Busy Bee...

Apologies for being so quiet lately.

I guess it's that time of the year when all of us seem just that little...or a lot.. busier than usual.

We've been having a huge clean out at home which has occupied my weekends for the past two weeks.

We hired an enormous 6 cubic metre rubbish skip and have thrown out so much stuff!

It always feels good to declutter.

This weekend I managed to do a quick clean out of my craft room cupboard finally parting with some things I have been holding onto for a very long time but know I will never use.

I've also been busy on my pursuit to lose a few kilos and get back into shape not only from a visual perspective but a health wise one too.

Since 8 November 2011 I am proud to say I have lost 4kg (9 pounds) and still going strong. I've been coming home and trying to exercise every day whether it be doing some cardio workouts or doing some weights on my home gym.

So far so good!

The hardest thing I am trying to adapt to is trying to fit everything else in around my exercise... like my beading which has been taking a bit of a back seat over the past few weeks.

Hopefully I will have some bead related posts to share with you again soon!

♥

MY CREATIVE SPACE...

I've been alternating my time between a few pieces over the past few weeks.

As I mentioned previously I am trying to make a Christmas presents so here are a few I've been working on.

Can you believe it is now around 5 weeks to Christmas?

~~*~~

This is my peyote Buddha cuff which I recently shared with you.

I only need to add a clasp and it's done.

This cuff has been very popular with my workmates who have been watching it's progression so I am thinking I might have to make a few more!

~~*~~

The second piece is using Marcie Abney's tutorial, Looking Glass Pendant.

I absolutely love this piece.
The mixture of teal, blue and silver really makes me smile (unfortunately the colours aren't showing perfectly in the photos).

I actually love this one so much that I think I am going to have to make another one for myself!

I plan on making a few more of these as gifts in different colours.

If you are keen to make one for yourself then pop on over to Marcie's blog where she kindly offers the pattern for free.

~~*~~

Lastly I have also been working on one of my Beading Babes projects, Sleek in Silver.

I think I might have to rename mine Sleek in Mookaite because as you can see, there isn't a silver bead in sight!

Like a few other Beading Babes have mentioned, this piece comes together very quickly and once you have done a few units is very easy.

I am not sure yet whether I am a fan of Tila beads though.
I've had a few dodgy beads in my tube, mainly chips and scratches which kind of makes them hard to use given their flat surface making the chips extremely visible.

This weekend I was hoping to make a start on my second project for Beading Babes, Earthly Hues, but I've spent the weekend cleaning out our garage so not even a minute of beading has been done.

It's 9.27pm so the evening is still relatively young, and even though I am completely and utterly pooped from the weekend I still wouldn't mind squeezing in a tiny bit of beading.

That's the thing about beading...you need your daily fix!

What's buzzing around in your creative space this week?

♥

Do you make a wish list?

I've always felt a bit funny providing people with lists of things that I want for Christmas.

I am always happy with the fact that someone has thought enough of me to buy me a gift but over the past few weeks I have been requested to write a list of things I'd like as apparently I am getting difficult to buy for...REALLY?

Anyhoo ... for those that think I am difficult, here are a few things I am quite partial to.

~~~

*

Gorgeous tote bags from Mary Engelbreit.

I've loved Mary Engelbreit's work ever since my good friend, Traci, introduced me to her whilst I was in the USA in 1990!

I looked at buying myself one of these. They are $14.99 but the site quoted me around $98.00 for postage to Australia...ummm excuse me!!!

~~

Christmas is not quite the same without a little Dexter Morgan!

Season 5 please!

~~

Crystal Brilliance beading book.

~~

  

Gift voucher (not necessarily the specific amount) from one of my favourite bead suppliers,

Over the Rainbow.

The aim is to buy lots of seed beads and Czech beads.

~~

 Gorgeous earrings from Sanfranblissco via Etsy.

~

Forgotten World necklace by Helmitarha via Etsy.

I've had my eye on this one since Jana made it!

~ 

 Adorable "Three Little Birds" bracelet by West Byron via Etsy. I can't help but smile every time I look at this piece.

~

 Bejeweled Bollywood bib necklace by Windy River via Etsy.

Picasso Flower bracelet by ZoojaDesign via Etsy.

~

 Classy Key Necklace tutorial by Stick Lizard Designs via Etsy.

~

Toss the Feathers bracelet tutorial by Smadar's Treasure via Etsy.

~~~

*

I'm seriously not expecting to get some of these as they are a little pricey but you know it's not called a WISH list for nothing!

Do you have anything special on your wish list this year?

Remember if you can...

...even if it's just a few pressies!

♥

WELCOME to our new Beading Babes...

I just want to say welcome to our latest Beading Babes members.

Our group is growing and growing and we currently have around 16 members which is just overwhelming.

I am so grateful to everyone that has shown an interest in the group and I can't tell you how touched I am to see so many Beading Babes badges appearing on everyone's blogs.

