One Thing Leads to Another

Rainbow Bridge

How did one thing lead to another  ?
While I was creating my piece for last week's "Memories and Thanks  Blog Hop" several things happened.
I made lots of  "Rainbow " beads for my shop and I still had some little bits leftover.
I noticed I had tons of small beads and earring findings.
I thought about Tyler's life .
I though about the donations in his memory that had been sent to a local animal rescue. "No Kill Harford " http://www.nokillharford.org/
and the results of my  thoughts....
I decided to made some small earring size pairs of beads with the leftover clay.
I decided to make a few pairs earrings .......
then a few more ...then tons more !
I decided to sell the earrings at work and give 100% of the profit to the rescue.
I realized earrings are an easy ,fun way for me to recharge between bead making sessions.
I really wanted to find a way I could contribute to the rescue .
I figured if  I spent $1 plus my time on a set of earrings , I could raise $5 for the rescue !
I had in mind using up the "don't fit my present style " beads in my vast stash.
That's how I started . But, then I saw some darling paw print charms on ETSY. So I hit "buy now"
Then  that evil temptress Ms. Items that might match your taste,  popped up more adorable pet themed beads ...and you guessed it. Instead of  thriftily using only beads I already owned ,I was buying more.
I'm very glad I did ! I thought maybe I missed prime time since I started my project after the holidays.
But ,the earrings are really selling . I added A "free" organza gift bag to each pair sold. $5 for a gift ready pair of OOAK earrings is a GOOD deal ! And the money goes to a great cause.
It's surely a win win situation !
I started my bead journey for myself .
Beads have opened many doors of friendship and fun for me .
I am please they have also offered me a way to help a cause I believe in.
this week
Bead for a Cause
and Bead Happy !

m.e.

Memories and Thanks Blog Hop

Waiting at the Bridge

When I decided to join Lori Anderson's "Memories and Thanks Blog Hop ", I did not have a specific person in mind .
Many people have influenced my life .
Many people have a special place my heart .
I thought I would sign up and then think about who I would choose as my inspiration.
Sadly, fate made the choice for me .
On November 17 a friend and co-worker was killed in  tragic automobile accident.
I blogged about the loss
 http://beetreebyme.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-life-remembered.html
This statement became my inspiration
" Tyler is at the Rainbow Bridge waiting to bring your dog to you"
Tyler will always be in the hearts of those whose lives he touched.
I made a large rainbow bead in the shape of a heart .
Then I added a selection of vintage brass dog tags.
I am always  collecting bits and pieces of vintage to use in my jewelry.
I especial love these old tags.  Most are well worn with the beautiful patina of daily use.
I like to think about the beloved pets these once belonged to.
I think they represent perfectly the fur persons waiting at the rainbow bridge for their humans.
Tyler loved dogs so much and they loved him in return.
 It is my prayer he is truly with them still,waiting for the day when all loved ones will be together again .
this week  enjoy a visit with all the Blog hop participants
treasure your  memories
and
Bead Happy

m.e.

Hostess, Lori Anderson       Pretty Things 
  Adlinah Kamsir                   Dream Struck Designs

 Aimee Biondolillo               Aimee's Jewelry Treasures

 Alicia Marinache                 All the Pretty Things 
 Andra Marasteanu               Handmade by Indra Marasteanu 
 Andrea Trank                      Heaven Lane Creations
 April Grinaway                   Brooklyn Bead Goddess

Barb Solem                         Vivi Magoo Presents

Becky Pancake                    Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Beth Emery                         Stories by Indigo Heart

Bonnie Coursolle                Jasper's Gems

Cassi Paslick                       Beads: Rolling Downhill

Catherine King                    Catherine's Musings

Cece Cormier                      The Beading Yogini

Chandra Leitz                     Juniper Goods

Charissa Nesler                   FireStorm Designs
Charlie Jacka                       Clay Space

Christina Hickman              Vintage Treasures Jewelry

Christine Murrow               Charis Designs Jewelry
Christine Stonefield            Sweet Girl Design

Chrizette Bayman               Bead Soup Mix

Cindy Wilson                      It's My Sea of Dreams

CJ Bauschka                       4 His Glory Creations by CJ

Crystal Thain                      Here Bead Dragons

Cyndi Lavin                        Beading Arts

Debbie Rasmussen             A little of this, a little of that

Denielle Hagerman             Some Beads... and other things I like
Diana Gonzalez                  Arte y Poemas

Diane Hawkey                    diane hawkey

Dita Basu                            ankarshilpa

Donetta Farrington             Simply Gorgeous

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     Deeliteful Jewelry Creations

Emma Todd                        A Polymer Penchant

Erin Kenny                         beadiful therapy

Erin Prais-Hintz                  Treasures Found

Gina Hockett                      Freestyle Elements

Gloria Allen                        Innovative Dreams Jewelry

Heather Marston                 CSW Designs

Inge von Roos                    Inge's Blog

Iveth Caruso                       Creative Atelier

Jacqueline Marchant          Fiddledeedee Jewelry

Jami Shipp                         Celebrating Life!

Jean Yates                          Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading to Do!

