) star tucked in, a locket with Audrey Hepburn and lots of pearly whites. The perfect accessory for the holidays with a sweater, a shiny black dress or skinny jeans and a cardigan – in other words, with anything, anytime.

Make your own: FireMountainGems has all the supplies you need (except for the wool/felt star). Use stretchy, clear cord for the bracelet, mix up the kinds of pearls, but keep them ALL big, toss in a unique charm, tie off the ends of the cord, and you’re in. In style, that is.

Dzi Beads Necklaces

古老天地天珠 / 两眼千年木珠 / 六眼千年木珠 / 药师珠 / 配根珀， 珊瑚， 绿松石项链。

     After more than a decade of capped rates for the generation portion of my bill, the rate cap expires on 12/31/2009.  In other words, our electric company will be hiking their rates.  “Up your’s Mr. or Ms. Average Citizen who is barely keeping your head above water as it is, we are gonna get a bigger piece of you.”

     However, even though we’ll still get two pieces of you, you can now choose who gets that third larger bite out of your ass.  Will it be us?  We guarantee you that your new rate is going to shock and awe you.  Will you go to one of the companies that we aren’t naming right now, later? 

     Later?  Come on, you are giving me less than a month to research rates of companies who I have no idea what they are even named and oh yeah, you really haven’t given me any incentive to stay with you.

     What the $%@&# do you think I’m going to do?  I’m a high class electrical power whore.  I want the company who’s gonna screw me the least.  Wine me, dine me, make me a good offer, and I’ll make you mine.

Unique jewelry from simple glass beads to artisan-made lampwork, fused glass, gemstones, and wire.

Website: http://lorianderson.net/index.php

Where the wave of moonlight glosses
The dim gray sands with light…

Having spent so much time recently on bracelets and necklaces, I decided to focus on earrings for a few days. I picked up some gorgeous crescent moon pieces in a bead shop when I was in Cádiz this summer. At the same time, I found some small coloured shell circles. I’ve put them together, along with some miniature stars. I suppose I’m going with a astronomical vibe. Here are a few samples…

There we’ve hid our faery vats,
Full of berries
And of reddest stolen cherries…

I’ve also managed to get creative with those red coral beads I mentioned in my last blog post. Initially I had planned to use them for necklaces, but their intense colour was a little overwhelming in that form. They did look pretty in earrings though – and as my mother suggested, quite festive too!

And I couldn’t resist making one bracelet…

I’ve run short of nice semi-precious beads, so I’ll be trekking out to BDI in Bray over the next few days. I’m hoping to get some nice Jade and Amethyst beads, as well as more metallics. So until then, I’ll have to make do with seed beads and an assortment of ceramic pastels (I find pastels particularly hard to work with).

Oh, and excuse the wanton and gratuitous quoting from Yeats’ The Stolen Child. We covered the poem recently in one of my classes, and I suppose it was still on my mind. Plus the beads are very berry-like.

This is a project I started last year. I thought I would do a reycled, re-purpose, reuse ornament for a large soldered Christmas ornament exchange.  I was going to make soldered glass ornaments out of Christmas lights, the standard bulbs. After breaking several bulbs trying to hollow them out. I gave up. Over the Thanksgiving holiday I found 5 bulbs that weren’t too bad. I decided to go ahead and make ornaments out of them.

When I started out I had a lot of these bulbs. I didn’t want to do the usually thing, so I soaked them to get all the paint off and loosen up the metal cap at the bottom. Pulling off the cap wasn’t hard. Getting the paint off was quite difficult. The glass in these bulbs is very delicate. I often broke the neck of the bulb trying to hollow it out.

The idea was to use up some old worn glass ornaments and plastic and glass beads.   I filled the bulbs with tiny treasures I picked up at estate sales.  I used copper tape to seal the top.  I soldered the tape, then soldered a head pin to the top of the bulb.  To add a little decorative touch I put a bead cap followed by a bead on the head pin then wire-wrapped a loop at the top.  The hook is made very simply with brass wire.

I began quite a few soldered glass ornaments over the weekend.  I’ll be showing them off on the blog as I finish them this week.

Another project finished just before Christmas.

 I love the lacy look of this shawl and the beads added to it give it the sparkle for the Festive Season. This pattern was challenging as I had to really keep a close look on what row I was on. I also thought I had chosen the wrong yarn to work with. But in the end I think it look very stunning. I may try to make another one in a black lace yarn in January. After all my Christmas wishes have been completed.

