Not quite 21 today

It was a big day in our household yesterday. Not only was it Father's Day, but it was also my husband's birthday as well as our wedding anniversary so we had lots of celebrating to do! Our two girls got together in the kitchen to bake and decorate a birthday cake for their Dad....... So it seems they have a sense of humour! 21?!!...... Again...... really?!! But all joking aside, it was a delicious cake; Raspberry Swirl filled with cream and strawberries and topped with vanilla frosting and more strawberries. Mmmm...... strawberries and cream..... and cake...... and frosting. Life is good! And now for something that is a little less calorific but just as pleasing on the eyes. These very berry-like beads were destined to become strawberries the moment I spotted them. All they needed was a simple leaf to top them off. Sometimes it's best to just let the beads do the talking for themselves! 'Til next time..... If you can't get enough of My Tuto......

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Bead Soup Treasure has Arrived

I am so excited... my Bead Soup has finally arrived.... all the way from the US! Feast your eyes on the wonderful components that my Bead Soup partner Nicole Rennell , has made for me. The criteria was that you must include a focal and a beautiful clasp in the mix. And she certainly did..... both handmade, forged even. And then some extras as well. How lucky am I?!! The idea of the Bead Soup Blog Party is to challenge the recipient with materials or colours that they wouldn't normally use. And Nicole has certainly done that. My style is clean and mainstream even though I'm a mixed media artist and these pieces are antiqued and organic looking. This will certainly push me outside my boundaries. The focal is forged in copper and then antiqued before being sealed with renaissance wax. In the centre is a textured crocodile feature which has been coated in resin. I'm only guessing here, but I think the crocodile texture might be polymer clay and she's coloured it with a......

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7 Stylish Ways to Use Donut Components

I'm quite a big fan of donut components: you can wire wrap them, dangle things from them, even slide things through them. That hole in the middle gives you so much opportunity to think outside the square and come up with some unique ways of putting your jewellery designs together. So I thought I'd share with you a few of the ways I like to use them. Use the donut as part of a toggle clasp and show it off as part of the design. Connect them together with fancy jump rings Use them to frame another bead Slide a long lariat through the donut Treat them as large holed beads and thread them on a thick stringing material Dangle them as charms Wire wrap them, or wrap a coil of wire around them and then dangle beads from the coil. Yep, that hole in the middle really makes them very versatile. I hope I've inspired you to look through that hole and see some new possibilities. Pin For Later! 'Til next time..... If you can......

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