The Bible teaches us that ''There is nothing new under the sun''. It must be true, I should know. Inevitably, whenever I come up with a new idea, no sooner I tell others about it, take credit for it, or publish it in my blog... I find it in a magazine or see it on t.v. or in this case, see it posted on someone elses tutorial or blog.
My last blog was about ''my'' newest invention, the ''Neck-Let''...A combination Necklace/Bracelet. I posted that blog just a few days ago. This morning while trolling through my favorite jewelry tutorial site there is was! ''My''idea! Only, it was executed better with a prettier finished product. Sigh...
My mother could tell you, that when I was about 13 years old...I came up with the ''dual-blade razor'' several years before any of the razor companies ever did. At that age I knew nothing about how to get an idea from conception to the store shelves. I still don't. Had I known, well...maybe I'd have at least made a few bucks selling my idea to one of the big razor companies.
So, even though the point the Bible was making, that all things were created and nothing new would be created, God's work being finished in 6 days after which God rested from His work, the verse still seems to fit my situation as well. I think from now on, before taking credit for any of my new idea's, I'll give it a two year waiting period first. At least that way perhaps I'll save myself the embarrassment that always follows ''my'' so called inventions.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Yes it's been too long. I was busy getting ready for a craft show I was selling my jewelry in. It was a lot of work, but with my husband and granddaughter's help we got through it.
I'm back now and thought I'd show you what I did with that strand of black beads and beach glass. That I held out from my Sun Sand and Sea bracelet.
I decided to use it in a necklace...but I really wanted to make a bracelet too. You know what they say... ''necessity is the mother of invention''..or something like that. It occurred to me that I could make both! As you can see in the photo above, I had the strand of beach glass already strung, with Czech glass black Gold wiped beads with some soft gold seed beeds as end accents and I'd decided on some nice gold plated chain so...now all I had to do was connect the two and I'd have a necklace. Hmmm..
Then, I realized that I COULD make a necklace and a bracelet too, by using magnetic clasps as connectors....by adding a magnetic clasp to the ends of the bead strand and another on to the ends of the chain I was able to create a combination necklace and bracelet.
I just use the magnets to connect the chain to the beaded section. simply by removing the chain and connecting the remaining magnetic clasps on the bead strand together...Wallah!! A BRACELET! Then undo the bracelet and reattach the chain and again, A NECKLACE!
I call it a ''NECK-LET'' ..... Pretty cool eh? let me know what you think.
I'm back now and thought I'd show you what I did with that strand of black beads and beach glass. That I held out from my Sun Sand and Sea bracelet.
I decided to use it in a necklace...but I really wanted to make a bracelet too. You know what they say... ''necessity is the mother of invention''..or something like that. It occurred to me that I could make both! As you can see in the photo above, I had the strand of beach glass already strung, with Czech glass black Gold wiped beads with some soft gold seed beeds as end accents and I'd decided on some nice gold plated chain so...now all I had to do was connect the two and I'd have a necklace. Hmmm..
Then, I realized that I COULD make a necklace and a bracelet too, by using magnetic clasps as connectors....by adding a magnetic clasp to the ends of the bead strand and another on to the ends of the chain I was able to create a combination necklace and bracelet.
I just use the magnets to connect the chain to the beaded section. simply by removing the chain and connecting the remaining magnetic clasps on the bead strand together...Wallah!! A BRACELET! Then undo the bracelet and reattach the chain and again, A NECKLACE!
I call it a ''NECK-LET'' ..... Pretty cool eh? let me know what you think.
Monday, September 8, 2014
OLE' Ombre' !!
Seems the latest rage in beading and jewelry is something called OBMRE'... I beleive that means when colors are blended..by going softly from one color to another or from dark blue to light blue, within one piece. I've seen some really great examples of this and wanted to give it a whirl myself.
My intent was to follow the sun so to speak...to go from Light to Dark. First I chose a clasp, in this case a two loop bar with a Toggle clasp.
I started with some beautiful Gray Crazy Lace Agate, stringing them with little pale green crystal beads between each one. Then, using beads the same colors as in the agate beads, I threaded them onto some tiger tail beading wire, starting with cream colored seed beads and ending with brown ones. I used Czech glass ones as I love the shine they have.
Occasionally I threw some clear ones in to help keep things bright. Once done with those strands I added chains...a few times I broke all conventional jewelry making rules and combined GOLD chain in a Silver piece!! oh, for shame!!!
In keeping with the light to dark theme...I used half gold and half silver when adding the gold chain..I just connected them in the middle with a tiny jump ring.
