Showing posts with label Make Bracelets Blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Make Bracelets Blog. Show all posts

Ohhhh,...Knotted Leather!

Yep, you know it. If it's leather and knotted with some beads or pearls anywhere near it - I'm in!

Leather (real or imitation) is all the rage right now and Tracy over at Make Bracelets Blog came up with a new, innovative and fun way to incorporate this ever so fabulous material into your jewelry designs.
 
 

She posted a link not long ago to her ever so hip and cool "Leather Links Video Tutorial" and I just had to purchase it!
 
Click here to go to the Leather Links Post Info
 

I had a blast listening and watching the step by step instructions and in her video tutorial Tracy shares many tips and tricks to working with leather (and hypo-cement!) and even throws in some handy-dandy 'touch-up' tricks you won't want to miss.

Here's a few pics of the first two leather links I created after watching the video and a couple of bracelets I made using them.
 
Click to Enlarge
 

Tracy's a real sweatheart and has created a Pinterest Board for those of us who have purchased the tutorial and have created items with the leather links - how cool is that?!   After all, Pinterest is the latest and greatest thing,...you know,...next to leather (and beads and pearls!).
 
 
 
 
So, whatcha waitin' for?  Hop on over and check it out and have fun creating some cool Leather Links!
 
Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Leather Links!!
 
Cheers,
~Shel~

2 for 1 Today!!

Today's a busy day here in blog land!  

Part 1 of my post is at the top and Part 2 is towards the bottom. If you stick around for all of it you'll see why I didn't just provide links to the separate events!

First up we've got our normal Saturday post this year for Focusing On Life: 52 Photos.  This is Week 5.  

 
 
For Week 5 Sally, of The Studio Sublime, told us that our prompt was to "Capture Our Hearts" and find hearts in our every day lives. 
 
We were to look around and notice the hearts that are all around us.  I really didn't think I'd find any hearts around me, even with Valentine's Day approaching, but I couldn't believe all the hearts I found in my daily life. Sad to say, I didn't find any really cool ones out in nature while on any walks or anything, but inside was a different story.

Here's what I found:
 

Top: The earrings I wear almost daily (duh!).
Middle: The Vintaj Heart I was working on while wondering where I was going to find hearts in my surroundings! (Hello?!)
Bottom: Wall hanging over at my friend Dyann's house.

But here's the Hearts that mean the most:

 

Hanging in my bead cabinet are the two heart necklaces that Logan (a.k.a. The Masked Rider) made us for Valentine's Day when he was in Kindergarten and also his little "I Love You" note that hangs above his 'sock hop' photo from first grade with him and the hubs. 

Hard to believe the kiddo's practically grown now!!

I will not be taking these for granted every day when I open my bead cabinet anymore, that's for sure!!

 
Hop on over to The Studio Sublime and see all the Hearts everyone else captured, okay?! 

Now for Part 2 of our agenda this fun Saturday. 

It's time for the
hosted by Tracy over at Make Bracelets Blog.

 

Here's the challenge Tracy presented us with: 

"I’d like to start the year together with a healthy jewelry making challenge. Yes, that’s right, a “healthy” jewelry making challenge. It involves choosing a powerful word or phrase that is meaningful to you and incorporating it into a jewelry design that will serve as a reminder to make a positive change in your life. These are the six categories of wellness that people generally want to make changes in: Physical, Emotional, Occupational, Spiritual, Intellectual and Social.  Your words can represent any of these areas." 

So, long story short (yeah like that's gonna happen, right?!), I thought quite a bit about my word and/or phrase and here's what spoke to me.

You normally won't hear me mention religion or politics on this blog (and I'm only mentioning one today), so listen up.

Even though I was baptized in the Christian church when I was in the 4th grade, I don't follow a specific religion, nor am I what anyone would refer to as a religious person.

Spiritual? Yes, absolutely. Do I pray?  You betcha!! Prayer is powerful stuff!!  I believe in "God/Spirit" (my own definition mind you) but I'm not religious. However, I do love talking to my friends and learning about their various religious beliefs; they fascinate me and I have a great deal of interest in the history involved in many religions as well.

So, with that said, I was over on Lori Plyler's blog, Studio Waterstone, (Lori did my blog banner if that name sounds familiar and she also hosts "I heart macro" each Sunday) and she had a link posted to a series of video sermons that she said was definitely worth checking out - so I did. WOW!!

Not only were they funny in spots and really eye-opening, (and yes, religious or not, you should check out these videos) but on a couple of occasions, tears just ran down my face!  

There are two sentences that Andy Stanley says that I will share with you that really spoke to me and became the basis for my "Wellness Jewelry" that I created for Tracy's challenge here today.  He said:

"My time is limited, So I need to limit what I do with my time."

