Francesca Watson Art Jewelry Elements Components Challenge

About 4 weeks ago, I entered a challenge on Art Jewelry Elements blog.  Every month they have a designer offer up some of their components to winners chosen from the comments to design something with them.  This month it was a great enameled disc from Francesca Watson.  I was notified on the 12th I was one of the winners. All I had to do was design something with the component and post about it at the end of the month.  Unfortunately, Francesca wasn't able to get the components mailed to us until about the 12th and I didn't receive it until about the 16th.  I was out of town until then and then had 2 weeks worth of volunteer work that I had signed up for.  So this has been really tight for me. And then my Dad (who is 83) had to have an emergency appendectomy last Thursday (which they tell us is very unusual for anyone his age), so I lost Thursday and Friday, being at the hospital with him and my mom. So, the first idea I had for the component wasn't going to work as it involved some cutting and torch work, which I had never done and didn't have time for once I received the disc. (I wanted to try something with an old/vintage spoon, but had never tried this before)  So on to a new idea. I had started working with my new Kumihimo flat disc, and thought the colors in the braid I was working on would go great with the disc.  Unfortunately, I've been so busy, I haven't gotten to work on it as much as I thought I would.  And I have the dickens of a time finding endings for my Kumihimo braids. Hopefully these will work and hold up alright.  Anyway, I made my Kumihimo braid, wire-wrapped some small pearls to attach to the disc, wrapped small silver chain around the Kumihimo braid and attached the disc to one of the links of the chain that is wrapped around the braid.  I finished it off with a sweet little silver heart toggle clasp I won from another giveaway Blue Moon Beads.  Hopefully you like it and my picture shows up well. I was running out of light by the time I got this finished. (The material I used for the braid was actually strips of material for quilting that I cut into strips.  I liked all the color and design in them, although it doesn't show up as well as I was hoping in the braid.)  So, without further ado, here's my piece with Francesca's great enameled disc:  "All Wrapped Up"

 

 

 

Here's the list of the Participating AJE Contributors:

Kristi Bowman-Gruel - http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com/2013/02/aje-february-component-of-month-reveal.html

Jenny Cameron - http://glassaddictions.com

Jenny Davies-Reazor - http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog

Susan Kennedy - www.suebeads.blogspot.com

Linda Landig -  www.LindasBeadBlog.com

Melissa Meman - http://melissameman.blogspot.com

Kristen Stevens - http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com/

Francesca Watson - http://www.francescawatson.com

And here's the list of the Guest Designers.  Please be sure to visit each blog to see what they created:

Dawn Horner - http://www.northernadornments.com/blog#

Kym Hunter - http://kymhunterdesigns.blogspot.com/

Kay Thomerson - http://kayzkreationz.blogspot.com/

Shelley Graham Turner - http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com/

Sandi Volpe - http://sandivolpe.com/
 

Thanks Francesca for letting me play along with one of your fantastic enameled discs. I love it.

If you're looking for some of my other jewelry pieces or my Stained Glass, Mosaics or Fused Glass kreations for your Home or Garden, check my shop, KayzKreationz.  If you're looking for the Zinio magazine giveaway, check here. It goes to Sunday.

Vintage Lucite and Clay Blog Hop

Several months ago, Lisa of Pine Ridge Treasures asked for people  who wanted  to order a small package of either vintage Lucite or Beads and design something with them for a blog hop. I have to say, these beads have been eating my lunch since I received them. I love them, but everything I've tried to design/make with them has turned out terrible. I've started over about 4 different times.  I'm still not pleased with this design (it's not how I had envisioned it) but I was running out of time, so here it is.  First is the beads I received from Lisa.  It's not a great picture, but it got dark on me before I could get a good one.

And here is my bracelet I made. I had gotten a disc for the flat Kumihimo braid and wanted to incorporate the beads right into the weave, but try as I might, I could never figure out how to get those beads with the little bitty holes in the weave. I really wanted them to fit where the groove was, but they weren't holding no matter what I did.  So I had to give in and make the weave (which I did twice and they both came out too short.  Not sure what I'm doing wrong.)  So I attached some chain I had, put the dangles with the lucite and dyed howlite beads on one end and an S-clasp on the other end for the bracelet. Since I now had another piece of weave done (the 2 together made the bracelet too long) I made some purse jewelry with it. I added one of the gold swivel clasps to one end and the lucite and howlite dangles to the other end to attach to my purse strap/zipper.  I was also doing this as part of my Family design challenge. I felt these beads were the right color to fit in with the colors my daughter-in-law, her mother,Karla Morgan of Texas Pepper Jams and I had picked to challenge ourselves.  We had decided to make something with these colors and post it by the end of January.  My daughter-in-law had something come up and couldn't finish the challenge.  But here's my piece for both challenges.  The color palette we used is from Design Seeds.  I love her color palettes.  This one is Feathered Love.  Here it is:

And here is my bracelet  and purse jewelry for both challenges.

