Happy New Year!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!


Today is the day everyone opened my gifts, and looking at what’s been given so far, I may have gone a little overboard. But that’s okay; I don’t think anyone will complain! ;-) I mostly did necklaces, because I wasn’t sure if everyone wore earrings, and it just seemed like earrings were too….easy. Maybe that’s because I can whip up a pair in less than five minutes. Hmmmm.  A couple people did get earrings though, and I think there were two bracelets; I was a little leery about measurements and such to do bracelets for everyone, but the ones I did do were memory wire. That and I didn’t have enough of the same types of beads to do 11 memory bracelets!

As far as the necklaces go…. I suppose it was a bit of learning experience. Not a bad one, by any means. When I was surveying my stash of beads, I remembered a three-strand necklace I’d recently finished and I knew exactly who to send that to! I wasn’t sure I really wanted to put it in my shop because I thought about giving it to my mom for Christmas, but them my dad came and bought a bunch of pieces for me and I decided she was getting plenty of my jewelry ;-) I actually stood in Michael’s and planned that one out in the store, so I was surprised at how fast it came together. Except I couldn’t find my other strand of beads I was using as spacers, so the spacers for the smallest strand took a little doing. I found the other strand in the bottom of my box a day or so later. Grr. For the other necklaces, I chose pendants that had been sitting in organizers FOREVER waiting for me to be inspired, so I went out and found more pendants after seeing that my stash was decidedly lacking in the focal department. Necklaces come together so much faster when you have focal beads!! I just turned on a “soundtrack” of The Mentalist DVDs and had a ball.

SO, I’ve learned that I need to stock up on pendants and other focals for faster necklaces that just seem to look more put-together. Putting the gifts together was really fun. Thanks, Lorelei!

ALSO: I’m headed out for a few days, so I’m taking the remainder of my gifts with me, and I’ll put them in one big post when I get back. For now, here’s links to the other participants that have blogs/shops:

1. Lorelei Eurto
 
2. Jennifer Heynen
 
3. Deb Boschert
 
4. Jodie Marshall
 
5. Amy Freeland
 
6. Katie Nelson
 
7. Amanda
 
8.  Me!
 
9. Emanda
 
10. Melissa
 
11. Charlie
 
12. Lori
 
Enjoy!