Blu Mudd Bracelet Bar Design Challenge

Go HERE to vote for your favorite.  But first please read about my design and journey.
Yipee, I got to play again with one of Moriah Betterly's Ceramic Bracelet Bars in her current Design Challenge for Blu Mudd Design Group on Facebook.  This one was a butterfly and is so cool.  Here is the bracelet bar I received.

I decided I wanted to do a stretchy bracelet with it and just needed to figure out what beads to use.  I love Carnelian and decided it would go great with this. So I picked out some Carnelian chips, some Hematite ovals and some Heishi White Shell discs to finish it out. The Heishi is a little whiter than I would have liked, but I couldn't find anything with that off-white look. I think with the other colors around them, they work. Then I went in to another bead shop closer to where I live and found these great orange-brown glass faceted squares that went great with the rest of the beads. I also wanted more than one strand so finally settled on a 5 strand stretch bracelet. I had some Dark annealed Steel wire that was great to make my own jump rings to attach the strands and decided that I wanted the 2nd jump ring to be something other than round, so used my new Triangle Wubber pliers to make the 2nd jump ring on each side. I love the look, although this is only the 2nd time I've ever worked with the stretch cord, but I don't think it turned out too bad. What do you think?  I love comments and suggestions so be sure to tell me what you think.
My friend, Karla of Texas Pepper Jams (they make the best pepper jams and fudge on Etsy) had come up for a couple of days to play so we used each other as sounding boards for our designs. And then of course decided that I needed earrings and a simple necklace to match.  So out came the toggle bar clasps and chain for the earrings. My Daughter in Law showed me how to make these a couple of years ago and I love the look. (By the way, Karla is her mother. LOL)  So I made some dangles out of the beads for the bracelet, attached them to 3 pieces of chain and hung them from the toggle bar which was attached to black earwires. I love them.  Then I wanted just a simple necklace to go with the set, so strung the Carnelian, Black Hematite, White Heishi shell discs and the Glass beads on some beading wire, making it long enough to just slip over my head.  I also added 3 more dangles just like the earrings for a focal for the necklace. I love the way the set turned out.  I'm still trying to decide whether to keep it for myself or put it up for sale.  How do you like my Blu Mudd Bracelet Bar Design set?  There is a contest on the Facebook group for the best design, so be sure to go there and vote for your favorite Bracelet design.  Plus let each of us know what you think of our designs.

And if you're looking for some Stained Glass, Mosaics or Fused Glass Kreationz for your home or garden or more of my Jewelry check out my shop, KayzKreationz.  Thanks for looking. 

Toast of the Town-Michael's Blog Hop

I'm a little late, but here goes. Recently Erin Prais-Hintz worked together with Michael's, the hobby store to celebrate Jewelry month and created her Toast of the Town necklace. It was gorgeous. Talk about blingy and fun.  So she decided to have a little blog hop. 3 people won a set of beads from Erin and the rest of us were encouraged to play along.  While I wasn't one of the 3 that won beads, I loved one of the color palettes Erin had picked out for the beads for the winners.  So I decided to make my own Toast of the Town necklace with that red and black set.  However, my Michael's didn't have all the beads Erin had picked out, so I went out on my own to add more beads. At first I wasn't sure I liked the added beads I'd picked, but the more I looked at it, I really love it.  My next problem was, this blog hop came right on thee heels of my Kalmbach soup that had to be done by the same day and then I ended up having to go out of town, so I didn't get my Toast of the Town necklace post up by last Friday.  However, here it is.  I hope you like my palette and what I did with it.  I couldn't find a toggle clasp I really liked, so I found this great pendant that fit right in with my color palette/beads and made my own Toggle bar to go with it. And instead of cutting off the ring to attach it with, I made a dangle to hang from it. I may change it later, because I'm not sure it hangs like I'd like, but for now I really like it.  This necklace can be worn several different ways. You can keep it doubled like it is, you can twist those strands or you can separate it and wear it long with the toggle/pendant off to the side.  I'll probably wear it shorter, but you never know. I may be daring and wear it long once in a while, too.  Thanks for letting me play along, Erin. And be sure to check out her blog, Treasures Found to see the rest of the participants.  You'll have to scroll down to the post on the 2nd, but it's well worth it.
Be sure to check out my shop, KayzKreationz for more Wire-wrapped, beaded Jewelry, Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass Kreationz for your Home and Garden.

 

I used Natural Shell, Ruby Bamboo Coral spacer beads, Ruby Glass bicones, Jet Millefiori Lentil glass beads, and Hematite chips. 

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.