Work For Windy Days

Spring hit Valley Creek early this year and the winds have blown at gale force for days on end. It's difficult to work at the torch when the wind is blowing through the studio so I turn to other things.

My first creative love was working with wire. So I decided to tackle a few wire projects. The first one is done in sterling silver using a Hill Tribe Butterfly that I have been hoarding.

 Next I went through the beads I purchased at Bead Fest Santa Fe. Fortunately I had enough gold filled wire to make this bracelet. I also found some of my small turquoise lampwork spacers that worked great with these beads. I love the extra pop of the blue.

 Then I moved on to the heavy copper wire. I used a "fire painting" technique to pull some really beautiful colors out of the raw copper. I love that process although it's a bit like a box of chocolates, your never quiet sure what your getting. I also used a non tarnish silver wire to wrap this one. It's actually copper with a silver plating then covered in a protective coating.  This wire is a great alternative to sterling since silver prices have gone sky high.

So that was my windy day projects and I enjoyed them very much. However, I do hope the winds calm a bit so I can get back to the torch and make a few beads.

February 2011

So, it's February already! This is how our February started. It was so cold. Temps well below zero at night and not even reaching freezing during the day. It was a long couple of weeks. However, we went from freezing to suntan in the space of a few days. We were at 81 degrees today! That's summer weather for most folks.

Speaking of long weeks. Look how long it has been since I posted any Valley Creek happenings here. My goodness! Was it actually May, 2010 and roses were blooming. Time does fly doesn't it. I would say that I will try to do better and I will but, I'm not sure that means I will actually do better. For a talkative person like me I just sometimes don't have anything worth writing about. Maybe I should join a "how to blog" group.

My creative muse has been missing. I think she froze. I'm hoping she will thaw out soon and I can have more beautiful beads to show. When the bead fairy is missing I turn to my jewelry bench and turn out a few ready to wear creations. Check out the boutique to see some of the wearables.

So, I'm already thinking about what to share next. Maybe I have a few things that will be of interest. I'll try to be back sooner rather than later.

Turquoise, Tis The Color of The Season

I love turquoise. It's such a fun color and can be paired with so many other colors. I love working with the turquoise shades and was so happy to know it is the "In Color" for Spring and Summer.

Turquoise can be so many different shades of color. Some more green and some more blue. I rather like this set of beads. Different shapes, different shades but truly fun.

The wind has blown this week and brought horrible dust storms with it. My little studio just rocked and rocked but I kept right on melting glass. Today I even managed to plant tomatoes, jalapeno peppers and strawberries. Should have purchased some squash and bell pepper but maybe I still have time to plant it. I just hope the poor little plants survive the wind. I need to figure out how to set up some protection that wouldn't blow into the next county.

The Rattlesnake Roundup is in Sweetwater this weekend. Wish they would round them up and haul them off this place. I heard they had gathered over 2,000 of the critters for the festivities. You would think that would about clear them out of the country but sadly there are still plenty left.

From turquoise to rattlesnakes but it's all part of the season here on Valley Creek.

In Keeping With The Heart Theme

It is February and that means hearts to most folks. I'm going along with that tradition at least one more time. Why one more time? Well, I don't think I have anymore heart things made up. Still declaring my heart creations as "love of life" hearts.

Being in farm and ranch country, and a part of Texas that is more desert than some of the monsoon areas, everyone talks about the weather. Church today was no exception as we have been getting that much needed rain. Everyone asks the same question, "How much rain did you get this week?" Our reply has been, "We don't really know. We took the little measuring tube out of the holder so it wouldn't freeze and break and we keep forgetting to put it back." I'm certain all the locals are wondering what two "city folk" are doing in this part of the world if we can't even keep up with rain fall. That being said, we love our little corner of Valley Creek and don't miss city life much at all.

Storms of Life

I must admit we have had a few storms in our life over the last couple of months. In fact I think we could officially be declared hurricane status! These are storms of a personal kind rather than those that Mother Nature conjures up for us. This type storm doesn't go away over night but you do get through them. It takes lots of prayer and patience but they do pass.

So, I was digging through the bead box and contemplating what I might do with beads that no one seemed to want. I have loved this "tornado" bead since I made it and could never figure out why some creative soul couldn't see it's artistic value. As I was turning this bead in my hand it came to me that it represented the life storms we have been going through. With that thought I dug out the silver wire and created a "life" symbol and attached the storm bead. I rather like the creation and it seems to bring peace to my mind. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Putting A Different Spin On It

I have made several of the "bead soup" necklaces and decided to put a little different spin on it. I rather like the multiple strands of matching beads that accents the front and using the big hole beads to hide all the ends worked out just great! I think I might make a few more in this style, in fact I have one for myself on the bead board as I write.