Like Mother, Like Daughter

My daughter is awesome.  She's super smart, sweet, funny, beautiful, goofy, athletic, a good person with a generous heart and so so much more.  And, she's a beader!  I have to show you what she finished making today.  She beaded three tubular netting beads with 3mm pearls in the core...all by herself.  Sure, the thread got tangled a time or two and I helped her with that, but other than that she did them herself.  She is a very quick study.  Every so often I would be beading at the table and she'd come get her bead mat and project out and sit with me and just bead and be together for a while.  Sweet times.

There are 3 beads about 1" each, and then they are spaced with 1/2" metallite beads.  It's on beading wire with a lobster claw clasp.  It looks so cute on her.  She's very proud of herself, and so am I.  Here's Sara's project....

Way to go Sara!!!

The second thing I wanted to show you today is my newly acquired super duper Photoshop skills.  I thought I was pretty good at adjusting photos before, but now I am like a pro!  Thanks so much to Robin Atkins for spending an hour or so with me on the phone going through bunches and bunches of steps and settings.  I had to learn to edit my photos really really good for the step by step photos for the new book.  Here is an example of the drastic change I am now able to accomplish.  The first pic is the photo as it was taken in its original form.

Pretty kinda ick, huh?  Well, what do you think of the transformation in the next photo?

I can hardly believe the difference myself.  I showed it to my dh and he says, "Did you just use a filter or something?"  No!  It wasn't "just" a filter!  I had to adjust levels, colors, hue/saturation, brightness/contrast, shadows/highlights, make layers, make the shadows disappear with the dodge tool, use the eraser tool (from large to very itty bitty), and i had to merge it together and then use the burn tool to finish it off.  So, no, it wasn't "just" a filter.  I did a lot of work to get it to look this way.  The book photos are looking great, too, but sorry to say I can't show you those.

Teaching a small group of ladies tomorrow how to make a bracelet (and of course Sara will be there, too).  That should be fun!

Ok, kids.  Wanted to pop in to let you all know I'm still here and haven't forgotten any of you.  I've been super busy trying to make pieces for the book, write instructions, get lessons in writing instructions, having the instructions tested, taking photos and editing photos.  phew.  No wonder I'm tired!  But it's a good kind of tired.

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

More Right Angle Weave

I think all of the RAW I have worked on has been squares made up of multiple beads per side, like 2 or 3 per side so 8 or 12 per circle (or square...whatever).  This morning I woke up at 2:00 and started looking for something to do.  I decided to do a RAW bracelet that uses just 4 beads per square, and man was it ever easy compared to learning with 8 or 12!  Plus it was just one row.  So easy.  I looked through my stash and found some 8mm dark blue cat's eyes, and some 4mm (I think) in two different shades of blue.  I didn't know if I would have enough of either one, so I decided to alternate them.  Then I looked for just the right beads to make the embellishment around it.  I dug up some 11/0 cobalt blue Toho's.  I just looooove these colors!!!!!

I finished it pretty quickly and I wish I had more of the right sized beads in other colors to make more and some more clasps to finish them off.  I really like how this one looks.  I found a video on how to make it here, and I just added embellishment to both sides.  I like the spiral going down both sides.  You can't tell from the pics, but it looks neat.  I guess you can say that embellishing both sides is a waste since one side will be against the wrist, but that's ok.  I like it.

Here are some pics of what I made.  Aren't the colors so pretty!?

And on non-beading things, I'm really proud of my daughter, Sara.  She certainly has a greener thumb than I do!  She is growing tomato plants.  They sprouted and we just transplanted them to bigger pots the other day.  Every morning she gets up to go check on them and to give them some water.  She also said no one is allowed to go out and say anything mean to them...we all have to be nice to her plants.  I thought that was kind of cute.  Like any of us would go insult her plants to begin with, but it's funny how she figures they have feelings too and won't grow as good if they're not happy.  Here are some pics of her little children, as I call them.

Hope everyone is having a happy week.

Checking In

I have not posted for a bit, so I thought I'd better check in.  I have been busy beading, but the two projects I am working on have been taking forever to finish.  I am working on two necklaces.  One is peachy something or other, tangerine and brown...ick, right?  it really doesn't look bad.  I like it...it's different!  The other is bronze, gold, cream, transparent and brown with an embroidered cabochon pendant.  I'm not sure how to attach the cab.  I've never beaded a bail and attached one before, so I'm going to be winging it.  And I'm hoping the rope is sturdy enough to handle it because it looks really pretty together. 

