ZNETShows Summer Challenge Blog Hop

Back in April I was notified that as part of the ZNETshows Design team I was part of a new challenge. This one was a Summer challenge.  The theme was 'Summer Days and Nights' and focused on their Cultured Sea Glass. We were to go to ZNETshows website and pick out the 2 colors we'd like to design with to design a daytime 'casual' set and a nightime 'dressy' set.  We were also sent a few other colors, beads, findings to go along with the sea glass we chose. I was interested in working with their red and black seaglass, so sent off my choices.  I thought I had a picture of the stash I received, but I can't seem to find it on my compurter. But what I received in the following pieces was the red sea glass, black sea glass and purple tube beads. The other beads I had received from previous ZNETshows challenge.  But these are the beads I used:

For the Dressy set these are the products I used :

Purple barrel nugget beads found here:

Jet Black Barrel beads here:

Glass pearls, Clear crystals and Oval Purple and Black beads (a type of dyed jasper).

For the Daytime set:

Anklet

Sand dollar beads in red, here:

Hourglass beads here

Earrings:

Small concave square here

Fish here:

These were all fun to play with. I hope you like what I made for my Dressy Nighttime set and my Casual Daytime set. 

Daytime (casual): This is 'Fun in the Sun at the Beach'

Nightime (dressy): This is Evening Mystique

Be sure to check out ZNETshows website for great sea glass and other beads, the ZNETshows blog for more about the design team and the other participants and the new ZNETshows magazine that has more about the design challenge and participants also.

ZNETshows Keychain Lightning Round

Another great ZNETshows challenge. I was contacted a few weeks back by Hope of Crafty Hope and ZNETshows about doing a lightning round challenge with their Keychain hooks.  The idea was, we pick out 2 beads and they'll send them along with some of the keychain hooks for us to design something with.  They got delayed a little because the keychain hooks were out of stock. But I finally received them last Thursday and got to work.  I ran into a snag with my first design and am still working on it, but I got my other 2 designs finished and am presenting them here for you to see and let me know what you think.  I chose these Black Matte faceted glass bead crystals and these Orange and Cream faceted glass rondelles crystals.  I wired wrapped and attached to some silver chain I had, the Orange and Cream crystals along with some black seed beads and oval beads I had.  I attached those 3 to the bottom of the Black Faceted Crystal and Orange and Cream crystal and then attached everything to the Keychain.  This is my Black and Orange 'Chained' keychain, zipper pull or purse bling.  I prefer them as purse bling. 

My second design is my 'Tribal' keychain, zipper pull or purse bling.  Again, I prefer Purse Bling. LOL.  I hammered the end of silver colored wire, then strung the Orange and Cream crystals, the Black Faceted Crystal the and the black seed beads and oval bead I had on one of each of the 'tribal' wires. I then hammered the other end and did a simple loop to attach them to the keychain.  In between each of the 3 'tribal' wires, I hammered more silver colored wire in shorter lengths, did a simple loop and attached them in between the 'tribal' wires.  I also wire-wrapped one of the Orange and Cream crystals and attached it to the loop on the bottom of the Center 'tribal' wire for a little more dangle and bling.  Hope you like my Keychains/Purse Bling.  They are available for $17 each with free shipping till the end of the week.  Just comment here on my blog if you're interested.

KayzKreationz Purse Bling, Zipper Pull, Keychain

For more of my Beaded Wire-wrapped Jewelry and Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass Kreationz for your Home and Garden, check out my shop, KayzKreationz.

Pine Ridge Treasures Seasons Blog hop

If you're looking for my ZNETshows Summer Challenge and Giveaway, click here
But first check out my reveal for the Season's Blog Hop below. Thanks
 Recently I signed up with Lisa Lodge from Pine Ridge Treasures for her 'Season's' Blog hop.  We were sent a package of beads to imitate either a season of the year or a season in our life and had to design something.  I fell into my usual forgetfulness and forgot to take a picture of the entire package of beads. However, here is what I have left and you can see what I used in my pieces. 

