Southeast Michigan Spring garden Irises in bloom

My spring garden is looking good.  I have most of my vegetables planted or seeded.  Irises are in bloom.  Inspirations for working harder to get the garden ready for summer.

I live in zone 5 just in case you were wondering.

I had some yellow irises that were in bloom earlier, but they were gone before I got a chance to take their pictures.  Below are various types of purple Irises that are in bloom right now.  The first one has a wonderful smell.

Sale - Cute natural turquoise heart pendant hang on a chinese knot chain necklace

I just put this cute, simple necklace on sale.  For $25 dollars only this necklace pendant is  a great anniversary, birthday, valentine's day gift.

Turquoise is often given as a gift, a stone of friendship, for the turquoise is said to be responsible for faithfulness and constancy in relationships. So what better way there is to give your heart away, than a turquoise heart pendant?

Or, keep it for you to enjoy its cheerful color and beauty and its sweet feminine feel.  

The necklace is 20.5 inches (52.1 cm) long and is secured with a handmade clasp decorated with a 9 x 9 mm faceted turquoise fire polished glass bead.

Available at zeba.etsy.com

Making homemade lego gummy candy with grandson

My 6 year old grandson was visiting last week and he asked that we make gummy Lego candy.  At first I didn't believe him.  So he showed the 'how to' video on YouTube.  Sure enough, they were using Lego mold for the candy.  So I asked him, where do you get the mold, and he said at  the Lego land.  He's been asking to go to Lego land, so I told him 'I think you are trying to trick me to go to Legoland', and he said just watch the video.

Well what do you know, he was right, at the end of the video they said you buy the molds at the  Lego Land.  Well, I found out that you can buy them at the Lego store as well and that's where we went.

So a trip to the Lego store and grocery store for Jello, unflavored gelatin and corn syrup, and we were ready to make gummy candy.

Followed the instructions on the video, but my end product was full of foam, and no matter what I did I could not get rid of the foam.  So first trial, not good.  Grandson was disappointed that the gummies did not come out clear.  So, back to the computer and some research on how to get rid of the foam, in the meantime he ate the bad gummies right off the mold (lol).  Tried another batch with a lower heat on the stove.  Got the same results with the second batch, so we tried the suggestion of pouring the warm mixture in a glass and then scoop up the foam.  It sort of worked, except scrapping the foam was not that easy.  We ended up with some clear and some cloudy gummies.  However, the gummies passed the taste test and I got a thumbs up from my grandson.   Thank god for that, I was beginning to think that was going to be the story of the week, try, try, and try again.

I was not too thrilled about using corn syrup, so I found a recipe without corn syrup and it use the microwave to warm up the mixture.  Still could not get rid of the foam.  This one passed the test taste but I was not too happy with the results.

So I searched more, and found a recipe using fruit juice.  He likes grapefruit juice, so I tried it with the grapefruit juice first.  This one worked out better, still ended up with some foam, but it was easier to get rid of the foam than the other recipes, and it passed the taste test.  One thing about using juice, the gummies turn out harder than normal.

I was fired up by now, so I tried it with strawberry lemonade, no good, got thumbs down on the test, then I used orange juice, the same thing, thumbs down on the taste.

At this point, my grandson told me that he likes it better with flavored jello.  So much for trying to be healthy.

At the end, I think he and I both had lots of fun with various gummy candy experiments and that's what matters.

This is our pile of good gummy candy, keep in mind he ate about 2/3s of what we made, before I got a chance to take a picture.  I think they are kind of cute.

And, here is our pile of rejects - that is another thing, the color came out brownish for all the juice ones.  

Here are links to where you can find recipes I tried

The video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3_dV-e4d9c

Using juice:  https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=838527  I used 1/3 of the recipe which made about 32 gummy candies.

The recipe using the microwave:  https://www.thespruce.com/gummy-bears-recipe-520896 ( you can use this recipe, on the stove as well).

Do tell how your come out.

Handmade Pearl, Onyx, and crystal Choker Necklace designs using Herringbone stitch Technique

Handmade Pearls And Coral Necklace - Choker

This necklace was the inspiration for the following various jewelry designs.  When I learned how to do tubular herringbone stitch I immediately thought of freshwater seed pearls. I think they are a perfect match for this technique and the end result creates a luxurious necklace. 

I tried variations of the above design as mentioned above and still my favorite ones are with the seed pearls.  

Design 1 - Pearls, crystal and coral barrel

I made the pearl clusters using small white cultured freshwater potato pearls, added two red crystals between the pearls and the crystal rondells and used the coral barrel for contrasting accent. The back of the necklace has two clusters of red crystals on each end.

White pearls, coral barrel and silver spacers handmade necklace

White pearls, coral barrel and silver spacers necklace choker

Design 2 - Pearls, crystal and coral disks

Similar to design 1, except I replaced the coral barrel with three coral disks with silver spacers in between them.  The back of the necklace has two clusters of red crystals on each end.

White pearls, red coral disks and silver spacers handmade necklace

White pearls, red coral disks and silver spacers handmade choker

 Design 3 - Pearls and crystal

I made the pearl clusters using burgundy cultured freshwater pearls, added two siam crystals between the pearls and used the cracked crystal quartz for contrasting accent. The back of the necklace has two clusters of clear crystals on each end.

Burgundy seed pearls, cracked crystal and red crystal handmade choker necklace

Design 4 - Onyx and crystal 

Here i used small black onyx beads instead of the pearls, added two round clear crystals between the clusters and used the cracked crystal quartz for contrasting accent. I think this black and white combination came out nice.

Black onyx , cracked crystal and clear crystal handmade choker necklace

Design 5 - White pearls, red crystal and cracked crystal

Similar to design 1, except I replaced the coral barrel with cracked crystal barrel and added two red crystals.  More emphasis on the white than the red color.

White seed pearls, cracked crystal barrel and red crystal handmade Choker necklace

You can find a tubular herringbone tutorial at Beading Instructions E-Book directions for Tubular Ropes in CRAW, PRAW, Herringbone & Chenille Stitch Instant Download Pattern QUATROPES 

Complimentary earrings

Below are some complimentary earrings to go with the above necklaces:

Interchangeable Earrings Dangles - Cracked Crystal Quartz And Sterling Silver

Interchangeable Earrings Dangles - Red Coral Nuggets And Sterling Silver

nterchangeable Earrings Dangles - White Freshwater Pearls Sterling Silver

https://www.etsy.com/listing/71882543/interchangeable-earrings-dangles-onyx?ref=shop_home_active_11

Interchangeable Earrings Dangles - Faceted Red Coral Stacks And Sterling Silver

Freshwater Real Teardrop Pearl Earrings - Handmade

Coral and Pearl Sterling Silver Dangle Earrings