rhinestones & rosaries

"Crystals & Pearls"

I taught one of my favorite classes, Rhinestones & Rosaries on Thursday.  It was full of awesomely talented students...each eager to bring their own flavor to the piece they would call their own.

In fact, Susan finished hers that evening after class, 

bringing it to our class with Richard (the very next day) to show me!
Beautiful work.

I especially love the crucifix, with it's ornate brass end-caps, 

which matches the bead caps in the rosary.   

These rosaries are higher end, and occasionally I find one I can afford.

Susan is one of those estate sale goers from Dallas.
I would love to hitch a ride on her coat tails sometimes =)
See how she made a double strand, adding a vintage rhinestone brooch across the top of the brass focal?  

BTW...she worked hard on that focal!
That's more than half the fun, 
working out the puzzle of making pieces work together,
cold-join style!

 Sue is a lady I have been speaking to online for probably almost a year.  She and I finally met when she came to a class I taught in College Station last December. 
This is her necklace.
Isn't it gorgeous?  I love that unusual connector, and the crucifix is so beautiful.
I love the deep blue color of the faceted glass beads in her rosary.

...some of the other "works in progress".

My dh was there each day helping me in class...

sharing his knowledge of important things...such as faulty tools.

He's THE gadget guy, and the one who wrote the book on ~

"whoever has the most gadgets wins".

The bottom line~

I had the best day with some great ladies.

Thank you ~ all ~ you were amazing!

Then, after I thought I had one of the best days in my many days of best,

Melissa Manley showed up, to park her tools & supplies for her class,  

Band Groupie, 

which she would be teaching in the room later that evening.

I was packing my things, trying to focus on stuffing getting all my tools to fit back into the bag they fit fine in earlier that morning!

She was wearing a pair of the most beautiful enameled earrings!  In fact, they were even prettier than the ones she had been wearing sitting next to me at Meet the Artist night.

I told her I loved them~'cause I did!

She pulled them off and gave them to me~

...paying it forward she said.
I immediately put them on.

They matched my jewelry AND my outfit perfectly!

She said, "how could I not?  They were made for YOU!"

I almost cried.  

This was the jewelry I was wearing....my bead soup pieces,
along with one of my Etched & Layered cuffs,
wrapped in luscious recycled sari silk.

You be the judge!

I was am overwhelmed.