clearance sales

Artbeads has a wonderful clearance sale going on. Lots of half-prices on gemstones.

Hobby Lobby just finished opening with several things on 50% off, but they don't have much selection, so I hope they don't run other stores out of business. I noticed none of the nice art supplies were marked down, and they seemed higher priced than Michael's. I'd really like to do some painting this winter. Just water colors, but it's hard to do with Littles in the house, because they want to paint too. And have you ever noticed that art teachers don't do any of their own work while they're teaching?

Alphabet beads

I finally have some alphabet beads to remind myself of my goals. My mind is overfull, so I'm going to bead a reminder for my wrist. I can only take on one goal at a time these days...
Except that every time I take out the beads, my boys show up and beg to make bracelets too (the manly kind, of course). So when I'll actually finish a bracelet is unclear....

Clearance at artbeads.com

The clearance sale is winding down at Artbeads.com, but you can still find a few deals. You can take "melon" beads (or "rice" beads) and string them into squares for a bracelet. I used fishing line for this one, but it kinks, as you can see in the picture. Thread would work better. You can harden the end of the thread with clear nail polish to enable the stringing of beads.

A lot of the strands are on clearance for $2.72, and as always on artbeads, free shipping! I like the tiger eye tubes strand...but I'm trying not to buy right now!