A couple of weekends ago, my sister and I went to the Creativ Festival in Toronto- a convention of sorts for all things creative including: sewing, quilting, beading, knitting/crochet.. etc. As much as I do love all things sewing, I was completely side-tracked by all the shiny beads! (how can you not drool a little looking at this..)

Despite the terrible quality of this phone pic (sorry)- this was my little beading area while I worked on the kit, I picked a jazzy green number. I had never made a charm-style bracelet like this and I found it really fun and inspiring! So inspiring that as soon as I got home I jumped all over my sister’s expansive bead collection and started beading, making some original creations!

The first one I made was the black/gold/silver bracelet (inspired by halloween) and the second was the blue/turquoise/silver one, followed by the chandelier-style necklace for good measure. I made sure to included at least one of my favourite bead purchase from the show into each piece- which I like to call the ‘galaxy bead’ (the main top circular one on the necklace, shown well below in the bracelet) It is a midnight blue colour with sparkles and it just reminds me so much of a night sky… I’m a little obsessed with them…

Something about this style of jewelry making is so appealing to me, working the metal and making all the little charms to attach- it makes my creative side smile :). I am really looking forward to doing more of this!

After the creative festival Kristie and I went to an art show being held in the same building, that was recommended to her by one of her art profs. We saw some super cool things! Although I can’t say that I am the best art connoisseur, and I had my fair share of ‘what is that?… I don’t get art…’ moments, but there were some really cool things to see.

Then – just so we could finish with a bang- we went up the CN tower for dinner, mostly because Kristie, being Canadian for all 24 years of her life, has NEVER been up the CN tower, which is an abomination, and because you get a free lift up the tower if you order an entree in their restaurant, and we needed to eat anyways!

It was so high up! and, as you can see, it was dark by the time we finished dinner and went to the observation deck to take pictures. The whole day was so much fun, so inspiring, and it was also a little colder than we thought it would be- so I also picked up these little hand-friends. (other mitten not shown as it was needed to take the picture)