Chinatown Snack Shopping

Back when we were in college, my friends and I would take bi-weekly trips to Chinatown for get togethers, snack shopping, and hanging out.  Everything there was always intriguing, surprising and delicious.  Back then, even though Chinatown had a touristy, campy feel to it, there were still pockets of authentic delicacies to experience.  Seasoned pork belly with fermented vegetables, roasted sea bass, tea eggs and hundred year eggs you can eat with your warm, filling soup...  So good. 

Since those days Chinatown has become more modern and feels a bit colder.  It could be because of all the construction or the fact that since my friends and I all have weird schedules we almost never go together.  Whatever the case, you can still stroll into the Chinatown Market grocery store and find some good eats. 

Left to right: Matcha kitkats, Lemon crackers, Jasmine tea, Beef udon, DIY Mount Fuji chocolates, Horn wafer candies, A different kind of Udon, Salted duck eggs, Matcha and almond pocky, Sugar cane juice, chrysanthemum tea.  YUM.

I used to buy tons of weeb crap when I went to Chinatown.  Heaps of pocky, yan yan, pocari sweat, ramune... All the Japanese junk food you could find for cheap.  My tastes have changed and I've become more open to buying new things.  For example, I've been learning to cook more foreign dishes instead of just consuming their snacks.  In fact, I rarely eat snacks and treats from Chinatown any more.  I live on tea, though. 

The filling is made from purple sweet potatoes.  Pretty good.

I'm going to save this for another day.  I don't have the patience to make these things right now.

The first "fresh Udon" soup I've had that didn't have that nasty citric acid after taste.

I'm waiting until someone can tell me the right way to eat these.

Just some green tea, almonds and chocolate.  Yum.

Lemon sandwich crackers: Some people think these are bland, but I like the combination of lightly sweet and salty

Strawberry coconut wafer cookies.  Pretty straight-forward to be honest.

Again, don't feel like fiddling with this.  This will be a rainy or sick day project.

Abandoned Commissions: Part 2

The next incident of commission related disappointment came shortly after a coworker encouraged me to bring my jewelry on one of the days we would be released early for holidays.  I was still working at my university at the time.  I shrugged and decided to bring some of my hoard.  If things went well, I'd have more money.

I brought the jewelry.  I had to lug it to and from class with me.  Ugh.  At the end of the day, we all sequestered ourselves into one of the empty conference rooms and spread out everything I had on the tables.  It was one of those rare moments when I look at my jewelry as an observer instead of as a creator.  The effect is waaaay different.  I stood back while the ladies pawed at, fussed over, and made agreements with each other about who would get what.  At that time I didn't make duplicates of anything.  So you and your BFF had to come to an agreement otherwise it would turn out like an episode of the Highlander: There can be only one.

I made a decent amount of scratch.  2/3rds what I'd make if I sold at a convention.  However, there was one young lady who wanted something specific for her niece's graduation.  I was still new to this commissioning thing, so I decided to take on her request, thinking that the folks at work might be a bit better than the ones at church.

What followed was an ordeal that tested every fiber of my patience and level temper.  The young woman wanted something 'flashy but not too flashy' to go with her fucsia dress.  I informed her that she would have to secure the beads.  She claimed to not know where to go.  Despite me instructing her on which craft stores she could visit to get the materials for her jewelry set, she never seemed to have time to go and in the end I was asked to take care of it for her.  That's a no-no.  I didn't know what she wanted and I was not about to waste time and busfare going out to a craft store and paying out of pocket for her stuff.

So, I turned to eBay.  I sent her a barrage of links to various beads that could arrive within a week if they were purchased right away.  She went with the smallest number of the cheapest beads she could find.  The quantity wasn't enough.  Thinking creatively and hoping that my dedication to helping her realize a good design would hopefully win me a return customer, I scoured my stash for some left over stardust beads to add into the design and give it a little extra sparkle to attractively contrast the shape of her face.  It would help me stretch the limited quantity of materials I'd be given.

