Reflections

Hematite & Magnetic Hematite 'Boy' Necklace

James had hinted that he'd maybe like to get some type of necklace but he wasn't really sure what kind.  We took a good look around when we went to the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne when we went to the Hot Rod Show but nothing really appealed to him.

So instead, he has now designed his own using some Hematite and Magnetic Hematitie pieces that I still had leftover in my stash from the Semi Precious Stone Necklace & Bracelet I had made last year!

It's got a silver magnetic clasp and features large square Hematite beads and chips as well as smaller Magnetic Hematite square beads as well.

He loves it and the best thing of all is that this necklace is totally unique! No one else will have one exactly like it!

So - what else have I been up to? Well - I drastically need to sort out some paperwork in the study - it's amazing how quickly papers build up and before you look around you have a pile of filing to do instead of just one or two items. I worked on it a little yesterday and since I've done our school Parents' Club Minutes and Book Club this morning, I'll tackle a little more it this afternoon. It would be nice to actually see some of the desk I think - *grin*

Creatively, I'm also working on finishing a special little project that I'd sat aside awaiting some scanned photos and now that I have them, I need to apply some digital editing, so that I can get them printed and get this project finished.  I promise I haven't forgotten you Kylie!

Oh - and before I sign off . . . I noticed on my blog stats today that I'm approaching 500 blog posts . . . oh my goodness!  Stay tuned for a little 'Random Act of Kindness' - RAK - to celebrate that occasion I think!

Here's hoping you are having a wonderful day wherever in the world you may be!

Until next time,

Semi Precious Stone Jewellery - Hematite

After recently making two custom jewellery sets for someone (see here and here), I was inspired today to play around with my beading supplies to make a little something for me!

This matching necklace and bracelet set features the semi precious stones of Hematite and Magnetic Hematite with a few 'Ruby' Swarovski Crystals and Silver Bali Beads incorporated into the design as well!

The 'ruby' crystals symbolise my birthstone - which is a Ruby - and the Silver Bali Beads not only compliment the silver magnetic clasp on the necklace and the toggle on the bracelet BUT also the shimmmering light which is reflected from the stones themselves!

I'm thrilled with the results and actually have enough supplies left over to make another similar set too! Actually - I might even make up some designs to put in my 'Made It' Shop! I'll let you know if I do!

Until next time,

Matching Bracelet & Earrings

Today I dabbled in a little jewellery making again - this time to make something for 'ME'.

I'd bought these cute little heart charms some time back and found them sitting in my scrapbooking stash last night. I knew that they would be the perfect compliment to some gorgeous brown beads and pearls that I intended to make into a bracelet for myself!

 

I ended up adding some gold bali beads to highlight the brown speckled beads as well and love the 'classy' touch they've added against the cream pearls!

To answer a couple of queries I received via email - YES! I'm more than happy to do custom orders for jewellery, mini albums or cards - please just drop me an email - you'll find my contact details in my 'About' section which is featured under my photo in the left-hand menu!

Also - not that there is much featured there at the moment - BUT don't forget to stop by my 'Made It' Shop to see items I currently have for sale - you'll also find the link to this in my left-hand menu. I'm hoping to add some more items throughout the school holidays, which will be starting at the end of this week, but I'll be sure to let you know when I do!

Until next time,

Custom Order - Blue Necklace & Bracelet

Here's the second of the custom necklace and bracelet sets that I mentioned in yesterday's post. This one has a gorgeous selection of blue glass beads that I've teamed up with silver bali beads as well. Being someone who is very fond of 'blue' I can see that I might have to make myself a similar one too!

I'll have them both in the mail when I am next in town on Monday Kylie!

Until next time . . .

Custom Order - Green Necklace & Bracelet

Recently I received a custom order for two matching necklace and bracelet sets which are to be given as gifts later this month. It's actually been a little whilst since I've dabbled in some jewellery making and I must admit, I had a wonderful time putting this one together - I just love those little floral beads!

