Bling Things...

There is so much going on this time of year!  I am painting my little hands off for the ornament orders coming in - how lucky is that?  In between though, I am still trying to clean out my studio.  I am still working on the fabric surplus, and continue to make tote bags and dolls, yet somehow, it doesn't seem like my cache of fabric has gone down at all and I can't seem to figure out why?  I've decided that it's the same principle that applies to laundry, no matter how many loads you do, the baskets always seem to remain full?!  It defies logic and reason, but there it is all the same!   :)

I've now moved along into my stash of beads.  I've been collecting new and vintage beads for years.  Never with the idea of making jewelry with them, more for crafts here and there and the occasional yard sale "oh look!  It's pretty so maybe I will find something to do with it!"  Well, it's time!  I spent my spare time this week teaching myself (with the help of Youtube) how to make beaded jewelry and here are my results!



These were some of my Grandmothers beads.  They were on one string and very heavy and clunky.  I tried to modernize them by doing them in more of a layered look. 



I am trying to improve my photography skills, however, I certainly still have a lot to learn.  I've put all of these on my Etsy shop, (www.etsy.com/shop/bojams) just to see what happens.  Now I'm off to a local craft fair where my wonderful friend, Paula, is showcasing her talent today!  Check out her etsy shop www.etsy.com/shop/snugglebunnytoo. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving, stay safe!  I am so thankful to all of you for letting me show you my humble projects!  Have a wonderful day!

The Inevitable...

I think we all knew that when I started trying to use my surplus fabric to make rag dolls that eventually I would make one for myself, didn't we?



Ornament Avalanche!

Hello again!  I have had several folks ask me recently to see samples of my ornaments.  It never occurred to me that once I switched to blog format instead of a website that I would lose my "photo album"!  So here is a sampling for everyone to see!



Sounds Like a Plan!

Another week has just flown by!  The leaves are changing and Halloween has come and gone.  This was the first year that neither of my boys went trick or treating, but my nephew and his wife brought their two little ones to my house so I was able to get my "fix" of cuteness!  I tried to be a bit more creative with my pumkin this year - thanks to my addiction to Pinterest! - here's a quick look....

Over the summer, I was asked by interior designer Karen Dunlap (kmdinteriors.com) to paint a mural on the wall of one of her clients (he happens to be a friend of ours as well).  He recently purchased a gorgeous town house and asked Karen for her help in the design.  He was looking for a pop of color and something that sort of meandered from the top left corner of the wall to the bottom right.  He is so musical that I suggested we run a sound file down the wall.  He recorded a saying that would inspire him (I told him I wouldn't tell what he said :)) and I set about painting it on his wall. 

Here's the blank wall - the flat screen hangs in the middle and he will have two corner bar tables and stools with orange pendant lights above them in either corner.  I love that he opted to use his formal living area for a game room!

I used painters tape to approximate where I want the painting to go.  It's so easy to reposition and step back to look at the placement!

The first coats.  I wanted there to be a lot of movement in the painting so it looks like the wall is reacting to the sound.

 

I used some light teal to brighten some areas.

The teal really makes it glow.

Here's a close up of the top corner. 



The addition of the sound file across the wall (avoiding the inevitable equipment shelf!)



The finished product.  I used an opalescent paint on the sound file and it literally glows.  I can't wait to see it in the evening with the pendant lights hanging over it!  He certainly got the pop of color! You can't see that there's some orange subtly running through it which will tie it in with his color scheme, but it's there.

Have a great week everyone and enjoy your fall!