I did add two little splashes of color ... do you see them peeking through?
(click on the photo to enlarge it).
Maybe you just need a better view!!
Yep, there they are... Two adorable Lady Bugs!
Who doesn't like Lady Bugs? Right ?
The only problem I have with this piece is, it doesn't lay flat nicely... I think I got carried away with it when criss-crossing the beaded strands. I will probably leave it as is, learn from it and just hope I don't make that mistake again.
So, there it is... Oh, since I have your attention (assuming I still do)... I have figured out why ''jump rings'' are called ''jump rings'' .....it's because just as you are ready to use one to connect one thing to something else in your piece... They ''JUMP'' away from the piece landing goodness only knows where! I'm sure I could build a whole piece with just those JUMP rings that have escaped me so far.
I call this piece: OLE' OMBRE' !! by BoHoChick
My intent was to follow the sun so to speak...to go from Light to Dark. First I chose a clasp, in this case a two loop bar with a Toggle clasp.
I started with some beautiful Gray Crazy Lace Agate, stringing them with little pale green crystal beads between each one. Then, using beads the same colors as in the agate beads, I threaded them onto some tiger tail beading wire, starting with cream colored seed beads and ending with brown ones. I used Czech glass ones as I love the shine they have.
Occasionally I threw some clear ones in to help keep things bright. Once done with those strands I added chains...a few times I broke all conventional jewelry making rules and combined GOLD chain in a Silver piece!! oh, for shame!!!
In keeping with the light to dark theme...I used half gold and half silver when adding the gold chain..I just connected them in the middle with a tiny jump ring.
I did add two little splashes of color ... do you see them peeking through?
(click on the photo to enlarge it).
Maybe you just need a better view!!
Yep, there they are... Two adorable Lady Bugs!
Who doesn't like Lady Bugs? Right ?
The only problem I have with this piece is, it doesn't lay flat nicely... I think I got carried away with it when criss-crossing the beaded strands. I will probably leave it as is, learn from it and just hope I don't make that mistake again.
So, there it is... Oh, since I have your attention (assuming I still do)... I have figured out why ''jump rings'' are called ''jump rings'' .....it's because just as you are ready to use one to connect one thing to something else in your piece... They ''JUMP'' away from the piece landing goodness only knows where! I'm sure I could build a whole piece with just those JUMP rings that have escaped me so far.
I call this piece: OLE' OMBRE' !! by BoHoChick
Friday, September 5, 2014
Sun Sand and Surf Bracelet
I recently returned from a trip east with my mother and son to visit my 92 yr old aunt where she lives in Cape Cod. Being a desert dweller, I am completely in love with the ocean! if it weren't for the lack of big rocky mountains, oh, and snowy cold winters, I could definitely see myself living there. The ocean was wonderful and put me in the mood to make something ''beachy''. I came up with this bracelet that I think suits the bill.
The items you'll need for this project are:
Tiger tail beading wire (or the beading wire of your choice) cut to 10 wires 12 inches long.
A bracelet clasp, a dozen or so jump rings, crimp beads and crimp bead covers (optional).
Any beads you like that represent the Sun, Sea, and Sand (to you). I opted for Sunstone, Pearls, and originally Beach Glass, some little copper fish, gold swiped Czech glass beads, clear crystal beads and some seed beads using colors found in the other beads and some bone tube beads.
I later decided to use the beach glass for something else...the sand will be represented by the glistening clear beads and the many tiny seed beads instead.
Once you get the beads all strung, just crimp each end leaving a small loop to use for connecting the strands to a bracelet clasp of your choosing. I'll use these 5 loop bronze connector bars.
Now either bring the loops together and connect them with jump rings to a clasp bar or you could connect them all to a metal ring or larger jump ring, which you would add a clasp to one end and a ring to the other end and... You're finished!
If you want to, rather than connecting them all in a neat row, you could try criss-crossing a few over the others etc. before connecting them together at the ends. (As I did here).
I hope these directions made sense... I'm new to this:-)
Do let us know in the comments what you think...and how your bracelet turned out!
Now all I need to do is decide which chain to use on the Beach Glass and gold swiped black Czech beads, to use them for a choker/necklace...hmmm I'd love your opinion on this... chunky gold chain or delicate gold chain ??? (see below).
The items you'll need for this project are:
Tiger tail beading wire (or the beading wire of your choice) cut to 10 wires 12 inches long.
