Sunday, October 27, 2013

OctoberFest or What do you do for Fall?

A while back, Rita/JewelSchoolFriends challenged us all to do something for Fall.  It could be pictures, jewelry, bead-making, recipes, whatever.  Then we were to post it on our blog.  I love fall, so I signed up to participate.  Growing up in the Ozarks of Missouri, I love fall.  I love the colors of fall, the changing of the leaves, the cool, crisp weather (although I'm always cold) because it gives me a chance to wear my sweaters.  However, living here in Texas for the last 37 years, there's not a lot of color change here.  I really miss all the reds, oranges and yellows of the leaves when they change colors.  However, we recently spent a week in New York and guess what?  The trees/leaves were changing.  I loved it.  I thought, what a great addition to my Octoberfest post.  So here's a few of my Fall/Octoberfest photos to delight with. 


I also love to bake cookies, muffins and such in the fall.  Here's a recipe I found that looks delicious. I'm getting ready to try these. They're called Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. They sound wonderful and look wonderful, too.  I love the smell of baking in the fall/winter and especially pumpkin.  So here's the recipe for anyone that wants to try them with me. (These may turn out a little dark, so try lowering the temp to 375)

Ingredients

    • 4 Eggland's Best Eggs
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
    • 1 to 1/2 cups canola oil
    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
    1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full.
    2. Bake at 400° for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Yield: about 2 dozen muffins.


 
Plus, I was able to take a class on fold-forming and enameling recently and love the way these turned out. I call them my Fall Leaves.  I really like the orange/red color from heating with the torch to anneal and then enamel.  I've got a couple of ideas for them and just need to find the right beads and the time to try it.

Plus one last picture.  I love Fall/October for the Mums, too.  I recently saw this great pot of Mums and had to have them for my porch.  They'll go in the ground later, but for now, I'll keep them on my porch.


Hope you enjoy my Fall/Octoberfest post.  Here's a list of all the participants.  Hop by to see what they like about Fall/Octoberfest.
Caroline                                       http:// Carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
Andrea Glick-Zenith                     http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/
Dolores Raml                               http://craftydscreations.wordpress.com/
Karla Morgan                               http://TexasPepperJams.blogspot.com
Susie Harris                                 http://jewelleryjunkie.blogspot.com/
Susan                                          http://libellulajewelry.com
Mischelle                                      http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com/
Billi                                               http://billi-rs-rothove.blogspot.com/
Kay Thomerson                           http://kayzkreationz.blogspot.com/
Jean Yates                                  http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/
Kelly Hosford Patterson               http://travelingsideshow.blogspot.com
Kathy Lindemer                           http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com
Liz E                                            http://beadcontagion.blogspot.com
Jasvanti Patel                              http://jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com
Christie Murrow                           www.charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com
Jodie Marshall                             http://marshalljodie.blogspot.com/
Andrea Trank                              http://heavenlanecreations.com/
Dini Bruinsma                              http://angazabychanges.blogspot.nl
Elsie Deliz Fonseca                     http://ladelizchica.blogspot.com/
Pepita                                         www.pepita-handmade.blogspot.com
Karla Morgan                              http://texaspepperjams.blogspot.com/
Kathleen                                     http://99bobotw.blogspot.com/
Vera Lynn                                   http://veradesigns.blogspot.com/
Rana Wilson                               http://ranaleadesigns.blogspot.com/
Catherine King                           http://catherines-musings.blogspot.com/
Lily Vincent                                 http://thecreativeklutz.blogspot.co.uk/
Janice Hidey (Janimar)               http://drawingthelinesomewhere.com/
Cory Tompkins                           http://TealwaterDesigns.blogspot.com
Candida Castleberry                  www.spunsugarbeadworks.blogspot.com
Cynthia Kent Machata                http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com/
Alicia Marinache                         http://www.allprettythings.ca
Linda Anderson                          http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com
Leah Curtis                                 http://beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Reno (JenRen)              http://jenrenjewelry.blogspot.com/
Robin Reed                                 http://willowdragon.blogspot.com/
Tanty Sri Hartanti                        www.tjewellicious.blogspot.com
Lisa Lodge                                  http://gratefulartist.blogspot.com/
Ingrid A.                                      http://lilisgems.wordpress.com/
Judy Turner                                www.silver-rains.blogspot.com
Gina Hockett                               http://freestyleelements.blogspot.com/
Nelly May                                    www.smellynelly.blogspot.com
Tanya McGuire                           http://tanyamcguire.blogspot.com/
Ahowin                                        http://www.blog.ahowinjewelry.com
Sonya Stille                                 http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com
Pam                                            http://www.klassyjoolz.blogspot.com
Carol D.                                      http://dillmansdallies.blogspot.com/
Asri Wahyuningsih                      http://asribeadwork.blogspot.com/
Ginger Bishop                             http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com
Janine                                         http://www.esfera.me/travel/blog/travel-stories
Shaiha Williams                          http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/
Toltec Jewels (Rita, your hostess)  www.JewelSchoolFriends.com
And if you're looking for Stained Glass, Mosaics or Fused Glass Kreationz for your Home and Garden or some of my Wire-wrapped, Beaded Jewelry, check out my shop, KayzKreationz.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

ZNETshows Keychain Lightning Round

Another great ZNETshows challenge. I was contacted a few weeks back by Hope of Crafty Hope and ZNETshows about doing a lightning round challenge with their Keychain hooks.  The idea was, we pick out 2 beads and they'll send them along with some of the keychain hooks for us to design something with.  They got delayed a little because the keychain hooks were out of stock. But I finally received them last Thursday and got to work.  I ran into a snag with my first design and am still working on it, but I got my other 2 designs finished and am presenting them here for you to see and let me know what you think.  I chose these Black Matte faceted glass bead crystals and these Orange and Cream faceted glass rondelles crystals.  I wired wrapped and attached to some silver chain I had, the Orange and Cream crystals along with some black seed beads and oval beads I had.  I attached those 3 to the bottom of the Black Faceted Crystal and Orange and Cream crystal and then attached everything to the Keychain.  This is my Black and Orange 'Chained' keychain, zipper pull or purse bling.  I prefer them as purse bling. 

My second design is my 'Tribal' keychain, zipper pull or purse bling.  Again, I prefer Purse Bling. LOL.  I hammered the end of silver colored wire, then strung the Orange and Cream crystals, the Black Faceted Crystal the and the black seed beads and oval bead I had on one of each of the 'tribal' wires. I then hammered the other end and did a simple loop to attach them to the keychain.  In between each of the 3 'tribal' wires, I hammered more silver colored wire in shorter lengths, did a simple loop and attached them in between the 'tribal' wires.  I also wire-wrapped one of the Orange and Cream crystals and attached it to the loop on the bottom of the Center 'tribal' wire for a little more dangle and bling.  Hope you like my Keychains/Purse Bling.  They are available for $17 each with free shipping till the end of the week.  Just comment here on my blog if you're interested.


KayzKreationz Purse Bling, Zipper Pull, Keychain

For more of my Beaded Wire-wrapped Jewelry and Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass Kreationz for your Home and Garden, check out my shop, KayzKreationz.