FIRST BLOG

I'm such a good (bad) example of learning curves!  As you can see, my own efforts to create a beautiful "blog" page have failed miserably.  Thankfully, I do have friends that can help - after the holidays. . .so, in order to be timely, I need to post my FIRST blog on a crappy blog page.  No reflection on Blogger, or how difficult it is to use (it isn't according to responders to my Facebook request for help) but it IS a reflection of my own problem of reading instructions and putting them into action!

So, to share what's been going on with me this holiday season. . .I'm plowing ahead!!!!  Going places I've never gone before .  .  .

My enamel studio was shut down for the holiday.  Hubby bought a new band saw and my space got filled up as his space was revamped (That's what you do when you live in a small townhouse and every inch of space is crowded!  That’s all I’m saying about band saws!).

The benefit  from this experience of space sharing is that I've had unlimited pre-holiday time (if not space) to devote to making holiday decorations. . .a favorite pastime of mine for this time of year.  Making Christmas decorations!  What better way to use my enamel beads and my HUGE bead and button collection!!!

I started with this little feather tree and decked every branch (BEFORE Thanksgiving) with a sweet little enamel bead ornaments.  That just made me want to make more decorations. . .after all, my dining room table and every other flat surface was covered with boxes of beads, caps, wire, findings, bead soups, etc., etc., etc. . .

The search for another small tree resulted in this whimsical tree from ChristmasEveTrees.com

And the ornament creation began again. You see, there are lots of branches even though it's only 2.5 feet tall!

The garland is made from two blue bead necklaces from Beads For Life (http://www.beadforlife.org/en/frontpage/us).  Most of the other decorations are centered around my enamels and personal bead collection/hoard.  Center left is a small ceramic disc connector that was sent as a "thank you" gift with my last order of Wooly Wire from Karen Totten - Starry Road Studio (http://www.etsy.com/shop/ktotten?ref=seller_info).  Color was perfect for use with some mini rubber o rings from Yvonne Irvin-Faus (My Elements http://www.etsy.com/shop/myelements).

I used lots of enamel beads (my own work) but just couldn't resist adding a few treasures from my VAST bead collection!  In the picture above - center, far left, there is a little icicle from Joan Miller's (http://www.joanmiller.com/ ) 2012 Winter Blog Collection.

Pictured below is her photo of the collection.  I also used some of the darling little stars (not pictured) and the silver snowflakes as ornaments.  I may leave them in the ornament collection.  The beautiful lentil and all the other little bits are reserved for ME in future jewelry pieces!  They are beautiful all by themselves as they wait in the hoard!  

Joan Miller's photo of the winter blog collection.  Every bead is a treasure!

                                                              More photos of ornaments. . 

 And the button trees. . .

TA DA!

 

 I think I'm done with this tree!  Oh, and the painting behind the tree is by friend and local artist, Catherine Christopher (http://www.artworkbycjnc.com/).

But I'm not quite done with the creation process or the mess!  This weekend will be THE END!  Working on Christmas sussies - button trees - for my friends in the Ladies Bible Study Group and for the gals at Tuesday Nite Bead Fun!  Now, where did those elves go?

Again apologies for the blog page. . .the next one will be much better looking (I hope!).  I just couldn't wait till after Christmas to show my Christmas FUN!

Blessings to all!