This is what I made last night and today.......

More earrings using Julie's "Indian Blanket" lampwork discs (at least that's what they remind me of) and gemstone drop earrings.

The first pair is a lovely combination of Tangerine Tango Orange and Margarita Lime - (how do you like the way I worked Pantone in there?) with a dyed howlite teardrop dangle. 

The second pair is a nice lapiz lazuli blue and mustard yellow and I used more of my new triangle shaped lapiz lazuli beads as a dangle.

I also made a necklace and earring set from some orphan discs that I recently got from Julie.  The leather is metallic cement and I think it ties the beads together perfectly.  The lovely little dichroic glass cross adds a pop of color.  The silver chain and lobster clasp make it easily adjustable in length.

Relic - Talisman Style Necklace and Giveway by Lori Anderson

I purchased a beautiful dark wing pendant from Ingrid Mueller some time back.  Yesterday, it called to me.  Out of it grew this relic or talisman type necklace.  Do you know the true meaning of the word relic.  I have noticed many people on Etsy use it to describe something that is merely old or something that only looks old.  Originally, a relic was part of a body of a saint such as a piece of bone, or a tooth.  A looser definition requires that the relic contain some organic component, like feathers or bone or horn.  Anyway, to this porcelain wing, I added a three sided connector of stoneware by Karen Totten of Starry Road Studio, some bone, some horn, a carved howlite skull, a carved turquoise magnesite cross and used copper as the glue to hold it all together.  I also made it longer than I usually make.

Also, for today, I wanted to share with you that Lori Anderson is having another fantastic giveaway.  Be sure to visit her blog by clicking here to enter.

Lampwork and Gemstone Necklace, Earrings and Bracelet Set

This necklace, bracelet and earring set showcases Lynda Cogbill's Lynda's Lampwork beautiful brown nugget teardrop lampwork beads and Julie Burgard's Outwest circular lampwork disc beads.  I have also used little dyed magnesite ovals that I got from Rosemary Beadstostring and mother of pearl beads along with my own copper wire work.  What I really like about thes magnesite beads is that they are dyed turquoise with brown matrix but they also have some white spaces which I assume didn't take the dye well.  It makes them perfect for my purpose in this piece bringing together the three colors of the lampwork discs of ivory, brown and turquoise blue.

 

I have to say that both Julie and Lynda are great to work with.  All of these beads were specially ordered and through our discussions they were able to get me exactly the beads I wanted.  Thank you Lynda and Julie.

I want to list this set in etsy, but am considering how best to do it.  I think the set should stay together, but I also realize that sometimes people just want the earrings, or bracelet or necklace and not the entire set.  So, I'll figure something out, I guess.  I do know that I will be offering them at a special price if the entire set is sold together.  I hope you like them.

Necklace, Bracelet and Earring Sets

Well, hello there.  I have not blogged in a couple of weeks.  As most of you know, I am an attorney that wants to be a jewelry designer and the last two weeks have kept me rather busy in the legal arena.  I have spent a great deal of the last couple of weeks preparing for those court hearings, but resolved a couple of cases so that is a good thing.

Anyway, as a jewelry designer, I have a very good client that has been a wonderful repeat customer.  She loved the designs I was working on using Julie Burgard's lampwork discs.  I love these discs, they are so much fun to work with.  They remind me of Indian blankets with their rings of color.  Julie is Outwest on etsy.

Anyway, Iwant to share with you two sets that I have just completed for Lynn.  The bracelet in the first set, Tucson, is made using beads made by Lynda Cogbill, another one of my favorite lampwork artists.  I blogged previously about the bracelet.  The necklace uses Julie's discs, and she used the same glass to make these discs as Lynda used to make the bracelet beads.  It is completed with turquoise blue glass Czech coin beads with picasso edges, and cream and brown mother of pearl rounds and glass teardrop beads.

In the second set, Santa Fe Lynn wanted to combine the macrame leather braiding with the lampwork discs.  Julie made all of the lampwork beads used in the bracelet, earrings and the disc in the necklace.  Lynda made the glass beads on the sides of the necklace.  

I am very pleased with the way both sets turned out.  I am working on another set similar to the Tucson set to list in my shop.  Of course, with most handmade things, there will be some slight differences.

