The first week of December 2007, several people from White Stone Church of Powell, TN, traveled to the island Haiti to join with Poor Children’s Assistance Project (PCAP) to minister to the thousands of orphaned children in that country. This was the third time our church sent a team of their members to help, and their mission this year was to complete construction on an orphanage and school in the rural mountain area of Kamtin. White Stone Church will continue to assist PCAP in the coming years by adopting an orphanage in Haiti that the mission team visited on this last trip that houses 12 sweet little girls.

I want to help with this mission, and since it is the season of giving, it is fitting time to begin giving a portion of all purchases to help with this worthy cause! From now on, I will be donating 10% of the money from your purchases to this orphanage! Also, I ask that you please pray for our church and these 12 little girls as we minister to them in Jesus’ name.

Blessings to all in 2008,

Debra

One of our favorite family traditions during the Christmas season is to watch the Fountain City Christmas Parade! No matter what the weather, we bundle up, grab the lawn chairs and camera and head to Broadway! This year we had a little drizzle of rain, but that didn't dampen our spirits, we still had so much fun!

There are always plenty of floats, cars, bands and much more! This year we saw lots of celebrities like Robin Wilhoit from WBIR television, the Mayfield cow, my husband's cousin as a candy cane queen and of course Santa! When it was all over, we came home with tons of candy, smiles and memories to hold dear for many years to come!

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year!

Blessings,

Debra

These clever earrings have double the swing with two sets of dangles; you also get two pair of earrings for your money! They can be worn with both sets of dangles or replace the butterfly backer with a plain one and wear just one set! The picture are the right is an example of how they look with one set of dangles! These earrings are loaded with glam; they really sparkle and shine, and would be perfect for any party! The lavender beads at the bottom are 10mm, the AB crystal beads are 6mm, and they are suspended from sterling silver ball and post earrings with lots of silver chain! Adding to the glam, they are a very long length; the front dangle is 2-1/4 inches, the back one is 2-3/4 inches!

Special Offer!!!! Free Shipping!!!!

When you purchase two or more items from my shop and I'll ship your order free of charge! This offer is good until midnight December 31, 2007 (EST)! Just put *free ship* code in the note to seller and wait to pay for your order so I can adjust the shipping fees!

You will say be still my beating heart when you see this necklace! Made with two sterling silver elongated oval chains they are similar in shape but different in size and texture. The larger style chain has an alternating pattern of smooth and textured links that are 3/4" long. The smaller chain is delicate and shiny, and copies the shape of the larger one! But the focal point of this necklace is the Swarovski crystal heart! This gorgeous crystal heart is lovely shade of rose pink and is 15mm across and in length! It is suspended on the chain with a simple sterling silver leaf shaped bale.This necklace is 18-1/5 inches in length and has a large lobster claw clasp that makes it easy to take on and off! The Here Is My Heart necklace will be sent to you enclosed in an organza drawstring bag, which is suitable for gift giving or storage! You will find this necklace and much more in my Etsy store, just click on the link to the right side of my blog to go there! Thank you for looking!

It's cyber Monday and I'm offering a FREE pair of Swarovski crystal earrings to all customers who place an order with me today! This offer is good until midnight EST, one pair of earrings per customer please! In addition, if you purchase two or more items today I'll wave the shipping fee on the second item, and any additional items there after, and you still get those FREE earrings too! Please put the code "Monday" in the notes to seller and wait to pay so I can adjust your shipping charges!

To see the sterling silver matrix ring pictured in this post, just click on the link to my shop on the right side of this blog! Thank you for looking and happy shopping!

A 25mm carnelian round pendant on a 2mm black leather cord necklace specially made for Ceallaigh!

Hearts Desire Beading Company 2008 © - All Rights Reserved

Stop by and visit The Blue Heron, a wonderful antique shop in the heart of Clinton, Tennessee! It is located at 1124 Melton Hill Circle in the heart of the business district of this quaint little town. This shop is a great place to find antiques, vintage items, and Heart's Desire jewelry too! Peggy Pace is the owner of The Blue Heron, and she is currently open on Saturday and Sunday only! Stop by and tell her you heard about her shop on my blog!

