New Lampwork Jewelry and New Section!

This week I have been very busy! I am going to my sister's graduation this week and I wanted to get some new things out before then. My husband and I are also planning our vacation for July and I have a new dog that I'm watching on and off. I'm trying my best to maintain some semblance of a garden but the crummy weather hasn't been helping. It's been in the 50's for several days the past couple weeks. That doesn't help my poor watermelon and cantaloupe plants. A lot has been accomplished though. Check out some of my new lampwork jewelry:

This one can be found here and features lampwork beads from Scott:


This one is made with lampwork discs from Alisha and carnelian stone beads:



In addition, I also started a section with jewelry and accessories that are all five dollars or less. Here are a few things from that section:

These earrings feature bumpy lampwork beads from May:


This necklace is made with Czech glass beads:

This bracelet is made of white shell beads and foil glass hearts:

Beautiful Glass

This week I started making some new things with the new handmade lampwork beads that I bought. This necklace is in bright blue and yellow. I love the three beads in the center. You'll have a hard time finding another one like this.

Speaking of blue and yellow. I have these wonderful lampwork discs from Alisha and couldn't resist making a pair of earrings with them and some cat's eye glass beads.



I found these beautiful two-toned Czech glass beads. They are a pink and orange color and remind me of ripe peaches. I made a three strand bracelet using those beads and small white faceted cat's eye glass beads. It's just a little too small for my wrist but I'm sure someone will love it!

Insanely Busy

I went on a trip to Maryland with my dog. We drove two days to get to my parents' house, spent the weekend, spent two days in Salisbury three hours from there, went back to my parents' house and then drove to see my grandparents before heading out on the road back to Wisconsin. It was a long drive and one week after getting back, I'm still tired from it. Obie loved meeting everyone and getting lots of love.



Since getting back I've been on a hunt for some good lampwork beads. The mass-produced beads you find at general craft stores just won't do. Mom and I went to AC Moore while I was in Maryland and their beads were disappointing. Usually they have decent selection but this last time there were so many cracked and chipped beads. Mom's birthday is coming up and I decided to find her some nice lampwork beads and get a few for myself. I am hoping to get a few new things made soon and post them on Etsy.

I ordered some custom beads from MayzBeadz ... she has very beautiful beads at great prices. I've never beed disappointed. Here's some of her work:




I also found wonderful beads at GloryBeadGlassStudio. Just beautiful work and free shipping!




If you are looking for hollow beads or lampwork discs I suggest AlishaWhite's Etsy shop. They are the most perfect lampwork discs I have ever come across!


I will be updating with more pictures as soon as I can.

Growing Food and Springtime Jewelry

I haven't been making too much for Etsy lately. I traded so much last month in the trade-n-stay and have yet to make more things. I have several things in my shop that remind me of spring. I made this necklace and love wearing it. It's made with lampwork glass beads and Czech glass beads.


I also have this bracelet and this necklace that have been on sale for several months and I love both of them. They both remind me of spring.

Now on to my other hobby of late. I simply love biting into a ripe melon in the middle of summer. Yellow watermelon is probably my favorite but I love red watermelon and cantaloupe too. I decided that this year I would try growing some of my own. I haven't been able to find any yellow watermelon since moving out here. I even had to order the seeds on the internet. We eat a lot of squash too so I decided to try planting all those three types of melon plus squash. Since we live in Wisconsin, it can snow into the month of May so I decided to plant the seeds inside and then transplant them outside in late May or early June. So far there is a little squash plant that popped up this weekend and several little red watermelon plants that have poked through the soil. The yellow watermelon seeds came in the mail nine days after I planted the others so they haven't had much time to grow yet. Still no action on the cantaloupe but I hope that something will grow there soon. Here are some pictures I took today.

The red watermelon:
The squash plant:

Trading is Most Excellent

I love this necklace. So many colors and I just love the glass beads. It's going to be hard to part with but for now I will enjoy it. I have this up for sale and have added some PIF items and dropped prices on several things.

I tried to tie that into what I'm about to say but it just sounded too hokey. So I am changing the subject.

I must say that I love me a good trade. Any of you Etsians out there who are traders will, hopefully, agree with me. I am just addicted to it. I love getting things I need or want in a good Etsy trade. No money need be exchanged. The Tradeaholics team on Etsy had a trade and stay event last week. I did several trades for dog treats for Obie, a dog ID tag, some cards, two pairs of earrings, soap, tote bags, this cute ceramic ornament for our anniversary, a coffee cozy, some napkins for Evelyn and beads. I know, many links, but I am so thrilled with all my trading. Any other Etsy traders out there? I have found that lately many people are reluctant to trade and would just rather make money. Well money is great but I needed a new dog ID tag for Obie and Etsy trading means I don't have to drive around buying things. Trading makes people happy. If something has sold at all and it's been posted for a few months but someone wants to trade, if I like something in their shop I'll trade for it.

Animals Need Love

I love animals. That's probably why I make a lot of things that incorporate animals. Even the "yucky" animals have a place in my shop.


This cute bracelet features a scorpion lampwork bead. The rest of the bracelet is made with Czech glass size one seed beads. I love using this kind of seed bead. They are about the size of a pony bead but come in beautiful colors. Sometimes I will use a smaller size seed bead but I still make sure to get the beautiful colors that come with glass beads.

I am just in love with lampwork beads. There is so much that can be made with glass. I love these cute little sheep that I mentioned in a previous post. This bracelet is similar to the scorpion one but features a lizard. I found the bead online and he was supposed to look like a crocodile but I think he lookes more like a lizard.


If you've checked my shop recently you can see that I've been busy making many new things. Most of my time has gone to creating. I prefer it to promoting. Making new things is my favorite part of the process.

If anyone out there is getting married soon, check out my veil sale going on now. Also, I'm planning on making some new veils for the spring.

An Anniversary and Wedding Veil Sale

A year ago I was getting ready for our wedding. We didn't have enough money for a small wedding, let alone one of those huge hurrah's you see today. Everything from giving your guests gifts to food to decorations costs bundles these days. Half of it isn't even necessary. We had to keep it simple.


My husband and I got married at the courthouse. They had a nice wedding room that was very pretty and our parents came to witness it. My grandmother made my gown and my mom made the cake.


We had two receptions. The first was in Maryland, with his immediate family and my side, right after we got married. We had a nice reception in a private room of a great restaurant. We didn't hire a photographer or have a wedding party or any of that. Our second reception was in Wisconsin four weeks later with my immediate family and his side, again in a nice restaurant and similar setting. Each reception had about 40 guests, including those who came to both receptions. It was nice and simple. Just about all of it we did ourselves. We just wanted to get married. The frills were just frills and didn't add or take away anything from our marriage.


That started my path to making wedding veils, jewelry and accessories. I needed a veil so I made one. I sewed Swarovski crystals to the veil with invisible thread and sewed crackle glass to the comb. This past July I made a veil for a friend and I started thinking of making these for brides on a budget. While my veils didn't sell right away, my jewelry has done well. I guess it doesn't help that most weddings are in spring and summer and I started selling veils closer to the fall. Anyway, I made my first veil, my wedding veil, a year ago and so I'm putting my veils on sale. Each pre-made veil is now between $30 and $39 and I've lowered the shipping cost. I also have my butterfly comb at clearance price! You can find my veils here and my accessories here including hairpins, hair bands and combs.