Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Halcraft Pretty Palettes March Challenge




Halcraft Beads and Erin Prais-Hintz presents: Pretty Palettes March Reveal

Happy March! Another Halcraft Beads Challenge and I was again able to find all the beads at Michael's that Erin found and posted on the Halcraft Blog. 

Laurel and I split the beads from Michaels and then I added a strand of apatite and a copper clasp from Allegory Gallery...


I used a ceramic connector from Firefly Design Studio. I had some seed bead drops and hex beads in my stash. I also found some little triangle seed beads and used them in between the czech glass rondelles...



This necklace can be worn with the apatite and czech glass in front...




 

OR It can be worn with the seed bead drops and metal beads in front...

Visit Halcraft Beads Blog to see the other fantastic designs that everyone made! Be sure to visit other blogs and give some love in their comments!
Thanks Erin and Lorelei for an awesome challenge!

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Andrew Thornton's Spring Awakening Challenge

Welcome to another Andrew Thornton Challenge Kit Bloghop. This kit was a mixture of beautiful spring greens with a pop of sky blues. 

This bracelet came together as soon as I received my purchase of 5 porcelain beads from Andrew from his "Cosmic Relics" series. They are even prettier in person! (There still a few available in his online shop!) The bracelet is made up of those, beads from the kit, and some light green waxed linen I had. 


This necklace came together as soon as my first Jade Scott pendant arrived! There was also a Humblebeads birdie in my stash that had been waiting for the perfect home. The shell flower button and dragonfly decoupage bead are from Allegory Gallery and the rest are beads from the kit.


Thanks for looking, share some love and visit these blogs and see what they made:



Thursday, March 5, 2015

Inspired by Reading: Geek Love by Katherine Dunn

SPOILER ALERTS:
I've matched the 12 Major Characters in Geek Love with the 12 Zodiac Signs. I completly imagined these pairings based on the book character's traits and the nicknames of the Zodiac signs. Once I did that I looked up the profiles for each Zodiac sign. Here's some excerpts from my.horoscope.com  in relation to everyones personality, family profile or money profile…
Have a read, and see what you think...

Al: Head of Binewski family, the brains of the experiments that produced the children.
He's an Aries, the RAM
"As the first sign of the zodiac, the presence of an Aries almost always indicates the beginning of something energetic and boisterous. Not much holds this sign back. They're eager, dynamic, quick, and competitive. When it comes to getting the ball rolling, an Aries is the best. Pioneering everything from work-related projects to parties with friends, these folks go for the gusto."

Lil: The mothering mother of the clan, she looses her own identity in the end after taking care of everyone else.
She's a Libra, the SCALES
"I balance is the key phrase for this sign, and when it comes to keeping everything on an even keel, a Libran will lead the pack. Peace loving and judicial, this sign abhors being alone. Partnerships are very important for the Libran, especially those on a personal level. With their winning personalities and cooperative style, they aren't apt to be alone for long!"

Oly: Olympia is the narrator of the story. She is unnaturally devoted to brother Arty, becomes "artificially inseminated" with his sperm.
She's a Virgo, the VIRGIN
"With an acute attention to detail, the Virgo is the sign in the zodiac most dedicated to serving. Their deep sense of the humane leads them to caregiving like no other, while their methodical approach to life ensures that nothing is missed. The Virgo is often gentle and delicate, preferring to step back and analyze before moving ahead."

the Twins: Electra and Iphigenia are conjoined twins. Elly is the more forceful and Iphy is the more caring. They are what got me started thinking about the Zodiac signs in relation to all these characters.
They're Gemini, the TWINS
"Versatility is a great keyword for this dual sign. Expressive and quick-witted, the Gemini presents two distinctive sides to his or her personality, and you can never be sure with which one you're going to come face-to-face. On one hand, the Gemini can be outgoing, flirtatious, communicative, and ready for fun, fun, fun. Yet when the other twin is present, you can find this air sign contemplative, serious, restless, and even indecisive. Both twins are able to adapt to life's circumstances well, making them wonderful people to know. Things are never boring when a Gemini is on the scene."


Arty: Arturo the Aqua Boy. His inventive under water showmanship and ability enabled him to be the founder of Arturism. 
He's an Aquarius, the WATER BEARER 
"Aquarians bring enthusiasm to the work they do, especially when it involves expression. They have an exceptionally high ability to put their imaginative qualities to the task and to think outside the box. Careers that allow for concept development or demonstration can suit this sign well. I know is the key phrase for the Aquarius. High intellect combined with an Aquarius' willingness to share their talents inspires many who work in the same environment. Being visionary types, Aquarians love to engage in careers that aim to benefit humankind in the long-run."

