Here is what some of you have asked for.

Some of you have asked me to post pictures of some of my pieces. So I thought since I had a little time on my hands, while at the repair shop I would do just that.

This first piece is a piece I made several years ago for my craft sales inventory. It is made up of faux leather cord with gold plated chain, and Swarvoski Padpardscha crystals.
This is yet another inventory piece. made with gold thread rutilated quarts and MOP disks, and handmade sterling silver clasp.
This necklace was a very early piece that I used seed beads in. It is a green Aventurine chips and donut. Did a peyote bail with Delicas.
This was a piece I did several years ago, I entered it into a local bead store design contest. And to my surprise, it won first place, and I received a $10.00 in store gift cert. This was before I was using Fireline, and about a month or so ago, I discovered that the nymo was coming loose, what a heartache. Now I have to redo it, to make sure it doesn't fall completely apart. What a bummer to put so much time into a piece to have to redo it.
This piece, was one of my very first pieces using a free form style of wire wrapping. It really turned out pretty good, although this picture doesn't show the sterling silver as being as shinny as it was. I used a (I believe) red poppy jasper and a carnellian leaf bead, as a pendant.

This as close as I come to asymmetrical. I just like things that look even on each side. Hymm , sorry it's just me. I made this with both green and blue f/w pearls, some glass beads, some natural stones, and a MOP leaf, along with some sterling silver bead caps. Oh yea, and some Swarvoski crystals as well.
This piece, is a piece I worked on for some time. It was a piece of triangle shaped shell. It came dilled from side to side, near the top, but I needed the hole larger. I wanted to put the sterling silver wire through it and hang, from it a dangle with some jade and peridot on it.
This recycled glass bead necklace was a commissioned piece for a beach wedding. I also made earrings to match. The wedding was a barefoot occasion in Hawaii.
This is one of my very first pieces of peyote stitch. I used two different sizes, not because I knew better, but because, I used what I had on hand. LOL. It turned out pretty good, considering I was doing this by the scuff of my neck. Didn't have a pattern, and didn't know exactly where I wanted to go with the design. It is adjustable, by the little gold band that goes across, just about 4 inches form the bottom.
These earrings were a special request for a co-worker. She never came up with the money, so I still own them.
This was a commissioned set for a fall wedding. It was her forth wedding so she was wearing a beige suit, and wanted something to stand out. She bought the Swarvoski Squares and some gold plated delicas, and the gold choker. Gave it all to me and said, " make something unique and special for a fall wedding". This is what I came up with.


This piece was a challenge for me. I first, fell in love with the focal piece, and had to come up with something that would set it off. I was stumped, but a fellow beader suggested, that I should put a bunch of color related beads into a baggie, and let them marry for a while till I was happy with them. I did, and everyday I would pull them out and look at them. After, I think maybe a month, I finally was happy with the marriage and put it all together. And you now see the end results. That was about 3 or four years ago. I have never forgotten that lesson.


So now you have seen a lot of my work. Most of these have sold since I made them sometime ago, however there are still a few of these pieces availible if you are interested. Just hoping!!!!
Anyway I would like to hear what you all think, Have I an outside chance, as a jewelry artist?

My car is done, I will post this later this after noon , from home.

My good news

Just have to share some good news. I sold a necklace on Sunday to a total stranger that happened to fall in love with the piece. I also sold three pairs of earrings and a bracelet to a couple of my golf buddies.
Here is what I sold. The necklace is a gold filled wire wrapped Ocean jasper, on a spiral rope.
This next piece is a bracelet made in the hugs and kisses design. I am not sure who designed this, however whoever did I would like to give them the credit for the design. This isn't the exact bracelet, the I sold was brown pearls with gold seed beads and Swarvoski Padparadscha bicones. It also had a Dragonfly toggle in a gold tone.

These are the earrings I also sold.


And because I had to have to have a brake job done on my car today, that couple of sales helped me pay the mechanic. $296. and half was covered by the sales.

I am back.

