Jingle Bell Rock!

It's been a jinglin' kinda week!   

First, I finished these sparkly, bead-woven ornaments for the Hive's Ornament Swap...

Then, because those were such a hit on my Facebook beading group, I made these jingling earrings!

One of the quintessential elements of Christmas for me is the jingle bell.  And in recent years, I've found myself moving away from the traditional Christmas colors.  So I just love these jingle bells in all these non-traditional flavors!  LOL!  

You can find the earrings in my Etsy shop!  

Thanks!

School is out...

And not a moment too soon!  I actually managed to finish all the grading about 3 hours ago, which must be some sort of record for me.  But finally!  It's done!  I have a whole month of blissful free days ahead of me!  No more slightly neurotic, occasionally forgetful, but still wonderful students!  They're all off relaxing (I hope...) YAY!!!!

Of course, for the next week, I'll be frantically making Christmas gifts (starting with the cards I need to go finish up here shortly.  I still have 100 passes through the Sizzix to go.  Joy....)  I have ornaments to make, jewelry to string, wreaths to design, and a couple of gift cards to buy (so of course, I'm going to have to make holders for those!)

I also have myriad ideas floating around in my head of things I want to try... Thankfully I've got my art journal and while I can't sketch to save my life, I'm pretty good at writing descriptions... lol! I really want to work on this bracelet idea I have using weaving and earring forms... we'll see how it works out...

Right now, I'm either off to sleepy-time land, or off to finish the die-cutting... not sure which.  Either way, stay tuned for pics of projects coming, since I'm out of school and have some time to play again!

I'm stumped...

So, I've found I enjoy entering beading contests.  I like that someone else chooses the beads and other materials, and I have to figure out what to do with that kit.  I've entered 3 so far, the Use the Muse IV contest back in the spring, and both Art with Heart contests.  Use the Muse and Art with Heart Cycle 1 are both complete, and I had a lot of fun working on those pieces. Here they are:

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So now I'm working on Art with Heart 2.  And I'm clueless...It's a beautiful kit, but... yeah...  I got nothin'... Here's a link to the project kit. Pretty, yes?  The focal bead is gorgeous, that blue teardrop. So I can't decide if I should do links for a necklace, or if I should do some bead weaving or what.

I'll figure something out.  After all, I have until August 18th to get it all done!

R.Wilson