Monday, October 29, 2012

Hooters Challenge




I entered my hooters... but forgot to do a blog post! Ack! lol

actually, I DID blog them... just under a different topic. I was planning on making a new Owl piece for this challenge, but in the end went with the owl earring(s) I did for the mismatched art bead earring swap.




The owl is, of course, from Tree Wing studio :)



Pop over to Artisan Whimsy and cast your votes for your favorite Owl jewelry And Owl components :)
you have to be a member to vote, but anyone can join :)


More Halloween stuff :D

Yus... the title says it all... well.. kinda... ;)

btw... if you see words with the 'w' missing... I have a new keyboard and the 'w' likes to not compress fully when I get typing fast >.< But it's a cool keyboard... it's got glow in the dark keys... that my room doesn't have enough light to charge enough for them to actually 'glow' BUT, the black on light is so much easier to see than the white on black of normal keyboards... plus the keys feel neat against my fingers... and they're green ;)

Okay, enough about my keyboard and my new excuse for typos ;)

MISS-MATCHED HALLOWEEN EARRINGS !  Diana of Suburngirl Studios and Art Jewelry Elements blog, is holding a little hop today :) Here's my addition! check out the hoplist here... and check back because it goes as people add in their link ;) 


 sorry about the photo... but it's yucky outside >.< No natural light for pretty picture taking.

So here I took my last little witchie poo, gave her a  Czech flower dress... then used my only cat ( rather light how his eyes went red in the pic .. lol they're brown on the bead itself ) To even out the weight between the two, I opened a brass circle and turned it into a crescent, then wire wrapped some flowers around it to A- tie in the green from the witch, B- hold the crescent from slipping off , and C- keep the cat from spinning backwards. I'm afraid I don;t know who made the beads.. if you do, please tell me!

I think they turned out really cute :) Of course, now I'm out of cutesy Halloween lamp work beads.... actually, now I'm out of cutesy lamp work beads or any type :( Guess I'll have to start in on my porcelain and ceramic goodies ;)


Speaking of other goodies, I got my order of yumminess from Marsha Neil's shop and wow.... SO many ideas. As hinted at though, I'll be sharing a pendant or two in Novembers giveaway, so check back next Friday to enter for that ;)

I did order two special pieces of hers just for me though. One of her bats... I've loved those for ages and finally ordered one :) It's waiting for me to play with it.  And one of her skull pendants.  I whipped up a necklace last night, then added the clasp to wear it, despite the fact it's not finished. I ran out of size 11 seed beads in the dark brown and black >.< So until I get more in, I'm wearing it as is :D





Sunday, October 28, 2012

October Fest BlogHop

Yes, another bloghop.. but one I couldn't resist taking part in since it's celebrating my favorite time of year :) Not just October, but all of autumn ! Rita of 'Toltec Jewels' & 'Jewel School Friends', drew together an impressive list of prizes and participants to celebrate the season :)

Being an 'open celebration'  we were given the opportunity to share whatever we wanted to - jewelry, photographs, recipes,ANYTHING  that was inspired by or practically screamed 'autumn'.

I'd planned on two different hikes this month, the colors and scenery being fabulous and perfect for taking photos to share with you. Hike number one, while lovely, happened to coincide with dead batteries in my camera >.<  Hike number two was rained out... and it's 'rain date' was cancelled due to being sick. I do have some that I managed to sneak in on a walk home from work one day... a day that I was hit with the urge to take my camera with me despite that being something I don't usually do. Good thing I did, hmm?

