Czech glass beads | Bead Happily Ever After

Smile Makers

Posted on August 30, 2013 by crystal

Lately, I’m lovin’ . . .

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

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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.

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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.)

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

Hugs,

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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

The Countdown Has Begun

Posted on August 6, 2012 by crystal

It’s just around the corner you know . . .

And I don’t mean the first day of school.

I mean Christmas!!!!

Ok, ok, stop pelting me with your assorted slippers, sandals, and salad vegetables! 😉

Seriously though, Kids, it’s never too early to think about Christmas – especially if you’d like to make gifts, ornaments, or design your own Christmas cards! Those things take time and you don’t need me to tell you it’s more fun to do them at your leisure than last minute.

(I do need to tell myself, however. In fact, I need reminding every year!)

For me, getting a little jump-start on the holidays brings an added incentive. You see, thinking of Christmas during the steamy days of summer makes me feel cooler!

So, here’s Exhibit 1, my first ornament of the 2012 season.

The components are Czech glass seed beads, glass bugle beads, and Swarovski Crystals. Definitely more sparkly in person . . . I think it will just twinkle on the Christmas tree. 😀

Also perfect to tie on a package, a box of chocolates, or even a bottle of spirits! It was fun to make… quick and easy, too!

(You can find the pattern by clicking here!)

Hugs,

Worth A Thousand Words

Posted on February 28, 2012 by crystal

Sometimes a picture really can be worth a thousand words.
In these photos, I see many of my favorite things . . .

Tea, bone china teacups, flowers (especially pansies), the act of making jewelry, (and jewelry, itself!), bracelets, BEADS!, the color purple, aurora borealis . . .

Not too long ago, I spent an afternoon making this bracelet.

It was a welcome break during a particularly busy week.

What are you up to lately? 😀

Hugs,

Wordless Wednesday

Posted on December 8, 2010 by crystal

I should probably be putting up the Christmas tree . . .

But, I’m too busy making ornaments! 😉

As always, it’s so much more sparkling in person!

Smiles,

Candy Corn

Posted on September 22, 2009 by crystal

This year . . . the very humid days at the end of August had me dreaming of Fall, so I started to work on some autumn-inspired jewelry.

Here’s a pair of earrings that I’m calling “Candy Corn”. 😉

I think they have sort of a subtle Autumn/Halloween flavor. Wouldn’t they be pretty with a jacket done in earth tones?

The pumpkin-colored teardrops are vintage lucite, and the very unique “candy corn” beads are Czech glass (currently available in my shop).

As a native New Englander, I fell in love with Autumn at a very early age. They say the foliage in this area is more colorful than in other parts of the country. I don’t know if that’s true . . . but it is breath-takingly beautiful here during the Fall.

Of course, there are so many things to love about this time of year, like apples and cider and pumpkins and mums. 😀 It’s sweater weather, and time to make soup!

On crisp Autumn days, the sky’s more blue; the air more refreshing! It’s a magical time – not too hot . . . not too cold . . . when Mother Nature allows us a last little respite before the icy winds blow.

Happy Fall to us all!

(The pretty “Harvest” card that’s shown above is from etsy artist: FrenchCountry)