Last, but not least, I made these earrings the first part of March but just finished oxidizing and polishing yesterday.  The first pair uses Chrysophase teardrop gemstones and the second pair uses more of Julie's disc beads - this time in lapis blue and lme green paired with lapis lazuli gemstone arrow beads.

Whew, its good to be back here.

Natalie Pappas is Giving Away One of Her Beautiful Whistles

Natalie Pappas is a talented potter that makes pottery, beads and whistles.  To promote her new Etsy Store which features her whistles she is having a giveaway.  She is offering this beautiful yellow whistle.  Click HERE to go to her blog so that you can enter to win it.

Click HERE to go to her Etsy Whistle Store.  I don't have any of her whistles yet, but I hope to have one soon.

Click HERE to go to her Etsy Bead Store.  I love her beads and have many of them.  I bet you will love her beads and whistles too.


6400 PV 03/15

Jebadiah Boone is A Beautiful Boy!

In response to a suggestion that I should post more pictures of my puppy dogs, (my friend Vickie), here is a picture I took of Jebadiah Boone this morning.  He is so beautiful. 

He really loves my husband, Joe.  They are going to head off to Kentucky later this week for a few days to visit with Joe's cousin and his wife.  Of course, he's taking Jeb with him.  I'm sure going to miss that dog!

I regularly search through Etsy for artwork using Rottweilers as the subject matter.  I recently found this painting - it looks just exactly like Jebadiah Boone.  He could have been used as the model.  I contact L.A. Sheperd and was given permission to post this picture here on the blog.  If you want to have a great time browsing beautiful dog art, take a look at this shop The Dog Lover.

Yes, Jebadiah is that cute!


 

I Am Officially Done With The Blog Hop

Well, I have just finished looking at the last Bead Soup Reveal Jewelry that began on Saturday, March 3.  Six days of eye candy.  I have gone slowly in a systematic fashion and have made it a point to read the post, study the pictures, comment and join the blogs of my fellow party goers.  It was FANTASTIC!  Once again, Lori, thank you so much for this opportunity to have fellowship with women of like mind all over the world in such a fun and creative way.  I enjoyed the process from anticipating the sign up, being selected, waiting for bead soup, choosing bead soup (this was the hardest part), waiting for the mailman......right on through Reveal Day.  I will most certainly participate again.....and I encourage anyone else that hasn't participated in the past to do so if they at all possibly can.

Whew......I feel like the day after Christmas!  What am I going to do now?

Some Fantastic Giveaways Are Going On This Week/Month.....Check Them Out.

There are several really great giveaways going on this week and throughout the month.  Some are in association with the Bead Soup Party Blog Hop that began on Saturday, March 5.  Be sure to check them out for a chance to win beads and jewelry.  I have found a really nice variety of things that are certainly worth winning.

SongBeads - Rebecca is a jewelry designer, teacher and creater from England.  She says she is particularly interested in art beads.

Melinda Orr  - Melinda is giving away some really really nice earrings and a ring.  She does marvelous things with copper.

Kari Carrigan - Kari is offering a fun pair of earrings. 

Diane Cook - Diane is offering a tutorial that she put together on the topic of making connectors out of vintage jewelry.  If you haven't seen her blog you must go look.  She makes absolutely amazing vintage looking jewelry.  It is beautiful.


I am now visited the bottom half of the participants in the BSBP which began Saturday morning.  I am really enjoying slowing things down and reading the entire posts and studying the pictures and maybe re-reading, etc.  It is a welcome change from my usual try to get through it fast because I'm impatient to see it all.

I'm Blogging As Fast As I Can!

Just a note to let everyone know that I was out of town on Reveal Day and haven't had as much time as I would have liked to be visiting everyone's blogs.  I just want everyone to know that I am thrilled to have been a part of this experience and am giving each participant the respect of visiting their site and leaving a comment.  I am 25% finished.  I am so enjoying reading everyones posts and looking in detail at their pictures, it is taking a while.  I didn't want to just rush through it -- so I will "see" all of you very soon.  The jewelry I am looking at is amazing!  I haven't found anything yet that I don't just love.  What a talented community of artists we have assembled together for this.

But for Lori's hard work and personal sacrifice, this would not be possible.  Thank you, Lori.  You are a blessing to us all.

Spring 2012 Bead Soup Party Blog Hop - Reveal Date

Well, here we are finally.  It is reveal day for Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Party Blog Hop.  I am so excited that this day has finally arrived. 

