ONLINE PARTY!

Join Kellie's online party and help her earn FREE food!

Get fantastic party party pricing and order great fall specials listed in my last post! Order NOW!

Order at http://www.amybray.shelfreliance.com/ and click on her link.

NEW SHOP COMING SOON!

I have been quiet for awhile yet crazy busy! I am adding to my etsy shop list. You can still visit the bead shop for all you avid jewelry makers out there (me too!). COMING SOON is a new finished product called Convertibles. They are bracelets that convert into necklaces or necklaces that convert into bracelets all depending how you want them to work for you. It is two pieces in one. Plus you will be able to add charms and other beautiful handmade items to your Convertible to really make it personal or just change the mood or whatever you want! It's your own design! Stay tuned for more.....

Have fun with Disks!

Disks are a fun jewelry element to add for a bit of whimsy or for an earthy look. Here are a couple of design samples:

Fun and simple. Just add a few matching beads and some charms and of course, chain and you have a fun jangly bracelet. Or just string disks alone on a length of leather or chain.

Or even make rings!

Get creative with these little gems. Have some fun and try something new!

I have been cleaning out the old beads box and have listed some sets that include disks. Everything you need to make multiple  designs! Check it out at http://www.jujuwear.etsy.com/! With such cute ideas how can you go wrong with a box full of disks!



Learn How

I love to remake old jewelry pieces and use replica pieces and mix them with lampwork beads in my jewelry work. There is something exciting about bringing old things back to life! Here is a very simple piece. I took a chain that I bought awhile ago and never wore and turned it into  cute and modern bracelet and earring set. A little cutesy, a bit trendy, yet a favorite for years to come!

A very simple design. It uses jump rings to connect everything and linking beads using eyepins. Here are the techniques:

Step 1 A jumpring is a circle of wire with a split in the middle. To open a jumpring, place a pair of chain or flat-nose pliers on each side of the opening, with one pair positioned at 1:00 and the other at 11:00; open the jumpring by moving one pair of pliers away from you and holding the other one steady.

Step 2 Reverse the motion to close.

 Make sure you don"t pull the ring apart but only twist it and it will close back together beautifully!

To add the lampwork beads:

Step 1 String a bead on a piece of wire. Bend each end at a 90-degree angle.
 
 

Step 2 Bend each end into loops.

Step 3 Grasp the loop firmly with one pair of flat-nose pliers and use another pair to wrap the end of the loop tightly around the wire.

That's it! Link everything together with jumprings and you're done. It works up very quickly and makes a beautiful piece! Imagine this same design with these beads:

Or these:

They would all make a fabulous design and yet be very different. You can make the same design over and over and by varying the beads it appears completely different. And with lampwork beads the piece becomes an heirloom because it is a one-of-a-kind piece!

Ode to Beans

I have been traveling to St. George every weekend for the last 3 weeks to go to nutritional cooking classes with my daughter. Ihave learned to cook beans. Ok, ok, I know. I really should know this stuff by now. But those of you who are familiar with me know that I am more artist than cook (yes, cooking is an art, just not MY art!) and anything in the kitchen is fair game for the studio (and much more likely to be used there than in the kitchen!).

My Bean Pantry!

Beans are such a mainstay of life, but honestly, they have been a mystery to me. Until now. I really had no idea that such amazing health benefits could be had in the simple, yet complicated bean. Thank you Janet Hailstone for teaching me! A wonder in the kitchen Miss Janet is! And an even bigger wonder to be able to interest me in better living and yes, the 'art' of cooking. I am soaking two types of beans as I type and sprouting. Yahoo!!! It seemed so impossible but I LOVE IT! And since I have been cooking this way, I feel great!

You never know when an idea will spring to life. As I was sitting in class Saturday it struck...I will have a 'Bead Soup' party! A what?!!! A bead soup party, a party where we taste great healthy food (trust me, it's yummy! And this from the eat out queen!) and bead! Please join us! PLEASE!! (not that I am begging or anything!) And if you are in the St. George area, we will have one there, too! (thanks for volunteering, Kel! :)

So I have learned that cooking is in fact part of my 'new art' and beads of course, are a staple. It will be great fun! I will let you know how this all develops as I move forward with this plan....See you there!

NEW BEADS (Just click picture to visit my store)

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Monday!

I love Mondays! It is the beginning of a new week wher nothing has happened yet! It fresh and clean and filled with possibilities! Anything is possible this week. Anything! What will you do with your week?

This week I am going to:

• Do something really fun with my grandbaby.
• Prepare to launch my new jewelry line.
• List new items on Etsy.
• Eat more nutritiously!

Let me know what you will do. I would love to hear from you!

SOON TO BE LISTED ON ETSY: (just click the picture to view etsy shop)

New Year's resolution: Post regularly on Blog!

So here I am. A new year and new goals like many of you. Last year was a crazy year! Two new grandsons adorned our lives and hearts. I took on watching one full time! Wow! I thought working was hard! But the benefits have been ten thousand times worth it! How I love them! All grandparents have this amazing love for grandchildren that I never ever imagined. I keep saying it is so much cooler being a grandparent than a mom...and not because I "get to send them home". It is this whole amazing love thing. Everything these boys do is like an amazing miracle. I cannot imagine life without them!

Ok. So the business side of life has suffered somewhat because I was being a doting gammy. But now back to reality. Here's the update:

I am going green...somewhat. I have a new line of pop can jewelry that has really been an amazing hit. I come near to selling out at shows! It is so fun and fashionable and RECYCLED! Big jewelry is in and this is it without the weight. These things weigh next to nothing so go big (or small - they come in all sizes)!!! I also make necklaces and rings. Trying out a bracelet. I will update you on that. Here's a few pics:

Check them out at http://www.jujuwear.etsy.com/! There are several listed with more to come!

Also, new beads on the way! Went through my 'already made haven't sold yet' stash and I have a lot to list!! I also started making some different shapes. They are fun and versatile. You will want to check them out at the end of the week!

COMING SOON -
I am going to be selling crystals and other components for those of you that love to bead. My goal is to show you some projects here that you can make using my gorgeous beads with instructions and also be able to buy the components I use at a great price. Love that bling!