Chick: Fortunato, his psychokinetic powers make him the unwitting ruler of the circus.
He's a Leo, the LION
"By far the most generous of the zodiac, Leos make loyal and giving friends. They'll go out of their way to help even when it conflicts with their own schedules. The Leo is a strong, confident personality who has the ability to make almost everyone comfortable. Unassuming and gracious, they love to host parties and events. The Leo is rarely found alone - interacting is second nature. Close friends are chosen for their ability to keep up with the Leo's energy along with a strong sense of dignity and a commitment to individual values. When family is involved, the mighty Lion will do whatever it takes to defend loved ones. Loyalty for the Leo is for a lifetime. They pride themselves on being there for family through thick and thin.

Miranda: The child of Oly (although she is unaware) she is almost a "norm".
She's a Capricorn, the GOAT
"When it comes to professionalism and traditional values, Capricorn wins hands-down. This practical sign loves to tackle life in the most conventional of ways, leaving no stone unturned. Considered the most serious-minded of the signs, the Capricorn possesses an independence that allows for considerable progress both personally and on the job."

Mary Lick: Feels she needs to "fix" women that she deems are not living up to their potential. Money is no object, she feels she needs to care for these girls.
She's a Cancer, the CRAB.
"Cancerians can be as tenacious as they are sensitive. When there's a job to do, they roll up their sleeves and get to it. They especially shine when performing caregiving or related tasks, and they make excellent nurses. Other career ambitions include housekeeper, gardener, and journalist. Cancerians' love of country gives them the base to being outstanding politicians. The need to feel as though they are making a difference, however small, is essential for this sign to feel fulfilled."

Dr. Phyllis: Hired by Arty to "help" him with his followers, she's quiet and reserved until she fights back.
She's a Scorpio, the SCORPION
"I desire is the key phrase for the Scorpio. They are fantastic at managing, solving, or creating. Once the Scorpio sets their sights on a goal, there's no deterring this sign. Tasks that require a scientific, penetrating approach are always best done by Scorpions as they will delve deeply into the materials they have. Their ability to focus coupled with determination makes for strong management skills. They're not ones to worry about making friends on the job scene; rather, they prefer to see the task accomplished well."

Vern Bogner: Attempted to assassinate the family when they were young, and after a botched suicide he joins the circus but ends up being murdered.
He's a Sagittarius, the ARCHER
"Visualization is the keyword for the Sagittarius. When this sign sees something as possible in their minds, they will go to great lengths to rally enough people to make it happen. Straightforward, they don't usually mince words about what they want, and they seem to know exactly what needs to be said in a given situation. They make excellent salespeople, and it's even better when this involves travel. When the Sagittarius gets a sense of the big picture, they'll work night and day to reach a goal.

Norval Sanderson: Former journalist, eventually joins Arturism but always a sceptic.
He's a Pisces, the FISH
"Gentle Pisceans make some of the best friends there are. In fact, they often put the needs of their friends ahead of their own. Loyal, dedicated, supportive and compassionate, no problem is too big for the Piscean to take on. Big or small, when a challenge arises for family or friend, they will be there in every capacity possible to make things better. Deeply intuitive, Pisceans can often sense when something is askew long before anything is said.

Zephir McGurk: Joins Fabulon when he invents a devise to 'satisfy' Arty, and then helps build Arty's theater surround sound system.
He's a Taurus, the BULL
"Strong, dependable Taurus leads the way when it comes to reaping the rewards of hard work. Lovers of everything that is fine and beautiful, Taureans surround themselves with material gains. This is a sensual, tactile sign. Touch is very important in everything from work to romance. Stable and conservative, Taureans are among the most reliable of the zodiac. While sometimes viewed as stubborn, this sign will plod along on a task until the very end, ensuring that everything is up to standard. They're highly creative and thoroughly enjoy making things with their own hands."

WELL, that was all to lead you to what was my inspiration for my necklace. It's an Aquarius necklace, made for Arty the Aqua Boy and his aquarium! 
And also for my self (I am also an Aquarian). 
PS - Geek Love was also February's Book Club selection and Aquarius is February's sign.
I found the two holed sliders that looked EXACTLY like the symbol for Aquarius.  The metal spacers have a wave pattern to them as well. The glass beads are so reminiscent of water behind glass and of course I added some crystal bling with blue swarovski's.



And as a happy accident, I made some earrings for the book as well. I was making Easter earrings and Laurel thought they were book club earrings, so I said why not...
Get it... They are Peeps or CHICKS!!

Thanks for looking! Here's Andrews blog until I get the list for the Book Club.

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