I know some people know of the struggle we have had this past month or two, and I appreciate all the prayers for our family. It has been difficult but we are through the worst of it I hope and pray!
Wouldn't you know it, after signing up for projects that family crisis after family crisis happen. I haven't had much time for working on jewelry, but I did manage to finish a couple of projects while we have been back and forth to hospital.
My bead partner for the Bead Peeps Swap 'n' Hop, Alicia from All The Pretty Things sent me such wonderful items to work with. She sent me the perfect amount of goodies!! I love, love, love the brass etched pendant and earrings that she sent.
She did the etching and cutting (I am so envious, mine don't come out as beautiful!!) and they are so beautiful that I am at a loss what to do with them. I have ten or twenty ideas, but I hate to use them since I know I'll think of something else to do with them!!
Then there was the polymer clay items... in purple... not just a purple but a pretty, bright, nearly hot pink purple... WOW! I love them!! They are some leaves and a starfish, tails and flowers and some beads made by Tina Holden @ Bead Comber... I knew what I wanted to do with the leaves and flowers! I knew that I wanted to make some polymer flowers to use with them and make a pretty bib necklace... Spring is in the air...
Then there are the Czech beads that are the prettiest color of purple, not light, but the nice amethyst color that goes with just about every other color... AND happens to be my birthstone color...I love to use this color, I don't usually buy it... I don't know why, but I am so in love with it, and the cut of the larger beads is beautiful!
There is a beautiful leaf in ceramic that is so pretty, I have some ceramic pieces in the house that are the same color and I love it!! This is the color that you can use with blue or yellow, orange, red, pink, anything!!!! The ceramic is made by Marla Mud
Wow... I'm just getting started... there is a glass cabochon by an artist at Therese's Treasures in clear, turquoise and purple glass that is shaped like a loaf, which was so
much fun to work with! And how on earth did Alicia know that I love turquoise and that I would have beads to add with it?
Then there is the beautiful, smooth and totally natural shell from Myrtle Beach! I love working with shells! I love the beach and the feel of wonderfully worn shells. There is something so comforting when you hold or wear a shell.
Is this some primordial connection?
I think Alicia and I are somehow very similar in taste and in the things that we like to do! The items we sent to each other are so very alike...
We sent things that were so similar to each other, yet sooo different!! What a treat! Like I said before, I love purple but never buy it for myself, yet I bought some and sent to her! LOL.
Some of the items I sent were polymer, resin, brass and Czech glass!
I wanted to send along something from our area so I sent some candy made near us and from Mexico, since we are so close and have such a diverse population here, I thought it would be fun... but I wanted something that was "Texas"... so I found a keychain that is the shape of Texas and has some "Texas" stuff on it... and... turned it over... it was made in Canada!! I had to send it to Alicia!
Our sons exchanged some stuff, they are nearly the same age and I hope maybe they can be penpals... do kids still do that?
So... I really had fun with what I had to work with. The items were so pretty and I had tons of ideas of what I wanted to do, got busy really quickly after I received the box of goodies... We got quite the shock to find that the Post Office listed the box that I sent to Alicia as undeliverable because of the wrong address... BUT, turns out that it was just at the post office in her town. I don't know why they didn't deliver it... but she stopped in and was able to retrieve the package. I felt bad since it gave her less time to work with her goodies.
Sadly, I only finished two items. I so wanted to finish 6... but they are all in different stages and only the two will be here.... unless I stay up tonight and finish the brass pieces. I have really wanted to do just that.
Here are the two items that I was able to finish...
First....
This is the pretty glass cabochon. I love that it is striped. This is something that I would never buy for myself... something that is pretty and will go with either casual or dress and such pretty Summer colors! I challenged myself to do a Spiral Cellini necklace to attach the cabochon to. I was back and forth to the hospital so much that I honestly didn't have time to buy new beads to use so I dug deep into my stash to find colors to use to make the spiral. I love the blue and purple in the glass, but didn't have the exact colors to match, so I used some that I thought would go well with them. Since I am visually challenged, it is harder to switch from large to small beads, but I really wanted the spiral effect to show so I used a 15/0 deep turquoise iridescent round, 15/0 peach seed, 10/0 amethyst color glass seed, and a larger tube in iridescent amethyst and a 6/0 turquoise. Now, the larger beads aren't really great beads.. remember, I haven't been able to really put in time for shopping... so, they aren't well made beads... but I think the cellini came out pretty well. I read somewhere that when you do this, it does pay to have beads that are a bit off, since the odd shapes will fill in spaces? Well, I kind of like the effect. The cabochon was a challenge. I haven't ever made a beaded bezel for a piece of glass in this shape. The glass is curved on top, like a loaf, and it is not perfectly straight, so it was crucial to get it captured on top first, then to do the flat back... I think maybe it would have been better to use all of one type of bead, but I used purple iridescent tubes and the 15/0 round that were pretty. I guess it came out ok, but I might take it apart and do that part again. I love the purple and turquoise!
