Spring Challenge by Michelle Mach

To Enter My March Contest, go HERE:

Well, I joined Michelle's challenge again. Maybe it's because I suddenly like blue. Or maybe I just can't resist the shiny (I've mentioned my ADOS before).  Whatever the reason, I bought the bracelet she dared us to remake.  As always, I forgot to take the before picture, so I went back to her site and stole the original pic from her:

I had no real trouble using the crystals but, for some reason, couldn't come up with a way to use the silver spacers so they're tucked into my stash to await the perfect reworked job.  Until then, here are my two contributions to the challenge:

I started with a lanyard (instead of a regular necklace)
It's titled "Hot Spring" and is for sale in my Etsy store

I used the yellow dyed agate for Spina Bifida Awareness
and the cross to remind us to have faith in God's plans for our lives

Red glass beads, red & yellow millifiore glass rectangles and
black lampwork with white and purple dots accent the blue
crystal rondelles from Michelle's challenge.

This one I used gunmetal links and wire as well as yellow
fritted lampwork beads and green dyed agate that reminded
me of a Japanese painting whose colors ran together.

Yellow dyed agate finishes the bracelet
at either end. This piece isn't titled, yet,
but will be in my shop soon also under
the Spina Bifida line.

And here are the others participating in the hop.  Don't forget to check out what they've done, too!
Michelle - Beads & Books [Hostess]

Andrew - The Writing & Art of Andrew Thornton

Christa - Adventures of One Beady Woman

Dita - Alankarshilpa

Donetta - Simply Gorgeous

Erin - Erin Siegel Jewelry

Heather - As I Bead It

Jean - Snap Out of It Jean - There's Beading to Be Done!

Karen - Over the Moon Design

Kate - We Can Make That At Home

Kay - Palm Coast Art

Kim - CianciBlue

Kristina - Wild Roses and Blackberries

Linda - Lindy's Designs

Lisa - Pine Ridge Treasures

Marlene - Amazing Designs by Marlene

Michelle - Reverie & Revival

Pam - The Crazy Creative Corner  ~ you are here

Pamela - Someday Beads
Renetha - Lamplight Crafts

Sharyl - Catchenthesun

Terry - Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Therese - Therese's Treasures

NEW PENDENT

Well, I recently bought a gorgeous focal from Sharleen at Shaterra Clay Studio on Etsy.  She does some really lovely work and the colors are very rich and vibrant.  The focal I bought was a dragonfly in teal and green and the word "Dream" stamped just under it.  I love it! I'm going to be adding it to my shop under the Perfect Imperfections listing (my Spina Bifida Awareness line).  You'll notice all the beads, except one, echo the colors in the focal.  That one bead, a dyed agate, is yellow for Spina Bifida and has it's own "imperfection" running through it.  A teal colored swirl.  I have plans to add a pair of earrings and possibly a bracelet.  If so, it'll be what's called a parure set. That is, a set of three items for decoration, more specifically jewelry.

Anyway, here are a few shots from my iPhone.  Enjoy.

...and dream big, my dears!

Close up of the focal. Beautiful colors!

Close up of beads used.
There are teeny, tiny faceted round crystals
accenting both ends of both types of beads.

EARRING MADNESS!

Well, I went back to Pier 1 Imports last night and bought out all the daisy wine glass tags I could find. THEN, sadly, I found some cute little butterfly tags.  I say "sadly" because there were only two sets so, six pairs of butterfly earrings.  I also found some great lampwork flowers that I'm turning into earrings, too, and I have plans to go back and buy up the glass bead tags as well.  On the negative side, it cost me a little over $80 to buy all those (about 14 boxes of tags).  On the plus side, almost all of them were on sale so it only cost me a little over $80 to buy all of them.  On the plus-plus side, half of the ones on sale were on a better sale than the red tag led me to believe!  I just LOVE saving money! (if I only don't go broke saving it ~HA!~)
Anyway, here are three more pairs I made from last nights' haul, but they're not daisies this time.
Enjoy! (and, as always, feel free to share this link with anyone! *wink*)

Blue Swirl

Flowering Hope
~for my Spina Bifida line~

Hope Floats
~also for my SB line~

To paraphrase my Etsy description, those with SB aren't really that different from the rest of us.  They're no less fun-loving or any more serious than we are.  I want some of my SB line to reflect more than "serious" jewelry, I want fun and funky as well.  Hope Floats and Flowering Hope start that portion of my line.  Enjoy them, too. There will be more!

LIMA BEADS

I was over at Lima Beads and decided I needed to put together some "Fresh Picks" to design some more necklaces from.  I want to really get my Spina Bifida Awareness line going on my Etsy store and decided I really like a lot (I do mean a LOT!) of the beads they have on Lima.  You can click here to view the choices I made.  I think you'll like 'em (I know I drooled!)



Grace Lampwork
Whispering Peach Heart Focal
27x38-41mm



Black & Blue Agate
Flat Oval Pendant 35x55mm



I also did another Fresh Pick I titled "Away In A Manger" starring this gorgeous black and blue agate. You can see all the picks to go with it here.

Have fun! :)