Let's do something with shells!!!!

Happy Saturday morning peoples!!! Brrrrrrr.....Mother Nature is really enjoying herself with us folks here on the coast in Alabama. She's making us wear socks with our flip flops...hehehe.  It's 47 right now and to us that's freakin frrrreezing peoples. That's alright though cause it means our humidity is low and that's always a good thing. ^_^

I've been asked to teach a few craft classes this fall and winter at Beach Reflections and the Blue Mermaid, the little gift shop I help out at so I'm going to let YOU be my guinea creatures (umm didn't want to call anyone a pig...hehe) So let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions on classes that I could teach...well...speak up peoples...let me know!!

Living at the beach means lots and lots of beach walks, which means lots and lots of shells being taken home. I thought a few projects using those shells and making some keepsakes would be a good thing to do. Also, since Christmas is getting closer and I know AGAIN with us living at the beach that a good bit of folks like to use a beach theme for their decorating. Heck fire...even those that don't live here but still have a love of the beach like to use shells too, yes?

Let's get started with the first project I want to show you. This is what I call a "Mermaid's Kissing Ball". Everyone needs a mermaid kissing ball or two or three. Here's what you'll need to complete this project:

Glass ornament ball

shells (of course)

hot glue gun and glue sticks

toilet tissue tube

hemp or twine

Nicole's beadbacking

Scrap Paper

Scissors

Yes peoples, you saw one item correctly.....a toilet tissue holder. If you don't like repurposing them then you can make the base for this project out of heavy cardstock. I LIKE to repurpose items.....keeps them out of our landfills and saves me money. ^_^  (remember....starving artist here most of the time)

This is going to be the base for the kissing ball so you need to decide how tall you want it to be. Decide...then cut it down. You need to make a smooth straight cut so use a ruler if you need to and don't discard the other end. You might want to use that too but I'll explain a little further down in the directions.

Next step is to take the hemp or twine and wrap it around the tube. Be very careful cause we all know how HOT hot glue can get. Start with a small bead of glue and attach twine then run a small line close to the bottom edge and start wrapping. Run a small line of glue and then wrap...small line of glue and then wrap. Okay...I think ya get the point!! Once you have wrapped twine all the way to the top run a small bead of glue on the inside of the tube and attached the end there. It's going to be hidden so ya don't have to get fancy.

Take the tube and place on a sheet of scrap paper and trace around it. I know the twine is there but if you hold your pencil straight up then you will be able to trace a perfect circle. Take the cut out paper circle and place on top of the beadbacking and then cut out the circle that we are going to glue to the base. Makes it look finished and neat. Run a thin line of hot glue on the base of the tube then simply sit the tube down and gently press. If you need to do any trimming then wait until glue is dry and then just trim. (it's alright, we all have to do that sometimes)

Before I go any further I know some might be asking "Regi...what is beadbacking?"  OMGOSH...I can't believe you had to ask cause it's a wonderful product that every crafter should have on hand. It has a thickness that works wonders not just for making base bottoms like we are here but can be used for so many projects. Flat bead work, embroidery, canvas for drawing, painting or stenciling and I love the fact that you can not only use glue on it but you can sew on it too. Like I said.....great product to have on hand!!

Now that the base is finished let's start the FUN part shall we. Using those lovely shells you have. For my kissing ball I used dog whelk shells. Just love their texture!! For this I used the other end of the tube (see why I told ya not to discard) to hold the ball while gluing shells on. I didn't want to get glue on the finished base peoples...I know how messy I can be..hehe. DO NOT glue the ball to base until project is completely finished.  Taking your pencil once the ball is sitting on the tube, mark around the top of the tube (bottom of the ball) so that you will know where to stop adding shells. You can of course add all around but really no need to since we are going to be gluing the ball to the base once finished.  Look through your shells and pick out ones that will fit around the top (like in the second photo). Once you have that first roll picked out then it's time to glue. Put a good dab on the ball and then place shell on top and hold for just a second or two. Do this til your first roll is complete. Next, dig through those shells and find ones that will fit and look nice glued in between the first roll (as in third picture) Start gluing and repeating this step until you have glued down to your marking line at the top of the base.   Once all rolls are done simply take some smaller shells and fill in any gaps. Now....you can glue the ball to your finished base.