I have to go buy some clasps for them also.  But it is getting hot here (low 100's) during the day, and the A/C in my car has been broken for quite some time.  So I don't drive during the day unless it's absolutely mandatory.  Then by the time evening rolls around, the sun has gone down and it's cooled down a bit, all I want to do is stay home.   I'm going to a Craft Night at a friend's house tomorrow evening, and I'm hoping to have at least one of these necklaces done in time to show. 

In between beading on my projects and stuff around the house, I have been busy playing with Studio J and making more scrapbook pages.  I've done quite a few, but I'm going to post just a couple for you to see a glimpse into my world.  The first page was 4th of July when we lived in Plattsmouth, Nebraska in 2006.  It was a tiny little town taken out of the pages of the books of days gone by, and they had a tremendous fireworks display down by the river.  Matthew was so scared of the fireworks.  But did you know that zombies love fireworks?  It's true.  They are attracted to the big booms.  And Matthew loves zombies.  So he played he was a zombie during some of the show to get through it all.  lol.  The pic of him with his head dropped while standing up is his zombie impersonation.  The first pic of Jeff and Sara is one of my all time favorites.  You can click for a larger view.

The 2nd one is of Sara.  We had a beauty day and I put a little bit of makeup on her, then she modeled and posed for the camera.  What a doll!  This was also in 2006.  The thing about this page is that Sara basically made the whole thing herself.  I uploaded the photos and did the clicking, but she made all the decisions on the paper, layout, embellishments, etc.  Didn't she do a great job?

She's so beautiful!!! :D  Sorry I don't have any beading to show you again.  I have been working on things and trying to get them done, but the two things I am working on are very time consuming.  So I hope you have enjoyed this little interim post and you now have a view into my little corner of the world.

Gifts From My Children

I wanted to post pics of the beautiful gifts my kids made me for Mother's Day this year.  I know.  I'm a little slow and Mother's Day seems like ages ago already, but I've had a rough week and am just now getting around to it.  First, Matthew (11, 5th grade) made me a most beautiful little woven tapestry.  I was very impressed with it because he made it nice and even throughout.  I remember doing these when I was in grade school, and it was difficult to keep the tension right and they would usually cinch in through the middle.  It can happen that way when looming too.  But Matthew did a wonderful job!  I'm going to put it in a frame and hang it for everyone to see.  Thank you, Precious!

Sara (9, 3rd grade) also did some weaving, but it was a little different.  I have never seen this idea before, and I thought it was a great idea.  It made a super gift!  They used cups for weaving.  They cut the cup from top to about 1/2" from the bottom all the way around to make the warp strips.  Then she weaved up the cup and made a terrific little vase that now sits on my table next to my computer.  She even added beads for her bead-addicted mama.  Thank you so much, Punkin!  Here is Sara's vase:

Also, Matthew was sooooo proud of himself for his state report, a very large project, that he wanted me to put it on my blog, too.  Matthew chose the state of Nebraska.  That's where his daddy comes from, and we lived there for a short time too.  Did you know that Kool-Aid was invented in Nebraska?  Did you know that the University of Nebraska leads the nation in the number of All Americans?  (65)  Did you know that there are approximately 40,000 farms in Nebraska?   Holy mackerel!  Anyways, he now knows tons of stuff about Nebraska.  He worked very hard on his project, and he is very proud of his work.  He's got pics of the state flower, tree and bird, a Nebraska football player (his favorite pic), some Kool-Aid, and a map in addition to his facts pages.  There is also a written report that goes with it.  Here's his display...

He's hoping for a great grade.  Matthew has made a deal with his Dad this year.  If he makes Principal's List (all A's or all A's and 1 B) all year, then he will get to buy Gears of War 3 for his X-Box 360 the day it comes out in September instead of having to wait until Christmas.  So far, Matthew has had straight A's all year.  It looks like he will reach his goal as this last quarter he is getting all A's and 1 B.  I'm so proud of him for all his hard work!

Ok, gang.  That's about all I have for today.  I am working hard on some new designs.  I finished a set this morning, but I am going to wait to post it until I have a similar set done with the beads I ordered earlier this week.  It is for my June BJP.  I'm very excited about it, and I think the set turned out beautiful.  It's shades of pink.  Love it!

Hope you are all having a fabulous week.

All in the Family (and some beady things too!)

