what you are missing on my new blog

in january i started my new blog

www.nancylynndonaldson.blogspot.com

ive been creating a ton of work since coming home from the hospital

everyday i am working on something

above my recent encaustic painting

below some jewelry  and my new product of choice powertex

please stop by for a visit, i would love to hear from you

last minute gifts

it has been a busy month

with life getting somewhat back to "normal"

I've also got the creative bug!!

(must be the full moon)

 I have a ton of jewelry supplies

and when I found a container filled with chandelier crystals

I got inspired

I think they work well with the pearls and metal

a few extra crochet projects

a change purse and zebra slippers for sadie

and just a couple samples of the over 20 encaustic painting i've  done

over the past few months

dazzel it tassels

now that I've been getting healthier and feeling more like my old self

it's great to be presented with a challenge

my friend carmi sent out this package with some wonderful

suede tassels and cord  from the new dazzle-it line

plus a few jewelry components (left)

and one of my projects (right)

a number of beads added to some chain with the tassel

as always one project leads to several more

above I found 5 different styles of chain

wove some suede lace through the larger chain

and added the tassels to the ends of another

above I decided to use a macramé square knot

adding silver beads in between

I have more to work on so I will keep you posted

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for more info on the dazzle-it line check out their blog or on facebook



sari yarn

i'm always up for a challenge

so when I met my friend carmi for dinner

she was showing off her latest purchase from anthropologie

silk sari yarn

as soon as dinner was over we headed next door

to get some more and promised we would both make something

I decided to get out the crochet hook, beads, wire and chain

before long I had this necklace made

carmi made a wonderful braclet seen on her blog here

all knotted up

after 5 months in hospital and rehab it was nice to get back in the swing of things

I received this package in the mail from my friend carmi

with a challenge to see what I could come up with



I got to digging through my supplies to see what could work

some pearls, crystals, metal embossed beads and wooded carved beads



this one was easy, three double coin knots in a row and a tassel

a few close ups

since the first one was so easy  I had time to work one another

 

instant glam part 2

i just couldn't wait to get this all put together

(see previous posting)

yesterday  carmi posted some wonderful creations

on the john bead blog

it's amazing to see that everyone started with the same elements

and created such different and unique pieces

more will be posted today so go and check them out

instant glam challenge ........ you decide

my friend carmi mailed me this wonderful set of instant glam by fernando

with a challenge, what would you do with these?!

of course the wheels have been turning ever since and i could have come up

with at least 10 different ideas ( i could really go off the rails with this)

but since it is "glam" i thought i should keep to that theme

 i narrowed it down to 2

but before i get out my drill and start the assemblage process

i though i would see which one you liked

of course i got out the wire and started twisting

the first one is very symmetrical and looks like a lotus to me

it might even look good with a photo of a painting inside

and then layered with resin??

the second, i got a little carried away and then scaled it back a bit

there is something i like about an asymmetrical design

let me know what you think

i will finish it off later this week and post the finished design

resin and wire jewelry

my favorite so far

on my last trip to   john bead   i bought several bezels with matching wire

my friend carmi gave me a package of the new jewelry resin by envirotex 

she also has a fantastic resin blog where you can find out all kinds of tips and tricks

i used some of my favorite photos to get me started and then used the resin

it worked wonderfully, no bubbles!!!

next i drilled some holes around the bezels and then they sat

i wanted to add the wire but with a twist, so i kept looking and deciding

finally a spark!!

one i started twisting i couldn't stop, the beads started flying and before i knew it

i had several done

copper celtic twist

copper jewelry has been so popular this season

i've sold out of many styles and i have requests for more

the celtic twists seem to be the most asked for

luckily they are quick and easy to make

a new twist and one upped

after looking at several bezel that have been sitting on my work table

i got an idea, why not add some wire

so out came the drill, 1/16" bit

then the fun began
after a visit from my friend carmi, aka the resin queen
the ideas where flowing, she suggested using one of my digital photo
we narrowed it down to 2
since it has been a while since i poured resin, carmi offered to do the job


after several weeks, i almost forgot about it
while at carmi's studio i noticed the finished project
it looked great, she posted it on the john bead blog
now that we have worked out all the kinks i will get
busy making more!!

see shells......make something!!

something really appealing/pleasing about shells

maybe because they come from the water like me

i purchased a few mixed bags and some pearls at john bead

add a little copper wire and a crochet hook
fast and easy

and the finished project

my new toy

i love power tools, but sometimes when i'm trying to make

a very small hole it gets a little tricky

on my outing to john bead with carmi

she pointed out the metal complex gadget

it works great!! a couple of turns and

i was ready for assemblage



a little wire wrapping and my necklace was finished!

on my last visit to john bead i picked up several packets of

metal complex shapes in silver and copper

along with some aluminum wire

it didn't take long before i had several projects done

this is just the start of a new obsession!!

copper pendent

a few weeks ago i visited john bead and bought some copper wire

i usually work with silver but for some reason the copper appealed to me

in one day i made 10 necklaces

above one of the pendents i gave to my friend carmi

who decided to make a kumihimo cord to match (see below)

and then posted it on the john bead blog

now the wheels are turning again!!!!

last minute gifts

i finally got a chance to add some beads to the shapes i made last month

sharing ideas

last year i met irina pertseva at a local craft show

i loved her wire work so i bought one of her heart and stone necklace

i was wearing one of my celtic twist wire necklaces

and irina asked if she could take a photo and use the idea for her work

i said of course

sharing ideas is what makes the world go round

i knew that her jewelry would inspire me to try something new, which it did

today i saw her again and was amazed by her new stuff

and i was happy to see that i did inspire her to create the above necklace
i just had to buy it!!!

felting fun

this weekend , between teaching classes

i got to take one with my friend carmi

felted and stitched beads

what a great class

carmi is a wonderful teacher and

super organized

above her demo and some samples

i of course couldn't wait to hang one around my neck

so i twisted some wire to feature my bead

and then had time for another

thanks carmi for introducing me another way

to pass the time while watching tv