My partner is Erin Grant.  She has been making jewelry for about five years, but she also knits.  You can see more of her work at her etsy shop.  Just click here ETSY SHOP.  Below is a picture of the soup she sent.  She included a beautiful lampwork seahorse pendant, glass beads the color of the ocean with a beach glass finish, seed beads, a silver clasp, and some wonderful little sea shells.

I must admit that I was thrilled with this soup.  I love working with these types of materials and while I understand that one of the purposes of this party is to push yourself beyond what you are comfortable with, it was easy for me to come up with all kinds of ideas for this soup.  Oh well, maybe next time.   But, I wasn't completely without a challenge -- I attempted some construction that was new and I modified the clasp toggle bar somewhat.

I love the look of "beaded" beads and attempted to get that look by using six strands of small leather cord in complimentary colors of pink, turquoise and sand.  When I pulled them all together with knots, they sort of look like beaded beads.

Here is a close up of the beaded beads.

Another challenge that I faced was when the necklace was completed, the weight of it caused the toggle to pull easily out of the square side of the clasp.  To solve that problem, I used more of my pink wire to wrap around the bars extending them to a length that would hold.  Because it is 20 gauge wire, it is strong enough to hold.

I made dangles of the shell beads and put them on each side.  The only thing I added from my own stash of supplies is the silver starfish charm and the leather cord, three purple pink mother of pearl rounds and pink wire.  I made the seed bead links on pink artistic wire continuing with the "pink" color theme.

I also wanted to challenge myself to use all of the materials that Erin sent.  I did that, in fact, I was a bit short on seed beads so I had to use about 8-10 from my own stash.  I also had just a few of the beach glass beads left over, so I was able to make these "jellyfish" earrings to go with the necklace.

Erin, I loved what you sent and I hope you love what I made with it.

I have narry a bead left of Erin's soup.

Hostess, Lori Anderson
Special Book Sneak Peeks, Cindy Wimmer

1.  Adlinah Kamsir (Singapore) and Hajer Waheed (Kingdom of Bahrain)
2. Adrienn Lukacs (Hungary) and Agata Grygiel (Poland)
3.  Agi Kiss (Hungary) and Carolien Muller-Genger (the Netherlands)
4.  Agnes Asztalos (Hungary) and B.R. Kuhlman
5.  Alesha Conklin and Becki Mendivil

6.  Alice Peterson and Carol Dillman
7.  Alicia Marinache (Canada) and Dita Basu
8.  Amanda Dittloff and Brandy Thomason McNair
9.  Amanda Tibbetts and Andrea Trank
10.  Amy Freeland and Kay Mallery 

11.  Andra Weber and Christine Murrow
12.  Ann Sherwood and Diane Welte
13.  Barbara Bechtel and Kerry Bogert
14.  Barbara Lewis and Cat Pruitt
15.  Bonnie Coursolle (Canada) and Fay Wolfenden (Canada)

16.  Carmel McGinley (Australia) and Tracy Stillman (Australia)
17.  Cassie Donlen and Deryn Mentock
18.  Cathie Carroll and Janel Dudley
19.  Cece Cormier and Morwyn Mullins
20.  Charlene Jacka and Christina Hickman

21.  Cheryl Brown (Canada) and Diana Ptaszynski
22.  Christina Stofmeel (the Netherlands) and Eva Kovacs (Hungary)
23.  Christine Damm and Deb Brooks
24.  Cilla Watkins (Canada) and Elaine Robitaille (Canada)
25.  Sabrina Straub (Switzerland) and Kathy Combs

26.  Cindy Cima Edwards and Eleanor Burian-Mohr
27.  Cory Celaya and Rhea Freitieg
28.  Courtney Breul and Dana Hickey
29.  Cynthia Abner and Jennifer Boreck
30.  Cynthia Tucker and Jean Peter

31.  Debbie Goering and Heidi Post
32.  Dee Elgie (UK) and Joanne Lockwood (UK)
33.  Dian Hierschel (Germany) and Eniko Fabian (Austria)
34.  Diane Cook and Lyn Foley
35.  Donna Bohler and Lisa Lodge

