Sleek, Shimmering, Style...
Glamorous Button Pearl Earrings

Sleek, shimmering sterling silver stick earrings with creamy white button pearls. A wonderful gift for the bride to be, or anyone with a June birthday!

Sterling silver bars were hand forged a texture hammer and anvil into these glistening sticks that reflect the light with your every move. A small post was soldered on and creamy white freshwater pearls were added. They move gracefully on handmade sterling silver earwires and measure 1-1/2 inches in length from the top of the earwire to bottom of the earring.

When caring for your pearl jewelry, always remember this rule: Last on, first off! This will assure that the nacre will not be damaged by perfumes, make-up or hair spray.

Thank you for looking!

Blessings,

Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

Marriage of Metal ...
Classic Hoops with a Twist

Sterling silver hoop earrings with a twist of copper for accent, the perfect marriage of metal for everyday wear! Each of these hoop earrings starts with a sturdy base of sterling silver wire that is hammered for strength. Then a handmade wire wrapped copper bead is added for a wonderful focal point. Both hoops are then lovingly wrapped with very fine gauge sterling silver wire that gives them loads of added interest!

The Marriage of Metal hoop earrings are 1-1/4 inches in length from the top of the earwire to the bottom of the copper bead, and they are 7/8 of an inch in width.




For those who love the warmth of copper, I have created Copper Hoops with a Twist. Handcrafted with coils and twists of copper wire, they have a wonderful ethnic flair! The earwire is also made of copper wire, but if you prefer, a sterling silver earwire can replace it at no extra charge.

Both of these handsome hoop earrings would be a excellent addition to your everyday jewelry wardrobe!

Many thanks to Julie Sigmund of JewlieBeads for her wonderful tutorial! Thank you for looking!

Blessings,




Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

From My Kitchen to Yours....
A Family Favorite, Death by Chocolate Cheesecake

For as long as I can remember, my mom has made a delicious pumpkin pie with a cheesecake layer at the bottom. It is her signature dessert for the holidays, and it is wonderful! Well I, being a true chocoholic, like to throw a little chocolate into the mix of desserts, and you might say this is my signature dessert for all special occasions! This cheesecake has gone to more parties, family gathering and bake sales then there is time to mention and I am happy to share this decadent Death by Chocolate Cheesecake recipe with you for the upcoming holidays!

Death by Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust

1-1/2 c. chocolate graham crackers crushed into crumbs (one stack should do)
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter melted

Put graham crackers into a 1 gallon Ziplock freezer bag and crush into fine crumbs with a rolling pin. Place crumbs into a mixing bowl and add sugar and melted butter and mix together. Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 10 inch springform pan.

Cheesecake Filling

2-8oz. packages of cream cheese softened
3/4 c. plus 2 Tbls. sugar, divided
1/2 c. cocoa powder
2 t. vanilla extract, divided
2 eggs
1 c. semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
1 8 oz. container of dairy sour cream

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Beat softened cream cheese, 3/4 c. sugar, cocoa and 1 t. vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl on medium speed. Add eggs one at a time and beat until blended. Stir in by hand chocolate chips. Pour into prepared crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven to wire rack; cool 15 minutes.

Now, increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F.

In a small bowl mix together sour cream, remaining 2 Tbls. of sugar, and 1 t. vanilla, stirring until smooth. Pour over baked cheesecake filling and spread smooth. Bake 10 minutes in a 425 degree F oven. Remove from oven to wire rack, and run a knife gently around the edge to loosen cake from the sides of the pan. Cool completely; remove springform side of the pan. Chill in refrigerator for several hours before serving. In the rare event that you have any leftovers, store them in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Blessings,

Dad Life ....

Our pastor is doing a series on "What Makes a Man" and this YouTube video opened the sermon at church on Sunday. It is too funny and I just has to share it with you! Be prepared to see the essence of the man you love in it, and smile! Love you, Honey! Love you, Dad! Yo, these greens got nutin' on my man-scape....ROFL!


Blessings,



P.S. The Grove posts sermons on the church's website each week. If you would like to listen to Scott's sermon, click on the "What Makes a Man" up above to take you to the page!

Accountability...
and a Garnet Ring

One week ago I read a post on my friend Gayle's blog, This Artist's Journey discussing her desire to stretch her metalsmithing muscles and get out of her comfort zone. She revealed how easy it was to stay with "what is familiar, easy, comfortable" and how hard it was "to dive into metalsmithing head first without looking back to my beads for comfort." As I read her post it struck a cord deep within me, it was as if she had read my mind!