Then she decided that she wanted that particular style of bead to be ALL OVER THE NECKLACE instead of in strategic places.  I told her that I didn't have any more and that she would have to get more from the craft store because they were on the expensive side.  She hem-hawed on that, then claimed that it was ok.  Later she brought a different kind of silver bead, again, cheap as possible, and demanded that I use those instead.  I remade the set.  She wasn't satisfied.   "Add the really shiny ones back in."  I remade the set.   Then we went back to the idea that I buy more stardust beads and add them into the design.

I still wasn't used to putting my foot down when faced with people older than me, so I asked my mother what I should do.  Wise as always, she told me to stand firm and that saying 'no' wasn't impolite because technically I was an adult too.  She also warned me of what was to come.

I refused to buy stardust beads for her necklace.  The woman claimed that it was fine.  Later, just as my mother predicted, the young woman claimed that since she wasn't getting what she wanted, she shouldn't have to pay.  If there's anything that pisses me off, nothing does it quite like giving me the run around when I'm trying to be kind and then having the audacity to act as if a small act of charity has impinged your honor and I should have to pay for it.  I'm sad to say that she brought out the worst in me.

In the end, she spent a total of $2 on materials and I spent 10 hours, nearly $15 dollars, and probably a few dozen gray hairs remaking the set several times.  I was so flustered and upset.  I considered cutting out the materials I contributed to it and throwing the rest away.  But that would be wasteful.  In the end, I gave the darn thing away because just looking at it made me sick to the stomach.  Repurposed and rehomed, I can say this, I felt much better giving the piece away than trying to sell it to someone who didn't want to pay in the first place.

Talking mess

Sometimes you have to pump yourself up when you're feeling a bit miffed, upset or discouraged.  It's moments like these that make me say that my mom is the best roommate to have.  She might fuss and deliver things with brutal honesty but she can get the silly started too and turn a fit of pique or sadness into a parade of ridiculously overblown egotistical madness.  She'll teach you how to laugh to keep from crying.

We get to 'talkin' shit". 
No whining about what's out of place.
About the emotional rancidness wafting up in your face.
Talkin' mess. 
In your best dress,
Jewelry, makeup and hair
Made all the way up
Every brushstroke in line with the design of a mood you do not have. 
Parade around in skyscraper heels, jingling jewelry, and a strut to crush any obstacle.

Toss your hair, roll your eyes
And to that man who called you an uppity bitch, "Ya damn right, I am"
Sitting around with rollers,
Mud on our faces, naps spilling out from under our shower caps
But we sit like exotic birds preening and proud.
We say, "Girl, look at you!  You think you somebody!"  and the other responds, "Ya damn right, I am!"  

All day, everyday
Darting through the hall, gathering our crafts, chirruping at each other,
"Phenomenal woman!" and "She walks in beauty!"
Talkin' shit we don't see or hear, but
We speak it as truth,
We draw it in like sunlight
Gather splendor from word and deed
Prop each other up and flourish the plumes of our efforts 
Like birds gossiping in the trees as they build their nests of glitter, thread and dust.
Just talkin' shit.
Cause nobody else will.

Tips to Get Out of a Funk a Rut, or Depressed State

I'm going to keep it short and sweet.  Partially because, yes, it IS that simple and partly because no, it is NOT that simple.  Do you get what I'm saying?  Of course you don't.  Remember in my last post I stated that Depression affects people differently.  Naturally, there's no one-size-fits-all solution and for many people who have recurring depression, it's an ongoing battle.

Step 1: Give yourself time to cry, but maintain a certain routine.
Your feelings do have value and you should never feel like you're not ALLOWED to feel them.  Stuffing them in a box and hiding them away is a surefire way to have them sneak up on you later, or worse, fester and boil under the surface, while rotting away everything you like about yourself.  You shouldn't focus on crying or being sad for too long, though.  I've seen people get swallowed up in a cycle of self-pitying misery.  It does NOTHING for you.  That is why you need to maintain a routine.  Continuing with everyday life things, like cooking and cleaning not only gives you something positive to focus on, but also something stable to cling to as you process your emotions.