Please feel free to tell your friends about our group.

The more the merrier!

If you know someone that might be interested in joining they can email me, contact me via this blog or via my Releases by Rufydoof Facebook page if they are interested in joining.

Anyone can join...any time!

Thank you again from the bottom of my heart.

♥

Where does the time go?

At the moment there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day.

When I get home from work after catching a train and a bus then a 20 minute walk home with Spencer I find the evening just flies by and before I know it... it's 10pm.

I have to admit I can be a bit of a night owl and usually don't head to bed until around midnight.. yep even on school nights...but I think my late nights are starting to catch up on me.

Two nights this week I have been asleep by 9.30pm...I still refuse to go to bed "too early" so one night I fell asleep with Spencer after having cuddles and the other I actually fell asleep on our bed after lying down "for just a minute".

I've been trying to get organised by starting on some Christmas presents and although I am making good progress with these everything else that I have wanted to create has been put on hold.

I am ashamed to admit that I haven't even looked at the beads for my Beading Babes projects let alone started them... I know...shame on me!

BUT...

I have ordered the beads so that's a start!

I have a feeling this issue with time is only going to get worse as Christmas is sneaking up on us faster than we like to realise.

Anyone else struggling with time?

♥

My Creative Space...

Someone recently told me that it is roughly 9 weeks to Christmas so I thought I'd better pull my finger out of the proverbial and get started on making some presents.

This is  my latest piece.

A Buddha cuff by Beadsbyvezsuzsi which I am making for

"someone". I can't say who it's for incase the sticky beak is looking!!

I have to admit I love peyote.
I haven't done a cuff in such a long time and now wonder why. Peyote is such a relaxing stitch, one of those stitches that you can nearly do with your eyes closed.

The main beads in the piece are actually matte black and galvanised gold which looks a little peachy in my photo above.

Here is what the finished piece will look like...

Watch this space to see the finished piece!

♥

You've gotta love beads!

My latest purchases from Etsy.

Do you see a trend with the style of beads I have chosen...possibly sleek in mookaite, jasper or obsidian!!

Mookaite

Autumn jasper

Mexican bacon agate

Golden obsidian

Crystal rondelles

Peru blue chalcedony

Smoky quartz

All pictures sourced from Favourjewelry. 

I have not been asked to promote this seller or benefit from posting links to their Etsy store, just sharing the beaded goodness!

Happy beading!

♥

Beading Babes - Project 2

Thanks everyone for commenting on the designs I chose as options for Project 2.

As previously discussed it was decided to choose two projects this time around.

From reading everyone's comments it seems the favoured choices are:

Sleek in Silver by Hatsumi Oshitani

(Beadwork - Oct/Nov 2011- page 40)

Earthly Hues by Carole Ohl

(Beadwork - August/September 2010 - page 38)

We will have approximately 5 weeks to complete the piece,
therefore the reveal date will be

Sunday 4 December.

Once again please don't stress if you don't get your piece finished by this date...this is purely a guideline.

If you get the urge to make both pieces please do so, but there is no pressure to create both.

As always I'd love to see your progress along the way so please feel free to post pictures on your blog or add links to your blog via my Facebook page.

Be sure to check out the photo album I have created on my Releases by Rufydoof FB page which is dedicated to Beading Babes where I have posted pictures of everyone's work.

Also please let me know if you would like any of the other projects to be included as options for future projects.

And lastly, don't forget to get your Beading Babes badge for your blog!

Let's get started!!!

♥

-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Copyright Disclaimer
All patterns used within this group will be purchased by the beader and will not be copied.

All credit will be given to the designer.

A pendant...not Wheely earrings

I bought this tutorial, Wheel Earrings, recently from Ellad2 

I had every intention to make both earrings... until I started stitching!

This is one very time consuming pattern consisting of Right Angle Weave (RAW) with a little peyote at the end. The earring is solid but is built up with beads not a ring inside.

I think this one "earring" took me close to 3 hours to make so definitely not a quick piece.

I had to laugh, as at the end of the pattern Ella writes, 

"maybe after all  what you have done till now, you will wish to wear only one".... 

I wish I had've read that line first!!!

I decided I didn't really want to spend another 3 hours making another earring, and in addition to the time, I found this was a little too chunky for my liking. 

So a pendant it has become and I LOVE it!

I already had this RAW necklace I had made a few years ago which I think compliments it perfectly.

I've attached a large enough ring so the pendant is interchangeable.

The pattern is relatively easy to follow with only one or two areas that had me a little confused but common sense prevailed and I continued on.

I really do love this design. I think the pendant would make a nice gift for someone and because it only uses size 15/0, 11/0 and 8/0 seed beads you will nearly always have beads on hand to make this as a last minute gift...well allow a few hours not a minute!!

I might just be tempted to make another one in a different colour!

♥