Here are two more of the new resin collage pendants. I really love these. They are made from oval blanks from Vintaj that I domed, one with a key and one with a lock. Both have a paper leaf behind the brass charm, and they are filled in with clear resin. I kind of like the idea of a pair of lovers or two friends wearing these necklaces, sort of like those best friend charms, but a little more subtle and grown up.

So I have been working on my big order still, and the end is sort of in sight, finally. AND I wrote and sent off two projects for a super secret project that I needed to finish by the end of the month. I have been swamped with deadline after deadline lately. It's not bad, it just gets a little tiring when it is all at once. I was glad to have the resin playtime, but when I get in production mode and need to work, but am wanting to play more, I tend to get myself into a little bit of shopping trouble. So I have an order from Rings and Things and ArtBeads on the way (and already received my FusionBeads and Vintaj orders, hehe), as well as a really cool find from a rubber stamp store that I will blog about when I get the shipment. When I get a day or two to play... look out! I will have the supplies at hand and the ideas are bursting out, so I will have a bunch of new stuff to share! For now, though, I have to hold on and finish these loose ends...

The other day, I posted about a bracelet I made with some Swarovski crystal beads that I got from from ArtBeads.com. This is a necklace I made on the same day, with the two leftover Swarovski Crystal Rings in Light Smoked Topaz. I really like the way the color of the crystals work with the Rusty Engine glaze on my Toolbox Treasures, combined with the natural brass. I am such a sucker for any shade of brown! I also love the deco/nouveau style of the Vintaj components and how they remind me of clock hands and parts for some reason. The long lariat design of the necklace seems to work well with the brass and crystal for an art nouveau sort of style. This was a very simple project to make: just a few jump rings and head pin twists. I'm thinking I will submit this one as a project to a magazine somewhere, I have just been really lacking the time to send in submissions. Ah well, time to get ready for a sushi party tonight! Happy Birthday to my brother, Jeremy!

Tick Tock, Tick Tock! That old saying about having too much time on your hands... well, that does not apply to me, lately. I have a big old pile of tasks to do and beads to make, and somehow that pile seems to be growing! Time is slipping away from me and I am scrambling, but I feel great. Just trying to keep up...

For example, I started this bracelet in my booth at the Bead & Button Show. I had received a delicious shipment of 6 Swarovski Crystal Rings from ArtBeads in May to blog about, and wasn't able to make anything in the days leading up to the show. But I found some time at the show, and started the bracelet. And I just finished it this week and just took the photos yesterday.

Anyway, this crystal ring bead is a style of the many kinds of Swarovski crystal beads that I have not used before. When I ordered them, I had just started making the Toolbox Treasure links, so I had a piece like this in mind, and I chose earthy colors in Olivine and Crystal Copper. I love the way they look with my Desert Pine and Rusty Engine glazes. The faceted rings are neat, because they have a small hole running through, in addition to the large central hole, so there are a variety of different ways to use them. I chose to use a headpin on each side, strung through the bead from the center, so I could wire wrap them, leaving the center hole open. I think it would be fun to trap a little bead inside the ring, too.

I am really pleased with this bracelet design. I like the colors and the little clock charm, and how it works with the subtle gear and industrial markings on the Toolbox links. The faceted rings add a bit of elegance and sparkle to the bracelet too.

I mentioned that I ordered 6 rings, and only 4 are shown here. Tomorrow, I will show you what I did with the other two.