Day 30: Golden Glow Earrings

A fun earring to match the Golden Glow Necklace made with lovely Chessboard style round crystals. These lovely crystals pick up so much light because of all the extra facets. Multicolored crystals on gold findings create a luxurious compliment.

I made this. I love this branch link, and use it often.

Day 29: By The Sea Necklace

By The Sea--an oldie but goodie. I must fill in some days in order to catch up. This is a favorite of mine. I do love it. As a Type 1, I shouldn't wear it because it is silver and not gold, but I can't imagine it in anything but silver.

The earrings are really too insignificant and need to be remade. Incidently, the whole thing will need to be remade because my precious bull in the china shop tried to move the table into the sunlight and dropped it onto the cement breaking off one of the starfish legs. So sad!

The two blue green faceted stones are calcedony--very beautful gemstones. PS: I have another starfish,fortunately, but I was saving it for one of my daughters who loves the ocean. Now I have another daughter who lives by the sea, so there is a dilemna. Perhaps I should cut it in half Solomon style.

Day 28: Pink Elegance Earing

Close-up of yesterday's earrings. These earrings evolved from two links of chain that were removed because the necklace chain was cut too long. It worked out great for a earring frame giving the pink beads more style.

Day 27: Pink Elegance Necklace

This necklace symbolizes dress-up class with pearls, gold and fancy glass cat-eye and lampworked beads. It truly stands out in a crowd. The idea came from a necklace I saw on Overstock.com. I loved it, but changed it to pink adding another strand of pink beads rather than a random string of colored beads.

Temporary Setback

Cjs Busy Little Beads Daily has been off-line for a few day because of Old Timers Disease.  I forgot my camera to computer hook-up, adapter, port connector or whatever it is called.  I left it in Idaho in my daughter's computer.  I couldn't buy a new one this weekend because of catch-up from vacation and my mission on Friday and Saturday.  I will straighten everything out today. 

I learned something about beading while on vacation.  Even though the children love to do beading, it is not the only thing that I want to do while I visit them.  There must be some adjustments made during these time.  Hope to be back in business tonight.

Day 26: Sunday Gems

Jobe 28: 12-18 But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man knowth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living. The depth saith, It is not in me, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

Day 25 On Golden Pond Earring

An earring to go with the necklace On Golden Pond made with the same peridot opal teardrop, oval and garnet beads as the necklace.

Day 24: Turquoise and Gold Bracelet

The final piece in this set is a bracelet made of turquoise colored magnesite and gold embelllished glass. The original design was made with stretch cord.

I'm not satisfied with this bracelet. It stretches too far on the wrist as in pix 2, so I may put it on a wire with toggle.

Day 23: Gold and Turquoise Earrings

Now the matching earring for the previous necklace. Also a study in gold and turquoise. Smaller oval dyed magnasite ovals and smaller gold finished glass freeform beads are suspended from the gold earwires by fine gold chain. The look is classy and compliments the gold and turquoise necklace. (see Day 27)

I am all over the yard looking for fun spots to take a picture. This is a nice dangle for the ear--not too long.

Day 22: A Study In Turquoise and Gold

Turquoise with gold is not the normal combination.  It is seen in expensive jewelry that use karat gold findings and beads.  It is a symbol of greater wealth than the more common combination of turquoise and silver. (Not that they don't look expensive or are costly--we know they are.) Turquoise and silver is the Southwestern style.  Gold is the Uptown style. 

This necklace is an experiment in turquoise and gold.  The larger oval stones are magnesite dyed turquoise.  The gold is freeform shapes of gold finished glass.  The two together compliment one another.   An antiqued gold hook totally adds to the look.  The necklace looks stunning with dark chocolate brown over turquoise.  The piece dresses up the outfit.  Sounds like a fashion show, doesn't it?

This necklace compliments the Type 1 dresser.

Day 21 Crystal Gold

Aha, this is a keeper.  It is a beautiful 30 inch gold and chessboard Swarovski Crystals.  I saw a necklace in a book once with fancy lampworked beads set around a gold wire.  This is my version.  I truly love it. 

These are the chessboard crystals by Swarovski: 

Acknowledgement:  The original inspiration came from the book Stringing Style, by Jamie Hogsett:  Orbital Wire, pg.30.