On a recent trip to my local bead store, I found this lovely rectangle shaped piece of African Turquoise. The soft muted turquoise green colors of this stone are just gorgeous, and it has a wonderful matte finish too! There is a curved vein of a deeper shade of the same color on the right side of the stone; it draws your eye from the side of the pendant to the fancy handmade bale.

I made the bale with sterling silver wire, and wove into a basket weave effect. To finish the piece, I put three beautiful swirls in the front for even more drama! This necklace comes on a double cord of black leather with handmade sterling silver findings! The pendant is 2 inches long and 1-3/16 inches wide, and the leather necklace is 17-1/2 inches long. It is a bold piece of jewelry; it will make a statement when you wear it!

To view the African Princess necklace and much more handmade jewelry, click on the link to my Etsy shop on the right side of this blog! Thank you for looking!

It's fall and you can hear the sound of acorns regularly dropping from the many oak trees around the house. Blue Jays battle for their share of the crop, bringing back memories of the sounds of my childhood and my grandparent's home. Oh how I love the wonderful sights, sounds, and scents of this season!

These lovely little agate earrings reminded me so much of acorns, they were begging to be called that! With their rich brown color, round shape with a swirl on the bottom, and especially that fancy bead cap, what could be a more fitting name! The agate beads are 8mm, topped with a Celtic copper bead cap all on a copper swirl headpin. The Acorn earrings are 1-1/2" in length, the 3/4" dangle hangs from a handmade round earwire.

The focal point of this necklace is a beautiful 15mm round agate bead in a deep, rich red-brown that also reminds me of acorns! There are also touches of mauve, and cream it's gorgeous stone! Add in a fancy filigree bead cap, and a sweet little swirl on the bottom, to complete the look! The agate pendant is 1-1/4" in length and is suspended on a double chocolate brown leather necklace with coordinating copper findings! Total length of the necklace is 16-1/2 inches. Click on my Etsy shop link on the right side of the blog to see these earrings and the matching necklace! Thank you for looking!

Hearts Desire Beading Company 2008 © - All Rights Reserved

Beads On A Mission

In just a few weeks several people from White Stone Church will be traveling to the island Haiti to join with Poor Children’s Assistance Project (PCAP) to minister to the thousands of orphaned children in that country. This year our church will be sending their third team of their members to help in completing construction on an orphanage and school in the rural mountain area of Kamtin. I want to help with this ministry, so I will give all of the money from your “Beads On A Mission” purchase to the Poor Children’s Assistance Project. You can find out more about White Stone Church at their website http://www.whitestonechurch.org/

What Does PCAP DO?

PCAP was started over thirty years ago by pastor, Nicolas Louis Juste, and he operates this ministry in a country full of unimaginable poverty and disease, helping orphans and elderly people. PCAP provides the basics for life: food, shelter, clothing and medical care, as well as clean drinking water for the community.

Pastor Nicolas and PCAP have started:

Twenty-seven churches, serving over 6000 people,
Twenty-three schools, educating over 5000 children
Five orphanages housing over 300 children

A Fitting Purpose

Last summer my friend Jessica went on a mission trip to Uganda, there she purchased several necklaces for me from the local women. These necklaces were handmade by Ugandan women in the sowetto village in Kampala, Uganda. The women make these colorful Kakwanzi beads (Kakwanzi means precious beads) from paper cut into strips, which is rolled into tight beads and glued. They are finished with a sealant and are hung in the sun to dry! Then the beads are strung together with tiny seed beads to make lovely necklaces and bracelets! I thought it would be fitting to take the proceeds from these Kakwanzi necklaces, made by wonderful Christian women, to help poor and starving orphaned children in Haiti!

You will find these necklaces and many more listed in my Etsy store, just click on my link on the right side of this blog! Once you've made it to the shop, you can click on the "Beads On A Mission" section on the top right of my shop!

Thank you for looking!