36.  Donna Millard and Kiersten Giles
37.  Doris Stumpf (Germany) and Eszter Czibulyas (Hungary)
38.  Elisabeth Auld and Eva Sherman
39.  Elke Leonhardt-Rath (Germany) and Marjolein Trewavas (UK)
40.  Ema Kilroy and Laurie Keefe-Cecere

41.  Erika Nooteboom (the Netherlands) and Giorgia Rossini (Italy)
42.  Erin Grant and Jean Wells
43.  Evelyn Duberry (Canada) and Gaea Cannaday
44.  Genea Crivello-Knable and Heather Powers
45.  Ginger Bishop (military, Okinawa) and Martina Nagele (Germany)

46.  Heidi Kingman and Lori Greenberg
47.  Helen Kemp and Lisa Wangeman
48.  Helene Goldberg (Australia) and Karen Vincent
49.  Jamie Hogsett and Jeannie Dukic
50.  Jeanette Ryan and Jelveh Jaferian

51.  Jennifer Cameron and Tania Spivey
52.  Jennifer Justman and Kari Carrigan
53.  Jennifer Tough and Lorelei Eurto
54.  Joanna Matuszczyk (Poland) and Julianna Kis (Hungary)
55.  Joanne Tinley (UK) and Michaela Pabeschitz (Austria)

56.  Julie Anne Leggett and Kelley Fogle
57.  Karen Hess and Linda Landig
58.  Karyn Bonfiglio and Kathleen Lange Klik
59.  Kashmira Patel and Kat White
60.  Kat Barron Miller and Kelly Morgan

61.  Kathy Lindemer and Rose Binoya
62.  Krafty Max and Sandra Miller
63.  Kristen Latimer and Pam Ferrari
64.  Kristie Roeder and Lea Avroch
65.  Kristina Johansson (Sweden) and Penny Neville (Canada)

66.  Krisztina Erlaki-Toth (Hungary) and Nicole Keller (Germany)
67.  Lara Lutrick and Lisa Suver
68.  Laura DeMoya and Lisa Hanna
69.  Libby Leuchtman and Melanie Brooks
70.  Linda Koch and Rosemarie Cowit

71.  Lisa Chapman and Menka Gupta
72.  Lisa Liddy and Marion Simmons
73.  Lori Anderson and Marcie Abney
74.  Lori Bowring-Michaud and Mary Govaars
75.  Lori Dorrington and Maria Rosa Sharrow

76.  Lori Finney (Canada) and Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp (Canada)
77.  Lynn Bennett and Mandi Ainsworth
78.  Marta Kaczerowska (Poland) and Milla Starchik (Canada)
79.  Mary Harding and Shannon LeVart
80.  Mary Jane Dodd and Stacey Curry

81.  Melinda Orr and Molly Alexander
82.  Melissa Meman and Michelle Escano-Caballaro
83.  Michelle Jensen and Sandra Young (Canada)
84.  Nan Emmett and Nicole Valentine-Rimmer (Canada)
85.  Nancy Boylan and Suzette Bentley

86.  Natasha Lutes and Patti Vanderbloemen
87.  Pam Hurst and Rebekah Payne
88.  Patty Miller and Sara Rhoades
89.  Rebecca Anderson (UK) and Lori Anderson
90.  Rebecca Sirevaag and Sharon Driscoll

91.  Rochelle Brisson and Shannon Chomanczuk
92.  Rosa Maria Cuevas (Mexico) and Tejae Floyde
93.  Sabine Dittrich (Germany) and Sally Russick
94.  Sandi Volpe and Sarah/Saturday Sequins
95.  Shanti Johnson and Tracy Mok (Canada)

96.  Skylar Brez and Theresa Buchle
97.  Sonya Stille and Traci Zeller (Canada)
98.  Stefanie Teufel (Germany) and Tania Hagen (New Zealand)
99.  Stephanie LaRosa and Vonna Maslanka
100.  Terri Wlaschin and Wendy Blum

Blog Hop Tomorrow - Be Sure To Visit

Wow!  It is finally here.......almost.  I have my post all done and ready to go.  I am so excited I can hardly contain myself.

We are traveling to see my Mom today.  Will be leaving soon.  But, I will be back home on Wednesday of next week.  We have planned to stop just before we get there and take the dogs on a hike at some really nice hiking trails.  It has started snowing at our house, but Springfield is about 170 miles south of here and Mom says it is sunny there.  So, we'll see.  I hope we can, I know we would all enjoy it.