For a very long time I've wanted to learn how to bezel set stones, and finally this spring I took a metalsmithing class and learned how! It was a wonderful class with an inspiring teacher who taught himself how to make jewelry. He shared volumes of information with the class; it was an opportunity of a lifetime! When the class was finished I felt confident in changing my jewelry designing style. But something happened along the way, self doubt crept in and thoughts of what if I ruin the silver, what if I make another mistake, what if no one likes my designs and how can I risk failure? Does any of this sound familiar to you?

Well, at the end of the post Gayle ask "Anyone with me in trying something new instead of taking the easy way out???" and I just had to respond, I needed someone to be accountable with! My reply in the comments section was, "We were given talent for a reason, and it is wrong not to use it! It is time to get off the sidelines and get into the game! Maybe we should start an accountability group, what do you think?" It was time to move ahead, and not look back!

So here is where the metal hits the anvil so to speak! I've started out slowly with this simple little garnet ring as my first response to the challenge from Gayle! It was inspired by the book These Happy Golden Years, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In the book, Almanzo Wilder ask Laura to marry him and gives her a garnet and pearl ring as an engagement ring. Although I do not know exactly what the ring looks like, I am sure it was simple and lovely. This is my little nod to that engagement ring, although it is much more modern in style, it is simple and lovely!

I must end this post with a challenge to you. Are you stuck in a rut with your art? Have you stayed with what was comfortable just because it works, but you dream of doing something on a much grander scale? Well it is time to get off the sidelines and into the game! Find someone to be accountable to, step out of your comfort zone, look for encouragement, and do what you dream of doing!

Your dreams are waiting.....

Blessings,


Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

A Change of Seasons
Autumn Jasper

Warm peach, burgundy, rust, olive green and a touch of gray all blend together in this lovely autumn jasper oval pendant. These gorgeous warm colors will go with many of the current fall fashions!

The Change of Season necklace has a hand woven copper wire bale with two tiny swirls is done in the Eni Oken style. The bale has been oxidized and then buffed for an antiqued finish. The autumn jasper stone is 1-13/16" x 1-3/8" (45mm x 35mm), and when you include the bale; the pendant is 2-3/8" in length. To complete the look, the pendant is suspended on a coordinating 4mm wide burgundy suede necklace that is 18 inches long with handsome handmade copper findings.

Thank you for looking!

Blessings,




Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

Stunning Prasiolite
- and childhood memories

Prasiolite is one of my personal favorites; it brings back memories of a childhood fascination of mine. When I was little, my family visited my great aunt and uncle's home quite often. My great uncle worked in the factory at Libby Glass for many years. During his tenure there he acquired many large chunks of glass, which he used as decorations in his backyard gardens. These chunks of glass had a divine, green color that I fell in love with! Prasiolite's pale green reminds me of those beautiful decorations in my great uncle's garden long ago.

Prasiolite or green amethyst is a wonderful, transparent stone in the quartz family and is a 7 on the Mohs hardness scale.

This prasiolite heart shaped briolette is a beauty, it has an abundance of facets, which bring a wonderful sparkle to the stone! Sterling silver wire is the perfect compliment to the color of the stone, and this one is wrapped in lots of very fine wire! Including the bail, the pendant is just over 5/8 of an inch in length, and it is suspended on a 16-inch long sterling silver curb chain. It is a timeless classic piece of jewelry and its mint green color will compliments anyone's skin tone!

Thank you for looking!

Blessings,





Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

'Burrrr! It's Frosty....' by heartsdesirebeads

Hand-Carved Porcelain Lace F... isabelleabrams... $475.00	Let it Snow Newborn Baby Gir... OopsIKnitItAga... $24.00
Off White SnowflakesThrow Pi... Kainkain $22.00	Free Shipping - Snowflake an... BLACKSWANJEWEL... $34.00
Snow Squall - a single solit... Raceytay $10.00	Ultra Glamorous Bridal Comb ... JMGJewelDesign $36.50
Snowflake Winter Wedding Inv... inkdbykate $1.65	Winter Wonderland Happy Birt... ScrapYourStory $24.95
Fondant Cupcake Toppers- Pas... Clementinescup... $11.95	4 Pint Glasses . Hand Engrav... daydreemdesign... $60.00
Pearl Snowflake Clippies (Se... craftymamadesi... $3.50	Gift tags - white snowflake ... HappyHuismus $6.00
Crochet Christmas Ornaments ... CaitlinSainio $13.00	Snowflakes shawl perfect for... DagnyKnit $105.00
Snowflake IV Blank book Phot... KandiceInWonde... $50.00	Cotton Candy Fingerless Mitt... mirabeans $25.00

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In the mood for a little snow? If not, this frosty silver and powder pink snowflake treasury should do the trick! I found all these lovely items by searching for handmade items with the key word "snowflakes." Enjoy!

