A BRIGHT STAR OVER THE MILES...

One of my recent star necklaces using Deb Roberti's pattern (August post), coupled with some darlin' pumpkin-round crescent earrings for my dear dear friend Lonette, who truly is a shining star, and who recently showed me ten glorious days of sites and history in Italy, traveling from one coast to the other.  Her birthday is this month -- November -- so as my pre-birthday gift to her, a token of my love and appreciation... in what else but fall colors!  HAPPY BIRTH MONTH Lonette!  These look great on you and I'm happy I was able to see that in person over all those miles. xoxo

 

These crescent beads make such a wonderful round pumpkin, coupled with 11.0 sb and other embellishments.  The colors perfectly compliment the Star Pendant and are very light on the earlobe.

 

WRESTLING AN ARMADILLA!

Man oh man!  To say this was a time consuming piece is an understatement!!  But, in the end, I must say, worth all the effort!  It's a bracelet design by Carole Ohl named Armadilla.  Since this is my blog, I can whine about the time I allotted to the individual pieces of this Armadilla... which I think look totally like "rolly pollies".  Unfortunately, for a few of the rollies... I wasn't paying close enough attention, and had to dismantle them since they weren't right.  And, as I neared my last rolly pollie, one of the bars broke as I threaded my needle back through it, which caused me to place all the pieces into a sack for a few days.  But, alas, I finished it, and it does feel oh so heavenly on my wrist.  It's a fun pattern - which I can say now that I've completed it.  But, to make more?  Probably not in my near future!  The pattern calls for 2-hole crescents, 2-hole bars, 2-hole tiles and 3mm fire polish.

SPRINGIN' EARRINGS

New beads and new patterns keep it all fresh!  In that vein... using the new 2-hole CzechMates crescents, on a loverly afternoon with my beading sistahs, a pattern by TrendSetter Nichole Starman called "Chrysanthemum".  Try to say that quickly three times... and then, try to spell it without looking!  Nichole's pattern was for a bracelet, but the components make darling earrings, so that's where I got off the train.  Love these springs colors...and the blue on blue tones at the bottom. An issue for me again was working the pattern tightly so my thread didn't show (and I'm a tight beader!).  I struggled with that until on the final set, the blues at the bottom, I went around each section twice, and inserted 15.0 on either side of the 6mm.