Until next time . . .

'Brilliante Weblog Award' & Beaded Bracelet

I discovered today that I have been awarded the 'Brillante Weblog Award' from a regular visitor to my blog and fellow Sky Watch participant - Suzanne!

Thanks so much Suzanne!

The rules for this award are:

1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog.

2. Link to the person you received your award from.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Put links to those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs of the people you have nominated.

So, in no particular order, I am passing this award onto:

1. Sharon 
2. Trina
3. Sarah
4. Mandy
5. Allison 
6. Tina
7. Toni

On the creative front, I had a little play with my beads again last night and made another bracelet with a blue, black and silver theme!

Today I got stuck into the vegetable garden - did a little weeding, fertillising and planting AND then I moved the last of the old chicken manure onto the garden beds that I'm not using yet. I figure by Spring, each of these beds will have had plenty of time to sit and soak in lots of the goodness from the old manure and they will then be perfect for my tomatoes, lettuce, etc.

Until next time . . .

Blue, Black & Silver Beaded Bracelet

Remember those beads I told you yesterday I picked up from Spotlight whilst they had their 30% sale on? Well - I ended up choosing some blue beads, some plain black ones and these other black ones that had silver painted around them - I thought teamed with some silver Bali beads, it should be a lovely combination!

I decided to have a bit of a play last night and here are the results

I just loved the varied colours on these blue beads! I'm thinking I might have to make a matching pair of earrings now . . . or maybe a necklace? Mmm - I'll ponder that one some more!

Thanks for the queries on how my ear is . . . well the pain is gone BUT since I started putting the drops in nearly a week ago, I have been deaf in that ear - it's kind of like having a ringing sound in that ear (like after you've been to a loud concert). Very annoying to say the least BUT at least there's no pain. Hopefully the ear will 'pop' and my hearing will return to normal today or tomorrow - otherwise I might have to contact the doctor to get her advise again.

Until next time . . .

 

Beaded Bracelet

Today Spotlight had a 20% off instore sale and so my Mother-In-Law and I just HAD to make another trip in there . . . yes . . . I do say another trip because this was the 3rd one since my Mother-In-Law had arrived a little over a week ago!

You see, having seen the bracelets I made a little while ago, she was very keen to try her hand at making some bracelets herself AND of course she had to stock up on some beading supplies so that she could get into the 'creative' zone - *grin* - AND - of course I had to grab a couple of packets of beads whilst they were on special too!

Anyway - here's one of the bracelets that she has made - this one is for her Sister-In-Law who is stopping by for a visit tomorrow afternoon

 

She's also made a couple for herself AND has a few more ideas of bracelets she wants to make for other people as well . . . it looks like she definitely has the bug doesn't it?

Until next time . . .

Iron Ore & Freshwater Pearl Bracelet

I happened to take a look at my blog stats the other day and noticed that I've had a few hits from 'Traffic Jam' which is powered by the BlogRush network - at the time I was rated at no. 7 in the Hobbies & Craft section - it must have been all those extra hits from being involved in the 'One World, One Heart Blog Giveaway' I think! Basically, because I have a BlogRush widget on my blog, I don't need to do anything to be rated on Traffic Jam . . . how cool is that! If you haven't checked out BlogRush yet - which aims at increasing your Blog traffic, I certainly urge you to do so - it's entirely FREE!

On the creative front, I finally got around to pulling apart my Iron Ore & Freshwater Pearl Bracelet that I mentioned that I was going to re-string and thought I would share the results.

Here's the before photo - as you can see the clasp is gold but the rest of the jewellery findings are silver!

And here's how it looks now with some gold Bali beads added and with a new gold rope toggle clasp - the photo is a little on the dark side but I'm sure you get the general idea!

