Birds and Beads…and that's about it.  I rented Alfred Hitchcock's, The Birds this past week.  I've seen it a thousand times, so it's a good movie to have on while I'm working.  I've been switching back and forth between the radio and movies—anything framiliar is fine by me.  Feverishly wrapping up secret projects, so it doesn't leave much to show you.  Someday it will all be out in print and then I can show you.  Surprises are good, but the wait is long!  I have a lot of work to do this weekend, but the big Herb Fest along the Wabash river is going on and then there's a putt putt tournament I've been debating about doing.  I haven't played putt putt since, oh I don't know, 87'? down in Florida (the land of super duper putt putt golf course awesomenesses).  Hmmm.  Decisions.  I'm feeling behind on so much, I think it will be good to hang in down here at the old nest.  

Here are a few links from the Bead Bloggers too!

Katie's Beading Blog
Back to school already? Make summer last a little longer with this fun, jangly necklace from the August issue of Simply Beads.

Carter Seibels for Divali Glass Jewelry
Who says the grass is always greener on the other side? Stop by Carter's blog for a sneak peek at her green and grassy new bead display.

Jewelry & Beading
Wendy Van Camp has written a wonderful tutorial for J&B on how to make adorable earrings!

Jennifer Jangles Blog
Jennifer shows off her very loved tools

Strands of Beads
Melissa cracks some geodes to add to her jewelry making stash.

Barbe Saint John – New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts
Looking at some of my fave suppliers

BeadStyle Magazine
New video interview at BeadStyleMag.com: Meet Melissa Cable whose necklace is featured in the September 2008 issue.

About.com Jewelry Making
Tammy's collected a load of links featuring jewelry related news and events around the web.

Iron-ons.  It's just been in the last year that I've used iron-ons.  Boy, do they fit the instant craftification bill!  I love them!  These particular iron-ons are from the Plaid Make and Take that we did in the afternoon at CHA.  It's a whole line called, "Me and My Peeps!"  They're so new, I can't find a link with the whole line to show you!  CHA Show goers could pick out their whole family including pets and make a t-shirt.  From Mom and Dad with one kid, to brides and grooms, to the Brady Bunch…they were all adorable. 

These are the two shirts I did for my demos.  Mixed media lover that I am, I had to add some chain with a needle and thread (Thank you Embassy Suites for the needle and thread).  If you try this, just be sure that the t-shirt dries pretty quickly after washing or else your chain might get rusty.  Simply, wash it on gentle inside out, and hang in front of a fan.  Done.  These little sweetie Peeps retail for 99 cents and are either in or coming to a major craft store near you.  They were a big hit at the show and a cute and cost friendly way to jazz up a plain T.

This Children, is the most awesome tumbler in the world!  I'm not sure if my picture really captures that.  Perhaps, I should have added a "Zam!" or "Bam!" or something along with the burst.  Next time.   Anyway, if you do any sort of metal fabrication, you will not regret this purchase.  Flip the switch, walk away, come back in an hour, and Voila!  Polished silver pieces.  I've had this one for about five years and it's still going strong and I think it will for a very long time (knock on wood, of course!). 

RAYTECH ROTARY TUMBLER and I use stainless steel shot with it with a drop of dish soap and tumbling powder that I got from Rio Grande.

I’m sitting here in the window on this glorious Sunday afternoon listening to a song I’m absolutely hooked on.  Ya Ya Ya by Kassin +2–check out their myspace page and listen to the song here.  With this festive music going, I thought it’d be fun to show you these cute cha-cha rings we did for the Make and Take at CHA in the Plaid booth. The resin charms are from their new FRESH line…that I’m also in love with.  I think I’ve mentioned that before but…we must savor the good stuff.  Speaking of good stuff, I photographed these on my Luaka Bop cd cover that my friend and fellow designer Fernando-licious gave me.  It’s a sampler full of fabulous Brazillian pop including the band I just mentioned.  I’ve listened to this CD about 100 times this week—not one song to skip! Thank you Nando!

It’s Ornament Thursday!  This month’s theme is Red Hot.  I’ve never been much of a red hot candy fan.  My grandma always likes to stick a few on the valentine cookies—they look great, I just don’t want to take any of those home 😉 LOL.  Red hot.  Today I was annealing some metal to a red hot—I didn’t mean too, but I just sort of spaced out.  A Hot Red is one of my favorite colors.  And so my offering for this month is one of which I found in a box last week while looking for my old club wear pans in storage (also a red color).  It is a plexi flower with speaker cover and sterling riveted to the center (circa 2005).  You can buy plexi glass/plastic from plastic fabrication type places—they usually have some great scraps to pick through.  I use a jeweler’s saw to saw it out and then sand it with water and wet/dry sand paper to polish.  The only negative is the plastic kind of stinks when it gets hot from the sawing.  But, I do love to saw plastic because it is soooo soft and easy.  With clouds over head, I don’t believe it’s going to be a red hot day here in Indiana. 

P.S. Love that black Polyester chain by Beadalon!

Ah, routine…I missed you.  I’ve never been one for a hard core routine, but I do enjoy my daily rituals.  I need them, really.  The past month has been a roller coaster physically and emotionally so waking up with the same coffee cup these past couple of days has been soothing. 

So many things are familiar and not at the same time which makes things seem sort of surreal.  People are three years older, there are new businesses, and refurbished buildings, new drinks at the gas station even!  Weirdness.  That’s the only word that comes to my mind.  I’m really amused at myself with the things I’ve been appreciating—like the tractor show down the street or the friendly stranger that asks, “taking the boss (Rocker) for a walk?” down on the river walk, driving my car, nice smelling dish soap, and being able to go to any internet site I want.  I took it all for granted and I never want to do that again—that’s a tall order, but you know what I mean.

On another note, I wanted to show you these neat new “Fresh” resin charms by Plaid.  We used them at the make and take at CHA and people loved them.  I had a couple in my pocket at the show and when I was cruising by the Kandi-Cane people’s booth I asked if they could stick a little crystal on one.  Voila–instant sparkle!  Looks really cute, I think, and boy is it stuck on there!  The silver “hope” charm is one I made awhile back using letter punch stamps on reticulated silver and liver of sulfur patina.  I hope you’re all having a great day!

Just got home from taking Butch to the train station…he’s off to China.  Needless to say, it’s a little quiet around here, which I’m not really loving.  We spent the night in Chesterton, Indiana where the Dunes state park and train station for the South Shore to Chicago is.  It’s a charming little area, if you ever get the chance to visit.  We walked the beach collecting and skipping rocks.  I love the feeling of soft sand between my toes!  I always forget that.  Our dog is in heaven by the way.  Then to top the day off, we hit the Port on the way to the hotel:

This is one of the best root beer stands we’ve ever been to.  We stuffed ourselves with favorites–cheeseburger, kraut dog, fried mushrooms and of course some root beer in a frosty mug.  All the while with bubbles blowing out the window and the girls playing fun songs on the juke box.  It was all pretty bitter sweet…  Safe travels home, my love.  I’ll see you in a few weeks.