Decorating for Year Round Holidays

My online friend Joann has given me permission to showcase some of the pictures she has sent me which show how she decorates her family room for Memorial through Labor Day. These are some lovely special touches with the red, blue and white colours and red stripes on white as well as white stars on blue. This same effect, which she incorporates into her Bears corner, brings harmony and warmth to the room while setting the pace and the place into holiday mood!








This White Christmas tree was bought as an after Christmas bargain and is being used as a Holiday Tree. It was already set with white lights and so red and blue lights were added to complete the holiday effect. Joann made all the beaded ornaments and added some store bought ones acquired from the sales after Christmas. That is a brilliant idea, don't you think?



Thanks Joann for letting me share these lovely pictures and wonderful ideas : ) God bless!

Beaded Crosses for Easter

Here is what I have been busy with these past few days...I made these beaded Crosses for Easter to give to my family and friends. Thanks Cathy in Mt for the lovely beads you sent me recently. I also used some shimmering ribbon which my future Daughter-in-law had given me : )

I made these crosses using this pattern. However I altered the tops and tails as instead of the lanyard as a holder, I just made a knot in the ribbon to create a simple circle. The bottom I tied with one Uni knot similar to this method but again I adjusted this to suit my project according to the ribbon I used and added a small tassel to finish it off.





These are great tokens to give to friends, workmates, children in Catechism classes or even made for fund-raising.

In case anyone wants to try making these crosses, I started off with a length of about 90cm. of ribbon. To finish off the tassel tie an extra piece of ribbon, fold in two and tie to the 2 ends to create a tassel with 4 pieces. Maybe the instructions are not too clear but I finished these off in the best way according to how my work proceeded so maybe you will find another way to finish off yours. Have fun trying these out! God bless!

My new Beaded Bracelet

I made this early this morning just after breakfast and can't believe I made it myself! Yesterday I watched a tutorial for making beaded beads to use in making a bracelet. Actually I watched it several times but when I tried it, I was not too enthusiastic about it so I took what I learned from the tutorial and adjusted it according to what I thought would look good and what would sell too : )
I honestly never thought I'd make such sophisticated looking and complicated jewellery but I did!!! So never say never but try and try again! So here's another item to add to my Jewellery collection for my next Fairs. Thanks for looking : )

I want to say a special Thank you to my on-line Voy friend Linda (Shilo) who has always inspired me and encouraged me to bead and who incidentally posted the tutorial on our favourite forum Craftsayings http://www.voy.com/100606/

New Earring Designs

Here are my latest creations in earrings

which I am stocking up for our up-coming fairs in May and June.

The top picture shows my butterfly earrings

which come in my new range of Spring Simplicities

which feature butterflies, flowers and other

spring related charms.

All have co-ordinating beads to make a lovely pair

of dangle earrings which are very attractive

when they catch the light in their motion.

The picture above shows the earrings I made to add

to my collection of:

Tibetan Tales,

Bright Beads

and

Sandy Beaches

Each pair is unique, carefully made using

a hand wrapped wiring technique

and although I might use the same charms,

there is always variation in the beading and sequence of design.

I hope you find these attractive.

What do you think?

Which style is your favourite?

A Wire & Beaded Necklace

This is a delicate crocheted necklace (one of a few)

I made using silver toned wire and luminescent

pearlised beads

in different shapes and sizes.

I have featured one of these necklaces

in my Etsy shop.

~Contact me for custom orders~

Although these lovely necklaces are made using wire and beads,
they are amazingly very lightweight and comfortable to wear.

My Rosary Bracelets

You may be wondering 'What is a Rosary Bracelet?'
Well, when I heard of Beaded Rosary Bracelets, they were quite a novelty to me too. They have been around for some time and came into use as part of a person's jewellery to be worn with the intention of reminding oneself to pray. Many of us say we are always too busy but really, saying the Rosary takes up only around 10 to 15 minutes. We may say we don't even have so many minutes to spare...OK, how about 2 to 3 minutes, even waiting for a bus takes longer! So we can just pray one decade (one mystery) whenever we find those extra minutes. AND that is what these bracelets are for...as a reminder and to help us pray...besides don't you think they're pretty!

For anyone wishing to learn more about how the Rosary is prayed, click on the link at the bottom of this posting.

These bracelets are most often made with chain, but some are also made with cord, elastic, twine, flexwire or even memory wire. A rosary bracelet has a small crucifix and a small medal, which in my case I have left out but inserted a finding which allows you to add your own. Usually this is a miraculous medal and many already own one or more in gold or silver. There are ten Hail Mary beads and one Our Father bead. Most bracelets are about 7 1/2 inches in length, but they can be adjusted by adding or removing chain.

Since I have been teaching myself beading and beading techniques, I decided to try and make some. I used different coloured beads so that when anyone is praying the Rosary, one can think of different intentions with each Hail Mary while contemplating on a particular mystery of the Rosary.

By the way you don't have to be a Catholic to pray the Rosary and as a Catholic you do not need to pray the Rosary, but it certainly has many benefits and spiritual fruits.