The second piece that I made (actually the first one that I made) was inspired by the polymer pieces that Alicia sent. There were the sea inspired, but then there were a couple of flowers and some leaves, That was all that was needed to inspire this Springy bib style necklace! There are extra polymer flowers and leaves made by me, along with resin and glass flowers. The necklace part is kind of odd... I love the clasp so I wanted it to be seen, I was going for a side clasp, and it is on the side, but not as visible as I would have preferred, but I like it. I made the bird out of polymer and the nest is the top of a silkworm cocoon that I bought from Anne Betenson, which I absolutely love! They have been tucked away ready to use, you know... one of those things you keep until just the right project comes along! This necklace was so much fun to make! The bead embroidery goes so fast, but it is something that I couldn't take along to the hospital... well... I say that, but I did try. It is not worth trying to bead when you are jumping up and sitting down every few minutes, just not very practical.
Well...
I was terribly disappointed that I wasn't able to do more, but I will post as I work on the other projects. Especially the brass!!!!
A huge, HUGE thanks to Alicia!!! I loved meeting her and hope that we will be able to stay in touch after this. She is such a fun person and a joy to have as a bead partner!
I so very much appreciate the thought that she put into the items that she sent, they were absolutely perfect!! and such a wonderful mixture!
Please go by and visit Alicia's page All the Pretty Things and also go by and visit the other blogs listed below. There are a bunch, but they are going to knock your socks off! Some of the designers are so very brilliant! I can't wait to visit my partner's page! I know her work is great and will be among those that are brilliant!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please use the link below to go to the page listing all the blogs involved with this Swap 'n' Hop! Please visit as many as you can, there are really some wonderful designers that you will see!!
Please click this link to see the list of blogs
Wouldn't you know it, after signing up for projects that family crisis after family crisis happen. I haven't had much time for working on jewelry, but I did manage to finish a couple of projects while we have been back and forth to hospital.
My bead partner for the Bead Peeps Swap 'n' Hop, Alicia from All The Pretty Things sent me such wonderful items to work with. She sent me the perfect amount of goodies!! I love, love, love the brass etched pendant and earrings that she sent. She did the etching and cutting (I am so envious, mine don't come out as beautiful!!) and they are so beautiful that I am at a loss what to do with them. I have ten or twenty ideas, but I hate to use them since I know I'll think of something else to do with them!!
Then there was the polymer clay items... in purple... not just a purple but a pretty, bright, nearly hot pink purple... WOW! I love them!! They are some leaves and a starfish, tails and flowers and some beads made by Tina Holden @ Bead Comber... I knew what I wanted to do with the leaves and flowers! I knew that I wanted to make some polymer flowers to use with them and make a pretty bib necklace... Spring is in the air...Then there are the Czech beads that are the prettiest color of purple, not light, but the nice amethyst color that goes with just about every other color... AND happens to be my birthstone color...I love to use this color, I don't usually buy it... I don't know why, but I am so in love with it, and the cut of the larger beads is beautiful!There is a beautiful leaf in ceramic that is so pretty, I have some ceramic pieces in the house that are the same color and I love it!! This is the color that you can use with blue or yellow, orange, red, pink, anything!!!! The ceramic is made by Marla MudWow... I'm just getting started... there is a glass cabochon by an artist at Therese's Treasures in clear, turquoise and purple glass that is shaped like a loaf, which was so much fun to work with! And how on earth did Alicia know that I love turquoise and that I would have beads to add with it?Then there is the beautiful, smooth and totally natural shell from Myrtle Beach! I love working with shells! I love the beach and the feel of wonderfully worn shells. There is something so comforting when you hold or wear a shell.
Is this some primordial connection?
I think Alicia and I are somehow very similar in taste and in the things that we like to do! The items we sent to each other are so very alike...
