Extra! Extra! Read all about it

We interrupt this blog to bring you an important news update. That's right you heard it here first. Now that I got your attention, here's the the big news.............................................................
Abracadebra Designs will soon be opening up shop on Zibbet!  Well, it's big news to me at least. Remember a while ago, I said I was undecided on where to open my shop? I finally decided on Zibbet and spent a good part of the day designing my shop banner. I also chose a photo for my profile. It took at least a few hours to get these things done, because as we all know, I am not even close to being anything like a techie!!! But now I know how to use MS paint and I know exactly what a pixel is. So now all I need to do is set up my shop profile & policies, and last but not least, I have to get my jewelry up on there. For those of you who have never heard of Zibbet, here is a link  http://www.zibbet.com/  and better yet, here is a link to their about us page http://www.zibbet.com/aboutus and if you want to see what my shop looks like so far, just out  of    curiosity, here is the link  http://www.zibbet.com/abracadebra I plan on opening shop by the end of the month. Maybe it will be fun to chronical a countdown til opening day, seeing as I am a technically challenged procrastinator, who can't take a decent picture to save her life. Oh yeah, I also have to wrestle a preetenager named Miss Thang Tammy to get the computer away from her, so I can use it. Yes, this could get very interesting. As usual, I hope you'll stay tuned for more.
TTYL and make it a good night
Debbie

Before & After

Hello there. I hope everyone is doing well. Today I have before and after pics to show you. Just to be different, I'll show you the after pic 1st because I can't wait for you to see it. Yes, I am that impressed with it. Shameless bragging-I know. A nettted chevron in eggplanty purple and pinkish seeds, embellished with peacock colored side drilled pearls. Once again the picture does no justice. The luster of the pearls really plays off of the rest of the necklace. Anyhow, here it is.

Ok so now for the before.  This necklace was planned to be a quicky chevron choker with just the purple and pink seed beads. The peacock colored pearls weren't even on my mind. I had basically completed  the project before I had put away the pearls from my last project. ( My usual method of madness. I have beads & supplies everywhere.) Anyhow, for some odd reason, I decided to pick up a bit so I went to put the white pearls from the last project away, where they belong, in my bead box containing all my pearls. All of a sudden, the peacock pearls which were sitting on top, just started shouting out "Pick me, Pick me!!"  Then a light bulb went off in my head, and viola- The birth of what I feel is my most beautiful creation yet.

So anyhow, here is the before pic. Not a bad-looking simple netted choker. Teens really like these

You must be wondering why I am showing the before and after. Well, its all about the inspiration. I was inspired by the color of the peacock pearls. Their color and luster were a perfect match for the shine of the purple and the matte of the pink beads. With this project, I feel I learned a great lesson in design. The lesson is to ask myself, "How can I take this project and step it up a notch? How can I make it even better than it is now? How would it look if I added this? , etc, etc, etc.  Wow, now I am totally motivated to conquer that heaping pile of beads that need to be put away, just so I can be inspired again.  No Time like the present. Gotta Run, Can't wait to see what I'll find.

TTYL and make it a great day

Debbie

Twins (Kind of, sort of)

Today is my older sister's birthday. We are 11 months apart. Since we were born less than a year apart, some people say that we are Polish Twins. Other people say that we are Irish Twins. Either way I'm proud to be both, since I have a bit of Polish and a bit of Irish in me.  So now you know something about me that you didn't know before. Maybe I'll start giving you a random fact about me in every post and before long you'll feel like you've known me forever. Anyhow, talking about twins, I have two almost-twin necklaces to show you today.
I decided to do something a little different than my usual work. I have been seeing these necklaces all over Etsy lately, and I said Hey, I can do that. So here are my almost-twin necklaces:

They are both made with glass pearls & Swarovski Elements flowers with rhinestones in their centers. The 1st one has ivory colored pearls, a gold toned flower & is hanging off of a gold chain. This will be given to my sister when we have her Bday party over the weekend. The 2nd necklace has pinkish-lilac pearls, a black flower, and is hanging from a silver chain. I really had fun making these. They were very quick to do. I definitely plan on doing more of these in different colors & with different beads, too. Of course I have to do some with my beloved czech glass. I swear I can't live with out my tiny colorful bits of glass.

Ok, I guess that's it for now. Gotta go through my bead stash. My head is swarming with all the different color combos. As usual, I hope you'll stay tuned for more.

TTYL and make it a good night.

Debbie

Summer Breeze Makes Me Feel Fine...

Hello. I hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day. In the Northeast (USA) we had the perfect weather for a good old holiday cookout.  Well, I forgot the newest bracelet I made at my Mother's house, so I can't show it to you until next week or so. A flat spiral made out of the most beautiful multi-colored czech glass beads you have ever seen. Oh, well enough about that.  In the meantime, I decided to lighten up and post some summery stuff, seeing as the last post featured darker things.

First is a recently completed spiral rope. Started it at least a year ago. Just needed a few more inches and a clasp. See, I told you I procrastinate. Anyhow it is very summery with lime green, turquoise blue, and bright gold seed beads. I have been looking forever for the perfect pendant to go with it. I'm kind of anal about that stuff. (Is anal a bad word? If it is I am sorry, but it happens to describe me to a tee. Ask those who know me well!!) Anyhow, I could write a book about that, but I'll spare you. 

When I got home from the cookout Monday, I was definitely in a summery mood, so I whipped up a cute pair of flower earrings. These are made out of lucite flowers and lime green & silver twisted bugle beads. Again, the pic doesn't do them justice.  I couldn't get a decent pic with camera and they wouldn't dangle correctly sitting on scanner. Oh well, here's the pic anyhow.

