Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Tumbling Tiles

Recently I bought a tutorial from Marcie Carroll of La  Bella Joya.  
I don't have a lot of tile beads, but I worked it up in what I had.  
I like it though. And here it is:
  This is not one of those tutorials where you are allowed to sell what you've created.  I know that detail is important to many people.  Since I still haven't made the leap to selling my work it doesn't matter to me, but I thought you'd like to know.

When I get around to taking some more pictures I'll have more new work to show you, but 
that's all for now folks.  

Have a great day!

Sunday, August 19, 2012

I love this kind of mail-a giveaway prize from Libellula Jewelry.

 
I am a very lucky girl!  I won a giveaway from the amazing Susan of Libellula Jewelry.  These are now the best earrings I own.  The detail, texture and design are perfect IMHO (in my humble opinion).

earring backs are one of the details that make this a above and beyond find

Aren't they gorgeous!
Love these colors!
Amazing wire work including handmade headpins for ear wires!

I could probably say more, but the work speaks more elequently than I ever could.
So now to save some pennies to by more of her work. 


I highly recommend it.  No photo does the work justice.  To hold it is to be amazed!



Saturday, August 18, 2012

My Bead Table Blog Hop soup has arrived

Lisa Lodge has gathered 25 creative people to share her stash with.  We each paid a very small fee to receive a part of her stash to create with.

"The idea is to combine the beads in your bead kit with extra/leftover/miscellaneous bead from your bead table (and bead stash, if absolutely necessary) to make creative pieces of jewelry.  Please do not buy more beads to augment what you have.  Try to use as many beads from this kit as you can."

Well, challenge excepted, and I've already created 3 pieces.  One inspired by the big chunky jewelry Dr. Temperance Brennan wore in the first season of Bones.  I wish they hadn't removed that part of her style in the following seasons.  I'll show it and the other pieces to you on October 13th. Until then take a look at what I've been given to create with.




Friday, August 17, 2012

And the Winner is...ME!


I won a special surprise from Eileen at Dorset Hill Beads!  It's on the way.

Check out her lampwork beads, flowers and bottle caps on etsy.




Thursday, August 16, 2012

Happy Birthday Lil Sis and the Winner Is...

Looking for the Bead Soup Blog Party post click the button on the right-->

Today is my little sister's birthday, and she's in the full swing of newlywed life.  Her brilliant husband is diligently working on a major home addition of his own design.  She not only works to help him, but make herself comfortable in the first home where she will build a family instead of just being part of one.  They both have full time jobs in addition to this of course.  Oh and my sister was just selected for a new job with better pay (CONGRATS!).

Today is the day those of us who know her celebrate her life, and how blessed we are for how she's touched our own.  We're siblings so we've had our ups and downs over the years.  I doubt she really knows how much she means to me.  That is the reason I chose the giveaway deadline I did so I could  tell all of you I am so proud of my sister. 

Happy Birthday Karen!

And the winner is...
Margareta
Congratulations!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Bead Soup Blog Party 6


Alrighty, Bead Soup Party reveal #2 for me today.  Not only am I a part of the second reveal day of the massive group's 3 reveal days, but this is the second time I've participated in the famous Lori's brilliant blog hop.  It is an international event with about 400 participants this round.  Lori's even turned this into a book.  We're paired up, send beads to our partner, post about the beads we receive, create something with them, and most importantly post on our blog on the assigned reveal day.  That's today for me and all these bloggers listed below.  I highly encourage you to check out as many of these as you have time for.  I learn so much from blog hops.

