We Have a Winner...and a New Cuff

The deadline for entering the My Bad/Your Good drawing was midnight last night. A total of 65 entries were eligible to win the purple and gold MISTAKE cuff pictured here:

I would like to thank everyone for their participation! If you didn't win this time, I can promise that there will definitely be more give aways on this blog in the future, so ... There's always next time! :D

The trusty random number generator drew number 26:

And the 26th eligible comment on the blog post came from:

Congratulations, Lacey! I will be contacting her for her mailing information this morning ;D

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You may recall the sneak preview I gave you of the custom extra-wide African Mudcloth cuff. Well, I was so pleased with the results that I've decided to list it as a "made to order" piece in my shop. Pick your length and decide on whether you want the pictured cream or would prefer the original stark white beads. Sand Fibers aims to please!

And now it's time to be well and get going, my friends!

Tuesday's Triangle

I've been discussing the color scheme for a custom extra-wide Log Cabin Braid cuff with a lovely return customer. She really likes the orange and cherry in this piece, but was wondering about substituting the tea green with purple.

I had to order the beads, and they arrived yesterday. Well, her colors pleased me so much that I thought I'd go ahead and use them for today's triangle pendants in lieu of working up a "test strip" for her.

Fruit Cocktail Triangle Pendant

What do you think?

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Instead of a Mother Nature Made This shot for today, I thought I'd share a "Hannah Made This Shot" -

As soon as we discovered Hannah's affinity for fishing for kleenex in waste baskets, we started keeping the bathroom doors shut. Well, yesterday I must not have latched the door properly and Hannah discovered another kind of tissue!

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If you haven't enter the My Bad/Your Good GiveAway, may I ask why not?? You still have a few hours to get a comment/entry in. I'll have the drawing tomorrow morning. Good luck!

Be well and get going!

Celebrating September!

So far, September has been a very good month for Sand Fibers on Etsy, so good in fact that it might be record-setting. To celebrate this (and perhaps nudge it that much further into record status), I've got a deal for you!

I will include a set of custom-made Sand Fiber Coasters in your choice of colors if you mention "Celebration!" in the Notes to Seller upon checkout between now... and midnight on Sunday, October 4. Because your coasters will be custom-made, your order will take a day or two longer than usual to ship. (I'm sorry, but this offer is not valid for pattern sales. It CAN, however, be used in combination with other offers and discount codes.)

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Oh, and in case you haven't had enough of the mystery that is Carol Dean Sharpe, you can find out how I got started working with beads on The Beadweaving Emporium's blog where I am currently the featured artist.

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Here's a glimpse of a very rare moment: Hannah chewing on something that she is actually SUPPOSED to be chewing on! We have such fun at Casa Sharpe! (The serious, professional, training will start in a few weeks.)

Happy Monday, my friends. Now be well and get going!

BAO Item of the Week (Sept 25 - Oct 1)

How quickly this week has passed! It's Friday again, which means it's time to share my Bead Art Originals Item of the Week with you. With Christmas only three months away (to the day!!!), I thought this might be an appropriate offering:

Christmas Present Pendant and Necklace

Purchase and pay for this by midnight on Thursday AND mention "BAO" in the Notes to Seller, and I will include a surprise gift, handmade by Me, Myself, and I just for you.

Be sure to take a look at the ten other BAO Items of the Week on the Bead Art Originals blog. These weekly "gatherings" of bead art never cease to amaze me with their beauty, originality, and quality.

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And here's a sneak peek at my current work in progress, an extra wide custom version of my first African Mudcloth design, using a cream/sand color instead of the original white. What do you think of it?

Be well and get going, my friends! Happy Friday!

Thursday's Treasur(i)es

Do you think the treasury gods had an inkling of how pressed for time I'd be today? Because it really seems like they may have been looking out for me by making sure Sand Fibers showed up in "only" one very apropos treasury this past week:

i am Opinionated

ifanhour included my Black Ripples Peyote Cuff in this wonderful collection.




