Me and my Ippy

Shameless self promotion -- you betcha. Haven't you been wondering what an Ippy looks like?

photo courtesy of William Zubak/Kalmbach Publishing Co.

Are you a visual learner?

If you're a visual learner, you'll love Absolute Beginners Guide: Stringing Beaded Jewelry. The projects are easy, the pace is great for beginners, and there are over 300 photos to guide you step-by-step. The book has 30 projects plus lots of bonus ideas, and teaches one step at at time. But, if that isn't easy enough, you'll really love the DVD version. The DVD takes the most popular techniques and guides you through each step. Plus, the first project from the book is shown, start to finish., I had to giggle when I looked the DVD up on Amazon and saw it was rated "G." Would you expect anything else from me?

Summer Days, Summer Nights

This month's Artbeads blogging theme was summer-time fun. When I think of summer, I think of sun, sand, and slowing down. These sunny day bracelets are a perfect way to capture the mood.


I love, love, love the Czech glass from Artbeads. My new favorite is the fire polished fuchsia and lemon. Just like a summer sunset! I combined the fuchsia and lemon with Ruby AB, Orange AB, and a mix of pink tones. I like using pre-mixed blends for bracelets like these, because there are always some unique colors I may have not found myself.


Whenever I went on vacation as a little girl, I would always pick a silver charm for my charm bracelet to remind me of my trip. Today, you can pick charms like these to represent a memory, or maybe just to dream about a vacation you wish you had! Check out all the charms here.

When I finished my sunny day bracelets, my thoughts immediately turned to summer nights. What better frame for this dragonfly charm than a twinkling of crystals, just like the first stars that emerge from the twilight?

I am still having camera trouble, but hopefully these pictures are clear enough to spark your imagination and inspire a little summer time creativity!

Disclaimer: The charms and Czech glass beads were provided to me free of charge from Artbeads. My review is my opinion and I have not been paid for my endorsement.