A bracelet clasp, a dozen or so jump rings, crimp beads and crimp bead covers (optional).
Any beads you like that represent the Sun, Sea, and Sand (to you). I opted for Sunstone, Pearls, and originally Beach Glass, some little copper fish, gold swiped Czech glass beads, clear crystal beads and some seed beads using colors found in the other beads and some bone tube beads.
I later decided to use the beach glass for something else...the sand will be represented by the glistening clear beads and the many tiny seed beads instead.
Once you get the beads all strung, just crimp each end leaving a small loop to use for connecting the strands to a bracelet clasp of your choosing. I'll use these 5 loop bronze connector bars.
Now either bring the loops together and connect them with jump rings to a clasp bar or you could connect them all to a metal ring or larger jump ring, which you would add a clasp to one end and a ring to the other end and... You're finished!
If you want to, rather than connecting them all in a neat row, you could try criss-crossing a few over the others etc. before connecting them together at the ends. (As I did here).
I hope these directions made sense... I'm new to this:-)
Do let us know in the comments what you think...and how your bracelet turned out!
Now all I need to do is decide which chain to use on the Beach Glass and gold swiped black Czech beads, to use them for a choker/necklace...hmmm I'd love your opinion on this... chunky gold chain or delicate gold chain ??? (see below).
New Directions
Well, it's clear I'm no ''blogger'' ..my tech abilities are about as low as possible as evidenced by it having taken me 20 minutes just navigating this blogsite to this point..which isn't far. The few posts I have managed to make are not very interesting...not even to me lol... so I've decided to rename this blog and change direction completely, to something at least I am interested in. I give upon on trying to change the name to something that relates to what the site will be about ..not only can I not figure out how to go about it, but I can't think of a catchy name.
What you may expect to find here are my jewelry making results, views and tutorials
As well as new products, links to other people's tutorials etc.
I hope it will help other jewelry makers in some way. Thanks for stopping by..and
..If you think of a good name for this blog...please tell me what it is, just in case I do learn how to change it. Thanks!
What you may expect to find here are my jewelry making results, views and tutorials
As well as new products, links to other people's tutorials etc.
I hope it will help other jewelry makers in some way. Thanks for stopping by..and
..If you think of a good name for this blog...please tell me what it is, just in case I do learn how to change it. Thanks!
Saturday, July 12, 2014
There's a Super Moon Tonight
My mother called tonight and told me to go outside to see the ''Super Moon''. I had no idea what a super moon was and the idea of getting off my lazy butt to look at one didn't thrill me either... but, being the great daughter I am, I did as asked and went as far as the window to see it. It looked just like any other moon any other night to me.
For those who, like me, didn't know what a ''super moon'' is...it's just when the moon is at its closest position to the Earth. It looks normal. Not huge and orange like a Harvest moon. A Harvest moon is worth going farther than the window to look at.
The moon has always held some special place in the hearts and minds of man. It's symbolized romance I suppose for all of history. It's written into many a song. It held us captive in 1969...as my husband and I watched a television through a store window at the moon landing...the first man to walk on it..the American flag being put up on it. It was amazing. Back then, sci-fi movies were about going to the moon, and martians and all that, so seeing what could only be imagined or seen in movies or read about in comic books actually happening in real time right before our eyes...WOW!
That's old hat now, yet, compared to that moment...the ''super'' moon just isn't that super.
The one thing I love most about the moon now, is that I can be looking at it at the very same time my best friend is looking at it. So, even though we are separated by about 800 miles, it is almost like we are standing next to each other...we just can't be that far apart. For me, that's a true ''super moon''.
For those who, like me, didn't know what a ''super moon'' is...it's just when the moon is at its closest position to the Earth. It looks normal. Not huge and orange like a Harvest moon. A Harvest moon is worth going farther than the window to look at.
The moon has always held some special place in the hearts and minds of man. It's symbolized romance I suppose for all of history. It's written into many a song. It held us captive in 1969...as my husband and I watched a television through a store window at the moon landing...the first man to walk on it..the American flag being put up on it. It was amazing. Back then, sci-fi movies were about going to the moon, and martians and all that, so seeing what could only be imagined or seen in movies or read about in comic books actually happening in real time right before our eyes...WOW!
That's old hat now, yet, compared to that moment...the ''super'' moon just isn't that super.
The one thing I love most about the moon now, is that I can be looking at it at the very same time my best friend is looking at it. So, even though we are separated by about 800 miles, it is almost like we are standing next to each other...we just can't be that far apart. For me, that's a true ''super moon''.