We sent things that were so similar to each other, yet sooo different!! What a treat! Like I said before, I love purple but never buy it for myself, yet I bought some and sent to her! LOL.
Some of the items I sent were polymer, resin, brass and Czech glass!
I wanted to send along something from our area so I sent some candy made near us and from Mexico, since we are so close and have such a diverse population here, I thought it would be fun... but I wanted something that was "Texas"... so I found a keychain that is the shape of Texas and has some "Texas" stuff on it... and... turned it over... it was made in Canada!! I had to send it to Alicia!
Our sons exchanged some stuff, they are nearly the same age and I hope maybe they can be penpals... do kids still do that?
So... I really had fun with what I had to work with. The items were so pretty and I had tons of ideas of what I wanted to do, got busy really quickly after I received the box of goodies... We got quite the shock to find that the Post Office listed the box that I sent to Alicia as undeliverable because of the wrong address... BUT, turns out that it was just at the post office in her town. I don't know why they didn't deliver it... but she stopped in and was able to retrieve the package. I felt bad since it gave her less time to work with her goodies.Sadly, I only finished two items. I so wanted to finish 6... but they are all in different stages and only the two will be here.... unless I stay up tonight and finish the brass pieces. I have really wanted to do just that.
Here are the two items that I was able to finish...
First....
This is the pretty glass cabochon. I love that it is striped. This is something that I would never buy for myself... something that is pretty and will go with either casual or dress and such pretty Summer colors! I challenged myself to do a Spiral Cellini necklace to attach the cabochon to. I was back and forth to the hospital so much that I honestly didn't have time to buy new beads to use so I dug deep into my stash to find colors to use to make the spiral. I love the blue and purple in the glass, but didn't have the exact colors to match, so I used some that I thought would go well with them. Since I am visually challenged, it is harder to switch from large to small beads, but I really wanted the spiral effect to show so I used a 15/0 deep turquoise iridescent round, 15/0 peach seed, 10/0 amethyst color glass seed, and a larger tube in iridescent amethyst and a 6/0 turquoise. Now, the larger beads aren't really great beads.. remember, I haven't been able to really put in time for shopping... so, they aren't well made beads... but I think the cellini came out pretty well. I read somewhere that when you do this, it does pay to have beads that are a bit off, since the odd shapes will fill in spaces? Well, I kind of like the effect. The cabochon was a challenge. I haven't ever made a beaded bezel for a piece of glass in this shape. The glass is curved on top, like a loaf, and it is not perfectly straight, so it was crucial to get it captured on top first, then to do the flat back... I think maybe it would have been better to use all of one type of bead, but I used purple iridescent tubes and the 15/0 round that were pretty. I guess it came out ok, but I might take it apart and do that part again. I love the purple and turquoise!The second piece that I made (actually the first one that I made) was inspired by the polymer pieces that Alicia sent. There were the sea inspired, but then there were a couple of flowers and some leaves, That was all that was needed to inspire this Springy bib style necklace! There are extra polymer flowers and leaves made by me, along with resin and glass flowers. The necklace part is kind of odd... I love the clasp so I wanted it to be seen, I was going for a side clasp, and it is on the side, but not as visible as I would have preferred, but I like it. I made the bird out of polymer and the nest is the top of a silkworm cocoon that I bought from Anne Betenson, which I absolutely love! They have been tucked away ready to use, you know... one of those things you keep until just the right project comes along! This necklace was so much fun to make! The bead embroidery goes so fast, but it is something that I couldn't take along to the hospital... well... I say that, but I did try. It is not worth trying to bead when you are jumping up and sitting down every few minutes, just not very practical.Well...
I was terribly disappointed that I wasn't able to do more, but I will post as I work on the other projects. Especially the brass!!!!
A huge, HUGE thanks to Alicia!!! I loved meeting her and hope that we will be able to stay in touch after this. She is such a fun person and a joy to have as a bead partner!
I so very much appreciate the thought that she put into the items that she sent, they were absolutely perfect!! and such a wonderful mixture!
Please go by and visit Alicia's page All the Pretty Things and also go by and visit the other blogs listed below. There are a bunch, but they are going to knock your socks off! Some of the designers are so very brilliant! I can't wait to visit my partner's page! I know her work is great and will be among those that are brilliant!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please use the link below to go to the page listing all the blogs involved with this Swap 'n' Hop! Please visit as many as you can, there are really some wonderful designers that you will see!!
Please click this link to see the list of blogs