photo taken by Sandra McGriff
Colours

photo taken by Sandra McGriff
Autumn Trail

photo taken by Sandra McGriff
Autumn Gold

photo taken by Sandra McGriff
Sunshine Leaf

photo taken by Sandra McGriff
Into The Dark


I recently purchased a big ole box of chipstone and other yummy beads from a lady in Texas .. and among them was some that just kept calling to me. The reds, oranges, browns and creams just screamed 'autumn' to me and so while watching tv one day I started to play with whatever was in front of me... and an idea was born... and blossomed into this

photo taken by Sandra McGriff


Some time after that was finished, I made some Halloween jewelry pictures elsewhere on my blog here... and after choosing a bunch of beads to do another one, I ended up swapping them out for the same beads in different colors, and making this

photo taken by Sandra McGriff


 
Blog Hop List


Host Toltec Jewels      http://www.JewelSchoolFriends.com
Heather Otto               http://www.thecrafthopper.com
Mischelle Fanucchi     http://www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.com
Marlene Cupo             http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com
Shaiha Williams          http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com 
Shelly Graham Turner   http://shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com/ 
Shelly Joyce                 http://www.aujourlejour-shelly.blogspot.com/
Charlie Jacka                http://clay-space.com/blog
Pam Sears                     http://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com/
Margareta Saari            http://magsinhelmet.blogspot.com/
Marita Suominen          http://momentofjewelry.blogspot.fi/
Jeannie Dukic                 http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog/ 
Cheri Reed                     http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/
Arlene Dean                   http://aglassbash.blogspot.com/
Duffy Blevins                  http://bubbasjewels1.blogspot.com/
Susan Kennedy             http://suebeads.blogspot.com/
Dita Basu                      http://www.alankarshilpa.blogspot.com/
Sonya Ann Stille            http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com/
Audrey Allen https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wrapped-Up-In-Magic/145456948869148
Kashmira Patel               http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/
Kathy Lindemer              http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/
Kris Mattingly                 https://www.facebook.com/kris.h.mattingly    
Lennis Carrier                 http://www.windbent.net/
Shannon Hicks               http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/
Paula Hisel                   
http://simplybeadiful.weebly.com/simply-stated.html
Karin Slaton                   http://backstorybeads.blogspot.com/
Shirley Moore                 http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com
Alicia Marinache             http://www.allprettythings.ca/
Valeria G. Rome             http://fancysphynxdesigns.blogspot.com/
Lo                                  http://thecreativeklutz.blogspot.com/
Zoe Marcin                     http://beadsteaandsweets.blogspot.com/
Carolyn Lawson              http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
Kimberly Booth      http://thepinkmartiniboutique.blogspot.com/
Sherri Stokey                  http://www.knotjustmacrame.com
Tanya McGuire                http://www.tanyamcguire.blogspot.com/ 
Debbie Rasmussen          http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com/
Christine Stonefield          http://sweetgirldesign.blogspot.com/
Sandra McGriff            http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.com<-- You Are Here
Renetha Stanziano           http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com/
Evelyn Shelby       http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/

 Tanty Sri Hartanti              http://tjewellicious.blogspot.com/
 Colene Waltermire     https://www.facebook.com/groups/426147797447039/?fref=ts
Lee Nova                    
https://www.facebook.com/groups/426147797447039/?fref=ts




Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Newest winners!

Alrighty...  busy procrastinating today, so a quick update to call out the winners, then back to it ;)

Remember this ?


This will be making its appearance in  Tiffany Smith's mailbox... as soon as she emails me her address ;)


And the bracelet?



 That will be soon be seen on Jen Ren's wrist ... as soon as she sends me her address...


And the surprise prize?   Kristen will be watching out for THAT particular butterfly-bedecked envelope... as soon as she sends me her address.

So hurry up and email me your addresses, ladies!

The rest of you have one more week to get your entries in for the big October giveaway!

Want another chance to win one of those 'fiber' bundles that Tiffany won?
Share a link to a picture of your favorite Halloween project - must be something YOU made, whether it be jewelry, clothing, costumes, or even a Halloween decoration! I'll pick a winner on Friday and have it posted by Saturday ;)

Okay ... now I'm going back to procrastinating. Catch ya'll later :D

Friday, October 19, 2012

Giveaway updates!

 Sorry >.< Between the cleaning/ reorganizing/ utter chaos of my house, combined with my getting another nasty cold... haven't been feeling the blogging urge lately... think I'd have been to inspired to whine if I had lol

I DID manage to get some creating done before the bug took over and turned my nose into a faucet again. Three button bracelets, a pair of earrings, and a fours bracelet that came to a stop a third of the way due to the germ influx lol

The one bracelet you can see in the Non-Blogger/Blogger challenge album at the Bead Soup Cafe. It's the purple and green button bracelet done for the purple pansy inspiration photo :)

The second bracelet you can't see yet because it's for the new challenge there and I haven't uploaded it yet... plus I'm debating adding some thing to the end or trying a different style clasp.