Step 2: How do you feel?  And why do you feel that way?
Take some time, just a few coherent moments to analyze your feelings.  Sadness, loss and other negative emotions can usually be tied to an event or series of events that evoke certain feelings.  If you feel trapped, tired, and helpless, think about what things in your life might be forcing you to feel that way.

Step 3: Analyze your problems.
Once you understand how you feel, you can usually start looking at specific problems that those feelings stem from... and begin to mitigate them.  Toxic relationships, dead end jobs, loss, boredom... once you recognize what you anxiety and depression stem from, you can begin to rationalize and implement a plan to make those things go away, or at least get yourself some coping mechanisms.

Step 4:  Be kind to others.
Some people forget that being in a funk doesn't entitle them to be a dingleberry.  Just because you're having a bad day, year, whatever, doesn't mean that being kind is no longer an option.  Being compassionate can help YOU to break out of your funk.  Every little good deed should be a positive reminder that you can contribute to other people's lives and that you do still have power over things happening around you.  Also, you can make new, awesome friends.

Step 5: Don't forget about people.
Be with your loved ones, even if you don't feel like it.  Sometimes, you can thrive in their energy.  Don't forget that here are loads of people who's lives you have touched in a good way, even though you don't realize it.

Step 6: Never stop moving forward.
Every step forward is a step in the right direction.  It gives you focus, it gives you something to look forward to and if it's the past that has you gripped with negative feelings, it can help you overcome it.

Take care of yourselves, kids.

IT CAME FROM THE DOLLAR STORE!!!

I went to the dollar store not too long ago, to see what I could see.  The dollarstore really shouldn't be called a dollar store.  You can gain so much more from walking into one.  New experiences, nostalgia, and the thrill of finding completely weird shit.

Here are some of the random things I bought there besides the stuff that I actually needed.

It's some kind of dehumidifying crystals. 

Kinder Eggs are illegal in the USA because of choking hazards.

Thankfully we have Spiderman eggs that are essentially the same thing.

I bought this because the name of the candy made me giggle inappropriately.

I'm going to review the weird candy I bought, at least.  It should prove interesting...

Etude House: Baby Choux Peach

When I first heard of Etude House, it was from a video by CutiePieMarzia, on Youtube.  Since Marzia has become synonymous with 'adorable adult' in many people's minds, you can already tell that this product line was brain-meltingly cute.  With her invitation to her 'Marzipans' to check out the product, I went on the hunt for more information.
Marzia and other beauty bloggers and Youtubers had featured various Etude House cleansers, primers, lip colors and foundations.  The products were all adorably packaged, reported to have a light fragrance, and seemed to give the users a smooth finish.  Unfortunately, there was a shortage of reviews from People of Color, particularly from those with a skin tone darker than Becca's 'Buttercup' shade.

About this color

Unacceptable.

After hours of searching, I finally found a review from a girl a few shades darker than myself.  She loved the way the Etude House: Sweet Recipe Baby Choux primer felt, nourished her skin, wicked away oil, and prevented breakouts with her usual foundation.  After a bit more research, I learned that the primer came in three colors: Berry, Mint and Peach.  Peach was recommended for those with dark skintones.  I went to eBay to find some of Etude House's primer for cheap.  They have it on Amazon for $15+ shipping, but some eBay sellers offer it for $9.99- shipping included.  I'll take waiting ten days over spending $15 more to try a new product. 

Now, to give you a bit of comparison, I took photos of my usual makeup results.  Forgive the darkness of the photo.  It was taken in the bathroom with a cellphone.

There I am. 

Beauty products used: Derma E Tea tree oil moisturizer, Ambi Even and Clear Daily moisturizer with SPF 30, American Beauty liquid foundation in shade 11, Covergirl Professional Powder in shade 120.  Avon Glimmersticks eyeliner in black, Maybelline Collosal Volume mascara.  L'occitane Pivione Flora No. 4 lipstick (Just a dab to help even out my lips), Vaseline to smooth out the subtle application of the lipcolor.. There you go.   That's my usual routine

Since I knew that Baby Choux is Etude House's BB cream/primer base, I understood that it was supposed to be your SPF protection, moisturizer and primer all in one.  So I skipped the Dema E, Ambi SPF moisturizer and jumped straight into my foundation right after I applied it.

