I am admittingly bad at finding time to photograph my jewelry. I work a 40 hour regular office job in addition to my beadwork. Every day I wake up at 5am, my dear husband even earlier. By the time I awake, my coffee cup is waiting for me on the living room table. After a few minutes of yawning and snuggling with my hubby I reluctantly find something to wear and get ready for work.

I commute 45 minutes to my office. The work day goes by - sometimes fast, sometimes slow. I drive another 45 minutes to an hour home. We make dinner, we eat dinner. Now it's 6pm. Do I bead? Do I exersize? Do I take hundreds of pictures and sift through them all to find the good ones?

More often than not, I bead. I'll take breaks and do some wii fit, or some stretching and hoop dancing. Before I know it I'm yawning again...and it's time to get ready for bed.

This is my day. Not super exciting, I know...

The weekends, however, is my "me" time. I bead lots, I clean a little. If the mood strikes, my husband and I will get out and hear some local live music. But THIS weekend I promise I'll take some pictures and get some good stuff to you next week.

I even have a bracelet all made for a giveaway (that I still need to photograph, of course), that will most likely start on Monday. Stay tuned! In the mean time, here are some simple yet lovely netted bracelets I made recently.

"Beauty of the Flower" Winner Announced

Congratulations to this months winner of the Etsy Bead Weaver's challenge - Melissa Grakowski. Melissa created a beautiful hibiscus flower necklace with a variety of seed beads, swarovski bicone crystals, and freshwater pearls. Isn't it fabulous?!
Take a minute to check out Melissa's Etsy shop for some more of her lovely beaded creations.

Next month's challenge is an interesting one - "Peace Piece". It's been awhile since I've had the time and ambition to participate in a challenge, but I have an idea swirling around in my head...hopefully I can bring it to fruition by Dec. 5th!

Beauty of the Flower

My jaw dropped to the ground when I saw the challenge entries for this months Etsy Bead Weavers challenge Beauty of the Flower...every single piece is just WOW! I can easily say, it is going to be really hard choosing just one. They are all amazing! Please take some time to look at each entry, you can get a closer look by clicking on the links below. After you have found your favorite, please head on over to the EBW Blog and vote.

1. Mother of Pearl Brooch - enchantedbeads

2. Crape Jasmine Beadwoven Necklace - MaryTDesigns

3. Cape Primrose - glimmerstone

4. Bird of Paradise - ArtfulAr

5. Lady Slipper - savoystudio

6. Azalea Flower Necklace - Charmingthings

7. Floating Lotus Trinket Box - Medic5415

8. Crystal Flower Necklace - roseworksjewelry

9. The Beauty of the Columbine - dreambeadweaver

10. Mystical Orchid Necklace - CieloDesign

11. Pink Flower Sun Necklace - demetgun3

12. Midnight hibiscus - Lauralia

13. Hibiscus Necklace - grakowsky

14. Water Lily - oraninbar

15. Lotus Bracelet - SpringColors

16. Blue Lotus Necklace - windyriver

17. Warm Winter Bloom Necklace - SmadarsTreasure

Lacy Rings

I'm continuing to experiment with 2 needles, or cross needle weaving as it is sometimes called. It can be challenging at times - at first picking up beads with the needle in my left hand was a little difficult. I have more confidence in it now though, and find myself choosing to use 2 needles instead of one more and more. I still use only 1 needle for some stitches...peyote stitch, spirals. However for that lacy look 2 needles work just lovely. These rings were the result of some 2-needle experimenting - I think they turned out very pretty!

By the way, you may have noticed I changed up my background in my photos. I originally was using white because I wanted the attention to be on the item itself - but my pictures were looking a little washed out. Does the new background take attention away from the rings (or the bangles below)? Great photos are a constant struggle of mine...always striving for better.

New Bangle Bracelets

I wish I had a more steady stream of stuff to "oooh" and "ahhhh" you with, but, here's the thing - I can't work on just one project at a time. That doesn't mean I'm juggling 6 needles with thread at one time though. Bead weaving is a time consuming endeavor - especially if you are working on a large project. I don't want to be looking at the same colors and doing the same stitch for endless hours, so I tend to change it up. It keeps my hands busy - but I don't necessarily finish one thing in an entire week. Wait a few weeks though, and I'll have 5 or 6 things finished. It comes in waves, folks...it comes in waves.
Maybe I should do a "work in progress Wednesday", or something like that. Would anyone like that - to see works in progress?

Ok on to the bracelets. Still enamored with right angle weave here. I have been playing with some other techniques, but was on a kick this weekend to finish these two bangles off.
This first one was the more time consuming of the two. It was the first of this style that I started off in size 11 toho seed beads. I think I'll be sticking to size 8's or 6's for the base of these from now on...11's just take so long to work in cubic right angle weave. It does look pretty neat though.

This second bracelet actually started out as a ring. But it just wanted to be a bangle. Perhaps now that the bangle is made I can go on to make a matching ring.

I have had some amazing strands of turquoise just begging to be made into something pretty. In addition to the gold fire polished Czech beads and the turquoise rounds, I used robins egg blue turquoise chips from the sleeping beauty mine in Arizona. Sleeping beauty turquoise is one of, if not the most desired turquoise, because of it's naturally blue color. Pretty, right?

Congratulations to the winner!

Congratulations to the winners of this month's Etsy Bead Weaver's Challenge - Super Power Jewelry. Yes I said "winners" we have a tie for first place!

Tied for first is AngelqueCreations with her beautiful bracelet - Cuff of Power

and SmadarsTreasure with her Black Spider Woman Necklace

Be sure to check out both of their etsy shops for some fantastic bead woven goodness! Congratulations to the winners and to everyone who participated in the challenge. Stay tuned for the next EBW's challenge, "Beauty of the Flower", which will be available for voting Nov. 9th.

Super Power Jewelry

The creations beaded up by the Etsy Bead Weavers for October are truly fit for a super hero! Get a closer look at each one individually by clicking on the links below. When you have decided on your favorite, please head on over to the EBW's blog to vote. Thanks!

Voting ends October 15th.

1. Cuff of Power - AngelqueCreations

2. Triforce Necklace - MaryTDesigns

3. Emerald Enigma Necklace and Earring Set - HauteIceBeadwork

4. K - MadeByOlga

5. Black Spider Woman Necklace - SmadarsTreasure

6. Power of Resistance Bracelet/Glove - dreambeadweaver

7. A Wonderous Woman - sedonaskye

8.Wonder Woman Rivoli Beaded Bridal Bracelet - SpringColors

9. EBWC Care Bears - Stellaltinaan

10. I've got the Power - RachelesOriginals

11. Galaxy Stars Super-Powered Collar - FrancescasFancy

12. Super Woman in Style - kraftymax

13. Xena - Suede Necklace with Beadwoven Beads - alatvian

14. The Power of Three - enchantedbeads

15. Power Goblet - njema