To add the hemp bow to the top I ran a piece of hemp under the wire that would normally be used to hang the ornament. I then took about 2 arm lengths (that's how I measure peoples. HEY...it works for me. An arms length measurement is taking the end of the hemp in one hand and pulling your arm straight out to your side, shoulder height, and the other end will be at your chin.) Take this and letting about 2 inches fall down as an end tail, start making a bow. I just make this kind by wrapping the hemp back and forth from one side to the other and holding it firmly in the middle as I do this. Remember to leave about 2 inches on the other end as well. Take a small piece of hemp and tie in the middle of the bow as this will make it easier to handle when adding to the ball. Take bow and lay on top of hemp you run under wire and knot several times and then trim those ends to match bow ends. Now is when you can use one of your broken shells if you want to. I LOVE my broken shells!! I glued one to the middle of bow just to make it even prettier.

Now...you have a Mermaid's Kissing ball. Make several to place on a mantle or even to use as a centerpiece on the table in the foyer or dining room.  I kept this one simple so that it can be used  year round but you can add so many different embellishments to give it what ever holiday look you want. You could also use different size glass or wooden candle holders to give them a different look.

I hope you will make your own Mermaid Kissing ball now and I also hope you enjoyed this "How to". I love sharing ideas and projects and I hope that it's one that will get some interest for one of the classes I will be offering at the shop. ^_^

Until the next time...........Hugs,
Regi


Tomorrow I'll be showing "How to" make a shell cross!!!

Take a moment....to remember them!!

D-Day is the military lingo for when an operation or event will take place. Most think of D-Day as one event, Operation Overlord that happened on June 6th, 1944. The largest amphibious military operation in history. The heroism and bravery displayed by troops from the Allied countries on this D-Day should always be remembered!!!

Happy Friday to YOU and thank you for stopping by. I hope today is just the beginning of an adventurous weekend. ^_^   Mine will be getting off to a slow start since the Chazman decided he just couldn't go to sleep last night (yes...he is a night owl. can't imagine whereeee he gets that from..hehe) and decided to sit up until 3:30ish and play one of his strategy games. So being the nice, sweet, caring momma that I am....I'm going to let him sleep until 9ish and then his hiney is getting up so we can be off exploring.

Since I have some time before I drag, pull, use ice water get him up, I'm going to work on some more necklaces. These are going to be mermaid tails. I just love the broken whelks and conchs that show their inside swirls.

Ohhhhh....I forgot to show you what I made the other day for *ahemmm* myself. Well....I like to wear pretties too ya know. I like wearing the top and sides of my hair back and letting it hang down. I use to use scrunches and now I use bobby pins. So much you can do with bobby pins but they are soooo boring and plain. Sooooo, I made some non boring ones and got so many compliments on them. I'm thinking of making more sets to put in my Etsy shop.

Yeppers...I even made some matching earrings.

Yesterday I spent time going through some new shells (thank you Diane) and came up with some new designs. I was able to get four done and I LOVE them all. My muse was so so happy happy happy yesterday.

I used natural polished hemp rope (I like the polished because it doesn't scratch like regular hemp can), a scallop shell for the base. Oliver shells and a broken conch for the sunflower or would that be olive flower, hehe!! Coquina shell for the butterfly. The rope part is 19 inches (yeah, don't know what happen to that extra inch) and has bone beads and polished amber quartz stone beads. Did you know that amber quartz represents warmth and brings out creativity and also is believed to bring relief from burnout and give a joyful outlook? I love using healing stones!!

This beauty is 22 inches long and is of course made from the polished hemp. I used a scallop as the base with a large piece of barnacle for the focal. There is a natural piece of coral poking out from the barnacle with two polished rose quartz beads and a tumble quartz stone.On the rope are more polished rose quartz beads. Rose quartz is believed to heal one's heart from pain and disappointment.

Now here's one that I would put in my mermaid inspired pieces. I LOVE it!! I think of bubbles when I see it because of the circles that are in the design. All created by Mother Nature too. I do not paint my shells...I just use as the gift they were given to me as. This one is on a 18 inch hemp rope. The shell medallion is about 4 inches long, that's from the top of the shell to the bottom of the wee tiny vial. A scallop shell was used as the base. On top are a piece of coral, kittens paw, moon shell and another scallop shell. Don't ya just love those natural circles on it? Me too.The vial holds sand, tiny auger shell and tiny conch from Gulf Shores. I used tiny rose colored Swarovski crystals and polished clear quartz stones on the rope. Clear quartz is believed to bring clarity to your communication and amplify your thoughts, which may assist you by stimulating clearer thinking. We can all use that....clearing thinking!!