Now I am looking forward to starting my next project….so many to choose from.  But I have to work on some more of the Fingerless Gloves before that.  Then, I may complete one of the Entrelac pattern Scarves.  Will see……hope to see you back soon.

Fuer meine Deutsch Sprechende Freunde:

Contribute a better translation

     It’s been two years since Dear Hubby has gone hunting.  Two years ago, he had the flu and was too sick to go.  He tried to go last year but became quite ill and had to come home before hunting season even began.  You see, last year his pain management doctor had put him on Fentanyl patches for his MS pain.  Little did we know that those patches were faulty at the time and were later recalled.

     He almost died from a cumulative overdose.  To say that it was frightening would be an understatement.  

     He loves to go hunting and I do hope that this isn’t his last year for it.  His gait is poor and he tires easily.  If he wasn’t with his best friend, I’d be worried.  However, I know his friend will look after him.  They’ve been friends and hunting partners since Junior High.

     DH doesn’t trophy hunt.  He hunts to put meat on our table and when he gets a deer, it saves us a great deal of money at the grocery store. 

     In the meantime, the pups and I are keeping each other company.  There’s nothing quite like having two 65 lb BTs join you on your lounge chair.  I’m that squished bit under the two dogs.

But is it a keeper…

I dont know why – when I started out the colors and the pattern seemed like the perfect match, but now I’m “done” and only need a clasp … And all of the sudden I’m not sure anymore.

It was a long time coming, but I finally learned how to make Stephanie Sersich’s Spiny Knotted Bracelet. I’ve been admiring photos of her work and aching to learn how to make one of these ‘wearable parties’ forever. Her book, Designing Jewelry with Glass Beads, provides easy to follow instructions, complete with how-to illustrations. My time had finally come!

All of the beads came from the stash that has been growing over the past twenty years. Other than the book, my only purchases were the beading board (manufactured by her father), and the linen and perle cotton necessary for the macrame. … I totally love my new bracelet.

I’ve created a new Facebook page: Fire and Wire ~ Bonnie Perry, Artist.

Stop by and become a fan.  I’ve just discovered this new way of staying in touch – a carry-over from my thrill of my new Mac and iPhone!

Can a person actually be in love with a phone?

Those are two beads my mom gave to me last week – she reassembled an old necklace, made two new ones of it, and these were left over, apparently she didn’t like them. Too much bling. She also apparently hated the wavy silver discs I used in my Luna Moth bracelet. What do you think (about either)? Love them, or hate them?

These two might find their way into a pair of earrings soon, as are some other pairs of beads from my storage. I have no new beads to show you, even though I was at the craft store yesterday, since I’m still on a bead diet. I just bought some black papillon rocailles and tiny red beads (hopefully they’ll appear in two  projects very soon).

I’m still not inspired, but Erin of Treasures Found is going to announce the first in a series of weekly challenges tomorrow, so I hope that will spark my imagination.

Well, I am behind schedule getting pics up and listings for sale of our remaining in stock items. But that’s ok, since in the last week 15 journals and 6 necklaces found new homes, so at least I got that done before I posted them all, right?

We finally got a new camera!!! Yeah!!!! So pics will no longer be a pain in the rear, whooo hoooo!

We also now have things in Watertown, a new location in Syracuse (the mall!), another gallery possible, and who knows what else will pop up.

Be sure to check out our etsy ( www.DragonMoon.etsy.com ) and artfire ( http://www.artfire.com/users/DragonMoonCreations )a lot over the next days and weeks, not only will new items be up, but lots of holiday special deals too!

Surprise, surprise. After “complaining” about the photo uploader bug, it was quickly resolved miraculously.  I’m not sure whether this is coincidental or there is actually an administrator that flags out “bad” posts of the WordPress platform. Well, I’m super glad everything is fine now, otherwise, I’m going to get really p***ed off.

As promised, here are the beaded stitch markers that I made last night, after a beads shopping spree in South Bridge Road yesterday.

I’m happy with the results - they shall be gifted this coming Christmas for my knitterly friends. Meanwhile, I’m using some leftover materials and beads for some charms. 

More of the close-up photos of the stitch markers: -

When I have more time, I shall make more of these for my own use.

It is also time to do a stock take of the existing WIPs that I have on hand -

• Lace tank;
• Crochet cardigan;
• Soft toy;
• Cropped jacket;
• Sleeveless tank;
• Crochet coasters.

I have a feeling that I must have some forgotten projects hidden around somewhere.  And I am casting on a new pretty pink wrap as I am updating this blog… Gosh. I’m being project promiscuous.

