Hoppity hop, another blog challenge...

photo taken by Lorelei

Lorelei has teamed up with Anne of Gardanne Beads who made these beautiful glass head pins for a blog hop design challenge and I'm so excited to be one of the lucky winners to have gotten picked to participate! 

I'll get one pair of head pins to work with and I don't know which ones yet but I'll be sure to post a picture as soon as they arrive! These are no ordinary head pins though...see the ends? they're balled! yikes! Time to get brainstorming on how I'm going to use these beauties :) 

The reveal/hop date is April 7th so I'll be doing a combined reveal post for Barbara's bead challenge and Anne's head pins! I LOVE getting to participate in these types of things. It really pushes me to stretch my design legs and try something different. 

Barbara Bechtel beads Mini Blog Hop...

I'll be participating in a mini blog hop using some Barbara Bechtel's beautiful beads. Just look at what I'll get to work with...

Barbara will have more kits available for sale after the hop but in the mean time hop on over to her shop and blog and have a peek at the gorgeous work she creates. I LOVE her eggs and bumblebees! 

The reveal hop date is April 7th! My head is swirling with ideas of how to incorporate these beauties into something spectacular :)

Join me along with  

Lori Anderson

Star Hitched Wagon

and

Spice Box Designs

(and for some reason I can't seem to get the fonts to match up on blogger, sorry if it looks wonky)

and see what we came up with! 

I heart Macro...

A nice color palette with some of my lampwork glass beads, some faceted crystals and double strands etched glass beads that look like sea glass.

Both of these button back focals are part of my Ocean Side series...LOVE these!

and the little mini pup was just too cute not to share :)

So I'm not very subtle about the fact that I am SOOOOOOOOOO ready for Spring and Summer...I think I've been doing nothing but Pinning  Spring and Summer fashion, shoes, accessories, recipes that I somehow associate with warm weather eats like cucumber sandwiches and fruity drink mixes. Seriously, I cannot wait to shed the sweaters and roll out the big floppy hats and sandals. I'm getting twitchy being cooped up indoors. I need vitamin D soaking through my skin and bare toes wiggling in the sun. Ok, I'll quit ranting about it for now... ;)

All of these pieces are now available in my Etsy shop.

And head on over to Lori's blog for the rest of the linky macro goodness.

Color flow...

Watercolor pencils, where have you been all my life? Wow, are they ever fun! My sketch books have mostly been filled with sketches of jewelry designs and bead designs...and maybe some random doodles...rarely ever in color. I haven't sketched faces, people, nature and that type of thing in years...like early college art class days. 

I've been trying to get back into art journaling lately after seeing so many wonderful works on Pinterest and blogs...Who inspires me most lately? Moon, Lori and Alisa Burke just to name a few...

It feels good to be working in color and design in a different medium than I'm used to...

As for everything else happening this week, the "bobot" quilt is coming along nicely, squares are sewn together and a basic design plan has been sketched out, planned and will hopefully come together as planned. Was I supposed to plan the design first? lol! hmm, probably! I forgot how much ironing of seams goes into a quilt...yuk!

I think we've had a little bit of a break through with the math homework...I honestly don't remember having to learn any of this stuff in 1st grade. I'm hoping the boy doesn't inherit my horrific math gene. No, seriously I'm horrible at it, even 1st grade math. Me and math have a hate/hate relationship, always have. I have high hopes that this isn't the case with Noah. Fractions don't seem to phase him but addition and subtraction of double digits mess him up. I remember always having to show my work but apparently now they just want to be able to flash card them a problem and for the student to just know (have memorized) the answer and be able to blurt it out. As much as I hated always having  to show my work, now as a mother  (who wants to bang her head against the wall each night during homework time) I'm kinda wishing it was still like that, at least I'd know that he understands how to work it out to get the answer and why the answer is what it is. 

On ward and up ward to something jewelry related...I had so much fun putting this bracelet together. You can find it in my Etsy shop. Loving the key hole piece and eclectic feel of the whole thing. 

What's inspiring you these days? 

Bobots it is!...

I have been meaning to make Lucas a baby quilt from the time I found out I was pregnant with him and that he was a boy...so um, for like over 2 yrs now...

While browsing the fabric section at Hobby Lobby he calls out "BOBOTS!!" and points...I look over and sure enough there it was, robot fabric. I was cracking up! First off, I have no clue how he knows "bobots," I'd like to take credit for that but I'm pretty sure Blue's Clues or Team Umi Zumi's are the culprit. Anyhow I picked it up, held it out for him to look at and  and replies  "BOBOTS!! yaaaaay! woohoo!" and clapping so by golly "bobots" it is then! I put back the pretty soft greys, creams and yellows I was originally planning on...guess I'll have to make myself a new quilt after I finish up this one lol! 

I'm keeping it simple...5 x 5's and still deciding on the borders and backing but I'll post updates. Oh and did I mention I don't quilt? I sew, I like to make things but let's face it I'm no quilter. I have made ONE other quilt for myself, many years ago and I LOVED it and still snuggle with it every single day. Noah has a baby quilt and a larger quilt, both that my cousin Cathy made for him as a baby that are GORGEOUS. He uses them every single day and even has to take them with him for sleepovers at the Grandparents and with his cousins. 

Handmade is special, better, cozier, full of love and always ends up being the favorite :)

On a totally separate note, I would like to ask for prayers or  special healing thoughts for my Uncle who is very ill in the hospital right now. It's always hard to see someone you love sick and not doing well but even harder when it's someone you are very close to, talk to every single day and help care for. Very frustrating when there is no progress and the doctors aren't able to give any answers for what's going on in his body. So any and all prayers are very much appreciated. Thank you.

 Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. -Psalm 28:2

I heart Macro...

This is an oldie but goodie :)

I have been swamped in bead orders, jewelry orders, jewelry orders for a wholesale client and trying to create new things...but I'm definitely not complaining, it feels good! I've been having fun playing around with more cold connections (man, it's addicting!) and I'll be back with some new things to show off in a few days!

Hope you're having a terrific weekend!

I heart Macro...

Fashion Goodness...

Turquoise and red

Vintage religious medallions and freshwater pearls bracelet

pink and brown glass cab set in ant. brass scallop bezel

Happy Friday! I'll be adding these to the SHOP in a few!