Here's one of my whimsical ones using one of my handmade manatee clay charms. They have such sweet lil faces...ya just want to pinch em. (ya know...like Grandma use to do when she hadn't seen ya for so long..hehe) This one is 20 inches long. That measurement, on all of my necklace, is the actual length of the rope part....the medallion will add more length to the whole piece.....of course. A scallop is the base with a kitten paw and moon shell attached. A tiny scallop shell fans out on the top. Simple but pretty black acrylic beads and Tibetan beads were used on the rope.

I had FUN yesterday and plan on having even more today with designing. I hope that your day is filled with everything you love to do. OK...well....perhaps you can't do everything you love to do but at least try and pick one.

Until next time............Hugs,
Regi

Tacky Jack's...Here I come!!!!

It's official and I'm floating, dancing, cheering, hand pumping in the air and WOOT WOOTing from cloud nine. Yes, I really am doing all those things and at once. (great accomplishment for the gal that can't walk and chew gum at the same time..hehe) Tacky Jack's.......HERE I COME!!!!

Tacky Jack's in Gulf Shores, AL

1577 Alabama 180

We love this location...there are four all together. The other three are located in Orange Beach, Ft. Morgan and on Battleship Parkway in Mobile...all of which I'm sure are just as awesome. I really love this one because sometimes (and not often) if you happen to be there at the right time you might get a glimpse of one of the original mermaids or as some others like to call them, sea cows. A manatee.  That's one of the reasons that their elevator tower is painted with this amazing underwater scene. Mural artist, Dwight Kirkland, painted this one and man oh man is he one talented artist indeed. The other reason that the tower was painted with this scene was for the Manatee sighting network to help raise money for research for the manatees in the Gulf of Mexico. They are a protected species so if you ever encounter one of these gentle creatures....look but do not touch. (yes...its against the law to have any contact with one) My muse is whispering that since this location LOVES the manatee (ahhemm and so do I) and it's where my jewelry is going that I might want to think about making a clay charm of a manatee and using it with my shell necklace designs. What do YOU think?

Now I'm very, VERY excited about being selected to be one of the local artist featured in this new endeavor that Tacky Jack's is pursuing, it's such an honor...an honor indeed!! I'm also very excited that these are not commission pieces because they purchased them outright. That's a very good thing and if all goes well then they will be ordering more in the future. (fingers crossed) This is a wonderful opportunity to get my name out there too...a bit scary but a good scary. 

Here are the ones they purchased for the opening of the local artist corner. Now remember, if you're in the area after next week then by all means please go by and eat (some AWEmazing food by the way), enjoy some great service and then wander down to the gift shop, look and buy!! ^_^ Ohhh..don't forget to walk down to the pier....ya might just spot one of those mermaids. 

Until next time...........Hugs,

Regi

Shell jewelry pieces for (fingers crossed) Tacky Jack's gift shop.

School is out and all the traffic has begun....hehe  That's alright though because we love our visitors that come to enjoy our beaches. Such a boost to our economy this time of year....everyone shopping while on vacation.

You already know that I have some pieces at Beach Reflections in Gulf Shores and (fingers crossed) I'm hopefully going to have some pieces at one of the Tacky Jack's gift shops here. I have been contacted by one of their buyers twice and I'm hoping she will like the selection I have made so far. Boy oh Boy have I been one busy bee. ^_^

Love the glass vials with the beach sand. Perfect keepsake to give or to get. You may not be able to keep your toes in the sand all the time but you can at least keep some close to your heart.

Some of my shell designs. I added more to these in the form of beads, natural stones and vintage jewelry pieces.

Can't forget the earrings...they like to be dressed up too, eh? I'm working on some more earrings using auger shells. Ya know....the shells that look like unicorn horns. Well...they do to me but then we all know what kind of VERY overactive imagination I have. Now....back to work!!!!

Until next time...........Hugs, (and keep those fingers crossed for me..ppplease)
Regi

Time for another beach walkabout.

Ohh it's going to be a beautiful weekend and a beach walkabout is going to happen during it too. I hope. Fingers crossed!!