Blessings,

A Fusion of Stones...

A gorgeous fusion of amethyst, garnet, peridot, green aventurine, rose quartz, unikite, and much more all woven inside of circle. The crowning touch is a lovely butterfly charm and a freshwater pearl!

This luscious necklace started with sterling silver wire, which was soldered into a circle, then wire wrapped with very fine sterling silver wire. After wrapping the frame, a circle of rich purple amethysts was added, then a great variety of semi-precious stones in coordinating colors. They are as follows: garnet, rose quartz, hematite, unikite, green aventurine, goldstone, peridot, and quartz. Then lastly, a plump freshwater pearl and butterfly charm was woven into the circle.

A unique feature of this necklace, it is reversible! Because of the way it was woven together, either side looks beautiful!

Finally, the circle pendent is suspended on a simple 18-inch long sterling silver chain.

Thank you for looking!

Blessings,




Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

Judge each day not by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Blessings,

A Fascination....

With cooler weather upon us, it is time to pull out the sweaters, hats, coats and scarfs. Once again, I must decide which these items will be worn another season and which will go to Goodwill. Despite the fact that I am not the cold weather girl, I am excited to be wearing my favorite pair of boots again!

As of late, my jewelry designing thoughts are consumed with a fascination for pins! It seems the perfect time of year for them, after all they bring new life to those old knits! So this week I pulled out several of my jewelry making books and began searching for ideas on making fibulas. Trying to be frugal, I started working with nickle silver wire to make prototypes, but found that the wire was wonderful to work with, it looks great, and is cost effective too!

These are some of the pins I put together this week! What do you think?





Be sure to check out the Fibula section of my shop in the coming days, I will be adding these soon!


Blessings,

Do You See What I See?
Wire Wrapped Picture Jasper Cabochon

When I first found this picture jasper cabochon, I saw a beautiful desert sunset loaded with gorgeous earthy colors: orange, copper, gold, chocolate brown, and rust! My second thought was with all these wonderful fall like colors, it must be paired with copper wire! So with lots of ideas already in mind I purchased this cab and went home to start creating this OOAK necklace!

The 40mm round picture jasper cabochon is unique not just because of its beautiful "scene" but also for its shape! The top is flat and is polished to a high glossy finish which shows off all the beautiful earthy tones, and the sides of the stone are finished in a "v" shape instead of the more common rounded off edge! This unique shape made it perfect for enclosing it in a netting of fine copper wire done in the Eni Oken style!

The pendant is 1-5/8 inches wide; and including the bale, it is 2-3/8 of an inch in length. It is suspended on an 18-inch long double leather cord in chocolate brown all with handmade copper findings! The Desert Sunset necklace is a one of a kind necklace, and it will be the perfect complement for your fall wardrobe!

Thank you for looking!


Blessings,





Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

'Keep Calm and Carry On' by heartsdesirebeads

Ahhh! Come in and relax in this peaceful, soothing treasury. All these soft and tranquil colors where found while searching through 148,811 items listed under the word "unique". Please be sure to view each item and leave a comment about the items you like best! Enjoy!

Wedding Couples Nam... braggingbags $9.99	Lampwork Bead Penda... sarahhornikjew... $65.00	Japanese Chiyogami ... tofashi $12.00
Holiday Handmade Gr... PaperandBling $15.00	Cottesloe Porcelain... MaaPstudio $98.00	Matte gold love bir... DelicacyJ $27.00
Mint Green Organza ... mojospastyle $38.00	Trio of Mini Accord... MadRiverStudio $10.00	SALE White Rose ... DBoutique $16.00
8x10 Customizable O... ModGenesDesign... $14.95	Handmade XL 38x50 U... BowWowBeds $43.00	Luck Necklace - Sim... BeauAndStella $38.00
Hand Smocked, Hand ... rabbitwhiskers $190.00	PINK RIBBON WITH FL... SIMPLYCHARMlNG $6.99	Vinyl Wall Art - Ta... janeymacpress $85.00

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Blessings,