I went there 💜

X Jewellery dropped new colours today and I had said I was going to follow Beadsmarikaisa’s example

and start buying 10 of each colour. The links work super well in the summer. They are light and a little sweat doesn’t seem to bother them.

X Jewellery Japan has a really creative IG account with a lot of terrific inspiration

So despite the colour that dropped today, I ordered 10 links first thing this morning from Star Bijou

Have I gone mad?

I do like purple with orange, it’s a fun Halloween colour combination so I look forward to doing that next month.

Also some of you may be aware of Marthnickbeads collaboration with OhmBeads 🇨🇦

There is no definite date yet for the release of this ohmazing bead or a name, but I’m busy thinking up some

Calypso Carnival

Caribbean Carnival

Mermaid treasure

Marthnicktreasurebead

I maybe need this colour of x link too now that I think about it

Have you jumped on the X link bandwagon yet? What’s your favourite colour?

Happy OHMversary

OHM tuns 10 today 08/08/2018 and I thought I would write about my top 10 favourite OHM beads to celebrate.

Ugh, this is harder than I thought.

In no particular order, here we go.

1.

I love my love bead. Jenny had one and I loved it so hard. When I met her at my first Bead Bash she gifted me with one. I cried. I was a mess. It’s probably my favourite but don’t tell the other beads.

2.

Brave Bison is a combination memory bead and talisman for me. I went to the University of Manitoba and the Bison is the mascot. My parents were both from Winnipeg and the Bison is a symbol of the the Midwest. But really B.B. is just fierce and he gives me courage.

3.

Rainbowed had me at first sight. It’s so pretty and happy. It’s the promise of good things after a storm. It’s about inclusion and acceptance. Even if barrel beads aren’t your thing, this bead in this shape is perfection.

5.

I know this is cheating. But it’s more the ‘theme’ than the actual bead. My latte was my first ( and it’s still available but might be part of the sweeping retirement coming up) and Black coffee is my latest in my pursuit of all things caffeine. Black coffee is one of my very few pairs, it was the July BOTM ( bead of the month) and while still available, it is limited, so I wouldn’t recommend dithering if it’s one you covet.

6.

Striped suits is a bead I dithered about. I was drawn to it every time I saw it but I didn’t think I would use it. But then I’d see it and be all ” oh why don’t I have one of these beads” as one does 🤣 I found myself stalking glass beads at random retailers and finally stumbled across one. I wish I had them all. I love the graphic simplicity of this bead and how it always pops on a bracelet.

7.

Saul the Narwhal is just the cutest. He’s pretty fierce too with that horn. My first bracelet theme was the beach. I’m a summer baby and the beach is my happy place. Anything to do with water, the beach or the colour blue is on my wish list or in my bead mess. Saul is still around but he was retired last year. The charm is as allusive as the real sea creature.

8.

Typo s are amazing and addictive. Sort of just like beads 🤔 say what you want, say what you mean, have a personal mantra, whatever you want, spell it out or be like me and #hashtag it #party for OHM on their special day ( fingers are crossed around the world that these aren’t retired before we can all spell all the words)

9.

Non-violence is part of the Make Beads Not War collection which is retired but still available. These sassy boots symbolize travelling, exploring, and stepping out of my comfort zone. They also make me think of my IG page the_mcctrish

and all the people around the world who take a pic with their beads in my crazy pose and allow me to share them and sometimes start a conversation but mostly I hope we build a community #ohmily

10.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I love shiny shit. There are a few people who are aghast at this anniversary collection but mostly I see people who love pieces of it for their own reasons. OHM has always been the company to think outside the bead box, to make a bead for everybody (not every bead, a bead) What you don’t like, you don’t have to buy, there is always a new collection right around the corner. Trudy writes about The Office in her blog and all the creative uses an outhouse charm can give you.

That’s the point with beads and charms, they can represent whatever you want.

My Soft Product isn’t just shiny shit, it could be meringue or soft serve

I wish all the Ohmies the Happiest of OHMversaries and look forward to 10 more years of unique, original and beautiful beads.

Disclosure: For this blog I may receive some items as promotional samples .

friendship mcctrish

I’m a bit of an introvert on a good day. The past couple of years dealing with my mom’s failing health, I’ve become slightly reclusive. It’s not that I don’t value friendship, quite the contrary, I just felt like couldn’t handle much more than what was directly in front of me.

Lately I’ve been drawn to the colour yellow. It’s just so cheery and uplifting.

And look at that, yellow does indeed spread joy and happiness.

I have been wearing my yellow beads often as they do indeed make me feel better.

