Whaddaya know?

I just took a look through some posts on the Art Zoo, and found that on October 16th, they featured my Evening Elegance Herringbone Cuff! :D  So here's a quick hooray for that!

Orange & Blue

With all of my brainstorming, you might think it would be difficult to settle on a direction.  But with budget constraints, I needed to choose a design using beads I already had in my collection.  So I went with this orange and blue bangle!  Go gators. :)   It is now available for purchase in my Etsy store.

Herringbone, and some 'in progress'

I've just discovered herringbone within the past month, and it's my new favorite. 

I finished this wide cuff over the weekend, and it's now available in my Etsy store!  The inspiration for this came from a hotel carpet.  Inspiration is everywhere!  I finished it off with three brick stitch buttons, which can go on the top OR bottom of the wrist, depending on what look you want. 

Okay, so I'm pretty proud of this cuff.  Plus herringbone just feels so cool!  Very flexible.

And...  a herringbone rope necklace in progress.  I've got three ropes done, and one more that I want to do before combining them and adding some sort of a closure.

Continuing with 'in progress,' this peyote cuff is mostly done.  I just need to add a closure, and maybe add a little bit of a 3D flair..  But I'd need to buy specific beads for that, and right now my 'fun budget' is going towards christmas present supplies.  So eventually you'll see the final version in my Etsy store. :) Patience! 

And I'm in the throes of making a bunch of ornament-stars both for gifts and to put in my store.  Here's the first four!

Vote Vote Vote!

It's time to vote in the Etsy Beadweaver's October Challenge!  So go to the EBW blog, and pick your favorite. :)  

And in other (very exciting) news, I'm a winner! :)  I showed up for the BAO trunk show last night, saw some very cool art, and won a door prize!  Not just any door prize, but this incredible pendant by MAKUstudio.  I've been looking for a special pendant for a special purpose, but was going to do without for budget reasons.  This fits the bill EXACTLY.  I don't think I can describe how incredibly exciting this is for me.  I can't wait to have this in hand, pick out the perfect seed beads, and dive into the special project I have in mind! 

Ancestral Expressions

The November challenge theme was just announced - Ancestral Expressions.  This is, so far, a thought-provoking theme.  There are so many roads I could go down with this one!  My first thought was a Gators themed cuff (yes, as in University of Florida).  There have been 5 generations of Gators in my family, starting with great-great-grandaddy Rolfs (Peter Henry Rolfs) who was the Dean of the College of Agriculture.  In fact, the horticulture building on campus in Rolfs Hall.  Then I thought I could do an agriculture themed piece.  Or maybe something Brazilian inspired, as PH Rolfs founded an agricultural college in Brazil.

Then there's this plant pathogen, Sclerotium rolfsii that he was the first to describe.  Perhaps this picture of mitosis in the plant could be some inspiration for me. :) (Picture taken from here)

Then, there's the other side of the family.  I have some Irish roots through my grandmother, and have a grandfather who has been a professional musician for over 70 years.  In fact, I've already converted a photo of him playing saxaphone into a pattern that I might bead up for a christmas present.   

So there are my ideas so far - something orange and blue (go gators!), Sclerotium rolfsii, or Grandpa playing the saxophone.  Or something agriculture-themed.  I probably won't do something Irish themed, because I'm more intrigued by my other ideas. :)