I love the beading groups I belong to, they inspire and encourage me in so many ways! This hot little suede number is my answer to the current Tranquil Beading Oasis challenge! Chilies! Natures little fire crackers, and our favorite way to set our mouths on fire! The suede is a perfect chili powder color, and coordinates with the focal bead that has a copper foil center. This bead is 7/8" round and is flanked by two peachy triangle shaped beads. The copper beads and wire accents match the center of the focal bead and the hand forged hook holds the bracelet securely on your wrist! This bracelet is 8 inches long, perfect for wrists sizes 7" to 7-3/4". This hot little number will be sent to you enclosed in an organza drawstring bag, suitable for storage or gift giving! Thank you for looking!

Love gold and smokey topaz, they pair together so well! As promised, I am making more things with gold-filled wire these days. This lovely ring was a special order, but if you would like one, please contact me! I'll be happy to make one especially for you too!

I've been given a new title by my friend Sue at SignatureSterling on Etsy! She called me "Wire Working Queen" (or WWQ for short) after she saw this bracelet listed in the promos! I'll take that as a great compliment, because I really love working with wire! Thank you Sue! :)

A curving trail of wrapped copper wire travels across the substantial topaz colored glass focal bead, much like a walking trail. This copper trail draws your eye across the focal bead to the two leaf shaped foil lined beads on either side. For a change of color, I added oval amber glass beads wrapped in more copper wire. This bangle bracelet is 8-1/4" and should be comfortable on wrists ranging from 6 1/2 inches to 7 1/2 inches around. There is a sturdy hook that holds the bracelet securely on your wrist, and it is easy to open with just one hand. You will find this bracelet listed in my Etsy shop, just click on my shop link on the right side of the blog to see this and much more!

Thank you for looking!

Hearts Desire Beading Company 2008 © - All Rights Reserved

I seem to be in a copper frame of mind these days, and this is my latest listing in that metal. These copper earwires remind me of fiddlehead ferns as they push a frond up from the ground all in a tight little ball. The great thing about these earwires, they are interchangeable, so you can change your style as you like! I lightly hammered the swirl flat for extra strength. Thanks to JavaBead from the Bead Hive for the idea for these earwires!The dangles are hand forged from heavy copper wire and hang gracefully from the earwires. The bronze saucer shaped glass beads and the copper tube beads slide slightly on the forged wire like beads on an abacus. Thank you for looking!

This is my answer to the current Bead Hive Challenge - Storm At Bay!

I fell in love with this stone when I first saw it at the Expo, and just had to buy it! Turquoise jasper is a dyed stone and the colors in this particular pendant are spectacular! This round pendant reminds me of how the sky looks as storm clouds move in from the horizon! For such a beautiful stone, I had to make a very special bale to complete the look. This sterling silver woven wire bale was lovingly created in the Eni Oken style. Once the bale was completed, I oxidized the sterling silver for a beautiful antiqued effect.

The turquoise jasper round is 1-1/2" across (35mm), with bale included; the pendant is 2-1/4" in length. The 2mm black leather cord necklace has handmade sterling silver findings and is 17-1/4" long. It will be hard to part with this necklace, but I know you will love it as much as I do! It will be sent to you in an organza drawstring bag, suitable for gift giving!

This necklace is currently for sale in my Etsy shop, please click on the link on the right of my blog to view this piece and much more! Thanks for looking!

I love Eni Oken's designs, her work is so intricate and innovative! She inspires me to try new things every time I see a piece of jewelry she has created. This captured agate cabochon is one of Eni's many designs, it took several hours to make and was definately a labor of love!

This beautiful agate cabochon is very large (45mm x 35mm) and has many subtle shades of rust brown in a fine line pattern crossing the stone at an angle. I wove very fine copper wire into intricate netting, which holds the cabochon tightly onto a sturdy copper frame. The woven bale is large enough to accommodate a heavy rope chain or large leather necklace, it's width is 1/4". Altogether, this bold pendant is 2-1/8" in length and 1-1/4" wide.

You will find this pendant listed in my Esty shop, click on the link on the right side of my blog! Thank you for stopping by to see some of my work! Enjoy!

Every few weeks the Bead Hive offers a challenge to it's members to help them come up with creative jewelry, and get them out of the same old rut! "I Dream of Jeannie" is the current theme to inspire our group! These sweet little earrings are my answer to that challenge!