Her Midnight Poet's Brooch would have been very much at home in this treasury.

Thank you so much to this wonderful Etsian who has singled out my creation for her beautiful treasury! I get such a thrill every time I see a gold star next to a list :D

My Bad/Your Good Give Away

UPDATE: This drawing has been closed, and the winner was announced on September 30th. Thank you for your participation! :D

Last week I received an order for my Purple Medallions on Copper cuff. I had two other pieces to finish, so I couldn't get started on it until the weekend. It's a fun pattern to bead up.

But it's not such a fun pattern to bead up twice in as many days! You see, I made a beautiful cuff, but I made it using 24 kt-gold plated rather than copper beads. Don't ask! I have NOOOOO idea what possessed me, what I was thinking, why I would do this. At least I was able to rectify the error before I sent it out. Imagine the poor customer opening her box and going, "but that's not copper!?"

I considered listing the perfectly wonderful "mistake" cuff, but then I thought: it's been a while since Sand Fibers has had a Give Away!!!

For your chance(s) to win this 6.75" purple and GOLD cuff, you can do one or all of the following:

1. Leave a comment here telling me which of the pieces currently listed in any of my Sand Fibers stores (Etsy, 1000Markets, ArtFire) is your favorite and why.

2. Blog about this give away and leave a comment with a link to your blog post.

3. Twitter about this give away and leave a comment letting me know you did. Be sure to reference @SandFibers in your tweet.

4. Link to this post on Facebook and leave a comment with a link to your link (does that make sense? lol)

Please be sure that I have a way to reach you, so leave your email or your etsy store name or something in the comment as well.

If you do all four of these things, you will leave four separate comments and have four separate chances to win. You could, of course, choose to just do one of the four, or two, or three...and that's okay as well. Just enter! It could be an early Christmas present for you or a friend, mother, or daughter.

Entries/comments must be made by midnight on Tuesday, September 29. I will use my trusty random number generator to determine the winner on Wednesday morning and will announce the winner on this blog later that day.

Happy Wednesday, my friends :) Be well and get going!

Tuesday's Triangle and a Great New Reference

A few days ago I asked for some suggestions for this week's triangle on my Sand Fibers Facebook page. I got some great ones.

blockpartypress suggested that I do a fold-over triangle pendant. When queried about what colors she'd like to see me use, she referred me to this photo of hers. Only Mother Nature can create this kind of beauty, but blockpartypress is one of those artists who recognizes this beauty when she sees it. Thank you!

I tried to do something more representational but failed miserably. That's the thing with inspiration, however; it doesn't have to result in actual copies.

Autumnal Triangle Pendant

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Speaking of colors and inspiration, Margie Deeb, bead artist extraordinaire and one of my first bead heroes, has just released her Fall/Winter 2009 Color Report for Bead & Jewelry Designers


Not only will it tell you what's hot for the up-coming seasons (and boy are those colors sumptuous!), it will also help you choose some of the materials/beads for working in those colors. Be sure to get your own copy! You won't regret it :D

I think that's all for today, so please...Be well and get going, my friends!

Thursday's Treasur(i)es - a little late - and BAO Item of the Week

If anyone checked in yesterday only to be disappointed by the lack of a Treasur(i)es post, I do apologize. Life (or should I say Facebook and my new fan page?), once again, got in the way.

This last week saw Sand Fibers creations in three separate treasuries. How do I get so consistently lucky? Whatever the reason, I am so thankful to the wonderful curators who choose my work for their lists :D

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Shades of Modern

myklia included my A Hex on the Peyote Cuff in this collection.



Since myklia does not have a shop on Etsy (and is, instead, "just" one of the buyers that make our shops possible in the first place!), a simple but sincere "Thank you!" is all I can offer her.

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Geometry Class

catwalk included my Edged in Red Peyote Triangle Choker in this collection.



The wonderful circle shape of Atlas -- Handmade pendant would make it right at home in this particular classroom ;D

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What My Heart Beats For

TocadoraLeather included my The Fire Within Peyote Triangle Pendant in this collection.