Hostess The Queen Bee of Bead Swaps...the one the only, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things
Adlinah Kamsir, Dream Struck Designs
Adrienn Lukacs, Raszputyin Designs
Agata Grygiel, Cytherea Bijoux 
Alenka Obid, Pepita Handmade 
Amy Dickerson, Damyjo Designs 
Amy Schmidt, Amy's Treasure 
Amy Severino, Amy Beads 
Andrea Trank, Heaven Lane Creations
Anke Humpert, Anart Island Studios
Ann Rishell, My Critical Eye
April Grinaway, Brooklyn Bead Goddess 
Ashley Bunting, Miss Ashely Kate 
Astrid Boyce, Astrid Boyce Beads 
B.R. Kuhlman, Mixed Mayhem Studios 
Barbe Saint John, Saints and Sinners
Beata Benkone Meggyesi, Beahobbi
Brandy McNair, Bella Vita Handmade Jewelry 
 Bryna Lumb, Bryna's Bead Box
Carmen Lau, Little Maketto
Cate van Alphen, Fulgorine
Cathie Carroll, Cathie Carroll's Studio
Cathy Khoury, Touch Jewelry 
Christina Stofmeel, Feng Beads 
 Collette Collins, Fire Fly Myst Artisan Jewelry
Courtney Breul, Beads by Breul 
Crystal Thain, Here Bead Dragons
Cynthia Abner, Created Treasures
Deana Hager, Just Deez'Art & Life
Debbie Phenes, Deb Joy Sing
Dhea Powers, Java Bead
Diana Welte, Lilyweeds
Dita Basu, alankarshilpa
Dorota Zeranska, gdymamczas 
Dot Lewallwn, Speedie Beadie
Elisabeth Auld, Beads For Busy Gals
Ema Kilroy, Ema K Designs
Emma Todd, A Polymer Penchant
Eva Sherman, Eva Sherman Designs
Evie and Beth McCord, EB Bead and Metal Works
Francy Inman, Francy's Studio
Ginger Bishop, lilmummy likes...
Giorgia Rossini, Jo in Wonderland
Ine Vande Cappelle, Jewels by Ine 
Iveth Caruso, Creative Atelier 
JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions
Jackie Ryan, Kydo Jewellery
Jeannie Dukic, Jeannie's Blog
Jelveh Jaferian, Jelveh Designs
Jenna Tomalka, Twin Birch Studio
Jenni Connolly, Jenni's Beads
Jennifer Van Horn, Jennifers Jewels and Junk
Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation
Johanna Rhodes-Nash, Fire Phoenix Creations 
 Joyce Blair, Bent Wire West Coast
JuLee Wolfe, The Polymer Penguin
Karen Vincent, Swallow Tail Jewellery
Karin Slaton, Backstory Beads
Kayla Potega, The Eclectic Element 
Kim Dworak, CianciBlue
Kris Lanae Binsfeld, Cherish Designs by Kris Lanae
Kristen Latimer, MJM Jewelry Designs
Kumi Fisher, Malie Kai Designs
Kym Hunter, Kym Hunter Designs
Lennis Carrier, Windbent
Leslie Wayment, AA Beads & More
Linda Murphy, Bonita Bead
Lisa Johnson, Whimsey Wonders
Lisa Sittniewski, Love, Yesterdays
Lois Moon, Que Onda, Q'Town?
Lola Surwillo, Bead Lola Bead
Lorelei Eurto, Lorelei's Blog
Lori Bowring Michaud, Artfully Ornamental
Lori Finney, Using My Beads
Margareta Saari, Mags-koruja
Maria Horvath, Horimarika Beads
Marian Hertzog, M's Place
 Mary Ellen Parker, BeeTree by m.e.
Mary K McGraw, MK's Creative Musings
MaryLou Holvenstot, time2cre8 
Martha Aleo, Ornamento
 Maybeline Tay, The Jewelry Larder
Megan Collins, Churchy & Her Sailor
Melissa Meman, Art. Life. Love.
Melissa Mesara, One-Eared Pig Beads
Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs
Pam Farren, re-maker
Pam Hurst, Pam Hurst Designs
Patricia Handschuh, The Color of Dreams
Patty Miller, CabariBeads
Penney Klapoth, Faerie Acres
Regina Santerre, Regina's Writings
Rhea Freitag, starrgazer creates
Rochelle Brisson, A Creative Chelle
Sabine Dittrich, PerlenDschungel
Sandra McGriff, Creative Chaos
Sandra Neights, Petalo Azul
Sandra Young, It's a Bead Life!
Sara Oehler, SoftFlex Girl
Saturday Sequins, Saturday Sequins
Shanti Johnson, Sunshine Bliss
Shari Replogle, Plays With Paper
Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads
Stefanie Teufel, Stefanies Sammelsurium
Tammie Everly, TTE Designs
Tania Spivey, Moobie Grace Designs
Therese Frank, Therese's Treasures
Tina Holden, Polymer Clay Bytes!
Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends 
Tracey Nanstad, A Beadiful Mess
Tracy Choy, BumbleBeads Designs
Valerie Norton, Hot Art

 Before we get to what I made I'd love for you to check out my post about my partner, Debbie Rasmussen.  She is amazingly multi-talented, generous, and a brilliant bead weaver from Canada.  Oh and for those of you like me who use blog hops to find interesting new pieces check out her new etsy shop

I do not have a shop, so sorry for that, but here's what you've all been waiting for.  
Here's what I started with,
Soup from Debbie
and here's what it became.
Deb's focal and my last "Life is Good" clasp used in the necklace
Since the Alice Blog Hop, I can't get this piece made by one of it's hostesses,
Staci Smith, out of my head.
Alice Blog Hop piece by Staci
Though I was not aware of it at the time, I now believe my soup pieces are an unconscious interpretation of my favorite parts from that piece.  My pieces were created by acting without thinking.  While trying to pull myself out of a long beading slump, I brought the beads over to where I was watching the 2nd season of Sherlock.   It's a great British show with one of the co-stars being from a family go-to movie, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
my necklace, bracelet, and earrings for this BSBP
my favorites are always bracelets
This set is really funky for me.
I think this piece from Debbie's shop was floating around in my inspiration well too.
Whimsy by Debbie
love this magnetic clasp-it's actually big enough to get a good hold on
love these lever back earring findings
No need to follow my blog unless you really want to, but by leaving a comment before August 16th you have a chance to receive these earrings.  Make sure there is a way I can contact you, and yes, I'm willing to ship internationally. 
WINNER Margareta!!! HOORAY!
I took a picture from random.org, but it's still in my camera.

Oh and I understand that Debbie has created a piece with this same soup so take a minute to compare two creative soul's jewelry creations with the same beads.
  Next stop A little of this, a little of that, Debbie's blog.



Friday, August 10, 2012

More pictures of new pieces

The two bracelets below are a created from a pattern by Arlene Reller.  It's a Glass Garden Beads kit called Tango I received as a Christmas gift, but came from Fusion Beads.  Then I made a second one in more classic colors.  The grey crystal seeds where larger than the others and really messed with the tension on of my own attempt at choosing beads.
I have a thing for buttons after being paired with the lovely Cindy Wimmer for a focal swap this past spring.  Here are two less than fine examples, but they worked great with these pieces.
Here are a few other things I created. Excuse the poor lighting and photo quality.
long drop earrings

Still trying to find something for my Mom...I wonder if she'll like these.
actually a lovely pink color
Finally, the book I won from Craft Gossip arrived!  It has a very glossy cover, and is a great drop it in your purse size.  I'll share more rave reviews later when I've had time to create something from the book.