Earrings Everyday Challenge March 2014

I was reading through Blogs I follow and ran across Earrings Everyday March Challenge. I was inspired by the cute Inspiration picture:

I love the pastel colors in the photo they so remind me of spring. The photo is from Potter's The Tailor of Gloucester. I used the leaves and the pink from this photo to create these earrings.

The Bluish Green leaves are glass and the pink are ceramic. I connected them to a Circle weaved of wire and added the earring clasp. Always remember keep smiling you never know where you will find a little inspiration.

BEAD SOUP 2014 Is On

You met my Bead Soup Blog Partner Hannah Trost in a earlier Blog. Well now I have my ingredients and I have put my soup on a slow simmer. First Hannah labeled my ingredients:

Gun Metal fun chain, Preciosa crystals, Black Czech fire polished beads in assorted sizes, Sterling Silver beads from her Grandmother's collection:

Then she added some Gold Freshwater Pearls for color, I love and need color. There is a Silver Triangular clasp. A sprinkle of Sodalite Daggers, (happy dance) more color glass beads in a gray blue and 3mm czech glass blue and gold. OMG a Large 2 sided Focal (Yes, yes, Luv it) Dumortierite Stone One side is smooth and shiny and

 the other side has a slightly rough texture with colors.(So you know where my emphasis and loyalty lies)

Of course my soup is on and simmering. I am so sure it will be ready way before the Hop. I am so excited and can hardly wait for the Reveal. While the soup is on wander on over to Hannah Trost at  http://pzdesigns.blogspot.com/   You will be able to see what I sent to Hannah, sit and visit with her for awhile. (She likes Dragons, has even painted them)

Thanks for stopping by, and Ya'll come back now.

Meet My Bead Soup Blog Party Partner

For those of you who have not had the pleasure, I would like to introduce you to Hannah Trost.

Hannah is a wife to Sam, a Mother, A College Instructor, a Teacher at Michael stores and owner/designer of PZ Designs,  http://www.etsy.com/shop/pzdesigns  I don't know where she finds the energy.
Yes I was a private detective first class once I found out who my pardner was. I went to her blog, her face book, her Facebook Jewelry page and her Etsy.   Lol.   I loved, luv this piece of Jewelry from the first time I saw it posted in a group and did not realize it was Hannah, my partner that created it:

Hannah works with many mediums one being wire.





 I also like this bead work piece that I found in her Etsy store

I too like to do a little bead work

 Its amazing that we like some of the same mediums.

Isn't this an Amazing piece by Hannah.  Well, I put together some soups and its always so hard to choose one. I ordered some things and didn't realize it was being shipped from outside the states and take forever.  I didn't want to be late so I mailed what I had. Lucky girl will get 2 shipments. In my haste I forgot to take pictures pre packaging. but never fear, Hannah will take some pictures (I Hope).  I sent Hannah these

Isn't this Gorgeous, lol

Ooooooo pretty, rofl

Well now that you have seen it all, I hope your excited.  There is nothing nothing like receiving gifts. I can hardly wait to begin.  Bead Soup Blog Parties are so special, so exciting and you get to meet sweet and Artistic people like Hannah.

Well these little bundles of deliciousness are headed your way Hannah. 

2014 Things Can Only Get Better

Oh my where did the time go. This is my first post for the year what have I been doing. Trying to get my Mojo back. I lost five staff members between October and December of 2013. And I didn't think so at the time but it took a little toll on me. For 2014 I am going to TRY to concentrate on getting my blog game on at least bi-weekly. I don't like to blog I never know what to write. I was asked by a co-worker to create a Necklace from a piece of quartz she received as a gift.

I wire wrapped the quartz with silver wire.  For the neck chain I was going to wire wrap pearls and smaller quartz gems.  I had forgotten that the holes in the pearls were so tiney and could only accomodate my string. For 2014 I will need to learn smaller gauges of wire. So I strung my Neck chain instead.

