Blog Hop Overload

Note to self -
Resist commiting to new blog hops.

Don't get me wrong - I love a good challenge. Some of my most creative work has been done in response to challenges.

The problem is - This is my busy season. I have a show or market every weekend through Columbus Day. yikes!
 I just don't have time to hop and comment on the other participants creations.  That's not fair to them. Especially if I want them to visit me too.

That said, I will continue to participate in the Inspired by Reading Book Club each month. And I have another of Andrew Thornton's challenges coming up in August. Besides them, I will concentrate on creations for my shows.

AND my goal is to hop to a few other blogs each day.
Wish me luck!

Soup's On!

It’s that time again –

Time for the Bead Soup Blog Party, hosted by the amazing Lori Anderson.

I’m excited to have Jayne Capps as my partner this year. I don’t know how Lori does it, but two years in a row, there’s some sort of connection. Last year’s partner lives in the same town where I own a house and plan to “retire”. And this year, while I have never met Jayne, she has purchased from me during a destash event. Then again, maybe it’s not such a coincidence. It’s amazing all the folks I have “met” through different beading and jewelry making forums and how many groups overlap.

On to the fun stuff…

Jayne has received my soup and posted pictures on Facebook, so I can legally reveal it. Jayne and I "chatted" on-line and found out we have some similar tastes. I had lots of ideas running around my head, but waited to for the partner assignment before finalizing my soup. 

I was happy to see Jayne lives in a land-locked state so I could go with my original idea to send authentic Atlantic Coast beach glass. I dug out a gorgeous piece of cobalt blue and wrapped it in sterling.

(I knew Jayne liked silver because that's what she bought from me.)

 

I threw a plain piece of white beach glass in the pot for Jayne to play with, packaged it up and went to bed.

 Well, if you've ever simmered soup for a while, you know it always needs more seasoning.
Jayne mentioned that she likes other metals besides silver. When I woke up, I wrapped the white glass with copper and oxidized it. I was so happy to see that liver of sulfur did not affect the beach glass!  Woo Hoo - another new technique!
Then I found some great copper components in my stash. 

Finally, I was ready to head to the post office. 
Here's what Jayne found in her mailbox a few days later.

This is Jayne's photo!

You cannot imagine how hard it was for me to part with that lapis!
And the carnelian thrown in just because Jayne sais that was one color she really didn't like. This is a challenge isn't it???






I can't wait to see what Jayne creates. 
Check out her blog to find out - The reveal is May 3.

Radiant Orchid Challenge Blog Hop

Andrew Thornton has done it again!

“What?” you ask.

He’s organized another fun blog hop...

This time, he put together a great kit using Pantone’s color of the year – radiant orchid. 

photo from Andrew's blog

The kit contained "a selection of handmade polymer clay beads, Czech glass, Swarovski crystal, gemstones, a lampwork glass bead and a Luxury Bead Blend."

The Luxury Bead Blend has Japanese Miyuki seed beads, Toho seed beads, freshwater pearls, amethyst, Czech glass, African recycled glass, Chinese Crytal, Swarovski crystal, vintage sequins, German glass, flourite and Javanese lampwork glass."

I dumped everything out on my worktable and stared at the glittering mess; my mind a total blank. And yes, I did stare blankly into space. Or so it seemed to my husband. In reality I was visualizing. 

But first I had to sort everything. 

I was excited to find some of my favorite gems in the mix- amethyst, garnet and tourmaline. 

I knew I wouldn't use the tiniest seed beads, so it didn't matter when I dropped them on the floor. 

I love Andrew's challenges because they always inspire me to stretch myself. 

His "mystery component", 2 fire enameled
filigree beads screamed EARRINGS at me. So that's what I made. 

There were just four rice shaped freshwater pearls and 6 Swarovski 6mm bicones.

Perfect for my dangles. My cheap silver chain broke as I was attaching pearl and crystal units so I used 5mm sterling silver jump rings and finished them off with my handcrafted earwires. 

Stephanie Dixon of ParaWire inspired me to crochet something.  (I had a lot of fun hanging out at their  booth at the To Bead True Blue show in Tucson) I’ve crocheted wire bracelets before, but never a necklace. Out came the 26 gauge “smokey quartz” copper wire I purchased in Tucson. 

It was my first time using ParaWire and I love it! 



I crocheted 3 chains of randomly spaced beads which I loosely braided.  I tried to make these really cool end caps from a Wig Jig "tut", but didn't love the way they turned out.

photo from Wig Jig

Instead, I finished off the ends with Vintaj Natural Brass Magnolia Leaf  Bead Caps from Lima Beads and a handcrafted hook. 

Of course I have tons of materials left over to play with. I definitely see a bracelet or two in my future and several pairs of earrings.

Thank you, Andrew, for inspiring me once again!

There were just 20 kits! 
I can't wait to see what the other designers did with the same raw materials!

Check them out...
Rebecca Anderson
Jeanne Steck - ME - you're here!
Carol Carlson
Leah Tees
Andrew Thornton, Alison Herrington, Laurel Ross, Joanne Goldberg, Julie Katz, Irene Leniham, Linda Starosciak

Inspired By Reading Book Club/Blog Hop ---- July

I was excited about the July selection for several reasons. For the first time ever, I finished the book and project on time!

And… I had decided to take a road trip. Yes, I traveled 7+ hours to join the group at Allegory Gallery in Ligonier, PA. It was so great to meet Andrew, Laurel, Amy, Terri and Connie. We enjoyed Andrew’s hospitality, including the yummy peach cobbler and interesting chocolate “wedding cake”. Thanks to Amy and Laurel for running down to the ice cream shop.

For the month of July Andrew chose the book,  The Cookbook Collector, by Allegra Goodman.  It is the story of two sisters who are very different from each other. Emily is the corporate CEO during the rapid growth of technology, while Jess, the philosophy major is the perennial scholar/environmentalist. As Goodman introduces her many characters, you wonder what their connection will be. The free-spirited Jess spoke to me early on. I went in search of the “Green Girl” pendant I purchased a few years ago, but could figure out how to use. It’s a rather large, heavy rectangle, with 2 holes on top and 3 on the bottom. When I reread the quote on the back I knew it was perfect for Jess!

 

My goal this month was to work out of my stash. The conch shell on the front of the pendant steered me toward a ‘beachy’ theme. Out came the larimar I purchased in the Dominican Republic. I challenged myself to work “outside the box”, or should I say “outside my box”.  The finished piece is asymmetrical or unbalanced. 

I also wanted to to showcase some wirework and be a little more creative this time. I've included wirewrapped sections of beads, handcrafted links and connectors.

Finally, I created a simple pair of earrings with my handcrafted earwires.

Check Andrew Thornton's blog for more information and links to the other members of the group.
The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton