Sunday, March 24, 2013

A New WIP and Blog Prize Received

One step forward, two steps back.  I was determined to finish my WIPs (works in progress) before starting new projects.  How is that working out you ask?  Not so well.  I have a new WIP.

While browsing through some of my bead magazines recently I came across this necklace I had tagged as a future project.  I thought maybe I would go through my stash of beads and see if I had what I needed on hand.  I pulled a combination of one of my favorite color combinations - turquoise and copper/brown - and selected beads I could substitute for some listed. We all do that, right?


I even had some back-up options.  I followed the first three steps.  I didn't have any bead tips (wasn't even sure what they were?) for the ends so I decided to just supplement an 8mm gold bead and try to figure out attaching the closure later.  I finished the 16" length for the base of the necklace.  The colors and beads worked beautifully together!



Then it was time for the dangles.  It was then that I realized I had drops in a nice color but the holes went across instead of down through the center.  I would prefer the latter and now also decided I would like a turquoise drop rather than brown like I have, so I am in search of the perfect teardrop bead leaving me with a WIP until I find exactly what I want.  Do any of you do that? 


I have been anxiously awaiting a blog prize I won from Annamaria over at her blog (http://manya72.blogspot.com).  I have been a huge fan of her beautiful work for quite some time but her stitching is even more stunning in person.  Everything about this eyeglass case is sheer perfection.  I feel so fortunate to own one of her stitched pieces.  Among other things she also does some lovely (gorgeous!) Hardanger embroidery as well as some very charming pendants with tiny ribbon embroidery flowers.  Some of these are offered in her Etsy shop.  Thank you Annamaria.  I love it!





Finally, I am convinced this is an eternal UFO, my genealogy project.  My dining room table looks like an explosion of notes and papers no matter how hard I have tried to keep it simple and under control.  Like I would assume most of you, our ancestors had a bunch of kids.  I even have one family that had so many kids, when he married his second wife their offspring were given the same names as a couple of children from the first (wife) marriage!  I've noticed too that when a baby passed on, a later child was given that baby's name as well.  Also confusing the issue, my great grandfather married a woman with the same first name as his sister leaving two Adelheid's to distinguish who were born in the same area of Germany and born about the same year.  Don't forget also the offspring given the same name as their father's and their father's father and their brother's children and...well, you get the picture.


We are heading back to the KC area soon and spending some time with our daughter and her family at a condo in the Ozarks.  Unfortunately it appears the weather is not going to be very warm while we are there, but we will at least be in good company.  I'll be taking some of my naked blocks to work on during the wee early morning hours before the rest of them wake up.  Stitching and a cup pot of coffee lakeside.  Ahhh!

9 comments:

Jane said...

You be careful if you are heading our way! Lots of snow fell overnight. Time at the Ozarks sounds wonderful, no matter what the temperature!!
I have done a lot of genealogy and I know what you mean about figuring how children were named "back in the day". I've run into that same issue.
Take care,
Jane

Momma Bear said...

I completely understand the name thing!
on my dad's side of the family there is a Tom and a mary, this would be simple enough except that Tom then went on to marry a mary and mary married a tom.
then to make things even more confusing they both went about their business and named their first born mary and tom.no make matters at family reunions even more fun gues what the ensuing generations did?
you cant swing a dead cat and not hit a mary or a tom!
please people next round, go for something old school like ida or carl?

margaret said...

your necklace is coming along a treat as you say wonderful colours, best of luck hunting for the teardrop.
a beautiful prize you have there wow comes to mind.
Your family tree research is coming along a treat, you never know what you might stumble across.

Monica said...

What a beautiful prize, Connie! Aren't you lucky!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Your necklace is looking so pretty, even without the drops! And the eyeglass case is lovely - I know you'll give it a good home. As for genealogy - it's such fun but keeping things straight is a challenge. In my family the common names were John, George, and William with at least one in every generation.

Annette said...

Love every part of this post, the prize you won-so pretty and deleicate. The genealogy part-I have just just discovered lots of family in Australia and England. Goodness the necklace witht the turquoise drops will be so pretty. Can't wait to see it. oxoxox

Jillayne said...

you and I have the same anthem... Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" - it rolls through my head every time I think I should be attacking the WIP list. And yes, I also, will wait for the perfect thing... good luck!

Mary Ann Tate said...

Hello. I came to visit from Creative Daily:) I saw the giveaway you won on there and as I'm nosy I thought I'd see what you like to do. I'm a genealogy addict myself....LOL

Suztats said...

I like your bead necklace creation!