One Done, One Not So Much

So I was extremely productive this weekend.  I am very happy with myself.  It seems like I've been so obsesed with the house and getting it painted, and decorated, and looking like a home, that I've put me bead work on the back burner.  That makes me a little sad.  But not this past weekend, I was super woman when it came to beadwork!!!

I finished up my orange and green beaded brooch.  I'm in love with this one.  I love how elegant it looks.  The colors are great.  I'm so happy with how it turned out.

Now for the brooch that didn't work out so well.  I was also working on a brooch that was bright and sunny; the opposite of what it looks outside my window right now.  I had such high hopes for it.  I thought it would lift my spirits and get me ready for spring.  Well it hasn't.  It's one of those projects that just problem after problem arise.  You know the one, the one that doesn't go right no matter how easy it is.  No matter how much you think it's going to be a quick little project to fill some time, nope, that's not how it works.  Well after broken bead and more broken beads, I decided to put that project aside and come back to it when I wasn't so frustrated and ready to throw it across the room.  I'm hoping to have calmed down enough to finish that baby up soon.  Who knew a fun bright project would make me so angry?!?

I'm also working on a few beaded pendents.  Big ones with fringe (oh god that's such an awful word) and sparkles and what not.  Pendents that demand attention from anyone around you.  I can't wait to finish them up and get the pictures up.  I'm so happy with them.  One is my project for ArtBeads, which I hope to be done with that this week.  It's big and beautiful.  I'm in love with these new ones.

I have a few other ideas that I can't wiat to start.  My sketch books seem to be overflowing with ideas as of late.  Which is fantastic.  Now if only I can get that bead/glass studio organized!

I am also loving my new tripod (thanks to Rose at The Beading and Buttons of Random Creative for the suggestion).  I missed having a tripod and I'm loving this one.  It's just simple and a photographer would probably laugh at it, but it works great for me.  But now I have to actually sit down and get some pictures taken.  My next purchase will be for a remote shutter, because waiting for the camera timer is killing me :-)           

Wordless Wednesday - I'm wishing for spring!

WIP - Beaded Brooches

So I have been having a bunch of fun making these bead embroidered brooches.  I love how simple they are.  Nothing fancy, just a lovely cab and some even more lovely beads around that cab.  They really are fun and pretty.  I have two almost done.  I just need to wait for the glue to dry on the backing and then they can have the beaded edge sewn on, and DONE!

The first one is the more "fancy" one.  I'm not a huge fan of orange, but I love this one.  The way the hex cut beads sparkle in the light.  The way the rich color combination just screams opulence.  I'm in love with something orange.  Weird.  Well I can't help it, look at how pretty that little guy is.

Then the next one was just a fun one that I've been working on.  It's bright and colorful and the total opposite of what the weather is like outside.  It reminds me of some place warmer, some place fun and exciting.  Maybe somewhere in the Caribbean.

This brooch has a small dark yellow cat's eye cab in the center and is surrounded by bright yellows, pinks, and teals.  Fun!

Like I said I need to get the beaded edge sewn on both of these, then they will look more complete.  I'm hoping to get that done this week sometime.  I'll be working on them between my ArtBeads project.  Which is half done (and I can't wait to show you that one, I used one of the most beautiful cameo I've ever seen on it).  And even thought we're super busy with the house, I'm excited to get some time to take pictures using my new tripod.  So don't forget to come back and see some of the other projects I've been busy with.          

Wordless Wednesday!

New Camera Tripod, YAY!

And The Winner Is.....

It's that time again to announce the winner of my blog giveaway.  This was the first one of the year and up for grabs was this great heat broach.  All hand embroidered with different red, white, and pink beads.  A perfect little brooch for your coat or bag or anywhere you want to wear it. 

Okay, enough of that, lets get to the winner. 

The lucky winner of this fun little brooch is Karen of My Opinion Counts.  I will be contacting her today to let her know that she won.

I will also be contacting Sangeetha of Just Sangy and Shop@JustSangy letting her know that she won a $10 gift certificate to my etsy store. 

You see I only had those two ladies enter (multiple times, so I know they both wanted to win!!!) this giveaway (I've never had that happen before).  And I couldn't just award one prize when both ladies wanted to win so very badly.  So that's how I came up with the idea that I would give the runner up a gift certificate.

I hope both ladies will enjoy their prizes.  Thank you for entering.  And I apologize for not announcing the winner on the 12th like planned, our internet router broke last week, and they haven't fixed/replaced it yet, so we don't have the internet at home (isn't that how it always works).   

