Gone Fishing

I had a great Memorial day weekend with my extended family, and it was my 29th Birthday again. My daddy had just been fishing and caught a huge catfish with his good friend.  The grand kids call my daddy "POP" (on the Right), and we call his friend "Daddy Gray".  They have been fishing buddies for years and my family and I spent many summers on the lake with his family.  Always enjoying good company and lots to eat.

This weekend Daddy fried some of the catfish and we had onion rings made from the onions we pulled from the garden that morning and my momma makes the best hush puppies with little tiny bits of jalopenas cut up inside of them,  wow it was delicious.

We also got to play lots of 42 dominos, a game I love and have been playings since I was a little girl.  The domino playing always comes with plenty of laughter, boasting and teasing but all in good fun.

I just designed a little fish bead and made a fishing bracelet.  I brought it down to show my daddy since he loves fishing he thought it was pretty cool.  I made the little red and white beads look like fishing bobbers and made the chain out of fishing swivels from the sporting goods store.  I had a small piece of multi-gray and blue cord that finished it off perfect.  I love had it turned out,  it brings back memories of all the time I spent as a kid fishing with my family.  I hope you enjoyed Memorial day weekend, it is a nice time to reflect back and be thankful.

Tutorial for toggle bar

I have just made a new style of clasp out of pottery with the option of the designer making their own bar to match their design.  The toggle is made of pottery and there are lots of ways to make a handcrafted bar for the toggle out of the wire but here is one example.  With step by step instructions.

Cut about a 8-9 inch piece of wire that is heavier in gauge, about 16 gauge is good.

Slide a bead (this one is 8mm) on to the wire at about a third of the way.

Fold the wire on either side of the bead as in photo.

With your round nose pliers pinch in the wire below the bead.

Here you can see how the wire should look.

Place your round nose pliers about a half inch from your bead.

Bend the wire to form a hook.

Take your round nose pliers and wrap wire forming a loop.  Trim the short wire to be even with your loop

After the loop is formed hold the loop with flat nose pliers and use needle nose pliers to wrap the tail end of the wire around your toggle bar.  Cut off any extra wire.

Here is the finished piece, add a jump ring to the other hole to attach to your design.

The wire toggle bar finished.

Capture a Moment to create something beautiful and Enjoy!

The pottery pieces are available in my Etsy shop.
 

Perfect for Summer

Spring is here and everything is blooming in Texas.  It is the perfect time for casual wear.  I made a few pendants out of some of my beads and leather.  The designs while simple will look great with boots and jeans or a cute sun dress. I usually don't have the time to make completed pieces but this was a fun diversion from my everyday duties of throwing mud.  One of the pendants features my shabby chic bird series that has been really popular. The little birds and flowers are such a sweet sign of Spring.

I love sunflowers, and this sunflower pendants turned out really nice.  I made some tiny dragonfly beads to accent the sunflower pendants.  I may have to add these as a new bead option soon. 

The carved flower pendant was accented with some beads from my stash.  I like the look of the double jump rings and leather. I left the leather long so it can be tied to different lengths to vary the look.

Hope

Spring is in full bloom here in Texas.  We have mild Winters compared to most of the USA but I always enjoy when Spring returns and the flowers bloom with the hope of a new year.  I photographed the plant my sister gave me for Easter and added this lovely quote about Hope. Capturing the fleeting moment that this flower has to share its beauty.  I am thankful to take them time and enjoy the small gifts that we receive.

One of my customers Sharyl, shared with me that she is using my pottery pieces in a new line she is making called Hope.  She has used my pottery pieces to make earrings and bracelets to help raise funds and awareness for those with rare disorders and illness.  Her sister has a rare autoimmune disorder. Hope for a cure and hope for a better tomorrow are essential for fighting adversity.  What a beautiful way to raise awareness and give to those in need. 

Coral Flat Rectangle Beads

Captured Moments curved bracelet bead in Caribbean Blue

I love how Sharyl used my turquoise bead with the bright orange ribbon in this wrap cuff.

A bracelet I donated to The Global Genes Project that supports and raises awareness of rare diseases and disorders.  The Global Genes Project (GGP) volunteer team is collecting blue jean/denim inspired bracelets for families living with rare disease, the campaign is called “7,000 Bracelets for Hope".
  You can donate a bracelet to them.