Beading Contest: Happy Mango's Trash to Treasure!

 "Green Mango Tree" Image from Happy Mango Beads

I got this contest email yesterday from one of my favorite on-line sources:  Happy Mango Beads.  They've put out the challenge to Go Green with

This immediately made me think of my bud, Susi D., and her Artsy Fartsy jewelry...I haven't seen her in ages so I hope we'll reconnect with this inspiration!!  We met at a
We met at a Del Ray Artisans show as I was ogling her fun, funky, amazing beads!

She makes them out of plastic from her recycling bin!!!  LOVE IT!!

Anyway, I digress...it is early this morning and I'm only a half a cup of coffee into my morning process.

Back to business:  Happy Mango Beads is having "Trash to Treasure" beading contest.

"Recycle, Repurpose, Rebead"

Click on the link to get the full set of rules, but the deadline is 15 September.

Here are the entry categories...

Trash to Cash - paper, plastic, bottle caps, etc.

Compost Happens! – natural, organic, sustainable
Is that my old windshield? – recycled glass
Heavy Metal – metals, old keys, interesting parts
No Earlybirds! – yard sale/second-hand finds revamped
I'm not a dang hippie, I just want to enter this contest! – trashy elegance


Sounds like a fun challenge to me...gonna break out some of those funky recycled glass art beads I have!

A Greenie Bead Giveaway!

Big kitty boy, Brando, my one-eyed honey, and I were sitting around this afternoon thinking about  new projects.  I told him that I really wanted to blog this afternoon.  He says, "Why don't you celebrate your big magazine achievements with a giveaway?"  Great idea, buddy!

I decided to dig through my stash and go with a green theme because the pieces in Stringing have green influences.  I started the bunch below with simple cut aquamarine nuggets, turquoise-colored resin disks, and recycled glass that's featured in those necklaces.

Then, I just started addingfrom the green drawer.  Let's see...on the stone side, there's prehnite, turtle turquoise, dyed bright green magnesite, ocean jasper, crazy lace agate, and green garnet and probably some other bits.  I threw in some felted beads, recycled glass, vintage glass and Czech glass.  On the handmade side, there's a pretty Artisan Clay ceramic link, a recycled bottle ring from Art by the Case, a sparkly glass green bead from Linden Avenue Designs, and a funky recycled glass bead by HMB Studios.  Oh, and there are polymer clay pendants that I made, too.  :)

I broke everything into two little boxes as the pile got high, so I'll pick two winners.

Help me celebrate having seven pieces published this summer and win some greenie bead nerd goodness!!

 All you have to do is leave a comment and tell me what your favorite color is to work with.  I always tend towards orange, or I thought so, until I realized how much green I have!

I'll randomly select two names from my commentators, so if you don't have a blog, please leave your address so I can track you down to send you the goods. Plus, if you blog about the giveaway, leave me a comment and I'll give you another shot in the drawing!

I'll draw winners on Sunday, 18 July at noon, so I look forward to hearing from you!

Whoo hoo!!!

Beer & Nut Jewelry

I have a test in the morning on joint air campaign planning.  Yep, a four page essay on the command and control of our country's air power...should be a cinch, right?  haaaaaaaaaaaa  Apparently I'm on a study break.  In honor of my little snack time, here are some of my newest pieces....

These earrings have all the beer and nuts you need!

The brown glass rings are recycled from bottles...from Art by the Case

Purple enameled headpins from SueBeads

Nuts from Brazil.  :)

Of course, a matching necklace would be great, right?

This necklace is copper cool.

The big copper toggle is from Artbeads.com.

The purple stone focal and crazy lace purple beads are from my random stash.

Most importantly, the recycled brown glass ring is from Bronwen Heilman.

Many thanks to my friend, Anne-Marie who did some proxy shopping for me out in Santa Fe.  :)

Oh, and there are lots more Brazilian nuts!

These beer-nut specials are in my etsy shop.  :)