Monday, October 31, 2011

I got this done in time for the contest with the theme of "Totally Twisted" by the Etsy Bead Weavers for November which closes on Friday. And the sun was shining! So I got this picture. Now that I am able to look at the piece with the detachment of a camera, I am wondering if the dangle is too long or hangs down too far. . .
Since the sun still shines today, I think I will take the time to shorten the chain about three links. Still I love the opulence of the dangle and having it a tad too far from the rest of the necklace seems to add to its oddness and aloofness. I will have to ask the necklace what it wants.

I really pushed the twisted in me on this one. The ropes are all spirals and by running a wire through the copper colored one I got it to twist too. What you cannot see is the twisted copper wires that hold each of those copper leaves on the bottom rope. I am sure there is also a twist in one or more of the chains or will be by the time I give up fussing with this.

I am especially happy with the dangle! I had not planned on doing that but the chain was too long and it came out that way. I made a flat Celini spiral on a flat weaving and it curled up like that all by itself. A pink CZ crystal drop would have been nice, but I only had a purple one. It feels to me as if it calms all that pink noise up in the necklace.

Friday, October 28, 2011




The other day I was accepted into the Etsy Bead Weavers Team! That gave me something to cheer about in a week of no sales. The group, about 780 strong, holds challenges each month on a theme and part of the membership requirement is to enter at least one challenge a year and to vote on the others. The theme for November is "twisted" so yesterday I started this. I think my twisted is more of a spiral but I am enjoying the twisted beads. I had made wire beads for one of the scrotum series and never felt it was very good.


So for these I started with an inch of plastic tubing and wired a basis of larger beads to it. On top I left more wire show but did add some 8s to each wrap. I did them on the sticks so I could find the opening and to be able to hold it while I did it. This was such fun that I am thinking of trying more. I want to make some small ones using only 8s.

I do enjoy 'challenges' as they get my mind going in new ways. I am not sure if this necklace will turn out good enough for a contest and if my 'twisted' is twisted enough but I am certainly enjoying the twisted journey. I have to have it done and posted by November 5th. My biggest worry is whether there will be a good day of sun when I do get the necklace done in time to get a good photograph. Amazing how we (I!) set ourselves up with worries and deadlines just so we feel alive!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011




With the arrival of the origami necklace back from Fire Mountain (it was a finalist in the Seed Bead Contest) and my posting it on Etsy yesterday I am calling a halt to my posting of items there. I think there are about 31 now. Also I reposted some of the photographs hoping to show more of the item and less of the screwy formatting of photos. Suddenly I feel like I have so much time!


I am so eager for sales I have actually thought of going to E-bay to list some things there. Scary how desperate I am.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Had a customer on my Etsy shop who, when her order arrived, turned around and ordered two more pairs of my earrings. A repeat customer! The very best kind to have. There are SO many offerings on Etsy it is a miracle if anyone finds my stuff. However, the repeat customer can actually finger the stuff, wiggle it and try it on and then come back again. Beautiful.
In spite of my bitching, I am getting items tagged as favorites by people I do not know so something is working with the searches. Last week two people picked items from my shop to include in their gallery listings. There are some very bright and exciting young women on Etsy.

Here is a photo of the earrings I photographed on Monday when the sun was actually shining. I have a whole tray of new items lined up with the hope that the sun that is shining now will come in my window at 3:15.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

by Rochelle Mort


My granddaughter Caitlin Steiner got married last Saturday and this is my favorite photo. It gives me such happiness I just had to put it here to show it off. She is now Mrs. Brandon Lowry! Congratulations and much happiness for both of you!

Caitlin is a great beader when she is not teaching school, working on her Master's Degree, or remodeling the house she and Brandon bought two years ago. Her, now out of date blog, is "The House on the Corner" but being a new bride she gets forgiven for letting that job slip. Caitlin and her mom Carol did the wedding themselves - doing it all and proving that a home-made wedding really has heart. Rochelle's blog has more photos.






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Cindy stopped by to pick up her Etsy order and we were talking about Etsy and I said I was searching for some way to tie my photos together so a visitor to my shop would get a reinforced image.


Cindy, who always shoots straight to the center, said, "With the name of The Bead Beach, why don't you photograph your bead work on sand, or beach rocks?"


So that very afternoon, with the last of the sun before the next winter storm rolled in, I did. Thanks so much Cindy!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011



Have had my first two sales at the Etsy store and have now posted new items to take the place of the deleted ones. Was glad to find out several more automatic functions at Etsy. When an item sells, they automatically remove it from your listing. Wow! But if you have multiples of that item, it is easy to copy it and get it reposted. It was sooooo good to make the two sales and now I am busy finding out how to package and ship my stuff. So much to learn! But I like that.

Also it is possible for members to make lists or galleries of items they admire or ones which fit a certain category (just like making a gallery show!). Today my pumpkin made the treasure list for Halloween. I was so glad that someone could find it (among the many items on Etsy!) and liked it enough to post it AND having photographed it with the professional background it looked professional. I was very proud of it.

Saturday, October 8, 2011



My new new shop on Etsy, The Bead Beach, is now officially open! Please do stop by to take a look. Many of the items are ones you have watched me develop and make with your help on these journal pages.

It would help me a great deal if you would mark your favorites. One of the ways I get started on a new project is the fact that someone likes something I've made. So here is your chance to channel my efforts.

As you will see, the shop is so new I still have not had a sale yet, so if there is a kind hearted beader who would like the 'honor' of being my first customer I would be delighted.


Today my granddaughter Caitlin Steiner is marrying Brandon Lowery in Kingsburg California. I wish we could be there to see their shining faces! but are sending long distance love until they can come over to the coast to see us.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011



Another day of rain and/or cloudy weather. We are supposed to have a rain storm and then a few hours of sunshine before the next one blows in. Now when I really need the sunshine for my Etsy photos all I get are clouds - six days worth of clouds. Between two of them I snagged this shot of the piled up new necklaces. When I used the timer option on the camera, often the sun that was shining when I clicked the shutter was already gone by the time the actual shutter opened. All of which was a great excuse to go back to making more of these necklaces that I love. I feel as if I must make one with every color combination. Right now on the trays is a white one and a black one (am tempted to make it a Halloween fright necklace. . .) and I sewing on AB rootbeer with bronze iris delicas. The colors are so yummy I cannot think about them and stay here on the computer.

I consulted with Sandy Smith and she said what I had known was right: I need some smaller, lower priced items for the Etsy store. However for the better photos of these items I need sunshine! And until I get sunshine the boxes of 'smaller items - errings and suncatchers - pile up around the camera set-up.