Think about that one.  I know.  It's a show-stopper, huh?

Then, he said:

"When you begin to live as if your days are numbered you will gain a heart of wisdom."

A Heart of Wisdom. 
 
I'd like a heart of wisdom. So, once I get it through my head that my time is limited and that I must limit what I do with my time (and once this becomes the norm for me), I will start to gain a heart of wisdom. 
(Powerful Stuff!)

I mean, how can you not operate from a position of LOVE if you have a heart of wisdom?  And my question here is this, "Shouldn't we all want to operate from a position of love?" 

If we all did that, the world would be a better place. The world,...not just here, where ever here is for you, but the world.  Yep, that's what made those tears flow,...

 

So, my word is TIME.  I need to remember that my time is limited and start limiting what I do with my time and spend that time wisely - from my heart.

 
 
It's so appropriate that Sally's prompt for week 5 was "Capture our Hearts", was it not? (read the first part of this entire post if that just confused you!)

Do you remember what Tracy's words for us were? "These are the six categories of wellness that people generally want to make changes in: Physical, Emotional, Occupational, Spiritual, Intellectual and Social."

So, where and how are you going to spend your TIME (more of / less of) in these areas above? 

 
The 3 watch hands on the altered blank represent my hubby, my son and myself
as do the 3 metal beads that are mixed with the turquoise.  The turquoise represents healing in all
areas of our lives.  The chain represents how each part (time) in our lives is linked to the next
while the swirl in the clasp represents how our energy is never ending.
 
It was a real eye-opener for me to think about each of these and see how I wanted to organize/budget my time and this bracelet sits on my wrist, next to my watch, reminding me that my time is limited!
 
Okay, I guarantee you I'm not the only one who had some deep revelations over this one, so head on over and check out all the awesome jewelry from the participants for Tracy's Wellness Words Jewelry Challenge! 
 
I bet you'll find some words and/or phrases that speak volumes to you, too! 

 
 

Thanks so much Tracy for Inspiring us to make positive changes for our over-all health, wellness and well being - what an awesome gift!

Until Next TIME,
Peace, LOVE and Wellness!!
Cheers,
~Shel~
 
Here's the list of participants in Tracy's
Inspire Change: Wellness Words Jewelry Challenge


 
 

Tickle Your Fancy!

It's a new year with all sorts of exciting and fun things to do!
 
Here's a short list (no, that's not a pun on my height - although it is appropriate!) of a few creative challenges, blog hops and happenings going on here in cyberland.


 
The Studio Sublime:  Sally's offering up a great challenge called "Focusing on Life: 52 Photos" where she sends you a prompt each week during 2013 and you snap some shots and blog about them or post them over on her Flickr group each Saturday.  This past Saturday was the first grouping and you should see everyone's posts and photos! Very fun indeed!  You can still jump in with both feet on this one - don't miss it!

 
 
 
 
Tracy over at Make Bracelets is hosting a challenge/blog hop that is super cool!  It's called Inspire Change: Wellness Words Jewelry Challenge. Tracy always hosts up a good time, so you need to go over and read her post and check out the challenge. I read this the other day and was bummed that I can't participate because I might not be here (and I wait until the last minute to do everything!) on the day of the hop.  But, you still have until January 20th to get signed up - so hop on over and join in! (My brain is still trying to figure out how I can squeeze this one in!)

 
 
 
Art Jewelry Elements served up their Earring Challenge this weekend, too. Earring Eye Candy - did you hear me?! Yes indeed - Earrings with art beads and/or charms - sweet! You sign up for 13 weeks at a time and they've got all the details posted on their blog - go check it out!
 
 
 
 
 
Don't forget that Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party is coming up here soon, too. Sign ups are January 25th - 27th and there's 3 reveal dates since the party is so big.  Hop on over and read all about it and get in on the fun - this is one party that's sure to stir your creative juices and have you meeting new, fun and like-minded people! 

 
 
You can even get a copy of Lori's Bead Soup book to help you get ready for the fun!! 


Okay, I know I'm forgetting TONS of other fun challenges and hops out there that I've seen/read here online and I apologize for that, so PLEASE, PLEASE SHARE any of the challenges and/or blog hops you've seen or that you're having yourself.
 
Just give us the links right here in the comments below :-)
 
I hope that 2013 is being good to you so far and finds you happy, healthy and creating beautiful things!
 
Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Creatively Fun Things To Do!
Cheers,
~Shel~

*P.S - Oh, and don't forget to check out
Artisan Whimsy,
they've always got challenges, blog hops, events and all sorts of fun stuff going on over there!