Vitamin C... A Daily Dose of Creativity

7000 Bracelets Blog Hop

2012-02-25T00:00:00.001-05:00

A little bit about this project:

7000 Bracelets of Hope is run through the Global Genes Project, a rare disease group for children. The bracelets are donated to the mothers and caretakers of these children, as a way to give them a little support and lift their spirits.

The rules:

use blue as the main color
bracelet should be casual
it should fit anyone from 7" to 9"

This is my finished bracelet. I purposely went simple with this bracelet. From my experience, most non-beaders prefer simplicity in jewelry, and simple is easier to wear.

I made the glass beads using a medium blue, clear transparent, and blue/lavender glass. The silver beads are bali silver.

I really like this purse charm, and hope the woman who receives this likes it too. Since this is supposed to fit a wrist anywhere from 7" to 9" (that is a pretty big range), I used this three circle clasp. The bar can be hooked into any of the circles to fit it to the wrist. If the woman who gets it has a smaller wrist, she can remove the last one or two circles.

Now, I mail my bracelet in and they will give it to someone who needs a boost.

Several other jewelry makers have participated in this project. Check all of the blogs below to see more bracelets.

Use your Vitamin C to encourage someone else!

Elysian Studios and One Kiss Creations

The Studio Sublime

Crafty Hope

The Gossiping Goddess

SilverRose Designs

Firefly Visions

Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Michelle Mach

Pine Ridge Treasures

Backstory Beads

Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

Carefree Jewelry by Lisa

Sue Beads

MiShel Designs

Created Treasures

Taralinda Muses

My Life Under The Bus

Elizabeth Creates

SilverNikNats

Erin Siegel Jewelry

Carolyn’s Creations

My Life…one bead at a time

Fresh Baked Designs

Songbeads

Sunshine Bliss

Lori Anderson

Rainy Days Designs

Pat Barden Jewelry

Tell Your Girlfriends

Therese's Treasures

Windrock Studio

Bead Lola Bead

Spice Box Designs

Antiquity Travelers

Vitamin C...A Daily Dose of Creativity

Beads and Bread

Sharyl's Jewelry and Reflections

Ahtee's Blog

Thoughtful-Notions

Beads for Brains:365

Wild Sally Road

All The Pretty Things

Skye's Creative Chaos

My Addictions...Handcrafted Jewelry by Patti

Lindy's Designs

Falling Into The Sky

Curry Chaos

Mama's Got to Doodle

10KDgroup

Why Should Christmas Have All the Fun?

2012-02-24T15:09:00.000-05:00

I have collected a bunch of Christmas ornaments that look great in Girl World. It might be weird, but I do not decorate for Christmas. I leave my ornaments out all year. You could look at it that I decorate for Christmas all year long, or my ornaments are not Christmas ornaments. Or. You could just like it for what it is, like I do.

I am really liking the branch-in-the-house thing right now. I have one in the living room and now I am adding one to Girl World. Here is my nice branch from Dad's backyard.

I wanted to spray it silver. Santa Claus gave me this really cool spray can thing. It goes on the top of the can and you squeeze the trigger to spray. I love it. I could spray all day. And it makes a very even coat of color. My fingers don't get tired or coated with paint. You need one.

Sprayed silver. It is very pretty in person.

Wired to the ceiling in Girl World.....It isn't heavy, so I used a couple pieces of craft wire.

Holding my sparkly ornaments. I need more to fill it up!

P.S. If you are tall, you are going to have to duck a bit. :)

Use your Vitamin C!

Free Project Instructions: Bird on a Branch Necklace

2012-02-20T16:24:00.005-05:00

I have been playing with these simple, yet funky little birds. It makes you smile, right? Combined with a branch and a single leaf, they make a nice pendant for a necklace. The only technique you need to know is wrapping a loop. The rest are kindergarden skills.

Supplies you need:

lampwork beads: bird, branch, leaf (find them in sets on Etsy)
1 yard plus 6" silver wire, 16 or 18 gauge (I used silver plate wire)
6" lime green embroidery floss
silk ribbon or cord for necklace (mine is on brown silk ribbon)
size 8 seed beads: transparent lime green

Tools:

ruler
flush cutters
round nose pliers
scissors
pen or pencil

Instructions:
1. Wrap a loop at bottom of 6" length of wire. String on the branch and the bird beads. Wrap a loop at top of beads.

2. Wrap 1 yard length of wire around pen or pencil, forming a long spiral. String bird/branch section on spiral. Wind it on wire to center of spiral.

3. Knot leaf to bottom loop of bird/branch section using floss. Trim floss ends.

4. String several seed beads on both sides of spiral. Wind beads on wire to get desired coverage. Tuck wire ends inside spiral.

5. String ribbon or cord through spiral. Tie around neck at desired length.

Happy spring! If you do something else cute with this set of beads, let me see!

Take your Vitamin C...

Spring Button Bracelet

2012-02-19T17:37:00.007-05:00

We have had the most disappointing winter this year. I have kept the hope alive for at least one awesome snowfall, but no such luck for me. So, Uncle! I am giving up and proceeding toward spring. My daffodils are up about 4", so spring must be here. Ridiculous.

So, I used some fun, flowery Blumenthal Lansing buttons to make a button bracelet. It was super quick and easy, using a technique that requires no tools. Go here to see video instructions to make one yourself.

Use your Vitamin C!
http://www.skiptomylou.org/2012/02/20/made-by-you-monday-88/

http://housewivesofriverton.blogspot.com/2012/02/riverton-houseswives-round-up-5.html

New Colors

2012-02-19T17:08:00.001-05:00

There has been a resurgence of beadmaking over here. And since it has been a dog's age since I bought glass, I treated myself to some new colors. Not new colors, but new colors for me. I got some nice grays since gray is an important neutral right now. And I am most excited about transparent brown and transparent hot pink. The turquoises are pretty too, right?

If you don't know about lampworking, these glass rods are the glass that is used most of the time to form beads. It gets melted in a flame, and a bead is formed while the glass is molten. The rods are about the diameter of a pencil.

To the torch!

Umbrella Day

2012-02-10T13:11:00.001-05:00

Today is Umbrella Day. Not kidding. Every February 10th. I like umbrellas. They are sort of mini cozy places. And, wouldn't you know? It is a good day for an umbrella here. We have snain (half snow, half rain).