I happen to know this artist personally and thus have some confidence in stating that her gorgeous Still Yet Swirling Recycled Leather Cuff with Borosilicate Glass would have a rightful place in this list.

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Thank you so much to the wonderful Etsians who have singled out my creations for their beautiful treasuries! I get such a thrill every time I see a gold star next to a list :D

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Now on to the regularly-scheduled topic for my Friday post: Bead Art Originals Item of the Week.

I had chosen one of my recent collaborations with artisanclay for this week:

Bronze Age Beadwoven Pendant

Well, it was a good choice, because someone bought it shortly after the Bead Art Originals blog post featuring the Items of the Week went live at midnight.

To make up for the fact that most of you never had a chance "to play," I'm making you a special offer, valid only until midnight on Thursday:

Purchase any non-pattern item in any of my stores (etsy, 1000Markets, artfire) AND leave a message in which you reference BAO or this blog post, and I will refund your shipping costs to you.

And don't forget to check out the BAO blog for the ten other Items of the Week!

I hope your weekend is a lovely, late summer experience! Be well and get going, my friends!

Thursday's Treasur(I)es update

Thursday's Treasur(i)es will be brought to you on tomorrow, combined with the (really cool!) BAO Item of the Week. I'm okay; I have spent the entire day getting my Sand Fibers (Fan) Page set up on Facebook. Who knew it would take that long????

I'd love for you to become a fan, if you want to ;)

Tuesday's Triangle and Everything's Turning up Roses

These Tuesdays do come about quickly when you've got other things on your plate, things other than triangles.

I've been working on this piece for some time, getting the pattern right, discussing color choices with the customer, selecting the button, engineering (yes, you read that right!) the closure. I don't have a name for this pattern yet, but "Trellis" seems to be a distinct possibility.

This was the first time I ever used Velcro on a beaded piece. Getting the Velcro securely attached and minimally noticeable took almost as long as beading a simple one inch bracelet does. Wow. Why Velcro?, you ask. These large buttons require too large of a loop to make for the snug fit that you want in order to keep the button on top of the wrist rather than where gravity wants to take it...the unseen (and more dangerous) bottom of the wrist.

It went into the mail yesterday.

Understandable, then, that I was in "pink mode" when the time to design a triangle for the week came around.

Romantic Rose - Rose Quartz with Peyote Bai

The listing for this pendant includes three different fiber rope necklaces that can be worn with it.

I have orders to bead, so I can linger no longer... be well and get going!

BAO Item of the Week

I had hoped to get a new listing up in time for the Bead Art Originals Item of the Week, but the Fates were working against me. Instead, I offer you this

Offset Chevron Peyote Cuff in Your Custom Color Palette

If you purchase and pay for this by midnight on Thursday AND leave "BAO" in the Notes to Seller, I will include a Simplicity Bracelet in matching colors with your order.

That's a pretty incredible deal (to the tune of $32 value) if I do say so myself. :)

You can find seven more Items of the Week by other Bead Art Originals artists on the BAO blog:

9-11: Never forget.

Thursday's Treasur(i)es

This last week found Sand Fibers creations in five separate, wonderful treasuries on Etsy. My good fortune never ceases to amaze (and please!) me :D Thank you, dear curators!

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Hello!!!

riskodesign included my Mirrored Orange Swirls on Steel Peyote Cuff in this collection.



With Christmas shopping season almost upon us (yes! it's true! eek!), I have put his Sun Pin on my personal wish list.

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FiveMinute Features 2

BrightCircle included my Bright Peyote Triangle Pendant and Choker in this collection.



She has been creating these wonderful shimmerstones lately and Mermaid's Tale Shimmerstone Pendant may be one of the best of these yet. I have a bunch of these stones to work with, so you will be seeing more of these in Sand Fibers' future. ;)



Bright Circle included me in this Five Minute Feature treasury because she has spotlighted me in her blog in a, yes, Five Minute Feature. Check it out!

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barista at the beach

thebeadedlily included my Lemon and Chocolate Confection in this collection.



