Now that I have some free time on the internet..

...I'm finding all sorts of fun toys.

Behold - the Etsy Mini!!!

(psssstt.... over here, on the right!)

I'm also gearing up for vacation time to Florida (hooray!) in less than a week. I've been googling bead shops in the area like crazy, trying to figure out where I want to go (and trying to figure out how to convince my husband that we really need to go there.) So, if anybody knows of any good bead shops in the St. Petersburg, FL area, let me know! I'm especially hoping to find some very Florida-ish stuff. Last year I got several strands of tiny shell beads at a shell shop, and I've used them in so much (like the necklace on the right). Definitely must get some more. And anything else I can find that is shell related. Or some of that wonderfully frosty sea glass, or ceramic pendants with little sea creatures on them... oh my! The list goes on and on. I'll probably come back looking like a 'Survivor' castaway wannabe, but whatever. I'll always be a beach girl at heart.

Speaking of ceramic pendants - I've been in love with the ceramic look lately, and thinking and wondering to myself if there isn't a way to imitate the look of ceramic with fimo (since I don't have a kiln and probably shouln't have my accident-prone self near one anyway). I know that I can create lovely organic looking pendants using fimo, but what about a lovely crackly glazed finish? I once made some Christmas beads with a shiny finish of some sort, which promptly peeled right off my beads. No good. I want something that will work and be wearable and at least moderately imitate the look of a ceramic glaze. Crackles would be even better. I'm off to the craft store at lunch to see what I can find, but if anyone has any info to share, let me know!