Coral and Seashells

You know how much I like playing with those paper fig shells.....

This one is the perfect off white color to match the off white coral in this necklace.

The pink coral is so feminine and pretty, and gives it just a little POP of color.

It's just a small shell, and so cute....

and hangs just right!

But the bracelet.....

still needs some work.

The bead caps slip against this slick bumpy groovy shell.

I have to take it apart and rework it. I love the design of it, love the carved coral, love the pearls.
I dislike the way the bead caps slip! of course they didn't slip until I started taking pics....

You shouldn't be able to see the hole. So, it's back to the drawing board on this one. I do have an idea, though. I can fix it!

Hubby and I went fishing Sunday, and it was a beautiful day on the lake!
I'll show you my pics tomorrow!

Are You Ready?

For the weekend? I sure am!
Because I just renewed my fishing license for fresh and salt water!!!

On Sunday we have plans to hit one of our freshwater lakes (and there are MANY!) to drown a few worms and see what's biting. Let's hope the weather behaves and we don't get rained out. When a storm blows in and you are out on the lake in a boat or pontoon you would swear you were in the middle of the ocean. The water gets choppy, and "waves" come up over the sides and drench YOU and the boat. Been there done that a couple of times, and I don't want a repeat. I'm hoping for a nice sunny morning, and I'm sure as hot as it's been we won't stay out all day. It's not like I can take a dip, or go for a swim in any of the lakes around here. Some people do....but I prefer not to dangle any body part in gator territory. Nor will I lean out over the railing. Alligators can propel themselves straight up out of the water about half their body length. And they are stealthy, too. You won't even know he's there until it's too late.

No sireeeee. This gal does NOT swim with the gators!

Cause I need my arms and hands to make pretty things :D

This sharks eye bracelet turned out pretty cool. It would look better on the right size wrist, though.
This will fit a 6 1/2 to 7 inch wrist....I'm thinking probably 7. I want to try it on Laci and see. It's nice to have different sized wrists in the family to check these on! It sure beats measuring and guessing, or second guessing myself :P

 
These beetlenut and mother of pearl shell beads accent this shell beautifully. I really love the naturalness of this bracelet. I added some gunmetal spacers between each bead to compliment the dark swirl on the shell, and finished it off with gunmetal wire guards and toggle clasp.

I've been playing with leather and olive shells again ;)

This one has some nice big large hole pearls, and is on brown leather cord. An extender chain and lobster clasp make it fit larger sized wrist, too. It fits a 6 1/2 inch to about an 8 1/2 inch wrist.

 This olive shell is on a braided leather cord, and is just a simple bracelet.

 My husband really likes this one. It's more manly and rugged looking, and totally his style. I like it, too!
It's cool! This fits a large wrist...about 8 1/2 to 9 inches.

Next up I have a pretty pink coral necklace and bracelet....

Next time!

Have a great weekend!!!!

Beachy Seashell Lava Stone Bracelets

I have been feeling oh so beachy, and summer isn't over yet! We still have weeks of beach weather left, and it only gets better ;) I love the beach year round, not just in the summer.

But before I get off track, let me show you what I have been up to!

These starfish shaped lava stone beads are so cute and beachy! I love these colors together, and they go so well with this kings crown shell. I used some of the same ceramic beads that I used on this necklace, and added in some amazonite, and tiny teal glass beads.

I used a mermaid toggle clasp, and it gives it the finishing touch I was looking for. I have been holding on to these toggles forever!

I thought it would be fun to try to drill a puffy sand dollar and see what happened.....

Such a neat under the sea bracelet, don't you think?! I used some beads that I frosted last year, and didn't use. They look and feel just like seaglass! A little 3mm faceted glass bead in capri blue accents the starfish beads. A mermaid toggle on this one, too!

And lastly, for now (I do have a few of those starfish beads left!)....

I drilled through one of the small paper figs that Cheri sent me! Some freshwater pearls between each BLUE starfish bead add a lovely accent. This shell isn't as yellowy as my pics make it look, it's more of a soft beige maybe. A very light tan I guess.

A cute fish toggle finishes this beachy bracelet off nicely. These do lay much better around the wrist than they do flat. Taking some of these pics was more difficult than drilling shells.

I have a few more bracelets to share/show, and a couple of necklaces. 
I'll be back soon with another reveal!

Daytona!

I love going over to Daytona once in awhile, and since The Cannibals had a bout over there this past weekend, Papa and Mama Bulstrode (hubby and I) took off for the east coast.

This is the bridge that goes over the Oklawaha that I mentioned in my last post. See the little side road over there? That goes over to the boat basin, or Ray Wayside Park where we launch our boat to cruise the Silver River.

 A road trip to the beach isn't complete without a fresh bag of hot boiled peanuts! MMMMMMM!

We travel state road 40E all the way to the beach. It ends right at A1A in Ormond Beach.

A right turn and a couple of miles and we are in Daytona!

