BIBS AND BOOTIES FINISHED: WHEW! AND OTHER RAVINGS!

If you have been following along with me you will know I just got a brand new niece.  With any luck there will be a nephew in my future too!  I always wanted to be the good Auntie.  You know, the one who makes things and sends packages and such.  I have three sisters and they have been truly fantastic Aunts to my children, what an act to follow!  My siblings having children makes me appreciate them in a whole new way.  Seeing my brother interact with his daughter was simply a joy, and if the 60,000 pictures I have seen on Facebook are any indication, my sister is being a fantastic mother as well!  What does this all have to do with my blog?  Well...all these new babies need blankies and clothes and toys, which I can crochet!  Read on for the Days of the Week bibs and booties, and of course more of my rantings and ravings!

Frankie kitty was snoozing on the job, as usual, so Charlie doggie decided to step up and be my lovely assistant today!

See?  He's guarding my yarn!

FAVORITE PATTERNS AND TUTORIALS: JEWELRYLESSONS.COM

Hi all!  I was hoping to get a post off sooner than this, but unfortunately I am at the mercy of my back until we fix it, or at least mask the problem!  So I will file this under the "Better Late Than Never" category and dredge on with a smile!  This week I want to start a segment on Makings and Musings on which I share with you my favorite places to get patterns.  I am envisioning this as a once a week offering, please let me know if it is helpful to anyone!  Read on to discover my favorite pattern websites, my favorite designers, and there may even be a link to a freebie I found out there on the web!

BEADWOVEN TREASURE - TILA MOSAIC BRACELET BY EXTRANO

NEW ADDITION: CHILDREN'S JEWELRY AND A FEW OTHER PROJECTS!

Hello my friends! Yesterday my baby sister gave birth to a very sweet little girl! It is very exciting and so weird to think of my little sister as a Mother now! She was born when I was 12, so I am a tad bit older than her, lol. I gave her a few handmade items for her baby shower, and am feverishly working on a few more to send up for a "Welcome Home Baby" gift. I now have 3 nieces and a granddaughter, and another one of my sisters will be getting a baby soon too! Whew! All these babies! It got me thinking about children's jewelry. What is safe for them? What will be put away and cherished when they get older? Read on for a few baby projects and some more of my musings on the subject!

Welcome to the world Maisie Scout Leasure! 

PINTREST AND MY LEAVES BRACELET AND EARRINGS

Hi there lovely readers!  Well, my break from blogging is finally over, I think the majority of our out of town trips are through.  We did have a great summer!  I was reading the Rings and Things blog this morning and they were talking about PINTREST.  I am a HUGE fan of Pintrest and I was wondering if it's just me, or is it awesome?  Most of my Pins are craft and jewelry making patterns, oh, and lots of crochet patterns too!  I would be happy to share with anyone who wants to take a gander, there are thousands and thousands of Pins on my boards, so fair warning, you may get lost for the day in Pintrest land!  Its a great place to get ideas and waste some time, lots of time...I also wanted to share a bracelet and earring set that I made that was perfect for spring, summer too!  Sorry there is no tutorial, but I will explain what I did, it was pretty simple, so you can make one too!  Read on for some jewelry making goodness!

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!

As I am taking some time to regroup, and to update my blog design, I wanted to pop by and wish everyone a wonderful 4th of July weekend.  As you celebrate with your families and friends please stop and think of what makes the US such a great nation!  We have many flaws, and things aren't perfect, but the US is still the best place to live in the world!  Have a great 4th!  Will get the blog hopping again very soon!

HAPPY 4th!
Love and hugs!
Jillie

SEED BEADS: CUTTING THROUGH THE CONFUSION

Hi all!  I am back from seeing my step-son graduate from High School in Florida!  We are so proud of him!  Now I can get back to blogging, which I have definitely missed!  I was browsing about the net this morning, looking for bead weaving patterns, which I seem to be hoarding.  I haven't been bead weaving for too terribly long, but my searches this morning reminded me of how confusing the different sizes and types of seed beads were for me at the beginning.  So I thought I would do a post about them to try and clear it all up for you!  Read on for more than you ever wanted to know about seed beads!

Mixed Seed Beads

VACATION: GRADUATION!

We are off to Florida for my son's graduation!  (Whew!)
Gone for 6 days and then will start up the blog again for real!
Thanks for your patience!  I will soak up some sun for all!
Read on for a few pics from the cruise!

I think this was approaching San Juan...

MY LATEST FASCINATION: THE BEADED BEAD!

Hello my friends!  I have a new fascination: the beaded bead!  I am absolutely obsessed with them at the moment.  Can you blame me?  They are gorgeous!  Just look at this one:

Read on for more amazing beaded beads!

VACATION!

Hi my lovlies!  I have been on vacation the past 2 weeks!  We went to Miami, and then on a cruise to St. Thomas, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and to The Grand Turk Island.  We had an absolute blast and I will post some pictures as soon as I get them downloaded!  I wore my jewelry I have made and got tons of compliments on it!  I missed my blog and will get a proper post here in the next few days!