Rainy days

We had a nice, soft rain this morning, hopefully more to come.  I had nothing pressing to do nor anywhere to be, so I was able to just enjoy.  I and my pack just lounging.  Did get a rousing game of fetch around 11 and then settled back in to watch a movie. 

Next week is state testing, so the week is going to be a little crazy.  I'll never understand the need for all the testing we do, but it is mandated, so on we tread.  I, at least, get to stay in one place and possibly avoid actually proctoring (Thank you, Lord).  Proctoring exams is one of the most tedious jobs in the life of a public school educator, in my opinion.  Plus, I hate the tension placed on the students.  Also, not one bad teacher has ever been removed because of test results, yet, hundreds of students have not graduated because of not being able to pass exit level exams.  Seems a bit backwards to me.  OKAY, RANT OVER.

I'll leave you with some more recent work.

First up is a bracelet made with some charming ceramic bird beads from Happy Mango Beads.  I thought they were crying out to be paired with the turquoise class and silver.  I was going for rustic with the knotted turquoise string.  The toggle is a polymer leaf button made by moi (not very visible).

The second item is another tassel necklace (design inspired by Humble Beads/Heather).  I made the polymer focal with canes made by Elaine Robataille (Too Aquarius).  The purple tassels are well over 3" long so it is a bold statement.

'Til Tuesday....enjoy...peace and love from West Texas.

Okay...not so good with the exercise

Okay, Mon and Tue were a wash.  So Wednesday is going to get it done, right?  We'll see.  We had a serious cold snap here in El Paso and snow today.  Wednesday looks more promising!

Tomorrow will be hectic for my department, but I'll be at a big campus that will require lots of walking from place to place.  I have to do classroom walkthroughs, so that will add extra steps as well.  I'm hoping to get some more in.

Here is some more eye candy to tide you over until the weekend.  Enjoy.  Peace to all. 

Below is my favorite kind of bead to make: textured and patinated.  Polymer clay is perfect for those applications.

The pendant with dangle design was inspired by Lisa at Polka Dot Cottage.

Sunday....ahhhh

I've had a nice weekend and still have half the day to go...YAY!!  I've started a new exercise regimen today.  A few years ago I rebelled against gyms and put in equipment in a spare bedroom.  That way I could tumble out of bed and exercise in my PJs.  I then put a walking path in my backyard (the local park is too crowded) so I thought I had everything in place.  I was doing very well with daily exercise and staying moderately in shape (no weight loss---another story), then my sciatic nerve went nuts on me. 

The pain is constantly there and has slowly eroded my daily activities. I could see using a walker in my near future.  When I shop using a cart helps my stamina.   I manage just enough movement to do my job.  Friday, I said ENOUGH to myself and my sorry lazy a**.  I had a long internal chat with myself: "Slowly but surely will win the race, Elizabeth."  "You are not in competition, so if you feel a lot of pain, sit down and then start again." "No one is watching or keeping score."  "The pain is there no matter what and must be addressed, just move through it." 

I used to love long walks, just meandering through neighborhoods and I'm hoping I can get back to that. I started with 10 minutes today and will keep that through the week.  YES I WILL!  The furbabies are great encouragement, although they think I should be playing catch with them every minute I'm outside, ha!

Okay, 'nuff ramblin'.  Here is a piece I did about a month ago .  I got the idea from Heather at Humblebeads and fell in love with the design.  The focal is my own polymer clay bead.  Enjoy.

I hope you all are doing something wonderful today, wherever you might be and with whomever!  Love and peace to all.  :D

Fun, fun, fun...

NOT!  I was a headless chicken today.  Went to two meetings that were cancelled, clear across town from each other ("you didn't get the email?).  No, in the interest of SAFETY, and call me crazy, I usually do not and cannot check email while DRIVING.  Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!

I'm better now.......breathe in, breathe out.....

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  I did get a lot of rest and played with some clay and beads.

Well, I'm off to chill with the furbabies.  Have a great night everyone...love to all.

Here is a necklace that I entered in a contest recently at Beader's Muse.  Fun contest.  Not a great photo. All the polymer is mine.  Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day.....And the winners are.....

