Sickness, Despondancy, Sleepovers, Giveaway Winnings, Possible Projects, Deadlines, Bead Soup & Round Robin Updates...

Yes this post is going to be a little bit about everything that's been going on these last couple of weeks. So you might want to grab a cup of coffee/ tea/ glass of wine, whatever is your poison, cause its a long one.
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The month of May started off with illness within the family home, vomiting kiddies, cold and flu infections, I won't bore you with the particulars but will say that with the exception of a lingering slightly stuffy and sometimes runny nose along with a loud snore (the little one is still getting over the tail end of her cold) we are all pretty much over it.
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The unwelcome illness really threw a spanner in the works and all my grand plans of creating a piece a day which was to facilitate weekly listings of new products to my blogshop, went straight out the window, which is where the despondency feelings come into play, these feelings were amplified by my apparent misplacement of my green thumb, in that I am experiencing for the first time ever a near 100% failure in germinating my seeds this year and with the prospect of no summer homegrown veges on the horizon, I can say I am in a quiet state of inner panic (yes it is that important to me).
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So we are just getting over the colds and I am slowly feeling my energy levels returning and the kids harangue me into hosting a sleepover last weekend with three of their friends (three sisters). Thank goodness they are all pretty good kids.
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Ah! don't they look sweet and angelic, yeah right!!! ;)

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The little ones wanted to try their hands at making ATCs, they did them to a flower theme. They did quite well, don't you think?

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My 4 yr old own.
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Her 7 yr old friend's own.

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So last week was coming to an end and I was still feeling a little blue because I felt I wasn't achieving any of the goals I had set myself. But God is good and blessed me with some little pick me ups that made me feel I was quite lucky after all, yep I won a few more blog giveaways, yeah! me :)
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The first one was from the fabulous Esther, I was lucky to have won one of her exquisitely made micro books in a giveaway on her blog. I didn't even find out about winning straight away as I was at my worst with the flu when she posted on her blog, it was when I was catching up on reading blogs I found out.
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Now look at it, isn't it perfect?
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It arrived while I was in bed two weekends ago and accidentally got put into the magazine basket, it was only while looking for reading material during last week did I find the envelope. In it was the beautiful micro book and a sweet little scarf pin, which is already on the lapel of one of my spring jackets. Thanks again Esther, your creation is even more beautiful when seen with the naked eye. I am not sure how I am going to use the Micro book charm as yet but most likely I'll make something for myself with it.
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My second giveaway I recently won was some beads, (I tell you, He is smiling down on me and giving me what I need and I need new supplies real bad). This giveaway was hosted on the lovely Lorelei's blog and lucky, lucky me won them and again because I was relegated to the couch again but this time with a sick child snoozing on my lap I didn't see the posting till the next day and all most fell off my seat when I saw my name.
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Aren't they beautiful and so full of possibilities. The beads were donated for the giveaway from Sab of BeadBead. They were posted in the mail on the 14th and they arrived yesterday, isn't it amazing how efficient international post is when there are no ashes grounding flights.
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Oh and on a sideline note: The mom of my daughter's friends who they had over for the sleepover gave me four hollowed out goose eggs, not yet sure what I will do with them but I will be doing something with them in the future, hmm! Do any of you have any possible project suggestions?
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On the 18th I was contacted by the blog writer of Handmade crafts UK concerning my offer to sponsor a giveaway. I was ever so tempted to say no, why? Well I also have to write about myself, blah blah, blah, you get the drift but I grabbed the keyboard and typed out yes and clicked send before my brain could intervene, so I am now committed to a deadline date of the 25th to write a piece about myself and my products as well as create the giveaway prizes and some new stock for the Blogshop, the clock I ticking and I am yet to get started, what have I gotten myself into.
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Now for a bead soup party update, first I would like to introduce you to my partner Johanna of Fire Phoenix Jewellery, she is a lampworker and bead weaver.
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And the beads she sent me arrived yesterday.
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The heart focal, gem stones and light matte pink glass beads were purchased, along with the very interesting clasp she got in Spain.
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These lampworked beads in pink and black were made by Johanna. These are not colours I would normally work with it so I know I am going to find it a challenge, which is one of the main reasons for joining this swap.
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So do you want to see what I sent her...
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Now last time I sent my partner something I made and I think I will stick to that theme for these type of swaps. I want to make more and more focal pieces that others can use as well as myself and I think this helps me to see what my pieces can turn into outside of how I envision them (I do hope that made sense).
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So this is what I sent Johanna, I do hope she likes it and more importantly can use them.

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I created a focal by first painting with acrylic paint a bluebell design (they are in their full bloom at the moment and their colours are so vibrant and inspiring). I backed it with some black felt so that it will comfortable against the skin as well as lending weight to the piece. I then made a frame with some scrap copper wire which was then attached to the pieces using two contrasting colours of embroidery thread. The piece can be used either as a pendant or as a piece within a necklace, the jumprings at the bottom can be removed or can be used to attach further dangles.

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I created a button clasp (tutorial available here at Lorelei's blog) with a vintage ceramic button from France and some more scrap wire.
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Along with the focal and clasp I included some coordinating beads, Red Coral, Sodalite, Troca Shell, Pearls. I also included some more copper links, jumprings and a small roll of copper wire in case she wanted to continue the copper theme.
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Ok time to update you on the Necklace Round Robin I hosted, my finished piece arrived yesterday (yesterday was a nice day to receive mail, three packets fell through my door and there were no bills, yippee!).
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I'll just quickly remind you of how it started:

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My Starter Piece (click the picture to take you back to the original post).

Victoria's additions (click the picture to read Victoria's post).

Jane's completion (click the picture to read Jane's post).

Well I am sooooo please with the completed piece, I tweaked it a bit so that it was lying at the correct length but the essence of their additions are still prominant.

To top of that they both sent me earrings to match the piece;

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Victoria's is perfect for a white top and dark blue fitted jeans day...

and Jane's is perfect for that floaty all white summer dress ensemble....

Thanks again girls for going on this journey with me, it was a lovely experience and my first attempt at working on collaborated pieces. You both made it better than I could have ever imagined, hope to do it again one day. Click to read Victoria's and Jane's blog posts on their completed pieces.
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But wait I'm not finished with round robin swaps yet; I am currently getting ready for an altered book round robin swap again via the UK handmade RR swap group, the link takes you to the particulars, the cut off date for signing up is on the 20th, I know, I know, very short notice (please forgive my tardiness in mentioning it). So if you are UK based and would like to try your hand at working on an altered book project, why not come along and join up. It will be my first foray in this field and so I am off on another self growing journey once the book is started and on its way I'll blog about it again and show you some photos.
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Ok what else is there to tell you......

Kellas Creative Wishes

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.Oh! yes I have finally taken the plunge and joined facebook and have even opened a shop there. International shoppers also can shop without leaving facebook as there is also a page directly linked to my Storenvy shop which is geared towards my international customers. So if you are fellow facebooker then feel free to fan my page.
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Well I think that's it, what? You are parched but didn't I warn you this was going to be a long one, well next time you would take my warning more seriously wouldn't you :)
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Catch you all laters once I come up for breadth after my deadline date.
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Toodles.


Blogshop: http://kellascreativewishes.blogspot.com/
Website: http://www.storenvy.com/CreativeWishes
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My Gardening Exploits: http://kellasvegeplotandothermusings.blogspot.com/