Mid-Week Mutterings - Final Touches on the Halloween Necklace

Cat Picture from Graphics Fairy

Well, I blew it - was going to enter at least one more thing for the April 2010 Bead Trends call and totally let it slip my mind over the weekend. I was so focused on black and gray lanyards I didn't think of anything else. But all is not woe and gnashing of teeth (which isn't good for teeth at all). The May 2010 call for submissions is up:

Bead Trends is currently looking for designs with the following themes for our May 2010 issue

* Quick & Easy
* Fashion Favorites - Features designs from a variety of styles and mediums that can be a personal favorite or necessary staple in any wardrobe.
* Birthstones (Emerald/Chrysoprase)
* Anything Goes - The beaded possibilities are endless and not just limited to jewelry. What about pillows, table runners, picture frames, lamps, clothing, candle collars, wine glass charms, and home decor. This category can contain jewelry and a whole lot more!
* For Mom - Jewelry is the perfect gift for Mother's Day!
* Necklaces
* Vintage styles - Vintage or vintage inspired jewelry.
* Simply "Charming" - All those fabulous designs incorporating charms and dangles.
* Eclectic Design

If you would like to submit your work to this publication, please e-mail a photograph, the name or title of your piece, and contact information to: beadsubmit@beadtrendsmag.com.

If submitting multiple pieces, please send a separate e-mail and photograph for each design.

Deadline for the May 2010 issue is 11:59 p.m. MDT, November 25th, 2009. All ideas should be your original work and not previously published.

We will review all submissions, and if selected, we will contact you by December 1st with additional information. All pieces will need to be shipped to us directly for photography and arrive in our office by December 11th. Your creation will be returned to you insured, after the issue has been printed.

I need to put something on my calendar in big red letters this time. Of course, with getting ready for my table at LosCon, I might end up having to pass on this one.

Today is the office Halloween pot-luck lunch and I finished my necklace last night - you may recall that the items for it were a Friday Pick last month, and that I posted a 'behind the scenes' look at what I was doing.

I've replaced the gold colored ends with gunmetal ones, and used a "Mighty Crimper" to fix them tightly to the rubber tubing (the other ends kept slipping off the gold tone ones that I tried to affix with glue - I'm certain I was doing something wrong). I also used a Chisel Tip Sharpie pen to color the wooden beads orange. I was tempted to try and draw a Jack o' Lantern face on them, but since they were already on the necklace, and I'd have to take the whole thing apart in case I messed up, I decided not to. Note to self for next time - color the beads before assembling the necklace.

But even after I'd taken the picture above, I still wasn't happy with it. So I simplified it way, way, down into this

It's ok, I guess, but definitely not what I'd imagined I'd be making. I'll keep fiddling with it some other time, but that's what I'll wear tomorrow along with my nifty pair of candy corn earrings from Lori Anderson Designs.


Oh, one other thing. I got a folding magnifying glass over the weekend. It is so wonderful. It's small, folds up into a nice flat rectangle that can be slipped into a beading tote and does a great job of helping me handle little fiddly things like the screws on Scrimps. And see the hole in the side in the picture below? That's a smart feature, too. The whole thing is 6.25" x 5.25" x 1.5" and was $5.99. Thanks Fry's!

That's it for now, hope to see you again tomorrow!