Friday, July 11, 2014
My take on Las Vegas
Today marks the first post on the first day of my first (and most likely
the only) blog I will ever have....so I hope I don't make a complete
fool of myself...or bore you senseless.
I suppose I should begin at the beginning....
''I was born...'' (just kidding :-)
Seriously, I WAS born in New York and moved with my Mother, Brother and Grandmother to Las Vegas, NV. When I was 9 years old. I went, kicking and screaming internally...and losing my lunch every few thousand miles externally. We drove from New York to Vegas and I was one of those delightful children who suffered from car sickness and we brought our aging dog along who panted her horrid dog breath in my face most of the way. ( Why am I telling them this...?) anyway, I didn't want to move to Vegas, but soon discovered it to be the place I would cherish and call ''HOME'' for as long as I live no matter where I Live. For one thing, there were HORSES here!!! I rode every chance I got. Also, there are incredibly beautiful mountains and lakes and ghost towns and a thousand things to do 24 hours a day!
If you've never been to Vegas and you're over 21... GO, you won't regret it.
Vegas has grown a lot since I was 9. back then I think the population was only a few hundred thousand....it was quiet and safe and fun. It's still fun, but it's about 2 million strong now. we can even boast such things as Symphonies and Plays...as well as the customary Casino's, great golf courses and gaming. And if you take some time to drive out of the city to view some of our towns other features, like Bonnie Springs, Lake Mead for some water skiing, Good Springs Bar..where once a year bikers congregate for some serious partying, or Mt. Charleston if you prefer water skiing....you won't be disappointed!
In town, enjoy strolling the Strip for great gambling, shopping and shows. Downtown, there's more gambling (less expensive), and such features as nightly live music in the street on week-ends, more shops and the Smith Center which has wonderful productions of plays and symphonies and such.
I know we are known as the City of Sin...but there's no more sin here than in any small town in the country, it's just a bit more visible here. There are more churches in Vegas than casinos. People think prostitution is legal here but it isn't! it is in neighboring Counties, but not in Clark County...not in Vegas.
I have lived other places as dictated by marriages to different husbands, but in between husbands, I always return to Vegas. to ''HOME''...and now that I am married for the second time to husband number one...I'm here for good.
How did I come to be back to my first husband again? That's a whole other blog!
Thanks for dropping by, I hope you'll be back soon,
BoHoChick
I suppose I should begin at the beginning....
''I was born...'' (just kidding :-)
Seriously, I WAS born in New York and moved with my Mother, Brother and Grandmother to Las Vegas, NV. When I was 9 years old. I went, kicking and screaming internally...and losing my lunch every few thousand miles externally. We drove from New York to Vegas and I was one of those delightful children who suffered from car sickness and we brought our aging dog along who panted her horrid dog breath in my face most of the way. ( Why am I telling them this...?) anyway, I didn't want to move to Vegas, but soon discovered it to be the place I would cherish and call ''HOME'' for as long as I live no matter where I Live. For one thing, there were HORSES here!!! I rode every chance I got. Also, there are incredibly beautiful mountains and lakes and ghost towns and a thousand things to do 24 hours a day!
If you've never been to Vegas and you're over 21... GO, you won't regret it.
Vegas has grown a lot since I was 9. back then I think the population was only a few hundred thousand....it was quiet and safe and fun. It's still fun, but it's about 2 million strong now. we can even boast such things as Symphonies and Plays...as well as the customary Casino's, great golf courses and gaming. And if you take some time to drive out of the city to view some of our towns other features, like Bonnie Springs, Lake Mead for some water skiing, Good Springs Bar..where once a year bikers congregate for some serious partying, or Mt. Charleston if you prefer water skiing....you won't be disappointed!
In town, enjoy strolling the Strip for great gambling, shopping and shows. Downtown, there's more gambling (less expensive), and such features as nightly live music in the street on week-ends, more shops and the Smith Center which has wonderful productions of plays and symphonies and such.
I know we are known as the City of Sin...but there's no more sin here than in any small town in the country, it's just a bit more visible here. There are more churches in Vegas than casinos. People think prostitution is legal here but it isn't! it is in neighboring Counties, but not in Clark County...not in Vegas.
I have lived other places as dictated by marriages to different husbands, but in between husbands, I always return to Vegas. to ''HOME''...and now that I am married for the second time to husband number one...I'm here for good.
How did I come to be back to my first husband again? That's a whole other blog!
Thanks for dropping by, I hope you'll be back soon,
BoHoChick
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)