Dreams of Spring

Each year, there’s a short span of days when winter is over… but spring is still asleep.

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The pristine snow slowly disappears and we’re left with a drab and dreary landscape. It’s bleak. We long for warm breezes and cheerful colors.

While we wait, we take comfort in the subtle signs that spring is emerging – early morning songs from returning birds… the appearance of tiny green shoots peeking through the soil…

More days pass and then – almost overnight – barren tree branches have exploded with leaves, the grass is remarkably greener, and the fragrance of lilacs drifts in through the open door.

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Recently, while dreaming of spring flowers, I made some jewelry inspired by lilacs and violets and purple iris!

Here are a couple of examples.

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Wishing you a Happy Spring!

( What have you been up to? 🙂 )

Hugs,

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I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Click the envelope to leave a comment or to read what the other kids are saying! 😀

Smile Makers

Lately, I’m lovin’ . . .

* These gorgeous roses from Sir Beads!
We celebrated our 42nd wedding anniversary this week. 🙂

(click to enlarge)

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* My (finally finished!) bead-woven necklace in plum, gold, and midnight blue.
I wanted to make a design that was showy but still understated enough to allow the artisan-crafted polymer pendant to take center stage.

(click to enlarge)

Plum Beaded Collar

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* Aquamarine AB Dangle Earrings with Textured Brass Rings! These were fun to make. They remind me of a pair I had as a young “hippie” (well, not really a hippie but I was a teenager during that era and wore the fashion of the time.)

(click to enlarge)

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Hope you find lots of things to make you smile this Labor Day Weekend! 😀

Hugs,

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I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Click the envelope to leave a comment or to read what the other kids are saying! 😀

Bead Play and Giveaway

A couple of weeks ago, I promised there would soon be a Jewelry Design Reveal and a chance to enter a very special Giveaway . . .

Well, today’s the day! 😀

My dear friend, Brenda, (of Brenda’s Jewellry Box) agreed to choose some Bead Happily Ever After beads and use them to create an original design – or two!

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Here are the beads she chose.

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And just look at the fabulous, shoulder-duster earrings she created!
(I love her use of wire on these.)

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And she made an adorable anklet, as well!

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And now the best part!!!

Brenda is generously sponsoring a GIVEAWAY of these beautiful designs and it’s going on right now!

Fingers crossed that one of you is a lucky winner!
Hurry! Visit Brenda’s blog to find out how to enter.

Hugs,

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I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Click the envelope to leave a comment or to read what the other kids are saying! 😀

I’m A Little Bit Vintage

Raise your hand if you remember Donny and Marie? 😉

And their theme song?

You know —

She’s “a little bit country”; He’s “a little bit “rock and roll”.

C’mon Kids… please say you know what on earth I’m talking about, here.

(For you youngsters in the group – it’s Donny and Marie Osmond!)

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I can hear you asking: “Surely there’s a point to this, Crystal???”

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Why, yes. Of course! 😉

If I were to join the chorus along with good ole Donny and Marie, I’d be singing: “I’m a little bit “vintage”.

I’m not referring to my age – though I suppose that’s a good adjective to describe it. I mean that I have a passion for all things vintage – beads, jewelry, books, accessories, china, furniture, etc.!

This week, I took some time to play with a pretty bunch of Vintage Swarovski Rhinestones and Cabochons. I combined them with some vintage-look findings and quick as a wink – I had 3 pairs of earrings!

Sapphire Blue – such sparkle on these vintage rhinestones!

Amethyst purple – my favorite color! Love that marquise-shape stone.

And Swarovski Glass Cabochons in Smoked Topaz Aurora Borealis. Talk about a rainbow of colors!

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If you were to chime in with Donny and Marie…. how would you fill in the blank?

“I’m a little bit “_______”.

Hugs,

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I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Click the envelope to leave a comment!

Eyes Wide in Wonder

I LOVE the internet! Don’t you?
For me, it is still as full of wonder and excitement as it was the very first day I logged on. I’m continually amazed by the vast amount of information at my fingertips. It’s thrilling to know I can get an answer to almost any question in minutes! It’s like having the library open 24/7 . . . a library that’s in your own house!!!

When I browse, I’m always looking for creative ideas and new projects to make. It’s astounding how much talent is showcased on the web – each idea more wonderful than the last! Sometimes, I bookmark them in my “favorites” file on the computer. Other times, I print them on paper. I’ve got the over-stuffed very full folders to prove it. We’re talking scores of projects and patterns! I’ll be a very old lady before I make even half of them, but who cares? The fun is having a whole bunch of good ideas from which to choose whenever I have some time to craft.

Today, I want to show you my latest . . .

It begins with one of these oval-ish silver rings.

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Add some tiny glass seed beads, a needle, and beading thread… and soon a design is beginning to form.

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When finished, it makes a showy pendant – not too huge, just bold enough to make a statement.

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Although it would be pretty on a cord, I decided to play up the silver oval by placing it on this silver chain.

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Kinda cute? Don’t you think?

You can find the directions for this adorable pendant by clicking here!

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So now I can scratch another project off of my “to make” list!
Hmmm… that’s one more down, and a gazillion to go. 😉

Do you have more restraint than I do when it comes to favorite-ing – everything?!?

(Thank you, Kids, for last week’s wonderful comments!)

xoxoxo

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