I also recently got another local custom order for a double stranded bracelet and whilst making that one I also decided to make another that I've listed over on Ebay - yeah it's on Ebay just to see if there is more interest over there . . . I've also popped some other bracelets, a seashell necklace and a decorated notebook over there too and I hope to add my little framed OWL (yep - he's been framed) once I can get a better photo of him - I'm having trouble getting a good shot with the reflection of the glass in the frame . . . anyway - I'll do that soon and hopefully list him later today/tomorrow.

On the homefront, I had a Parents' Club meeting this morning - it was our Annual General Meeting - AGM - and I have continued on in my role as Secretary . . . it's been great to have a few new people join the group this year and I'm sure we will once again have another productive year at the school!

This weekend is a 3 day weekend with Monday being our Labour Day holiday here in Victoria  - the best news is that Stuart will actually get all 3 days off too - yay - the boys are just so excited! It's also meant to be a warm few days too, so hopefully some gardening and swimming in the pool might be in order as well!

Until next time . . .

Iron Ore, Mother of Pearl & Freshwater Pearl Bracelet

Yes . . . I've done a little more bracelet making and I thought you might like to see one of them . . . after seeing my recent bracelet creations, Mum told me she had some mauve beads at home that had come from a bracelet that had broken. She also told me she had an Iron Ore & Freshwater Pearl Bracelet AND an Iron Ore & Mother of Pearl Bracelet that she hardly wore because they were too tight and the clasp was too fiddly for her to do up on her own.

When they came visiting for James' birthday, she brought them all with her and last night I sat down whilst watching Australia lose in the cricket to India - *sniff* *sniff* (insert sad face here) - and firstly made a double stranded mauve & purple bracelet AND then another where I intermingled the two Iron Ore bracelets into one and made her a double stranded bracelet for her.

I just love the Iron Ore one! I had originally intended to use silver with it but I'm glad I chose to go with the gold . . . it really compliments it all so perfectly and I just love the weight of the whole thing too!

I'm thinking now I might have to get out the Iron Ore & Freshwater Pearl Bracelet they bought for me and re-string it with some additional bali gold in there - if I do, I'll have to make sure I take a before and after photo to share won't I?

On the home front, yesterday was a big day in the garden - well, for me anyway. Stuart took James up to the track for a Go Kart practice session until just after lunch so Adam and I got busy outside - a little spraying, pruning, planting, mulching and then designing a new garden bed - well, more just extending an existing one BUT I'm planning on edging it all with more Tanika plants so that it compliments the rest of the adjoining garden - yeah, I know . . . more photos are needed so that you know what I'm talking about - *grin*

Now before I go, I just wanted to share this wonderful 'ABC of Friends' list that I found over on Paula's blog - I'm thinking it would make a wonderful mini album idea, hence me including it here so that I don't loose it on my computer somewhere - *grin* - thanks so much Paula for sharing it with us!

A Friend Accepts you as you are.
A Friend Believes in you.
A Friend Calls you just to say Hi.
A Friend Doesn’t give up on you.
A Friend Envisions the whole of you.
A Friend Forgives your mistakes.
A Friend Gives unconditionally.
A Friend Helps you.
A Friend Invites you over.
A Friend Just likes to be with you.
A Friend Keeps you close at heart.
A Friend Loves you for who you are.
A Friend Makes a difference in your life.
A Friend Never judges you.
A Friend Offers support.
A Friend Picks you up when you’re down.
A Friend Quiets (=soften, ease) your tears.
A Friend Respects you.
A Friend Says nice things about you.
A Friend Tells you the truth when you need to hear it.
A Friend Understands you.
A Friend Values you.
A Friend Walks besides you.
A Friend Xplains things you don’t understand.
A Friend Yells when you need to listen.
A Friend Zaps you back to reality.

Well - I think that's it for me today . . . I'd better go and get some domestic duties done and out of the way so that I can get stuck into finishing off a scrapbooking page I started over the weekend as well!

Until next time . . .