 I had the hardest time with this.  I couldn't figure out what to make, although the soft purples, white, some black, dark purple crystals, clear and muted white crystals and teardrop beads all evoked 'Winter' to me.  There is also some snowflake charms, some wings, a couple of great purple focal/pendant beads and some grayish/mauve smaller beads along with a couple of silver/pewter keys and a toggle clasp.  I haven't gotten anything to work for the purple focal/pendant beads yet, but for some reason I also kept thinking of when I was younger and how much I liked the 'hippie' look with all the fringe and dangles. (I still do and wear a lot of fringe and dangles) so I decided I needed a 'hippie/fringe/dangly' bracelet.  I really challenged myself with this as I have never done any chainmaille before, but I wanted to make this a chainmaille/hippie bracelet. So I ordered some enamel jump rings in colors I felt would also feel kind of wintry and match the beads and set to work. I picked a very simple/basic chainmaille piece called WiggleMobius as it looked fairly easy for my first piece. While the chainmaille part of it wasn't a problem at all, all the dangles like to drove me insane.   I can tell you, I'm really tired of wire-wrapping right now, but I got all my dangles made with the seed beads (which I don't use much), the white muted teardrop beads, the dichroic clear/purple square beads and the black pearls.  Then I had to start reopening jump rings to attach all the dangles without messing up my bracelet. But I finally got it all done.  I added a simple clasp so as not to detract from the chainmaille and dangles.  This took quite a bit longer than I figured.

Finally I made a wintry pair of earrings with the Snowflake charms and some more wire wrapped dangles using some of the clear crystals with the purple/mauve seed beads, the muted white teardrops and the black pearls.  I attached them to some silver plated earwires. 

 I'm still working on the purple focal beads and the wings.  I have a great idea for the wings, just haven't quite gotten it to work yet.  Hope you like my 'Winter'/'Hippie' kreationz for the Seasons blog hop.  Be sure to check out Pine Ridge Treasures blog for the full list of participants in case the links don't work here.
Your Hostess: Lisa Lodge, Grateful Artist
 
Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Cassi Paslick, Beads: Rolling Downhill

Stephanie Sanner Haussler, PixyBug Designs

Leah Mifflin Tees, My Beady Little Eyes

 

Karin Slaton, BackStory Beads

Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Lori Jean Poppe, Lorillijean Creative Corner

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams

Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design

Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life

Alicia Marinache,  All the Pretty Things

Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera

Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz

Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs

Toltec Jewels, Toltec Jewels for Jewel School Friends

Lennis Carrier, Windbent

Erin Kenny, Beadifultherapy

Tanya Goodwin, A Work in Progress

Cilla Watkins, Tell Your Girlfriends

Renetha Williams Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts

Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Sierra Barrett, Giraffe Can Has

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Shirley Jones Moore, Beads and Bread

Dawn Horner, Northern Adornments

Charlene Bausinger Jacka, Clay Space

Tara Plote, The Newbie Beader's Blog

Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks

Miranda Ackerley, Daze and Days

 

For more of my Beaded, Wire-wrapped Jewelry, Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass Kreationz for your Home or Garden, check out my shop, KayzKreationz.

New Neatostuff Marketing Exchange shop of the Day

Good morning the new shop of the day with some stunning vintage style jewelry with gemstones and swarovski crystals is http://lunarrastar.etsy.com/ Check out this Hematite twist bracelet on the left. It is really unique.

And if that doesn't grab you, look at what http://stringandstones.etsy.com/ has in Sterling Silver and gemstones.

And if jewelry isn't your thing, check out my unique glass for your gardens and home at http://kayzkreationz.etsy.com/ or http://kayzkreationz.artfire.com/ Some unique serving pieces and decorative pieces. Have a good day.

Romantic--Carnelian necklace and Blue Tealight Candle holders

Today I'm featuring http://stringandstones.etsy.com/ This carnelian necklace is gorgeous. And it's got red swarovski crystals with it too. There's that red again. :)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16598235

And for something romantic:
http://kayzkreationz.etsy.com/
these are really nice: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15964611