New Years Resolutions

A little while ago I posted about a goal and challenge I had (you can find it here and here) set out for myself.
 Well to be totally honest I fell through. I have been in the hectic process of a city to city move for over a month now. I am just barely settled in but I am starting to get back to work now.  First on the business portion and then back to my creativity. I hope this work, I have not spent any more on supplies other then a custom order I had (whch I don't think counts......do you?)


So for the new year it is back in the saddle with full steam ahead.  I would love to know what you would like to see in my shop! Leave a comment below.

BESTeam Feature:: MyaBruceDesigns

Invitations, an announcement, a Thank you, or just note cards or stationery. Leah of MyaBruce Designs covers all of your needs. She started doing announcements and invitations for her two kids and finally was convinced to start offering her wonderful talents to others. So she came up with MyaBruce Designs, named after her children's middle names (after all they were the inspiration and reason she started the venture)

Come visit her store, and check her out on Facebook for all your party/announcement needs.

Exclusive offer for my blog readers

 use coupon code BFCM2010 for 25% off


Until Monday at 12pm EST There is also FREE Shipping

New Bling

BESTeam Feature :: Mysticwynd

"Eclectic, distinctive, and often one of a kind, mysticwynd's handcrafted artisan necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, accessories, and gift items are sure to please!"

Chakra Necklace

This is what you will see first when you find Mysticwynd's  deliciously decadent jewelry shop.

She is sure to have something for everyone on your holiday list. So come shopping with me and check out some of my favs.

These are just a FEW of my favs. Check out below to see more links.

Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/mysticwynd
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/mysticwynd
Blog
http://www.mysticwynd.blogspot.com
Handmade Spark
http://www.handmadespark.com/myspark/MysticWynd
Creating The Hive
http://www.creatingthehive.com/?referring_user=mysticwynd

Visit her other shops too:

TheCraftersCabinet - destash and supplies
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheCraftersCabinet

MWElegance - Bridal & Special Occasion Jewelry and Accessories
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MWElegance

Falling For The Fall

Fall is one of my most favourite times of year purely for all of the rich beautiful colours on the trees. I received a fall request from Artbeads, took days to decide what yummy colours I wanted, and what designs I would procure. Of course things don't tend to work out that well when I plan ahead. So what I had planned was scrapped and I have started working on wirework a little more closely. So come and check out this delicious Fire Agate  stones

 There is going to be so much more to come with this idea. Trust me you wont wanna miss it.

*FTC compliance disclosure* the products attributed to Artbeads.com  in this post where provided as a promotional gift by Artbeads.com in relation to the blogging program. My comments pertaining to these products are my personal opinion, no compensation has been received for the comments.

BESTeam Feature :: Danizabeth

Graduating with a major in Graphics Design, Danizabeth found a love for photography and has mixed it with a love for all things from years gone by.
Danizabeth really captures yesteryear perfectly in there photography. Join me in checking out there shop, and read up on whats new on there blog.

(o)(o)Write Owl Designs(o)(o)

I would like you to meet a new shop I have been introduced to called Write Owl Designs, and as it sounds yup.....they have something to do with writing. They are now the coolest place to get your paper supply needs. From great journals in hard cover and soft cover.

A few different extra trinkets like these beautiful teal laced coasters

Also don't forget to follow there blog tracking there success and the everyday business aspect of Write Owl Designs
Ok so normally you know this as a Tuesday gig. I've been so busy gearing up for the Christmas shopping season I lost track this week.

Eco Recons!

On my daily search of new and interesting blog posts to read I came across Chelsea Hoffman's blog post for "Eco-Fashion and T-Shirt Reconstruction (check it out HERE). I am always fascinated by what people come up with to take something old and make it new! Of course if you are into the crafty scene as much as I am, you have seen fashion recons all over the place in the last year or so! HEY it's even made it to mainstream television. Either way though, a lot of us have been doing this for many years. I love watching tutorials from people like Threadbangers do this kind of stuff. 


It makes it really hard though living in a small room to do recon as I can't even sew on a machine in here. But my goal for the upcoming year is getting a new place with enough room to bring my sewing desk into and getting out all those scraps of material and old clothes and creating new life!

Free Shipping

I will be giving away free shipping from now until the end of the year.

Vintage rhapsody

Ever since I was little I have loved everything made in the 1950's, I don't know why. Possibly because most things were handcrafted! Who knows.

That why I absolutely adore wayfaringmagnolia's Shop

Look at all these treasures!

and don't forget to check out there blog at http://wayfaringmagnolia.blogspot.com and follow on twitter at http://twitter.com/WayfaringMagnol

Also go to there Facebook Page too!
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Wayfaring-Magnolia/131547950219802

Full Steam Ahead- With new jewelry coming

I have finally gotten my creativity fully back with this challenge. This morning alone I made 3 pairs of earrings a pendant and a necklace! Now I just have to find a way to get them photographed in my crappy weather LOL. It's cold and gloomy here in good ol' London Ontario.