Here’s Jiangxi making some lemonade for Bead Fairy. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

The yellow flower bead in this #mcctrish is one Julia Truebeadz made live on Instagram and I just happened to be online at the right time to buy it. It brings me happiness every time I wear it or look at it on my bead tray ( my current bead organizational system is a work in progress 🤣)

This week I received some unexpected bead mail. 😱

A birthday surprise from Julia. Who is the sweetest and most thoughtful person.

A yellow flower dangle that has spread happiness and joy in the name of friendship across the world.

I am a lucky girl.

Be kind to one another.

#beadmess

I have a decent collection of beads. I started collecting about 7 years ago with Pandora. Pandora is the only bead game in town, although there is an Elfbeads Rep who lets us check out her wares sometimes. Lately the joy has been slipping a little because I just can’t get a handle on how to keep my pretties organized and safe and easy to use.

I like to change up my bracelets everyday depending on what I’m wearing or what’s going on or what my mood is and that requires me to be able to see what I have, access it and then play with the beads. I usually do this in the morning cuz why not add a bit of extra stress to the start of your day.

Beads falling, going missing, just mayhem.

And everything needs a good cleaning but why clean when the whole mess just stresses you out.

The pile on my dresser reminds me of the #ohmbeadmess that Jenny and Mike posted earlier this year

Jenny:

Mike:

Their mess is my inspiration.

I need an intervention!

So I took everything out of my top 3 drawers and middle drawer and my acrylic sorting trays.

And bought more dowel from Home Depot. I’ve resorted by brand ( and put glass and silvers together) and have gotten rid of a pile of costume jewelry.

I need a couple more lengths of dowel for redbalifrog and pandora. The dowels are in the upper three drawers and the lower middle drawer has been reorganized for necklaces, x jewelry, etc..

I guess I will have to actually clean everything now 🤦🏻‍♀️

We will see how long this works.

SUMMER!

Can’t believe I didn’t check which blog I was on

mcctrish

Summer is my spirit animal. I love the long, sunny, warm days. I love the green grass, leaves on the trees, the flowers and the vegetable gardens. I love laundry on the line, open windows and the smell of fresh mown lawns.

My birthday is in the summer. I might not need to have anymore birthdays per se, but when it’s summer I am happy to celebrate.

When Ohm announced their new line of zodiac beads, I was intrigued. I’ve stayed away, in the past, from zodiac beads as they are often dangles or ornate or just not my style. Ohm’s are brushed silver like Woodstock or the beautiful peach as so very much my style.

They have the iconic zodiac symbol plus they have the constellation 🌌 marked on them. How cool is that to have as a reference on a bead?

Something I totally didn’t realize until mine…

View original post 175 more words

My mom

This past month has been rocky as my mom fell at the end of January and broke several ribs and badly bruised a lung. It spiralled into pneumonia and multiple UTI’s. This is compounded by her having Lewey Body Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease. She spent a month in the hospital and has moved now to an assisted living facility.

My sister and I have had full plates while we work, worry about kids, visit our mom, meet with drs, physiotherapists, social workers, arrange movers to vacate her apartment, find an open bed in a full care facility (not an easy task based on multiple factors) and remember what day it is ( garbage, groceries, school trips, hockey, ringette, soccer, part time jobs, dentist, hair cuts, and my usual “who am I today?” #substituteteacherhumour)

I have bought a few beads that remind me of my mom and to help me to remember to breathe.

Ohm beads Sip Happens is a limited edition bead that is still available at some retailers that makes me think of my mom and her girlfriends. God only knows what we would do without girlfriends

I bought the latest Trollbeads Mamma Mia too

I have a thing for flowers. I like daises more than roses, it’s that open face that I find cheery and happy and uplifting.

Flowers are why I started collecting the Trollbeads flower of the month beads

I started with April for my dad after he passed away and then I got July and September for my boys as a Mother’s Day gift. I bought October with Mamma Mia to act as a focal point when I was stressing over all the worry and decisions that had to be made with my mom. This is one bracelet that stays together. I want to add 2 more pearls and beads for my husband and me. I just keep getting distracted by new beads and life.

Sometimes I think maybe I should make a few more bracelets that stay together

These are a few that I could put on a bracelet for my mom but then I think Mamma Mia looks good on copper

So I should maybe start from here?

This is why people must buy multiples, so they have options or balance. I’m more of a single bead person or a group of beads that are sort of similar person 🤔 I’m definitely a make a bracelet to match what I’m wearing person. Also I’m an extremely distracted all over the place person as I reread this blog post 🤣

Here’s to March being a month of calm where only the weather goes nuts and lots of bead mail arrives and my mom continues to improve and adjust to her new surroundings.