Day 20: Fun with Bears

Today I let the grandchildren bead glorious creations with patriotic beads. It is so much fun to let they be themselves and have a great time. They began with bracelets or stars and USA and string. I don't know how they are going to get them on and off; we may have to make a few adjustments to their works of art.

This bracelet was made by Eleanor.












Next bracelet is made by Cedric.














Next we have exquisite beach accessories for Ella's smaller bear, Tabatha. Notice the lovely star sunglasses, the patriotic crown and belt (not a bikini), and sandals and pretty star bracelet. She is all decked out for a grand day at the beach.















Last, but not least is Cedric's, Ted, who also is ready for beach bumming. His outfit is similar to Tabatha's with the addition of a fine flag watch.

Together they are off to a fun day at the beach

Day 19 Sunday Gems

Doctrine and Covenants 101:3 Yet I will own them, and they will be mine that in that day when I shall come to make up my jewels.

Day 18: Turquois Lentils

Today was another busy day: work and travel. There was time to pack before work and time to pack the car before leaving. The bead project for the day would have to wait until I got to Pocatello. Unfortunately, with a very late start and driving in a rain storm I was too tired to do any beading that night.

The necklace I chose to make was such an easy project. I bought a string of turquois lentils at the Bead Faire. They were already strung and only needed a clasp attached. When I sat down to do it, I decided to use a gold clasp instead of silver. It was wired with silver wire and crimps to I had to take it apart and add gold wire and gold crimps. I picked up a gold plated sterling silver clasp that was Tai Silver. To finish it nicely I added some gold crimp covers, too.

This is beautiful turquoise from Troy Springs, Nevada. I purchases several nice pieces of turquoise from different mines for a lovely variety of beads. I went to the Bead Fair specifically for Turquoise--especially Sleeping Beauty because I understood they were closing the mine this spring. I hoped to get some more pieces at a good price before the prices skyrocketed. Too late. The prices were at least three time the price I paid a few years ago. What I bought for $40 was now over $125 or even $180. I bought other colors of turquoise at prices that were still over priced. It is now time to make my hoarded turquoise into jewelry. You will be seeing more in the future.

Turquoise on fox.

Day 17 Extender Chains

Today was Bead Faire Day and I only had time to make a couple of extender chains for a friend. These come in handy when you want to add a few inches to your necklace. They are made of a piece of 2 1/2 inch chain with links big enough to fit the clasp through on your necklace. (They will not work with a toggle clasp, but could be made with a matching toggle and bar in the same way.) On one end place a jumpring large enough for the clasp and on the other a lobster clasp. This sample is made with a matching hook eye for the necklace. They can be made of gold, silver or whatever color matches your jewelry.

A simple project for a busy day:

Day 16 On Golden Pond

Too late to post tonight and busy, tomorrow. This is a necklace that I made directly from Fusion Beads.com's inspiration. I loved it so much I wanted to make it exactly as they designed it. Kudos to the artist. I will make variations another time. The necklace is made in gold, my Type One jewelry color. The Classic M Hook is in the front and part of the decoration. It holds the chain and the drop. The peridot opal beads and garnet round beads are wire wrapped to the chain in the rosary style.

This necklace is beautiful and lovely to wear. I will love to wear it. I have ordered some other beads and pendants to make a silver and pink one. I know this will be loved, too.

This will be a busy weekend and posts to this site will be late, but I will try to keep my pledge to bead every day however brief or easy.

Day 15: Flower Power Earrings

Some cute little earrings to go with Macaroni and Bees. It take seven flower and maybe one more to make a ball. This one is a winner. I love it.

Happy Summer!

Day 14: Patriotic Stars

It is Flag Day. I must interrupt my schedule and make a necklace to wear tonight--an all American red, white and blue necklace.

The inspiration is a Suspended Pearl necklace that my mother gave me years ago. It is very Type 1, all circles and bubbly.

The necklace matches my Fireworks Earrings that I made some years ago. I love to dress up for the holidays.