What is more wholesome and family-oriented than little league baseball on a spring evening with families all around rooting on the kids playing the all American game?  Nothing in my book.  It's about as good as it gets.  Just some highlights from Monday's game.  Matthew pitched a great game, as usual.  He doesn't have the strongest arm and fastest pitch yet, but he is very accurate and gets them swinging and missing.  Sara plays 2nd base and when Matthew isn't pitching he plays Short Stop.  So the batter hits the ball - a pop fly - and Sara catches it for an out!  Then she is quick enough to realize the kid on 2nd ran on the pop fly so she turned and threw it to Matthew who ran over to cover the bag.  He caught it and made the out at 2nd for a double play by the Criswell kids!  woohoo!

As the game was winding down, the other team had the last at bat.  We were already ahead by 6 or 7 runs, so there was no way we could lose the game.  In our league at this level you can't score more than 5 runs in an inning to prevent anyone from getting completely crushed and dominated.  So even if the other team scored all 5 of their runs, we'd still win.  So Jeff, my DH and the kids' coach, decided to have some fun out there.  He switched everyone's positions and told them where they were going to play.  All but Sara.  She asked where she was going.  He said, "You're pitching!"  She had a serious heart attack and you could hear her panicked scream, "Noooooo!" in the bleachers.  He whispered to her, put one hand on her shoulders and one hand on her chest (which he said later her heart was racing like crazy) and gave her his vote of confidence in his calming daddy way.  So she went up to the mound and gave her first warm up pitch. (Mind you, she's never ever pitched before.)  It went straight down the pike!!!!  Let me tell you, once those kids got up there to bat she really held her own.  I think we have another pitcher in the family.  With some practice I think next year she's going to be pitching and striking a whole lot of boys out.  We were so proud!  So much fun, let me tell you.

We also got their baseball photos on Monday.  Here is Sara (9) and Matthew (11)...

And this next photo is pretty special.  It has 3 generations of Criswell's participating in Little League.  Jeff is the head coach, my fil is an assistant coach, and our two kids...grandpa, daddy and little ones.  How neat is that?!?

I'm so proud of my family, and I love them all so very much!

On to beady things to give you an update.  I worked on a new necklace for two days, thought it was a horribly ugly monstrosity and ripped it apart and resorted the beads today.  Started working on another new stitch, once again inspired by Mandy over at Beads for Brains: 365.  Maybe will have something new to show in a few days.

Also, I am going to formally start promoting myself as a teacher and work on getting together some small groups to teach stitches and techniques to in my home maybe once a month.  Won't that be fun?!  If you live in the Phoenix Metro area and want to take some very affordable classes and make your own beautiful custom jewelry, please contact me.  If you haven't beaded before, don't be afraid...I'll make it very understandable and enjoyable!  For those of you who have done some beading, maybe you'll learn a new thing or two and have some good company for a girl's afternoon.  If you know people who live in my area, please pass along the word.  I will provide a kit in their color choice to include beads, clasp, etc., a set of written instructions to take home and a link to a private youtube video showing how to finish off the clasp if they don't get to that point by the end of class.  All that for a mere $25!!!!  A screaming deal!!!!!  So please help me out and spread the word.  I would really appreciate some help in the blog world network...remember...sunny Phoenix!  (Actually I'm in Scottsdale, but easy access from anywhere in the Valley.)

I hope everyone is having a very happy week!  Getting kind of bored and lonely all day here by myself...drop me a line!

Baseball

I have 4" of rope left to go, so I have nothing beady to show you today.  But I wanted to show off my kids at their baseball game this past Monday night.  Sara came up to the plate, and got straight down to business...she doesn't mess around!  Jeff has her first in the lineup because over all the boys on the team she's the most consistent hitter.  So, here's Sara!

And Matthew pitched a fabulous game!!!  He pitched 4 innings, 8 strike outs and only allowed 1 run.  Way to go Matthew!  I just put a sampling of his pitching and strikes on this video...but in the first few seconds you'll see Sara playing 2nd base backing up her big brother. 

Happy Birthday To Me!!!

I'm 39!  Again!  Today is going to be a fun day.  My DH is taking me to Hobby Lobby to go shopping with the money my wonderful daddy put in my bank account today.  I am going to get polymer clay supplies, and I'm going to check out their beads.  I know there are those out there who would never dream of using "cheap" beads from places like Hobby Lobby, Michael's, etc.  But you know what?  For those of us on a budget, we can stretch our money and use our creativity to make those "cheap" beads into some pretty nice things.  What is wrong with some inexpensive things as long as they're pretty and you like them?  That would be like saying no clothes are worth buying unless they come from Nieman Marcus.  That would just be ridiculous.  When I get home I'll take some pics of what I get and post them in a day or two.