I hope the sun is shining where you are

Blue

It might come as a surprise ( to no one) that I 💙 blue beads

Someone ( Julia) asked “How many blue beads do you actually have?” and that got me thinking, besides, of course, not enough

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
t technically all blue, or all glass, but still…. there are a few of them ( and another one in transit 🙄)

I started, like a lot of people, with pandora

My first ever bead was that centre one, blue ribbon, and that Dutch blue is still my favourite colour of glass. The snow flake enamel was a Christmas present this year, I don’t buy too much Pandora anything anymore. Although, I regret not buying blue bubbles which was out at the same time as these 2 glass. I was a newbie and didn’t realize the transitory nature of some beads.

Then I got into Trollbeads

My first Trollbeads glass were also blue: I bought the third (white cap) and sixth (beach) beads on the top row to start my beach bracelet, which is where I would always rather be.

The first bead on the top row- blue dot, is the first trollbeads I ever bought in person and I was in Phoenix, Arizona at the time. In fact, the middle bead on the second row, a large core unique, is another one of a very small number of beads I have bought of any brand in person.

The beach theme led me to Ohmbeads, I ordered a lighthouse and a tent from Perlen and those led me to

1. Night Sky ( LE)

2. Waterfall (LE)

3. Make Out ( Make Beads Not War Collection)

4. Erie Rocks was the first Ohm glass I bought in person. It was the event bead at Bead Bash on the Lake at Great Lakes Boutique in September 2016.

5. Country Plaid from the Tidlom Collection

Make Out and Country Plaid were just retired, it is possible they and Night Sky and Waterfall might be still available at some Ohm retailers, but it could be a tricky search for them. Erie Rocks was exclusive to GLB.

My next brand discovery was Truebeadz

Julia makes quite a variety of blues and I don’t have them all, if you can believe it 😱

Top row:

1. True blossom sky blue

2. True air sky blue

3. True blossom marmor

4. True blossom eastern sea

5. True alchemy breeze

Second ( diagonal) row

6. Thing and quiet flows the don

7. True treasure

8. True blossom and quiet flows the don

9. True air and quiet flows the don

10. True touch and quiet flows the don

11. Snowgirl

12. True instant evening twilight

( and quiet flows the don is my FAVOURITE colour) I should get a taste 🤔 version

Bottom row
True Wisdom

14. True air stormy heavens

15. True taste stormy heavens

16. True Blizzard

17. True treasure aka my pet fish

18. Coming soon

I’ve ordered one of these beautiful blue dangles that are part of Julia’s Dangle of the Month Club 💙 this is the March dangle. I ordered mine from Star Bijou. The Dangle of the Month is a preordered bead and there are a few different retailers you can use, but I love Gabi and Nicolai ( I might have thrown a Spirit bead in with my order but it isn’t blue so I will talk about it another time 😂)

Lastly are Elfbeads, my love affair waxes and wanes with Elfbeads, sometimes I LOVE them but sometimes they are too ornate for me

Top row 1 and 2 are Arctic dewdrops ( 1. might be a mulberry instead of a dewdrop)

3 Icelandic dewdrops

4. Jungle beach

5. ( I have no idea 🤦🏻‍♀️)

6. Ice spring

7. Midnight oil python

8. Midnight oil fireflies

Bottom row 1. Frost Monroe

2. Frost fractal

3. Frost dust

4. Stardust flower extant

5. Ocean earthbead snow

6. Ocean earthbead

7. Nebula gold sprinkles

8. Ocean life

9. Midnight oil Buddha

10. Midnight oil

11.Galaxy Flowerworld fractal LE

It’s a ridiculous collection of blue and while I was double checking names I might have seen a few I don’t have 😱

Beads in action: blues

Blues with wine coloured beads

Blues with pinks and copper

Blues with white

Just blues stacked up

What is your favourite bead colour?

When is enough enough?

I think I might rummage around in my bead box for the next colour to highlight, it won’t be purple 🤣

#tEa

Ohm’s February BOTM ( bead of the month) dropped this week and I’m in love with Ohmbeads Tea Bag AAF011

The packaging is sooo cute and I’m seriously conflicted, do I use it to store actual tea or ….. beads 🤔

It is just the sweetest charm if you ask me. It is delicate ( the leaf, the size) but industrial and modern art-ish ( the tea bag itself and the perforations)

Just add water and presto, 🎶a drink with jam and bread🎵

Do you add anything to your tea? Cold milk works perfectly

Maybe you prefer lemon 🍋

But always books ( I need a new mug that says all I need is a good book, a cup of tea and beads)

Waterish stoppers are an excellent match for Tea Bag

I have the Blush version available at Great Lakes Boutique . They were an event bead for the September Bead Bash. They are still available but they are limited. They are seriously one of my FAVOURITE beads.