So I took my frown and turned it upside down by creating some beautiful jewelry, it worked too. So my newest addition to goals is to create 5 new pieces (hopefully) a day. So just a recap, I am challenging myself to use up all of my current beading supplies before buying anything new! Which has not been that hard considering A) there is no money with Christmas so close (that's right I said it!) and B) I have some really amazing beads and baubles already.

So as a little extra I want to show you a swap I did for 5 pairs of earrings! I absolutely love these earrings!

Lets Take a Walk Through BlueForest

Jewelry, that is!

I love jewelry (as I'm sure you can tell), I especially love making it. This weeks featurette feels the same way I am sure. With over 100 necklaces, earrings, bracelets and bag/purse charms available there is SURELY something for everyone.

Using semi precious stones, hand blown glass and natural materials. You can tell she gets a lot of her inspiration directly from nature it self.

So come check out her blog and follow her on twitter!Get ready for the latest and greatest from BlueForest Jewelry.

http://twitter.com/blueforestjewel

http://blueforestjewellery.blogspot.com/

Challenge Time!

I have proposed a challenge to myself, and would like to bring this challenge to my readers/friends here.

Earlier this month, I started to clean up my drawers stocked full of wonderful beads and finding, I was looking at them realizing a lot of them I had forgot I even had. They were way at the back!

This is when I decided to take the challenge of not buying ANY more beads until my current stash is in beautiful pieces of jewellery. 

So I bring unto you. Can you take this challenge? Create with what you have, until what you have is gone!?

Please write in the comments, whether you think you can stand up to this challenge :D What do you think of it?

Some Fall Inspiration

Here is some of the inspiration I am using for my feature design for Artbeads fall collection. It's a little mix of here and there and everything fall being in the air! (sorry that was corny :D LOL)

 
This was pretty much the inspiration for the colours. Traditional fall colouring of course!

This season I wanna go big bold and chunky. So I'm thinking GIGANTO!!!

This season will also be about filigree, florals and neutrals.

So look forward to all of my designs coming out over this month and next month will be another season.

WOW how time flys in the studio!

NEW-Blue Ice Crystal Drop Earrings

These are simple and stunning little 1 inch drop earrings that are attached to kidney wires that lets you close them in the back so they are guaranteed not to fall out of your ears.

Very simple and easy to put with any wardrobe choice as well. Blue and silver are such classic colours, especially together, these earrings will last as long as you want them too!

Too Much of A Good Thing is (indeed) Simply Wonderful

Too much of a good thing....... that's the name of this weeks feature shop. Everything wanted is here. From very chic and whimsical crocheted headbands,

 

to my favourite fabric flowers, amigurami (Japanese crocheted toy animals), and beautiful cards. Come check out her shop, and blog.

Birthstone's and there History

January

Gemstone: Garnet

Meaning: Consistency, endurance, creativity, patience




Garnet is the birth stone for the month of January and the anniversary gemstone for the second year of marriage.  Garnets are found in Brazil, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, India, Siberia, Africa, and the USA.
Nearly everyone thinks of garnet as a red gem. In fact, this family of gemstones is available in all colors except blue.  Garnets offer enough variety in appearance to suite every taste.
There are many ancient traditions and legends about garnets. Some Hebrew writers include it as one of the 12 gems in Aaron’s breastplate. Christian tradition long considered the blood red garnet symbolic of Christ’s sacrifice.  The Koran holds that it illuminates the Fourth Heaven of the Muslims.  Garnet was said to give him guidance in the night, allowing him to see when others could not.  Legend claims that Noah hung a large garnet in the ark for illumination.  According to the Egyptians, garnet is an antidote for snake bite and food poisoning.

February

Gemstone- Amethyst


Meaning- Sincerity, intuition, motivation


Amethyst is the birth stone for February and the anniversary gemstone for sixth year of marriage. It is found mainly in Brazil, Uruguay, Sri Lanka, the Ural Mountains of Russia, Madagascar, and Zambia.
Amethyst is a variety of quartz, ideally deep medium purple with rose colored flashes, however it ranges from pale lilac to nearly black purple shades.
The ancient Greeks believed that whoever wore an amethyst or drank from an amethyst chalice would not fall victim to intoxication.  It is also said to have a sobering effect on those over excited by love’s passion.  It has symbolized peace, protection and tranquility. Some say it will prevent baldness and improve complexion, while protecting from treason and deceit.  Because royalty has always adored the color purple, amethysts abound in the ornaments of ancient Greeks and Egyptians, and in the British Crown Jewels.