I decided to expand the booty to 3 winners and spread some beady love.  The winners are:

Kate   @  http://organicodysseys.blogspot.com/

Nancy   @   http://npbeading.blogspot.com/

Boot-C   @ http://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com/


I used the name generator at the Class tools site and entered them into the fruit machine and Voila! the winners.

http://classtools.net/main_area/template_loader.php/?fruit_machine


Have a great evening with your respective honeys.  Love to all

MORE NEW WORK

Happy Saturday:  Went shopping today for a new camera.  Want to show off some other recent work, word pendants.  Still need patination so that the texture stands out as it needs to.  Enjoy.  Nice day here in EP, I'm sending warm vibes to all my overchilled friends.  Hang in there guys.  In July we will all want it to be fall, at least I will.

Love to all................

Is it Friday.....why yes, Marge, it is......

Hi all:  It is Friday and Woohoo.  Sorry to revel, but I have a 3 day weekend and am going to enjoy it.

After much encouragement from Cathryn, I'm posting some newer work in polymer clay.  You will see some baby hamsa pendants, word pendants and texture pendants.  The texture and word pendants still need patination, so I'll post the after when it is done to satisfaction.  Also, shopping for a new digital camera is on the list for this weekend.  I'm amazed at my camera phone, but I do need better photos, especially to open up my Etsy sales. Bought a new camera, Yee Ha!  So I edited the photos to reflect the new camera.  Need to play with it more, but it is a significant improvement over the camera phone and even my dead camera.

I'm also going to throw in some newer Daisy, just because she is a star in my life.

Enjoy your weekend, whatever your weather circumstances...Love and peace to all.

Throw the duck and stop with the pics, MOM...geesh!!

Give away and credit to the other bead soupers!

I'm sorry I can't figure out how to link all these, but wanted to give them all recognition as part of the Bead Soup Party.  Party on fellow beaders.

I have a little secret giveaway.  I will pick a commenter (from this post and the TADAAAA post) using random.org on Sunday, Feb 14 and the winner will receive a package of beads in your color choice of: blue, green, brown or red, or a mix of all.  Good luck!  :D





Lori, Pretty Things

Katie, My Life and My Beads

Zuleykha, Zuleykha's Polymer Clay

Rekella, Me But a Little More in Depth

Ricki, What's New at Ricki Voges Design

Lisa, Lucid Moon Studio

Jo, Daisychain Jewellery

Lynette, Rock Hill Designs

Lynne, Island Girl's Insights

Chas, One Woman's Haven

Ruthie, Rose Works Jewelry

Elizabeth, Turquoise Sky

Maire, Maire Dodd

Janet, Singing Woods

Eileen, Dorset Hill Beads

Julie, Miss Kitten's Jewels

Joann, Jo's Jewels

Patti, PJ Clark Designs

Mel, Kookie Designs

Erin, Every Heart Crafts

Dale, Flights of Fancy

Dee, Runako Designs

Kate, Organic Odysseys

Laurie, The Mermaid Tale

Michelle, My Crazy Crafty Adventure

Sue, Sue Beads

Janeen, Janeen 365

Nancy, The Rabbit Muse

Kristie, Artisan Clay

Regina, Regina's Writings

Lyn, Lyn Foley

56. Beth, Sunshine Daydreamz

Cathryn, Chile Cats

Emma, Fred Bean's Nook

Connie, Cetta Cheese Chatter

Juli, Jul's Beads

Julie, RockerJewlz

Libby, LibbyLeu and Glass Too

Loretta, Designs by Loretta

Linda, Bella Bead Jewelry

Kathie, The Bead Cult

Patty, Plays With Fire

Nicki, Nicki's Reef

Anne Marie, Heart's Desire

Mary, Mary Harding Jewelry

Jayne, Mama's Got to Doodle

Emanda, Artemesia's Studio

Whitney, Whitney Lassini

Marcie, La Bella Joya

Suzann, Beadphoria

Jen, Jen Judd Rocks

Julie, Credit River Art Glass

Janiece, J Birds Garden

Dot, Winchell Clayworks

Sharon, Sharon's Jewelry Garden

Lisa, Lo and Behold

Norma, Bead Dreams and Moonlit Fantaseas

Judith, Judith B.

