My Creative Space - blogtoberfest day 20

 This week I have been using up some of my bead stash.
I'm sure you know what I mean when I say I have quite a stash!
And I'm sure more than one of you is guilty of having a stash of some kind - a fabric stash, a wool stash, a paper stash...or if you are like me you have many stashes!

So although I bought quite a few new beads last weekend I was inspired to revisit some oldies.

 I have had these hand made lampwork beads for so long I can't remember where they came from or who the glass artists are, so if you are a glass artist and you recognise your beads here please reveal yourself!

They are most sparingly used in bracelets.

While I was foraging in my stash I found these sweet little handmade glass drops. I remember using them for bracelets before but this time they became earrings...with some earwires that I bought ages ago for some long-forgotten project.

 I have sold quite a few pairs of earrings through madeit this week and I've had a craft swap to do ...but, shhh, I can't show you that yet!

 Here is some of my new bead stash and I'm dieing to do something with the green and orange beads!

If you would like to see more creative spaces or join in you can do so here.

You can find my weekly giveaway here.

Please leave a comment and I'll add you to the draw next Tuesday.

You can find blogtoberfest participants here.

Blogtoberfest giveaways are here.

Wordless Wednesday - blogtoberfest day 19

Bike ride along the Parramatta River bike path

I think this counts towards bloctobercise, started by Lori on her blog.

You can find my weekly giveaway here.

Please leave a comment and I'll add you to the draw next Tuesday.

You can find blogtoberfest participants here.

Blogtoberfest giveaways are here.

Joining in with wordless wednesday on Faith Hope & a whole lotta love's blog

And on Erika Price Designs blog.

And we have a winner...and another giveaway - blogtoberfest day 18

Thanks to everyone who took part in this week's giveaway!

The lucky winner is Nina! ra-ra! for Nina!


The next giveaway involves these sweet button earrings made from vintage shell buttons -

a stunning natural piece of polished chevron amethyst pendant -

and a beaded ring, this one has emerald, green and gold swarovski crystals.

Please leave a comment and I'll add you to the draw next Tuesday.

You can find blogtoberfest participants here.

Blogtoberfest giveaways are here.

Mad about patchouli - blogtoberfest day 17

I think I must be a latter-day hippie because I love patchouli!
I don't really know how it started, but I bought a rose and patchouli perfume a few years ago and I think that was the start of my obsession.
 

patchouli plant

Did you know that -
Patchouli is a plant of the mint family.
It grows in tropical climes.
Oil is distilled from the leaves of the plant.
Its essence has been used for centuries as a perfume.
Some describe its scent as pungent, mossy and musty.
It is the smell of the 60's?

Patchouli is a great partner for other scents, rose as I mentioned above and there are a few more here that I have personally experienced.

A couple of soaps from three of my favorite soap makers -

lime and patchouli soap from new earth soaps

patchouli lemengrass soap from inner earth soaps

orange bloosom and patchouli handwash from kussen

Kussen also has some patchouli shampoo which I might have to try.

And I found these divine candles made by a local team.

patchoili, lavender and rose candles by wyck

What's your favorite scent?

You can find blogtoberfest participants here.

Blogtoberfest giveaways are here.

And my giveaway is here!

A lovely day in the Gong and a challenge - blogtoberfest day 16

It was a beautiful day in Wollongong today -

I took Dear Daughter home and we walked along the beach.

The sky divers dropped in -

We went for a swim - it was cold!

Then we had lunch at The Pantry again.

I must say I enjoyed my prawn salad so much I could go back for more!

 Then we decided that we both needed to exercise more but lack motivation sometimes, so we set ourselves a challenge to do some form of exercise 4 times this week.
For me that could be going for a walk or a bike ride, doing some yoga or swimming.
For her - a run or a walk, a game of austag, gym class (gymnastics) or swimming.
4 times a week is acheiveable.
I keep you posted as to our progress!

You can find blogtoberfest participants here.

Blogtoberfest giveaways are here.

And my giveaway is here!

I've been shopping! - blogtoberfest day 15

....so I went to the Sydney Bead and Gem show.
I had a shopping list....

but I bought a lot of Oooh shinys that were not on my list!

...as you do!

Mainly glass beads and some turquoise-look stones -

More sparkly glass - 

Love these bright graduated stones -

Orange coral, howlite, more bright "smartie" beads, green heat treated stones, amazonite, green stones, moonstone (hard to see) -

 Fire agate, black agate, howlite, blue heat treated stone, blue agate, fluorite, lapiz, orange coral -

Yummy rough-cut rose quartz, amethyst, green kyanite, and natural moonstone -

Plus some hill tribe silver and bits and bobs.

I'm going to have fun!!!

Have you bought any supplies lately? Want to share?

You can find blogtoberfest participants here.

Blogtoberfest giveaways are here.

And my giveaway is here!

A spot of remodelling - blogtoberfest day 14

As I mentioned last week I've been doing a spot of remodelling, reusing and recycling.

This necklace had a dyed stone pendant which has lost it's colour. It has a mix of handmade lampwork beads, czech glass, kyanite, pearls and metal leaves.

It needed to be made into a bracelet strung on memory wire - the pendant got ditched!.

I also used some of the kyanite stones to team with these rounds of chrysocolla and czech glass, plus snakesskin jasper.

 Here is one of the necklaces I mentioned on day 7.

Its lovely moonstone drops have become a simple necklace when teamed with grey czech glass beads and some chain.

Plus the faceted apatite ovals with chain have a new life as a simple bracelet.

This bold green and aqua necklace obviously wasn't to everyone's taste - or anyone's!

So parts of it are now a fresh summery bracelet.

You remember on Day 6 I showed your some pendants I had made?
Here are the finished neckklaces that I made for last weekends fair.
They are fashionably long and strung on ball chain with a birdie theme or a parisian theme. There was one with a rose theme and another with love symbols.

Still in the long necklace mood, I made some key and crystal necklaces.

I have more to show you, but maybe that's enough for tonight.
How has your week been?

You can find blogtoberfest participants here.

Blogtoberfest giveaways are here.

And my giveaway is here!