Cooper is sleeping on a chair out of view while Jackson has been lulled into slumber by comfortable temperatures, a gentle breeze, and melodic birdsong. I’m too am trying to stay awake as I work on a new beaded bangle design. Honestly, beading outdoors on this glorious day is close to nirvana!
As I was wading through emails from a while ago, I was delighted to see a photo of my “Geometric Staggered Warped Square Bracelet” in a newsletter I had received from Firemountaingems. This bracelet won a Gold Medal in the Fire Mountain Gems and Beads 2018 Jewelry Making Contest. The tutorial and beading kit is still available in my Etsy shop…just in case you’re interested!
The extra kits for the “Carnival” Geometric Beaded Bracelet sold immediately! Several customers reached out to me and pleaded with me to add a few more to the listing. Three more kits are listed in my Etsy shop as of now…get one before they disappear!
A very good customer so loved my “Carnival Geometric Beaded Bracelet “ and really wanted to make one for herself. I had retired this kit because with 29 different colors of Delica beads, plus 15/0, 11/0, and Druk beads, plus beading wire and crimp beads, it was just so very time consuming to measure, weigh, package, and label. But, I acquiesced and put together a kit for her and I figured if I’m taking time to assemble one kit, I might as well kit one or two more. SO, if you’ve been lusting after this kit, I have two available in my Etsy shop now, but hurry…they won’t last long!
It feels so good to be outdoors! Our long winters make us truly appreciate the arrival of warm weather and foliage.
Several nights ago we experienced thunder, lightning, and torrential rain. I had been out the day before surveying the growth of emerging plants around our home and was astounded to see that wildflowers and ferns in our flower beds had shot up by more than a foot after the rain! Donning a long-sleeved shirt, overhauls, hat, gloves, and my Wellies, I headed into the woods in search of morels…those obscure delicacies that appear briefly when the earth is moist and the temperature is “just right”. Over the past several years, I had always returned home empty handed and disappointed, but this year I lucked out. I’m sure I could have found more had I had the stamina and fortitude to traverse the hills and valleys of our forest while fending off ticks, gnats, and other flying insects and avoiding poison ivy and fallen branches that one can easily trip over. Good grief…morel hunting is darn hard work! I was almost ready to give up when I glanced to my left. Eureka! There under a dead Elm poking up between a multitude of fallen leaves carpeting the forest floor were several dozen morels! The hours spent foraging proved fruitful indeed! What’s for dinner tonight? We will crack open a bottle of Petite Shiraz and dine on pasta tossed in basil pesto with thin strips of steak topped with asparagus tips and a mound of buttery-rich sautéed morels. Life is so good!
I love our updated closet! It took a long time to sort through everything and decide what clothing and accessories I wanted to keep and which pieces I’m willing to let go. Hence, I’ve been busy taking photos and listing items on Poshmark. I’m still a long way from finished with many more pieces that were put in storage. If you have a chance, visit my Poshmark Closet…(https://poshmark.com/closet/wearableartdiva) and check back often as I’m listing often. Who knows? You may find a treasure there!
“Take it Easy and rest.” That’s easier said than done for one who has always believed in putting in a hard day’s work everyday. The concussion I suffered two weeks ago has “cramped my style” as I do feel fatigued and find that I am moving slower and find the need to take an afternoon nap these days. I hope it resolves soon! In the meantime, I’ve been doing a bit of rearranging and spring cleaning in my studio. I need to declutter. And as I have not been beading as much as I had in the past, I need to let go of some materials in my stash. Case in point is this beautiful selection of Swarovski 14mm Crystal Rivolis that I listed in my Etsy shop last night. It sold immediately, but I have quite a few Swarovski Crystals in my stash and will have more selections available in the coming weeks so check back often!
I have a valid reason to “take it easy”…doctor’s orders. A day after missing the bottom rung on the above step ladder and falling backwards while reorganizing our master closet after a remodel, I began to experience severe fatigue and vertigo as well as difficulty collecting my thoughts and communicating clearly. Not willing to take a chance and end up like Natasha Richardson (she died several days after a fall), I visited Acute Care and had a CT scan. The results thankfully, did not show a brain bleed. Rather I suffered a concussion, which should resolve itself within a month or so. I’m not one to take naps, but find myself feeling very tired and in need of a nap these days. So for now, the closet is on hold as is working in my studio. Once my head clears and I’m ‘on my game’, I plan to be back in my studio working with metals and beads. Until then, I will enjoy deliciously decadent naps and just taking it easy.
We’re in the midst of having our master closet remodeled…such mayhem! Clothing, shoes, accessories are piled on the window seats, in boxes, and on the floor waiting to be put away into the new cabinets, shelves, and drawers. I feel as if we just moved in and have so much to unpack and find places to put everything. It will be well worth the upheaval in the long run, but it is presently quite a lot of work! I’m finding so many clothes I haven’t worn in years so I have been spending a lot of time sorting through and listing on Poshmark. Beading and jewelry-making will be on the back burner until further notice, but I’ll have fresh ideas then. Stay tuned!
I’m pleased to announce that the tutorial and beading kits for my “Fanciful Flight” Geometric Beaded Earrings are now listed in my Etsy shop! They were such fun to make! I love the bright colors and three dimensional wings! Measuring 1.5″ in length they are light and airy!
Barbara is an artist specializing in One-of-a-Kind art jewelry and adornment. She hopes to inspire others to create beautiful objects. Follow her blog by signing up at: https://barbarabriggsdesigns.wordpress.com/follow-my-blog/
Barbara Briggs Designs 