Getting My Bling Together!

I didn't realize 10 days have passed since my last post. Been trying to get lots of things done, but that's no excuse.

How many of you are familiar with Pinterest? I have only been on there since mid June, but I have found out that it can be very addicting. I have several boards with things that interest me and I am shocked at the number of people who are following me to see what I am posting. Time consuming you ask? Yes it can be. I check my email every morning to see who is following my pins or a board. Then I go to their boards and see what interests they have and if I want to follow a board or follow all their boards.

Anyone can get on there. I didn't have an invitation, so I just requested to be on board. It took almost a month before Pinterest got to me. I am glad they did. I get to show off some of my jewelry and the things that interest me.

My latest interest is Glampers. That's a new word created for bling up the older little campers. Two of my friends and I just bought one and are getting anxious to get it here and start the makeover. Will try to get photos and post them on here for you. Wish us luck! We are going to have to roll up our sleeves and get creative.

We have gotten some rain since my last post. The grass is starting to green up. We still are feeding our birds and of course, our hummers. We have about 40 birds eating and keeping us busy with one feeder. We have 4 hummers and I love watching them. Here is a picture I took of them.

This is just three of them. They like to buzz each other. I am finally able to get close to the feeder and they buzz by my head to get to their feed. Watching them and the birds is so relaxing. I use to think I would never have these feeders out and look at me now.

Want to share this flower that is in one area of our yard. Actually, it is climbing on an old piece of fence. I don't know anything about this, but I love the bloom.

The flower comes out of a green pod. We have been in this house 10 years and they were here then. I didn't think they were coming back this year, but after this last rain, only 2 flowers have appeared.

Around mid June, my husband rescued a dachshund. The owner couldn't be found and the church camp was going to have to send it to a pound. So, enter my husband. She is a beautiful color and has quite a neat personality. We call her Blossom. One week ago, she gave birth to 3 boys and 2 girls. Now, until they are old enough to give away, we have our hands full. Here is a picture of her and the babies.

Not the best picture. She is black. All the puppies are black and have white on them in different places. Hmmmm, wonder what kind of dog the dad is??? They get off the pillow and back on the pillow. They are fun to watch.

Ok, on to the jewelry portion. Have you ever been to Michael's and looked through their 10/$10 bins? Last year I found packages of butterflies that had a hole all the way through them. There were four to a package in two different colors. I bought several packages and just put them away for 'later'. I found them the other day and decided they would make perfect earrings. I put a small bead on my head pin, then placed the butterfly. Next I added some beads to the top of the butterfly, cut the wire, made a loop with round nose pliers and attached it to an ear wire. Here's just one pair of them.

Aren't these cute? They are lightweight and a one of a kind.

While going through all my jewelry pieces, I found some leather tubing. Don't even know why I have it. I got to looking at it and discovered memory wire would slide into that tubing. So, I cut random pieces of tubing and got some glass beads and made a bracelet. I just cut the memory wire, made a loop on one end and fed a bead, tubing piece, bead, etc. all the way to the end of the memory wire. Made another loop at the end and added a bead onto each of the loops and here is my newest bracelet.

I made another one using brown tubing. Now, that I am hooked, I plan to make more of these. They look good and don't use as many beads.

This is another one of a kind necklace. The salmon beads in front are over 45 years old. The 3 sections of wood discs are about the same age. Also, the amber beads are vintage. All part of broken pieces of jewelry that my mom had saved. Even the chain used in the back is vintage. Wow! I just recycled!

This necklace is made with crystal beads and glass beads. The piece in front is from a broken chain necklace of moms.

This set is mint green, purple, amber and multi-colored blue beads. The necklace is in links. I used all the bead colors in the bracelet. Both have toggle closures. The chandelier earrings are 3 rows of beads plus holes 2 & 4 have a link of connecting chain. Loved designing this.

Every girl needs some bling! I originally designed this for the cowgirls in our area, but I think any girl would like it. The big clip is to hook on your jeans belt loop. The beads hang down about 3 inches. All beads are glass and some are vintage. The vintage smiley face charm sets this off. If you want, you could clip it to the handle of your purse. Am waiting to get the pieces in to make more of these. Slow mail!!

Can't wait to share these bracelets with you. I wanted an 8" bracelet and this took trial and error to get it to work out. I used a length of chain (mine is durable but dainty looking) and cut it into 1 1/2" lengths. Then I added a barrel closure to put those pieces together. That's half of the bracelet. Next, I connected the male end of two barrel closures on each end of the chain. I threaded beads and even linked some beads to create the top of the bracelet. Lengths are from 3" to 3 1/2". Then I added the female part of the barrel closure on each side. They are fastened to the bracelet back and you have just made a bracelet. You can see that if I only had one bracelet, I could have six different bracelets by changing the bracelet top. I have the gold tone barrel closures and the beads picked out, so that is what I will work on next.

Time to get off here and get busy! Got most of my housework done so, I am ready to make jewelry. I love doing this! It keeps my mind functioning better. My medicine hasn't been working very good this past week so keeping very busy has helped me not dwell on my headaches.

Glad you let me come into your home. Check me out on Pinterest by Jan Hickman. Also, JansCollections on etsy.com. I have mom's vintage jewelry on there.

It's Jewelry Making Time

Got up feeling good, so have worked all day in my office making jewelry. I am behind on the designs I want to get done. I do write them all down and sketch them out in my Idea Book, but if I don't get on them right away, I seem to let other things get in my way - like husband, housework, animals. Normal every day stuff!!

This bracelet is made with glass beads. They are brown with a splash of green, blue, black, tan, lavender and yellow running through the beads. I really like these beads, so decided a bracelet was in order. The small glass beads in between look brown and when the light hits them, they look somewhat purple. They were perfect for this bracelet. Normally I would put a gold toggle closure on here and not the silver. However, silver is such a great color with everything and I am seeing more silver closures than ever before. The bracelet is strung on tiger tail wire and crimped.

This is another glass bead bracelet. Some of these beads are vintage and were part of broken pieces that I kept after my mom died. It is strung on elastic that is just for jewelry. You will notice the two odd beads showing in the front - those are there to show you the back of the bracelet. That is where they bracelet is tied and glued. I put this there on several bracelets I made for a lady so she never had to worry about the bracelet 'breaking'. If it is in this location, it doesn't get as much pull on it, if it is elsewhere on the bracelet. It's just a matter of preference. Some ladies do not care anything about where it is put together.

Another one of those bracelets with the silver closure. The beads are glass. They are brown and the spacer beads I used are light amber. When the light hits those beads just right, they sparkle. This bracelet is put together like the first one.

Well, isn't this unusual?? I had a piece of cool looking lace that I use to glue on to glass bowls and jars and decided to try to make a bracelet with it. I cut a piece of memory wire and thread it through this lace. I made my 2 loops at the end of the memory wire and put a crystal bead on each loop. My plan is to make crystal bead dangles and hang throughout this bracelet. Tell me what you think of this design. I have never found anything like it anywhere. It is one that I would definitely wear.

This picture doesn't give this necklace a great look. Sorry about that. It is made with heavy glass beads. I put each bead on a eye pin and cut the end and looped it. Did this for all the beads. Then I got small gold jump rings and put all the pieces together. The four round beads in the front are totally different from the other beads. I used them as the focal. The closure is a gold grape leaf and the long piece that hooks into it, has a bunch of grapes stamped in the metal. If you wanted to, you can move this necklace some to get the closure showing on the side, then your four round beads would be on the side of the necklace. Just a different way to wear it.

You talk about unusual beads and color! These beads look pale pale pink with purple in them. Then, depending on the light, they look white and black. That's why I bought them! The bracelet is strung on stretchy elastic, is tied with a surgeon knot, glued and the ends are cut and pushed back through some beads. I plan to glue the beads together where it is tied.  Had just enough beads left to make a pair of earrings. They have a seed bead on the very end to keep the larger beads from coming off the wire.

How about this bracelet holder? Last year I bought some tulle to make tutus for some stuffed animals. Well, that didn't happen. So, I have recycled it today to help with my beads. These are two memory wire bracelets. They are singles because the tear drop beads couldn't take the pressure of the wrapping of the bracelet. It is a clear glass tear drop with a black glass bead and a lavender glass bead. The back almost comes together and it has the black and lavender beads off the bracelet loops. I may have to keep these. Don't know yet.

Isn't this neat looking? I made this using a large oval memory wire. I have a large wrist and this is perfect for me. It could also be used as an ankle bracelet. The 'pearls' are inexpensive so I used a dark brown and gold flower bead that's glass to give it an even better look. Each loop has a glass flower bead as a dangle. I had to take it apart 3 or 4 times before I got a pattern that I liked, then when I was on my last round, I realized I messed up on the pattern almost to the other end. So, I had to take it all apart and start over.

This bracelet is made from a broken vintage necklace. The stones and chain are over 35 years old.The stones are turquoise chips and the chains are a wonderful silver color. No tarnish. It is 3 strands linked with a silver toggle closure. I really like this bracelet. Just recycling more of mom's broken jewelry pieces.

I leave you with this 3D picture. My friend, Jim Bradshaw, and I loved this kind of art and was always sharing it when we found it online. Jim passed away several years ago and when I found this, I decided to post it for him.

Isn't this great? The bike is not balancing on the board. It is an illusion. People that saw this on FB thought she was crazy to be looking into that hole. That's what makes this art super! Several artist do this type of sidewalk art all over the world. Soon as I find some more, I will share with you.

Well, I will close for today and go feed the horses and goats. They are calling my name. Hope everyone has a great week!

In answer to some questions: Yes, I do sell some of my jewelry. Prices are very reasonable. You can email me at jghickman60@yahoo.com, find me on etsy.com at JansCollections, or I am on Pinterest at Jan Hickman.

 Until next time - Be Safe! Don't text and drive!