Susan Sto-helit. Because in this world, after everyone panics,

It’s All Eyes

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:41:39 GMT

I finished the crochet wrap bracelet with all the eye beads and charms, finally. I had to unravel and restring the whole thing at one point, and I had to add more beads* because it was between three and four wraps. But now it’s done. I’m pretty pleased with it. ( Take a look. )

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Seasonal Shiny Things

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 01:58:05 GMT

I got this idea, as one does, of a charm bracelet of skulls. I got out the cigar box of skulls and skeletons and went through everything. This was the result. The earrings are because I found the diamond-shaped skull beads when I was looking at all the other skulls and was inspired. Paul, who doesn’t like skeleton and skull decor, said the bracelet is “gorgeous”. You never know. ( Ooo Spooky )

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Is It Atomic?

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 01:28:49 GMT

No, not really. But there are vintage uranium glass beads. ( Look, it’s shiny. )

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Oops I Made Earrings

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 01:02:07 GMT

I was playing around with a couple of small tassels for a planner charm for my pocket Filofax and decided it needed a hamsa charm. So I got out the cigar box labeled HANDS AND FEET and found something that would do. Then I cleaned up. During which I rediscovered some hand charms I’d once thought of making into earrings*. One thing led to another, and:

Gold metal earwires, gold and silver charms, Czech firepolish beads, gold and silver findings. All from the hoard.

*I think these were the ones left after I made a pair for my cousin. But that was many years ago.

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More Shiny Things

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 01:24:46 GMT

I made time this week for shiny things play. ( Clicky )

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It’s Another Shiny Thing

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 03:30:44 GMT

I rediscovered these mother of pearl fan shapes while I was reorganizing bead drawers, and was inspired. They’re a bit heavy, but they bounce and jingle nicely.

Mother of pearl fans, metal tassels, beads, and findings.

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Playing With Bugs

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 01:49:04 GMT

I made some time to play with beads today, which resulted in earrings. ( Scarabs )

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Weekend Fun

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 02:59:41 GMT

I put together a bracelet from bits and pieces of the hoard. ( Read more... )

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Shiny Accomplishments

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 03:11:02 GMT

I had some extra energy and time today for pottering around with jewelry. ( Read more... )

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Snake Bracelet the Second

Sat, 30 May 2026 03:29:05 GMT

This time with coils. I had a frustrating busy exhausting day. So this afternoon I played with beads. ( Ssssss )

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Shiny Accomplishments

Wed, 27 May 2026 03:18:32 GMT

I put together a couple things in the last week: ( Clicky. )

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Another Shiny

Tue, 19 May 2026 03:49:18 GMT

I got the star pendant from The Peculiarity Shop. As soon as I saw it, I remembered that I had some matching Czech glass beads in the hoard and started playing with designs. ( My shiny thing )

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A Snake for Medusa

Fri, 15 May 2026 01:54:27 GMT

On Mother’s Day, I got dressed up with all my Medusa jewelry, the necklace and earrings I made and the Medusa ring I got from the Peculiarity Shop. It was then that I realized that I needed a bracelet. Then I remembered the Czech glass snake bead sets I’d bought years ago. Today I made time to play with beads. ( Snek! )

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Another Project Finished

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 02:01:30 GMT

I got this idea in my head. It just wouldn’t go away. All I could do was create it. So here it is. ( Behold, )

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Another Shiny Thing

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 18:24:25 GMT

I recently bought these plated lava star beads at Michaels because they were pretty and I had a reward. This morning I had an idea. The ear threads are about 3” long and they’re from my jewelry supply hoard. The holes in the beads are big enough that they slid easily onto the threads, and the gold balls at the ends keep the beads in place. Fast, shiny, and fun.

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Yet more shiny things

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 04:37:22 GMT

I received from somewhere a mental image of earrings that looked like faerie or magical wands. So of course I just had to try making them. These are pretty much what I imagined.

Sterling earwires, 18 gauge sterling wire, 25 gauge brass wire, Czech glass star beads, glass beads. The trickiest bit was wrapping the brass wire coils around the sterling. I finally found the good sense to find my favorite wireworking book, Bead on a Wire by Sharilyn Miller, which reminded me to use a small piece of rubbery shelf liner to grip the piece I was wrapping around. The second trickiest bit was finding star beads with big enough holes to fit onto the heavy sterling wire. They’re light and fun and I’m pleased with them.

