Got some beads to show

Happy Flag Day.  I thought this flag heart was appropriate and very cute and definitely says love of country.  I didn't sleep again last night, so I had plenty of time to work on beads, and I actually have something to show today.  Imagine that! 

I saw a photo of a rope I liked on greeniezona's Flickr page.  Normally I would put the link, but her Flickr page is also filled with personal photos of her family, and I don't know if it would be right for me to direct a lot of people there.  greeniezona....if it's ok to post your Flickr page, comment and let me know.  Anyhow, I asked her what stitch it was and she said she was inspired by another necklace on Etsy.  I set out to try to figure out how to do the stitch, and after a lot of searching and a lot of help from Mandy over at Beads for Brains: 365, I figured it out.  Then it took a lot of tries and some ripping, sorting and restarting before I got it right.  And mine still never looked quite like the one from greenie or the Etsy shop...their's kind of kinked up along with the twist.  mine just layed smooth and twisted. 

I used a bronze 8/0, and in 11/0's I used gold metallic, galvanized brown, cream and a transparent champagne color.  This stitch was very easy on my hands, and I know I will do this one again in some other color/size combinations.  I really like how it looks.  And I love the colors I chose.  I took some with the pendant and some without.  I wish I knew what the stone is in the pendant, but I don't.  If you do, let me know.  Who wants to play the name game?  Any suggestions?

It is 23 3/4" and is hooked with a gold plated lobster claw clasp.  This was the first time I had made and attached a beaded bail.  I wasn't sure of the "proper" way to do it, but my way seems to have worked just fine.  Oh, and the pendant is backed real nice with a tan micro suede.

Another Update

Ok, kids.  I did it!  I almost didn't, but I did.  I went to not one, but 3 stores today!!!  The first bead store I went to was one I had never been to before near my son's house on the other side of town.  It was an ok store, but not one I would make a special trip for.  Do you know, they did not have one single cab in that whole place!!!  I was disappointed in that.  But I did manage to spend $13 on some pretty Czech glass beads.  I was drawn to blues and purples.  I'm also always on the lookout for a true purple seed bead, and I found a very good color there, so I bought two packages of those.  I got quite a deal because I printed of their coupon off their website.  I got 40% off one item, 15% off the czech glass and another 10% off the whole purchase !  So I think I made out pretty good.

I want to say thank you to those of you who responded to my last post.  You all gave me such encouragement and inspiration to bust my way through this creative block I've got going on.  Carol Creech was talking about animals and how the bison is strong and powerful. And Carol DeLater was talking about her symbol of power.  Those two comments made me think of my favorite...the dragonfly.  The dragonfly to me is beautiful and independent and free.  So I found a couple of those that I picked up.  Thanks both Carols!  Bobbi Kirk gave me a good idea...make myself commit to just a few minutes a day.  That will be a good start!  Thanks for the suggestion, Bobbi.  Robin, I'll have to check into the book you suggested, too.

I appreciate each and every one of you for taking the time to send me a message.  It means so much!  I will write each of you back (as long as there is a return address in the email).

Then I bought a bunch of other things.  Not because I have a plan for using them, but just because I was drawn to them.  I just read a post by Beth at Bellesanbeauscrafts about how her mother would get wonderful pretty things and then "keep them for good" to save for the perfect occasion but then they were never used.  I'm afraid some of my beads might be just those types of treasures.  I love them and love to sit and look at them, but I want to save them for the perfect project.  As a matter of fact, I have a few of Beth's amazing face cabs (if you haven't seen them yet, you must go look!) that I am treasuring for the perfect project.  But I'm afraid to use them for fear of not doing them justice.  Something I need to work through, don't you think?

So here are the pretties I got today...

The lentils are such a pretty color of purple.  And I have a vague idea of something I want to do with the silver branch...part of a brooch.

These are just faux shell, but I love how the colors mix and sparkle.

These are the cheapy beads, but they are fun and I liked them.  So in the basket they went.

I have a "thing" for leaves.  Some of these are leaves and some are just ovals.  I love the mix of colors.

I can't have enough seed beads.  Ever.  Period. :)

The camera doesn't show it so well, but these just glisten in all shades of colors.  They are gorgeous!

I thought these long, curved pieces of jasper were so unique...I've never seen beads like this before.  Of course I had to have them!

I bought these because next to blues and purples, I love shades of green.

If you have any splendid ideas for me on what to do with any of these, please feel free to let me know!  Like I said, I didn't get them with any special plans in mind...I got them because I was drawn to them.  Maybe tomorrow's time will be spent just going through my colors and sorting this and that to see what speaks to me next.