Inspired by Nature: Forest Floor Challenge

This challenge is 

sponsored by Heather Powers at Humblebeads.  

Go HERE to see the rest of the entries.

Here are some shots of my finished entry I took this morning.

I just like the odd angle of this one and how the background blurred.

Close up of the center pieces of the bib necklace

One of several copper clasps with patina  I purchased from Melinda Orr at ORRTEC on Etsy

Full on view of the neclace. Blends right into this little forest on my pool wall.

The left side of the necklace- here you can see my wood bead and tassels at the top
near where I joined the interesting copper cage chain. 

Free motion stitched lining on back of necklace and hand couching of yarn and specialty threads.
This one will join my bib necklace series for all seasons as an autumn piece.

That's all for now!! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday. I will be back for Bead Table Wednesday on Wednesday of course!

Best Mother's Day Ever!!

I know I missed a week and didn't post but I have a really good reason.

On Mother's Day my daughter Jessie said: 

"Mom, I have to go pick up your present, I will be back in a half hour."

My imagination was going wild 

trying to decide what she would be picking up on a Sunday, Mother's Day. 

She left and shortly after that 

my other daughter, Corrie, who lives in Seattle, WA 

called to wish me a happy mother's day.  

While we were talking I suddenly noticed her voice sounded like it was in stereo.  

I told her something weird was going on with my phone.  

She told me to turn around and I wish I had a picture of the look on my face. 

 There she was standing in my entry with her phone, suit case and sister!! 

They both kept this secret so well 

that even my husband had no idea she was coming down for a visit. 

I started to cry and had the best hug with my two girls we have had in a very long time. 

Jessie hadn't seen Corrie for 2 years and a half years. 

What a joy to see them so happy to be together.  

We had a fabulous week t and that was the best mother's day gift ever! 

So I did not take the time to post last week,

I was busy having a wonderful time with the whole family here together.

Here are a few things I did have to finish though.

I teach crochet classes at Gailknits here in Las Vegas 

and the owner got a phone call asking for someone to do 

a special crochet commission. 

Well, she recommended me so the fun began. 

I would never have come up with this on my own. 

A young gentleman and his best friend 

who are both fathers expecting their first baby boys,

and both went to college at Florida State,

 wanted two little baby hats with the school logo on them. 

Here is the almost finished product:

I had to make four of these tiny logos- only 4 inches across!

Machine stitch the really tiny details onto them adding stabilizer  

and then hand sew them onto the two crochet helmets.

Too Cute!! 

I forgot to take pictures of them completed so

I hope to get a picture of the babies in these hats later this year. 

I have also been madly making samples for my classes;

crocheted roses, pansies, double petaled flowers, daisies, loopy flowers ect. 

and various leaves to go with them. 

Then projects in which my students can use these flowers, 

a flowered granny square purse, headbands with flowers, a box hat pattern...

and writing up the directions for these projects.

Writing the patterns has been very time consuming 

so I will soon be adding more of my original patterns to my Aquariart Shop on Etsy 

and hopefully submitting them to some magazines too. 

Like beading I enjoy crochet because I can be sitting with my husband 

while he watches TV his favorite hobby, 

and feed voracious creative appetite and keep my itchy fingers busy. 

I also made a cuff for my sister, Bonnie who lives on the East Coast for her birthday.

Organza flower and needle felted wool leaves.

Coffee dyed lace and linen and the key to my heart

The entire cuff for Bonnie, my sister.