I even have a pinterest board of umbrellas.

My gift to you today, probably the best use of an umbrella. Ever. Enjoy!........

Or, maybe you like this tribute version better (with fake tap dancing, hahahaha):

Either way, I wish you the simple joy of a walk in the rain!
Take your Vitamin C!

Trendy Seed Beads

2012-02-02T23:20:00.000-05:00

Every couple months, I do some jewelry trending by going to Kohls and Macys. Both have enough national brands so that when I see the same thing across many brands, I know there is some trending!

As always, I see a handful of really obvious trends. On this trip, the trends included lots of pearls, tiny tiny chains, and sparkly crystals. But, for this post, I am focusing on seed beads.

Earrings. We also see the tiny chains in two of these.

Bracelets. Seed beads glued on...

Combined with lots of other things....

Stitched in a pattern...

On elastic....

On memory wire...

Necklaces.

Good news is that making seed bead jewelry is fairly inexpensive. And the color range is huge.

Take a jewelry trending trip yourself and see what you find.

Take Your Vitamin C!

In Other CHA Randomness

2012-02-01T22:02:00.000-05:00

I started the day yesterday with a special guest at my make it take it table. Mr. Levinson, he company's Chairman of the Board sat down to craft with me. He is a very interesting man, and he had his own creative ideas in making his Valentine's Day card. The best part for me was the way the Blumenthal Lansing employees hovered with cameras to take pics of him. So Cute they were!

This is felt from Kunin Felt. Do you love it?

I like the variety of displays and booths on the trade show floor. Some are really creative. This one, so simple, caught my eye. I like its simplicity and doodley-ness. Doodles are trendy and at the same time have a retro look that perfectly fits the product being sold in this booth.

I had the most fun with these sisters from Quebec. I told them my 11th great Grandfather founded their city. HOOT! I could tell they thought I was a nut. They were trying hard to respond politely when I told them his name was Louis Hebert, and there is a statue of him there. Both of them made the O shape with their mouths as their eyes went wide and then they asked if they could take my picture. hahahahaa! You have to take your 15 minutes of fame wherever you can get it!

We had dinner last night in a new restaurant called The Ranch. The walls in the entrance area were covered in hundreds of belts. It smelled so good. The hostess told us the belts came from all over the country and had to match certain size and visual standards to be included in the wall.

Then I caught the red eye home. 5 hours of sitting next to two people hyped up on a Hawaiian vacation..... They made it their mission to not allow me to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, they asked to be let in or out of the row, or they had some weird comment to whisper in my ear (Do you think they left the lights on in the Grand Canyon tonight?), or I got a beer spilled down my leg. Yes, I was so tired I was twitching when we landed. Going away is fun, but getting home is good too.

Take Your Vitamin C!

CHA 2012 Day 1

2012-01-30T01:17:00.000-05:00

First day of the show and here is my home away from home for the week. The booth is looking marvelous. If you want me, I will be at this table.

These were my first four customers. We made cards today.

One finished card. They all looked different, according to the artist's personality.

This is Koggy. She is here from China. She is a designer there. Isn't she a doll?

One of the best parts of my day at a show is meeting crafters. Although I have met some "way out there" folks, for the most part, crafters are a passionate lot. I try to get their stories about where crafts has led them. More and more, the industry is global and I get to meet people far from home like Koggy. Today, I taught 2 women from Japan, a couple from South America, and one from China.

I also meet people from all over the USA. I had four women from Oahu today... and a lot of locals. Crafts take people on paths I never would have imagined. At the table today, I had a darling girl who runs a non profit company that makes scrapbooks for "Make A Wish" kids. She takes the pics from their big wish trip and turns them into pages. And makes no money from it.

And while some stories are heartwarming, some just make me laugh. One of my ladies told me when she was young, she married a man from Italy, as she said, straight off the boat. He spoke not one word of English. They both went to college and she earned a degree for each of them. Because he spoke no English, she did all of his work. She said, for each assignment, she would write an A paper for herself and a C paper for him. In the middle of that, she had a baby! She got him his degree and one for herself before she collapsed of exhaustion. Literally. I asked her what in the world drew her to a man she could not speak to, who would not learn the language, and allowed her to do all of his college work for him. She said, He was tall, dark, and Italian, and a musician. I was young. Need I say more?" While she is no longer married to him, she said they had a daughter who has turned out to be the brilliant owner of a multi million dollar company. She is happy with that result.

So many stories. Good ones.

Take your Vitamin C!

Random Pre-CHA Stuff

2012-01-29T01:31:00.000-05:00

I am in California and the CHA show starts tomorrow. Today was filled with travel, booth set up, sneaking into an interesting program, a fabulous dinner, and a visit with friends from Florida, China, and Japan. I now can hardly keep my eyes open. Is it any wonder?

I sort of snuck into a program this afternoon that was meant for retailers. It was 20 of the top new products in the industry. Each manufacturer was allowed 60 seconds to sell said new product. Wow, some did great. Some really need copywriters. I have been in this industry 23598 years and I have seen it all, so most of this was not really new.

But, I share with you three products that impressed me in some way. I will categorize them as What is the Point?, I am Not Sure, and I Would Buy That!.

What is the Point?
This is a glue gun that you plug into the USB port of your computer. At first, I thought, cool! Then I wondered why. What reason could you have to plug your glue gun into your computer? Seems slightly dangerous. Kind of a novelty, maybe, but does not seem practical.

I am Not Sure
This is a shoe application by Kodak, called Shoe Attitude. You run the film through your computer, so you can have any design in the universe on your tennis shoes, even photos. Then you glue the film to the shoe. They used a glue stick. Yes, a glue stick you buy at the drug store. You and I both know that is not going to stay on there. They say it will last a couple weeks. I am doubtful. Their idea is that you will want to keep changing the design on your shoes. It did look cool, but I was not completely sold.

I Would Buy That!
This is an interchangeable upholstery tack. They come in stone and gems. You pound the tack into the furniture...headboard, sofa, chair, ottoman wall, etc. Then the head screws onto the tack. You can then unscrew the head, and change it to a different look if you want. They made quite a statement. Pretty cool.

