DIY: Matisse-Inspired Necklace!

Hi. My name is Cassie and I used to blog on the regular. 

So sorry for the unintended hiatus, friends! Summer is usually the time I HAVE time for things like blogging, creating and all the rest but THIS summer, the summer that I swore would be calm, quiet and peaceful, has been anything but. Between my epic purge (that has resulted in an indoor yard sale. I'm not kidding. I REFUSE to sit in that heat which means the inside of our downstairs literally looks like a flea market bomb went off. You know...like it always does but this time EVERYTHING IS FOR SALE. And it's going surprisingly well even if I am ready to have my house back), my unexpected voyage (that I keep dropping hints about and can seriously tell you nothing about), a PD that I lead last week and some other random life stuff, it's just been busy. There has also been a TON of fun stuff: hiking every night at Radnor Lake with Mitch, lunching and catching up with friends nearly everyday of the week and...NECKLACE MAKING! So, while busy, it's been a wonderful summer so far.

BUUUUT, all that to say, I've fallen off the bloggin' bus. I'm climbin' back aboard tho. Starting with this here post and DIY video!

 Sometimes people ask me, "how do you get so much done?!" Lemme tell you the story behind these beads and then you'll know how I manage to seemingly get so much done. I actually made these Matisse beads about a year ago! I tend to make stuff, not knowing either how I want to finish it off or how to move on to the next step. When I spotted these recently, I knew right away I wanted to make them into a necklace with alternating wooden beads and so I finished it off! 

I seriously have so many UFO's (UnFinished Objects) laying around that, when inspired, I suddenly finish them off. And it looks like I'm constantly crankin' out creations. Which I'm not. I'm just FINALLY finishing them. Great. Now the cat's outta the bag!

 I ended up with so many beads that I created two necklaces! The supplies I used are: polymer clay, wooden beads, elastic, acrylic paint and jump rings. All found at my local craft store. 

 And I got lucky a while back at the thrift store and found that amazing Matisse-inspired skirt to match!

 Side note: I always bake my polyerclay in my toaster oven. If you do the same, be sure and use a lower temp so they don't burn. 

I hope y'all are having a super fun summer and are creating up a storm!