The Very Best Part........

The Altered Book workshop was totally fun and went way too fast.  We learned some basic techniques as that's about all time allowed.  But they were techniques that you can build on.  Much to my surprise the instructor provided each of us with a book for our class.  So the dilema of which book to alter and should I really cut up such a beautiful book was suddenly gone.  

I hope I'm not getting hooked, but if you can go by some of the supplies I purchased after class, I don't think I can deny that I'm hooked. 

My book was called Heart and Soul

These are just a few of the techniques we learned

Making a pocket

Embellishing a page by sewing on a button and attaching a domino with wire

Make a niche and a compartment for a drawer

I still have the front and back of the book to work on, gluing more pages together, and adding embellishments.

But the Very Best Part was meeting some wonderful people in the workshop whom I hope I will see again!  For me, that's what it's about.

Until then.............Happy Beading!  (Am I going to have to start adding.....Happy Altered Bookmaking?)

Altered Books.....Can I Do It?

Do I really need to get involved with another medium?  Come on, I'm having a hard enough time keeping up with what I'm doing now.  So even though my inner voice was telling me, don't go there, my brain decided that I should sign up for an Altered Book workshop at my local scrapbooking shop, Rosie's Art Carnival.  

So then I went in search of an old book....should it be a really good old book or an old book that had seen better days?  Off to St. Vincent DePaul's in search of a book.  I think I found a couple of real treasures..........look at these books?  Do I really want to cut up A Sherburne Inheritance or The Hilltop Girl.  These are covers that you don't see too much of these days.  I know I definitely wouldn't consider cutting up French Lyrics of the Nineteenth Century.  I'll admit, I probably won't read them and unless I become fluent in French I won't be able to read French Lyrics.  I have one more back-up book just in case I can't take the knife to one of these.

This book was just too good to pass up....who knows when I'm going to have to look up a French word....although I'm sure there a lot of new French words since this book was published.  I thought it would be great as a back-drop for some of my jewelry photos.

I'm off to the beach to take on a new interest....maybe I'll have something to show and tell when I return.

Until then...........Happy Beading!

The "New" Moi

The feeling came over me that I just needed a certain, ooh la la for my blog.  But how was I going to satisfy that feeling?  The thought of me attempting to re-design my blog didn't give me that ooh la la feeling.

I was so very happy with the banner and avatar for my shop Suite7 Bijoux Designs designed by Jeanne at Earlybird Graphics, it was a natural decision to ask Jeanne to do her magic again for my blog.....she was great to work with and totally enjoyed the experience.

What do you think?  I love it....it's my ooh la la feeling!  C'est magnifique! 

    
Until then..........Happy Beading and Enjoy!

Awesomeness Giveaway

I know, everyone is doing some kind of Giveaway, right?  My reason is twofold......to have someone enjoy some awesomeness and to hopefully be able to share my thoughts about "beads, life in general, and French stuff" to more of you.

I'm not asking for just a comment but a special kind of comment.......tell me about sharing and how you felt when you shared. 

What have your shared recently...

• was it something you learned? 
• was it something you gave to someone? 
• was it as simple as sharing a moment of your time?

briefly comment about sharing and become a follower of Perles and Life and you could be the recipient of this awesomeness.......

Awesomeness

Lampwork Heart from Flameboyance Glass

Thai Silver Flower Pendant

Thai Silver Charms

Thai Silver Beads

Silver Ring from Green Girl Studios

Vintage Lucite Pendant

Strand of Blister Pearls

Strand of Iolite Chips

Strands of Czech Glass

Amber Nuggets

Vintage Resin Beads

Vintage Glass Bell-Shaped Beads

Pear Shaped Faceted Glass Beads

Czech Rondelles

Vintage Buttons

Button from Gita Maria

Rhinestone Button

Lucite Flowers

Mother of Pearl Pendant

Photo Pendant

Vintage Key

Collage Gift Tag (made by moi)

The winner of this Awesomeness Giveaway will be announced on Thursday, March 31.

*****I'm sorry that I cannot ship internationally due to weight****

Until then..........Happy Beading!

Making it Special....It's in the Packaging

When I opened my Etsy shop, Suite7 Bijoux Designs I hadn't really given too much thought as to how I was going package someone's purchase of my jewelry.....am I the only one that didn't think about that?  And maybe I should also include that occasional swap.....how do you present those goodies?

I thought about it when I received an etsy purchase from Patti at Altered State of Tin and it was wrapped in beautiful paper with ribbon.  Patti was definitely thinking about it.  I purchased a custom altered tin from ferrytalesgifts and it was in a collaged box...just as kewl as the altered tin.



That gal was thinking!!!!

This is how I packaged a purchase when I shipped it off to the buyer.  It's not elaborate but it's a start and I've discovered RUBBER STAMPS.  I'm having fun making the tags and it makes it special when the package arrives.

This is a tag that I made this weekend when I was with friend of mine and we decided to have some creativity fun together.  We used rubber stamps with clear embossing ink, Stasz On Ink, pigment paint, glue, distress ink stamp pads, stickers, and buttons. 

It seems like one fun thing leads to another!!!
Until then...........Happy Beading!!!!

Bead Soup Blog Party....the Aftermath

Wow, what a party we had last weekend, huh?  In fact, it's still going on.  I'm one of those that is still blog hopping.

What about all those comments you received?  Pour moi, it has been heartwarming, inspiring, encouraging, exciting, and, by some of the same-themed comments, given me the confidence that I am going in the direction I wanted to be headed in relationship to creating my jewelry pieces.

I don't know about you, but I was not only curious about what my bead soup partner, Leslie from Mad Maggie Designs, had created, but also about the comments that she would receive regarding her creation with my Bead Soup.  Some of the comments Leslie received also confirmed the direction I was going in.  They also made me glad that I had stopped hoarding some of my beads so they could see the light of day!

The question is.........WHAT DO YOU DO WITH ALL THOSE COMMENTS?

First, I will learn a lot about myself from not only the comments I received at Perles and Life but also the comments that Leslie received on her blog, Mad Maggie Designs.  Then, I'm going to respond to those comments.... I really want to connect with my fellow Bead Soup Blog Partiers and that is through continuing the dialogue.  I hope the Partiers will be patient with me as it will take time to do this.

Until then.....................Happy Beading AND Happy Commenting!!!

Kitty

Just in Case you Missed IT....Bead Soup Blog Party

Here's the list of all the BSBP Participants for February 2011.  It's really worthwhile visiting these blogs and enjoying all the lovely creations that we were challenged to make with Bead Soup we received from our partner.'

Please go to Pretty Things

Until then............Happy Beading!

Kitty