And this is where the randomness hits its peak. These are ceiling light fixtures in my hotel. They are huge, and stinking cool.

And, even though this glass installation was a Chihuly knock-off, it was pretty and it was 2 feet away from me at dinner tonight.

Taking the toothpick that are propping my eyes open out, and going to sleep. CHA 2012, day 1 tomorrow.

Take Your Vitamin C!

Button Jacket Lapel

2012-01-27T14:44:00.005-05:00

At CHA this week, I will be selling buttons, so I really wanted to sell buttons!

Do you think this will set off the metal detector at the airport? hahaha! I love all of these Blumenthal Lansing buttons, some metal and some rhinestone. All of them look vintage, but they are not! You can buy these at your fabric or craft store right now.

It was a fun project. Watching a movie while sewing buttons on was relaxing.

After a trip to the Salvation Army store, where I bought a jacket for $8, I stitched one lapel full of buttons, both antique gold and antique silver. I used shiny metallic embroidery floss (gold, black, and copper). I cannot tell a lie. That stuff made me say a few bad words inside my head. It is more prone to knotting than cotton floss. But, the little bit of shine it added was worth it. It makes me want to touch it every time I look at it. Texture and shine!

When you go to buy that shiny floss, take a coupon!

I added some french knots and some straight stitches to fill in some places.

Then, I added gathered brown tulle along the entire lapel/collar. The tulle was left over from lamp tutus. It is on a roll, 8" wide. I folded the width in half and made running stitches along the fold. After I pulled the thread to gather slightly, I tacked it to the underside of the lapel/collar. It is exactly the same process I show in my lamp post, except I stitched instead of glued.

Now, I love the buttons and am unsure about the lapel tutu. What do you think?

Love that Vitamin B(uttons)!!!
http://whipperberry.com/2012/02/friday-flair-link-party-12.html
http://simplydesigning.blogspot.com/2012/02/simply-link-party_10.html

Hello, It's Me!

2012-01-21T14:21:00.000-05:00

These are my new business cards. The backs have photos of my work. They just arrived in the mail today. Next weekend, I am headed off to the CHA winter show. CHA (Craft & Hobby Association.) is the trade show for the craft industry. All of the manufacturers, retailers, and publishers in the industry will be there. Happily, I will be working in the Blumenthal Lansing booth while there.

And, when I get a little time to network, I will be handing out these babies, looking for some more work. I need an additional project or two.

My business cards came from MOO. Check them out, their services are very creative and it took less than a week from the time I uploaded photos until they were in my mailbox. They do lots more than business cards. I found them very affordable.

Take Your Vitamin C!

Wild Thing

2012-01-17T20:50:00.009-05:00

I started painting this chair about 23433 months ago, and finally sat down to finish it tonight.

It started out a dark wood finish.

After some sanding, I covered the wood with gesso, and then painted.

My inspiration was the zebra fabric. It is fuzzy....really soft. So, what else could I do on this chair, but Wild Thing? Since this was a junk-picked chair, it came with a filthy damask cover on the seat and the top finials were missing. Other than that, the structure of the chair is good, no repairs needed. Just painting.

It turned out kinda groovy. I am not sure if it is wild enough or not. Do you do that thing where you finish a piece and then let it sit for a day or two before you look at it again? I think that is what I will do here.

Use your Vitamin C to repurpose something. It's a good feeling.
http://housewivesofriverton.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-year-blogaversary-and-new-linky.html http://whipperberry.com/2012/01/whippercafe-friday-flair-link-party.html

Reminder by Beads

2012-01-16T15:45:00.000-05:00

Being such a visual person, it is helpful to me to have reminders I can see. If I can wear them, it is even better.

Remember that redeem is my word for 2012. Knowing myself, I know that reminders of my plan will be important, at least until I make the habit my own.

I made letter beads to spell my word, and put them into a bracelet. Colorwise, it is almost monotone, which is not my usual. But, the good side to that is that the palette is pretty neutral, so I will be able to wear it with most anything.

I found the twisted bugle beads and the bi-cone crystals (khaki AB) in the stash, and they were a great match to my letter beads. See the small disc beads on the bugle bead strand? The holes are larger than the bugle beads, so the discs slide back and forth in their sections. It adds some movement to the bracelet. I like that!

Do you need a helpful reminder of your new year's resolution yet?

Use your Vitamin C!

White Heart Beads

2012-01-13T14:57:00.019-05:00

Once in awhile I hit on something that is just fabulous. Don't you LOVE when that happens to you? I made these beads and a bracelet using them for Bead Design Studio Magazine. They featured the bracelet in the December issue, and there are downloadable instructions on their web site.

If you are following trends for fashion and jewelry, you will see fringe is definitely on the list.

From Rock, Paper, Metal

Most of the fringe jewelry I see is very hippie-like, including bead fringe, and I wanted something more up to date. So, I included the faceted, shiny metal beads and glow-y white heart beads.

For those of you making your own lampwork beads, the instructions for making the white heart beads are in the new February issue.

If you do not make your own beads, but would like to make the bracelet, head over to my Etsy shop for the beads. <------- Look over to the left column on this blog. I am offering the set of white heart beads not only in the featured blue, but in some other beautiful colors.

Use your Vitamin C!

No Tools Needed Button Bracelet

2012-01-08T23:48:00.013-05:00

Lately, I have been finding some gorgeous button bracelets online. If you search through Etsy and Pinterest, you will find some nice examples. I have made button bracelets in the past, and have not been completely happy with them. It is hard to wire the buttons close enough to the links so they don't flop around when worn.

And then. It came to me. I present to you now, a super simple way to make a great button bracelet!

Part 1

Part 2

My mind is picturing all of the fabulous buttons available and how they would look in bracelets. Hope yours is too.

Take your Vitamin C!

Miscellane-ick

2012-01-05T18:09:00.003-05:00

Pronounced miss el ay knee ick. More on that later. The girls came over today. We knitted. It was their first time.

I admit, I am not a great knitting teacher. But, we managed. It was fun to see their progress.

They did not get too far, but they did learn casting on, knitting and casting off, so they can go home and do it on their own.

After knitting, we dumped out a couple containers of horrible beads. I cannot say why I save the bead failures, but I do. My nieces used to like to pick through them. The rule is that you can take anything from the bad beads, but you are not allowed to say who made them. Hence, the not-close up photo.

