A day of photographs

As opposed to "A Day in Photographs," which I've done previously. The weather was absolutely gorgeous today and I was so tempted to go out and play, but I've been fighting a nasty cold/cough all week, and really needed to make myself relax and stay home and be good, so today I picked one section in my Etsy shop, my Y-Necklaces, and redid a bunch of the pictures.

My old pictures were taken on a remnant of ivory satin. I'd started in the last year using first a piece of white on white embroidered fabric, and then started switching in between some sheets of scrapbook paper too. But I had some of those older pieces there still, and I've been meaning to update them. I'm feeling very accomplished today. Well, except when I realize I spent almost 6 hours today, and then look at all the pictures I still have to retake. But I'll worry about that later.

For reference, here's some before and after shots:

Amber Glass Bead Y Necklace with Pewter Celtic Knot

Before:


After:


Black Swarovski Crystal Cube Y-necklace with Pewter Celtic Knot

Before:


After:


Red Garnet and Rainbow Moonstone Y Necklace Choker with Pewter Celtic Knot Bead

Before:


After:


Goldstone Y Necklace with Pewter Celtic Knots

Before:


After:


I think it's quite an improvement. Variety is good.

While I was going through doing the retakes, I found six necklaces I'd never actually listed, as well as three pieces that I seem to have sold at shows but never remade. I know what I'll be doing tonight now!

Here's the new listings:

Sunstone Y Necklace with Pewter Celtic Knot







Purple Jade Y Necklace with Pewter Celtic Knot Bead



Amethyst Y Necklace with Pewter Celtic Knot



Red Fire Polished Glass and Pewter Celtic Knot Y Necklace



Brown Banded Glass Y Necklace with Pewter Celtic Knot



Waiting impatiently now on my potatoes to finish baking and steaks to finish grilling.

A Year in the Making, day 334

It's August 1st! This is month 12 of my year in the making. Including today, that's only 31 days to go! And I got off on my count again, because with 31 days left of 365, I should be on 334. I'm good at math. Really I am. This is just my trying to see if you're paying attention! Really!

We went off to the beach this morning, a semi-regular Sunday tradition, for toasty beverages and so the husband and munchkin can throw rocks in the water together. Then we got home and started planning for next weekend, which is the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Festival. And my husband uttered 8 fateful words.

"What is Gwendolyn wearing for Faire this year?"

Oh, (*censored*)! One of her dresses still fits, but we'll probably go for both days. I've always represented the fantasy contingent, and my daughter has loved to go as a fairy the last few years. Normally I plan better and go buy fabric, but today I just dug through the fabric stash. Of course, my stash is full of "my" colors, black and burgundies. So this year, it seems the munchkin will be representing the dark fey, the unseelie court.



I'm going to be working on wings for the both of us over the next few evenings.

Did manage to get another necklace made this morning as well:

Purple Fluorite Y Necklace with Pewter Celtic Knot

A Year in the Making, day 278

Back in the beading saddle again, as promised! I actually have been making things the last few days, just not posting them. I nearly ran out of chain, but my supply order came just in time to save the day.

With the camera charged, I was able to list the two pieces I made last week finally!

Freshwater Pearl and Celtic Knot Necklace



Amethyst and Freshwater Pearl Necklace:



And on to the new stuff! I was already romping through the red/purple/pink box, and I have these wonderful huge rose quartz beads that finally demanded I do something with them.

Rose Quartz and Amethyst Choker



This one isn't going to be listed, as it's going to be gifted shortly:

Apple Green Lampwork Glass with White Flowers



And now I'm off to find something to satisfy my sweet tooth. I am craving pudding, but I am out of milk with which to make some. I may have to settle for yogurt. Ick.

A Year in the Making, day 261

No post yesterday, no energy left after all the goings and doings. I hit a local farmers' market for my "day job" bright and early, fortified myself with a spinach and goat cheese omelet then headed off to spend the afternoon helping friends move. I expected to be much more sore today, as it was from a second floor apartment with no elevator, but I'm not all achey in my dignity like I was expecting.