 

Thanks so much for following along.  Hope you like it.  Be sure to check out Lisa's blog for the list of other participants and see what they did with they're Vintage Lucite or Clay beads.  To see what Karla did with her family challenge check out Texas Pepper Jams. (She's been having internet issues, so keep checking back if it's not posted yet.)   And if you're looking for some Stained Glass, Mosaics, Fused Glass or other Copper, Wire-wrapped jewelry, check out my Etsy shop, KayzKreationz.

Pay it Forward-Handmade Gifts

If you're looking for my Bead Soup Blog Party reveal, click BSBP

My Bead Soup Blog Partner posted this great post the other day. I really liked the idea, so I decided to join in.

Here's how it works:
I will send a surprise gift to the first three commenters on this blog post. The gift will be a handmade surprise by me and will be sent to you some time in the next 365 days.

All you have to do is, leave me a comment and make sure you include your email address (if your profile doesn't include it). I’ll email you for your mailing address and a ask a few questions.

To complete signing up you MUST play along too. To do this you must blog a similar post and pledge to make a surprise gift for the first three people who comment on it.
So, do you want to play? Comment below and I’ll sent a handmade gift to the first three people who do.
Who is in?
And if you want to get yourself a gift, check out my great Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass Kreationz for your Home and Garden at KayzKreationz on Etsy.  Also, check out my cute brooch/pin for sale right here on my blog on the top right. A Little Bit Vintage can be bought by just clicking on the link.

ETSY Day is here--Check out great Handmade shops

Today's the Day. ETSY day is finally here. Hundreds or maybe even thousands of Etsy buyers/sellers are promoting Etsy in lots of ways. Most are putting an Etsy car sign on their vehicles while they go to work, shopping or just driving around to get the word out about Etsy. Others are leaving fliers and bookmarks around where they shop, eat, or with people they talk to. Some are being interviewed on their local news or newspapers. The idea is to get the word out about Etsy and let people know about a great place to buy genuine HANDMADE items, instead of mass produced. Etsy also has some great supply shops for crafters and wonderful vintage shops for those of us that love vintage (or can't seem to get out of the past) :) So if you're tired of the same old thing for gifts, home decor or even clothing, check out ETSY. Your place for all things Handmade, Supply and Vintage.

I love Etsy for my Stained glass, Mosaics and Fused glass items for Home decor and Yard and Garden decor. If you're tired of the same old birdfeeders, windchimes, plant stakes and decorations for you home and garden check out KayzKreationz. And for gorgeous Sterling Silver, Gemstone and Swarovski crystal jewelry, check out STRINGandStones. You'll love her unique take on jewelry. I own several of her pieces and always get compliments of them whenever I wear them.

So pass the word about a great place to shop: ETSY!

Books, Cooking, Gruene Acres Cozy Kitchen and More

When was the last time you read a book? Do you love to read or do you get caught up in surfing the internet, watching TV, etc? Do your children/grandchildren love to read or are they always playing video games? Would you like to develop a love for reading in them? Then check out the new shop of the day, ByTheWayside for some great vintage books and cookbooks. How many of us remember Nancy Drew and the mysteries she solved? Well one of her books is pictured at the right and is for sale at the shop of the day. And if you love cooking, check out this vintage cookbook they have.

But if you don't want to have to cook for yourself or want the convenience of eating out, but would rather have a nice meal at home, check out Gruene Acres Cozy Kitchen. They have wonderful menu items at about the price of eating out or a little less. They have JT's Beef Stroganoff with Portabello mushrooms and some great side items to go along with it, including Strawberry Spinach Salad. Making myself hungry as I write. They deliver, ship, and cater. So go on over and check them out.

Love Vintage? Check out the Neatostuff Shop of the Day

Do you love vintage things? Do you want to reduce your carbon footprint? This shop for the day carries vintage clothes, shoes and accessories. She even has vintage housewares. And she re-uses boxes and packing materials to further that goal. So check out Maries Vintage for the vintage 50's, 60's, or 70's look for yourself or your home. Things like the cute little beaded shift dress and the pumps to go with it to the right or this vintage brocade purse to go with the dress.

And for that neat recycled glass gift for your home, check out my Recycled Wine bottle cheese serving dish here at KayzKreationz Or for that fantastic Sterling Silver and gemstone piece to go with your outfit check out STRINGandSTONES for unique one-of-a-kind sterling silver and gemstone jewelry like this Jasper and Crystal Necklace and Earrings set

New Featured Shop of the Day

The new shop for the day is: http://purpledaisyjewelry.etsy.com
She's got vintage jewelry for children/babies and adults. Check these out:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16907494 and
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16832468

Also, for great gifts, check out:
http://kayzkreationz.etsy.com/
http://stringandstones.etsy.com/