The best part of the process is that the bad bead collection has a new name. It is miscellane-ick...sort of miscellaneous but also a big pile of ick.

Share your Vitamin C!

Plan B

2012-01-05T17:34:00.002-05:00

Plan A hardly ever comes to fruition for me. So, when Plan B takes shape, it usually feels right. I had mental plans to make bell shaped flowers for my next column in Bead Design Studio, using cone shaped mandrels. However, I could not get the mandrels in time. So, plan B stepped in.

I used a regular mandrel and these turned out more delicate than anything I could have created on the cone mandrel. And I like them! They look like little twirling crinolines. They are for the wedding issue, but I think in brighter colors, they would look nice for every day projects.

P.S. Check out my free project on Bead Design Studio: http://www.beaduniquemag.com/projects/index.shtml

Go Vitamin B!

Fabric Bible Cover

2012-01-04T22:17:00.000-05:00

To help me remember my word for 2012, redeem, I did a little project tonight. It took me about 30 minutes.

This is a pocket size Bible. I have carried it in my purse for years. Looks like it, right? It is well used.

This piece of fabric has been calling me from the stash.

Using Mod Podge, I covered the bible with the fabric. I applied one coat to glue the fabric down, and two coats to seal the fabric. Once the Mod Podge is dry, it is very easy to trim the fabric with a pair of scissors, at the edge of the cover.

Then I covered a small piece of heavy watercolor paper with another piece of fabric, and added a border of rick rack.

Using a glue gun, I glued it to the front. With a white paint pen, I wrote my word. It will be a great reminder every time I take it out of my purse. And, it looks a little better, I think.

Use your Vitamin C to help you with your 2012 resolutions, whatever they are!

I Hereby Resolve

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

Guess we are all thinking, at least a little, about the year to come and what we would like to accomplish. It seems my thought process is different every year. Maybe, the difference is due to how tired I am vs. how much energy I have on the last day of the year. Some years I pick one thing I would like to accomplish during the new year. Sometimes I make a crazy list of resolutions ...which maybe are more like dreams than real plans. Looking back, those end of year resolutions are a good roadmap to the status of my head and heart each year.

This year, I read this blog post by Quinn McDonald, and I have been thinking about it for a couple weeks. I don't think it is a new concept, but it makes sense for me this year. Quinn suggests choosing one word for the year that will be a watchword, a goal, a direction. She says it should be a chewy word.

My chewy word is Redeem, which came to mind when I read this verse about the same time I read the blog post:

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5:15-16 (KJV)

From a more modern version:
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

A quick search of the greek word for redeeming (exagorazo), shows it to mean "to buy up for oneself." So, this is how I see it. Everything I have is God given, and I have much. How can I use what I have been given to make the most of those opportunities? I have been given health, intelligence, experiences, skills, time, and more. My hope is twofold: that I will come to recognize all of the gifts I have been given, and that I will find great ways to redeem them.

I will be thinking a lot about this in the coming days, but for now, Happy New Year!! I hear the fireworks in the distance and am glad I am not in Texas where they shoot guns.

How will I redeem my Vitamin C?
Stay tuned.

Thank you!

2011-12-31T22:09:00.000-05:00

Vitamin C was started in January of this year, so... 1 year down! I want to thank all of you who have visited my blog, and even stuck around to read some things.

A great many more of you have been here than I ever dreamed of. In truth, it is pretty much due to pinterest. My bleach doodle shirt has had over 2,000 visitors (since July) and the Blackboard of Blossoms has had a bit over 1,000 visitors (since June).

I feel surprised and honored that so many of you were interested enough to follow the photo back to my blog.

Working on my 2012 Vitamin C!

Shake Your Own

2011-12-15T22:59:00.000-05:00

Tonight, we got the ingredients together and tried making ice cream in a plastic bag. You put the ingredients in a small zip lock, and put that inside a larger zip lock full of ice. If you want to try it, google it. It is all over the internet.

Then, you shake it for 5 minutes or so. Only thing is, it gets very cold.

Niece 1 put hers in a blanket and flipped it back and forth.

It actually works. We had peppermint, vanilla, and chocolate chip. Tasted good! Not sure we are doing it again...but we might. It would be a good activity for a bunch of kids with lots of energy.

Take your Vitamin C!

Gathering

2011-12-13T09:27:00.000-05:00

Last night was the women's Christmas Gathering at church. For me, it is a nice way to start the Christmas season. Women from the church bring their co-workers, family members, friends, and neighbors. Dinner is catered.

The hostess of each table sets a holiday extravaganza. They get quite creative. Every table is beautiful.

We get to know each other, eat, and sing Christmas carols. Last night our speaker was Cathy Tanana who is the women's ministries director at another local church. She leads a bible study with the Detroit Tiger wives. She told us about her life as a baseball wife.

When I am the boss of Christmas, we will do activities like this in celebration, we will hang pretty lights, eat Christmas cookies, and sing a lot. We will not shop till we drop and spend small fortunes buying gifts. I will let you know when I am in charge of that...

Till then, find some meaningful, fun, and relaxing ways to do Christmas, and..,

Take your Vitamin C!

Card Recycle

2011-12-08T19:26:00.000-05:00

I received a Christmas present this week from Lee Anne, and this card with it. I really like the card. See the stitching and the glitter?

Deciding to make a decorative, hanging tag with it, I gathered: watercolor paper for the base, metallic scrapbook papers, and the page in the bible that has Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,Prince of Peace.

I layered the papers, added some seed beads, drew some swirls with Sharpies, and added one vintage rhinestone screw back earring at the bottom of the tag. I glued the inside of the card on the back of my tag, so I will always have Lee Anne's message. I am hanging the tag with the ribbon from the present.

Now it is a piece of art with meaning! Wouldn't it be cool to have a whole tree of recycled card tags?

Use your Vitamin C!

2012 Color of the Year

2011-12-08T15:34:00.000-05:00

I turned on the computer this morning to a note from my friend VoteMom about the 2012 Pantone color of the year. Sure enough, I have been seeing the announcement all over the place today, and I just got the official email from Pantone telling me that Tangerine Tango will be king for 2012.

