Suburban Girl Studio Design Team - Summer Reveal!

Wow - Summer!  Can you believe it?  Where's the time gone?

Right now it's time for the Suburban Girl Studio

Design Team Summer 2012 Reveal. (Woo Hoo!!)

Diana sent me this very cool Starfish Pendant - beautiful!

  And this amazing shell bead connector - super sweet!

  And then she included one of Jan Opinenco's  beads, too - oh my!!   It looks like a summer swirl of sea, sand and surf goodness, doesn't it?!!

Lampwork glass bead by Jan Opinenco

Okay, so when I think of summer I think of the Beach. 

San Clemente Sate Beach Park, San Clemente, CA
Photo by Michelle Buettner

When I think of the Beach I think of the ocean and the lovely blue and green colors of the water.

Then, I start to think of sail boats.

Sailing into Catalina Harbor
off the coast of California

I LOVE sailboats!

One thing I love about sailboats and all things nautical are the knots that tie everything together. 

So, for my design I decided to use some natural waxed linen cord from White Clover Kiln over on Etsy because it looked like the old ropes used on the docks and to tie up sailboats. 

Then, I knotted some immitation sea glass together with some sea-foam colored Recycled Sari Silk from Darn Good Yarn.

The beads reminded me of all the sea glass you can find on the beach and the silk reminded me of the sails and how they move and take shape in the wind. 

This design is definitely going into my personal stash because it's something I will wear over and over this summer - and any time I go to the beach!!

I big thank you to Diana of Suburban Girl Studio for allowing me the opportunity to be on her Design Team and to showcase her lovely, handcrafted ceramic beads and findings.

They're totally amazing and you really will love them - so go check 'em out! 

And, thanks to Jan Onipenco of Motlen Mayhem for her amazing lampwork bead!

The very talented Suburban Girl Studio

Design Team Members are all listed below with links to their blogs. Be sure to check them all out and see the amazing designs they've created this season!

Diana Ptaszynski http://www.suburbangirlstudio.com/
Jenny Davies-Reazor http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog
Kristen Stevens http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com/
Jan Onipenco http://moltenmayhem.typepad.com/
Marla James http://marlasmudmoments.blogspot.com/
Sandra Basara Miller http://www.sandra5461.blogspot.com/
Michelle Buettner http://www.MiShelDesigns.blogspot.com/

 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Sailing Through Summer!!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Cheesecake!

Someone's having a birthday this weekend.

Yep - it's the masked rider!

The Masked Rider doesn't like to be photographed!!

He doesn't like to be photographed and he doesn't like birthday cake either, so we're having birthday cheesecake instead. (I like cheesecake better, too!!)

Logan and Mike on Logan's 8th Birthday.
Boy that was ages ago!! ;-)



I so love this boy!  I mean, young man!

Here's to teenagers and their funny ways!

Teenager being himself!

Happy Birthday Son!

Having fun in Disneyland!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Celebrating!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Putting it all together,...

So, do you ever get in one of those moods where you're just obsessed with something?

Yep, me too!  Lately, it's been Polyvore (again!). 

It started a couple years back when I found Polyvore.  I just love putting outfits together. I don't always publish them but I do create outfits/designs and write things down, which gives me ideas for jewelry designs and other things as well. 

But recently, due to the Beading Daily Polyvore Challenge and blog hop that was this past weekend for the new book by Lorelei Eurto and Erin Siegel, "Bohemian Inspired Jewelry", I've been completely and utterly obsessed!

Bohemian Inspired Jewelry - 50 Designs Using Leather, Ribbin and Cords
~by Lorelei Eurto and Erin Siegal~
Interweave Press

First, Erin and Lorelei's book is one of my favorites. You can check it out here.  The photos are so gorgeous and you can really see yourself wearing these designs - no matter what your style!

However, being up at my sis's cabin this past week and weekend, I kinda missed out on the whole challenge thing and didn't get to really go to all the blog posts of everyone who was involved in the book tour blog hop, but I'm slowly making my way around this week and next.  And, it's not too late for your to get in on the Beading Daily Challenge either - you've got until July 13th I think it is - go check it out!

You need to hop on over to Polyvore too and check out all the great collages and ensembles that everyone's putting together - sweet!!

I actually put together two sets on Polyvore that I could never in a million years pull off wearing.

But, they took me out of my comfort zone and expanded my thinking a bit - which was fun and interesting!

Here they are:

Bohemian Inspired - Featuring Lorelei Eurto's Necklace
from the book Bohemian Inspired Jewelry
from Interweave Press.

~ And This One ~

 

Cocktails on the Beach
Necklace by Michelle Buettner of MiShel Designs

Nope, not me in the least! 

Well, maybe the shoes - definitely the shoes! 

The Red Set is totally my girlfriend Lea, though!!

