Christmas Spirit

I'm trying very hard to get into the Christmas Spirit. I don't know why i'm having such a hard time with it this year. We put up the same tree with the same ornaments every year. We can't have a real tree anymore because of allergies. The pine stuffs us up so bad. The same old Christmas village.

I'm a little discouraged with my AF shop too. People look but don't buy. I understand the economy SUCKS. So i'm going to do something different there too after the holiday. Until then everything is marked down thirty percent, Actually, I think the scarves are going to http://homelessbridge.blogspot.com/ it's damn cold out.

Well, what i'm going to do is probably going to take till next year but i'm going to start working on it now. I am going to do an all Chain Maille Christmas tree. I will be doing Christmas ornaments all year long, some to sell and some for me.

So thats my plan....

Odds and Ends

Have you praised your child lately?
The link above is a video short done by a college student. I think it was worth watching, hope you do too.


So, i'm working on a few things. Here is a set of earrings I did with the square wire. They need a little bit more work but I love the look of the Jade with the copper.

These will be available on my AF shop tomorrow.
I made jump rings with the wire. It was slow going but well worth it. I've started a couple things with those. Here's one, this is a section of Full Persian. The square wire gives it a nice look and I think it would make a nice mans bracelet.

This is a section of Helm Chain with silver plate and the square copper rings. I think I like this one better. It shows off the copper more.

So thats what i've been doin. Back to it, see you tomorrow..

bebstreasures

We're all getting ready for Thanksgiving and Black Friday and cyber Monday.....I will not be leaving my house on Friday, that is for sure. There are so many things available on the web, and I am one of those last minute shoppers anyway..

People just think commercial when the Christmas season rolls around. I know, i've said it before. But I am saying it again. Our country is filled with talented people. People that use their hearts and their hands to make beautiful things that can be kept forever.

I'm sure everyone has heard of planned obsolescence. This is when things are made in a manufacturing environment and after a certain amount of time it needs parts replaced or has to be replaced completely. So all those gadgets and video games are going to be gone long before the piece of jewelry or wood carving or afghan you buy handmade.

The shop i'm about to show you has beautifully handcrafted jewelry pieces in it. They are heirloom quality. 20 years from now when someone asks your child or grandchild where they got the beautiful bracelet they can say it was handmade years ago and given to me by my mother whose mother gave it to her....

http://www.artfire.com/users/bebstreasures

Jade bracelet

Periwinkle bracelet

i rambled a little today, sorry about that...

Yup, twice in one day again....

You have to love the name....http://www.artfire.com/users/dingusdan 

Unique Wood Expressions is the name on his studio....and unique doesn't begin to descibe his art. I am seeing so many good things in here. This is one of my favorites

Wood Spirit..This is hand carved!!! It gives me goose bumps.

Dan calls himself an amateur but I can see nothing in the amateur range in his shop, he is a true artist, you can tell he puts heart into the design and craft of his work.

This one is my favorite, wolves are my favorite animal, and I may have to get this one for myself after Christmas....

So thats two that you have to go see today and spread the word...

Art and Thanksgiving

Today is Tuesday, that means there is only another day till we start cooking. I love to cook Thanksgiving dinner. It's so good and looks so nice, the only problem is that people eat in 20 minutes and the end result is a mess. And you have to clean it up....ok I guess it's worth it.

I was posting my item of the day today, I will show you that, it's the first wire wrapped ring i've made. It was fun. It's a simple thing to do after a big project. I have found that I need small things to do after a larger, time consumming project. There is almost a letdown after i've finished, not a letdown but a feeling of, Oh no, what do I do next? So I let my mind wander on the small stuff. So here it is:

So, anyway, when I was posting, someone else put up a painting as thier item of the day. Ya know when you see something and it just kicks you in the butt? Well, this painting did this. I don't know why but I don't think i'm supposed to know why. It's just one of those things.

Rosie Rowe is an absolutely brilliant artist. She doesn't only put things on canvas, she does altered bottle caps, which are really neat. She paints on wood, she makes journals....
http://www.artfire.com/users/Rosie_Rowe

Just go take a peek..you will want to after i show you these....

That wonderful painting and one of her handmade journals.

One more for Monday

So I blogged once today, but hey, look what you would be missing if I didn't do it again....

Aren't they adorable? I love lampwork beads and she makes wonderful use of them with these earrings.

She has free shipping to all countries!!!! How excellent is that!!

How bout these..

You wanna go look now don't you?

Here, I will make it easy..

http://www.artfire.com/users/BlueSerendipity

See you tomorrow,,,