From the Pantone website:

The 2011 color of the year, PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle, encouraged us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.
“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

Now, that is a lesson in writing romance copy. Did you know someone could say so many beautiful things about orange? I would like these people to write my resume.

My own opinion: hardly anyone can wear orange and look good in it. It is nice in accents, but kind of overwhelming in big amounts. If you study the psychology of color, you know that orange is energetic and used to draw attention. Think hunting gear and traffic cones.

If we review the 2011 Color and the 2010 Color, and combine them with the 2012 Color, it looks like we are at the beach.

Vitamin C comes in orange, the 2012 Color of the Year!

Big is Beautiful

2011-12-02T11:29:00.000-05:00

I am working on a big bangle bracelet design.

Bangle bracelets have been trendy for awhile but as this year progressed, they got bigger and bolder.

Until they are almost more of a garment than an accessory.

So, I am getting in on that. I made these segments that are almost 3" tall. They are fabric covered watercolor paper. Big-ish, but very lightweight. See where I made the holes? They get hooked together there with beads and wire.

I made 36 bead dangles for this bracelet. I keep a jar of black spacer beads and a jar of silver spacer beads. There are many sizes, shapes and bead materials in the jars. I use black and silver spacer beads a lot, so I throw everything I like and everything leftover into those jars. It beats having to dig up enough beads for each project. Handy.

I wired the segments together, attaching the dangles on the wires. The bracelet wraps nicely around the wrist. And, it makes a statement, wouldn't you say?

Did you notice the one red bead? I had a choreography professor in college (I have an undergrad education degree in dance) who always said, "Give the audience a flower." By that, she meant to add something into the dance that was surprising, unusual, even eccentric...a moment to make the audience say "oooooh." Since choreography is pretty much design (movement design), I think that advice can be used in other designing. So, I put in one red bead, hoping to give the audience a flower.

Amazing what can be done with paper.
Use your Vitamin C!

Finally!

2011-11-28T19:33:00.000-05:00

Dear Best Employer in the world, with the Best Job I Have Ever Had... I am ready!

Antique Jewelry

2011-11-26T21:11:00.000-05:00

This has been unearthed from Grandma's jewelry box. I don't know a thing about antiques. But, this is what I think about these particular pieces:

We think these were Great Grandmother's.
From the tiny bit of research I did, they might be lapel pins. I think they are too short for hat pins.
They could be from the early 1900's... or even earlier.
They could be from Germany.

Let this be a lesson to you. Write notes about all of your jewelry pieces for your Great Granddaughter, so she knows what they are and how old they are. I know. None of us are going to do that, but I sure wish GG did that for me.

I love those little boots. They even have tread on the bottom.

Anyone know something about antique jewelry and have an idea what they really are?

Avoid the Crazy Crowds!

2011-11-23T12:43:00.001-05:00

Visit Pretty Things to get info on the giveaways and how you can win them during the Virtual Craft Show.

Then come back on Saturday (the show lasts 7 days) to shop and win! There will be 70 artists displaying work. Doesn't that sound so much better than spending 20 minutes trying to find a place to park, hoofing it in, fighting the crowd, and standing in line forever to check out???

Auction News

2011-11-19T10:58:00.002-05:00

Remember when I was working on this necklace that I donated for the school auction?

The auction was last night and word on the street is that it went for $80. That makes me happy. I could never have donated $80 to the school, so I am glad my necklace could.

Think about how your Vitamin C might help someone else today...

At the Torch

2011-11-19T10:49:00.000-05:00

We interrupt your holiday prep thoughts for this announcement:

I am at the torch, getting ready for this virtual craft show. It starts a week from today when we are all fat and happy from turkey and mashed potatoes. A lot of beadmakers and crafters are participating. There will be giveaways! I will remind you.

Back to pumpkin pie thoughts....

Paper Jewelry

2011-11-17T12:01:00.003-05:00

Yesterday's project. I wanted something bright, artsy, almost cartooney. It started with paper.

In the 80's, I was the paper earring queen. If you knew me then, you remember. Huge earrings were the style of the decade. They were called doorknockers. For some reason, even I cannot explain, I saved my paper earrings from the 80's. I have a big box of them. I used the heaviest watercolor paper I could buy and I added all kinds of embelishments. I taught a class on making paper jewelry....many times. It was popular.

To begin yesterday's necklace, I started with a sheet of watercolor paper. Watercolor paper comes in weights. Don't use anything under 140 lb. My preference is 300 lb, but 140 lb will work just fine. I used Liquitex acrylics. I like them because they are saturated color and there is a bit of a shine to the finish.

In the middle of my sheet of paper, I put out blobs of aqua, turquoise and white. I almost always add white when painting a background. I like the tinting I get with white.

With a wide flat brush, smear it out to cover the paper. Add a little water to your brush to help it spread. Let it dry. Or use your craft dryer, aka, hairdryer.

Add a little more texture. You can print with just about anything. This is a piece of corrugated cardboard, with the top layer removed. Brush some paint onto the ridges and press to the paper. You can see I use this a lot, it has many colors on it. One of my most expensive tools...

Doesn't need to be perfect. When you cut the flowers out, you will just see little bits of it.

Freehand cut out some scrapbook paper circles with a pair of pinking shears. You can also use whatever scrapbooking scissors with fancy edges that you have on hand. Don't bother tracing a template, just cut a circle. Mod Podge it down to the painted surface.

Now use a smaller flat brush. Squeeze two colors on the palette. This is magenta and white. Dip one corner of the brush in magenta and the other in white. Make a stroke from the top to the bottom in a C shape, and another the mirror image. Leave a bit of the center showing. And, I like the way you can see the paper zig zag edges if you don't use too much paint on the brush. More texture. Let it dry.

With a Sharpie, or your marker of choice, finish the flower. Loosely cut the flowers out.

Punch holes and string to your necklace. Add bead dangles or charms or whatever you would like to add. Make this in colors to suit you. I think it would also be really cute to hang just one as a pendant with beads hanging off the bottom. It makes a really inexpensive piece of jewelry, that is one of a kind.

Thank you for reading the latest from the Queen (retired) of paper earrings.

Use your Vitamin C!

Tutu Lamp

2011-11-12T20:59:00.016-05:00

You know you need a lamp with a little tutu.