Here's me: (as in the style of things I actually wear)

Shopping with the Girls!!
Necklace by Michelle Buettner of MiShel Designs

~And~

Shel's Choice!
(I actually have the Fossil bag that's pictured here!)

~And this, too!~

Bohemian Inspired - Hippie Chick
Necklace by Erin Siegel from her book
Bohemian Inspired Jewelry
available from Interweave Press

 

Okay - here's where I'm going with this.

My thoughts are that you've been stuck in a rut before with designing or with your hobby or with decorating your house (Pinterest has great ideas for this by the way!) and Polyvore is a really good jumping off point to spark your creativity and it's free!


You don't have to 'share it' if you don't want to and you don't even have to save or publish the sets you create - so it's totally 'risk free'. 

Kinda like that no-calorie candy bar they tell you about, only this time it's true!!

What types of things have you found that helps you step out of your normal comfort zone and into something else but still allows you to be creative is some way?  Has it opened up new avenues for you?  Does it relax you enough to open your mind to other creative venues? 

Maybe it just sparks new interests for you and you start noticing things you haven't before - like different colors, new styles, etc.

I hope you're enjoying your summer and refueling yourself with creative endeavors.

Be sure to stop by and tell us all what's going on and what cool, creative things you're up to or that you're getting ready to try. 

Oh, and I'm having a little SALE over in my MiShel Designs Etsy shop this week - 25% off your total purchase from now until July 1st. Use coupon code SummerFun25 during the check out process. I don't have the code listed in my shop announcements because it's just for my blog and FB friends - so enjoy!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Creatively Obsessed!!

Cheers,

~Shel~

****Please forgive any spelling errors. Blogger wasn't letting me check my spelling, and it kept stopping in the middle of me trying to type and all sorts of weird things today*** It's getting quite frustrating to say the least.  Anyone one else having trouble w/blogger lately?****

The Hands of Time

The hubby finds the best things,....or maybe they find him!

As he was ready to throw the trash bags on the top of the heap at the mountain dump yesterday, he almost threw them on this old clock. 

Luckily he stopped, picked it up, and then tossed the bags over the side.

Pretty cool, eh?! 

Look at the patina on the wheels.

And the old craftsmanship - from 1878!!

I love getting shots of old antiques.

Especially before they've been cleaned up.

Just makes my day!!

I'm linking up with I Heart Macro over at

Studio Waterstone today.

Won't you join me?

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Old Hands of Time!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Hanging Out

So, it's finally Summer! 

Hindman Cabin - Nutrioso, Arizona

We've been hanging out at my sis's cabin in the cool mountains of Arizona this week and it's been so wonderful!

The Famous Tree House that Mike built.
This is where we have "Happy Hour" in the Mountains!

It's also the reason I'm not blogging regularly at the moment or commenting on every one's blogs, or spending much time on Facebook, or posting to Twitter and all those other social network things that I normally do - or at least try to do!

The back deck of the Tree House - complete with new steps!

I know I've missed out on so much that's going on with all my friends on Facebook and their blogs, etc., but honestly, it's been very relaxing and refreshing to 'un-plug' just a bit!

My make-shift studio at my sis's cabin.
(See the overflowing toy box in the corner with all the toys for the kiddos?!)

I haven't even really created anything jewelry wise, either. (gasp!!) 

The view from my 'studio' at my sis's cabin.
See all the photos my sis has along the walls?
They tell the story of all our lives from the time
the cabin started being built until now,...and it continues!

I have filled several earring wire orders and I continue to answer our RespirCare phones and run our environmental business from up here.

It's nice to have mobile businesses, that's for sure! 

Other than that, I've just been spending time taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the mountains! 

I'm heading back down to the Valley in a few more days as I'm scheduled to teach a jewelry class over in Carefree at Creative U on Saturday the 29th of June. 

You should come join in the fun if you're in the area - it's gonna be a blast! 

I'll post some more pics and give details of this class here in a few days, okay?

 

So tell me, what are you doing this summer to un-plug? 

Are you taking in any fun adventures with your family or friends? Are you relaxing, working, playing?

How about your creative side?  Are you feeding the 'child' within and nurturing your soul? I hope so.

Ya know, Barbie's at home waiting patiently for me to return and share with her some of the awesome inspirations I've encountered once again in the beautiful White Mountains of Arizona!!

The White Mountains of Arizona - Near Nutrioso.
(Prior to the 2011 Wallow Fire)

Whatever it is you're up to, I hope you'll take the time to share some of your wonderful adventures and plans with me here.

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Listening to the Wind in the Pines!

Summer Home Away From Home! :-)

Cheers,

~Shel~

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the

Fathers out there!!

Treehouse my hubby built. Sitting under it w/our son!

Celebrating with one of the 'Cool Dads' today!

Logan and Mike surfing in San Clemente, CA

Missing this one,....

Me and my Dad on his 60th Birthday!

Happy Father's Day!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Celebrating Dads!!

Cheers,

~Shel~