I look 20 times brighter.

Beauty Products Used: Etude House Baby Choux in peach, American Beauty liquid foundation in shade 11, Covergirl Professional Powder in shade 120.  Avon Glimmersticks eyeliner in black, Maybelline Collosal Volume mascara.  L'occitane Pivione Flora No. 4 lipstick, and Vaseline.

Things I noticed:
This primer didn't make me feel like I was wearing a mask.  It's smooth and creamy, like you'd expect.  Although it initially looks chalky when applying, once it's rubbed in, your skin appears smoother, acne scars seem faded, and pores smaller.  I noticed that I used less foundation after applying this product.  It provided better coverage and looked more natural.  My lip color and eyeliner seemed to glide onto my face.  Since I applied Baby Choux to my lips as well, they looked more pouty.  Since they are already big, I decided not to do that again.

The results you see above were successfully duplicated on subsequent applications of the Baby Choux primer.  I look more natural in my makeup and was frequently complimented on having 'cleared up my skin'.  HA!  Another unexpected, added benefit is that my skin seems smoother and better hydrated overall after using the product a few times per week.  My acne break outs are also less severe. The fact that the product includes pore clarifying extracts could have something to do with that.  Other, more expensive anti-acne primers I've purchased don't yield equal results and often make me feel like I'm wearing a mask. 

I recommend Baby Choux to anyone willing to try it.  As a BB cream or just a primer, it works beautifully.  Just work out the optimal amount for your skin-tone.  In the future, I'm going to try some other products by Etude House.  I was so pleased with their primer; maybe their lip colors, stains and cleansers would work for me as well.

Stay Beautiful!

Skincare: Argon Shower Gel

I don't know about any of you, but I have weird skin.   I drink water, eat fruit and all that to promote healthy skin, but no matter what I do, there's always persistent dryness and random acne breakouts.  Since I was old enough to recognize that my skin wasn't perfect, I've employed an arsenal of skincare products to slather on and scrub off.

Recently, whilst in Marshall's I spied some Argan oil skincare products.  I've had great success with using Argan oil in my dry hair and on my sensitive scalp, so I thought that trying it in skincare products would probably be a great idea.  It makes my hair bouncy and shiny, so why wouldn't it make my skin silky smooth?

I tried Phytorelax Laboratories Olio di Argan bath and shower gel. 

Made in Italia.  So fancy

It was readily available at Marshall's for less than the usual $26 and looked fancy.  The 16.9 ounce bottle cost a total of $6 bucks.  That's no more than my usual, non-luxury shower gel (that's going to be reformulated because it has those fish-poisoning plastic beads in it).

Here's my assessment of this product.

Smell:
An important property is scent.  They are supposed to make you CLEAN and smell nice.  It's their primary purpose.  We wouldn't make so many kinds if that's not what they were supposed to do.  Well, the scent of Phytorelax's shower gel isn't anything special.  It isn't overpowering or especially fragrant.  It smells like chrysanthemums, so when you use it, you literally smell as fresh as a daisy.  That's nice.

Texture:
As far as shower gel textures go, this one was unexpectedly thin.  It was surprisingly watery for something so luxurious.  The lather wasn't overwhelming either.  In fact, it barely lathered up at all.  However, this is a good thing.  Things that work into a luxurious lather usually have TONS of salts and dry your skin in the worst way.  Phytorelax's formula has a lot of argan oil and plant extracts instead.  It's got tons of plant acids included as well, so it's like a mild chemical peel on top of being nourishing.

Effects and experience:
I followed my usual shower and moisturizing rituals with this shower gel.  After the first wash, I noted that it literally left me squeaky clean.  Still, there was no real change in the texture of my skin.  At least, I didn't notice it right away.  I found that my skin wasn't as itchy as it usually is.  After the third use, I noticed that some of my eczema patches started to flake off.  The resulting dark marks weren't as bad as they usually are, either.  I found that my skin didn't want as much moisturizer as it usually does and it didn't feel tight or itchy at any point in the day. 

