Not the original purpose

Several months ago, my friend Tessa's mother bought her a beautiful silver hair clip with her initial on it.  However, right about the same time, Tessa decided to cut her hair short.  The hair clip had such a nice curve to it, I told her she should make a bracelet out of it.  A couple of months ago she gave it to me and asked me to make her one.  This is what I came up with.

She was very pleased with the result, which made me very happy!

Playing catch up

Last week we went on vacation to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  We had a great time--and some much-needed time away, but since then I've been playing catch-up.  I think the hardest part is trying to remember what was going on here in the real world before we left!  I thought I'd share a few of my favorite vacation pics.

First, a line of cannons at the Gettysburg battlefield.

This is a barn at the battlefield, taken at dusk.

The Hershey's Chocolate Factory in Hershey, PA, where I ate entirely too much chocolate!

Sach's bridge, a covered bridge a few miles outside Gettysburg.

And, my absolute favorite, our Civil War family picture.

This picture was so much fun to have made!   I love the hoop skirts we were wearing and Travis' beard makes him look like he really could have been a Confederate general.

Now, we're back to reality.  I did find a small bead store in Gettysburg.  I'll share my finds soon.

Bead Hoarders Blog Hop

I am a bead hoarder.  I admit it.  Whenever I start digging in my (rather large) bead stash, I can never believe how out of hand my bead addiction is.

Last summer we went to Carolina Beach, NC, and stopped by their farmer's market on our last day.  I found the starfish in the necklace below and have been hoarding it ever since.  The starfish is made from the remnants of a copper roof from a house in the Outer Banks, NC.  I love the colors in it, as well as the fact that the piece has a history.

Check out what my fellow bead hoarders have been working on:

1.  Lori Anderson, Pretty Things
2. Nancy Dale, NEDBeads
3. Roxanne Mendoza, Roxi Designs
4.  Melissa Trudinger, beadrecipes
5.  Rana Lea, Rana Lea Designs
6.  Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
7.  Rita Avila, Jewel School Friends
8.  Linda Anderson, From the Bead Board
10.  Erin Guest, Renlish


11.  Joan Williams, lilruby jewelry
12. Diane Hawkey, Diane Hawkey
13.  Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation
14.  Sue Kennedy, SueBeads
15.  Lisa Cone, Inspired Adornments
16.  Kari Asbury, Hippie Chick Design
17.  Nichole Byers, Nichole Byers
18.  Lori Jean Poppe, Adventures in Creativity
19.  Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings
20.  Lori Schneider, Bead Addict


21.  Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me
22. Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
23.  Niki Sayers, Silver Nik Nats
24.  Elsie Deliz-Fonseca, Eliz-Eliz and All That Craft
25.  Amber Dawn, Inventive Soul
26.  Heather Powers, Humblebeads
27.  Sarah Goode, Pookledo
28.  Monique Urquhart, A Half-Baked Notion
29.  JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions
30.  Cheri Reed, Creative Designs by Cheri


31.  Robyn, Museiddity
32.  Catherine King, Catherine's Musings
33.  Jacquie, Bead Gypsy
34.  Janet McDonald, Singing Woods
35. Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreations
36.  Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti
37.  Hannah Rosner, Good River Valley
38.  Rochelle Brisson, A Creative Chelle
39.  Nelly May, Smelly Nelly
40.  Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads


41.  Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool
42.  Christie Murrow, Charis Designs
43.  Leanne Loftus, First Impression Design
44.  Valerie Norton, Hot Art
45.  Judy Riggs, Rigglettes
46.  Crystal Thain, Here Bead Dragons
47.  Terry Carter,  Tapping Flamingo
48.  Sue, Mid-Life Great Expectations
49.  Nan Smith, Wired Nan
50.  Miranda Ackerley, MirandAck Arts


51.  Marie Covert, Creating Interest
52.  D'Arsie Manzella, This Here Now, Mamacita
53.  Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs
54.  Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
55.  Johanna Nunez, The Lovely One Design
56.  Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
57.  Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs
58.  Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things
59.  Debbie Rasmussen, A Little of This, A Little of That
60.  Nat, Grubbi Ceramics


61.  Marjorie Savill Linthwaite, Bennu Bird Rising
62.  Cheryl McCloud, One Thing Leads to Another
63.  Heather Otto, The Crafthopper
64.  Candida Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks
65.  Tracie Dean, Dean Designs
66.  JuLee Wolfe, The Polymer Penguin
67.  Ginger Bishop, Lil Mummy Likes
68.  Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
69.  Jeannie Dukic, Jeannie's Blog
70.  Dini Bruinsma, Angaza by Changes


71.  Birgitta Lejonklou, Create With Spirit
72.  Shalini Austin, Jewellery by Shalini
73.  Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle
74.  Ile Ruzza, Ilenia's Unique Beaded Jewelry
76.  Annita Wilson, AW Jewelry 
77.  Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame
78.  Hannah Trost, PZ Designs
79.  Linda Inhelder, Must Haves Jewelry
80.  Miri Agassi, Beadwork


81.  Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
82.  Dyanne Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
83.  Susan Bowie, Susan Nelson Bowie
84.  Megan Milliken, MaeMaeMills
85.  Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry
86.  Ambra Gostoli, Chic and Frog
87.  Lori Lochner, Bloghner
88.  Gerda Jurimae, Gerda's Crafts Blog
89.  Susan, Mistheword
90.  MaryLou Holvenstot, MaryLou's time2cre8


91.  Mary Shannon Hicks, falling into the sky
92.  Karin King, The Sparklie Things Blog
93.  Christa Murphy, Adventures of One Beady Woman
94.  Jenny Davie-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor
95.  Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous
96.  Mallory Hoffman, Rosebud 101 - For the Love of Beads
97.  Danielle Kelley, Imbue the Muse
98.  Kym Hunter, Kym Hunter Designs
99.  Dolores Rami, CraftyD's Creations
100.  Marcia Dunne, 13 Alternatives


