My First Bead Soup!

I'm getting excited for my first "Bead Soup Blog Party"!! And no, you don't exchange soup recipes on your blog. Although that would be rather yummy - this is probably a bit more colorful!

Lori Anderson's having a Bead Soup Blog Party over on her blog "Pretty Things" and there's a BA-Zillion people signed up! (Well, almost!)

I've peeked in on some of the past Bead Soup Blog Parties and have completely drooled over the beautiful pieces folks have put together out of the beads they were sent. There are some talented people out there, that's for sure!

I've got my focal bead, my clasp and my other beads all put together and am waiting to see who my soup partner is so I can send them off this week. I hope they like what I've picked out. I'd love to post a pic of what I'm sending, but I'm not sure that's allowed!!

I must say though, that they're pretty 'safe' - color wise - and not too risky or anything. I know I'd love to get them and create something beautiful out of them, so I'm guessing it'll be okay! But, you want to know what's totally freaky?  I didn't include one single pearl - NOT ONE!  That's the most unusual thing I've done all week - so out of character for me. But, I'm not going back and 're-doing' my bead soup mix that I'm giving away because I love the focal bead and the clasp too much and the beads I picked go quite well with them - pearls just didn't make the mix this time! Oh my,...pearls not making the mix,...that just hurts to say! 

"Pearl Stash" from one of my trips
to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show



Any Hoo,.....Go ahead and hop on over to Lori's blog - "Pretty Things" - and check out the details of the Bead Soup so that next time around, you can participate too!

Have a great week everyone!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Here's to a Cup of Bead Soup!

Cheers,

~Shel~

"Peace Baby"
Labrodorite and Kyanite Bead "Sculpture"

A Few More,...

As I mentioned, I've got a few more things I've been working on and now have pics of:

Multi-Strand Beaded Waxed Linen Bracelets

Unisex Leather "Sliders"

Beaded Skull Arm Wear

My elbow feels almost back to normal (thank goodness!) since I haven't been hammering, forging or bending wire lately.  This "Time Out" has forced me to open my creative mind and try some new techniques. I've been having a ball creating so many different styles and designs lately. When I get back in to the studio in August I should be pretty well stocked with a wide range of items!

"Surf's Up"

Ladies Leather "Slider" Bracelets

I've been playing around with some cool skull beads my sister and I picked up in Tucson at the Gem Show in February - pretty wild, huh?    He's got personality - that's for sure!

"Space Alien" Skull Key Chain

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Variety Baby!!

Cheers,

~Shel~

A Few Treats!

I've been a creating fool with these beaded wrap bracelets - let me tell you! I taught my sister-in-law to make these this summer while having a Buettner family reunion over the 4th of July - fun times for sure!

I love Tracy's videos over on Make Bracelets Blog!  Along with her tutorials and a few other videos on You Tube, I was able to take the different variations of this technique and create my own way of doing them.

I'm gearing up for the Annual Nutrioso BBQ - last weekend in July - and this year proceeds from my booth sales will go to help out the Nutrioso Fire Department and possibly to some families in the area who lost their homes due to the Wallow Fire (which is now 100% contained!) that burned so much of the beautiful area we spend our summers in!!

Here's a couple of pics of some of the beaded wrap bracelets I've been doing.  I'm also creating some 8 stranded beaded waxed linen bracelets, some leather and silver sliders, and some beaded macrame bracelets and necklaces, too (lots of fibers, cords, fabrics and such - much easier on my elbow than smacking metal around - gotta let things heal, I guess!).

I'm taking pics of a few of the other bracelets today and will have those up here on the blog early next week, so stay tuned!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Beady Bracelets!!
Cheers,
~Shel~

Summer Time Fun!

This is shaping up as a summer of many “Firsts” and a few “Done that Before” scenarios!

List of 1^st’s:

• Evacuated from a forest fire (Wallow Fire - Largest Wild Fire in Arizona’s History)
• Had our son, who’s a bit under-age, drive more than 15 miles on a state highway (due to being evacuated from the Wallow Fire)
• Drove a truck w/dogs in the cab (I’m more of a cat person!)
• Taught someone to macrame (after just being taught by my sister!)
• Tried deep-fried Twinkies (They sucked! The deep-fried peaches were better!)
• Filled Sandbags to help with flooding from the Wallow Fire in Eastern, AZ

