Eye of the Tiger ~ Part 2

My family and I celebrated my grandmother's birthday over Halloween. My gift to her was a handmade beaded necklace with Tiger Eye beads, seed beads and Thunder Polish crystal bicones using the Zulu Flowerette stitch.

To compliment her necklace, I made matching clip-on earrings to give to her at Christmas.

I used large Tiger Eye beads, caramel colored crystal rondelles, bronze seed beads, gold plated clip-on earring backs, Fireline thread, sharp needle, Lacy's Stiff Stuff, E6000 adhesive, nipper tools and scissors to make the earrings.

I began by cutting a piece of Lacy's Stiff Stuff to the size of the Tiger Eye bead. I threaded a needle with Fireline, tied off the end, and ran it through the Lacy's Stiff Stuff and Tiger Eye Bead.

Then I threaded a caramel crystal rondelle and a bronze seed bead on the Fireline. Skipping the seed bead, I ran the needle back through the rondelle, Tiger Eye bead and Lacy's Stiff Stuff. I reinforced my thread path three times and then tied off the thread on the Lacy's Stiff Stuff to secure it.

The clip-on earring components I used had hooks and loops that I would not use for this particular design, so I used a nipper tool to remove them.

Then I applied E6000 adhesive to the clip-on earring component and adhered the side of the Tiger Eye bead with the Lacy's Stiff Stuff. I repeated the same process for the second earring.

I let the earrings set for 24 hours so the glue could dry completely.

The final product was a quick and easy-to-make Eye of the Tiger earring set that beautifully compliments the original necklace.

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Do you like to wear matching jewelry sets?

My grandmother loves to match her jewelry pieces, which is why I know she'll love these earrings to wear with her necklace. I like to mix and match pieces, so they don't have to match exactly, but they do have to coordinate in color and style.

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Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving comes to us out of the prehistoric dimness,

universal to all ages and faiths.

At whatever straws we must grasp,

there is always a time for gratitude and new beginnings. 

J. Robert Moskin

Wishing you and your family a very happy thanksgiving holiday!

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What are you thankful for today?

I'm extremely thankful for my loving and supportive family. I'm so honored to be spending the holiday with them.

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Double Duty Decorating for Fall

I love alliteration...I also love decorating that can stretch over a few holidays until I'm ready to decorate for the next one. 

When decorating your house, choose decorations that can multi-task.

Generic fall pumpkins can serve as decorations for Halloween, Thanksgiving and the Fall season in general.

This pumpkin decoration can hold the Halloween candy and also serve as a reminder for things I'm thankful for during the holiday season...namely pumpkin pie!

Glass bowls or apothecary jars serve as neutral vessels for holiday decorations and the contents can easily be changed as the new season or holiday approaches. Choose contents that can multi-task across seasons and holidays. 

These apothecary jars contain pinecones, assorted potporri and nuetral colored decorative balls that not only match the home decor but also serve a decorative purpose for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

As the new holiday approaches, simply remove items no longer appropriate.

 
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What decorations for the Fall season do you use that save you time across holidays?

I love the idea of decorations matching my interior design and serving double duty across various seasons and holidays. It works as a time saver and doesn't make me feel guilty if it's still around after the holiday passed because it's still appropriate for the next holiday.

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String Me Along

This is a very exciting day for Beaded Expressions by Marla--I just listed my first piece of jewelry for sale in my Etsy Shop! The listing process was so easy, I listed two pieces. I know...living on the wild side today.

Most of my jewelry is very time consuming to make and any given piece can take hours--even days--to complete, mostly because of the small beads and detailed stitches I use in my design and execution. However, every now and then I enjoy making simple strung necklaces, not only for the instant gratification of completing a piece in a few hours or less, but for the classic, elegant statement the finished pieces make. 

Using just a few supplies from my bead collection, I completed two pearl necklaces.

Each necklace includes freshwater pearls, Swarovski cyrstals, Tibetan beads and antiqued silver clasps. 

For more detailed information on the necklaces, or if you are interested in purchasing them, visit my Etsy Shop.

Let it Bead,

Marla

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Do you have an Etsy shop where you sell handmade jewelry? Let me know--I'd love to check it out!

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Hurricane Sandy

I hope everyone is safe and well and survived the devastation from Hurricane Sandy. 
My thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their homes and belongings. I know there are still people out there without power and electricity and we're all noticing the impact it has on our lives.

In addition to the normal emergency supplies I had on hand for Hurricane Sandy--flashlights, non-perishable food, a deck of cards--I also had another special supply in case I was inspired to bead while the power was out:

 

A Mammut headlight!

The power was out, however, I was not inspired to bead. I played Rummy 500 with my Dad and kept my puppy calm instead. It was a restful and reflective time. It forced us all to stop what we were doing and be thankful for what we had, however little it was before, during and after the storm.

The Mammut headlight comes in handy during normal weather conditions, too. It's a helpful tool that allows you to bead if you're watching a movie with others and they request you turn the lights down. It enables you to bead in a car or airplane at night when natural and artificial light are limited. It is even helpful if you just require additional light enhancement while working on a complicated project or one with very small beads.

I like the Mammut headlight because I can adjust the intensity of the light and tilt it to my desired level, but really any headlight will do!

Let it bead,

Marla

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