kentaymom

I'm going to Illinois (the Chicago area) this weekend and I'm hoping to find a bead store there! I'll have to have my SIL scope it out for me! Laceyjo - I'm so excited for you! Have a great time at your class. I think the "beadlady" you are talking about probably does lampworked beads. That looks like a lot of fun, but there are no classes in my area for it and it doesn't look like something I want to try to figure out on my own! Me + torch = disaster! BTW -I bought a big urn to plant my garden in. I'm going to get it started next week when I get back from Illinois. I'll post a picture when it starts growing! Ottermum - Well, I placed my first order with Fire Mountain ($90.00!!! Eeek!) I have been selling some of the things I make at a little gift shop down the road though, so I'm calling it a "business expense" - sounds good to me! Happy beading everyone!

Yes, I have bought some beads on Ebay and so far Ihave had great results. In fact, just a couple fo days ago my last purchase arrived. I have been busy this week and haven't had time to "play" yet. BTW - I checked with the ceramic shop and she will fire the silver clay for me! Now I'm off to order some. I REALLY need to hit that lottery!

I got my Fire Mountain catalog yesterday!!!! Now I just have to win the lottery....

I found a lot of sites on the silver clay. Here are a few of them: www.silver-clay.com has the lowest prices that I have found www.delphihotglass.com lots of neat info and projects www.pmcsupply.com another nice site Do a search for silver art clay and you'll find lots more. I think I'm going to order some tomorrow after I find out for sure that the ceramic shop will fire it for me. I guess you can also fire it with a torch - but that is a little scary! I'd burn my house down!!

Hi Susan! I like to crochet too. It's funny, but crochet is what led to to making jewelry. I wanted to try bead crochet, and I started adding beads to scarves and things. Next thing you know I'm making crochet bookmarks, then beaded bookmarks, now jewelry! I haven't picked up my crochet in weeks. I go through "phases" with my crafting. I paint, make candles, make paper, crochet, and make jewelry. Along with a msih-mash of other things, but those are my "old stand-by's". I'll do one for a while, then get bored with it and move on to something else. I get bored easily and have a very short attention span (I'm like a 2 year old) so I have never completed an afghan. I've started lots of them! The last one I started actually became a scarf.

There is a bead store about 30 miles from here that I go to for my "focal" beads. I think Fire Mountain has some too - check their website and look under "pendants" or maybe "shells". It's hard to find interesting pieces. Have you seen the silver clay I mentioned in an earlier post? I want to give that a try so I can make my oun pendants and charms. I looked at Michael's and AC Moore yesterday but they don't carry it. I'm going to have to order it off the net.

I love french onion soup and was very happy to see that Progresso makes a French Onion with only 1 point per 1 cup serving! I had some for dinner and it was very good. I sprinkled mine with a little parmesan cheese.

First I want to tell you that I don't think your necklace looks amaturish at all! I think it's very pretty I like the different colors you used together - it is very "summery". I don't usually follow patterns - I just let my beads tell me what to do. Sounds corny, I know. That is really pretty much what happens though. I start sorting through and making up patterns and changing things around until I like the look of it. I use a bead board to come up with the pattern then string them once I'm sure I like it. They are only a couple bucks at craft stores right in the bead section. They really are a great tool for coming up with designs.

Here are some pics of some of my necklaces....

Sounds like fun! I'll think about some suggestions and get back to post them...

Very Nice! I'll try to post some pics of things I have made. I little tip for taking photos of you jewelry - use you scanner! Just put the piece right on the scanner and scan away! You won;t believe how clear they come out! I'll post a couple pics when I get home from work. LaceyJo - Thanks for all the great Fairy Gifts! That was a lot of fun. It does seem that we ahve a lot in common doesn't it?

Have any of you tried making glass beads? It looks fun - but I don't know if I really trust myself with a torch!!! :eek: I did see a lady on tv the other day (HGTV - Crafters Coast to Coast, great show!) who made silver jewelry with a new type of silver clay you can buy. It has to be fired in a kiln, but there's a ceremic shop in my town that will fire pieces for a small fee. I think that will be my next venture! I found a great website with instructions and they also sell all of the stuff you need for lots ofdifferent types of glass working crafts. I'll check the link (i hope I remember to bookmark it!) and pass it on if any of you are nterested.

I think the handmade earrings for your sister sounds like a great idea! She will surely cherish them. Another idea for a good starter project (it's what actually got me started) is making bookmarks. I saw some at Borders and knew I could make them myself. They are basically a long piece of string with a few beads at each end for weight - and they wanted $6.95 for them!!! They called them "book thongs". I still make them when I have a few "orphan" beads hanging around from a project. I'm not sure why I'm not getting my catalog - I'm atching my mailbox very closely though!

I have recently disovered making beaded jewelry and I am ADDICTED!!! It is so much fun! As Steen said, Fire Mountain is an excellent resource. My only complaint is that I have requested a catalog 2 times and still haven't recieved one. Their website is very good though. I also buy a lot of stuff on Ebay. You can find some good deals on beads - but watch out for the S/H fees. Steen - I'm going to check out that link you mentioned too!

I bought this yogurt today on sale at the grocery store. Never tried this brand before, but figured I'd give it a whirl. Well, the Chocolate Underground flavor is very tasty. The consistancy is a little thin - I like my yogurt nice and thick - but it is VERY chocolatey and goes a long way to satisfy a choco-craving. The chocolate flavor is 3pts but the rest of the flavors are 2pts.