Debbie, Prairie Emporium

Maria, Garden Path Beads

Susan, Kaplan Creations Jewelry and Glass Design

Melissa, Melissa Meman: Art, Love, Life

Marianna, Pretty Shiny Things

Lisa, Joolz by Lisa

Cristi, 2 If By Sea

Sandra, Marbella Jewelry Design

Maria, Greene Earth Originals

Barbara, Jewelry of Distinction

Leslie, Bei Mondi

Mallory, For the Love of Beads

Terri, Blooming Ideas...You Are Here

Cindy, Sweet Bead Studio

Lorelei, Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio

Kerry, Kabs Creative Concepts

Erin, Treasures Found

Jeannette, Jeannette Blix Wire and Metal Jewelry

Adrienne, Adrienne Designs

Nan, Spirit Rattles

Laurel, Rue's Daftique

Nancy, Beading From the Heart

Mary, MK's Creative Musings

Cassie, The Glass Beadle

Tari, Pearl and Pebble

Melanie, Earthenwood Studio Chronicles

TA DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

EARRINGSTHE SET: L'AMOUR BLEU!NECKLACE SOLO

Here are my necklace and earring set made from the beads swapped with my WONDERFUL beading partner Cathryn (Chile Cats) (http://chilecats.blogspot.com/ ) in New Mexico.  All the beads blu me away (sorry, pun).  I love blue and these beads are so much prettier in the hand.  The silver focal daisy could not have been more perfect.  I'm going to wear the necklace to work today.  I have a major presentation at a very tough school so it will be perfect!

My blog cruise will have to wait until after work :(...o well.  It will be great to dig in when I get home. 

Enjoy and love to all!

click below to access Lori's blog (OUR QUEEN of the Bead Soup Party Swap Cruise) Hail to the Queen, Long live the Queen

http://www.lorianderson.blogspot.com/

LORI ROCKS!!!!

Less than 24 hours. Woohoo!

I for one cannot wait to see all the goodies and wonderfulness!!  Today I had a very productive day at the day job and a good adjustment with the chiro...so all in all a blessed day. 

West Texas (El Paso) is so nice this time of year.  Most of us are dreading the on coming windy season, but overall we are so blessed with weather.  Plus I have to say a shout out to and for my city:  El Paso rules.  Love it, love it, love it!!

Peace to all.

Less than 48 hours............

Less than 48 hours until the bead soup swap reveal!!!  I can hardly wait to go "cruisin'".  I'm very upset that my camera decided to crash this weekend.  Of all weekends.  Egads.  Anyway, the camera phone did a pretty fair job of capturing my "items".  Tease tease tease.  I travelled to the Flickr pool yesterday and was amazed by the variety, potential and inspiration of the mixes!  Great job everyone....c ya on Wednesday.

Bead Soup Swag

Bead soup swag from Chile Cat

Hi all:  Felt too guilty just lying around so I wanted to post my before from Chile Cat.  This is the most wonderful bead soup mix.  The best of blue with that daisy like flower focal bead.  What is not to love!

Please excuse the less than wonderful photo...my digital died, this is from my camera phone.  Anyway, you get the idea.  This is such a wonderful project.  Thank you Cathryn and Lori and all the other beaders.

Nothing much to say

Hi all:  Not a whole lot to say today.  Did another lazy Saturday and I'm okay with that.  Have played with the furbabies and generally little else.  The day job has become VERY stressful to the point of unmanageable.  When I'm not at work I'm too exhausted to even contemplate doing something productive.  This cannot be a good thing.  WAH WAH WAH.  Enough whining.

It is a glorious 65' in El Paso.  Beautiful mix of turquoise sky and white cotton candy clouds.  We did have a heavy shower day all day on Wednesday, so we are above normal for precip.

What else....I have mentally cemented my idea for my bead soup goodies, which I will finish tomorrow.  I need to post the before tomorrow and then the after on Feb 10 along with everyone else.

More later all my beady friends.  Peace.