So here I am an empty nester and I really thought I would have more time to bead instead I find I am doing less.
Maybe the fact it is just so hot all day that by the time I get home I do not want to do anything but laze around.
The eye problem vitrious detachemnt led to a permanent black floater ring in my left eye. So it is tricky to work with artificial lighting and my reading glasses. So that leaves day time hours as the best-something working M-F hinders.
However the most important reason is I have so many really great summer necklaces already that I do not feel the need to bead any more.
So what will inspire me?
Playing with Karen in polymer clay always produces 2-3 pendants that I will love to show off.
Going on vacation out of New York lets me see the world in a different way. Next off to Palm Springs  
to see family, enjoy the sunshine, see David for the first time in 15 months................

Packing for two separate events.
NewCAJE- Jewish educators conference and then off to USNA Annapolis for the Parents Weekend at the end of plebe summer. So I am packing jewelry first then outfits to go with the necklace. It is a twist on jewelry as accessory rather it is the clothes that become the accessories. So four Jewish pieces made the cut and 3 additional for Annapolis. One Jewish piece will do double duty for Friday Shabbat Service at the Levy Chapel (Navy and Gold Shalom).


I love going to Annapolis we usually shop at a consignment store New to You, and make a quick stop at Goodwill. you never know what you will find in either place.  Last time at the Goodwill was a tarnished pendant/pin (always a chance to be real silver) with a craved green tiki stone. Get it out of the case-Mexican Silver, now the best part on sale that day for 20% off. So for 8 dollars I went home with a piece of 1950's Taxco (?) Silver. Of course I had to google what was being sold that was similar and they ranged from $40-90 dollars. That is the fun of the hunt.


All necklaces to get taken on the trip have to have been beaded by me. That is certainly not a problem as I have a lot, okay really A Lot of handmade jewelry.

Yet one dress that I picked it first needed a necklace the colors turquoise, light blue and two shades of green with some light brown thrown in. Sadly there were a bunch of close but no cigar contenders....then I found 3 that colors were good matches. The color I wanted people to focus on in the dress was two shades of blue. Finally down to two, called in the husband for his opinion. We agreed a winner was chosen.

Kazuri giraffe & lentil beads with handmade by me
textured Polymer beads.

the summer rolls on

Have been having a quiet summer. Enjoying working only two jobs and a few less hours at both.
We have been doing a 1-2 festivals a month. Finger lakes wine festival a few weeks ago in Watkin's Glen and Syracuse art show last weekend.

My necklace that I had just beaded that morning got a lot of complements and one woman even identified Linda Lawrence, Bella Beads as the maker of the Hannah's Heart. Done up with crystals, white pearls and real red coral the colors are so fun and summery. I like the dimension to the finishing coral beads the asymmetry really picks up light as you wear it.

I also finished a hamsa- evil eye pendant this last week. I have had the bead for over 3 years waiting for my inspiration to come. I am just starting to work with wire wrapping (thanks to my sister Lucy of Lucile Ellen Designs) that worked with me on my first wrapped piece a copper tree of life when we were visiting the parents in Palm Springs. I opted to go with a simple copper (well simple for me, I tend to like big and bigger) chain so as to not distract from my wrapped piece. Weaving the bail was fun and a tip picked up from a beading magazine, I especially like the seed beads wrapped around the outside to mimic the red edges of the evil eye bead.

 

With Becca off to college at USNA she was paring down a lot of her clothes and jewelry as she will be basically in uniform for most of the next 9 years. She left behind this very large rustic (steel looking) Jewish star, it was really huge jokingly referred to by me as her "gangsta star". I do like big as noted above and I love all things Jewish. So I wore it with a big multi-strand blue necklace it was okay but nothing special. So now that I have a new skill wire wrapping watch out.......

a new tree of life is born, with two of my favorite colors this summer turquoise and orange together.