I also had a hard time deciding where I want to go for my birthday dinner with my family. Damned if I'm cooking on my day!  I was thinking Panda Express, but my DH says that adds up awful darn quick, and they don't have anything vegetarian for my daughter, Samantha.  Came up with a great idea!  Souper Salad!  What is better than a buffet for a family with kids?  They don't have to wait to eat, they can eat as much as they want, they get to make their own desserts, AND Sami can have her vegetarian food.  Win win win!

At tonight's baseball game my daughter, Sara, hit a HOME RUN!!!  She's the only girl on her team in the boys' league and one of the youngest on the team to boot.  She sure showed those boys!  Way to go Sara!!!

AND to celebrate my birthday with all of my readers, everything in my Etsy shop is 20% off today with coupon code happybday2011!

Introducing the Next Generation of Bead Artists!

On Saturday my daughter, Sara, was complaining about how bored she was.  I was sitting at the kitchen table working on a necklace and I asked her if she wanted to help me.  She sat down, eager and ready to learn.  I showed her a couple times how to do the spiral rope stitch and we worked on my necklace for a few minutes.  Then I asked her if she wanted to make a bracelet of her own.  Her eyes lit up and she got a great big smile on her face.  I got out all my color-coded buckets of beads and spread them out on the kitchen floor for her to see.  She started picking colors, and before you know it she had her color palette ready to go. 

I did the first 3 loops because getting started can sometimes be a little bit tricky, and I did the clasp.  A couple times the thread got tangled and I helped her get it undone.  But other than that she did this entire bracelet all by herself!!!  I am so proud of her.  What a talent she is already at 9 years old.  Can you imagine how good she'll be in a few years?  She's already anxious to learn another stitch.

She chose a 8/0 apple green color for the core bead, then red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and pink for the twist.  The rainbow colors are size 11/0, except the green that is a 15/0.  She has decided to name her bracelet "Rainbows Over The Hills".  Isn't that a pretty name?  Here are some photos of Sara and her beading.

RAINBOWS OVER THE HILLS

 You can click on the photos for a larger view, too.

And the best part?  She says you can wear it with anything because it's got all the colors!  She's talented and practical! :)

She'll come home and ask me if anyone said anything about her bracelet, so don't be shy...leave Sara a message.

On the personal front...

Today was a big day in our house.  Bright and early my girls had appointments at the same time to go to the orthodontist.   Samantha has had braces for a little over a year and a half, and today she got them off!!!  Her smile is bright, straight, and beautiful.

 

While she was getting her hardware off, Sara was getting hers on!  Done with one, and on to another.  Sara has a lot of work ahead of her because she sucked her thumb until she was almost 6.  We tried to get her to stop.  Really we did!  Sara first had a palate spreader put in.  This is an awful contraption that goes across the roof of her mouth.  We had to use a little wire to turn the "key" on her palate spreader, which did exactly that...spread her palate.  Today she got her top 4 teeth bracketed.  In a couple months she'll get the palate spreader out and a tongue crib in.  This is another contraption that will "retrain" her tongue movements, because her tongue goes into the gap between her top and lower teeth, which keeps them from growing in properly.  Then when her front 4 teeth are straight she'll get a retainer.  THEN when she's about 12 she'll get her full set of regular braces.  ugh!  Lots of work to be done here, but it will be so worth it in the end.  Here's a pic of Sara just getting started with her braces today...

There's my morning, and there's my girls and the story of their teeth.  lol.  Fascinating, no?

Beads, beads, oh glorious beads!!!!  :)  I have THREE orders on their way to me in the mail.  Waiting on pins and needles to get them in.  I've got some good stuff coming up!!!

Sara's Dress & Ring

Hi, all.  Did you have a good Thanksgiving for those of you in the states?  We did.  As a matter of fact, I am cooking a turkey dinner right now.  We always go to relative's house for dinner, and I never have leftovers for turkey sammies.  I just didn't want that again this year, so we are having our own 2nd Thanksgiving dinner at home.  The kids are starving and the house is smelling pretty good, so tummies are grumbling.

Sara picked out a sparkly red dress that she just had to have for the holidays this year.  I was thinking something practical that she could also wear to school, but no.  She saw that dress and I could not get her to look at anything else!  So I caved in and bought her the impractical but pretty sparkly red dress.  And, of course, the shoes to go with it because white sneakers with hot pink laces just would not do.

