Midweek Inspiration

Just a quick midweek creative refresh! I know I needed it, how about you? I just saw this smiley bracelet I made a couple years ago during a power outage and realized I needed a little creative inspiration without the power outage!

When I feel my creativity waning, the best medicine is reading craft and jewelry blogs! Thanks to our blogger friends, here's a little inspiration to get you through to the weekend. :)

Carmi’s Art/Life World
I imagine that miniature vials will always appeal to those of us who like unique and unusual beads. This week I featured them in a necklace.

Art Bead Scene
Visit Mary Harding in her studio and be in with the chance to win one of her handmade copper clasps.

Mother’s Day Craft Tutorials
Mother’s Day is coming up May 11th. Now’s the time to start thinking about what you’ll create for Mom or Grandma to show her your love.

Resin Crafts Blog
Today’s post features a classic one pour resin project!

Breaking the Yarn Bank

When is it okay to spend a bunch of money on super fancy yarn?

Snap out of it, Jean! There’s beading to be done!
Come and see the lovely online book which Rita Toltec made of the recent Blog Hop she hosted which included fifty designers: THE COLOR OF DREAMS ! It is such a beautiful book! So dreamy!

Mixed Media Artist
Do you enjoy painting your own fabrics for your projects? Cyndi has compiled all of her fabric painting tutorials into one place for you!

Painted Glass Beaded Mushrooms
Cherie makes some glass mushrooms for the garden.

Keeping the Memories Fresh

Now that vacation seems like a bit of a dream, I started wearing the last piece created on the beach.

Memories are starting to fade, but the lingering happy and relaxed feeling is still accessible. :)

This blue metal leaf was actually on a Cousin package as part of a 3-piece dangle that included a tassel and a large faceted drop.

Since the leaf was pretty pliable, I removed it from the dangle and pressed it around my wrist. It didn't take much pressure to get a slightly rounded form.

I added a chain and a cute little beachy charm. So fun to wear and VERY easy to make! Ahh, I can hear the waves...

Summertime Pearls

What do you think about wearing pearls in the summertime?

Normally I think about pearls in the fall or winter, but many of these pearls make me think of spring and summer. Interesting!

Funny how you go along in life thinking one thing and all of a sudden you wake up and your thoughts on a subject have changed.

I've also recently had a thought about making a necklace that's just a longer version of an ankle bracelet. The thought crossed my mind when I was making an ankle bracelet and I thought, gee this would make a cute necklace.

Then the ideas started circulating!

So, now I have two new ideas for my next project which, believe it or not, will be for the SUMMER! Yay! Bring it on...I REALLY want to put my flip flops back on...

Any new ideas circulating in your world? Please share!

Dangly Ankle Bracelet

I can still hear the reggae music playing in the background when I look at this ankle bracelet...











I'm calling this the banana daiquiri ankle bracelet because I made it during the course of enjoying one of these icy drinks by the pool on our recent vacation. :)

It was made with pieces I picked in the Cousin Corp. warehouse. Another very fond memory...

Since I just threw bits and pieces into a bag to bring on vacation, I had to use what I had on hand.

It's fun to make something I might not have made if I had all my beads with me.

SO much fun to wear, I only had one blue crystazzi connector in my traveling stash left, but I like that's it's a surprising contrast to the red and black. They pretty much go with everything!

If you're getting ready for spring/summer with new jewelry, I hope you'll leave a link in the comments so we can come over and visit! :)

What I Made on Spring Vacation!

It's always hard to believe when vacation is over and you've returned back to reality. 

Today was the first day back at work and since people are nice, they asked me about my vacation. :)

I enjoyed being able to share some fun stories, but when I talk about making jewelry on the beach under an umbrella with the beautiful warm breeze coming off the water, I just think pictures are necessary! 

There's nothing like throwing random beads, findings and tools into a bag to take on vacation.

It stretches my creativity a little because I don't plan, I just throw.

I am now calling this the Blue Margarita Necklace and you can probably see why! :)

The necklace is made using a simple chain, a three hole rhinestone connector, a light blue flower connector, clear bicone and large clear teardrop pendant. 

LOVE the simplicity!

All the pieces I took to Florida were from my 30 minute Warehouse "shopping" spree at Cousin Corporation headquarters in February.

Speaking of Cousin, since they are so close to Clearwater, I had a chance to pop in and say Hi to my favorite people and drop off my latest Ambassador jewelry making project.

It was a great week of fun and gratitude! I am so grateful to have had the chance to take such a beautiful vacation with my husband (and my beads!) 

I'll share my banana daiquiri ankle bracelet later this week. :)

Now that spring is here, what are YOU making? Please share in the comments!