I have been really under the weather. I have had a real bad sinus infection, and just now getting back to my blog.
What has been going one other than my health. I was given the title of ' designer' by the owner of the store I work at two days a week at. When I went to work on Friday, I found a package on the counter with a note saying " Sue this is for you." It was four boxes of business cards with my name and under that the title ' Designer'. Boy, was I surprised to say the least. I never had a hint that she had ordered these.
Yesterday I finally able to get out with my golf league. I won't talk about how bad I played, I will just say I enjoyed the fresh air and the company of my golf buddies.
I often sell my things to my golf buddies. They are some of my best customers, and are always eager to see what I have new. Well, to make a long story short, one of my friends asked me if I would get together several things, for her to setup in her husbands law office. She has done this before and I really make a bit of money. She enjoys doing it and I always reward her with several pieces made especially for her. She is such a sweet heart. When I went to the office with my plastic shoebox full of my makings, I was able to meet several of the office staff. I was very pleased to hear things like, " I am so glad to finally meet the 'jewelry lady' " and "I love the things I bought the last time and I am so glad I get a chance to buy more". I am so thankful for having such wonderful friends.
I have a couple of new designs I am working on, and I promise I will post some of my designs here, on my blog when I get a chance to do so. Although I have read horror stories of some designs being stolen from peoples blog site. I don't understand why people what to do such a thing. I guess, they just don't have their own ideas, so they have to steal from someone else .
Today I am heading out to Harbor Freight to scout the store to see what I can find to add to my jewelry workshop. I am going to buy the metal stamping set. They are on sale for $4.99 this week. I called the store yesterday to make sure that they had some in stock. So while I am there I will walk the isles to see what else I can find. I love thinking outside the box. I am also going to stop at Lowes. I was there a couple of weeks ago and had an idea when I see this one item in their many handy isles. I will post a picture of what I find, and what I do with it.
The other day I was on my way to my youngest son's business when I see a 'garage sale' sign. Well I stopped and didn't see too much, till I spotted a box full of wire. It was full of several different types of wire. Doorbell wire, telephone wire, speaker wire, and so forth. I spotted one small bundle of wire. I am not sure what type of wire it was, other than it was copper, and was a double wire wrapped in white plastic. I could see that it was two solid core copper wires and according to the writing on the white plastic, it was 18 gauge. The gentleman wanted $13 for the whole box, so I asked him if he would take 25 cents for the one piece of wire. He said he would, so I quickly handed him a quarter. I told him he could still sell the rest of the box for the $13 and he smiled. I am so pleased with the wire. I haven't had time, as of yet to strip it and do some twisting, which I so want to get the time to do. I love working with copper wire. I most often buy my copper wire from HomeDepot, it is fairly inexpensive and I can buy the size and length that I want.
I am off to do some hardware shopping <> it all goes into my studio, who would have guessed.

Babies, babies, and more babies

This week, I haven't gotten much done, except help my niece with with her new set of twins. It wasn't the twins I was there for, as much as the other two children. Because my niece had a c-section she isn't allowed to pick up the older two, one will be 3 in July, and the other is 14 months. So we have been just a little busy.
This afternoon my granddaughter, came over and held the babies for awhile. We had a good time just holding and snuggling with the little ones. I love babies, there is just something special about the way their hair smells, and the softness of their little hands.
Tomorrow, I have a peyote beading class to teach, and I am not even ready to do it. It isn't that I have a lot to prepare for it, its' just that, I haven't even written the directions yet. It is just the basic stitch that I am teaching, but I like to have a handout of the directions for the students to take home with them. I am not sure yet, if she is bringing her own directions, that she want me to help her with, or if she is coming with no set idea of what she wants to make.
I don't mind teaching a basic class, in fact I would rather teach a basic class to the customer, before they come and what to make a bracelet or necklace of a stitch, they haven't a clue how to do. It just takes from the rest of the class, if I have to teach the basic class to one student, before she understands what to do, in order to keep up with the rest of the class. If I am going to teach say, 6 people how to make a peyote tube necklace, I would want everyone in the class to have a basic knowledge of peyote. If it is private class than I don't care, however it is better if they have basic knowledge, that way, they would have a better chance of completing the piece in class.

Welcoming 1st post

This is my very first blog, so I guess I will start out by telling you a little about myself.
I am a retired tailor, or as I prefer to be called, an alteration specialist. So now instead of sewing clothes, I sew beads.
I have been married to my husband for 46 years come July 25, 2010. Now if you are thinking, that is a long time, you are right. It sometimes seems like 146 years. However I have to admit it has been a pretty good 46 years for the most part.
For 22+ years my husband supported myself and our two sons, with his career in the USAF. We traveled around the world, living in Europe for about 7 years. 3 1/2 in Germany and 3 1/2 in The Netherlands. The rest of the years we were mostly stationed in the Good Ole U.S.A., Oregon, Texas, Arizona, Texas again, and Florida. Hubby also did his time without the family. He spent 1 year in Goose Bay Labrador, and a year in Vietnam.
After hubby's retirement from the USAF we moved back to our home state of Michigan. After securing jobs we settled in a small town in Southeast, Michigan. We have been in this house for the last 23 years. I had never spent that long in any one house before in my life. And I have to say I am getting itchy feet to move. But I have too many beads to want to move anytime soon.
Our children are now grown, and have provided us with 4 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. They all live in Toledo, Ohio , just across the state line, so we see them on a regular bases.
In the weeks to come I will try to post some pictures of my newest creation. And keep you informed as to my the things at my web store. http:www. justgot2bead.webs.com