Have I mentioned the gem show lately?

I know, I know, it's nothing but gem show around here from mid-January to mid-February! I just love it so much! The first long-running shows are opening up along the I-10 this week, so I'm very excited to take my brother-in-law to them on Saturday. He's never had the Tucson Gem Show Experience. I hope he's up for it!

Wings of the Morrigan is just not shaping up. I've ripped out about as many beads as I've stitched down! I probably won't finish it in time for gem show, but it's not as if I don't have plenty of old jewelry to wear... and while I may not have a new necklace for the Swarovski party, I will have new moves on the dance floor.

Need more time!

Wow, how time has been flying. January is already more than half gone, the gem shows start in less than two weeks, my brother-in-law will be here on Sunday... and Wings of the Morrigan isn't even half done! I need to get back to work, furiously embroidering this week and next, if I have any chance of wearing it to the Swarovski party. I have a feeling I'll need to come up with a back-up plan.

Because I've been so busy, and so stressed-out about house stuff, I've really been neglecting Handmade Jewelry by Erthe Fae Designs. I had all these cool ideas, for the FAETeam's Stag challenge, and for Valentine's Day, but I've barely touched my beads except to make a few custom pieces last week. I have to clean up and put away my beads to make the guest room inhabitable, so I'm hoping to sneak some beading time in as well, as seeing things while I put them away will no doubt inspire me!

Matching Earrings

I love how the bottom motif of these chandelier findings matches the pattern of the blue enamel fans in the tribal necklace that I posted recently, so I adorned the findings with the same beads that I used in the necklace. All that I left out were the big vintage black glass teardrops, because I'm not good at doing wrapped loops for teardrops. Wire and I, we don't get along.

The other thing that I love about these findings is that they're actual filigree, not just molded. Fine twisted wire is coiled and laid out within a framework to form a very delicate and attractive design. The antiquing stays in the little crannies of the twists for nice contrast. They're really quite spectacular.

I didn't really bead last week, because I was getting my house ready for one last house guest (no more until Fall, I say!), and then visiting with said guest. Good times were had. Now this week I need to get out the beads. Since the weather is warm, and I've been dancing, I feel like it might be time for more jingly anklets.

Company again

My brother-in-law is visiting from NY, and will be here until Saturday afternoon. So I'll be away from my computer a bit again.

Still no photography. I've had to spend my time cleaning house. I tell you, domestic chores eat into my bead and camera time way too much.

I have been playing a bit with the Shaped Beadwork book and hope to be able to post a review next week-ish, along with some photos of my practice attempts. I'm making shapes to make a bracelet to go with the cute dress that I bought a couple of weeks ago. I don't have a lot of Delica colors, but I did have just the right vibrant green and soft gold to match the dress. Woohoo!