ZNETshows Winter Pearl Challenge

As part of the ZNETshows design team, our newest challenge was for the Winter Glossi.  It is a Winter Pearls Challenge.  We were to pick out 3 pearl items and 2 other items, either crystals or base metal.  These are the items I picked:

Pearls

BDS1868-17 glass pearls teardrop round Beads 0 Raspberry Color K0588  9x7mm 

BDS1894-22 glass pearls round Beads 0 -off white K0822   16mm 

BDS1923-02FIVE glass pearls rice Beads 0 Butter Color K0121(15.5-in-str)  6x4mm   and

Crystals

RT250-05AB Chinese crystal designer glass cube Beads faceted 05AB-Cherry Red AB (50-pc-str)  4mm

 Base Metal

M0513-AS Base Metal Alloy leaf Necklace antique silver tone Chains-antique silver  about 3-9mm 

I have always wanted some of that leaf chain to work with, so this was a great opportunity.  Now I knew those 16mm round glass pearls would be large, but I guess I didn't realize HOW large. LOL  I had googled the size and it just didn't register, I guess, because when I received them, I was in shock for a little while.  I hadn't ever worked with something that large and round.  So, this has been a little bit of a challenge for me.  Here's a picture of what I picked and received.

I knew I wanted to make a sweet pair of earrings with that leaf chain and some of the small rice pearls and the cherry red glass cubes. I love the way these turned out.

And I finally decided I wanted to make a bracelet with some of the large round Pearls.  During all this time, my son and daughter-in-law have been here visiting and helping us do some work on the ranch, so I've been limited in my time to work on my designs.  But she suggested I use some of my pink silk/fiber in my bracelet and necklace design.  So I got it out, cut it up, accordion folded it and punched through it with a large darning needle and strung it between the Raspberry teardrop pearls and the large Off-white Pearls.  I added a small silver toggle clasp and love the way it turned out.

The necklace has been giving me fits, though. I just haven't liked any design I've come up with so far.  But I finally decided to try this. I strung some of the large Off-white Pearls with the Raspberry teardrops and the pink fiber.  Then in the center I added a section of the leaf chain as the focal with the small Red glass cubes and the Butter rice pearls as dangles.  I think I like the way it turned out.  Hopefully ZNET and Hope will like it too and feature it in the ZNETshows Winter Pearl Challenge Glossi coming out in December.

To see more of my Jewelry or Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass items for your Home and Garden, check out my shop, KayzKreationz.

Bead Soup Blog Hop-Part 2

Yesterday you saw what I sent my partner Mandi of Craft-o-liscious from California.  She lives in San Diego.  I love San Diego.  I'm hoping my soup will inspire her to get out of her comfort zone and think 'outside' the box a little.  Today here is the wonderful soup Mandi sent me.  It's Jasper!  I love jasper. I've done a little googling, and I think it's Mookite red and yellow Jasper.  Isn't it gorgeous?  She also sent me some Cherry Quartz, which I love, a Jasper focal, which I think is also Mookite. Then she included some sterling silver beads, some larger beads, and a wonderfuls kidney shaped Sterling Silver clasp.  I recently received my Bohemian Inspired Jewelry book by Lorelei Eurto and Erin Siegel and this soup is really leaning towards some of the inspiration I've found in this book.  This book is fantastic! You really should get yourself a copy.  I also recently won some of Marsha Neal's wonderful silks after participating in her Silk Color Palette challenge and they will definitely be seen in my soup.  So stay tuned for the Great Final reveal on August 25th.  I'm in the last reveal.  The first reveal is going on now. And the 2nd reveal will be shortly.  Be sure to check out Lori at Pretty Things for all the Soups.  Now on to the pictures.  First is my whole soup from Mandi.  Isn't it great?  Then the Cherry Quartz and finally the Mookite Jasper.  I can't wait to get beading!

Bead Soup Blog Hop- My Soup for Mandi

Time has just flown. I've had company for almost 2 weeks. Plus we've had meeting for 3 weekends. But here's my first post about my Bead Soup.  Lori at Pretty Things arranges these fantastic Blog Hops.  This one has 400 participants!  You sign up, get your partner, find out what they like or are comfortable working with in beads, fibers, etc. Then you exchange beads, either sending them things they're comfortable with or something that may challeng them some. I like to try to send something that will challenge my partner to some degree, since that's the basic premise of the Blog Hop.  This time I'm partnered up with Mandi Effron at Craft-o-liscious. She does some wonderful beading. Right now she's set her own challenge to keep her creativity going.  She works mostly with glass and seed beads and seem to favor red and pink, although she usually ends up making jewelry in green tints. She also likes to create multi-strand, twisted necklaces, something I haven't gotten up the nerve to try yet.  Although she's fairly new to beading, you couldn't tell it by her work.  Be sure to check out her blog and stay tuned for the reveal. We both will be revealing our Kreationz on August 25th.  Here's the soup I sent to Mandi:

It includes a Lampwork heart from Beadaholic, Cherry Shell rounds, Green Chinarovski rondelles, some fiber in various colors, a Clasp I created and patina'd, a copper connector/bead adn a pewter/silver clasp.  Stay tuned tomorrow for my reveal of what Mandi sent me to work with. I absolutely love it.

Design Challenge Necklace Won!

Woohoo!  Got the e-mail this a.m.  My Design Challenge Necklace-"Waltz Across Texas" won the challenge.  Thanks to all who helped me win.  One of the prizes is a Blog feature about me and my Glass/Beading.  So stay tuned and I'll post when that happens.  Meanwhile, here's the necklace and earrings made to match it.  They are up for sale.  I'll be posting them in my Etsy shop, KayzKreationz shortly, but if you're interested in them now, it's $55.00 for the set.  Reply to this post or e-mail me and I'll figure shipping for you.  Enjoy.