Well, I just made one, and here is how:

I got this roll of tulle at Michaels. You can get it at any craft or fabric store in the ribbon department or wedding aisle. Mine is brown.

Fold the width in half and stitch big running stitches next to the fold. Pull the thread to gather it. Gather as much or as little as you wish until you have a string that will go all the way around the lampshade.

Plug in the hot glue gun and glue the gathered tulle at the bottom edge of the shade. Apply a thin line of glue. You don't need much, tulle is mostly air and you will burn your fingers if you use a lot of glue.

Take your Vitamin C!

Sew Can Do

Surface Design for Buttons

2011-11-11T15:48:00.006-05:00

I love these big 2" wood buttons from Blumenthal Lansing. And, you know me. If it is big enough to decorate, then I am doing it. These days, buttons come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and designs, so you can almost always find the perfect button for your project. But, just in case you need to personalize further, here are three ideas.

1. Fill the center with Dimensional Magic or craft glue.

Sprinkle seed beads into the wet glue.

2. Choose a fabric.

Decoupage it to cover the front of the button. After the fabric is dry, re-open the button holes with something sharp or pointy. I used a small nail to start the holes and widened them with the handle end of a small paintbrush.

3. Just paint. This is Folk Art Poppy, Yellow Lime, and Licorice.

Use any of these on your craft projects. They will not wash very well, but you can use them on clothing. Stitch through the buttonholes with thread. Don't attach them to anything, just put thread in the holes. Knot it so it will stay. Then attach it to the garment with these pins. When you wash the garment, just un-pin them. Make a different set of buttons for a sweater or jacket for each holiday......

I hope this has sparked your Vitamin C and you have more ideas for designing your own buttons.

Use your Vitamin C!

Tiny Organization

2011-11-07T16:38:00.002-05:00

I am trying not to sweat the small stuff.

Recently, I saw this idea of storing and using your glitter in old salt and pepper shakers. And I liked it. So, I filed it away in the back of my brain.

Lo, and behold, last week, I was looking for lamps at Treasure Mart. And I found this. It cost $3. A treasure!

I washed it and filled it with six beading items that I can never find around my house and studio. I am not as organized in my beading supplies as I could be. Part of the problem is that I work in many different areas of the house, and I pack things to take with me whenever I leave the house. So, the small bits are everywhere. It is maddening to spend more time looking for my jump rings than it takes to make the project.

Small bits I can now locate:
1. head pins and eye pins
2. jump rings
3. ear wires
4. crimp beads (I know I have a whole bag of them someplace yet....see what I mean??)
5. silver spacer beads
6. black spacer beads

I can hardly wait to get a new project going so I can revel in my new organization!
Use your Vitamin C!

Safety Pin Bracelets with the Girls

2011-11-04T22:37:00.000-04:00

The girls came over and made safety pin bracelets. It is so much fun to craft with them. They know exactly what they want to learn to do. We have done pop top bracelets and sewn messenger bags.

I just explain and they run with it. It took them no time at all to string 60 safety pins.

Many thanks to the Human PinBall for the beads. We appreciated them very much!

Share your Vitamin C!

Knitting From the Stash

2011-11-03T11:36:00.004-04:00

I wrote yesterday about Trash to Treasure. Today's project is about Stash to Treasure. I am working on some Christmas ornaments and went digging through the stash to see what I had for yarns and fibers. I found two skeins that were too pretty to cut up for ornaments. They are mostly acrylic with some mohair and are so soft.

They were small skeins, so I knew I was not going to get a scarf, unless it was 2" wide. Scarfette? I have been thinking about these neck wraps, maybe for Christmas presents. I am not sure what you really call them, but I have been drawn to them for some reason. So, I knitted up the skeins 15 stitches wide in garter stitch. It turned out to be about 24" long.

I had these two Blumenthal buttons. They are metal, kind of bronzey, with plaid lines on the top. They were perfect for this. I stitched them onto one end of the scarf.

Now, I am not a fabuloso knitter, and I am a lazy one. I enjoy the mindlessness of working the needles, but can't be bothered to think too hard about it. So, where I should have put two buttonholes, I did not. But, the buttons were small enough to fit through the stitches.

And then I found out that the scarf is big enough to fit over my head, so I don't have to button and unbutton each time it is worn. It just slips on, looks pretty, keeps the neck warm, and then slips off.

Sometimes it just all works out when you take your Vitamin C!

Trend Report-Opposites Day

2011-11-02T11:22:00.000-04:00

It is odd that two very opposite things are trending at the same time, but they are. I guess it is because they are desired by two very different subsets of people on this earth. The first is overexpensive luxury items. AKA, stuff for people with more money than sense. It almost made me sick looking at these, thinking about how much money is being spent that could be going for some real good in the world.

So, this Louis Vuitton purse goes for $35,000. You might be able to get your cell phone in it.

This is a Japanese watermelon that cost $6,100. It looks pretty much like any garden variety watermelon, doesn't it?

An 8.4 million dollar (yes, million) iPad made of gold. How many iPads could the owner buy for school kids?

And a $445, 000 shirt. Comes in its own vault.

And on the opposite end of that is the green movement, also called upcycling. In my day, we called it trash to treasure. Only, I think we have lost sight of treasure in an effort to use garbage up.

This is exactly what you think it is. Want one?

Ow!

Really? Doesn't that hurt to wear?

Used wall hooks, must be heavy. And scratchy at the bottoms.

This one wins my vote. I think it is clever, functional, and cute.

Guess they don't know this is against the law and you can be ticketed for it?

Your thoughts?
Take your Vitamin C!

Button Christmas Tree, Chapter 2

2011-11-01T19:13:00.013-04:00

Remember when I made this tree for Miss Joann in September? It was for a Michaels webisode, and here it is!

I'd like to thank the Academy....

Kidding aside, thanks Blumenthal Lansing and Michaels for letting me do such a fun and gorgeous Christmas project!

Merry Christmas!

Be Different Act Normal

Vintage Bakelite Necklace

2011-10-31T21:27:00.008-04:00

What's not to like with these bakelite pieces? They are vintage and color saturated. My friend Karen has a bunch of vintage pieces from her Mother in Law. I have remade some of the pieces for her to be more contemporary, or to make several pieces out of one, so the granddaughters can each have a piece of Grandma's jewelry. This nice bakelite is hers.