I think the Necklace came out pretty well and Lisa my Co-worker loves it and wears it often.
Thanks for the visit, as Paula Deen would say "ya'll come back now"

Blogger and Non-Blogger Sea Garden Reveal

This months Blogger Non Blogger challenge is a Sea Garden and the Hostess is Esterina Mestoko Jagiella 

and this is the inspiration Photo. So I found the gorgeous shell focal that represented the Sea 

Love this Focal with the calm blues , teal and yellow from the sea. I used some 18 gauge wire for my bail and a few Neck chain links to repeat the wavy theme. 14 gauge for my clasp.

Then I needed to represent that coral with its deep red and some teal . The colors are so pretty together.

Necklace done I created a pair of Mismatched earrings.  I love earrings that are not matchy matchy but can be worn together in a set.

I hope you enjoyed stopping by

Thank you for coming to see my Art piece see you soon.

LAMPWORK AND CLAY Blog Hop 2013 -The Reveal

Welcome to my blog and the Lamp work and Clay Blog Hop 2013.  Lisa lodge, A grateful Artist  Pulled this event together.  We were given a choice of Lamp work or Clay as our Venue and I chose Lamp Work.  These are the 8 Lamp work beads Lisa sent to me.

I took the two smallest beads and created a pair of earrings using Glass pearls, green seed beads, and gold seed beads:

The other beads were used as a focal point in this Pearl Necklace I created.

So Sorry I was late for our date. I hope you take time to visit everybody and enjoy the Hop.

Your hostess:  Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Laurie Vyselaar, Lefthand Jewelry

Annette Rivers, MamaOwl's Mess

Karin King, The Sparkle Things Blog

Shaiha Williams,   Shaiha's Ramblings

Mimi Gardner, Baubles, Beads and Other Curiosities

Dee Alcalde, Agape Creations Jewelry

Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams

Lori Jean Poppe, Lorillijean Creative Corner

Eleanor Burian Moore, The Charmed Life

Terri Wlaschin, Dances in Fog

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, Sharyl's Jewelry

Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation

Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera

Linda Aspenson Bergstrom, TBD

Toltec  Jewels, Jewel School Friends

Judy Turner, Silver Rains

Gloria Allen, Gloria Allen Designs You Are Here

Kathleen Douglas, Washoe Kat's

Connie Tipton, TBD

Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Andrea Glick-Zenith, ZenithJade Creations

Michele Dotson, Star Jewels

Chris Eisenberg, Wanderware

Jennifer Clifford, TBD

Kathleen Breeding, 99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall

Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me

Loretta, Loretta's Boutique

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyns Creations

Shirley Moore, Beads and Bread

Bonnie Coursolle, Jasper's Gems

Alice Craddick, Alice's Artisan Whimsy Blog

Look What I Won

I entered a Give - a- way at Toltec Jewels and I Won!  Had no idea which prize I would win.  I received this focal with this pretty card.  You will have to return to see what I made.

HISTORY HOP REVEAL

WELCOME to the History Blog Hop Reveal sponsored by Leah Curtis.  Thank you Leah for letting me partake.  The Challenge was to pick a period in History and design a piece.  I chose the Romantic Period 1837 to 1860. It was during this time that Gold was discovered and the social climates began to change.  Women began wearing more Jewelry than men, and lots of it. The Renaissance theme inspired Jewelry to suddenly have motifs from Flowers, branches, grapes and berries featured prominently in pieces. Jewelry from the early part of these years was completely handmade. Prior to 1854 Hallmarking at that time had only two standards. 18 and 22 karat.  Hallmarking ie. .925, 18k are the stampings on Jewelry used to protect the consumer. After 1854,  9k, 12k and 15k were legalized. I have never seen any of these.  My pieces are not Gold but Brass from   www.bsueboutiques.com . Her RGP Brass which as you may or may not know is 18k Russian Gold Plate and is beautiful. (shameful plug)

At the time Ladies fashion called for their hair to be parted down the middle and pinned up, therefor hiding the ears.  So earrings had to be long or big to compete and be seen. Of course mine are vintage inspired but mismatched pair. The second pair you can even wear two ways.

