My name is Kelly and I have a Problem!

Hello My name is Kelly and I have a problem.....an earring problem!  This picture is a picture of the earring display in my bathroom.  Yes, all these are mine!  I have the display full and have started hanging earrings off the top of the display.  At last count I had 75 pairs of earrings.  I didn't even bother to count this morning when I took this picture.  I love earrings.  They can show your personality even if you have no other pieces of jewelry on.  I'm a big girl and I have to have big earrings!  I know that I'm not the only one with this problem.  I know there are others out there like me.  Earring fanactics unite!

Working on Bead Dreams Project

Well, I have started working on my Bead Dreams project for this year.  I wanted to give you a sneek peek a the colors I would be using.  I love to use Montees and plan to do my whole project with them.  Who knows if the piece will even get accepted but I can leave the project knowing that I gave it my all.

Along with my Bead Dreams project, I have been working on projects for Februarys Class Schedule.  I thought I would go ahead and post a few pics of some of the projects for you to see.  I have been really struggling with class projects this year.  In 09 I sent out a survey to my email customers to fill out.  One of the questions was "Do you take classes at our store and if not why?"  One response has really rubbed me wrong since the person sent it in and I don't really know why.  The person said that they do not attend classes  because we don't offer any classes except seed bead classes and they are not interested in that.  I try to have a good balance in my classes with seed beads and wire and then every once in awhile a mixed media class.    I guess she either doesn't like the other classes we offer or she doesn't look at the class schedule. I don't really know why this has upset me though because this person has never even been to a class at my store that I recall.  Whatever the reason it got me to thinking about myself and my store.  Since I have started beading I have had a love affair with Seed Beads.  I love them and think they are fantastic.  I love what you can do with them and I love all of their possibilities.  I love the fact that they come in every color you could possibily imagine. Thus being the reason I carry a ton of seed beads in my store.  A majority of my customers love seed beads too.  I do, however, try to keep a good stock of all things beads in my store for people who don't like to use seed beads.  As a bead store do we brand ourselves into a certain type of store?  One of our other local bead stores seems to offer a majority of wire working classes.  Are they branded as a Wire Working store?  Do people complain that they never have any classes except wire classes? Who knows?  I love my store and I love what I do.  If I didn't do my seed bead work I wouldn't enjoy my work at all. I love to make pretty shiny things and although others might not like to do the same I still try to oblige them and their creative outlets.   I have come to one conclusion...I must trudge on and continue to do what I love or Off The Beaded Path will be no more.  We are in the process of re-branding ourselves and this will take a few months.  Until then...you can continue to expect the same exceptional classes that you have come to love at Off The Beaded Path!

Steampunk Play Day!

Tada!  I finished the necklace I wanted to make with my cute little wire wrapped roundelle flowers.  It went in a completely different direction than what I was going for but I still love it!

I was also able to finish a new ring with one of the stones I got in Charlotte.  I wanted to do something simple with the stone because I wanted it to show more than my beadwork.  I totally love the new piece and I told Sammy that if he was to ever buy me a new diamond that I wanted it to be as big as this stone! :)

Today at the store Vicki and I had Steampunk play day.  Although I took a class last year to learn how to solder pieces like this, I taught her my version of how to make these fun steampunk componants. After some complication with the solder I was able to come up with these new babies.  Some turned out really good and then some not so great.  Instead of putting 5 of them on a thick chain like I normally word, I put each piece on it's own 18" chain. The necklaces turned out really cute espically for someone who doesn't like really extravagant pieces.  I even made Sammy one so he could be "steampunked."  Now what project to do next?

New Day, New Project....

This morning when I got up, I was greatful I could walk after working out yesterday but I dared anyone to ask me to sit down or bend over!  I felt the pain first thing when I had to give my babies a bath this morning.  My wennie dog and beagle have been stuck inside the house the last couple of days because it has been so cold thus causing them to need more baths.  Sammy had a little fun with oscar this morning by putting a shell necklace on him.  The funny thing was that he didn't even care.  He actually seemed to prance around in it.  What can I day... the Beadie Lama has to have a beaded dog!

