A Second Attempt

As 2012 draws closer, we at Beading Daily have decided to make January our monthly earring challenge. One pair of earrings every day for the month of January..

I tried to do this in September as a personal goal but lost momentum midway.. but this time there are at least a dozen other ladies who are doing it with me so I think I am more motivated when I have other people on the other side of the world sitting in the weekly showcase section saying "Come on Em! Where are yours?!" Haha!

So while I'm chilling in my room, patiently waiting for christmas to arrive and listening to the rain (3 weeks into summer and 3 weeks on non-stop rain!) I am sitting here prethinking and researching designs.. Does that technically count as cheating?

Anyways.. thats the latest ;) update soon!

Emma
xXx

My ufos

That last post I made about finishing off 2 of my UFOs.. well! I did it!

I will however leave out the fact that I wasn't finished by the end of that week.. but thats ok, I finished at least 1 by the end of the week =D

This one I have called "Coffee and cream". Its a russian spiral (i think) with topaz swarovski crystals in the spiral as the focal piece. I am really pleased with this necklace - I just sort of made it up as I went along and I'm so proud of it.

Now as for this SOB (excuse mah french) this pattern I got out of one of the bead and button magazines.. Its a cubic right angle weave base with 5 different coloured raw ruffles along the top. OMG! it was a good 30 hours JUST to do the ruffles.. I never want to do a raw project again! I am very ashamed to say that those 30 hours were spent over 2 days..

I got up at about 8-ish, started beading and kept going until about 10 at night.. then started again the next day. And by the end of the second day, I had only done 4 of the 5 ruffles *sigh*

BUT it is finished now! ..sort of. I just need to put the clasp on.

Oh right, this is my sister's Christmas present =) and after all of that work I did, if she turns around and says she doesn't like it, ima punch her!!!!

I have also updated my 'made it' site - trying to sell my jewellery. Have a goosey!

http://www.madeit.com.au/storecatalog.asp?userid=37468

Emma
xXx

This week's goal

Right now, I am pretty much up to my earlobes in UFO's (un-finished objects) and its starting to bum me out.. I feel like I am not getting anything accomplished - well, let's face it, I can SEE I'm not getting anything accomplished.

I think that my main issue is, I see a project in a magazine or online that I really love and think "I'm going to try that!". So, I pick out the colours and the beads that I need for it and then halfway through, BAM! Out of beads.. This is the reason why I bought those digital scales that are still sitting in its box with no batteries in it.. so I wouldn't keep running into this problem!

Having all of that said, my goal for this week - Finish at least 2 UFO's. I know that 2 doesn't seem like that much but given my current lack of funds and time at the moment a small goal is recommended.. Plus if I set my goal too high I think that I would become more stressed and be more disappointed if I didn't reach said goal. At least if I set a low goal and reach it, doesn't mean that I have to stop there =)

Well, wish me luck! Will post with the completed UFO's by Sunday. Haha!

Emma
xXx

Week and SS

I was down on the South Coast visiting my mum on the weekend (got a little bit of beading done) and went to the Bead Shack in Geringong where I used to work and caught up with my old boss - spent some pennies in the process..

I also got my BD Secret Santa sent out to me (I'm not going to mention names just in the off case that they read this blog ;) haha!) So I am very excited to pick what I will be making for them.. I have started to make a few little bits and bobs to see what will work the best. I found the PERFECT colour delica bead that matches the main focus beads that I am using.. but I only have probably 3 grams and I need to get some more.. Good thing I won $92.50 at BINGO last night! =D yay! - but thats another story..

I'm also trying to make a start on my sister's christmas present. I have half of the base for her bracelet completed (she won't be reading this.. lol) but she has TINY wrists and I need to know what size her wrist is but she lives 2 hours away from where I live! Drama, drama, drama. I need to have 5 different colour seed beads and I want to do it in blacks, silvers and greys. I have black, a gunmetal dark grey, galvanised silver and silver lined silver beads.. but I need one more.. The white looked wrong with the combination of greys and silvers so I think I need a medium grey but Kerry didn't have one =( so now Ima have to and hunt! Always exciting!

I have the weekend to myself, so I think I better get cracking on either buying or making Christmas presents.. Just so that I can have them out of the way and finished with.. I know it's only mid November but I know what I'm like.. I'll keep putting it off and putting it off and next thing I know, it's a week left til Christmas and I still need to buy for everyone. Instead of thinking 'Its only mid November' I'm going to start saying 'Only 5 weeks til Christmas'.. because it really is and it seems alot closer when you say it that way..

OK! Enough of my ranting! I think I have to go now (and get back to work...) Happy TGIF everyone!!!
Emma
xXx

More

My bedroom/beading studio is an absolute mess.. and the other day I was looking for something in amongst the debri and low and behold.. another box of UFOs! aka. un-finished projects - I think there are about 5 in this particular box. So now I need to add THAT to my list of things to do.

Ah, drama drama drama. It will however be at the bottom of the list because I have too many Christmas projects to finish..

Devastation..

So, yesterday I had the terribly sad job of going to collect my unsold beaded flower arrangements at the Incube8r store in Mosman after my 3 month lease had run out and my only selling 1 item.. (well 2, I was selling them as a pair). I'm not going to mention how much money I am down by now, but lets put it this way.. that's ALOT of beads that I could have bought otherwise!

But life goes on and the world keeps spinning. So I'm not going to get down in the dumps, I'm just going to find another outlet to sell my flowers. I don't want to sell them online because I'm really worried they will get damaged in the post.. they are very fragile. I'm starting to look into some markets around my local area, but the tricky part is trying to find the RIGHT area to sell in..

I am hoping to get one in before Christmas so I can sell some for all those 'late shoppers' but it also needs to be before the 9th December because that is when my public liability expires.. Drama, drama, drama!

I don't quite think I have enough stock to do a big market as well, so last night after I came home I threaded and worked my little fingers off.. and made 12 petals.. not too bad for one evening, but if it wasn't for the fact that I was trying to google search for Sydney markets, I reckon I could have had more finished. I also need to go through my stash of UFOs to see if there is something in there that I can piece together and have another finished project.

I do think that some pictures are in order.. However, as I am currently blogging at work, I don't have them on file. But I promise I shall post some soon!

Emma
xXx

NaSeeBeMo

As we have so many of these "National Months", we at BeadingDaily have decided that November is going to be National Seed Beading Month - or NaSeeBeMo for short.. And we blog about our experiences and our completed projects, hence the inspiration to suddenly start up a blog.

I am challenged this month because as part of this, you need to do some beading for at least 15 minutes each day. I know that it doesn't seem like much at all but lately I have been in a bit of a rut, and don't seem to have the energy or the motivation to do anything which kind of breaks my heart.

I didn't do too bad for the first week or so (completing nearly a whole RAW rope for a new necklace) but I think my main problem at the moment is that most of my seed beads quite have the right quantity to turn into a finished project.. and my current lack of funds does not help this particular instance. I think that is why my motivation has been down.. because I know that if I start something, I won't be able to finish it!

BUT! I think for the time being, I might start my focus on smaller seed beaded projects - like earrings =) - that I know I can complete. Or pull out some of those dreaded UFOs and dig around in my stash to see if I can finish any of them..

Emma
xXx

My first blog

My name is Emma, I am currently 21 years young, I live in the gorgeous city of Sydney in Australia and I LOOOOOOVE to bead.

I was inspired on the BeadingDaily Forums to start a blog.. To post about my serious addiction and share with the world my knowledge, experiences and inspirations that is my beading life =)

I hope that you enjoy following me on my beading journey!!

Emma
xXx