Blowing off the dust...

Wow...  So so much has happened since my last post - which was over a year ago!  That is sort of unforgivable!

I promise I have a good reason though! We finally found a house last year! Yay!  I feel like it has taken me this long to get settled into my new studio, and just feel like I am back in the groove again.  If you follow me on Facebook you know that I have still been creating up a storm!  But I am just now feeling like this is what I should be doing, and the motivation to push forward is very strong.

It's an exciting feeling, a scary feeling.  I have lots of ideas for the blog, and perhaps for my YouTube channel!  (Which at the moment I believe is solely Disney World and Disneyland videos!)  I am excited about the next year because I feel like I can work to really make my shop grow!

I hope you will join me on this journey!

Mickey Mouse Body Parts Polymer Clay Beads

Disney Frozen Earrings!

I am loving this movie!

Lots of earrings in the shop right now!

Weekend fun at the Alamo Drafthouse!

We have been going to see a lot of movies since we moved to Texas!  It is nice to have that huge screen with a super buttery bucket of popcorn.  Not to mention the second run theaters here are pretty nice, and we can see a 3D movie for $3 each!  Woo!

Recently we found a place called Alamo Drafthouse.  This is not your typical movie theater!  Even as far as the dine-in theaters go, this feels far from typical.  While we decided what to eat for lunch, old-school cartoons and commercials from the 70's and 80's played on the screen.  I admit, it took a while for us to decide on our food because of the fun distraction!  And the food?  Possibly the best french fries ever, and when anyone puts cranberry sauce on a turkey burger, I'm sold.

I am also a huge fan of their very strict no talking/phone/noisy neighbor policy.  How many times have you been in a movie theater where people were talking loudly or texting on a ridiculously bright screen?  They are very clear that if that happens here, you are outta there!

Also worth noting are the special events - Elf Quote a Thon, Christmas cartoons with all the cereal you can eat (yeah, I am all over that one!) holiday sing-a-longs, and countless older movies that aren't currently shown in theaters.

With prices not above typical movie theaters, I don't see why we would go anywhere else for first run movies now!

Don't be afraid of odd count peyote stitch!

No!  Please don't click away!  I know what you're probably thinking.  Odd count peyote is confusing.  It takes longer.  Results with even count peyote are just as nice without the hassle.

While I do agree that even count peyote patterns that are planned out work up to be bracelets that are just as beautiful as odd count peyote, there is just something about weaving your bracelets into that perfectly tapered point.  It is so satisfying!  They make for beautiful endings with a special clasp.  And some patterns just work out to be odd count because of the design!

I was browsing YouTube a while back, and discovered a video from The Potomac Bead Company.  It explains how to use two needles at the ends of your single piece of thread to quickly and easily weave up an odd count peyote pattern!



See there!  I gave it a go over the weekend and it works beautifully!  Now you can have confidence while browsing through odd count peyote patterns!

I do have a few in my shop to get you started!

There's this super fun Rainbow Hearts Odd Count Three Drop Peyote Pattern:

And this very unique Honey Bee Pattern:

There is also this elegant Phantom of the Opera inspired pattern:

I have several more odd count patterns available, but these should be enough to get you started with the new technique!

What will you make first?

Happy Beading!

Amanda

Disney Frozen Crafts

Have you seen Frozen yet?  It has got to be one of my favorite movies!  If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to stay until after the credits! ;)  Totally worth it.

I have been very inspired to do some bead patterns this past week.  We have so many other things going on, it's easier for me to sit down here and there and work on a pattern. 

Here are my frozen patterns!





They are both available in my shop, in the Holiday Patterns section!  Anna and Else use brick stitch, and Olaf uses square stitch.  I have included the recommended Delica bead colors, and I feel they match the characters very nicely!

I also have some new Frozen earrings in the shop!