She wore the dress the first time on Thursday, and will wear it again for Christmas.  Then, I got my order in the mail from Bello Modo.  Usually they put a free little goody in the package, and guess what I got? Three 4mm Swarovski bicones in green, white and red.  So guess what I did with it.  I made Sara a Christmas ring to go with her sparkly red dress for Christmas next month.  She really loves it.  Here are some pics...

Sara in her new red dress...

And here is her Christmas ring...

lol...she's been painting with watercolors all day...can you see the paint still in her fingers even though she washed them?

Anyhow, there's her ring.  I'm getting better at wrapping them and getting the sizing right.  Sara's turned out to be the exact size I was shooting for, and I was very happy about that.  What do you think of it?  It's much daintier than the other ones I did.  We both like it.  I'm thinking about making more with the 4mm bicones.  What do you think?

I'm a Lucky Mom

I am so lucky to have 4 of the most beautiful, intelligent and healthy kids on the planet.  I am blessed.  It is amazing to me how 4 kids growing up with the same parents in the same home can all be so completely different.  My oldest son, Tyler, is 19 (omg...i can't believe he's going to be 20 in July!!!) and he lives with his girlfriend Michelle and her family.  Both of them came over Friday night for dinner and I got the pleasure of having all 4 of my kids under one roof!  It was the first time I've seen Ty and Michelle since Christmas.  It gets crazy, hectic and definitely funny, and I enjoyed every minute of it.  Tyler has lost weight and is looking kinda pale...he needs to stop being nocturnal.  And he needs a razor. lol  Sara is my youngest...you've seen pics of her before...Matthew is next, then Samantha is my older daughter and then there's Tyler.  I was going to say how well they get along together, but I realized I'd be a liar.  Sami and Sara don't get along so well.  But I bet when they're older and the age difference doesn't matter as much they'll be good friends.  So, I just wanted to share my happy weekend moment when I got to be with ALL my kids.

Tyler and his sweetheart girlfriend, Michelle

And, yes, I am working on another bracelet!  Of course!  It's coming together pretty quickly so I should have it done in the next day or so.  Is anyone getting tired of seeing my bracelets?  I hope you all had a great weekend, too!

"Proud Mommy Moment" of the Day

A little break from beads.  My 8 year old daughter, Sara, who I've posted a couple pictures of, plays baseball.  She refuses to play softball with the girls...she wants to play with the boys.  It's not just my opinion, as I overhear other parents talking about her in the stands behind me, she is probably the best athlete out there.  One grandfather I was told was even talking about what an outstanding player she is to other parents at his grandson's game in a town over from us.  So, I am not biased in this.  She is an outstanding athlete.  (Not just in baseball, either...you should see her play soccer.)  Anyways, my little 8 year old girl schooled the other kids out there tonight.  She not only hit two doubles and made two outs, but she hit her first HOME RUN!!!  It was the only home run I've seen at this level in 3 years of being a part of it. 
WAY TO GO SARA!!!!  WOOTWOOT!!!!

On A Roll

My adorable 8 year old daughter, Sara, always watches over my shoulder when I bead.  And she always says how I need to make her something.  After all, I've made Sami (my 14 year old daughter) several things.  I have actually made Sara a few things, like a little loomed coin purse with her name and several square-stitched bracelets.  But her memory is short.  Very short. lol.  So I decided to make her an embroidered bracelet.  (I had so much fun with the first one!)  I bought a little package of doodads from Joann's in fun, happy, summery colors...they remind me of a swimming pool and green grass.  Although, living in the desert I can only dream of the soft green grass in the midwest. 

She wasn't home when I cut the felt, so I guesstimated.  Guess what!  You shouldn't guesstimate.  I got it too short.  BUT...I had already started the beading, and I was not going to rip it all out.  When the beading was done, I made a an extension with the beaded loop for the button, and I think it looks like an "on purpose" instead of fixing a mistake.  This was rather challenging.  The beaded area was very small...5.5" x .75", and I wanted to make it look "fancy" for her with different doodads.  Of course, she wanted them all, but they just wouldn't fit.  I made this one symmetrical, unlike my first venture, and used just a few doodads in different styles and colors.  It's backed with soft tan microsuede and finished with a picot stitch around the edges, which I think I did a better, more even job of this time around.

I think it's very cute for a little girl!  What do you think?  (You can click on the pics for a larger view.)  Oh, haha, I told her to take it off for a minute so I could photograph it.  She kind of panicked and said, "You aren't going to sell it, are you!?"  No, punkin, I'm not selling your bracelet.

"Summertime"

The modified, extended loop makes it fit just perfect.  Now if I can just convince her not to grow anymore!

Sara, my happy camper!