Who's Ready For Mardi Gras?

I am!  I made this last night and MASTERED a new stitch in the process!  The stitch is flat spiral stitch and I found my instructions here.  Now if I can figure out what to do at the ends to add my clasp, I will be set!  Loved the new stitch, may compete with Russian Spiral for my favorite stitch!  It went together quick too, about 3  1/2 hours while watching "Water For Elephants" with Mina.  Excellent movie too if you haven't seen it!  Mina assures me that the book was awesome too.

Michelle Mach's Very Vintage Fall Challenge REVEAL DAY!

Michelle Mach's Very Vintage Fall Challenge
A few weeks ago I joined up on "Creating the Hive" to more easily follow some of the blogs I track and to find new ideas and connections. 






I came across Michelle's blog through The Hive (and you can follow me there) and the day I did, just happened to be the day she had posted about her Fall Beading Challenge.  I hopped right over to her shop and purchased a kit (one of only 26). This is the picture I took of my kit items,

 and this is the picture of kit items from Michelle's shop Beads and Books.

 Here is what I made:

front view

right side

left side

full view (without me modeling)

close up for detail

the complete lovely piece

I had a lot of fun with the mix in the kit.  Loved the vintage Lucite pieces.  I received the autumn "peppermint" pendant, the amber open drop, and a cool purple/brown button which I couldn't get to work in my piece.  Luckily I had just purchased metal punch pliers, so I was able to put holes in my branch for hanging.  I made the chain on the right side using Lucite links (from MyElements on Etsy) and pieces of chain looped through them to connect them together.  I love the way the khaki green blends in with the browns and ambers.  I did a couple wire wraps on the side with the green loops incorporating some loose natural stone I had lying on my bead table.  I added a piece of ribbon cut from a decoration wrap on a package of beads from my friend, Carla's shop (Beads by C from beads and botanicals on Etsy).  It reminds me of leaves, which continues the theme of the necklace and add texture with the fiber.  On the other side of the necklace, I used the oval teardrop, did a link with jump rings to the pendant and the branch.  From the branch I added the Lucite leaves and some crystals from my stash made into drops.  To finish out the side, I used chain and made bead drops with some of the mix beads that came in the kit.  I love the finished design, have worn it several times and I am really enjoying playing with the eclectic designs that come with these bead challenges.  It helps me "branch" out (pun intended) and work on my asymmetrical designs.  The first time I tried making an asymmetrical design, I thought I would have an aneurism!  It actually hurt my head to force myself to think in "non-matching" designs.  It has gotten much easier, and now I almost have difficulty in going back to the "matching" way of thinking!  I hope you enjoyed my design, and please visit the other artists participating in the challenge!  Stop by tomorrow for some fun new fall designs!

Here's the list of everyone participating in this current challenge:
Andrew
The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton

Cat
Boo Beads
Chris
beadjewelry.net

Cilla
Tell Your Girlfriends

Cyndi
Beading Arts

Cynthia
Cynth's Blog

Dawn
Morning Glory Beading

Donetta
Simply Gorgeous

Heather
As I Bead It
Holly
SilverRose Designs
Kate
We Can Make That at Home
Kristina
Wild Roses and Blackberries

Lauren
Laurel Moon Jewelry & Beads

Linda
Lutka & Co

Lisa
Lucid Mood Studio

Lola
Bead Lola Bead

Mary
MLH Jewelry

Melinda
Melinda Orr Metal & Clay Jewelry Designs

Michelle H.
Firefly Visions
Michelle M.
Beads & Books

Salla
Blog by Salla

Shannon
Falling into the Sky

Shay
Shaiha's Ramblings

Shel
MiShel Designs

Shirley
Beads and Bread

Stephanie
Pixybug Designs  YOU ARE HERE!!

Tari
Pearl and Pebbles

Terry
Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Tracy
The Bead Junkie

LONG Weekend, need REST and a Preview...

Chris found this on Facebook, and it was appropriate.  Our cat, Luna, looks like this cute baby and is often right in the middle of whatever you are doing.

We had a very long weekend, having two shows in two different places this weekend.  We were in Exeter on Saturday and in Hastings on Sunday.  Mina marched in the Harvest of Harmony parade with Blue Hill's band in Grand Island Saturday.   Chris went to visit with his classmates at his 25th get together in Doniphan, while I ran into Hastings because my Mom had gone to the ER at the hospital.  She has shingles (on top of Parkinson's Disease and osteo arthritis and heart issues) and is miserable from the pain.  I arrived at the hospital as they were getting in their car to head home.  I drove back to Doniphan to join Chris and stayed for a few minutes to meet his classmates.  We left to go to a gallery opening in Hastings, which ended about the time we thought it was supposed to start. Consequently, we didn't make the show, so we ate and headed home instead. 

We covered about 250 miles on Saturday and about 60 on Sunday.  Can we spell TIRED?  I don't know about spelling it, but we sure do feel it!

I am participating in Michelle Mach's Fall Beading Challenge, with the reveal happening tomorrow.  Here is a preview!

See what I mean about interrupting?  As I type, she is determined to cause problems!  Chris says "the only thing saving her is that she is SO cute!". 

This is a tiny part of my challenge design.  Stop by tomorrow for the reveal!