Cute & Simple Valentine Bracelet and Earring Project

I love this simple and fun bracelet and earring set on the Primabead.com project site. 

Just in case you aren't familiar with them, Primabead is the retail site and sister company of the Cousin Corporation.

Since I love to peruse all the craft store bead aisles, but don't always have time, this is a great site to visit to get ideas.

I've spotted quite a few products on the site at my local stores like JoAnn's, Michael's and even Meijer and Walmart.

And now, before I forget, here's a link to the instructions for this one. :)

Enjoy!

Valentine's Day Project FUN!

I'm so excited to share my latest heart-happy jewelry/craft project!

Anytime I can merge crafting with jewelry making, I'm a happy crafter. :)

This is my January project for the Cousin Corporation as one of their jewelry-making ambassadors.

All eight of us received the same instructions...to come up with our own interpretation of Valentine's Day in either a jewelry or non jewelry craft project.

As soon as I saw those instructions, my brain went directly to a project MERGE!

Yay! I have a serious love for paper crafting, but don't seem to have nearly enough time to play with all my supplies and tools.

I checked my paper stash that I received a while back from the DCWV (Die cuts with a view) company and found a great paper stack called Glam Gal that was infused with hearts.

The purple and white really stood out to me. I came close to a one-tear moment when I realized this would also be a mod-podge moment...oh yeah, I do love decopauging!

I gathered my paper crafting supplies and started digging through my Cousin beads and findings looking for just the right pieces and parts. I discovered I had plenty of these black strip connectors that would provide a perfect decopauging surface.

The rest just sort of came together over the next week or so. I was so excited to find I had these great heart charms that really brought it all together. Slightly over the top, but you know how it works when inspiration hits, it's not in your best interest to judge it!

I finished up most of it today and will be shipping it out to Cousin next week along with
instructions.

This really fed my creative spirit and that is what really makes me happy!!

Thanks for allowing me to share my Valentine's Day project journey. :) If you'd like to share your Valentine's Day projects, just leave a link in the comments. 

What Does Valentine's Day Mean to Me?

This month the Cousin Corporation ambassadors are on a mission to represent Valentine's Day in a jewelry project. 

Permission was granted to use unique colors or techniques.

Since I'm not quite to the finish line yet, I thought it would be fun to share a couple of my fellow ambassador's Valentine's Day projects today in case you are looking for inspiraton, yay!

Enjoy!

Shelly Owen: Valentine Heart Necklace 

 - Step by step instructions are included, NICE! Thanks Shelly!

Allison Cooling: Handmade Chained Heart Appliques 

- An oh so sparkly hat, love it!

If you have a Valentine's Day project to share, just leave a link in the comments! :)

Peace, Love & Blogger Inspiration!

This week Monday is my Sunday...that means I'm trying to keep a firm grip on the second hand of the clock so it doesn't tick away the next 15 minutes faster than the speed of light!

Honestly...this day has seemed like a blur! I was extremely blessed to spend it inside on a cold day with the warmth of the TV to keep me and my beads company. Ahhh...it was great.

The only downside is that when I have beads out for more than a couple hours, the morning turns to afternoon in the blink of an eye. Before I knew it my husband was calling on his way home from work.

I did the fastest pickup, dishwasher load and shower I've done in a long time. :)

13 minutes till tomorrow...I think I'll spend it reading beading and crafting blogs starting with our friend Jean Yates...she does the most fabulous reviews of beading books ever and she's just posted a new one, Yay!

Have a great rest of the week!!

Snap out if it, Jean! There's beading to be done! 
Jean reviews an excellent book on jewelry design from the great Cathy Jakicic: Jewelry Projects from a Beading Insider--it is wonderful!

Amigurumi?
Do you amigurumi? Why or why not?

Art Bead Scene
Take a peek Inside the Studio of Erin Prais-Hintz of Tesori Trovati - and be in with a chance of winning a set of her new Facet Effects beads!