Final Imprission:
This product will leave your skin cleansed and refreshed with just a hint of fragrance and extra moisture.  It doesn't smother your skin with harsh chemicals, salts or silicones.  That limits the amount of irritation you'll suffer later.  While I love how the product made my skin behave and feel after a few washes, I really wish there was a bit of exfoliant in it so I could use it on my feet like I use my regular shower gel.  I'm cautious to complain about it because it did a great job with handling my skin issues, despite not having all the 'perks' my old shower gel has.  I think I'll try tweaking it a bit with some ground avocado seed to increase it's exfoliating power in the future.  We'll see how that goes. 
Until then, give it a try.  You might like it.

La Fée Verte

I love emerald greens. They have always exuded an aura of vibrance and nobility.  I always picture rich, well-nourished foliage, copious wildlife and a regal appreciation for all things that walk and crawl.  Also, elves and fairies. 

I swear this is not another Lord of the Rings or Hobbit fan art piece.  I happen to be highly inspired by the Prohibition Era and the green fairy (absinthe).  Consuming absinthe is a ritual.  You start with a fine 'dose' peridot to emerald green liquid in a beautiful, yet simple crystal glass.

Courtesy of the Wormwood Society

Delicately place an elegantly perforated spoon and a sugar cube atop it and drip ice water.

Courtesy of the Wormwood Society

The sugar water falls into the glass, creating swirling opalescent patterns in a sea of verdant alcohol.

Courtesy of the Wormwood Society

That's classy.
You can't help but to be inspired by such a carefully crafted ritual to enjoy a beverage with a lot of tradition, history, mystery and misconceptions.  It was just that sort of feeling that inspired the following design.   La Fée Verte.

Look at that color!

I often pair green with gold.  They aren't complimentary colors, but they do bring out each other's good sides.  I inherited the green glass point from a destash buy from Etsy.  Initially, I had no idea what to do with it.  That's distressingly common with a lot of my pendants.  The little twinge of uncertainty excites me and make me more likely to do something unexpected.

I tend to stay away from side drilled points because they have a nasty habit of shattering the instant you thread something through them or clink a bead against the place where they hole is drilled.  Bails are necessary.  I HATE bails.  They often don't work with beaded chain and force you to stick with stringing techniques.  Also, they tend to have a very large opening that is hard to hide AND balance. 

I hate bails.  Still, I looked at this green point and I said, "I have to do something with you.  Now."  I actually found a solution to the common problems with points through something I noticed about Amy Labbe's line of Art-i-cake findings in Michael's craft stores.  You see it? 

Get Closer.

That sparkling little rhinestone and tendril of silver is part of the rig holding the point to a bail I McGuyver'd out of a bit of filigree leftover from a project.  The filigree actually did not take well to bending into a bail.  I used that to my advantage to ensure that when I wrapped the pendant with wire and a rhinestone, the pressure wouldn't shatter the point.  The filigree pushes away and the wire pulls it back  Tension, baby.  That's PHYSICS!

Courtesy of Funny Junk.

None of the parts directly touching the bead are putting pressure on it.  The key to working with points is indirect pressure.  They have to be cradled, not gripped, like butterflies... or maybe captured fairies.

Great Friends: Jo

There are all kinds of friends.  What I've found is that few people actually have BEST friends, someone you can talk to about anything, trust to be there for you, and is comfortable telling you that you're being a huge jackass without fear of repercussions or hurting your feelings.  Everyone needs a friend like that.

I'm fortunate enough to have more than one.  Each of my best friends occupies a key role in my personal development.  What I mean by that is, we share everything without being judged.  As people, our differences make us grow closer together, rather than apart.

Do you remember how you and any of your best friends met?   Sometimes it's something HUGE and you immediately know that you and that person are going buddies forever.  Sometimes, it's small, like the word 'hello'.

That's how I met Joanna.  I'd started going to a Catholic High School in a mostly White neighborhood.  We always said 'Hello' to each other.  Everyday.  While our classmates were busy sticking with their 'clique' or being terrified of the minorities in their school, neither of us gave it much thought.  We were the best of friends.