     I took giant steps to keep up with his military pace.  His warm hand engulfed mine.  When he smiled the skin around his eyes crinkled and his laughter was a wonderful thing to hear.  His scent was cigarettes and Old Spice.

     He enjoyed practical jokes, had a great sense of humor, and loved his family with a fierce devotion.  He could tell a story better than anyone I knew.  His voice could fill a room.  He was down to earth, honest, and never forgot where he came from. 

     Fourteen years he’s gone and I can still hear his voice, remember his scent, his warmth, and his love. 

     I miss him every day.

• The 1/16″ beads fits hook Sizes-22 thru 26

• The 5/64″ beads fits hook Sizes-18 thru 22

• The 3/32″ beads fits hook Sizes-16 & 18

• The 7/64″ beads fits hook Sizes-14 & 16

• The 1/8″   beads fits hook Sizes-12 & 14

• The 5/32″ beads fits hook Sizes-10 & 12

• The 3/16″ beads fits hook Sizes-6 & 8

• The 7/32″ beads fits hook Sizes-2 & 4

The principle caveat here is the bend of the hook & varieties of different hook brands . Barb or crimp the barb down to allow the bead to be slid onto the hook. The next potential obstacle is the bend. A Sproat hook has a uniform bend to the hook, which best facilitates the bead sliding all the way up to the eye of the hook. A Limerick hook is not suitable for a beads. Some Scud-Pupa hooks require a little assist to squeeze the bead up along the shank. Also, notice beads you buy in fly shops have two sized holes. The smaller hole goes over the hook point first. If you put the large hole first, once the bead reaches the eye of the hook it will extend too far and partially cover the eye, so reverse it. Bead shop beads are quite pretty, but the holes are a uniform size. If you are exploring a bead shop, first they are not weighted as a rule (plastic/glass). Also, take your hooks along and ask if you can experiment in sliding beads over the point and, the hard part, around the bend of the hook. Better to ask then buy hundreds of useless beads. When tying patterns, you will need to secure the bead forward with thread wraps and materials to stop the bead from sliding back over the fly even a little bit. If you notice your thread mysteriously breaks at the rear of the bead; some cheap beads are abrasive at the edges of  the larger hole and as you wrap the thread at that point, the thread is cut by the irregular edged bead…doesn’t happen often, but should it…that is why.

SCUD-PUPA HOOK

SPROAT HOOK

LIMERICK HOOK

Odd, I can remember about 20 years ago when bead head patterns came about. The adornment of a bead was viewed by older tiers, in my circle, as sacrilegious. I recall a shop owner swearing off beads and not wanting to carry them in his shop. Of course, he was a competent business man, so the beads were brought in by demand. Eventually, the pattern bins contained bead head patterns. It is good for beginners to know that many patterns were not weighted with a bead or even lead wraps on the shank. The weight or sink rate of the fly line used was the determining factor in sinking an unweighted fly. It is good strategy to always tie weighted and unweighted nymph patterns. Use a different color thread for the thread head to differentiate weights of flies in the box. An unweighted nymph in 1-3 feet of water with a floating or intermediate line is much more efficient and tactically sound than the kur-plop of a bead head, bead chained eyes, shank wrapped fly, especially if a minimal or slow decent is required. Presentation, presentation, presentation….do you want the fly tracking mostly horizontal? Or, jigging in an undulating up and down and forward combination?

I happened across this on the internets awhile ago and it’s been stuck in my mind. This is a video of the Acholi tribe in Uganda. After surviving civil war they are crowded together in a slum where they can break rocks in a quarry or sell whatever they can make for money, and it’s never very much. The women in the video are just incredible. They make this gorgeous jewelry by making beads out of recycled paper. Call me a sucker, but I ordered a necklace. I love it. I love that I was able to help someone more. Each necklace comes with a little card saying who made it. Esther made mine and the Acholi website has a short video telling her story here. It’s not a charity site, these women are selling beads and making money. Along with the opportunity to make money they also learn money management skills. Something I think I could use as well. Quick somebody get me some paper, glue, a paper cutter, and some string! I’m gonna McGuyver my way out of this financial crisis. (Mind you, I bought these well before I was so devastatingly broke that I spent my Friday night at home blogging about spending money. )

Finally got around to updating my etsy shop with some new sequined, beaded and sparkly tops and dresses.

Perfect holiday wear! Mention this blog and get half off the shipping costs!

