New Earring Monday ~ weeks 3 & 4

How exciting is this?!

I’m posting my new earrings on time!!!

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I decided to dig out my heart collection. Of course, I wasted over an hour searching for the red glass hearts I found in Portland last April. 

You see, when I moved from NY to NC, my method of packing up my workbench was to just dump everything into a plastic box.

I gave up on the red and chose 2 sets of silver hearts that have been around for a while.

I love these faceted pink opal disks I got from Rocky's Designs at The Whole Bead Show in NYC.  

Then I decided to pair the Bali hearts with February's birthstone - amethyst.

And.....

Drum roll, please...

Guess what I found when I was all done???

That's right - 

The red lampwork glass hearts!

They're dangling from hammered silvered rings that I soldered.

All of my earrings hang on my handcrafted earwires.

Yes, these will be listed on Etsy in time for Valentine's Day. 
Please visit Sarajo's blog to see who else playing along!

This Soup Is Hot - Red Hot!

My bead soup arrived Wednesday night, filled with beautiful red, white and crystal baubles - just in time for Valentine's Day!

Admittedly, there are components I would not have bought for myself. But that is the point of the Bead Soup Blog Party - think outside the box, outside your normal comfort zone.
I have to thank my partner, Tracie Dean for this wonderful, ecclectic soup. I have so many wonderful ideas. I know I will be able to create several amazing designs!

So - The carved heart and red ceramic beads did not come like that. I don't want to take it apart so,  you're also getting a sneak peak at a quick design. As a first grade teacher, I dress for the holidays. So at 5:30 am on February 14, I whipped up a necklace to wear to school. A few of my daisy spacers, head pins for wrapped loops and white ribbon and I'm ready for Valentine's Day!
Rave reviews from my colleagues!
I might tweak it a little, because it doesn't sit like that on. 
What do you think???

I love the swarovski elements clasp. I see that front and center with pearls. Definitely earrings with the heart crystals, etc. Wire wrap the other focal - I think it might be candy jade. And lots of other ideas swirling around my already over-filled brain.