The third bracelet I'll show you in a minute, because you guys can try and win it ;)

And the earrings are MINE :)

 Aren't they adorable? I made them from one of the kits I bought from Lisa Lodge of Pine Ridge Treasures :) I already have a bunch of the other beads from this set set out in designs ready to go as soon as I'm relatively germ free again :)

Before I post that bracelet though, I mentioned back on the F.F. #10 post that I'd be adding more to that bundle. I thought maybe you'd like to see the full prize pack you're trying for? lol  Might be nice, right?


So there are the beads and findings from the original photo in little baggies... plus two baggies of seed bead mixes, a bundle of pink faux suede, and two bundles of 'autumn inspired' funky yarns :) 

No, that orange and blue mix is not some the accidental 'floor' mix I showed in the one group when my seed beads case spilled everywhere ... some of the same colours though. I'd mixed this up a couple days before that happened >.< lol 

Like the yarns? Want some to play with too? How about some spider web lacy-stuff, too?

 
How about a Halloween button bracelet?


Leave a comment telling me about your favorite Halloween 'tradition' - whether it's dressing up, or making treats, throwing a party... or going on a ghosthunt ... whatever it is, tell me ( at least ) that one thing you HAVE to do every Halloween for the holiday to be complete :) Add in which item you'd like, the fiber or the bracelet.. or both ;).

My traditions for this time of year - I do my best to book it off. Usually the 30th straight to the 2nd if I can. If not, then at least the 31st & the 1st :) Halloween morning I carve my jacko'lantern and wash up the seeds. Just after lunch I start roasting them while I get my treats together for the kiddies then scramble to get my costume together if I didn't do that the day before ;) If my costume is mask-less and easy to move in, I'll wear it most of the day, even doing any shopping in it, simply to see the smiles :) 

I spend most of the evening sitting on my porch handing out candy for both my place and my landlords, while they take the kids around trick or treating.. then one of them will either join me or take over for me :) We keep track of how many kids we get each year.. last year the count was the lowest ever, I think, but I think it was kinda on the cool side...I was bundled up in layers and had swapped out my light weight shiny cape for my nice heavy brown Jedi robe... much warmer :) Hoping for a better turnout this year.

After I head inside, I usually take my jacko'lantern with me and he continues to flicker and glow in my living room, while I either watch spooky movies or shows, or do the odd tarot or psychic reading online.


And since, I'm always looking for inspiration, how about for those brave enough to tell me about their spookiest experience , or favorite Halloween experience, I'll do an extra prize just for one of them...? Plus anything I write ( or draw, or make ) using those stories as inspiration, I'll share here for everyone to read ;) That winner can tell me whether they'd like an Autumn/Halloween fiber 'grabbag' ( I have several different varieties of the spiderweb stuff ;) ), or some Autumn/Halloween inspired jewelry, or just a surprise bead bundle :).

To break the ice , I'll tell you about one of MY spooky happening. Remember up there a bit I mentioned doing the odd tarot or psychic reading? That started a few years ago totally by accident... I was in a chat with a few ghost hunters and suddenly started describing a place...  I didn't know 'what' I was describing at the time, - a large rock, I mean a BIG rock.. emphasis on BIG, with something gold on it or maybe under it?.. a Tree....  black branches or roots... gold glinting between them... I didn't know what I was describing, but the guy I was speaking to DID, and so did some of the others. One woman ( the same one who runs Yours, Mine & Ours ;) ) went out the next day to take photos of the place I'd described. Seeing the photos ... wow. It was an abandoned building that had been severely damaged in a ...think it was one of the big hurricanes that ripped through the southern states several years ago. Anyhow, in the photos there was a huge fake boulder playground piece that had a slide on one side...that had at one time been painted a gold color, and the paint had mostly flaked off showing just a bit. The black branches belonged to a tree, and through the branches you could see the remains of the damaged yellow/gold paint on the building behind it. lol I've done remote viewing before with fairly good results at times, but this, while having the same effects, was a different sensation. At times I was very aware of a presence with me 'showing' or 'telling' me ( it was neither in words or images, but there's no other way to describe it really ). After that, when ever I get hit by that same feeling I had that night, I do the odd reading. Usually saves me a restless night or headache... shouldn't hold that stuff in if it wants out ;) lol

So, If you haven't entered October's Freebie Friday drawing for that bundle of goodies, go back to the FF#10 blog post and enter with the Rafflecopter widget :) For those who've already entered... give it a check to make sure you've got all the entries in you can do ;)

If you want to try to win that little fiber bundle or the bracelet, leave a comment telling me which one, and your fave Halloween Tradition.

And if you want to try for the surprise prize while giving me fodder for my stories and/or other artistic endeavors... tell me your own spooky happening or favorite Halloween 'event' :) Keep in mind, by posting your stories here,( or sending them to me via email at skye_sands@hotmail.com, or mattiashogan@gmail.com  if you'd rather not have anyone know the tale is yours ;) ), you're granting me permission to use them whether you win or not. I promise not to use them directly or mention any names or identifying items or places ;)  For example, if you send me a funny story about a trip through a 'haunted house', I'd have my own characters play the key rolls and change the town/city name, etc... unless you WANT to be named in it ;)

Anyhow, since I've finally blogged, I'm going to end this and go see about getting some soup into me.

I'll pick winners for these ... eh, whenever I feel like it ;) Depending on how many entries I get for them, how quickly, maybe I'll do it on Monday.... or maybe sooner ;) 

Helpful, aren't I? lol


Tuesday, October 16, 2012

MisMatched Swap & Hop

Hello :) 

Yeah I know... All those good intentions of blog posts to come and then ...Pfft... nada all week.

Oops :D


A while back Diana of SuburbanGirl Studios called a bunch of us together to do a ' Mismatched Artbead Earring swap.   Since I've been trying to push myself into actually USING some of my art beads, and my asymmetrical jewelry skills needed some work, I joined up :)

Those of you in BSC & CBC may have heard me bitching over a certain earring that was driving me insane... remember the one that the beads and jump rings kept leaping out of my fingers and I had to remake several times? lol  Yeah, that was one of the set I made for this :)

First off, the rules stated that we had to use at least one ArtBead ( according to the guidelines set by Art Bead Scene  )

After an exchange of notes with my partner, Dawn of TurtleMoon Designs,  we discovered that neither of us had any metal allergies, and we were both in the mood to give our partners very little 'help' in figuring out what to make us :D hehe  The end results were completely different and yet we both love what the other made us, and we both made an extra pair of earrings to go along with the required one :)

Here's what she made me ;



This is her 'artbead ' pair, which contains some hand etched connectors she made :)
These are along the lines of what I usually wear so I assumed these would be the pair I wore the most... lol




And these were the extras she sent... upon first look, lovely but too 'girly'.
Wrong...I wore them once and fell in love with them lol  Maybe I'm veering back towards my girly phase? lol




This was a fun little swap & hop :) I enjoyed the challenge of using beads I instinctively hoard despite all the ideas I keep coming up with for them ;)  Plus I love making something for someone and receiving a little handmade treasure in return :)

Want to see the earring that gave me such problems? lol  I should just send you over to Dawn's blog to see it, but you'll end up there sooner or later anyhow ;)


That adorable little owl is from Tree Wings Studio  :)  I added a greyish bezel nut bead to the other side to give a bit of color balance... lol

So there.. now go check out all of the other creations and exchanges, and see if Dawn took a picture of these ones hanging ;)


HOSTESS -Diana Ptaszynski  http://www.suburbangirlstudio.com

  






Friday, October 5, 2012

Freebie Friday #10

So... did any of you REALLY expect me to get this posted earlier than this? And are any of you REALLY surprised that I haven't shared those photos yet, or that pretty package tutorial, or those blog posts I mentioned ...?

Didn't think so. by now most of you know I'm easily distracted...by laziness. ;)

And naps... naps are good. I have a very comfy couch that inspires naps...you sit on it, snuggle up intending to read or watch a movie or work on some beading... and then you just feel so comfy that you just have to close your eyes for a few minutes...

... then three or four hours later you open them again and wonder what the hell happened ;) lol

And rainy or dreary weather doesn't help avoid that 'need a nap' feeling.

Anyhow, all plans aside, I WILL do those things... just not today. Today I have winners to announce and goodies to show :)

First off, the third 'Pay It Forward' spot goes to Micheladas. :) I'll be sending you a note off soon to find out a few things and get your address from you.  Carolyn , I sent you a note about a week ago and haven't heard back from you. Please check your email and if you don't have anything from me, email me at skye_sands@hotmail.com so I'll have your email :)

Next, the earring giveaway.

First off, thanks to everyone for taking part :) I loved reading your favorite Autumn things :)  I love the leaves.... the way they change colours, the smell of them, the crunch of them under your feet as you walk... everything. Autumn leaves are the best :D  I also love designing and carving my jack-o' lantern, and getting all slimey when scooping out my pumpkin seeds to roast them :) It's gross, but so much fun! I'm not fond of the smell of my hands after scooping out pumpkin guts though >.< lol

So, do you want to know how I chose the winners this time? lol  No  I didn't let my cat choose this time ;) I let the beads choose !

I had fifteen people leave entries... so I assigned each name a number, and then took fifteen brown glass star beads ( because that was the closest container lol ) , sat my roll of packing tape on the floor a foot or so away, then tossed the beads towards the roll. The number of beads that landed inside the roll was the winner. I did this twice for the first place ( 7 stars!), then the second place ( 2 stars >.< lol.).. put the beads away.... then got them back out and tossed them again for an extra winner ( 11 stars! whohoo!).

Kimberly gets first choice of which pair she wants.

Originally, the other pair was to go to Jami... however, if she likes the same one Kimberly chooses, I'll make her a similar pair, and Gina will get the left over. Other wise, I'll just surprise Gina with a pair ;)

Are you drumming your fingers in anticipation of what's in the pot for this months FF?

I could make you wait longer, you know ;)

I had thought to make a set of Halloween themed jewelry for the giveaway... but I got hit by the blahs and didn't get them beyond the design and prep stages. And then I turned around and knocked over a stack of bead packages and realized... I should share. If I shared some of these, then I wouldn't have to put them away ;)

So another bead bundle it is :)

beads copper wings hearts flowers
October Goodies


I decided to share some of the goodies Lori Anderson sent me from our beadswap way back when - I think those are shell beads, and two charms - one plain white, and the other pink that says 'hope'.

There's some of the lovely lucite flowers I just received from PineRidge Treasures :)  A couple of the magnasite beads I got from the CBC Destash Day event; Four glass amber coloured tear drop beads, and a selection of wings, connectors and two large copper hearts, all from Yours, Mine & Ours.

PLUS, in addition to what's in the photo, there'll be a bundle of faux suede cording and a baggie or two of seed beads mixes, and I think maybe some other fibers to play with. I may decide to add a picture of that stuff... or I might not  ;)

I'd debated on doing a color coordinated bundle but... nah. Maybe next time ;) When I start putting different coloured beads together ...I get the urge to play with them.. and then get distracted >.< lol





and I think I'll leave you with one of my pictures from PumpkinFest...

 ... of what else? A pumpkin :D

carved pumpkin eagle Pumpkinfest
 

carving frog pumpkin pumpkinfest


Isn't that an amazing carving job? These two guys carve two huge pumpkins every year... They'd just started on the second one when I took this picture, so I didn't get to find out what it was... until the other day at work. It was a frog... and I NEED to get my coworker to send me a photo of it for my mom! she LOVES frogs :D  For those curious,The eagle pumpkin most likely weighed around the two to three hundred pound mark! A little kid could climb inside there! the 'soon-to-be-frog pumpkin was a bit smaller.. well... flatter.. lol

 ~ Skye