MyElements - My Good Thing!

    There is a lot of bad in the world, turn on the news - if it bleeds, it leads. I think if there were more stories about the people who are doing good things... more people would be encouraged to do good things! So, here's a story about a good thing that happened to me!

    I got home from work today and in the mail was a package from one of my all time favorite people, Yvonne Irwin-Faus of MyElements. I have been ordering supplies from Yvonne forever, if you're not familiar with her follow the link to her Etsy site - its awesome!

    Anyway, I've had a tough year - not whining, just sayin' - and I haven't really felt up to being creative. But lately I'm starting to come around and I had decided if I was ever gonna get myself back to work I should start with something fun and colorful - I signed up for the Bead Soup cause a deadline seemed important and, of course I ordered some stuff from Yvonne.

    What showed up today was just awesome - she sent what I ordered (of course!) but she sent me a big ol' bag of Happy! I was really overwhelmed - I'm still smiling and I'm definitely ready to get back to play! Thanks Yvonne!! I owe you a hug next time I'm close enough to deliver it!

A Mile of Smile!

I'm Percolating Along

     The soup arrived, I told you about that. A lot of soup, a lot of variety.  Linda Djokic does really beautiful work and sent me an interesting sampling of it. When it first arrived I was so knocked out by all of it that I didn't really THINK about what I would do with the various components.

     I started playing around with all of it over the weekend. So far, I've made two pieces, one using most of the speckled lampworks. At first glance these beads have the feeling of an Impressionist painting. When I started putting them next to other beads I was amazed at how many colors worked with this one little bead. I could have used purple, blue, green, pink, ivory or a combination of several of those. I knew I wanted the beads to be the focus and that I wanted to make a bracelet. It just came together beautifully and I can't wait to share it with all of you!

     The second piece I made is a necklace. I really loved the lampwork heart and two matching spacers - who doesn't love spots? It really was a challenge to come up with something that made the heart the center of attention without it looking like what everyone else makes. It's different then anything else I've ever done but I think it still represents me - Now, I just have to figure out what to do with all the other amazing sparklies that I still have left!

Better Pictures

     Lately, to save time - (always a bad reason!) I've been using my phone to do photos. Either I have a seriously crappy phone or the hand holding it is a seriously crappy photographer. I choose 'B' - but even when I'm not lazy and I use my camera my pictures always seem to come out too dark. I'm sure there is some secret tip that you all know.... SHARE PLEASE!!