Honey, I Shrunk Santa

This year I'm thinking about Christmas in advance due to some orders I've received, but I think this is the right time to actually think about it: when you have a fresh mind, rested from summer vacations, and not when you're overwhelmed by lights and colors and bows and shopping frenzy.
I decided it was about time to make some other beaded Santas, only smaller.

When I made them a couple of years ago I intended them as tree decorations, but all my aunties were so amazed by it, that they put it on their necklace or on a pin to wear it. So now I have two size options

(the bigger guy is a wrong prototype) and I also have my quirky piece of jewelry for next Xmas.

Falling in love with purple

Talking about colors, I've recently discovered purple.
I even betray red when it comes to kick boxing accessories, buying purple handwraps and now drooling over these beauties:

via Pinterest

which are, unfortunately, too expensive to be mine in the near future.
Thinking about them I decided to try and make some beaded gloves, messing up with size 15 delicas

I'll try to make his companion and to refine the pattern a bit, but I'm pretty satisfied of this little guy :D hope to have the complete couple as a pendant anytime soon!

Fuchsia & grey

After mixing grey with yellow, I couldn't resist using some grey rondelles with these gorgeous acrylic beads sent by Lori

so I made another bracelet

and it won't be my last...

Fall 2012 Pantone bead swap

While I'm still dealing with my Spring swap beads, the fashion color report for fall 2012 is out so we're ready to swap again!

via Pinterest

My new partner and I chose 4 colors, 2 each, and are ready to send our packages right on time! This is our choice:

I'm really intrigued by these colors and can't wait to play with them!

Spring Pantone swap: first item

Here's what I made with some of Lori's gorgeous beads:

The picture colors are not quite right, but I can assure you it's really bold!
I love the contrast between the felted beads and the glass ones, which really remind me of this candy my dad used to bring me when I was a little girl!

via Pinterest

I mixed some of the other beads and added some from my stash to make a lariat with the same colors, since I never had one

Meanwhile, couples are beeing arranged for the Autumn Pantone swap!

September Challenge "A Lunar Obsession"

September finally arrived and this month our team challenge is "A Lunar Obsession":

"According to the farmer's almanac, the full moon of September is called the Harvest Moon. This month, let's get inspired by the moon... May the inspiration be it's light, it's movement, it's color, or anything moon related... Let's celebrate the end of this busy summer by creating some beaded lunar wonder that the man on the moon would be proud of!"

Pretty amazing stuff in here!
Don't be a lunatic, go on the EBW blog and vote for your favorite until September 15th!

Finally...Milan. Surprise!

I put my feet into my house less than 20 minutes ago, was looking so hard to find something special...a package I've been waiting for...for 3 months!
I feel so bad about my Spring Pantone Swap Partner Lori, but first the Post screwed up and was so late (more than 1month!), then I had to leave for Rome for my BFF's wedding and from there I went to my hometown.
I had planned to be there only 2 weeks, but then it became 2 month and a half...and didn't want to make the pack go postal again, I was afraid it would be lost this time.
So I just waited. Until today.

Well I'm already sleep deprived, but I was overwhelmed by Lori's generosity and creativity...

I still can't believe my eyes!
There are beads from all over the world, of any kind, and I'm particularly excited about a couple of things that I'm never able to find here (like sari ribbons and paper beads).

There is also a beautiful magnet which is already on my board, a super nice card, well I was so lucky!

I will play with many of these beauties really soon...now I'm just going to thank Lori properly and have some sleep after a 12 hours night ride on the train.
And..get ready for next Pantone swap! Autumn is near!

Some fuchsia before I leave

Before I pack my beads, I'm making some last experiments with can tabs, trying new shapes for my earrings, and this is what I did today:

It feels like they need a different kind of hook, so I'll be patient until I get back to my whole stash in Milan...and I've got something precious waiting for me to be opened!

Vacation is almost over

This morning I bought my ticket back to Milan. Can't complain about my summer, see this summary and judge yourself:

I went to Rome after so many years (used to live there) for my BFF's wedding and stayed there a while, enjoyed it so much and remembered why I used to love it so much. I've been in my hometown for more than 2 months now and I've enjoyed every day: I've eaten all the best fruit, vegetables, gelato and homemade pasta, focaccia and parmigiana; been to the beach so much I'm sick of it...well, almost, and went to some gorgeous places in my region I've never been before. I've had some quality time not only with my parents, but also with uncles and aunts and my younger cousins, who have grown up so much! I've started jogging with regularity and it became running after a couple of weeks and I feel so much better now, you can see I didn't actually lose weight but fat is slowly leaving space to muscles (despite all the food I ate, LOL). And I beaded a lot, also sold a lot, and already have orders for Christmas. For the first time I really feel I can let summer go peacefully, without feeling depressed. It's time to go back to the big city and make serious plans for the future.

Lemon pie can tab earrings

Can't help but thinking about lemons when I look at these:

They're so bright and sparkle so much!
I'm happy 'cause they're going to leave tomorrow morning, very early, together with their friends below

A beautiful, blonde girl from my hometown is buying them and a bangle, so I can't be happier!
Selling online, it's rare to see what your actual buyer looks like, and it's nice to think these earrings are staying here.
I'll show you my hometown next time, before leaving it after a 2 months vacation...can't complain about this summer at all!

Not my fault!

Stars, like hearts and pink and glitter, are one of those things hidden in every girl's DNA. Even though you try hard to convince yourself that you are too old to wear, let's say, a heart printed t-shirt or star shaped earrings, it's impossible to resist them.
It's not your fault.
So that's what happens when I bead stars and have people around me: I can't even finish one and that's already sold!

Here are my latest puppies, ready to leave me: a beautiful lilac pendant made with size 11 miyuki

and these tiny earrings, so elegant and delicate, made with size 15 miyuki

These last look great if you're tanned and might as well be worn as bridal jewelry.
I'll see if I can get some pics of people wearing them!