I did not get to see the original piece. When I got it, it had already been taken apart.

What is bakelite exactly? It is the first plastic, and is really polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride. Not a very catchy name. It was an accidental discovery by a Belgian scientist named Baekeland in 1907. Read here for the story of bakelite. it is pretty interesting.

I don't work much in warm colors, but I did have a few spacers and smaller beads to add in.

I hooked the donuts together with circles of seed beads.

Then I added a strand of the bi-cone beads and a strand of seed beads wrapped around it to form the rest of the necklace.

Hope she likes it!
Take your Vitamin C!
Be Different Act Normal

Last Minute Halloween Idea

2011-10-26T11:08:00.000-04:00

Honestly, this is a project revisited. I made it last year, but it is worth a repeat.

It is a great project for a teacher gift, or just a candy dish at home. It is very inexpensive. The glass bowl cost 99 cents. And it took me less than 15 minutes to make. If only I could find fake candy so it would not be talking to me all day, "eeeeat me!"

You need:

glass bud bowl (if you use a bigger bowl, you will need a truckload of orange candy)
black glitter
white craft glue
18" ribbon of your choice
orange candy (I put sugared orange slices in my jack o lantern dish)

Try this:

1. Squeezing glue from the bottle, apply it in shapes of facial features: 2 eyes, nose, mouth.

2. While the glue is wet, sprinkle the glitter over it. Let it dry.

3. Fill it up with orange candies.

4. I also gave mine a ribbon bow. I can't decide if it is a cute addition or it makes Mr. Jack O look like a hippie from 1969. You decide.

Take your Vitamin C!

Fall Button Earrings

2011-10-19T17:33:00.010-04:00

Imaginina stopped in today to make a pair of earrings with us.

Actually, she lost a bet with me and now she has to show you these button earrings. HA! Take it away Imaginina!

Yes, never bet with Kim. Anyway, here I am. These earrings are so easy, a monkey could make them, you really do not need instructions. But, that was the bet, so..... Even if you live under a rock and have never crafted before, you can handle this project. Give it a try.

You need:

2 triangle shaped buttons
Glitter Sample Pack
white craft glue
2 big jump rings (big enough to reach one of the button holes)
2 fishhook earring findings
chain nose pliers

Instructions:

Really? You cannot figure this out?

1. Choose three glitter colors you like for fall.

2. Squeeze the glue right from the bottle to cover approximately the bottom third of one triangle button. Shake one color of glitter to cover wet glue. Shake off the excess glitter.

3. Repeat to cover center of button with another of your colors of glitter.

4. Repeat to cover top third of button with last glitter color. Set aside to dry.

Keep in mind that this is a craft not an arithmetic problem, just estimate the thirds as you are applying glitter.

5. Repeat for the other button.

6. Assemble the earring. Using pliers, twist the jump ring open far enough to put an open end through a button hole. String a fishhook finding on the open jump ring. Close the jump ring, getting the ends to touch. Repeat with other earring.

You could make a bunch of these at one sitting. Also think about seasonal earrings and make them in Christmas colors or red/white/blue. If you don't have triangles, use any shape buttons.

I'd better see all of you wearing these earrings by next week.

Imaginina

Skip to My Lou, made By You Monday

MOO

2011-10-18T20:27:00.000-04:00

Worked on a few more lampwork bead projects today. It is great to be able to work at home. But, one thing that designers miss when isolated is the feedback, the give and take, and the brainstorming that happens in a room full of designers.

So, it is up to you. Lampwork beads (that I did not make) on a canvas. Cute? Or odd?

Take your Vitamin C!

It's a Process

2011-10-17T23:02:00.003-04:00

I had a project today and thought I would share the process. The goal was to make jewelry from these lampwork beads...that I did not make. The projects are for signage at Jo-Ann's.

I did some quick notes and drawings so I would be focused when I got to the store to purchase the rest of the stuff I needed.

Then I went to Jo-Ann's to get findings and filler for the jewelry pieces and a couple other projects I am doing for them. I spent an hour and 45 minutes gathering what I needed. Well, not really. I spent quite a lot of time in line to check out. I was number 16 in line. Wished I had packed a lunch. If they are going to make us wait that long in line, why don't they provide entertainment?

Armed with everything I needed, I got the final tools ready. The computer for writing instructions as I made the projects...

And Star Trek Voyager. I want to be Katherine Janeway when I grow up.

I finished the four pieces. Strawberries. Worried it looks a little Christmassy, but could not really do anything about that.

Like the bubbles?

I just noticed the artichoke is upside down. ARGH! They say you should photograph your pieces to get a fresh perspective. It worked on this one!

I tied pieces of rick rack onto this to fill it in. That makes the project less expensive. Rick rack is way cheaper than more beads for filler.

It was a good day and I used my Vitamin C.

Art Supplies Make Me Drool

2011-10-14T20:51:00.000-04:00

Today I visited Pearl Paint with the girls from Blumenthal Lansing. We had a mission, but also spent a few minutes looking around the store. There are only a few Pearls, and the closest one to me is in New Jersey. I have been in Pearls that looked like a giant garage sale full of products that were 25 years old. The one I saw today is fairly new and looked great. Tell me, even if you don't do art, that this doesn't make you want it!

Our job today at Pearl was to select papers for display backgrounds for the booth at the Quilt Market in a couple weeks. There are two entire aisles of papers there. So great!

I have worked in the art/craft industry for more than 25 years. I know a lot about art products. There are all kinds of things in here that I have never heard of. It would take a life time to learn how to use all of the products in here. Wouldn't that be FUN?????

Go look at art supplies, it really juices up your Vitamin C!

Do I Hear $1?

2011-10-12T22:02:00.001-04:00

I made this last night while sitting in my hotel room, watching the Tigers beat the Rangers. Twice. Made the necklace twice. The Tigers did not beat the Rangers twice last night.

The first time I put it together, it was fabulously asymmetrical, which I love for myself. But, I am donating the necklace to an auction, so it will not be mine. Then I thought, most people probably do not like crazy asymmetry like I do. As it is, the beads are strung randomly.