Jennifer Reno                     Musings of a Crafty Jenny
Jenny Robledo                   Peppa's Dream

Jennifer VanBenschoten    Jewelry, Art and Life
Jessica Klaaren                  Cellar Door Jewelry

Jessica Murray                   Whimsical Monkey

Joan Williams                     lilruby jewelry

Jo-Ann Woolverton            It's a Beadiful Creation

Joanne Browne                   josjewels1

Jodie Marshall                    Jodie Marshall Lampwork Beads Wearable Art

Johanna Rhodes                 Fire Phoenix Creations
John Rasmussen                 Rasumussen Gems and Jewelry LLC

JuLee Wolfe                       The Polymer Penguin

Julie Bean                           Blue Pig Blog

Karen Mitchell                   Over the Moon Designs

Karin King                         The Sparklie Things Blog
Karin Slaton                       Backstory Beads

Kat Douglas                       Washoe Kat's
Kay Bolton                        Toodles and Binks

Kelly Hosford Patterson     The Traveling SideShow

Kim Ballor                          Vitamin C ... A Daily Does of Creativity

Kim Dworak                       CianciBlue

Kim Houston                       The Pink Martini
Kym Hunter                         Kym Hunter Designs

Laren Dee Barton                Laren Dee Designs

Lea Avroch                          LA Jewelry Designs

Leanne Loftus                      First Impression Design

Liddy McLaughlin               Liddy McLaughlin Art

Linda Florian                       Lily's of the Valley Jewelry & Creative Creations

Linda Inhelder                     Must-Haves Jewelry

Lisa Hamilton                      Simply Irresistable Jewelry
Lisa Suver                            Fancee That

Lori Bowring Michaud        Artfully Ornamental

Lori Poppe                           Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

LouAnn Elwell                    Southpass Beads

Mandi Effron                       Craft-o-licious

Marcia DeCoster                 MadDesigns

Marcia Dunne                     The Alternative Foundry

Marie Covert                      Creating Interest

Marjorie Savill Linthwaite     bennubirdrising

Marlene Cupo                        Amazing Designs by Marlene

Martha Aleo                           Ornamento

Marti Conrad                          Marti's Buttons -n- Beads

Mary Ellen Parker                  BeeTree by m.e.       you are here 

Mary Govaars                        MLH Jewelry Designs

Mary Lindell                          Mary Lindell Artisan Jewelry

Maureen Connolly                 Mrs Beadsley's Workshop

Maybeline Tay                       The Jewelry Larder

Melissa Elgin                         The Addicted Beader

Melissa Mesara                      one-eared pig beads

Menka Gupta                         Menka's Jewelry

Michaela Pabeschitz              la mar de bonita

Mischelle Fanucchi               Micheladas Musings

Mona Rae Baroody               Who Does She Bead She Is?

Nan Emmett                          Spirit Rattles -- Spirited Earth

Nancy Pedersen                    Something Heartfelt by Nancy

Natalie Davidson                  NorthShore Days
Nikki Douglas                      Bead It and Weep

Pam Farren                           re-maker

Pam, the Crazier Sister        The Crazy Creative Corner

Pam Traub                            Klassy Joolz
Priya Krish                           Hellopalz 
Rebecca Anderson               Song Beads

Rebecca Sirevaag                 Becca's Place

Robin Kae Reed                   Artistry HCBD

Rochelle Brisson                  a creative chelle

Rosa Maria Cuevas              Helena de Troya

Sabine Dittrich                     perlendschungel

Sandi Volpe                          Sandi Volpe

Sandra McGriff                    Creative Chaos

Sarah Goode                         Pookledo
Sarah Singer                         String a Song of Sixpence

Serena Trent                         All Things Made Jewelry

Shai Williams                       Shaiha's Ramblings
Sharon Palac                        Sharon's Jewelry Garden

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson    Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections

Sheila Davis                         Stone Designs

Shelley Graham Turner        Fabric of My Life

Sherri Stokey                       Knot Just Macrame

Sherry Baun                         Unicorns Jewels

Skylar Bre'z                         Brising Beads

Stephanie Haussler              Pixybug Designs

Tania Spivey                        Moobie Grace Designs

Terri G.                                Blooming Ideas

Terry Carter                         Tapping Flamingo

Terry Matuszyk                    Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Toltec Jewels                       Jewel School Friends
Tracy Kruse                         Goldkisses Art

Tracy Martin                        Nutkitten's Jewelry

Zia Parks                              Anzi~Panzi's Work Shoppe

Zoe Marcin                          Beads, Tea and Sweets

There are many links to the Rainbow Bridge story.
Here is one,just  in case you are not familiar with it.
http://rainbowsbridge.com/poem.htm

ABS January Challenge

Fairy Trail

Time for the January  2013 ABS challenge  !
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2013/01/black-peacocks-with-japanese-persimmons.html
Last month I waited and waited and waited some more,
for the beads I wanted to use to be delivered .
I hope never  to repeat that frustration!
This month I asked myself the question
What comes first...  the Beads or the Design ?
Of course the answer is always different .
Sometimes I see the inspiration and an idea pops right into my head.
Then I hope to have the right components already waiting in my stash !
But ,sometimes I just start pulling out beads that match the colors .
I hope something will call out loud and clear to me.
 This month it was a piece of olive /gold  lace that caught my eye.
When I first saw the painting, I thought maybe I'll make some sort of peacock.
But, the fantasy, fairy tale quality of the theme haunted me .
The lace mimicked the color and texture of the peacock's tale .
Vintage lace seemed perfect for a Fairy Princess piece of jewelry .
The lace was sturdy enough to press into the black clay  for texture  too!
I make flowers whenever I can . I decided my art bead would a  delicate floral with peacock blue center. Then I found a few metal ferns and  some glass beads for bling .To finish it all off I used  a bit of guilders paste to high-lite the black clay.

Do we ever outgrow our  Fairy Princess  dress- up days?
I hope not .
This week
create a dress up design
and
Bead Happy !

m.e.