Good morning! When I was little, I loved to play with clay. My mother would make me and my brother some home-made clay (don’t even ask me what it was made of) and let us play with it on the kitchen table.

I would squish  it through my fingers and make whatever came to mind. Me being the silly girl that i was, would divide it into small pieces, roll it, and shape it to cover my fingernails! I remember getting yelled at when I used my mom’s fingernail polish to paint them!
Anyhow, once discovered jewelry making I rediscovered my love of sculpting with clay!

Polymer clay is not clay. However, it is a Polymer Polyvinyl Chloride which is moldable. This is an amazing medium as you can sculpt the clay into any shape you like, bake it in the oven according to the instructions, and you have a hot little peice of art!

 I began making small beads with polymer clay with a bead roller. This is a great little contraption used to make uniform beads in three shapes; round, bicone, and oval. Once I became comfortable enough, I began hand-rolling my beads.

Polymer Clay comes  in a variety of colors, including metallics. I think the best value is the multi packs which you can get at any Walmart ranging from $9.00- to $30.00. Of course, the more blocks of clay contained in the package, the more it costs. I love to take two to three colors and perform what is known as “marbling”. I also buy a block of the plain white clay, as you can make your beads, then paint the finished product, or mix it with the other colors.

When I first started to research making jewelry with Polymer Clay, I wasn’t sure which brand to use. There are many, but I think the most popular are Kato, Sculpey, Primo, and Femo.
Most crafters like Premo,Kato, and Fimo because they are not as soft as Sculpey, but I like working with Scupey III, which is a bit firmer than the original Sculpey.

When I make a set of chunky beads, I like using Sculpey Light. It is very lightweight, and won’t add weight to the beads, which you can then hand paint with an acrylic based paint.

Here are a couple of examples of the amazing things I have done with my Polymer Clay….

my first attempt at handrolling my own beads, this is the "marbling" technique

These beads are an example of “marbling”. I mixed powder blue Sculpey III with silver metallic, and dark green. I combined pieces of all three and mixed them until they were intergrated. Be very careful when doing this, unless you want the colors completely mixed to make one other color. I then used unmarked latex gloves to roll the beads into a large oval pillow. I then pierced the beads through the middle very gently as not to disturb their shape with a metal skewer, and suspended them on a bead backing rack which I bought at Michael’s craft store. After about fifteen minutes at 215 degrees, the beads were placed in ice water to set their shape. Be careful, the clay and metal are very hot. (I would also recommend using a dedicated toaster oven for baking the clay, and anyting else you use that comes in contact with Polymer Clay should not come in contact with food!)

After the beads wer cooled, I used my  Dremel Pro to sand and buff the beads. Sanding and buffing give them a smooth surface, but be careful because if you sand them too much you will wear grooves in them. You could also use sandpaper, but that takes too long!

After the beads are sanded and buffed, I place them on wooden skewers, dip the beads in a floor wax with acrylic, and stick the skewer in a block of styrofoam to dry. If the weather is good, and there’s no rain in the forecast, I will let them sit outside. If they get wet at this point, they will develop an opaque film on their surface. I usually dip mine a minimum of ten times, which can take an entire day, but the end result is absolutely stunning.

My "Goddess" pendant

I also made this out of red SculpeyIII. ”Goddess” is basically modeled after myself when I was pregnant.   It took about a week to get the proportions just the way I wanted,  and countless dippings in the floor wax.  I used all purpose sand paper to sand in between and under the breasts, and between the legs.  This particular pendant is pierced across the top where the shoulders are, and I attached a piece of 20 gauge silver wire, wrapped loops on both ends and attached it to a length of silver chain to wear as a necklace.

This is my absolute favorite pendant to make.  This is one of those instances where I used the regular white Sclupey to make the base of the pendant.  I then rolled out the brownish-orange color and laid it over the base, carving it on the back of the pendant which is white.  I then rolled out a thin sheet of black clay, and used an xacto knife to cut out the stripes, which I then placed on the orange surface.  I also attached a loop on the top to make a bail, and baked it on a stone tile in the oven.  Here is the finished product.

Tiger Pendant made with SculpeyIII

As you can see, when working with clay, you are only limited by your own imagination.  Happy sculpting!!!!

If you are new to seed beads or want to learn more about the world of seed beads or you like to click on things, then click here to read Getting to Know Seed Beads.  Here you will learn about the various sizes, finishes & shapes of seed beads and hopefully gain a better understanding of these tiny little beads that many of us have grown to love!