August Photo Challenge - Animals

When I saw this one, I was like, YES, I have animal pictures, tons of them....but I decided to do the ones I took at Gatorland, FL.  Most of the animals were easy to take pictures of as long as they stayed still.  The birds were the hardest!

I used my Fugjifilm Finepix AX with zoom lens. I cropped and edited the pictures in Picasa on my computer.

Furry Animals

(Well I guess the rooster should have been with the birds...but I was thinking farm animal....)

Feathery Animals

Cold Blooded Animals

The main thing I try to do with my pictures is depending upon the subject, I try to take a few with lots of background to I can crop it, and then a few close ups, if I can get that close.  Some of these were taken through glass, so you had to make sure you were at an angle so not to get glare from the glass.  The same would apply if I had had to take a picture through fencing, but luckily I didn't.  I also set my flash as auto, just in case I forget and the area is dark.  But loads of fun!

For more great photos check out A Personal Photo Challenge

Summer Carnival 2014 Blog Hop

Well the time is finally here.....And Lisa has tasked us with a new challenge.  For some reason, I had a hard time coming up with designs....must be because I would rather be AT the carnival. I also have started having a problem with my right wrist...think it needs a break.

First up are the beads I received from Lisa. They are Tiaria crystals, sea glass and other miscellaneous beads.

Of course first off, as much as I hated to do red/white/blue I did... I used the red/white/blue sea glass with silver filigree metal beads I had. The wire links, I wrapped, then connected to the silver tone chain necklace. Once I had the red/white/blue out of my system...I went on. 

This one I used the red roundels along with green beads that I had. They are on copper wire and I did a curly cue wire wrap to attach each piece to the chain which is copper tone. The back clasp is just a simple toggle. 

This one I was experimenting with wire crochet and yarn crochet...I have really been trying with my more current pieces to put these two techniques together.  Of course the gold "pin" that is attaching one end to the black ring is NOT what is supposed to be there...do you think I could find a large black lobster claw....nooooo ! I checked several places close by.  I will have to order one on line and then it will look much better....

This last one was a spur of the moment piece. I have a bunch of different colored pieces of sample vinyl and have been dying to try it out....so I had the black rhinestone links and the red disk from Lisa along with black Swarovski crystals.  It was a quick put together and I know I made some mistakes, but....I know NOT to use this kind of thread in the future and measure twice, thrice, even four times before cutting...as I said it was a spur of the moment piece. I still have more beads and vinyl so I may make a new one and just wear this one myself...

So there you have it....hope you enjoyed the tour. For more eye candy hop to Lisa's at A GrateFul Artist

New Monthly Challenge from Lili Krist - Undo Redo

Lili Krist from Personal Collection tasks us with taking apart something we made and redoing and something from another jeweler and remaking it.

Well for my first piece. I had made a necklace for the Ocean Blog Hop by Lisa Lodge, and it was ok, but it didn't come out like I wanted. So after posting I decided to remake it. Below is the before, modeled by my daughter, and then the remake.

 Not sure if I should have used an orange pillow for back drop...but I wanted a colorful background.


The second one, my mother had given me, way back in the day.  I never really like it...I don't have a before picture, because I had taken it apart and just had it sitting in a box.  I took it out and had this great idea to make a 5 strand necklace....but as you can see it just didn't want to behave, so I am not finished with it yet.
So for now... It is in time out in a baggie on the back of my desk.....I couldn't get it to lay right nor did I like the way the finding were fitting together....I may have to take it apart AGAIN and restring.....

Thanks for looking. For more go to Lili's site and check out the comment section...

Through The Lens Thursday - Looking Up

Since most of my pictures are of jewelry or wildlife, I again went to my daughter in law for help. Below is my grandson, Tyler and my granddaughter Elfie "looking up"  The one of Elfie in the glasses, she is looking up over the rims...now how many of US have seen and given that look....lol! Kids are such joys...

Thanks for looking!

For more check out the Flickr group listed below!

Through The Lens Thursday is meant for self-improvement, so please….constructive criticism is welcome!

Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison of Writing, Wishingand I are doing this year.

Don’t forget to join our Flickr group or share your own posts if you’d like to follow along and work on your own photography! And use the hashtag #throughthelensthursday to connect with others working on it, too.

Next week’s prompt is LOVE (oh goodness).

July Art Bead Scene Challenge

This month we were tasked to come up with something using the photo "The Little Mermaid" by Edmund Dulac.

I decided to do something in crochet and found this wonderful underwater looking yarn at Walmart by Red Heart. It is called Macaw...but to me is seemed ocean themed.  I used sea themed charms along with green chain along the bottom. It is attached to metal chain using silver tone ribbon end caps. There is a claw closure on the end of the chain.

The crochet pattern is from allfreecrochet.com called Antoinette Vintage Statement Necklace by Premier Yarns.  I did do a couple of changes to make it work for me...but I really liked the pattern and will use it again I am sure!

The middle of the pendant is an under sea charm by Pamela Designs at  https://www.etsy.com/shop/imagebeadjewelry,  I love her designs and she is very prompt with special orders and shipment.

(My pictures are a little off...I have been dealing with a sick dog for three days and just snapped away....)

For more great pieces check out the link at Art Bead Scene .

Thanks for stopping by!

Through The Lens Thursday - Stairs

Since I don't have any stairs around to take pics of, I enlisted my daughter in law, Shelley to take a pic of my granddaughter, Elfie, on their stairs....Isn't she just the cutest thing!!!

Through The Lens Thursday is meant for self-improvement, so please….constructive criticism is welcome!

Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison of Writing, Wishingand I are doing this year.

Don’t forget to join our Flickr group or share your own posts if you’d like to follow along and work on your own photography! And use the hashtag #throughthelensthursday to connect with others working on it, too.

Next week’s prompt is LOOKING UP.

Gemstone & Metal Blog Hop 2014

OK...well the time is here for Gemstone and Metal blog hop that Lisa Lodge from Pine Ridge Treasures has put on.  She is so wonderful with all these challenges to really make us work outside the box.

I received Candy Jade to work with: (The triangular pieces were mine)

My first necklace I wanted to really work out of the box and try something with my Curly Q. (The pink "S"'s)  I wrapped the wire which I had then ran a stiffer wire through it to form it.  The green wire I had also.  My daughter who is modeling it likes it as her name starts with S, but I am not sure....to me it is to clunky...but might to a bit altering to make it more "flowing"  The earring have the same stones and I have better pics of them later.

The next necklace I did, I used my curly q with the seed beads already on the wire and the orangey/pink triangles I have had in my stash for ever...I think they work quite well.The seed beads are mine also as well as the silver cones...but I think it all came together fabulously. This set I really like and will put on Etsy.

This set I didn't have done for my daughter to model, but I was trying to use up the beads..The pendant and pink beads are mine. The green/pink are from the challenge....Again...I really like how "soft" looking this set is.

And this last shot is just close up some of the earrings.

I truly enjoyed this challenge and believe it or not, still have a few beads left....maybe save them for "bead soup"

For more great pieces hop over to Lisa's Page