While this treasury may be all about baristas at the beach, I think it wouldn't heart to include a siren - siren-- long necklace-- collections II



This masterpiece just happens to be on my year-round wishlist.

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You are getting sleepy

windyriver included my Hypnotize Me Peyote Cuff in this collection.



This wonderful Orion Crystal Necklace Variation 2 could easily be used to lure even the most unsuspecting into hypnotic bliss.

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I'd like a Venti...

mysticwynd included my Coffee with Cream and Sugar Bargello Ribbon Peyote Cuff in this collection.



How could her Java Junkie Choker not be the perfect addition to this list!?

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Thank you so much to the wonderful Etsians who have singled out my creations for their beautiful treasuries! I get such a thrill every time I see a gold star next to a list :D

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I just got back from my mailbox and returned with some wonderful goodies created just for Sand Fibers by Alice of PipingHotPapers:

Alice has had a listing for business card notebooks for some time, but she hadn't tried postcard sized ones until I put in a special request. She and I were both so pleased with the results that she has decided to offer them in her shop.

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And, finally, here's your Mother Nature Made This! shot of the day:

I count 43 birds in this. We (Terry and I both took some shots, I don't know who took which) took this photo on our way to lunch on Labor Day. The training track/stables compound is less than a mile down the road from our house. If you want a better look, go peak at the this in its larger size on flickr: just click here.

Now be well and get going, my friends!

Tuesday's Triangle

This week's triangle was inspired by the buyer of my 600th sale at SandFibers.etsy.com . She chose

Gold and Black Simplicity - A Beadwoven Bracelet (2394)

as her triangle gift.

When Hannah, the puppy monster, and a tray of red beads had a rather explosive encounter, I was forced to order more beads, which delayed the completion of the made-to-order cuff my 600 had ordered. To make up for the delay, I decided to send her a matching set of simplicity bracelets.

This second bracelet is now available in my stores ;)

Black and Gold Simplicity - A Beadwoven Bracelet (2423)

There are some great Mother Nature Made This! shots in my "car camera" (think: egrets!), but those will have to wait to be uploaded for some other day. Anticipation, my friends, is half the fun ;)

Be well and get going on this post-holiday Tuesday!

Open Studio Friday, BAO Item of the Week, and 16th Anniversary!

A few weeks ago, Jennifer Cameron of Glass Addictions asked me if I'd be interested in participating in her Open Studio Friday series. I jumped at the chance. And then I questioned my sanity for the next two weeks. Did I really want to let the world see where and how I work? Did I have the time or the energy to clean everything up and play "make believe"? Well, I didn't clean..heck, I didn't even "tidy"...before I took the photos and answered Jennifer's interview questions. Take a look at the truth that is Sand Fibers (and be kind!).

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For this week's Bead Art Originals Item of the Week, I chose the first of the Philly Bead Fest collaborations to go up on Etsy:

Lemon and Chocolate Confection

Purchase and pay for this by midnight on Thursday, AND leave "BAO" in the Notes to Seller, and I will include a surprise, handmade by me myself & I, gift with your order.

We have 13 Items of the Week this time around. All of them are worth your attention. Check out the Bead Art Originals blog for details.

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Sixteen wonderful years ago today, I married Terence J. Sharpe. (Dang, if that wasn't the smartest thing I ever did do!)

(I can't find our wedding pictures, so I'm sharing this which was taken at my grandmother's in June 1992, six months before I moved in with him and we became engaged.)

These 12 x 12 paintings will be my gift to him when he gets home this morning (he had to fill in on a 24 hour shift for one of his Operations Officers) They were created by Las Cruces artist Cassandra Lockwood. Terry has always admired her "Adobe" series and these were the last two pieces she had left. I'm actually going to be able to surprise my guy, for a change :D

I hope he agrees to hang them in our bedroom or in our home office rather than at his office at the airport. That way, I'll be able to enjoy them as well.

Well, I think that's it for today, my friends ;) Be well and get going!