On Thursday I made this pendant, Stardust Pendant to go with the Stardust Earrings. Another striking piece I feel.


I tried showing on a Sunday, with Donterra Artworks in Sisters, Or. It was a hot, slow day. Luckily we were in a nice shady spot. I set up my display a bit differently than I normally do. I think it looked very nice. I managed to get some small chores accomplished that I had been putting off for a while. Then since I was bored I decided to make something new. I made these earrings. I named them "Mauve Flowers". I had planned to edge the cab with a border of beads. What I didn't expect was for that border to look like flower petals!
I love them and I actually impressed myself with this pair! What do you think?

Instead of a post I ask you to follow this link. This wonderful man deserves to live. "48 for Larry"

Krystal

I wanted to share my darling daughter with you all today. This is wonderful picture of my late daughter, Krystal. This picture was taken two days after her diagnosis of Aplastic Anemia, on Christmas Eve 2007.

She was my partner and my best critic. She had a wonderful sense of style and color.

She passed away one year from today. I chose to share not for sympathy, but to help raise awareness of Aplastic Anemia.

Aplastic Anemia is a bone marrow failure disease. Signs are similar to Leukemia, bruising and fatigue, loss of appetite. Without working bone marrow there is no red blood cells to carry oxygen and remove waste, no white blood cells for immunity to fight diseases and infections and no platelets for clotting. There are about 500 cases a year in the US. That is roughly 50 cases per state per year.

Treatment in children is usually a bone marrow transplant. This is considered the cure for aplastic anemia. The other option used more in older people is a regime of drugs. This is to try to "re-boot" the bone marrow. (Maybe not the best or most accurate metaphor, but to me it is a simple way to understand it.) Until the bone marrow is working again there are constant blood test and transfusions.

As my son was not a match they tried the drug regime first. Unfortunately it didn't work. So they found a donor for her and she was going to have a transplant. Sadly she caught a fungus a month before transplant. She passed away seven months to the day of her diagnosis after putting up an amazing fight. Fungul infections of this kind are very agressive and usually deadly.

Doodle Heart

I listed this new piece today along with five others. All pieces in my new series, Dichroic Doodles.

I love how these turned out! I will be sharing the rest with you this week, one photo at a time. (And if you can't wait then click on the link to my studio above.)

As I had some sales on my shops this week I was finally able to buy some more semi-precious gemstone rondelle bead strands! I am already planning new pretties to make with them. Hope they get here quickly!

Starfire Pendant & Stardust Earrings

These are the earrings I made last night. I'm very happy with the how they turned out. I've decided to name them "Stardust", courtesy of Jamie of Glasstastic Treasures.

Now for the naming of this pendant. I had quite a few responses,(YAY!) and have decided to combine them! Jamie of Glasstastic Treasures said, "Stardust. It looks like sparkling stars in the sky!", Arlene of Spirit Essence Art said, "The first thing that came to mind was "fire and ice"!" and Belinda of Bel Lee Beadz said, "How about STARLITE .....absolutely beautiful pieces and this second piece makes me think of a beautifully starlit sky.".

I liked the stars and the fire so I combined the two for the name of "Starfire". And now I have some great names for future pieces too. Thanks so very much for your help everyone!

New Pieces, Ice Queen & ???

The most recent piece I've completed, Ice Queen. Sometimes coming up with names for finished pieces can be quite challenging. Not for this piece though, all those lovely cool blues with cool sterling silver equals a very icy piece!

Now this second piece is giving me lots of trouble for a name so I'm asking for help naming it! It is one of my dichroic cabs in teal and purple on white. Wrapped in 14k gold filled wire with Apatite and 14k gold filled beads. It is approximately 60mm x 35mm or 2 3/8" x 1 3/8"

So if you have an idea please post it in the comment section. I normally tack Dichroic & Wire Wrapped Pendant on the end of the name for SEO optimization. I will post the winning name in my blog along with the name of the person who came up with it and why.

So please help me give this lovely piece a name so I can get it listed in my studio!

Findings & Bead Storage

Well this post should just about sum up what I keep in my toolbag and how I store it.

I keep the finding and the small crystal beads that I use the most of in my toolbag. I now keep all my findings and beads in Craft Mates EZ Lock storage containers. I like to call them "binders" as they remind me of binders with their book-like shape and the fact you can write what is in them on a piece of paper and slip it into the clear pocket on the "spine" of the binder.

I use the mega-storage size for most of my beads and findings. I have purchased them at Michael's using 40% off coupons.

The first one contains my gold filled/vermeil and sterling silver findings like earwires, clasps, chains, jump rings, beads and bead caps.

The second one is the smaller size that I found at Fire Mountain Gems. I keep my 4mm Swavorski bicone crystal beads in this one. I use them a lot in earrings and earwires.

I have a few more items that I keep in my toolbag that I missed pulling out. There is my small, flexible, retractable measuring tape like the ones used for sewing, masking tape and a cleaning/polishing cloth. A color wheel and my Starbond glue and accelerator.

I've discovered to my surprise that others now think I'm organized! Well at least with my tools and supplies I am. When I am actually working I make a big mess fairly quickly. It has taken time, but I have trained myself to straighten up after wire working. Now if I can just get my glass mess cleaned up!