A round fuchsia Swarovski bead is the focal point of these earrings. Daisy spacers and comet bicones all on sterling silver complete the look! I think they look like little tassels! They would go perfectly with Barbara Eden's "Jeannie" attire. Oh, Master! Will you buy them for me!

Look for them in my Esty shop very soon!

In one of my previous posts I showed a pair of copper earrings like these without the stone suspended in the center. The copper earrings were just a trial run! After learning the technique, I really thought they needed a little more umph! These turquoise teardrop shaped stones fit perfectly into these earrings!

Big, bold, beautiful, these earrings are not for the faint of heart! If you like making a statement with your jewelry, these are for you! I hand forged the sterling silver base wire and carefully wrapped it with a smaller gauge sterling wire. I used 20 gauge sterling wire to make rounded earwires so they are durable and sturdy. If you have never had a pair of earring with round earwires, try them! I find that they stay on much better than french wires!They are 2-1/8" in length, the dangle is 1-1/2" long and it is 1-1/2" at the widest part. The earrings come to you on a display card and is enclosed in a organza drawstring bag.

They are listed in my Etsy store, click on the link to the right of the blog to view my shop!

Hearts Desire Beading Company 2008 © - All Rights Reserved

While at a bead show in Cincinnati this summer I happened upon a wonderful vendor who had a grab bag full of various beads. This necklace came from that very bag of lovely beads!Five strands of hand crocheted copper wire, supporting many different kinds of beads in many sizes, shapes and shades of black, gray, white and crystal. There are snowflake obsidian, howelite, faceted black Czech, glass and crystal beads. This handsome necklace is 21" long with copper cones and lobster claw clasp. This necklace would look wonderful with a suit or dress up a t-shirt. You will find this necklace and many other pieces of my jewelry in my Etsy shop, just click on the link on the right side of this blog!

Hearts Desire Beading Company 2008 © - All Rights Reserved

I love dichroic glass, the colors just amaze me! For anyone who doesn't know about this wonderful glass, it was originally made for the space program. Through a special process, (I will try to give you a short version) the manufacturer adds a thin coating of different metals to the surface of the glass. Each metal makes a different color and shifts to another color. These special coatings protect the astronauts while in space by their reflective qualities, while allowing them to see out of the vehicle. This glass is so durable, you can actually drop it on the floor and it will not shatter! Although, I would not recommend doing this, (even diamonds will shatter), you don't have to worry if you drop your dichroic glass jewelry!

This wire wrapped pendant will be listed on my website very soon! Check out some of my other new listing by clicking on the link on the right side of my blog!

With the lack of rain here in east Tennessee, it seems like it's on everyone's mind these days, including me! We are more than 16 inches below our annual rainfall, and the lawn is brown. Guess that's why I think these turquoise teardrop shaped beads look like raindrops.

Turquoise is another of my favorite stones, right up there with rose quartz, and amethyst! On our last trip to Ohio, I found these lovely sky blue turquoise teardrop shaped beads in my favorite bead store in Toledo! I just couldn't resist them!These beautiful stones are wrapped in lots of sterling silver wire with a sweet swirl at the end. 1-5/8" in length, the dangle right at 1" all on a sterling silver earwires! They are listed in my Etsy store, just click on the link on the right side of the blog.

Hearts Desire Beading Company 2008 © - All Rights Reserved

Do you know a new mommy who isn't traditional, someone loves fun and funky jewelry? Well then, I have a bracelet just for her! This is one of my custom made mommy bracelets made for a friend who didn't want an everyday, run of the mill bracelet to show off her new son's name! Let me know your favorite color, style, metal and the baby's birth month and I will come up with something that is uniquely yours! Go to my Etsy store (link on right side of this blog) and click on "contact" to order something special for you or a friend!

I would appreciate your input on these earrings! In one of my many jewelry magazines, I saw a pair of earrings which I loved! They were very similar to these, the only difference is the magazine earrings had four small briolettes hanging off the bottom section. I started making them without the stones, and kind of liked the way they looked. What do you think?

