Sweetie Girl Ryan

Here is Ryan, all dressed up to have her first picture with Santa! She looks as though she doesn't really care, though- or else she's ready to pop Santa in the mouth with one of those little fists---she's in her own little baby-world! ;>)

Back Again!

I can't believe that it's almost 2010!
Happy New Year....

I've been trying to 'red up' ( on old Pa Dutch word!) around here, watched the baby for a while today---she was a fussbudget---and finally fell asleep on my chest---for over an hour! But she did sleep :>)

I had some time to list a new Peyote Cuff that I finished over the holidays---I love this robin's egg blue of the seedbeads and have had them a long time- trying to come up with something I liked---then bought the Vintaj charm and decided I loved these beads with the brass of the Vintaj charm---so here it is....

Oh- and here are the Goodman Grand-girls

in their matching jammies!

Joely, Ryan in the middle and Jillian on the right...aren't they cute!?!

Just Lurking.....

I've been trying to keep up with my blog-friend Sherry at http://gotart4u.blogspot.com/ - and a while ago, she had some snowmen bottles that she and her friend Linda had made--so I thought---maybe I'll try to do that...

Well, I started a week ago and just finished it today, except he needs a scarf- gotta find some tinsel --good thing I only did one otherwise I would have needed to begin him in September! ;>)

His head is a little large, but- it was the only styrofoarm ball I had handy, his nose an orange halloween lightbulb--the bottle is a vintage vitamin bottle, with lots of goodies inside--the rest, you can see...

just added - his flyaway tinsel scarf!

Something New

While trying to clean, get rid of stuff ( which is REALLY difficult for me to do) - I found a stash of old zippers, discolored from age. I should have pitched them, but....then I found some old barkcloth and part of an old ticking pillowcase that belonged to my gram.

So---you can guess what I tried to do! It turned into a super shabby fabric cuff- which my daughter's comment on facebook stated ---'cute, mommy, it's just like you'! Knowing her, that's a good comment!

My CCCOE Street Team on Etsy

CCCOE ( Calif. Crafters Club Of Etsy) had a big sale on etsy, Black Friday thru Cyber Monday-- we all did pretty well, i sold one of my favorite beadweavings, Puck in the Garden, my 'Alien' bracelet, and lots of vintage goodies from my Suchandsort shop--

but.....the reason I'm posting today is that during that weekend, I bought some beautiful Peace Cranes from Nancy McNally on etsy---http://localcolorist.etsy.com
and wanted to show them off! I decided to give a Peace Crane to each of my close neighbors---promoting neighborhood peace, don't ya know! ;>)

check out all my great cranes and please go and check out Nancy's shop!

Dang bead blocks!

I've been 'suffering' under the black cloud of ....the infamous **BEAD BLOCK**! I've been getting this way more lately and it's not fun---I don't know if it's because I don't have time to concentrate, or no good ideas ( no- i have a little journal of ideas--it isn't that) maybe trying to do too many other things and not having time- I don't know-but- I hope I broke thru again-

One of my cccoe buddies, OceanAvenueSilks, dyed some silk ribbon and cord for me for a project I had in mind---the silks were gorgeous purples--ahhhh--and after getting them, my idea about the project--a beadwoven herringbone tube with ribbon thru it and tied for a bracelet---changed. After talking to OAS, we kind of decided that maybe tying and untying the silk would not be good---so, while trying to figure out a clasp, decided that my project would look great as a choker---so, here it is---
Purple Dawn

---I just love the colors and love the ribbon and cord that OAS made for me ---please check out her etsy shop at http://OceanAvenueSilks.etsy.com - she has beautiful hand dyed scarves and goodies!

Lucky Halloween and Autumn--

A few weeks ago, I visited Aileen's Musings blog, posted---and from my posting, won a great Fall/Autumn Banner and a bag of super Halloween and Autumn goodies---if you'd like a great blog to read--check out--

http://aileensmusings.blogspot.com/

She also has a banner in a contest sponsored by Michaels---check that out, as well!


http://tinyurl.com/yf4egyy

Wonderful Beadweaving Video

GoodQuillHunting.etsy.com a beadweaving 'teamster', created this great youtube video of beautiful beadweaving!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7vHSQ5lKFs

Please check it out- it is GREAT!

Peggy's Halloween Shrine is HERE!

A few weeks ago, I was very lucky to win a great Halloween Shrine from Peggy's Mixed Up Art -- http://wwwpeggysamusement.blogspot.com/2009/10/shrine-giveaway-to-celebrate.html and

http://wwwpeggysamusement.blogspot.com/

It arrived today, and I LOVE it! It's sitting in my living room right now, and it will be there year round. It's a great work of art and deserves being on display at all times.

My daughters both want it, so I have to keep an eye on it!

Go to Peggy's blog and see all the great creations she displays--her's and others!

Thanks again, so much, Peggy!

Using some of my REAL cigarboxbeads!

I've been meaning to do this for a long time, and just finished one of my goals--the use some of the vintage beads and goodies that are in one of the vintage cigarboxes i bought so very long ago--there are many more beads in the boxes- i'll never use them all--( i've used some in an amulet bag i made my sister in law many years ago ( which she framed!)

So---here are a few more: Fandango on the Beadroom Floor ( i've come to the conclusion that these beads were 'sweepings' from a beadroom somewhere!)

my new addiction!

see those twinchies? well, i've veered off a bit from beadweaving to alteredart--and i found this great blog---- http://aileensmusings.blogspot.com/ by Aileen, and she's giving away some great goodies for altered art---maybe i'll be lucky! ( it's 'Fall' and not Halloween, so that's good! ;>) )

my newest---and last twinchie!

'cause they're getting addictive---;>) ---plus, i DO have other things i need to do! '>)

This one is a skeleton in a red top hat, peeking from behind curtains...

okay---I started something else crafty.....

can you believe it? ;>0

I joined a yahoo group---http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheLatestTrendsinMixedMediaArts/

and they have a 'twinchie' challenge lottery kind of contest for Halloween---it sounded like fun- so i signed up--of course!

'twinchies' are 2x2 inch pieces of cardboard, collaged and doo-dadded up! My first two were finished tonight--and I had to take pictures and put them up---(it was actually my second high 5 of the night---I got an old TV hooked up to cable all by myself! heh heh)

AnywayS--here are the twinchies---'The Sisters Grim' and 'Dinner?' ( Mrs. Lechter, perhaps?)

off to bed---dreaming of twinchies ( better than nightmares!)

BOOOOOO

went a little Halloween crazy while babysitting twinnies and new baby--!

I finished knitting a little scarflette---and it ended up looking very appropriate for Halloween---hairy and scary, as one of my cccoe teammates commented! ;>)

An altered journal and 2 more little vintage corked bottles with scary stuff inside..

I'm going to a class given by 'Inmyblueroom' http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6791403 - making a Halloween banner---so till then- i think i'm fini with the spooky season!

new baby!

we have a new baby in the famdamily!

presenting----Ryan Meghan Bancroft ;>)

waving at 'chas.....

haven't been back here in a while--but yesterday, i took a fine jewelry fusing class, taught by Carolyn Waitt---and met some really nice artisan/students!

The artisan who sat next to me was Sherry Goodloe - http://gotart4u.blogspot.com -, who really spurred me into working on my goodies i've had piled up for a while.

So--here are pictures of the bracelet i made at Carolyn's class---with a lot of help from her!

New Beadweaver's Challenge!

Etsy beadweavers have another new challenge--'First Ladies of Style'---and I entered again!

I made this bracelet and could not think of a good name for it---and that's not like me! But---one of my good etsy teamsters came up with a great name and it fit the challenge--

LocalColorist -- http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5003946 -- named it 'Gaia Goddess' , my daughters got together and decided that was a great name, and I agreed!

Voting doesn't start till August 9th--so I'm finished early this time---;>)

Check out all the great entries soon on http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com and vote for your favorite!

Some of my pixie collection-

notice, I said SOME!

I had to move some things around so daughter could move her stuff out, so i cleaned up these little guys, and moved them back. I probably have over 1000 different pixies, these are just a few of them- mostly Gilner, some handcrafted in the '50s to look like Gilner--

My very favorites are the large girl and boy planters on the top--

just thought I'd picture some here for posterity!

Remember JuJuBes at the movies?

just listed this summer jujube bracelet yesterday---no calories, either--

Taking a breath........

The last 2 weeks have been--well--crazy! Everyone here had some nasty summer respiratory flu, our younger daughter is having a baby, moving out ( can't lift anything, and i'm not supposed to lift anything --so guess who's lifting when baby daddy can't... me!) the twinnies started summer school, so that means picking them up and watching them more than normal, taking hubby to the doctors, helping other daughter with *stuff*--and trying to clean up around here, now that we have more than a path through the house--daughter had a LOT of stuff to pack and move.

After i just typed that, i thought---well, that's not that much! How come it was when i had to do it? and how come i'm exhausted? ;>0 I'm supposed to be retired!too old for all this, i guess!

I did manage to take some pictures today, between all the other stuff....

BEM's Great Sale-brations!

Just had a chance to sit down and work on my 1000 Markets Beadweaving Shop-- lots of sales going on in the Beadweaving Market --not just mine! ;>) Please go there and check out all the great goodies--and maybe select some for your very own!

http://www.1000markets.com/groups/bem

( you can click on the red, white and blue top hat over here-----------> and it will take you to the same place!)

Sunny Delight---yummy!

I worked most of Father's Day on this -- ignored the PaPa in the house--heh heh, and beaded--

well, i left him alone to watch tv, without bothering him, so it was okay! ;>)

I love this bracelet--if i wasn't retired and still wore a lot of my goodies- i'd keep it! Maybe someone else will like it, too-