So, I restrung it so the dangles are symmetrical, at least.

And I would like to know. Do you prefer a symmetrical design? Taking it one step further, does there have to be a pattern to the beads? Or, do you prefer asymmetry in a piece of jewelry?

Take your Vitamin C!

Simple Jewelry Technique: Candy Corn Necklace

2011-10-10T15:04:00.018-04:00

This is so easy and fast. My necklace has candy corn, but you can do this with any beads. Any.

Start with a pre-made necklace cord. You can find them in craft stores and other places as well. They are a completed necklace with clasp attached. In some instances, it costs less to buy a necklace cord than to make one yourself. Take that 40% off coupon with you!

This one is a woven leather cord.

You also need beads and embroidery floss. You are simply going to tie the beads onto the cord. For the candy corn necklace, I made bead charms on head pins, then tied the head pins to the cord. You can see I did that with the lampwork candy corns as well as some crystal beads and strings of big seed beads.

But on this necklace, I did not use head pins at all. The beads are tied directly onto the cord with floss. Charms too.

The trick is that you need a smaller bead under the big bead. String the floss down trough the top of the bead, out the bottom and through the small bead. Then string the floss back through only the big bead. The small bead will hold the big bead on the floss.

Then, knot the floss onto the cord. I always add a dot of jewelry glue to the knot to be sure I don't lose any beads..

Tie as many beads to the cord as you wish. It can be really full and look fabulous. Let the floss ends show for a little extra texture.

Simple. Take your Vitamin C and create!

Calling it Finished

2011-10-06T18:01:00.001-04:00

The project was to use Blumenthal Lansing's photo fabric...and to make it funky. The photo fabric is pretty cool. I ran it through my printer and it looks great. Niece 3 looks groovy in her 70s outfit at the homecoming parade.

Sharing the spotlight is BL's matte finish buttons. The colors are perfect.

In the end, I decided against the rick rack. It was busy enough.

Have you used photo fabric that prints in your printer?

Take your Vitamin C!

Creativity Personified

2011-10-06T12:26:00.000-04:00

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. And the reason they were able to do that was that they’ve had more experiences or they have thought more about their experiences than other people." -Steve Jobs.

Talk about Vitamin C!

It's Bursting Out!

2011-10-06T09:25:00.001-04:00

I have a tendency to replay the bad or worrysome things that happen to me, inside my head like old reruns. Are you like me? I have been wearing out an old memory for about a week. It isn't good, I don't like doing it. Thankfully, God came to my rescue with these verses from Isaiah.

I do see that the future is where my focus should be. The past is past. And that makes me thankful too. I just need a reminder sometimes.

I added this page in my journal and though I would share this verse that snapped me out of it....

Take your Vitamin C!

Quilt Piece Sneak Peek

2011-10-04T22:22:00.000-04:00

Hand stitching is one of my favorite things to do. I can make a fabric and floss project last forever. Layers of fabrics and embroidery are just the beginning. Then, adding beads and buttons and other stuff is the really fun part for me. I like the textures it all makes. And the colors.

But, this one is for quilt market and it has a definite deadline. So, I am working toward an end to the project. Here is one corner of the piece. Stay tuned for the entire thing....very soon.

Notice that only the background has been hemmed. The surface decoration shows the rough fabric edges and the floss knots. For me, the point is texture and color. It will not ever be washed, so the rough edges and knots add to the texture without adding worry about fraying and falling apart.

More stitching.......trying to work some rick rack in some place.

Get out a needle and take your Vitamin C!

Fashion Week Recap

2011-09-26T22:05:00.000-04:00

I have been cogitating on the photos I saved from New York Fashion Week. Obviously, I am not a fashionista, and don't understand a lot about it. I probably only saw a fraction of what was shown in NY during the week. But, some things did jump out of the pile of photos I collected from many different fashion shows from the week.

Jewelry is a form of fashion, so it is fun to see what is happening out there. And maybe we will find some inspiration to use in jewelry making.

See through clothes! In many forms.

Floaty fabrics.

Long and short.

Two things in one here.....lots of color, which surprised me since when I think of the NY fashionistas, I think black. And there is a really bold use of stripes and colorblocking going on.

This crosses over to the trending I did recently for jewelry. Texture: feathers and fringe. It is also kind of floaty, so there is a crossover there too.

So, does anything inspire you that you can use in making jewelry? Or making anything else?

Take your Vitamin C!

Candy Corn Oops

2011-09-24T13:06:00.000-04:00

Guess I need to label my glass better because in the basement, all colors do not appear to be what they really are.

Anyone want some hot cinnamon candy corn?

Gorgeous Button Tree

2011-09-19T20:09:00.002-04:00

Seems like only yesterday that I was working on Halloween. Yeah, It was.

When the Amazing Helen asked if I would work on this project, I hoped I could do it justice because it had the potential to be awesome. I am not sure it turned out awesomely, but it is quite striking. It is a project for Michaels. I will share with you when and how they use it for the holidays. The buttons are all from Blumenthal Lansing and can be purchased everyday at Michaels.

I covered a styrofoam cone with buttons. Covered. There are several rhinestones buttons on it, and if that was not enough bling, I added some gems glued onto more buttons. It sparkles. Then I stood it on a mercury glass pillar candle holder, (that was very reasonable when I used my 40% off coupon on it) and it was the perfect touch.

I admit, this tree took a lot of buttons to cover it. But it was worth it. Traditional yet blingy.

Start collecting buttons and take your Vitamin C!

Halloween Button Bracelets

2011-09-18T21:22:00.007-04:00

The Amazing Helen from Blumenthal Lansing gave me some halloween buttons and I was inspired. These bracelets are bold and fun and not-so-spooky for halloween.

They are so easy to make, it is crazy. Just start with a yard of cord. I used cotton braiding cord. Waxed linen would also work. The first button has a loop. Knot the cords together behind the last button. I added a dot of jewelry glue on the knot.

Keep in mind, the smaller the button the smaller the buttonholes. You can use two or four hole buttons.

Just looking at the back should teach what you need to know to make a bracelet.

To wear it, put the last button through the loop.

This bracelet takes only minutes to make. Imagine this done with Grandma's antique buttons, or layered buttons in bright colors.

Take your Vitamin C.
And BOO!