It was a good day for the mail yesterday!

Look what I got in the mail yesterday!

I had Paula make this for me!

Paula is 

Island Top Designsd

Isn't this great?

I love it!!

Side 1

Now, I need to make beads for my new pendant.

What do you think I should make?

I'll show the finished product later.

Thanks, Paula!

Pixie Has a New Dog Tag! It's soooooo coool,!

Can you see how proud Pixie is of her new tag? PaulaNC made it just for her! Pixie loves it!!! She was even willing to pose for me wearing her new tag. It has her name on it, and on the back is my phone number. Paula made the tag and she offers other options in her Etsy store! Take a look at the link here. You'll find all kinds of great items in her store, and, best of all, you'll find customized dog tags for your special pet!

Word for 2011: Detail

My life word is: Hope!

My work word is: Detail!
I have been told that some of my work is not as "detailed" as others. In 2011, I plan to change that.

As I look around Etsy at some of my favorite bead artists,
I notice the "detail" in their work.
For example,
Look at Marcy Lamberson's work.
Here's an angel in her shop.
Notice the detail.
She holds a small blue bird in her hand.
Her dress has dots.
Her wings have creases.
Her cheeks are pink, and she wears a green halo.
Isn't Tansy sweet?
Like Oprah says, "It's all in the details."
And she's right!
Skully in Love is from Sharon Driscoll's store,
Right Turn ArtWerks.
Notice Skully's details.
His face is full of hearts.
The hearts are different colors and sizes.
His teeth are wide but perfectly spaced.
Each decoration on Skully adds a bit more detail to his face.
He is Skully in love!

This little ewe is from Nikki, aka Sheep Goddess aka NLC Beads.
She is a Blue Suede Sheep.
Each dot is topped with another blue suede dot.
Her ears are turned over.
She has a nose and eyes that just say, "Love me!"
She is simple, but very complicated.
Each dot adds a detail.
Details!
Look at this sweet 'gator from MayBeads' shop.
This gator has toe nails. He has nostrils and a mouth.
Little green dots are his scales.
His hat has pom poms.
His eyes say, "Take me home!
Yes, it's all in the details.

Meet Melvin from Paula's store, Island Top Glass Art.
Again, details.
Notice the little pocks on his cheeks.
His tongue hangs out of his mouth like he's panting.
His snout is creased.
His eyes beg you to rub his ears, which are each a different color.
Details.
I look forward to adding more detail to my minimalist beads.
Detail!
All right: Hope and Details.
Welcome 2011!

PaulaNC I love her Etsy Stores!

Look what came in the mail on the same day I received my newbie box! I had ordered these from Paula last week, and with MUCH encouragement from me, she had them out in the mail that day! (I think she just got tired of me calling her and asking if she had mailed them yet. You wouldn't think anyone would get upset about a 5 AM call!)

Paula makes wonderful lampwork beads, but I have come to see her emerging talent in the area of enameling! These earrings are a result of her skill! I love them, and they are mine! Yahooo!




Paula has two Etsy stores. The first one she opened was for the purpose of selling her lampwork beads. It's called Island Top Glass Art. Take a look at her beads! They are truly awesome!!!!!

Her second store was a natural progression of her talent. In this store, Island Top Gems, Paula showcase her jewelry. Now, Paula does have her lampwork bead jewelry, and you can check that out when you visit her store, but now I want you to see her enameling work!







Look at this beautiful angel! She's in Paula's new store. Isn't she amazing? Paula takes a plain piece of copper, shapes it into something like this angel, and then she enamels her piece! Wow! This is one beautiful angel!












I love these earrings too! They are also in Paula's shop! Paula blends colors and fires them in her kiln! You really need to ask her about her work with enamels. I strongly suggest you do, too.













Oh, and see this angel? It was in my "Newbie box." Thank you, Paula, I love it!!!!!!

I'm Shopping Etsy Again!

All right, I'll admit it. I'm stuck on glass! So, as I shop, I look for glass, glass, and more glass. I found it, again, today.

Paula, of Paulanc, on Etsy is another wonerful bead artist. I "met" Paula in cyberspace in the Glass Art section of Wet Canvas, in the thread that used to be called The Newbie Thread. The name has been changed, but that's another issue. Anyhow, I quickly came to realize that the people who posted in this thread were anything but newbies. I was amazed and impressed by their skills and talents. Paula was one of those artists that jumped right out at me. She loves animals, and her current work reflects that. (BTW, you can find these pieces in her shop on etsy.) Take a look at this.

This little guy is named "Bennet." He's adorable!
Wouldn't you love to have him on a pendant? What a cutie pie Bennet is!


Did you know it's good luck to find a cardinal in your Christmas tree on Christmas morning? (Well, at least that's what I've heard. I have yet to find one.)


















Meet Carrie! What a cute little cardinal she is. Wouldn't she make a great pendant or an ornament for your tree?




















Now, Duke, here, reminds me of someone else I know who loves to wear bling! Isn't he the cutest little dog you've ever seen?

And last, but not least, is Howie. What a sweet, little puppy he is! Wouldn't you love to own him?


















Well, you've seen some of the items in Paula's store. Go make a visit, and see the rest. She's a very talented bead artist. She also makes Etsy her home.