On the way to the bout, I saw this sign....

Beach St. is NOT near the beach!

The bout was intense and my daughter Shae Militant Bulstrode was a Jammer a few times, did some blocking, and was also Pivot.

Here's my girl in the green tights!

and here!

Blocking here...

and Pivot here.

You don't even want to see ALL of my derby pics of her. There are a bunch!

Erin Go Brawl, Militant Bulstrode, and Lil Looney

Shae Militant was awarded MVP for best Pivot, Loony for best Jammer, and Erin for best Blocker!
See the sign behind them that says "Sin Bin"? That is the penalty box. Sintral Florida Derby Demons call their penalty box the Sin Bin lol. It was a tough bout, and Sintral won with a score of 148 to 68. Those chicks are fast, and they start in a junior roller derby league when they are little girls! It was FUN though!

After the bout, we skipped the after party and went to dinner :)

There are hotels in Daytona that are still under construction several years after the hurricanes wiped them out.

Like this one....

I'm amazed these buildings are still in shambles, but some have been completely torn down the damage was so severe.

We decided to just stay the night.....

and enjoyed sunrise along with our morning coffee.

I love how the buildings are reflected in the wet sand. I remember when there weren't any high rises on Daytona Beach.

 Now it's time for Dave -N- Del to get back to work!

Over the River

If I didn't have such a great time, I would say my road trip was a complete bust. But, the Florida scenery and having Momma P with me made my trip very much enjoyable regardless of the fact that I didn't get what I went after.

We crossed the Oklawaha, and then the St. Johns (twice!) before finding the location of my idea of Xanadu. A magnificent shell shop stock full of everything from air plants to sea fans! Unfortunately, they were closed....and it wasn't mentioned on the home page of their website that they are ON VACATION this week. You have to dig through the pages of their website to discover this tidbit of info.

We did have a great day, saw several places we'd like to visit again, and had a superb lunch at Aunt Catfish's Fish Camp. A quaint little eatery in an upscale little plaza, with great food. I had catfish of course, one of my faves, and some alligator. The gator would have been better had it been tail meat, and yes there is a difference. My uncle made the best deep fried gator tail there ever was! Some cooked greens of some kind would have completed my meal, but two kinds of coleslaw sufficed.

I did find their light fixtures to be interesting enough to snap a few pics.

Pretty cool, huh?

Old milk bottles suspended in a framework with chandelier type lights in the center. Nifty, man!

I would have loved to get more/better pics of the art on the walls, but people were starting to stare I swear. (What? Haven't you ever seen a blogger in action before???)

Some old Florida photographs blown up and framed were on the walls. I didn't get pics of every one of them. It was really cool, though.

Since I can't take pics and drive at the same time, this is all I got. I know, so sorry. I do plan on having hubby drive us over that way one day, and I will be the passenger!

If I can't find my supplies this weekend, I won't be participating in the Great Glitzy Hack Off :(
So, tomorrow I am heading to Daytona to search the shops....and while over that way, there is a derby bout between the Sintral Florida Derby Demons and the Ocala Cannibals. I'm so excited for the bout!!!
Go Cannibals!!!!

A Sanibel Summer

I have been playing with those Paper Fig shells that The Shell Lady sent to me last month. If you missed it, you can see that post here. I made a tropical necklace with one of them to commemorate where she found them. I still thank her in my mind each time I see, hold, or use one of her shells! Thank you Cheri!

This Paper Fig is just as pretty!

I sanded the edge nice and smooth, and hit it with a coat of clear gloss.

The bail is gold plated, and it hangs on a bright brass chain.

I made the little flower with flower part beads, a leaf bead, and a tiny pearl. A nice little feminine touch.

This shell makes a nice size pendant, and just whispers summer to me.

I really enjoyed playing around with this shell, and making this necklace!

Simple, summery, and feminine! Some of my favorite things :)

I have a few more ideas for Paper Fig Shells, and I can't wait to complete and share them.

Thanks again Cheri! These Paper Figs really made my summer!

The Sun and The Moon

The Sun fuels me with it's fiery orb high in the sky.

Glowing and sending heat into my soul.

Forever my warmth and strength.

Burning and making me whole.

The Moon guides me with it's bright glow.

Lighting my path.

Keeping me in step.

With nature and myself.

Sun and Moon shells gave me inspiration this past weekend. I smoothed the sharp edges, and added a few coats of gloss.
The inside of the shells are very cool.

I especially like the inside of the moon shell. As white as the newly fallen snow.
This necklace is reversible, too.

These will be in my Etsy shop soon!

I'm heading out for a road trip today! There are some things I must find, and they aren't in my town... I've already checked. I'm hoping to participate in the Great Glitzy Hack Off over at Life in Rehab. No, not THAT kind of rehab! Hop on over to Sunny's blog and see what I'm talking about ;) Maybe you'll want to make something too!

I have a cute paper fig shell to show you!

See you tomorrow!