Beading Babes - Project 3 update ...

How is everyone progressing with their Project 3 pieces?

I have come to a sudden standstill with Runway of Pearls and am yet to start Ravishing Rosettes.

I've run into a few "issues" with Runway of Pearls.



Firstly this bracelet shrinks!

I had it sitting at a perfect length but by the time I had embellished the piece with the size 11/0 and 15/0 seed beads it had shrunk enough for the bracelet to be too small.

Add to this frustration the fact that by this stage I had already used up 388 of my 400 2mm beads I had bought so was in a bit of a panic as to how to lengthen the bracelet.

So.... I decided to use some 3mm Czech beads at each end stitching an extra row or two.

Problem solved!

So I thought...

I then realised that I needed more of the 2mm beads when "zipping" the bracelet closed.

So....I've had to order another 100 beads.

That's a total of 500 beads at a cost of $25.00 so far...without adding the cost of the other beads, thread and clasp!

Hmmmmm.....



I haven't started Ravishing Rosettes as I foolishly removed the 6mm pearls from my shopping cart in my Artbeads order.

My order arrived and I was wondering where on earth the pearls were and why they hadn't included them in my order to discover

I DIDN'T ORDER THEM!
Don't ask me why I removed them from my shopping cart (even I can't tell myself why) so I've had to order more...or should I say some!

Very frustrating to say the least!

In the mean time I've started a bead embroidered project inspired by one of my favourite artists,
Mary Engelbreit.

I discovered Mary's artwork way back in 1990 when I visited the US and my lovely friend, Traci, introduced me to her artwork.


This adorable tote is still on my wish list... but $99.00 to ship it to Australia...I don't think so!

I've loved and collected her art ever since!

~*~

So that's it for me for today.

Hopefully my pearls and 2mm Czech beads will arrive today or tomorrow and I can get started on completing a few of these projects!

I hope you are making better progress than me!
 

♥

A wedding anniversary and a few buttons

Last weekend Alan and I celebrated our

♥ 11 year wedding anniversary ♥ 

Here is Alan and I on our wedding day in August 1999 with my gorgeous friend of 25 years, Kristen.

And here is one of the nicest recent photos I have of Alan and I together, all frocked up! 

 It was taken at a friend's wedding back in 2008 in which I was Maid of Honor. 

I don't think we have changed too much... 

...perhaps just a little older and wiser!

♥ Happy Anniversary Alan ♥

(even if I am a week late in posting it here)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To celebrate our anniversary we went out for breakfast and then visited the Paddington Antique Centre. 

I hadn't been there in ages...gosh in at least around 7 or 8 years... but the memories of why I used to love going there came flooding back... 

OMG the jewelery!

So many gorgeous antique pieces in gold, rose gold, silver, diamonds... you name it they have it! 

The workmanship in the pieces is just exquisite.

One thing however I never paid much attention to when I used to visit this antique store many, many years ago was the buttons and boy do they now have a nice assortment!

So in celebration of our anniversary I treated myself to a few buttons which I plan on using within my beading.

The first are gorgeous art deco buttons. They have a delicate gold inlay and are in perfect condition.

The next is a set of 5 buttons. 

These ones are made of plastic with a metal centre but I couldn't go past them as I think they could look quite nice with some malachite.

And lastly some Czech glass buttons. 

They were really hard to photograph as they are so shiny and shimmery but they are black and gold and incredibly regal looking. 

I only bought two of these beauties but am thinking I should have bought a few more so I can create a necklace made using around 6 of these buttons beaded up!

Have you rediscovered something you used to love doing or looking at but haven't done in years?