Last weekend was so very hot here in east Tennessee, with temps close to 100 degrees and sunny skies with almost no clouds, one starts to look for simple ways to cool off and still enjoy the outdoors. So all my men (husband and two boys) and I headed for Norris Dam to play in the creek by the grist mill and to do a little fishing too! The kids caught two tiny fish which we threw back to catch another day! They didn't care, they were just excited to catch what David called "whoppers"! I guess they would seem that way to a five year old! It just felt wonderful to put your feet in the cool water and enjoy God's beautiful creation!

I love the soft blue color in this sodalite pendant, it's like the color of a worn pair of blue jeans! My husband says it looks like a blueberry lifesaver, hence the name!

The sodalite doughnut is "stitched" onto a 20 gauge sterling silver wire frame with a very fine, (almost hair width) gauge of ss wire, adding in 2mm ss beads for an interesting accent! A very time consuming process, but with very wonderful results! You will find this piece is for sale in my Esty shop, click on the link found on the right side of this blog!

This style of wire wrapping jewelry is new for me, it is a technique from Eni Oken. Thank you Eni for your great ideas, your jewelry is to die for!

This is a sad and happy day all rolled into one! Another milestone in our family's life, it is the first day of Kindergarten for our youngest child, David! So David, in honor of this momentous occasion, I'm posting one of your latest jewelry creations! Hurray for Dave the Brave! We love you so much!

Wire wrapped stone jewelry has always fascinated me, so in the spring I took a wire wrap class at the local bead store! This is my first attempt at making a pendant! Loved the color variation in this stone, even though it is very large! Think I'll keep this one for myself! I will be adding some of the wire wrapping I've done since the class, check out my Etsy store for future items!

When I was 8 years old, my grandmother gave me a sterling silver charm bracelet! I loved the sound of the charms jingling as I moved my arm, I felt like such a big girl when I wore it! This Cha Cha bracelet has plenty of jingle with over 35 handmade dangles, each with a little silver swirl at the bottom. The base wire for the bracelet is 14 guage silver plated wire, and is wrapped with a finer guage silver plated wire. The fine wire makes the loops that the dangles hang from. Fun and flirty, this bracelet will make you feel like a big girl tool! You will find it listed in my Etsy shop, just click on the link found on the right side of my blog.

More rose quartz and peridot, these earrings go with the necklace in my previous listing on July 31st. Sterling silver round earwires with a dangle that is 1- 1/8" long. I love the round earwires because they stay in without those little rubber stoppers. Light weight and easy to wear, these earrings are listed in my store. Click on the store link to your right!

Hearts Desire Beading Company 2008 © - All Rights Reserved

On a recent trip home to Waterville, Ohio, I stopped in one of my favorite bead stores: Meant To Bead! I love their selections, the staff is always helpful, and their prices are good too! They had these cool flat ceramic beads, in these beautiful colors (love turquoise and copper together)!Then I remembered a interesting ring I had seen in a magazine, and well it was meant to bead! Lol! This ring is listed in my Etsy shop, click on the link on the right side of the blog to view the shop or the ring!

A few years ago my mom gave me a tiny gold bangle bracelet that I had worn as an infant. It was something she had saved for me, and I will always treasure it! Do you know someone who has just had a baby girl? Consider this sterling silver initial bracelet as a gift, it will become a heirloom too!

Swarovski crystals in the baby's birthstone color will frame the child's initials in sterling silver alphabet blocks. There's a sweet little dangle by the lobster claw clasp that is made with the same Swarovski birthstone crystal. This adorable bracelet is all sterling silver and is 4 1/2" long.

If you are interested in ordering a baby bracelet, please click on the link to my Etsy shop, I have this little bracelet listed in there! Make sure you read the description of the bracelet, because there is important instructions for ordering in it!

Peridot and Rose Quartz Necklace, my latest custom made item. I love pink and green together, they compliment each other so well and remind me of springtime! This necklace is 16 1/2" long, with a 2" sterling silver extender chain. There is a small rose quartz and peridot dangle at the end of the extender chain. The rose quartz pendant is on sterling wire with a swirl on the bottom and a peridot Swarovski bicone on the top. Lots of sterling spacers are added in between the peridot chips for a little bit of sparkle. Loved this combination so much, I had to have one myself!