Captured by the sparkle.

I saw these vintage chandelier crystals on the front page of Etsy one day, visited Sweet Little, and made an impulse purchase. I don't know what I'll do with them, but then, that's sometimes what happens with impulse purchases, isn't it?

For now, I'm content to put them in a glass dish and look at them from time to time.

Photos from Sweet Little

I hope your 2009 is filled with wonder and a whole lot of sparkle.

Cheers!

Lazy days.

Mark has been off the last several days. We've done a few things around the house, taken N. to see Bolt, and been generally lazy. I haven't done any beading, but earlier in the week I did get things straightened out in my studio. It's nice to be somewhat organized again.

I made this bracelet a few y ears ago. Pink crystals and seed beads.

Today I finished a book and started a new one. N. has been busy playing with his toys and Mark is watching football. It's been great to have some down time. Tomorrow it's back to work.

Season's Greetings.

Best wishes for you and yours this season!

Cozy.

I'm glad we don't have anywhere we need to go today. Looking outside the wind is fiercely blowing and snow is piling up in new drifts.

Beaded mitten made by my aunt Corinne

Indoors I'll be cleaning and cooking in preparation for Christmas. We are hosting this year and I'm planning to make lasagna, starting the second batch of sauce today. If I can get my studio organized, I'd like to do some bead work. I have an idea for a pair of earrings that I'd like to try out.

Or I could abandon the organizing plans and just curling up with a good book and cup of hot chocolate, looking up at the Christmas tree lights from time to time.

Snow day!

Flower beads.

Maybe I'll think of something to do with these while I'm off work next week.

Even though the listing aptly described the size, for some reason they were larger than what I was thinking. Has that ever happened to you?

Flurries.

My cousin also beads. Last year I asked her to make snowflakes from an old Martha Stewart kit that I'd had for a long time but never worked up. There are some basic snowflake instructions on the MS site if you're interested.

She made up four of them for me. I have three photographed for this post. The one in the photo above is gigantic.


See how large that first one is? I could hang it in a window. This year N. wants it on the tree.

It seems as though winter is here already.

Let it snow.

All the snow we've had around here put me in the mood for a snowflake necklace. The basic pattern comes from a book I have, but I expanded on it a bit. Being that it's almost all crystals, it's very sparkly.

Mellisa tagged me with the 7 random facts meme. I think I am running out of random facts about myself. We'll soon find out.

1. I am totally into the holidays this year, probably because I didn't feel well at this time last year. The house is decorated, the tree is trimmed, presents are wrapped and Christmas music is playing every evening. In fact, I think this is going to be a holiday themed list. And I'll check it twice. :)
2. My Christmas cards are addressed, stamped, and ready to mail. They have been for two weeks. I'm waiting a little while longer to mail them.
3. I love hot chocolate, but I don't drink it very often.
4. I keep forgetting to buy candy canes for our tree. When I do remember, all I seem to find are weird ones, like yellow and blue SpongeBob candy canes. Does SpongeBob scream Christmas to you? Me neither.
5. There's eggnog in my refrigerator right now. For years I would buy it for Mark, which is funny because he doesn't like it and never has. This year I bought it for N to try.
6. Our pantry is looking pretty bare because N and I raided it this morning for food pantry donations his school is doing. Yesterday I'd brought in a bunch of food for the food pantry donation my work is doing. I should have planned that better and split up the food.
7. I'm going to buy some supplies after work to make these button ornaments with N. He loves to sew.

Play along if you'd like.

Tis the season.

This is the ornament I received from Tamy in the ornament exchange. Pretty, isn't it? That was a fun exchange. Tamy is giving away more handpainted ornaments. Check out her blog for details.

It's snowing here today. (Too bad my snow boots haven't arrived yet!) N is all caught up with his spelling homework for the week, so I think tonight we are going make ornaments and drink hot chocolate. Maybe we'll put in a Christmas movie, too. Doesn't that sound cozy?

Snowflakes and snow boots.

After a very nice Thanksgiving weekend during which we ate too much, spent time with our friends, celebrated our 12-year wedding anniversary, and put up the Christmas tree, we woke up to snow this morning. The snow reminded me that I wanted to show you what I made for the my partner in the 2008 Blogger's Ornament Exchange.

I love making beaded snowflakes for some reason. In this exchange, you send an ornament to one person, but receive one from someone else. I'll show you what I received after I take a picture of it.

Last night we went through our snow boots and found that none of N's fit him. I ordered a red pair for him online. Then I decided that I needed a new pair of boots, too. Mine are probably more than ten years old and they only come up to a little above the ankle. That means that here in Chicago I usually end up with more snow inside my boots than I'd like!

And then, because I had a $25 coupon, I made an impulse purchase.

I don't usually wear white shoes, so hopefully these won't seem too white to me.

They're whimsical and fun. And also easy to return if I don't like them in person.