Moose River Glass: 2013

Saturday, April 13, 2013

It's finally here....

The big 2nd reveal!

Hi Bead Soup Party blog hoppers!

My partner in creativity is Emma Todd...

Here is what I sent to Emma...

Make sure you check out what she created at

A Polymer Penchant !

Here is a little reminder of what Emma sent me...

Her soup included lots of colorful polymer clay beads made with her own hands.

And here is what I created from them.

My first piece I used the pretty polymer clay, stone, wood and bone beads in the earthy tones that Emma sent. I etched copper sheet with an original hand drawn birdie to serve as a focal, hanging from copper seed beads. Tea dyed silk ribbon and a hand crafted copper clasp finish it off. I wore this piece to a party last weekend and got a lot of compliments.

The second piece is comprised completely from Emma's polymer clay beads. I used waxed Irish linen and a few macrame knots to make this simple necklace with a tropical feel. I even used one of the polymer discs as a clasp.... I love the focal! I saw an orchid swirling within the colors.

The third piece (Emma gave me A LOT of beads!) is made from more awesome stone beads, pretty coral color freshwater pearls, coordinating crystals, two of Emma's polymer clay focals, and the beautiful sterling clasp Emma gave me. I added a short length of sterling silver chain maille to finish it off. Beautiful peachy coral colors!

And last....but not least. I used the "timberwolf" and "scarlett" colored Emmacrafted polymer beads (the color names came from her daughter's crayon choices) , dyed jade and the two pretty silvery open rings from Emma's soup. I added copper wire, silk cording that I dyed to match Emma's beads and some of my own gray lampwork spacers. All strung on waxed Irish linen cord that I dyed to match too! A fun piece that I can't wait to wear!

All that I had left over from the soup mix was one horn ring...

I have to say that I really enjoyed working with all these different materials. It was challenging and fun! I'd like to say a huge thank you to Lori Anderson for hosting this creative endeavor. I can't imagine the amount of work she puts into each Bead Soup Blog Party. It is greatly appreciated!

And most of all THANK YOU ~ EMMA!

Thanks for visiting and enjoy the rest of your hop!

Click here for a complete list of the 2nd Reveal!
Bead Soup Blog Party...2nd Reveal

Friday, February 22, 2013

Meet Maui....Kitty #2


Meet Maui

This is Maui...our kitty #2. She is two years old. I just fell in love with her eyes. She is afraid of her shadow!
She loves to climb into things and sleep. I once couldn't find her and after searching for a long time discovered her in a cardboard box that had it's flaps all folded shut. She was sleeping in the clothing that was being stored inside. I have no idea how she even got into that tiny little opening.

She was much more white when she was a kitten. The person that we got her from was afraid that we wouldn't want her because of the big dark markings across her face. My first thought was...OMG are people really that shallow? She is a beautiful animal! Even if she hadn't been, she deserves the same love and devotion as any other friend.
We named her Maui...well, because it sounds like "meow" and my husband and I had the once in a lifetime chance to go to Hawaii a few years ago for our 25th wedding anniversary and fell in love with Maui.
Maui is very vocal...I have NO idea what she's talking about...but she talks A LOT! She also likes to push our little yorkie-poo out of his snuggle spot next to me. She is very passive aggressive that way.
Well...that's kitty #2. Lucky to have her as part of the family!

Thanks for reading :)

Cindy

Saturday, February 16, 2013

My bead soup goodies from the talented Emma Todd of A Polymer Penchant. (you too can own some of these awesome beads!)

When I am done with my creations I am so going out to buy an outfit just to go with these yummy colors. Beautiful! Thanks so much Emma!

Watch for the 2nd reveal on April 6th!

It's HERE

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

My Turn!

Let me introduce my 7th Bead Soup Blog Party partner in creativity!

the talented....Emma Todd

Emma is the creative mind and hands behind A Polymer Penchant

Look at these adorable Robin's eggs! That's a ton of detail in a little egg. Beautiful colors! Don't you just want to include them in one of your spring creations? I am a sucker for nature and these would make a lovely vignette on your windowsill just the way she has them displayed in the picture. Perfect!

Emma makes all kinds of polymer beads. Beautiful bright flowers, colorful swirling spacer disks. Fun! Fun! Fun!. Her use of color and color combinations is YUMMY! She gives me a whole new respect for polymer clay, a medium I have little knowledge of, so I can just drool over her work!

So...as I not so patiently wait for my soup mix to show up in my mailbox I dream of the talents Emma might be willing to share with me...waiting inside the wrappings.

To be continued......

Monday, February 11, 2013

7th Bead Soup Blog Party!

Here is what I have to offer my partner...Emma Todd. I hope it's enough. Most everything is handmade, which I am hoping will help make whatever Emma creates from the above collection totally unique! I tried to label everything (you can tell there's lots of labels) so she knows what's what. It's on the way to her...shipped on Saturday because they did an excellent job of clearing the 2 feet of snow off of our roads and I was able to get to the post office :) Yippeee!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Everybody seems to be talking about their kitties lately...so I thought I would introduce mine.

Today I start with Gremlin. I didn't name her...my daughter did, back when she found her as a kitten stuck in a garbage can. Gremlin is the oldest... about 11 years now.

She is petite and GRUMPY! She hisses at everything, including the two newer cats. She will walk through the house meowing with a little stuffed hippo (sometimes a pair of socks) until she finds you and puts it down gently near you. We find this hippo everywhere. Gremlin seems to like to leave it in our path from the bedroom to the bathroom, so if we need to get up in the middle of the night...we run in to it and hear the little rattling noise it makes. Strange little quirks this kitty has.

She also paces. She has a path around the inside perimeter of the entire downstairs and when she's on one of her missions to make it all the way around...DON'T get in her way!

She is a beautiful cat! Huge green eyes that look as if you are seeing them through magnifying glasses. She is also one of the smallest cats I have ever seen.

So... that's a little about our little princess. We almost lost her last year. Not sure what it was. The vet said a tumor and there was nothing we could do. But...I fed her with a dropper, made sure she got liquids with a dropper and she pulled through and is still with us...as feisty as ever. I sure would miss those green eyes!

Friday, February 8, 2013

Get ready Emma! It's almost on the way!

BEAD SOUP

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

I am so lucky to have Emma Todd as my partner for the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party. This is some of her beautiful work! She handcrafts wonderful beads from polymer clay! What style!

Click here for a link to her ETSY shop

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Hi Emma!

Welcome!

I am so glad you are my partner on the fun Bead Soup Journey!

Friday, February 1, 2013

This has been etched in my mind for some time.....

Who doesn't love a chickadee?

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

A visitor to my porch....

I know these little creatures creep some people out, and to others they are just another nuisance, but I have seen the other side of my nightly visitor through an animal rehab friend. They can be cute, gentle and kind...and really fun. This one only comes when no one is looking. Usually to nibble on left over cat food put out for some feral cats. Or sometimes I will find him inside my bird feeder when I turn the light on to let the dog out before bed. Either way, I welcome him (or her). I share my little patch of heaven on earth with the other inhabitants, after all it does belong to all of us :)

Namaste