June Package Pals

Stephanie was my Package Pal this time around…this was each our third time to participate.  Here’s what Stephanie sent me!

Stephanie definitely browsed my Pinterest pages…she found my love of peacocks, owls and the color blue.  I love the peacock clock or "peaclock".  It goes in my craft room as there is no clock up there right now!

A book on button crafts, which I had on my wish list…and homemade vanilla that smells good enough to drink!  A sewing kit jar with supplies and buttons and pins, lavender sachet and a tissue box cover in my fave colors-blues of course!

Thanks so much Stephanie! Here is what I sent to Stephanie…two dish/washcloths, some washi tape, a tote bag, knitting needles and some yarn (Stephanie wants to learn how to knit!), a pin cushion, some hand made envelopes, electronics/eye glass case, a few bookmarks and some hair pins.  I love to put these things together!

And a big thanks to Jamie for organizing the whole Package Pals exchange! If you haven’t ever done a gift exchange like this…you should give it a try!  Great way to meet new people and fun to trade crafty gifts and supplies!

How to make beaded cluster earrings

OK, several people asked for a tutorial on how I make cluster earrings.  This is definitely the easy version! 

You will need a few supplies and tools--2” head pins, jump rings (either 9mm, 12mm or 15mm-I am using 15mm here), earring wires (lots of styles to choose from, doesn’t matter which one), some beads (or an elastic threaded beaded bracelet with the beads already on the head pins—EZ!), and a few tools--jewelry wire snips (scissors or even fingernail clippers work well too), round nose pliers, and regular pliers. All of these supplies were half off at Hobby Lobby, every few weeks jewelry findings are on sale!

Ok, if you are using the bracelet (by the way it is $3.99 regular price at Michaels—I paid $1.99 for it with a 50% off JoAnns coupon) cut the elastic thread and your beads are all ready to slip on the jump ring. The jump ring needs to be opened in a twisting manner, not by just pulling the ends apart.  Go here to see a really good video on how to open and close jump rings.

So get the jump ring open, holding onto it with the pliers.

And start adding the buttons that are already wired.  Just slide the metal loop onto the jump ring.

Slide the earring wire onto the jump ring and close the ring when the earring is as full as you want.  Repeat for the second earring, making sure you put the same number of beads on each earring.

TaDa!! That pair is done!

OK, if you go the other route where you need to add the wire to the bead….start by putting a head pin through a bead, pulling it snug and then folding the wire down around your round nose pliers. 

There is basically no way for me to explain this and photograph this while I am doing it, so go here to see how to do this.  That site is great for a lot of basic information on how to use different tools and make just about any kind of jewelry, well worth the time to visit.

So here is the end result…

Now just repeat the same steps to make the earrings.  For this second pair I used shorter wired beads and the beads that I wired. 

You can see that the ones I wired are a bit bigger and the wire is longer, so they hang down farther.

TaDa!!!

So now, I decided to use some small “scrap” beads left over from other projects.  I just slid them onto a head wire and made my little loop and strung them on the jump rings the same way.

I love this combo of blues and browns and natural colors together.

TaDa!!! (I’m sure that surprised you, huh?)

You can also use just a few wires on each earring. This is a simple combo that makes a very pretty earring.

I am linking to these great parties!

Summer evenings…

I know summer officially started just a few days ago, but feels like it has settled in…

My deck is full of pops of color, makes it fun to come home, love to sit out there under the umbrella and talk on the phone or just listen to the birds and frogs and whatever!

You can see my umbrella redo project here…it is holding up really well to the weather.

The flowers have done really well for how hot it has been…every thing gets watered at least one time a day, the hanging pots get watered twice a day.

No place like home…

The corkscrew willow is doing well too…just love looking at that little tree.

And the blackberries are getting ripe and they are so sweet this year.

Something has been eating the blooms off the hydrangea though…clearly they don’t like the taste of the blooms, but they keep nipping them off and leaving them for me, all wilted!

I am linking to these great parties…

Cluster earrings

My sis Susan saw me wearing these earrings a few weekends ago

and she asked me to make her some in natural colors, like brown, beige, tan.  I looked all over Michaels and until I found a bracelet with beads that fit the bill…I took it apart and made her these earrings…

I have the hardest time taking pics of jewelry…

I really want a nice camera, surely that would help!

Love these earrings, and yes, I made a new pair for me too!  Let me know if anyone is interested in a tutorial...these are really easy to make!

I am linking to these great parties!

Free is good…

This was my entertainment center for oh, lets say about the last 25 years…it has outlasted many televisions!  And yes, that is my broom, I always keep it behind the door for quick access!  You never know when you need to fly somewhere in a hurry!

Several weeks ago a friend/coworker asked me if I would be interested in a few pieces of furniture FOR FREE.  I looked at the pictures and they were great pieces.  This console is older, not sure how old but I am thinking 1950s, and solid wood.  It has a few scratches and general wear, and I am considering leaving the top finished wood and painting the bottom part.

Not laminate, not pressboard, not even veneer.  We picked it up today and brought it home….I love it!  It has tons of storage and I can keep things out of sight.  The wood is very close to the same color as the wood on my sofa.   Sorry for the bloody scene on the TV…M*A*S*H was on while I was getting the new entertainment center fixed up and taking the pictures!

I love how it looks! I am working on a framed picture which will be perfect hanging above the TV.  Now, see the pic below?  That’s our old dog Rachel’s pillow in front of the console.  Yes, we are so excited to be getting a rescue dog tomorrow!

She is a little wire haired terrier of sorts…she was a stray and has been at the Humane Society for about 10 days now.  We are thrilled to be bringing her home…Sam and I have both miss having a hound in the house!  I will show pics of her when I get her settled in tomorrow evening.