15 years...

and still going!

Today is the hubster and my 15th anniversary so I figured that this pseudo-macro shot was most fitting.  We actually renew our vows each year (typically in a fairly low key manner, although there was a trip to the Little White Chapel Drive Through Tunnel of Love in Vegas one year), and have since our first anniversary.  Without going all mushcake, I'll just say that I am very very lucky!

I can't believe it's been weeks since my last post...or maybe I'm really not that surprised at all.  I took on what turned out to be a much more involved project than I anticipated...refinishing our kitchen cabinets.  It took 5 weeks of 6-10 hour weekend days but I'm finally done and my stress level has decreased exponentially!  I didn't realize how much it would bother me to have everything in the kitchen cabinets open and visible while I worked on the doors, but the clutter drove me crazy!

For the past 9 weeks I've also been taking a terrific ceramics class at a local university...it's my first time throwing on a wheel so I am definitely still very much in the beginner stages but at least things that I've made are worth hanging on to or gifting instead of smashing!

This gorgeous color came from a fortuitous mix of two red glazes (although the second red is actually more purple in my opinion) but unfortunately there's a little pinhole at the bottom of the bowl where the glaze didn't flow back in after it bubbled.

I seem to be most effective at making little jars/pots like these...

of course the only thing I really wanted to make is a giant coffee mug!  Maybe after the next round of 9 weeks I'll come away with one!

Now head on over to Studio Waterstone and check out all of the lovely close up shots from this week!

Check it out...

So if you didn't get to wander over to my blog partners' blogs yesterday I have a peek of their creations to show you today.  Follow the links to their blogs to see more photos and a description of their design thoughts...

Patty started off with a beachy combination that mixed some pretty little charms and sari silk...

Cilla threw tangerine ribbon into the mix for her bracelet...

Hope busted out of her comfort zone with a mix of fun fibers...

and Linda mixed a little golden glow in with her frosty focal.

The thing that just blew me away (beyond the amazing talent and designs these lovely ladies showed off) was that they all incorporated fiber into their pieces!  Didn't they do a great job?

What about you?  How would you work one of these buttons into a design?  Or would you do something other than jewelry with it? 

Blog Partner Reveal!

I've been making some larger buttons in my last few kiln loads so I wanted to give some blog buddies a chance to show off what could be done with them.

This month I drew three names to participate...

Cilla:  Tell Your Girlfriends Jewelry

Linda: Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings

Patty: My Life Under the Bus

...then also added Hope because I had drawn her name but removed her from my list after confusing her blog with another that didn't have a blog partner button up: Crafty Hope

Stop by and visit their blogs to see their creations!  I'll post a recap here tomorrow!

What Would You Do? Wednesday

Ok, so I'm pretty confident that I said this post would happen on Valentine's Day but since I didn't get the chance to even turn my computer on yesterday (a three hour visit with the CPA to take care of our taxes will have that effect...of course during that time I also found out that the potential pupper addition ended up with the first applicants), today will have to suffice.

So this is the little heart I put out there as a challenge for this go around.  Did you think of some interesting things to combine with it?

I thought that I'd use this charm for a bracelet accent...and start with this Verdigris patinaed chain from Miss FickleMedia. 

Then I'd add on a gaggle of dangles in pretty pink peruvian opal rondelles from Magpie Gemstones...

and a bunch of these lampwork beads from pinkbeach that I found on Etsy...

and maybe these little Czech seed beads in mint julep from SabsGlassandDestash on Etsy for the ends of the headpin dangles.

Can't wait to see what you came up with!

Ups and Downs...

It was a week of having hopes dashed but a few beady silver linings did appear.

All signs seemed to point to this beautiful boy joining our family...

Unfortunately it wasn't until a third email exchange and a week's time that we learned that were were in fact the second applicants for him, not the first.  My fingers remain crossed (and the pupper's paws are crossed as she would LOVE a little brother) that the first applicants decide that he's just too much of a love bug to take home so that he can come live with us instead!

There also was a little thing this week with a dream home that isn't to be, but on the upside, the speech therapy app I've been working on for months went live in the app store this weekend.

Beads help make things better too!  I was so lucky to receive a spectacular assortment of lampwork in a giveaway held by the lovely Lesley of Thea Jewellery.  All of the beads in the collage (plus a bunch more) with the exception of the set in the bottom left corner were from Lesley's stash.  She sent some awesome focals as well as some really lovely coordinating sets. The set at the bottom with the sweet little bird and nest are also a giveaway winning, that one from Marianna of Star Girl Jewelry and Lampwork Glass.  They're super cute!

Of course, as is my way, I'll just hoard these babies for a little while...keep them out on my coffee table in a little bowl and admire them!

Don't forget to join up on Tuesday with your virtual design plans for this little petal pink imprinted heart!

Hope your weekend was wonderful :)

Blog Partners?

Yoo Hoo...anyone out there?  I heard from Patty so I have one of my three blog partners confirmed.  After drawing three more times with random.org and landing on three more blog partners without the blog button up, I decided I'd remove those names as I came across them, so if you no longer see your name there that's the reason.  If your name is still listed and you do want to continue to participate, please double check that you have the blog button on your sidebar!

So... Cilla Watkins  and Linda Landig are you up to join Patty for the blog partner challenge this month?  I'd like to send out the goodies on Saturday at the latest so hopefully you're keeping up with your blog reading this week!

What Would You Do? Wednesday

I don't know how this week has already gotten away from me!  Tuesday evening I realized that a) it's almost Wednesday and b) it's the first of the month!  So that means first it's time to find out if you had any inspiration from the chunky buttons I posted last week....

I don't use a lot of buttons in my jewelry designs so I really hope to see some creative inspiration with these.

Link up here with your ideas:

I think I'd like to see a necklace using one button in an asymmetrical front loop closure.  Maybe with a pop of color from some recycled sari ribbon?  These lovlies are offered by designtalentedone on Etsy.

Wouldn't it be nice to see some little floral accents with a bit of shine like a Green Girl Studios flower?

I might need a little bit more shimmer but I'm stumped for what else to include.  Any ideas?

There are so many wonderful blog challenges, hops, parties and soups going on that I think my weekly virtual design challenge is a little much for most people's overloaded plates so I'll scale back to once a month in the hope that it will be more accessible for participation.  Hmmm, how about this little heart with a Valentine's Day reveal date?

Took a couple of tries to draw eligible blog partners for my blog partner renewal!  The lovely Erin Prais-Hintz contacted me after my last post and said if her name was selected to give someone else a chance.  Of course, given the way the universe works, the first name selected was Erin's!

So I re-drew and selected:  Wendy Blum... who I don't have a blog link for!  Wendy, if you see this in the next 48 hours please contact me!

I then drew another name but they didn't have my blog partner button up so I had to try again...

Yay for Cindy Cima who was all set with her blog button!

...and then there was another name without a blog button... and one more... before Patty Gasparino saved me from a sure fate of throwing in the towel for the evening!

So, Wendy, Cindy and Patty...send me an email and let me know if you can commit to having your piece ready for reveal on the last Monday of the month.

I'll keep the names that I drew who didn't qualify on the list for one more drawing then I'll clean out the list and remove any names where the blog button isn't visible.

Thanks for participating!