• Bought penis shaped tequila bottles with my two of my sister-in-laws
• Slept in the RV all by myself
• Found an awesome stash of cool vintage beads and buttons in a really neato Antique Store in Kansas while in the middle of a massive down-pour!
• Met Nic, Logan’s “Twin Brother From Another Mother” who live in Germany
• Taught my sister-in-law to make beaded wrap bracelets
• Spent the 4^th of July in Kansas
• Missed the 4^th of July parade and fireworks in Nutrioso
• Took a lesson from my sister on how to tile/grout a shower

List of “Done that Before”:

• Drove through Oklahoma and Texas on the way to Kansas (and would prefer those two states be taken out of the drive all together – they’re the worst!!)
• Visited Mike’s sis and Bro-in-Law in Kansas and had a ball!!
• Hung out w/my sis eating popcorn while watching movies and past episodes of Glee
• Drove between the Hindman/Drachman cabins a million times!
• Had a glass of wine with Mary on the cabin porch
• Walked the path to the tree house a ton of times

• Slept in the RV with the hubby and son
• Packed way too much for all of my trips
• Beaded on the cabin porch
• Celebrated Logan’s birthday in the mountains
• Sat quietly on the cabin porch and enjoyed the birdies and the wind in the pines

Hope your summer is shaping up to be one of your best ever!

Drop me a line and tell me what some of your “First's” and “Done That’s” are this summer!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Interesting Summer Fun!!

Cheers,

~Shel~

June Pearls!

June's birthstone is the lovely and ever so fascinating PEARL!! 

My son was born in June and since pearls are my all time FAVORITE gemstone, I thought I'd show you a couple of pieces of awesome jewelry here - to entice you, of course!

The June Summer Sale over on my Etsy shop is going on now through June 22nd and you can save 15% on your total order.

Just enter JUNE15 upon check out to get some of these gorgeous pearl designs (and all other designs, too!!) for a spectacluar price!

And, here's a few Pearl Tid-Bits, too:

• June's Birthstone is the Pearl
• Pearls are one of only a handful of organic gemstones. (Organic gems come from things that were once living or were produced by a living organism and include not only pearls, but amber, coral, ivory, and jet.)
• Pearls were once believed to protect sailors from storms while at sea.
• Pearls are the most widely chosen gemstone for bridal necklaces.
• Diamonds might be a girls best friend, but pearls are a "cultured girls" best friend!!
• Metaphysically Pearls are believed to encourage open, heart to heart communication, to allow you to see the good within yourself and to protect the wearer from harm.

And, my favorite quote: (Author Unknown) "Pearls are the Gem of Queens and the Queen of Gems!"  (Gotta Love That One!)

So, as summer is now officially upon us (as of 10:31a.m. the news reported today), enjoy the Summer Season by hanging with family and friends, soaking up the sun and enjoying the outdoors and by happily celebrating the beauty of Pearls in your own, stylish way!


Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and "Pearls Baby"!!
Cheers,
~Shel~

  

Beautiful Land!

 

Many of you have sent messages because you have seen the little Animoto video I have here with my MiShel Designs models who were on location in Nutrioso and Alpine, AZ.

I appreciate your kind words and prayers for all those affected by the Wallow Fire here in Eastern, AZ and I wanted to let everyone know that, although we were evacuated while staying at my Brother-in-law and sister's cabin in the Nutrioso area, we are all fine.  Thank you for all the kind words and well wishes for everyone affected by this awful fire.

I will be putting some new designs up in my Etsy shop later this summer with proceeds going to help the people who have been mis-placed from their homes and I'll be sure to post this information here on my blog and on Facebook and Twitter as well once they're up.

Again, thanks for your emails and messages and please keep the people of Eastern Arizona and all those who have homes, land and family and friends in this area in your thoughts and prayers. Also, please hold close in your prayers all the fire fighters and those involved in fighting this fire and protecting everyone's homes as well - they are doing the very best and it hasn't been an easy fight!

It truly is one of the most amazing and beautiful places I've ever seen  in my life and although it is going to look very different for quite a while, I'm sure that somehow, someway, some time from now, it will again be the majestic and amazing place we've all come to love and cherish!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Beautiful Places filled with Hope and Happiness!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Banana Fiber is YUMMY!!

Okay - I'm totally hooked on ribbons and yarns from "Darn Good Yarn"! Especially their Banana Fiber Yarn!  It's so YUMMY and SOFT!

 

I created some bangles with this super cool yarn and wrapped it up with some .925 Sterling Silver Wire and sporadically added some Turquoise bead dangles for movement and fun!

Funky, fun, soft, and FLUFFY – these bangles are your ticket to WILD!

You can find these cool bangles hanging out in my Etsy Shop.

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Funky Fibers!!