New Bracelet Finished

I have been sort of behind on getting new things listed as of late, what a surprise.  I was on such a roll last month, but then disaster hit.  My tripod exploded.  I'm serious, it pretty much exploded in my hand.  It wasn't a very good tripod, it was a super cheap table top one that I've had for a few years now.  It's nothing special, and like I said cheap.  I've actually glued it back together a number of times.  But for the last few years it's done it's primary function, hold my camera steady and still while I took pictures, so I can't complain much.  But alas, that time is over.  There is no gluing it back together anymore.  It's done, finished.  So I've attempted to take a few pictures without it and I miss it already.  So now I'm in the market for a new tripod.  And until then, I'll be kinda light on the new pictures.  I just am not happy with how they turn out without the tripod.  It really does make all the difference.

But anywho, I did finish up my fish scales cuff pictured above.  I used some little silver lined red triangles to add some color and boy do I love it.  This is a big cuff, it's over 2 inches wide, but oh so pretty.  The silver lined hex beads catch the light and sparkle like nothing else.  I love these beads and I'm in love with this cuff.  I can't wait to pick up a new tripod so that I can get the rest of the pictures taken.  Then I can get this listed because I know it will make someone very happy.  Yay, sparkles!

And don't forget to enter my blog giveaway.  I'm giving away a beaded heart broach just in time for valentine's day.  This giveaway ends this Friday (February 11th), so hurry up and enter soon.  Check out this post for all the details, pics, and ways to enter.  Enter today!!      

New Cuff

Since I have finished up my Cheshire Cat cuff (last year sometime), I have been officially hooked on bead embroidery.  I mean it really lets me "paint" with my beads.  I can make these little beaded pictures that you can wear, how fun is that ?  I have made quite a few more cuffs since that first one as well as necklaces and brooches.  I'm just loving it.

And here is my latest bead embroidered cuff.  I'm in love with purple, I always have been and this cuff captures that.  It has such a wonderful royal feeling.  All the beautiful shades of purple playing with the sparkle of the silver lined beads, just so beautiful.  I'm almost a little reluctant to get rid of it, I would love to keep this one, but I won't.  I just made my self a brooch, I need to stop keeping things for myself.  :-)

This cuff should be listed in my etsy store soon (as soon as I get a new tripod.  That's a long story that I'll have to tell soon.)  I'll make sure to add an updated link when I do.

And don't forget to enter my blog giveaway.  This pretty bead embroidered brooch could be yours.  But hurry, this giveaway ends February 11th!    

The First Giveaway of the Year!

Finally!!!  I finally finished up my giveaway prize.  Then I broke my tripod, so it took me a little bit longer to get it posted then first planned, but I did it.  I got a few decent pictures and, Drum roll please ......... IT'S TIME FOR A GIVEAWAY!

And what do you have the chance to win?  Well you have the chance to win this lovely bead embroidered brooch.  Just in time for Valentine's day, this little brooch has a wonderful white cat eye heart shaped cabochon encircled by a variety of red, pink, and white seed beads.  It is then backed with lovely black fabric and a pin back.

It's all hand embroidered and is quite lovely if I do say myself.  It measures 2 3/8 inches (6.03 cm) long and 2 3/8 (6.03 cm) inches wide.    
 

So what do you have to do?  There are a few simple ways you can enter.  

1. You can leave a comment on this blog post.  It can be anything; you can tell me what you would do if you won or just say hi.  Any comment will equal one entry.

2. You can tweet about this giveaway, don't forget to add #threefates to the tweet so I can find it.  Then come back here and let me know you tweeted the giveaway.  That will equal one more entry.

3. You could blog about this giveaway.  Just write a short blog post describing the giveaway and link back to my blog.  Then don't forget to come back here and leave a comment to let me know.  I even made a little a button for this giveaway!  This will equal a third entry. 

4.  Post about it on Facebook.  It can be a post on your personal page or your business page, it doesn't matter.  And like before, just come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did it.   And this is a fourth entry.

5. Become a fan (like) of Three Fates Design on Facebook.  Stop by the Three Fates Facebook page (great place for updated news), become a fan, and then come back here and let me know.  Holy cow, that's five entries!   

6. And because I want everyone to have as many chances of winning as possible, I'm adding a 6th entry opportunity.  Follow my other blog, Three Fates and J Grow Up, leave a comment on this blog entry to let me know, and you will entered in this giveaway.

That's up to 6 entries.  You don't have to do all 6, you can do just one, or two, or three, well you get the point.  Do as many things listed above as you would like, but remember to leave a comment for each individual thing you do here on this blog entry.  This giveaway will end on Friday, February 11, 2011 and I will have a winner announced on Monday, February 12, 2011.

Good luck everyone!!