THIS IS ME AT THE TORCH!

I've never seen myself making beads before!

Suzy from Suzy Homemaker on Etsy took pictures of me at the torch (with her beautiful, new Canon that I will, one day, sneak into her house to steal...).

Look at those GLAMOROUS fingernails!

I stopped having acrylic nails after I kept setting them on fire...

It's COLD down there in my studio...

I'll be lucky if I don't go blind by the time I'm 50,

but I am a lucky girl that I get to do what I do...

Etsy Treasury!!!

A big THANK YOU to Ileana from enchantedbeas on Etsy

for including my Amber Floral Egg/Tussie-Mussie in her Treasury today!!!

MY LATEST ADDITION...KNITTING NEEDLES!

I'm not a knitter, but I've been wanting to make bead-topped knitting needles for a long time.

I hope they work well for the knitters out there.

I thought they would be nice Christmas gifts...

I'd love to know what you think or if you have any

comments !

I KNOW IT'S NOT EASTER, but....

I've really been enjoying making these large eggs!

They're quite time consuming and it can be a challenge not to let such a large bead crack while applying the flowers, but so far so good...

I'd keep these if I knew how to make jewelry.

They'd be nice to just fondle while their around your neck.

(I hate saying "fondle"-it sounds so lascivious...okay, forget that I just said "fondle" and "lascivious"-I'm all flustered now....)

I WISH...

....that I could create flowers in glass

that look like this!

*Big Sigh*

THE DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT

Cowboy had a Geriatric Assessment at the Doctor's Office today but his eyesight isn't want it used to be...

...so Winston had to drive him.

He just got his license.

LOOK AT THOSE EYES....

We like to call him

"Cockeyed Johnson"

...but he prefers Winston. He's very sensitive & doesn't

find the name-calling the least bit amusing.

I AM NOW OFFERING FREE SHIPPING

TO THE UNITED STATES!

INTERNATIONAL BUYERS-

Your INITIAL shipping price will remail $5.40 BUT, as always, I will refund the difference if the actual shipping price is lower (and it usually is-except for Australia-sorry Australia...lots of cash to mail to you!)

Milk Bone Dog Biscuits...

...they're not just for dogs anymore!...

Brian left one of Cowboy's Milk Bones out in the front yard to see who would take it (men...oy vey!) and Mr. Squirrel decided to partake (since, obviously, his feeder was EMPTY!)...

FREE BEAD WINNER!

Julie Vallejo-the Queen of Cupcake Glass Beads (I have dubbed her that, not Julie herself!)- (Julie's Blog) read my blog from a few weeks back regarding submitting"inspirational" photos for me to use for bead colors!

Here is one the photos Julie sent to me; the chalk used by a Street Chalk Artist...!

...and below are the little little hearts that I made using the photo as my inspiration!

So, Julie, you get a free pair of Brilynn Beads! You can choose a pair of beads from either my SOLD items or my Currently For Sale Items, take your pick and I will remake a pair for you! And thank you, again, Julie, for sending me those awesome photos! This was fun!

The BIG "Clue" THAT AUTUMN HAS ARRIVED!

We had a cord of wood delivered today-the first tell tail sign that the cold weather has arrived!

Brian was excited to tell me that it was being delivered this morning and that it was OAK rather than Pine (or another type of wood we usually get) because Oak burns a lot longer. My first thought was "Ohhh, no...poor Oak Trees!" I have a soft spot in my heart for Oak Trees as there were two 200+ year old Oaks in the front and in the back of the house that I spent most of my childhood in. They are so old and majestic and it would have broken my heart to see them chopped down and have a similar dorky family use it for firewood....

"One can enjoy a wood fire worthily only when he warms his thoughts by it as well as his hands and feet" -Odell Shephard

UPDATE: I was told by Brian, after he found me sprawled across the pile of Oak, weeping, that this particular Oak is 1) NOT the same type of Oak that I had at my childhood home, and 2) this tree was not cut down- it had already fallen due to a wind storm we had here in Oregon. He handed me a tissue, wiped the bark off my clothes, and we went inside.

A Pretty Christmas Necklace

I must admit that when

Debbie (stoutdg2 on Etsy) placed a special order for this Christmas bead, I wasn't quite sure if I was happy with it or not. But when Debbie sent me a link to what she made with the bead, I was so thrilled! Isn't it pretty?