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More Boxes

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 04:33:27 GMT

Two more Books by Hand Box kits. The one on top is, obviously, a different style with a tray insert. The one underneath is the paper and bookcloth from a box-with-lid kit and bookboard I cut myself. So it’s a little wonky because I’m not good at bookboard cutting yet.

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2025 Box Kits

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 01:41:14 GMT

I finished two boxes-with-lids. The pink floral paper came from a kit with lilac bookcloth, which looked so drab and boring that I had to change it. I had a piece of linen bookcloth that I think works much better. The night sky paper and black bookcloth on the other are from my hoard. The bookboard was all precut from a couple of Books By Hand kits, but next time I’m cutting my own. I have a box cutter and a cutter ruler and I’m not afraid to use them - much.

Oh, the thing the black box rests on is a sand-filled weight made from Japanese fabric. It was in the Aged Parents’ house; my dad used it to hold open the pages of books he wanted on display.

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2025 Japanese Journals

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 19:28:07 GMT

They’re done. Top three are noble binding, bottom three are hemp leaf binding. I made the blue journal top left for me, the paper is tigers and spirals. The top right one was claimed by Kitty. The rest are for gifts because I wanted a little something to add to this year’s gift cards, and, yes, I needed an excuse to play with bookbinding. The leftover ones I’ll stash for next time I need a little gift or next time Kitty needs another small sketchbook. I think I’ll just spend the rest of November working through my hoard of bookbinding and fancy box kits. I’ve chosen the next one, but I’m going to need more black bookcloth. Woe is me, I have to visit an art supply shop soon.

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Progress: Japanese Journals Project 2025 Post the 2nd

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 03:02:34 GMT

I got a lot done over the last few days. All I have to do now is choose the stitch patterns for each journal, drill all the holes, and stitch them all.

Bookcloth corners glued onto tied page blocks. First pass at binding thread selections.

Covers glued on. I made one mistake, swapped page blocks for two journals. So the one with black bookcloth got the cover meant for the navy blue and vice versa. No one but me knows, and the colors are close, so it doesn’t really matter. Also I revised my thread choices a bit.

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Progress: Japanese Journals Project 2025

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 04:50:24 GMT

I had enough of one type of paper for six journals, with some extra. Which I needed after I miscut a stack of pages. I cut out all 6x34 4x6” pages, drilled and tied the page blocks, chose and cut out the various cover papers and bookcloth for all the journals, and cleaned up those supplies.

I have errands to run tomorrow morning, but after that it’s time to set up for glueing.

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Afghan Dress Finished

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 18:16:15 GMT

Here it is. Folkwear pattern 107 Afghan Dress, assorted cotton batiks from the hoard, except the blue & green skirt and upper sleeve fabric. I got that at Joann’s going out of business sale. Bias tape, satin ribbon for trim on sleeves and hem.

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Afghan Dress Post the Second

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 01:25:59 GMT

I sewed the skirt to the bodice. That took all morning, what with pinning with my very long very sharp Japanese pins, adjusting gathers, wrangling all that fabric around on the sewing machine, ripping out and restitching where the bodice got caught in the seam, and so on and so forth.

But that’s finished. Tomorrow I’ll put it on, see if I need to adjust anywhere, and start hemming. I also want to put two rows of the same ribbon I used on the sleeves around the hem. Maybe I’ll have it finished by, say, Monday next? Onward, Excelsior, All That Jazz.

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Life, the Universe, and Everything

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:56:16 GMT

It’s our 42nd anniversary!

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Deck the Halls

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 00:42:52 GMT

The front door, anyway. I put this festive holiday wreath together this morning. Dollar Store spiderweb wreath with glow in the dark spider, I wrapped wired orange leaf print around the outside edge, added small Halloween ornaments, a bow, and some little plastic spider rings with the backs cut off here and there. The ornaments and spiders came from Michaels, the ribbon from my hoard. I used black craft wire, hot glue, and needle and thread. It’s lightyears away from professional, but it’s the best I could do and I’m pretty pleased with it.

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