The Necklace of course had to be painted, they enameled, bejeweled and Presented.  Brass, Quartz and Pearls.

Thank you so much for taking this journey with me. Please visit the other participants You will not be  disappointed

Leah Curtis - Indus Valley - beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.co.uk
Laney Mead - Māori - laney-izzybeads.blogspot.co.uk
Becca - Art Nouveau - godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com
Melissa - English Romanticism and Mourning Jewelry - beadrecipes.wordpress.com
Tracy Stillman - Native American - tracystillmandesigns.com
Gerda - English Romanticism and Mourning Jewelry - gerdascraftsblog.blogspot.com
Liz E - Native North American - beadcontagion.blogspot.com
Ahowin - Māori (New Zealand)  - blog.ahowinjewelry.com 
Jasvanti - Indus Valley - jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com
Lizzie - Art Nouveau - theneedtobead.blogspot.co.uk 
Julia Hay - Merovingian - pandanimal.blogspot.co.uk
Dini - Celtic - angazabychanges.blogspot.nl
Caroline - Art Nouveau - blueberribeads.co.uk 
Charlie - Moche of Peru - clay-space.com/blog 
Karin - China - maverickbeads.blogspot.com
Niky Sayers - Rome - silverniknats.blogspot.com 
Marcia Dunne - Celctic and Mourning Jewelry - thealternativefoundry.blogspot.co.uk
anafiassa - Mesopotamia - anafiassa.blogspot.com
Kokopelli - Native American - kokopellidesign.blogspot.com
Christa - Native American - adventuresofwonebeadywoman.blogspot.com
Clair - Roman - obstinatepursuit.blogspot.co.uk
Susan Bowie - Native American - susanbowie.wordpress.com
Gloria Allen - English Romanticism - gloriaallendesigns.blogspot.com
Sheila Garrett - Early Russia - 4brownowl.blogspot.co.uk

Blogger Non-Blogger Kuala Lumpar Reveal

Once again my friend Dini Bruinsma is Hostess for the Blogger Non Blogger Challenge. Dini has chosen a photo taken in her travels to Kuala Lumpur. Before this Challenge I had never heard of Kuala Lumpar. I now know that it is the capital of Malaysia and the most populous city in Malaysia. I enjoy these challenges for the inspiration they give but also for the challenge.  I find myself amongst Artist who have been creative for years and feel blessed to know them. In these challenges I feel like they give you room to grow, to learn and take your creativity too areas you may not have known about nor knew you had the ability to accomplish.

I always approach a Photo challenge looking for color as inspiration.  Here I pulled out brown, which in itself is always a challenge for me as I like bright and pastels. After completing my Necklace my son has told me, "no mom that's bronze not brown.  See, everything is left up too interpretation and the eye of the beholder.  Now I can't wait to see how the other participants have interpreted the color.  Lol.  Secondly orange, and in my stash I had some orange Jasper beads.(Recently acquired from the Gem show) Yellow quartz and yellow Swarovski crystals. I see a Sliver of Green reflection (Agate) and Silver White Lights (Pearls).  I found this Lovely coin Focal that I thought represented a lot of this photo so well.

Every bead or Gem I used received special treatment.  I didn't want any of the little darlings to feel left out. They were either capped, wrapped or caged and attached to a Link chain that I also hand made myself thanks to the illustrious reading and learning from Lori Anderson.

 

Every Necklace should have accessories like earrings or Bracelet or both. Lol, I'm just sayin,

Earrings are caged beads and bracelet is embelished head pins made of Jasper, Agate,seed beads, Pearls and Swarovski Crystals. The chain at the back of the Necklace was forged by joining single and double jump rings together making link chain.  Thank you so much for stopping by and taking this Journey with me.