Beading Arts
It's official...Cyndi's gotten hooked on making bead embroidered pendants!

Mirrored Wall Cabinet Jewelry Holder 
This jewelry organizer is not only very decorative hanging on the wall, but also allows you to keep your

most-worn pieces organized right at eye level. Put them on and check yourself out in the mirrored front. What could be more convenient?

Mixed Media Artist
Mobius strip scarves, part two! Cyndi shows you how to work with thicker chunky yarn this week.

Teal and Brown Afghan
Cherie makes a new afghan to keep the family warm.

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Andrew reveals where his porcelain pendants will be at during this year's Tucson Gem Show!

Calmness in a Whirlwind!

I mentioned last Sunday I wanted to make a new piece of jewelry for the week. I'm SO glad I did!

This quick and EASY necklace took about 20 minutes to make. The most time consuming part was figuring out the length.

My week started out and even finished on a very BUSY note. It was chock full of meetings, projects and administrative change.

I was so glad I had my new calming necklace! There's something so laid back about it and it also makes a great stress "stone" because it's so smooth.

Have a great weekend everyone!! Drop me a line if you're crafting. I'd love to see your photos or videos. Maybe we can create something together!

Sunday Night Inspiration...It's Blogger Time!

It's that time again! I'm stretching my creative time till the last possible minute. Getting beads out now to see what I can create in the next hour or so.

A personal challenge because I would like something new to wear tomorrow. I better get moving!

Here's some last minute inspiration to bring the weekend to a close. Our bead and craft bloggers are sharing LOTS of fun and inspiration this week starting off with bezel effects paints! 

Thanks to Cyndi Lavin for sharing her step by step process for making this fabulous bezel!

Beading Arts

The new Bezel Effects paints make a great centerpiece for bead embroidery!

ACreativeDream
It's a mail art call!!! Come on over and join in!

Art Bead Scene
Check out Brandi's gorgeous colour palette for this month's challenge piece!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi utilizes a "saved" crazy quilt block and turns it into wearable art in this special blog post.

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Knit and crochet combine in Red Heart Sashay Yarn. Did you know you can create "crocheted" scarves, shawls and the like without picking up a crochet hook?

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi has come up with a fun variation on the ever-popular infinity scarf!

Resin Crafts Blog
Wondering what is better to mold with? We have a post showing you how great Jewelry Clay and Jewelry resin can be!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Making tiny jewelry takes just as much thought and planning as designing full sized regular pieces. See Jean's blog for the details!

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Participants of the Inspired by Reading Book Club share their creations inspired by "Bridge of Birds" by Barry Hughart and "The Journey to the East" by Hermann Hesse. 

Fishers of Men
Cherie uses the "Fishers of Men" passage to help create mixed media prints.

Getting Organized
The jewelry studio is next, but right now, Crafty Princess has at least her home office organized!

Ringing in the New Year with a New Necklace!

Ringing in the New Year with a new necklace!

We're finally out of the below zero temperatures for a while, yay!

Now that it's not so icy outside, I will be happy to wear this very sparkly and icy looking necklace!

Every year I make a new piece of jewelry to start things off and every year it seems to be black and white. I do have a tendency to get stuck in unwritten traditions somehow.

I fell in love with these crystally Crystazzi pendants and ordered three packages of them not realizing each package had two pieces. It was a very happy surprise!

Now I just need to make matching earrings with the remaining pendants and I'll be ready to go!

Happy New Year! :)

Special Gloves call for Special Earrings!

A friend and I visited JoAnn, Etc. today and bought quite a few pairs of $1 gloves to embellish with sparkly, swirly brads.

These will be a gift for another friend tomorrow, but they seemed to shout out for some matching earrings.

Sparkly shambala beads always make for a great gift!

I seem to be getting a 1950's pink poodle skirt and saddle shoes vibe which makes me love them even more. :)

Luckily my friends are very kind when they get crafty gifts from me...whether they like what I made them or not.

I always just ask that if they don't like what I gave them, they find a nice home for them. :)