A Fool for Orchids

It's been another productive weekend all around...even if I only did half of the "housekeeping" items on my list. At least the big jobs are done. We've got company coming to visit in a week and a half so I'm just scurrying all around the house in preparation.

That's not to say that I haven't taken a few moments to be creative! I sat down to play with my very favorite flowers...orchids! I never paid much attention to orchids until about a year or so ago. Didn't care about them. Heard they were a pain to grow. Blew them off. Totally. And then my Mom bought me one. And I can't get enough of them. I now have nine. And they're fussy. And fantastic!

Obviously, it was a real hardship for me to work with silk orchids today. Here's my wee little orchid arrangement in a thrifted lotus bowl. Okay, maybe it's not so little. It stands about a foot tall!

Serpentine & Silver

Yep, I'm still in bead heaven...neglecting my floral endeavors completely which is not a good thing when you have floral work to do! But...it's a faster process to create jewelry than to create a floral arrangement. Or at least it is when you're a novice jewelry maker. I'm sure it will become more time consuming as I attempt more "inventive" designs. I've been assembling these last few items simply to learn the basic skills. All in all, it's a relaxing hobby!

I really do favor sterling silver and Swarovski crystals which work together very well. This set is made with corrugated round sterling silver beads, sterling squash beads, pale green Swarovski crystals, African bloodstone and "new jade" serpentine. All the findings are sterling silver as well with the exception of the crimp tubes which are silver plate.

Bead Mania

Beads, beads and more beads! That's what I've been up to lately. Just wanted to share the bracelet and earring sets I made today...

I'm enamored of copper beads and findings at the moment. For this set I used Light Colorado Topaz Swarovski crystals, Celtic design copper beads, brecciated jasper, river stone and African bloodstone.

This second set also contains brecciated jasper, African bloodstone and river stone. I then added coiled copper beads and copper acorn and oak leaf charms.

I also finished the turquoise necklace from a few posts back so I can cross that off my WIPs :)

Lucy-thanks for the tip about using my scanner instead of a camera to get great images of my jewelry. It worked really well, as you can see!

Perhaps some of these jewelry creations will find their way onto Etsy???? Hmmmm.......perhaps! Guess I need to get busy making more!

A Hint of Autumn

Is it me or is time zooming by this summer? Autumn is just around the bend...and already my floral designs are learning toward harvest colors. I just can't believe how quickly the summer has passed...or how long it's been since my last post. Where have I been? LOL

I did manage to take a long break from work and during the week & a half I was out, I only managed this one creation. I did, however, clear out and reorganize the disaster area known as the garage so that yours truly, Mizfixit, could actually find a tool or two in order to fix something... anything!!! The upside to the Great Garage Clean-up of 2007 is that I discovered I did not own a working jigsaw or router. This, of course, necessitated a trip to buy a new jigsaw. I can't exist without a jigsaw...they are SOOOOO useful! And yes, I was gleeful (in the store) because I was buying a power tool. I'm such a dweeb. Soon, I'll be going back to buy a new router and a compound miter saw. On the same day. OMG. I promise I won't drool! Much. Once all those toys are in place, the woodcrafting will begin! :) Yep, I'm all over the crafty map, aren't I?

And..................I got another commission!!!!! I'll be doing 2 matching pieces--a tall container arrangement for an entry porch corner with a matching piece for the door. Yippee!!! Word is slowly getting out!