I need more shells for my jewelry pieces. My collection is down to almost nil and that just won't do. I did get some medallions made with the ones I did have and this weekend will get them put together. I hope they are going to be at the souvenir/gift shop in one of the Tacky Jack's here. I hope and fingers crossed again!!!

I have a few more that I'm working on as well using my larger glass vials and some auger shells. So love auger shells....they look like unicorn horns to me ^_^  Perhaps there truly are tiny unicorn seahorses living deep in the ocean depths.

I hope that you have a wonderful Memorial weekend and please...at some point this weekend....stop and say a silent Thank you to those that gave their all or even a part of themselves to keep our freedom and way of life.

Until next time..........Hugs,
Regi

Whatcha doin?

It's a really dreary Tuesday, yes? My heart, thoughts and prayers are going out to all the folks that have been affected by this nasty weather.

Since it is so dreary.....outside....I'm planning on making it shine up in here in my art studio!! Have already been through my shell stash (and I really have got to plan some beach walks and SOON) and my fabric stash. (well....some of my fabric...I have a good bit. HEY, a gal can never, EVER have to much fabric). I plan on making some of my shell necklaces as well as some of my fabric flower pins. (might even combine some shells with the fabric)

Hope you're planning on having a terrific Tuesday. If the sun is shining where you are enjoy and if it's raining.....go out and dance!!!

Until next time...........Hugs,
Regi

Do you know what BEACH can mean?

I hope that you are having a great weekend and a wonderful Sunday afternoon. We are spending the day just resting and trying to recoup from a very stressful week. Some days are the perfect ones to just stay in your PJ's all day, ri iight??

This will be a short post since I am "resting" today but I wanted to share with YOU that I have listed several new items in my Etsy shop. Since I love that you come to visit with me I also wanted to let ya know that for a short time.....until March 17th....that you can receive 20% off when shopping with me. That's what the title for today is all about. Do YOU know what BEACH can mean? It can mean 20% off......so use it at checkout and start shopping!!!

Until next time........Hugs,
Regi

Happy FAT Tuesday!!!

WOW....the weekend flew by and the parades were a blast. There are more parades today since it's FAT Tuesday but with the weather being overcast and the temp only at 39 (but feels like 34) we are just being couch potatoes today.

Yea....the mister even had the day off and I think he is enjoying just sitting and watching TV (even if it is through closed eyelids at times...hehe) and playing his solitaire game on his phone. The Chazman is still in that horizontal pause mode so that makes the house fairly quiet, which I'm taking full advantage of and working on some jewelry pieces. The first ones I did......earrings!!

 Cockle shells with aquamarine stone beads

 Cockle shells with bronze shell charms

 Moon Shells

 Dyed pearl, polished Jade stones, arc ribbed shells

Same pair as above but with shells turned around. Like having two different pairs in one. 

Once I start working on jewelry pieces I have a VERY hard time stopping. I blame it on my slave driver muse but to be honest....I just love making things. Therapy peoples....therapy!!!  After I finished with the earrings I made some more medallion shell necklaces.

 Three pretty scallop shells all in a row, coquina shell (butterfly), seed & bugle beads, rose quartz beads on a burgundy rope (20 inch) with stainless steel twist closure

 Three pretty scallop shells all in a row, coquina shell (butterfly) seed & bugle beads, glass beads and faerie glitter beads on a small twine brown rope (22 inch) with stainless steel closure.

 Pretty scallop with broken moon shell and two kitten paw shells on a black hemp rope (20 inch) with toggle closure.

 Pretty inverted scallop shell with natural coral and moon shell inside along with one of my wire bone fish on a natural twine rope (24 inch) with toggle closure.

Petrified mermaid tail (broken conch shell really) with two Swarovski crystals on a seed & bugle bead necklace (26 inch) with toggle closure.

As of this posting, these pieces are still available. It seems that I have some awesome friends that have been swooshing by and buying these before I can even get them in my Etsy shop or at Beach Reflections. That's a good thing though. ^_^  If you are interested in any of these please let me know by leaving a comment and your email address so that I can reply back. 

Now........I think since it's starting to sprinkle a bit and the house is so quiet that I'm going to put on a pot of tea and read for a bit. I might even sneak in a horizontal pause. 

Until next time..............HUGS,

Regi