Hello after 4 years!

I started this blog with every intention of not becoming a "blog fader" - yet that is exactly what happened!  It has been just over 4 years since my last post...wow, where does the time go?!?  Part of the issue is that life just got in the way.  Two moves, three different jobs, lots of new friends, and I still made time for beading.  I just never took the time to post new work, or even really think about blogging.  And that leads me to the other two reasons:  building a new habit is HARD, especially when writing is not one of your talents or joys!  Unlike beading, writing anything has always been a real chore for me.  I am going to make a real stab at it this time though, complete with a schedule for posting and a list of ideas for posts!  Having a reference like that always helps me.  Even with those assists...my posts will probably always be picture heavy.  That is just how my brain works, and who doesn't like eye candy of the bead and beadwork variety?!?

With all that being said, let me show you a sampling of what I've been up to for the last 4 years - my beadwork has really grown by leaps and bounds.  Can you tell the difference between these and my previous posts?  I sure can!  It's always educational looking back at your old work.

 This one features a borosilicate glass squid pendant by my favorite Knoxville TN glass artist, Shawn Bungo of Bungo Glass.  He is self taught, just like me, and I think our work goes together phenomenally well.  I have quite the collection at this point!

 This is the first of my Third Eye polymer clay faces that I made into a necklace - I love how this one turned out, but the shape was incredibly difficult to capture...lesson learned!

 One night driving from Maryville TN home to Knoxville, I drove (white-knuckled) through a phenomenal electrical storm.  Seriously, I have never seen anything so spectacularly illustrate the immensity of weather before or since.  I was immediately inspired to create this thunder and lightening necklace!

 The Man in the Machine is one of my favorites!  I made all of the polymer clay gears, along with the face, and it is beautiful on the back as well.

 I just love the color combination on this necklace.  This was a bit of a break through piece for me as far as composition too.

 This piece is full of experiments!  Experimental strap, ruffles, netting, brick stitch ring, and toggle out of bugles...I just love making a bunch of disparate components come together into a piece.

 Primordial is one of my favorite pieces to wear out on the town.  It is, in a word, EPIC!  I lusted after this ammonite for at least a year before I bought it.  The cut side of it was full of little druzy crystals inside of the chambers - but it was the back that really got me. 

 Just look at that texture!  It is so rewarding to bring a creature like this back to life.

Thank you so much for looking!  If I fall off the blogosphere again, please do pester me via my Facebook page or my Etsy shop - I really love hearing your feedback!