Cheers,

~Shel~ 

P.S. Check out this cool "Peace Baby" necklace I also created with some super soft Banana Fiber Yarn.  This one was donated to a cancer benefit being held next month for a young woman who's standing up to Brain Cancer, but various ones will be up in my Etsy shop in June!

Yummy Pearls for Review!

When Szarka over at Magpie Gemstones allowed me to do a pearl review here on my blog - I was jumping for joy!  (You know me and my pearls, baby!!)


She sent this super yummy and delicious strand of freshwater cultured white stick pearls and once they arrived it was hard to stop drooling!
These beauties have a great luster and rose overtones (rainbow effect) and the nacre on them is very thick and clean. They're approximately 17 to 22 mm and their soft glow is superb!

I thought these would be the perfect pearls to hand knot with some Swarovski Crystals and a few other freshwater cultured pearls to create a necklace that could be worn with jeans and a "T" or dressed up for a night out on the town!


Here's what I created. What do you think?  This particular necklace is being donated to put in a silent auction for a caner benefit being held this summer.  I think someone's going to feel really good wearing these pearls.  First, knowing they've helped raise funds for a family in need and second, just because they're so darn beautful!!

Thanks Szarka and Magpie Gemstones for allowing me to do this pearl review - your gemstones ROCK!

Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and "Pearls Baby"
Cheers,
~Shel~

FTC compliance disclosure: the Magpie Gemstones items mentioned in this post were provided free of charge for review/design purpose only.

MiShel Designs Keshi Pearl Dangle Earrings in the latest issue of BeadStyle Magazine!

Thank you BeadStyle Magazine for making my Keshi Pearl Dangle Earrings look so amazing!  (And for including them on the front cover - you ROCK!!)

Grab the July issue of BeadStyle Magazine which hits new stands on May 31st and you can see my Keshi Pearl Dangle Earrings on Page 80!

Also, I'm really lovin' the Pearl Necklace for the June Birthstone section on page 20 by DonnaMarie Bates - Gorgeous!!

I'm also fascinated with the "Tiny Treasures Eearrings" by Lori Mendenhall on page 34 - she makes me want to pour resin over some of my pearls!!

And, you gotta see the "Newfangled Bangle" project on page 44 by Sherri Haab - Simply YUMMY!! 

Okay - go check out BeadStyle magazine yourself for all the cool projects and designs they've got jam packed into the July issue! 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Happy Summer Beading!!

Cheers,

~Shel~

 

Something Old is NEW Again

Anyone who’s spent any time with me at all has probably heard me ramble on about my favorite hotel on the planet – the Hotel Queen Mary over in Long Beach, California.

You are immediately rushed back in a time bursting with history and culture as you walk on board with Fred Astaire and instrumental jazz music playing softly in the background. Beautiful, rich wood and chrome details are a delight to the eyes and the Art Deco paintings set your mind a whirl as the excitement of what it must have been like to sail on this amazing ship engulfs you! (I could go on gushing for days,…so I’ll just stop now, K?)

This pearl and gold tassel was in a bag of vintage goodies that my niece picked up at a yard sale in the mountains of Arizona. It always reminded me grand opulence (hence, the Queen Mary!) so when it came time for the new Artbeads Blogging Challenge, “Something Old is New Again”, I knew exactly what I wanted to create!

I worked and re-worked this piece a few different times, first with two different chains like what it was attached to when it was given to me. I added, subtracted, added, subtracted Swarovski pearls, crystals, bead caps, more chain,….urggghhhh,…nothing looked right and nothing felt like the sleek sophistication that was befitting the Queen Mary or the elegant women who graced those magical ballrooms and suites.

“Simple is Best” kept whispering in my ear, (just like the ghosts of the Queen Mary herself!) and I reconstructed everything once more, adding only a few pearls to the bottom of the tassel, keeping the chain that more closely resembled the 1940’s period and ditching the art-deco looking chain - although it would have been very fitting, it was way too "gold looking" and bright for this specific piece.

I alternated different sizes of Swarovski Pearls and gold plated bead caps and finished it off with a simple hook clasp; very befitting the time period. Earrings were created that would compliment, but not distract, from this elegant necklace and I finished them with my own handcrafted 14K gold filled earring wires. All was now perfect!

I imagine myself wearing this stunning and timeless set while sipping a cocktail on the aft deck of the Queen Mary; soft music playing in the background and the cool, ocean air dancing lightly on my skin as I sail, like royalty, across the ocean!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Something Old is Definitely New Again!

Cheers,

~Shel~

FTC compliance disclosure: the Artbeads.com items mentioned in this post were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blogging for Beaders Program. These items are for review or design purposes.