This is a current project I am working on.  The new Bead Star came to the shop a few weeks ago and there was a bracelet in it that I adored!  I had to take sammy to a therapist in Morganton before Christmas so I visited "Beads and Other Fancy Stuff" while I was there.  At the store I found these wonderful metallic looking purple roundelles.  I instantly fell in love with them because I knew that they would go perfectly with the project I had in mind.  So, last night I sat down to try to make them.  I couldn't believe how easy these little componants were to make!  I am not a wire worker and they were easy for me to do.  Now I am working on a necklace with them.  I will try to post in the next few days and let you see the finished piece.

30 Pounds!

Ok...so today I started working out with my new trainer, David.  My whole body hurts already!  Anyways, last night I was looking at my pictures and I found this picture of Sammy and I from two summers ago.  My face was so thin and my hair had some actual length to it.  I think I looked pretty hot in this picture.  But I remember, at the time, thinking how over weight I was.  Now 2 years later I am 30 pounds heavier and my face is no longer thin and my hair is beginning to have a little lenth to it. Why is it that when things are good we think there not? I should have been really happy to be the size that I was but i was constantly conscious about my weight.  Well today I could have cried when I stepped on the scales and seen the number.  To get to my goal weight I will have to lose 150 pounds!  HOLY CRAP thats a lotta weight. That's a whole nother person!  Well, i'm just going to have to suck it up and start the process of weight loss.  I feel like I have taken the first step, now I just have to figure out a good eating plan. I am not going to do like I normally do and ban things from my life.  I am simply going to eat less of it!  So, as 2010 progresses I hope you will follow me through my beading and weight loss journey.

PS.  I am already working on the next try-it-tuesday.  Hopefully I will have pics to post tomorrow or Saturday.

New Bead Projects

Wow! I can't believe how long it's been since I've blogged.  One of my New Years Resolutions this year is to do more beading projects that are out of my norm a little bit.  Or shall I say things that will keep me interested in my business.  I worked on two such projects today!  The one shown below is a Two Drop Peyote Stitch bracelet.  This is a stitch that I don't do a whole lot just for the mere fact that I don't like to do just plain stitches.  I normally like to embellish it bases like everything!  The project below was my Try-It-Tuesday video for this week.  Two weeks ago I taught how to do basic even count peyote stitch so this weeks is two drop peyote!

This was the second project I worked on today that got me out of my box a little bit.  Again, it required Peyote Stitch but this was more like structural Peyote.  I don't normally like to do projects like this one because it is so meticulous but I was thrilled with the results.  This, what I call, Droid Bead can be found in the current issue of Bead and Button Magazine. You can either do 1 for a center piece or the author did 3 and made them into a necklace. You will probably never see me make three of these for one necklace.  If I did it would be for myself because no one would ever pay what I wanted for a necklace with three of these beads on it!  This beaded bead was made using 4mm Red Magagma bicones, size 11 tan delicas, size 15 matte brown seed beads, and size 15 olive seed beads.  I went to the shop and got some crystals to make a necklace for it today but needless to say, it didn't get done!

The next few projects I tend to work on are for the following pictures. These were wonderful beads that my sweet husband got me for Christmas.  The crystals below are the new Navette style crystal. The large one is Red Magma and the small one is Light Colorado Topaz.  Not sure what they will be yet but whatever they end up being they are going to be FABULOUS!

I think Sammy ordered these buttons from Jennifer Jangles but I'm not sure.  I'm pretty sure that all 4 are going to be new wire wrapped rings.

Right before Christmas, mom and I went to the Southern Christmas show in Charlotte NC.  On our way home we stopped at a Bead Shop in Charlotte that I had never been to.  I found this Rivoli and fell in love with it!  It's Vitrail Medium, which is not a color that I am gaga for, but I love the shape. I think that this too will become a new stitched ring.  I've got to work on getting some Rivoli's this shape in the store!

These two pendants are pieces that I ordered off ETSY.com right before Christmas. They are made of Polymer Clay and I love them!  You know I had to have the Owl since I think they are super cute and I have to show a little team spirit. GO OWLS!  Plus I have this huge fasicination with trees and couldn't resist how beautiful the tree piece was.  Now, what to do with them to do them justice?

And finally, I wanted to give you a sneekie peek at what I am working on.....I have started working on a piece to enter into the Bead Dreams competiton at the Bead and Button Show.  This is my stash of Rose Montees that I will be using for the project.  I will keep you updated on the progress of my project as I go.  Although, I don't have much time to dilly dally because the deadline date will be coming up soon.  Wish me luck!