The pearls were attached with glue--no knots or crimps. I decided to try that myself. First I tried my secret weapon fingernail polish. It just wouldn't work. Then I tried my Insta-Fix Adhesive--More than 3 times stronger. It will bond anything together. That should be a warning. The first attempt I set it on my metal ruler to make them a half inch apart. Got to the end and OH, OH they were all stuck to the ruler. I had to cut them off with my wire cutter. Not good. Now, here's the bond anything together/3 times stronger part. Like any other super glue it bonded my fingers to everything instantly.

That is the alligator clip stuck to my finger. There might be bits of skin stuck to some of the stars (eeuww). The clip stuck to the stars, the stars stuck to each other. It was a four hour sticky mess. My fingertips still hurt from ripping them off things (ouch).
I was telling people about my blog and hinting that I hoped to get some sales and, of course, someone wanted one like the stars. Not in this lifetime. It is pretty, but a one of a kind. I never want to make it again. Holidays are coming--you may see more patriotic jewelry. It's my thing!

Day 13 Macaroni and Bees

Silly, I know. These green tubes have been around for quite a while while I considered a design. I found a cute flower design on Fusion Beads that could be adapted. This is it. The original design was with 4 flowers on headpins that I wire wrapped, but should have just made a simple loop. The flowers stick out too far so they don't make a ball. I added another flower, but need several to make a ball. It does make a ring of flowers which needs at least one more, but I don't have enough charteuse. I may add more later.

I added a triple bumble bee connector and hung some more bees inbetween the flowers. I like it. It is crazy and colorful.

Day 12: Sunday Gems

Isaiah 62:3 Thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hands of thy God.

Day 11: Necco Earrings

Busy day with funeral and party and making baked beans. I didn't have time to sit down until late at night and then I was too pooped to make any progress. I made a set of wooden disc earrings to match a necklace that I have on the sale wall. I used silver wire and didn't like the wrapped loop. I tried to make another, but ran out of patience when I cut the beading wire too short. Next day I finished the two sets with additions and revisions. They are much better.

This set is for someone with four ears. Whatever. The necklace is a simple string of discs and is 25 1/2 inches long. Earrings are 2 1/4 inches.

Day 10: Lots of Dots

Today is whimsy. These beads remind me of Dots candy. They are bright and fun. It took me a while to decide what to put with them. I liked the yellow as soon as I put them together instead of metal. They just needed the bright accent. It is a simple 22" necklace. I fiddled around with pendants to find one that would go, but none did. It just needs to be left alone. It

looks great on bright lime green,(the shirt I had on when designing) as well as the bright turquoise. It is on the pink list (possibly to sell). No earring for this, the stones are heavy for the ears. Running late. See you.

Day 9 pg 2: Watch the Watchbands

Here are some watchbands I made for the girls at work, but I am unable to sell them at work--company policy (another great idea squelched). They are up for grabs because I made my own in gold at the same time.

First, turquoise and silver--two styles.

Next: Fiesta bands in two colors. Made for Cinco de Mayo.

Next, Jelly Bean, a summer fun band.

Last, white for the temple (an extra from a special order).

Day 9: Rio Tinto

Today was a laid back day. First I had to sharpen the saw. And clean up the worktable: write up several new projects for price and future reference, findings to put back into drawers, bead boxes to put away; unleased chaos reorganized.

Onward and upward. The best project for today was watchbands. One particular band lay undone for weeks for want of a clear idea. I wanted an everyday turquoise band that was not made with silver. Also, I wanted to try out a small watch face with single clasp. I came up with the Rio Tinto--turquois and coral, silver and gold. (A literal translation: A deep-colored river.) It speaks to the Type 1/3. (See Dress Your Truth for explanation.)

The watch face is silver with gold. The beads are turquoise and coral--a perfect marriage of beads. I like the way it turned out.

Day 8: Cub Scout Earrings

Here it is. The fashion statement of todays Cub Scout Bear Den Leader!!!! Yeah, we must be fashionable especially when we feel somewhat out of control (10 Cubs each week, more or less). A fitting project for scout day: quick, easy and fun. Blue and yellow to match the uniform and a perfect gold bear paw.

School was out today so there were only two scouts at den meeting. It was actually a relief to have a quiet day to decorate hiking sticks, learn rope magic tricks and enjoy rootbeer floats to celebrate summer vacation.