Here is another perfect example of how all of YOU make my little beads just

SHINE with your jewelry creations!

You make beautiful jewelry, Debbie! Thank you for sending me the photo!

Here is a link to Debbie's

Etsy Shop - DG DESIGNS

Change in My Posting Days...

Just a little note to let all of you know that I am, yet again, changing my Etsy posting days. I'm finding that a life with a husband that travels and leaving me at home to watch a new puppy in potty training and babysitting my granddaughter that it can kinda suck the creativity out of a girl not to mention her time at the torch!

How DARE he travel to make a living to keep me in the lifestyle to which I have become accustomed!

Lately, I find myself just "making beads" just so I have something to post for all of you and that's just not "right". I want so much to really WORK at my little bead designs and that is just not happening. SO, in order to give my self a tiny bit more time to really make some pretty beads, I will be posting on:

Saturday Mornings (before noon Pacific time) and Wednesday Afternoons

I know that Saturday's are busy for a lot of you, but remember, if you ever miss any of my bead postings, just go into my SOLD items and I can remake anything for you!

Thanks everyone!

My, How You've GROWN!

Winston-September 13th

Winston-October 7th

Our Baby is growing up before our eyes!

He'll be graduating high school soon....snif, I need a tissue...

PROJECT!

After falling in love with a beautiful decoupage train case on one of my favorite blogs Mod Podge Rocks, I decided to take on this endeavour myself! I searched for weeks trying to find a train case that wasn't selling for a small fortune (hard to find as these vintage cases seem to be very popular lately!) but once I found one I just knew I wanted a "shabby chic" vintage look. I found a darling chintz fabric, bought my large bottle of Mod Podge and started cutting and Mod-Podging away! The most difficult part was getting around the handle, etc., but I've learned a few things along the way for if/when I ever recover another case...

Ta-Da!!! ♥Isn't she pretty?♥

I still have some refining and touch-ups to do and a friend is re-upholstering the interior , but I couldn't be happier...

...and I can't wait to take it to the airport and show it off!!!

(I may even book a flight...!)

Home Alone...And Maybe Some FREE Beads!!!

My darling husband and son drove to California to stay with my parents and then to the 49er game today, so, Mama is home alone with her "other" men---get your mind out of the gutter, I'm referring to my two dogs!

Anyhoo, yesterday I took the complete day off; no bead making, no laundry, no dishes, n.o.t.h.i.n.g. Granted, there were times of boredom, but I eventually found myself looking for next weeks bead ideas. Below are a few examples. But here is where YOU come in...when you see ANYTHING that has a pretty color combination, send me a picture! I don't care if it's on a pair of underpants at Victoria Secrets, just avoid the weird looks people are giving you and use your phone and take a picture! A lampshade, a wallpaper pattern-anything that has a pretty color combination, take a picture and send it to me!!! And if I use your idea, I'll send you a free pair of beads using those same colors!

Here are some ideas that I found last night while watching "nothing" on TV (on a side note: why is there nothing on TV on Friday and Saturday nights? There ARE people HOME on those nights, ya know...or is it just me?.....Maybe I'm a bigger loser than I thought I was...)

As you can see, anything can give us inspiration!

♥ I await your ideas! ♥

The Three Babies in My House...

Cowboy, Winston and Bailey!

A very busy weekend with these three, but it was a fun time!

I am very blessed!

Hi....

I'm still here. Super B.U.S.Y

Bead making, flu shot getting, house guests visiting, cleaning, cooking, baby sitting,

eating, Christmas bead making, shopping, puppy potty training, no sleep getting, errand running, and a little wine drinking....

Did I mention that I have been busy?

Good Enough to Eat...

Valerie ("Kyriosity" on Etsy) sent me this picture and said   

"These cupcakes look like your beads!" and they do!  

I told her that I WISH my beads tasted this good 

(of course, if they did I'd never sell anything & I'd weigh 500 pounds!!!)

Look What's Happening....!

That little punk, Winston, is weaseling his way into Cowboy's life...

and bed....and tail....

Is it just me or does Cowboy still look a bit bored and bothered by the mere 

presence of that annoying little pest that only wants to be his best buddy...?