I’m thinking I am going to keep my Tea Bag on an all silver bracelet for a while to mix and match with different glass colours. The Typo collection works so well size-wise with it and my love bead.

I think I’m going to go make myself a cup of tea

I can receive some product for promotional purposes

#bEaDs

Raise your hand if you love beads 🙋🏻‍♀️

I do. #alot

This week I received some bead mail, otherwise known as the best day of the week or month

This week’s mail was from Ohm and it contained Typo by Ohm

I LOVE the retro typewriter look of these beads but even more than that I love their names.

A is alot AAJ001

B is barbacue AAJ002

C is ceasar AAJ003

Every name is a typo, it just makes me laugh ( my dad would cringe 🤣)

I got a couple of letters to spell words I thought I would use often

Obviously

This one I haven’t taken off yet

The Heshtag AAJ029 is also a 3 which I’ve put on backwards, as usual 🤦🏻‍♀️

Another word I think I will use #alot is

I love books more than beads if you can believe it

And because it’s fun to mix and match the typos

I thought #tread worked well with my non-violence boots

As usual, when I get new beads it makes me think of other beads that would be awesome to have, more letters, more combinations, but before I get carried away I’m going to think of all of the combinations I can make with the letters I have and how they will pair with beads in my stash

I have a, b, d, e, r, s, t, and #

Bead

Beads

Read

Reads

Eat

Art

Tea

Tread

Treads

Rest

Best

Feel free to help me out

What letters would you choose?

I may receive some promotional samples forthis blog

Bangles

How do you feel about bangles?

I am in love with them. Seriously, full on amour

Once upon a time I started with Pandora, it’s still the only bead game in town, first bracelets and then a bangle.

It was fancy in my eyes. I wore it with one murano and 2 stoppers. I bought special muranos, faceted glass that seemed extra fancy.

I’m still wondering why I never got blue or red?

Then I discovered Trollbeads

It might be the ultimate bangle. It’s so easy to slip beads on and off. I wear mine a bit loose so it spins on my wrist. I should get an xxs so this doesn’t happen but I’ve got tiny wrists and nothing has really ever fit so I feel strangled when watches or bracelets are snug. #mightbecrazy

Instagram photos of bangle stacks had me feeling envious of multiple bangles, mixed metals, different textures

Trollbeads Norwich posted this pic

and I started getting crazy about bangle stacks.

They are so simple to throw together; a couple of beads or a focal bead, a couple of stoppers and you are good to go. I am a put my beads together in the morning kind of person based on what I’m wearing so bangles are game changers.

Another positive to Trollbeads bangles is that it has the smallest core of all the beads so all beads work on them.

Is my next bangle a Trollbeads one? Of course not, why would I think and act so sensibly. Mainly I don’t have a store in town to shop at and sometimes you want to do this kind of shopping in person.

My next bangle was from Elfbeads

I saw this one on a lot of IG posts and I liked the star ⭐️ texture. The star theme was huge in 2017 with all brands doing many star themed things; bangles, beads, glass

This bangle is much lighter than my Trollbeads one and not as sturdy. It bends quite easily and while that is good for shaping, it’s not actually great when you think in terms of quality. Elfbeads have a core size like Pandora and Ohm and Redbalifrog and yet Trollbeads stoppers can slip off this bangle. How is that possible? It’s that thin. My new Trollbeads nut stoppers seem to stay put but I was looking forward to using my plain stoppers to contrast with the busy pattern of the bangle. I did get a good deal on this bangle ( $99 CAD for bangle, 2 stoppers and 3 beads that I was lucky enough to chose on my own instead of having prepicked) but I’m not sure I recommend this bangle overall.

Thinking back to that Trollbeads Norwich photo and the mixture of textures and metals, copper was on my mind. I had learned my lesson about quality but I wasn’t sure I would use a copper bangle enough to buy a Trollbeads one. I hemmed and hawed too long when Trollbeads had their bangle deal before Christmas to take advantage of the buy one, get one 🤦🏻‍♀️

Then I thought Girle-go I’ve been seeing pics of gorgeous bangles and stoppers on IG so

I ordered a copper bangle and some hammered stoppers.

I’m so pleased. This bangle is solid and weighted like my Trollbeads one. All of my stoppers work with it. The Girle-go stoppers are freaking awesome and I have many more beads than I realized that look amazing with copper.

I highly recommend this bangle. I’m going to be ordering again soon.

Wish list looks a bit like this

Bangles- yay or nay?