March

Gemstone: Aquamarine

Meaning: Courage, creativity, health, perception, hope




Aquamarine is one of the traditional birthstone for March. It is also the anniversary gem for the 19th year of marriage. Aquamarine is found mainly in Brazil, Nigeria, and Zambia.
The ideal color of aquamarine is a refreshing sea blue.  If you are looking for a big, durable gemstone, aqua is readily available in larger sizes and is truly dramatic when cut in rectangular or oval shapes.  It is a member of the important beryl family, which also includes emerald.
Derived from the Latin meaning “sea water,” aquamarine was said to aid seafarers; thus it makes an excellent gift for sailors or those who travel frequently by sea.  To dream of aquamarine signifies the making of new friends. To wear aquamarine brings love and affection. They are thought to give the wearers knowledge, foresight and assist in an individual’s inspiration. It is a universal symbol of youth, fidelity, hope, and health.

April

Gemstone: Diamond

Meaning: Innocence, eternity, courage, health




Diamond is the birth stone for month of April, and besides being the most popular gemstone for engagement rings, is the anniversary gem for the 10th and 60th years of marriage. Diamonds are found in Australia, Congo, Botswana, Russia, and South Africa.
Even though the diamond is the hardest of all gemstones known to man, it is the simplest in composition: it is common carbon.  The ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were splinters of stars fallen to earth.  It was even said by some that they were the tears of the Gods or perhaps crystallized lighting or hardened dew drops. The truth is, however, that the exact origin of diamonds is still something of a mystery, even to scientist and geologists.
In ancient times only kings wore diamonds as a symbol of strength, courage, and invincibility.  Over the centuries, the diamond acquired its unique status as the ultimate gift of love.  It was said that Cupid’s arrows were tipped with diamonds which have a magic that nothing else can ever quite equal. But it wasn’t until 1477, when Archduke Maximillian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, that the tradition of engagement rings began.  Even the reason a woman wears it on the third finger of her left hand dates back to the early Egyptian belief that the vena amoris, vein of love, ran directly from the heart to the top of the third finger, left hand.

May

Gemstone: Emerald

Meaning: Love, Success, happiness, goodness





Emerald is the birth stone for the month of May and is also the anniversary gemstone for 20th and 35th years of marriage.  They are found mainly in Colombia, Brazil Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The emerald is known as the Queen of Gems, and the gem of queens.  The most prized is pure green or slightly bluish green. Emeralds are often characterized by the garden of included crystals trapped within.  Under magnification, you will see all sorts of lovely patterns resembling foliage in a garden. A flawless, clear emerald is very rare and is usually found in small sizes.  Small to medium sized stones are often faceted in the “step” or emerald cut. The gem is also lovely when cut into a Cabochon or dome shape. Sometimes emeralds are even carved.
The ancients held the emerald in great esteem, believing they sharpened the wearer’s eyesight and mind.  The earliest engravers kept emeralds on their work tables to gaze upon from time to time to rest their tired eyes. Travelers relied on emeralds as protection against the hazards and perils of long journeys. The green gem was also said to give its owner the power to predict the future.

June

Gemstone- Pearl

Meaning- Faith, charity, innocence, health, peace




Pearl is the official birth stone of the month of June.  It is also the accepted anniversary gemstone for the 3rd and 30th years of marriage.
A pearl is the product of an oyster’s defense mechanism. When a foreign irritant is introduced naturally or by man (cultured), the oyster immediately surrounds it with layers of a substance called nacre. This forms the exquisite gemstone known as pearl.  Pearls come in a wide range of colors from delicate rose white to black.  They should be relatively free from skin blemishes.  The more  perfectly round the shape the better.  The higher the luster or “orient,” the more valuable the specimen. Besides the popular round shape, there are stylish mabe (large hemispherical cultured pearls), fresh water (elongated in interesting shapes and colors), and South Sea (large cultured pearls 10 mm and up from Australian and Indonesian waters), to name a few.
The oriental pearl is known as the gem of the moon.  They have been recognized as the emblem of modesty, chastity, and purity.  They have also come to symbolize a happy marriage.

July

 
Gemstone: Ruby

Meaning: Nobility, contentment, love, enthusiasm, strength


Rubies come from Burma, Thailand, Kenya, Tanzania, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and India.  It is the accepted gemstone for July birthdays, also 15th and 40th anniversary.
The ruby is named because of its rich red color. The ruby is a very durable gemstone; its hardness is surpassed only by diamond. Large rubies are very scarce and costly, worth more than 2 to 3 times a diamond of equal size and quality.
Rubies were thought to contain a glowing spark struck from the planet Mars. Ancient lore held that the ruby was capable of curing illness and reconciling lovers quarrels. Hindus referred to the ruby as “The Lord of the Gems,” and believed its deep red color came from an inextinguishable fire which was capable of boiling water.  It is said that a person should never make faces at a ruby in a museum, and never ignore it, for it was said to grow dull if slighted or not worn or seen.