101.  Marlene Cupo, Amazing Designs
102.  Emma Todd, A Polymer Penchant
103.  Wendy Holder, Jewelry by WendyLea
104.  Michelle Escano, The Cabby Crafter
105.  Louise Glazier, Lily and Jasmine Treasures
106.  Dana Hickey, Wind Dancer Studios
107.  Lennis Carter, windbent
108.  Anne Betenson, Crystal River Beads
109.  Audrey Belanger,  Dreams of an Absolution
110.  Lisa Stukel, Carefree Jewelry by Lisa


111.  Janine Lucas, Travel Stories
112.  Claire Lockwood, Something to Do With Your Hands
113.  Kathy Engstrom, Catherine's Dreams
114.  Paula Hisel, Simply Beadiful
115.  Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
116.  Mischelle Fanucchi, Micheladas Musings
117.  Kim, Cianci Blue
118.  Linda Sadler, Ida Louise Jewelry
119.  Karen, Spokalulu
120.  Jennifer LaVite, Dry Gulch Bead and Jewelry


121.  Andrea Glick-Zenith, ZenithJade Creations
122.  Karen Martinez, Fairies Market
123.  Robin Reed, Artistry HCBD
124.  Amy Bright, LABweorc
125.  Jasvanti Patel, Jewels by Jasvanti
126.  Tammie Everly, TTE Designs
127.  Karin Slaton, Backstory Beads
128.  Natalie Moten, Running Out of Thread
129.  Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections
130.  Jenny Kyrlach, Wonder and Whimsy


131.  LiliKrist, Handmade by LilK
132.  Jessica Klaaren, The Truth Space
133.  Cynthia Abner, Created Treasures
134.  Beth Emery, Stories by Indigo Heart
135.  Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads
136.  Jeanne, Gems by Jeanne Marie
137.  Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
138.  Laren Dee Barton, Laren Dee Designs
139.  Steph, Confessions of a Bead Hoarder
140.  Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations


141.  B. R. Kuhlman, Mixed Mayhem
142.  Patty Miller, Cabari Beads
143.  Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads
144.  Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things
145.  Lizzie Clarke, The Need to Bead
146.  Christina Miles, Wings 'n' Scales
147.  Patricia, The Color of Dreams
148.  Marde Lowe, Fancimar
149.  Ev Shelby, Raindrop Creations
150.  Sarah Small, By Salla


151.  Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
152.  Laurie Vyselaar, Lefthand Jewelry
153.  Pam Traub, Klassy Joolz
154.  Lisa Harrison, Daisy Meadow Studio
155.  Anzia Parks, Anzi-Panzi's Work Shoppe
156.  Ingrid, Lilisgems Handcrafted Jewelry Inspirations
157.  Andra Weber, Andra's Joyful Journey
158.  Kelly Hosford Patterson, The Traveling Side Show
159.  Adlinah Kamsir, Dreamstruck Designs
160.  Marci, That Nothing Be Wasted


161.  Kris Lanae Binsfield,  Cherish Designs
162.  Stephanie Perry, Mustard Bead
163.  Birgit Klughardt, Gites Beads
164.  Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog
165.  Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
166.  Sandy Markley, Gypsy Spirit Designs
167.  Elena Adams, Lena's Beady Blog

On top of the world

We've had an intern this summer at work, and next week is her last week.  Since two of us will be on vacation (!) next week, we decided to take her to lunch, and then took a little side trip to an area called Flag Rock.  Flag Rock is exactly what it sounds like--a big rock with the American flag sticking out of it.  It's a beautiful place, with the spectacular views you get from an elevation of 3200 feet.

The town you see behind the rock is the little town (actually, the smallest city in Virginia) that I grew up in.  It was such a peaceful little diversion, and it was quite cool, compared to the hot weather we've been having.  

On a jewelry note, I think I finally made some progress with a bracelet I'm making for a friend.  I hope to have it finished before I leave for vacation.  

I'm also participating in Lori Anderson's bead hoarders blog hop this Saturday.  I've got about half my piece finished, so tune in Saturday to see how it turns out!

Broken china necklaces

I finally got back to the broken china jewelry last night and created these necklaces.

Now I need to make some broken china bracelets and earrings!

New bracelet

I actually had a chance to sit down and do some beading last night.  I played around some with tin, and after learning a few lessons (more on that in a later blog), I picked up the glass beads I etched a couple of weeks ago and made this bracelet.

It's bright and summery, and the frosted look on the beads reminds me of sea glass.  I definitely think I'll be using this technique again soon.

Wedding fun

Travis and I went to our boss' daughter's wedding Saturday evening.  It was beautiful.  Made me think back to my own wedding day 17 years ago.  To be honest, I can't remember much about it!  It's all pretty much a blur.  Oh, well.  At least we have pictures and a video.

I found a new blue dress to wear, and had to make some jewelry to go with it.  I decided to break out my bead spinner, which I'm ashamed to admit I've had for many months, but have never used.  I made some multi-strand seed bead jewelry with chain.  Just enough to add a little bling, but not so much that it overpowered the dress.

I thought I looked rather nice until another lady (who is much smaller than me, incidentally) from work showed up wearing the same dress!  What are the odds of that happening (well, okay, I admit it's not such a long shot since we live in a very small area)?!  It was actually pretty funny--at least until I found out she paid about half what I did for the dress.  But, we all had a good time and a nice laugh.

It's getting a little cloudy outside.  Hoping for a nice little afternoon thunderstorm!