A big thing that I will always carry with me was one of my first brushes with racism.  We were sophomores.  We'd synchronized our classes and always sat together for studies and lunch.  We'd make fun of our homework, teachers, and hang out at the mall together on half-days.
One day just before lunch, Joanna was staring off into space, looking very serious.   She disappeared for a while.  I was worried she had gotten sick again.  When she finally came and sat in our usual spot at lunch, I could tell she was in a funk.  The first words out of her mouth made my blood run cold.

One of our classmates thought that the Black girls and Latino girls were making our school 'bad' and that the White girls, Joanna included, shouldn't sit with them.  It's so easy to freeze up in a situation like this or to go with the 'popular' idea.  Joanna didn't.  No.  She turned into some kind of terrifying, blood-thirsty, blonde hell-beast.

Courtesy of Alpha coders.

But I loved her for it.  That was the moment that I knew Joanna and I were BEST friends.  She cared enough to tell me what was going on and dared to do the unpopular thing and make sure it did not happen again.  I knew that I could trust her.  Especially since I never saw that particular girl or her clique at school any more.
From then on, I've tried to speak up for others when they're being ostracized, bullied, or taken advantage of because there's someone besides my mom who will do the same for me, consequences be damned.  I'm already blunt as the flat side of a shovel, but thanks to my experience with Joanna's Fury, I've become quite adept at squashing rumors.

Thank you for always being fierce, silly, kind and serious when I need you to be.

Happy Birthday Joanna.

Great Friends

One of my dear friends is a kind, sweet, and thoughtful young woman, one of those strange people that you don't meet often: A Marvelous Friend.  From the day I met her, she has always been a person you can depend on and trust.  She gives till it hurts.  She plans things to the smallest detail.  She is always there for you when you need her, even if you don't ask her to be and, right now, she's my favorite person because she just gave me a metric ton of beads.

Naturally, I'm going to show them to you, because, why else would I mention it?

Lime green, black and shimmery silver Murano glass beads

I've known her since high school, back when she dyed her hair black, wore maroon lipstick and worked with the theater club making and painting sets.  Even then, she was kind of a reckoning force: Stellar grades, solid extracurricular activities, and the best-designed planner in Queen of Peace. 

Black, White and Shimmery Semi-opaque Murano Glass

That was important back then.  Your planner was a collection of your hopes, dreams, goals, ideals and where you kept your class schedule.  Personalizing it made it clearly and irrevocably yours in the world of plaid skirts and white polo shirts.

That swirly pendant looks dangerous.

There were three things the administration didn't touch: your socks, your planner and your hair.  Necessity regulated hair-style changes.  A ponytail doubled as a handy pencil case in a pinch, so it was most preferred.  Socks and planners were the things we were allowed to go wild with.  You saw everything in a person's planner.  Was she a nature lover?  A preppy chick?  A sports fanatic?  A rave-loving wild card?

Bats, skulls, pumpkins and pentagrams!  Huzzah!

Or a kind down to earth person who was a closeted horror movie-fanatic?  Seeing a person's planner told the story.

Happy Birthday and thanks for everything, Lizzer.

Filigree Pendant

Some time ago, I did a post on Spring Cleaning.  WELL, I did not even show you a fraction of the treasure I uncovered because as I was sifting through everything, I got so mad at myself that I could have screamed.  I had been spending time lamenting not being able to buy the cool, new findings and pendant make supplies that I'd seen recently, not knowing that I had A HEAP of already lovely items  hiding out waiting for me to work with them.

This, as upsetting as it was, had nothing on the amount of pendants I had ALREADY put together and customized.  Oh, by then, I was ready to bludgeon myself with a shovel.  I mean, it was ridiculous.  Recently, I've been focusing on getting these OLD pendants used up.  You've already seen a few in previous posts, however,

Yeaaaah... It's that bad.

SO.  I hope you get the picture, so to speak.  But in case you don't, I will be posting my rediscovered darlings.