August

Gemstone: Peridot

Meaning: Success, peace, married happiness, luck, courage





Peridot is the birth stone for August and 16th anniversary gemstone, and mainly in Burma and the USA.
Peridot is sometimes referred to as an “Evening Emerald” because under artificial light the stone glows as a brilliant green. Choice peridot is transparent and its color varies from yellow green to a brilliant light green. Peridot is the child of volcanic action, crystals are sometimes combed from the black sands of Hawaii. It is abundant and available in larger sizes.
The peridot symbolize eloquence and persuasiveness; it was dedicated to St. Bartholomew.  Treasured peridots found their way into cathedrals during the Crusades. Many legends state that peridot was considered a powerful amulet against all evil, as well as a remedy for sinus problems.  It is said that if the gem was set in gold, it had the power to protect its wearer from terrors of the night, fears and bad dreams.  Peridot were especially favored by pirates.

September

Gemstone: Sapphire

Meaning: Clear thinking, wisdom, serenity, purity, truth




 

Sapphire is the birthstone for September and the gemstone for 5th and 45th anniversaries.  They are found in Sri Lanka, Australia, East Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Sapphire, a variety of corundum, comes in all colors except red, with the most popular being deep blue.  Rare orange, pink and lavender varieties, along with rich velvety blue are the most expensive.  Like ruby, its twin except for color, the sapphire is second only to the diamond hardness.
Some ancient writers claimed the Ten Commandments were written on sapphire. Ancient marriage partners had great faith in the stone, believing it would not shine if worn by wicked or impure.  They were reported to be an excellent all-purpose medicine;  and antidote against poison and having the power to stop bleeding and cure disorders of the eye.  Sapphires were considered to be so powerful they continued to protect the original owner even after being sold.

October

Gemstone: Opal

Meaning: Hope, purity, health, innocence




Opal is accepted for October birthdays and is the gemstone for 14th anniversaries. Sources are Australia, Mexico, and The USA.
There are more than a dozen varieties of fiery and iridescent opals. In fact, its tremendous color spectrum is the major reason for the opal’s mysterious attractiveness.  The most popular have a white body color with flashes of many colors or “fires.”
Opal has symbolized hope, innocence and purity through the ages. In the Middle Ages, young fair-haired girls, wore opals in their hair to protect its lovely blond color. Medieval writers believed the opal could render its wearer invisible when the need arose. The ancient Romans believed the opal was the king of gems because it held within itself all the colors of rainbow. 

November

Gemstone: Citrine

Meaning: Energy, warmth, optimism




Citrine is one of the accepted birthstones for November, as well as the anniversary gemstone for the 13th year of marriage.  It is found mainly in Brazil.
Citrine is a variety of quartz; colors range from pale yellow to yellowish-brown and “Madeira” red. The most popular fashion colors are the vivid yellows and oranges.  It is often mistaken for yellow or golden topaz.  Citrine is readily available, very affordable in large sizes and stands up well to daily wear. Its earthy tones complement many wardrobes. Citrine is often seen in jewelry combined with amethyst, blue topaz and pink tourmaline.
Citrine’s name is derived from “citron,” a lemon like fruit. People once carried citrine as protective talisman against the plague, bad skin and evil thoughts.  It was also used as a charm against the bites of snakes and other venomous reptiles.

December

Gemstone: Blue Topaz

Meaning: Success, love, luck, happiness, prosperity




Blue topaz is one of the accepted birth stones for December and anniversary gemstone for 4th year of marriage, and Imperial topaz for the 23rd.  Topaz is found mainly in Brazil, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka.
Most people think of topaz as a transparent golden yellow gemstone.  However, this gemstone also occurs colorless as well as orange yellow,  red, honey-brown (dark sherry), light green, blue, and pink.  The name topaz is derived from the Greek word meaning “to shine” and also implies “fire.” Orange-red “Imperial” topaz and pink colors are rare and most valuable.
The lore, magic and romantic of topaz goes back many thousands of years. It holds the distinction of being the gemstone with the widest range of curative powers.  Ancient Egyptians thought its golden glow symbolized “Ra,” their sun god.  The Greek felt it gave them strength.  In addition, it supposedly cooled tempers, restored sanity, cured asthma, relieved insomnia and even ward off sudden death.  Topaz is said to make its wearer invisible in times of emergency.  It proved the loyalty of associates by changing color in the presence of poison.


A little history never hurt anyone! Especially when it is this interesting.