Blu Mudd Bracelet Bar Design Challenge

Go HERE to vote for your favorite.  But first please read about my design and journey.
Yipee, I got to play again with one of Moriah Betterly's Ceramic Bracelet Bars in her current Design Challenge for Blu Mudd Design Group on Facebook.  This one was a butterfly and is so cool.  Here is the bracelet bar I received.

I decided I wanted to do a stretchy bracelet with it and just needed to figure out what beads to use.  I love Carnelian and decided it would go great with this. So I picked out some Carnelian chips, some Hematite ovals and some Heishi White Shell discs to finish it out. The Heishi is a little whiter than I would have liked, but I couldn't find anything with that off-white look. I think with the other colors around them, they work. Then I went in to another bead shop closer to where I live and found these great orange-brown glass faceted squares that went great with the rest of the beads. I also wanted more than one strand so finally settled on a 5 strand stretch bracelet. I had some Dark annealed Steel wire that was great to make my own jump rings to attach the strands and decided that I wanted the 2nd jump ring to be something other than round, so used my new Triangle Wubber pliers to make the 2nd jump ring on each side. I love the look, although this is only the 2nd time I've ever worked with the stretch cord, but I don't think it turned out too bad. What do you think?  I love comments and suggestions so be sure to tell me what you think.
My friend, Karla of Texas Pepper Jams (they make the best pepper jams and fudge on Etsy) had come up for a couple of days to play so we used each other as sounding boards for our designs. And then of course decided that I needed earrings and a simple necklace to match.  So out came the toggle bar clasps and chain for the earrings. My Daughter in Law showed me how to make these a couple of years ago and I love the look. (By the way, Karla is her mother. LOL)  So I made some dangles out of the beads for the bracelet, attached them to 3 pieces of chain and hung them from the toggle bar which was attached to black earwires. I love them.  Then I wanted just a simple necklace to go with the set, so strung the Carnelian, Black Hematite, White Heishi shell discs and the Glass beads on some beading wire, making it long enough to just slip over my head.  I also added 3 more dangles just like the earrings for a focal for the necklace. I love the way the set turned out.  I'm still trying to decide whether to keep it for myself or put it up for sale.  How do you like my Blu Mudd Bracelet Bar Design set?  There is a contest on the Facebook group for the best design, so be sure to go there and vote for your favorite Bracelet design.  Plus let each of us know what you think of our designs.

And if you're looking for some Stained Glass, Mosaics or Fused Glass Kreationz for your home or garden or more of my Jewelry check out my shop, KayzKreationz.  Thanks for looking. 

Work around the Ranch, Deck flower bed replanted

We've finally been getting a ton or work done around our small Texas ranch.  We had redone the skirting/foundation around the bottom of the house in March, but had never gotten it done around the deck to completely close off the underneath of the house so we wouldn't get any more critters under the house. (Especially skunks, which always seem to choose the middle of the night to spray under my bedroom and wake me up.)  We restacked the rocks around the deck and then I finally got to replant my flower beds. I had some Rosemary that was supposed to be prostrate rosemary and sage there before, but nobody had told them they were supposed to stay fairly small and it had become a jungle. I transplanted it all, but alas, the Rosemary didn't survive. I suppose after being in the same spot for about 15 years, they had a right to be a little upset. I will now have to get some more Rosemary and plant out by the yard gate into the pasture, because I love my Rosemary.  I chose to replant with some Drift Roses that I know will stay fairly small, some Guara for the butterflies and hummingbirds and some daylilies.  I had found 3 at my local nurseries that weren't just your run of the mill daylilies like everyone else has, but couldn't find anything else, so I turned to E-Bay. I found 3 fantastic ones that hopefully will be gorgeous when they bloom next year. I had only wanted one more, but couldn't resist the other 2.  I got everything planted, found a large clay saucer for the top of the cactus bird bath (the original bird bath saucer had gotten broke), composted everything with some great compost from Bell County Regional Compost Facility and some mulch.  This is my newly replanted flower bed.  I wanted to make sure it didn't get too full and I didn't want to cover up all the great rock we put around the bottom of the deck.  It was a lot of work, but I'm really happy with it and can't wait to see it as it matures and all my daylilies start blooming next year.  The roses are already settling in and blooming.  Enjoy the pics.  This was before.

And this is after.

 

I'll try to post more pictures as it matures.  I love the way it turned out.  I make Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass kreationz for your Home and Garden, so if you're looking for that unique piece for your garden, check out my shop, KayzKreationz.