It's a simple and sultry necklace design.

The pendant falls at the center of the chest, just below the first couple of inches of cleavage.

This was a pendant bought from Michael's.  The bail and other features of the pendant itself were changed around a bit to make it easier for me to adhere a much prettier focal to the front of it. The original pendant was a sort of weak colored red.  It looked cheap- even though it wasn't.

You can see that chintzy red better from the side.

So I felt it needed more depth.  I 'helped' it by trimming and sanding the scrollwork they'd slapped on it off and giving it a fresh coat of enamel.  Once it was simplified, I cut up another pendant that was fairly simple itself and adhered it directly to the top of the red one.  Separate, the two pendants were kind of bland and lacked...something.  Together, they look like, as my friend says, "an amulet forged by an Eldritch horror to drive the plot of a fantasy novel". 

That's extreme, though.  Right?

Ok.  Maybe it does look a little ominous...

Edge of Darkness

I couldn't believe that I'd found myself there.  Again.  I'd sworn that I'd never go back.  It was a waste of money and my talent was sure to become muddied with temptations.  Yet, here I was, once again.  I hadn't meant to stray there, but a need for supplies and waning inspiration had been gnawing at me.  The knowledge that so much would be left unfinished clouded my mind and dogged my every step as I tried to move on to new projects to stem the turning tide of motivation.  I needed firepower. 

So, there I was, in that place, that dreaded place.  It sprawled before me ominously, cheery facade hiding the truth within.  It is our demons that cast the most beautiful lights when we lay eyes upon them.  And this was mine.  I swore I wouldn't go back... but there I stood, legs trembling as an old thrill awakened within me.  I didn't rush into that place.  I had to pace myself, brace myself.  You can't afford to be excited and titillated before you even reach Mephistopheles.  That means he's already won.

I told myself that I wouldn't go there again, but I had needs.  I had requirements, necessities, really and so, I pressed on.  I walked in steady, heart steeled against the devil's tricks and wallet devoid of everything that would encourage me to buy more than I had come for.  I marched down the aisles, blind to all but what I came to retrieve.  My resolve was strong.  I would not succumb to the tricks of the mind or appeals to my senses.

Still, They were unfazed by my rigidness.  They glittered, writhing in a messy soup of undulating, enrapturing madness.  Vibrant, garish frocks dripping in jewels and lurid colors.  All of them painted with exciting shades of red with bold black letters. ...The clearance section of Michaels..

That's where I found the parts for this bib style necklace.  I used 3 pendants to construct it and used a modification of the figure 8 stitch to assemble the beads into a wide enough beaded chain.  She came out quite elegant, if I say so myself.

Close up!

Things That Look Like Other Things

You all know that I like things that look like other things.  If you don't know what I mean, here's some examples:  I used to have a flash drive that looked like a purple monkey.  I have a ton of erasers that look like realistic food.  I have a pin cushion that looks like a hat when you look at it from one angle and like sushi rolls from another.  I have a candle that looks like a spool of thread... And I like visually ambiguous patterns.

You can see where this is going.  Yup.  Jewelry making.  Did you know, that they have all kinds of dolamite and other stones that are artificially enhanced to look brighter and richer?  Did you KNOW that they have a whole host of beads and charms that look like cakes, fruit, and other things?  No?  You'd better hit up eBay and Etsy, then.  Just type in something ridiculous and attach 'beads' as a suffix.  You'll see some things. 

About a year ago, I started searching for and acquiring all sorts of these 'strange' beads.  The results were bright, flashy and candy inspired jewelry pieces that are positively adorable... and ridiculously HARD TO SELL!  It seems like I'm the only adult who likes this sort of stuff.  Ah well.  I did get some good photos of these things before I got rid of them or packed them away.

Let There Be CAKE! 

Just a Cherry Key Fob.

I love these things.  I ended up keeping them for selfish reasons.

These used to be shank buttons.

Such Sparkle.

Each strawberry is a locket.  I wish I still had this one.

I love how you can get polyclay slices of fruit these days.  Super easy to use!

This one reminds me of Tang.