Getting a slow start today, but I do have a big ole hunk o' pig slow cooking in the oven. Pulled pork for dinner again - YUM!

I'm looking around the house, thinking I need to clean, but putting it off, so you get today's blog post early today!

Milky White Quartz Y-Necklace on Sterling Silver



I did get one major thing accomplished, which compacted one bit of clutter - my business spreadsheet is now updated through yesterday's vintage sale. Go me!

Can't believe it's sunday afternoon already. Oh, how the weekends fly!

A Year in the Making, day 219

Look! A new necklace! The first wrapped piece I've made since the arm went wonky! Can I get a woot-woot?

I was at my chiropractor's this morning, and she was admiring a piece I'd made for myself a few years ago, of green garnet. She was admiring it greatly, and I had to tell her this one was MINE! But I do have some more of the larger beads I used as a focal piece, so I made a similar one today that I could put into the shop so I don't have to worry that I'll get mugged for the piece I kept for myself. And besides, it's springtime, so a new green piece is just perfect.

Green (Tsavorite) Garnet Y Necklace



And as I get more pictures pulled off the camera I found this one, a shot I took of one of the legs of the pseudo-jodhpurs I made for my dieselpunk aviator outfit for Norwescon:



Very wide legged pants. Well, very wide pants period - they were a size 42 waist. I took a large tuck at either hip, then added interfacing and put in grommets with tea-dyed elastic at the legs. Completely unnecessary, as I immediately stuffed my legs into knee high boots, but I wanted them. Dangit. More grommets! Always more grommets.

A Year in the Making, day 162

Happy Friday!

Munchkin is cheerfully counting all the Valentines she got at school today for the 6th time. I start to wonder how she can do something like that over and over and over again, and then I remember some of the jewelry pieces I've made over the years, and I realize she gets it from me.

It's raining here, actual umbrella weather. Normally I don't consider what they call rain here anything more than a persistent heavenly drool, but today was actually heavy enough to warrant the use of an umbrella.

In honor of the grey skies, I finally listed a piece I made last weekend:

Grey Glass Pearl and Celtic Knot Y Necklace



And now for something completely different! Another odd bit from the stash that I'd started to string as a pendant a couple of months ago, and then couldn't figure out how to finish. Well, I just recently acquired another box of bits and bobs, and found these vintage beads and chain that went with it beautifully. It's much chunkier and more masculine than my usual pieces, but that's good. I get told often enough that I need to more stuff for the other half of the species.

Raw Copper Pendant and Vintage Beads and Brass Chain Unisex Necklace



The pictures of the earrings I made yesterday went "poof" earlier. I took them, swear I transferred them off the memory card to the computer, but when I went to go edit them, they were gone. Not in my picture files, not in the recycling bin. Disappeared into thin air! And now I've lost the light, so they'll have to wait till tomorrow again. Color me annoyed.

A Year in the Making, day 160

Today, I sorted through and found some components I'd salvaged from a broken bracelet that I acquired in a mixed lot of jewelry some time back. There were four pink Swarovski bicones, and four matching rhinestones in settings, plus half of a toggle clasp set with smaller rhinestones. I paired them with some contrasting pearls, and used the clasp half as the pendant:

Pink pearl and Swarovski Y Necklace



Tonight, I make roasted garlic puree for a potluck tomorrow night. Easy peasey and so tasty.

Take about 8-10 garlic bulbs, chop off the tops, put them in a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle liberally with olive oil, and bake at 400F for ~1 hour. Peel and puree with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with slices of artisan bread. Be prepared for people to give you lots of room in the elevator at work the next day. Make sure your spouse eats some too.

A Year in the Making, day 159

I told you there were more pearls to come! Today, black pearls, which of course aren't really black, but a lovely iridescent charcoal grey in color.

Black Pearl and Glass Y Necklace



As I was making this, I had the laptop set up next to me on the dining room table, a pretty regular occurrence. I have a tendency to surf while creating, which slows down the creation process some, I'll admit, but otherwise I'd never keep up with some of my mailing lists. And I happened to be in the right place at the right time to catch a treasury. This one's inspired by a line from Percy Shelley's Ode to the West Wind: