This is why I can't find anything in my house...yes, in need of some major over hauling of supplies. I sorted through all these and labeled them...it took all day and night but I did find some really pretty stones I had forgotten I ordered. 90% of my supplies are bought on Etsy and are really nice but....I really wish some sellers would label the bags when they ship supplies, it sure would have saved me a lot of time going through old store receipt's to identify stones . Now that everything is sorted I just need to try and find a better place to store them. I imagine my boyfriend is getting tired of tripping over bead box's.

This was another project...organizing my beads so that I can know the names when I am preparing to list my jewelry on Etsy. I do know most of the bead names but my dyslexia can be a hindrance when it's time to write descriptions. I still need to get some hooks for this board that I can attach baggies with finished pieces. I know I have those hooks around somewhere but....where....?

I had quit a bit of paint leftover from my bamboo beads and was so in love with the color that I decided to experiment. This is my "concept" of an underwater ocean on my home planet. The black squiggles are mermaids, in case you can't tell. My camera does not seem to want to take pictures of "shiny"...need to work on that, perhaps a picture outside next time. This is my favorite color of blue green and I love the antique gold floating in the water. I think my mermaids could use a bit of refining but I can "see them", so maybe others can as well? I'm excited to do some more experimenting with this technique with some fall colors...maybe a cool and warm series ? Making stuff is so fun, I'm sad that more people don't do it because they "think" you have to go to art school to create. Humans are born to create...even those of us that can't draw. I give full credit to this phylosophy to my parents who let me take craft/art classes when I was still in grade school.(It's sad that some schools seem to think it's OK to cut the budgets on these types of classes because some kids aren't as lucky as I was to have parents who could afford my craft supplies and classes). I hope parents are speaking up about this in their kids schools. Learning art technique is not what is important about these classes but learning how to visualize to create can be applied to all parts of a persons life....*(hops of soap box and wonders what she can make with it).

One of my projects for my days off is these new " Ink Blot Test"bamboo beads. Not a great photo but I loved the sea blue green and gold colors and am using a new technique that I think turned out "interesting". I am not a huge fan of abstract, but I do enjoy looking at ink blots and finding "things" in them...must be the Psych degree . On the other side a will use warm fall tones and edge both sides in an antique gold leaf paint. These are part of my "flip it" series of beads...( two necklaces in one), to wear with different "out fits" . I'm not sure if I should string them with leather...fake leather, copper link or stone beads...maybe make a few of each.

Minnesota weather is.....frustrating

Spent my days off preparing the dolls for their blue paint and....it rained, then was threatening to rain and to cold...then is was to windy . I have dolls everywhere with some lovely plastic wrapped around the heads to protect it against the paint. I am so lucky to have a BF with a good sense of humor and lots of patience. Today started beautiful and sunny and I managed to get one dark blue coat of Krylon on the girls. After an hour of dry time, I flipped them and did a lighter blue coat of Krylon fussion over the dolls. There was a bit of dripping , so I will have to do a light sanding and some touch up, but probably not today as...it looks like rain.

They Kryon looks great but I'm not thrilled to be contributing to the use of toxic chemicals. I did spend 6 months researching and trying everything else first to dye or paint these girls but I think this is the only way to be sure they will last for years with no flaking. Soon I will begin the real fun, going through my stash of leather, suede and fur bits from old coats and sewing up some little outfits for the girls. I also think it's going to be fun to work with their hair. I'm thinking dreads with some leather, fur and textile bits. Again, I will have to restrain myself from using materials they wouldn't have had access to. I give myself a bit of "artistic license" because I think they may have had some very basic use of natural fibers that they would have dyed nd used for decorations, so I will use some of the wool I have bought on Etsy and do a little primitive hair and fiber weaving. Because the girls were small, I believe they would have wanted to have "big hair" to look bigger and more fierce. That seems to be a basic method among animals, so I am sure they would have observed that themselves.


I only have about 4 hours before I have to leave for my over night job but I hope to work on one book binding before I go. I really itching to use the new materials I bought . It is so fun to try out new ideas, even when they don't work out, it leads me to new ideas and that is the fun of crafting for me.

Other projects in the works...I did finish some bamboo beads that I painted and did an interesting varnish with gold leaf and dye suspension....another experiment that turned out pretty cool. They are really organic looking, but can't decide if I should list them as supplies or make my own jewelry for Etsy. ( I think I am discovering that I enjoy collecting pretty rock beads more then actually making jewelry.) I know I will use some to decorate the girls and their bags and possibly as inlays for their weapons...very exciting to me.


I also cleaned out my supply closet and found some beautiful wool I had forgotten about as well as a huge bag of rice that I was going to use for heat bags for kids. I had collected stuffed animals and washed and unstuffed them. I will fill them with rice and herbs for pillow sleep buddies. Some are for relaxation(lavender buds) and some are for congestion(eucalyptus and menthol). I think the latter will be nice for kids who don't want to slather Vicks all over their chests. Though, personally, I'm a huge fan of Vicks, there are times when you don't want it all over your jammies or sheets.

I am also working on a personal project...just for me. I want to learn how to needle felt animals so I can make a miniature of one of my favorite dogs at work. If I get it right, I will keep one for myself and make one for the pet parents. I bought some beautiful natural white wool from "larkspur funny farm" on Etsy as well as a few needles for felting. I thought it was really cool that she also has some of the Pyrenees mountain dogs that I want to make. I will be using her wool and some of the dogs fur....(Andre). He has a beautiful coat of lush white wooly fur that I comb every time he stays with us. I have about a pound of his fur now...maybe enough to make myself an Andre neck warmer, too.


Off to do some book binding.