New Skulls & Bones

Trying to revamp some of my old favorites. Anyone who knows me, knows I have an obsession with anything Mexican. Particulary the Mexican Holiday, Dia De Los Muertos...Days of the Dead. So currently I am doing Sugar Skulls and Funny Bones...the sugar skulls I've done for some time now but this year I've made them larger and the elements raised rather then melted in. The bones are now colorful and with either dots or stripes. I'll be making these into necklaces for the upcoming festivals so I'll show you the final results later.

Bead of the Week Prompt...Cooking!

This prompt may be a bit strange. I had really intended to share a favorite recipe (which I will in a minute) from one of my favorite cookbooks (pictured above) but then I remembered how I've totally neglected my bead prompts. So lets just combine both! I told you this might be strange. Here is the prompt: cooking. How to incorporate cooking into a bead or jewelry design. Its so broad that you could really go off in many different directions with it. I'm going to keep this prompt for a few weeks since I have school starting and a show to work towards. Being that this prompt is so....odd.....I want to keep it for a while to let things brew. I'd LOVE to have someone or a few of you join me in this. I'll gladly link your blog or image so I can share what you've done too. Lets say have something by Oct. 3rd. That way you have time to create if you decide to join in!

Okay. Now for one of my favorite recipes:
Spanikopita
1. 10 oz package of frozen chopped spinach. Thawed and sqeezed of excess water.
2. 2 cps feta crumbled.
3. 1 stick butter
4. 1 1/2 cps chopped onion
5. 2 cloves minced garlic
6. 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
7. 4 eggs. I use one full egg with yolk and 3 with just the egg white. of course, I've completely omitted the eggs too and nobody seemed to notice.
8. 1 thawed package of filo dough. Thawing completely is the trick of using this dough

Saute onions in about 1 tab butter along with the garlic. Add dill to the mix. Add the sauted mixture to the thawed and drained spinach, add feta and eggs. Mix well and set a side.

Melt remaining butter. Butter bottom of a 9X13 pan. Mine is glass. Add filo dough one layer at a time. Butter each layer with your melted butter and a brush. Stack 4 or 5 layers and then add 1/2 of your spinach mixture. Add 4-5 more buttered layers of filo and then add your second spinach mixture layer. Add final 4-5 filo layers and bake for 30 minutes at 375.

Its soooo goooood.

New Beads

These are beads I've currently been making. They are substantial is size too. Again, not my typical color scheme but its nice to take a walk on a different side isn't it??




I'm thinking of putting them up in my Etsy shop...what do you think?? I'll hold onto some to make into something special however.

Etsy Blogger of the Month

Well. I'm new to the etsy blogger team and therefore a bit late in this post. I wanted to get in the groove of posting so better late then never right?? This etsy blogger is so fun! Memories for Life Scrapbooks is a great blog that showcases the art of scrapbooking all that is important to you. Check out her etsy shop for cool albums of all kinds!

Etsy Twitter Team Shop of the Week

Each week our team selects one of its members to spotlight. We tweet, we fb and we blog to give these shops some love and in hopes you will visit. Here is our latest Shop of the Week, Nikky Lee Designs....Great jewelry and amazing photography!

Arts at the Gardens

I can now exhale. We just returned from my weekend arts show at Sonnenberg Gardens and dinner at our favorite Thai resturante, Churi's located just down the street from us. I'm full, tired and ready for vegging out in front of the TV.

Of course I've been away from blogging and most everything else since I've had my nose to the grind stone in preparation for this show and for another one coming up in 2 weeks. School begins in a week and I have to shift my life from my summer mode to day job work mode really soon. Gosh, I'm just not ready but its always that way come late August.

I hope you will check in later this week and I should, and I mean should, have some items up in my etsy shop. Tonight is R&R and then bright and early planning for what I need to make for the next show.
Nighty night.....

Buttons & Bows....

These are a few of the funky felted pins I'm making! I just love them. Texture, line, color...glass, felt and beads!! These will be up in my etsy shop either later today or tomorrow. I need to get a few more photos before I put them up. Let me know what you think of them.

Oh, I teach this class a few times a year....Maybe you'll want to learn how to do this the next time I offer the class later in September! its always fun to see what everyones turns out looking like :)

365 Days of Inspiration

I just purchased this book and it arrived yesterday. Its for any creative spirit and it helps to keep the creative juices flowing. Of course, I'll have a hard time using the book as suggested (it goes by day...monday, tuesday, etc..) I find that I want to just do what looks like fun. But, I will try my best to follow as suggested (for a while). Today, being Wednesday, I will start on day 3. Crayon Therapy. So...I will buy myself a brand new box and play.

What do you do to keep your mojo flowing?

Linda Makes A Swirly Winged Heart

Linda Makes a Swirly Winged Heart

This is my first "How To" video. I think it came out pretty good but there is always room for improvement. I'd love to hear your feedback about this short clip so please leave a comment. By watching my approach to heart making, I hope it inspires you to make your own unique heart.

Due to time constraints, the video begins with a cone bead rather than watching me gather on the glass. I'll have this up on YouTube shortly....currently I'm having a little problem getting it uploaded there

Jewelry displays & glass cases for sale

This locking display hold beads and has mirror on two sides.


A great wooden locking earring display. As you can see it was from a jewery company but I use to put my business card right over it..I have these up on Craig's List so check them out if at all interested.

I'm in the process of cleaning my studio (an annual thing) and preparing for a garage sale. These display items were once retail store displays & I used them for sometime. I now need the space so I must part with some things that are taking up room.


I love these glass cases BUT.......I have to get rid of them. My husband has suggested this for sometime now and I'm a little more agreeable with his idea. These are up on Craigs List too. Absolutely nothing wrong with them. They just need a new home.