To wrap it up, I wanted to let you know about a very nice & talented group of people at the jewelry making forum at about. com. I have been lurking around there for years now, and finally decided to come out of my shell & join their group. They are all like a giant family and gave me a nice warm welcome. If you are into any type of jewelry making at all, you really need to check them out. You will be blown away by their collective creativity and talent.

Till next time,

Make it a great day

Debbie

Wishing I was a Techie

Hello got lots to share tonight. So I'll just jump right in. Well, my new digital camera has arrived. I played with it a little bit. Got a good pic of some earrings I've been working on. After installing software, went to upload pics to laptop. Darn thing doesn't even recognize my camera, oh well, I think I'm  going to delete the Easy Share software and just use Windows picture viewer.  Thank god for Tammy, she is good for something. She told me how to set up SD card. She is definitely the techie of the family. Anyhow, here is the pic of the earrings. It didn't come out too bad. Next time I think I'll try taking pic outside in sunlight, though.

The next thing I have to show you is the business card I came up with and promised to show you. I created it in Microsoft Works. (I'm too cheap to upgrade to MS Word). I had scanned a necklace I had made some time ago. The scan doesn't show the the red beads, necklace looks all black. But it does showcase my beadweaving skills. It is also different looking, than just plain strung beadwork.  Back to the card, I created it on the cheap. Instead of buying Business Card paper from Avery or whatever, I bought a pack of 100 large blank index cards for $1.00 at the dollar store.  They are not as thick or as white as regular business cards, but they will do for now, seeing as I don't even really have a business yet!! Ok, so if you put them through printer one at a time and rotate card 3 times, you can get 4 business cards per one index card. Do the math, that's 400 cards for 1 buck plus ink. I just printed a few for now, and I can change the pic or wording on card anytime I want. How's that for resourceful? Anyhow here it is in all its glory

Last but not least, I just wanted to say a fond farewell to Lost. This is not bead related, but this blog is the closest I have ever came to a journal and I feel that over the past 6 years Lost has become an important part of my life. Never before has a TV show or movie for that matter, had such a profound effect on me. Those who stayed with the show from beginning to end and truly understood will know what I mean. 

OK, well, I told you I had a lot to post about. Gotta get off of this computer now, before I kill it. Like I said, I am not a techie, and even Blogspot likes to give me a hard time.

TTYL and make it a good night,

Namaste,

Debbie

I've Been a Busy Beaver

Hi. I've been a busy beaver lately. Well, actually, I've been a busy beader. I completed my latest 2 projects. The first one is a netted choker made of black czech glass beads, iridescent black bugles, and silver seeds. This is a very glamorous looking necklace. It would go perfect with a little black dress and is definitely not for every day casual wear.

The second necklace features a black and copper star hanging off of a spriral rope chain. The spiral rope chain has  galvanized gold beads in the center and a pretty dark blue, green and coppery mix for the outside spiral. This necklace has a very artsy feel to it and is definitely not to be worn by the wall-flower type, because it has "Look at me!" written all over it.

Well I am very proud of actually completing not one, but two projects. I have also been busy with creating a business card, reserving an Etsy & a Zibbet shop, and shopping on line for a digital camera. Yes, I finally broke down and bought one. The sad thing is that I have to wait up to 3 wks for it to be delivered Site to Store.  Oh well, this will give me time to complete some more of my UFOs before I decide to go with Etsy or Zibbet.  Yes, major newsflash, I have finally decided to try to sell my jewelery. We'll have to wait and see how that goes.

So, there you have it. A week in the life of a busy beader. As usual, I hope you will stay tuned for more. Next time I'll show you my business card and let you know how I created it on the cheap.

TTYL and make it a great day

Debbie

What I've been up to

Wow, I start off posting 2 days in a row, but then don't post for over a week. I guess I've been busy. Busy with what? Bead shopping, of course. I placed an order with Fire Mountain Gems, which every beader knows- you can waste a whole day searching their website. They must carry millions of beads. Don't worry, I only bought about 20 items. I also stopped into Sadie Greens Emporium and spent about 2 hours drooling over their gorgeous beads and creations. If ever you are in Sturbridge, MA, you have to stop in and check them out. They have the bead emporium along with a store full of their own truly unique beaded creations and other beautiful gift items. Last but not least, I spent at least an hour in the Flying Carpet Bead Studio in Woodstock, CT. This is also a small shop filled with beads and wonderful bead work.

***OK, enough about my bead shopping, & onto to the bead work. This week I have been working on a spiral rope necklace. I found an amazing focal bead for it. Almost finished. I'll post pic when done. Last week I worked on a necklace with fire polished crystals and bugle beads. Just needs a clasp. Will also post that when completed. I have decided not to post my ufo's (unfinished objects) anymore. Maybe then I will be more inclined to actually complete a project. Yes, that is why their is a spaceship hovering above my head in my photo. Remember, I am the queen of ufo's. When all my incomplete work is finished, I will remove the ufo from my photo!!

***I do have a pic, though, It is the most recent strung stuff that I promised to show you. Just a few items made recently. Again the pics don't really do them justice. The 2 bracelets really sparkle much more than you can see & the green and blue necklace is a feast of vibrant color. It looks much better when worn. The big beads end and the little beads start at exactly the right place.

***Well, that's about all I have for now - Except to say that I hope all the mothers out there had a very happy Mom's Day yesterday.

TTYL and make it a great day,

Debbie