Michelle Mach's Suddenly Spring Blog Hop

It's always so much fun to push yourself with challenges. This one, another by Michelle Mach, was a reasonably simple challenge. Take this bracelet (pictured below):

and create something with it. The idea is that it could be anything. I had the urge to put copper with the aqua coloured beads and decided to keep things classic after letting go a few of my wilder ideas. The photo below shows the finished necklace and matching earrings. I used herringbone weave in graduating seed beads, some hex ones thrown in for a bit of texture and feel the finished product is pleasing on the eye. The design can be worn with the toggle at front or back, for a different look.

And the other blog participants are listed below. Please visit them and leave comments to join in the fun.

Michelle - Beads and Books [Hostess]

Andrew - The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton

Christa - Adventures of One Beady Woman

Dita - Alankarshilpa

Donetta - Simply Gorgeous

Erin - Erin Siegel Jewelry

Heather - As I Bead It (You are here)

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

Renetha - Lamplight Crafts

Sharyl - Catchenthesun

Terry - Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Therese  - Therese's Treasures

Pamela - Someday Beads

Heather

December/January Andrew Thornton Reader Challenge

I've been terribly busy over this last month. Having mum spring a surprise trip for my family to come over and stay for almost two weeks kind of threw any creative plans I had for challenges and jewellery making. Not that I minded. I think I really needed a holiday. But when I realised Andrew Thornton was going to do his reveal soon I pulled out my jonquil kit and worked like a mad thing. I couldn't do any on it last night, but took photos of what I had done, in three nights of work, mind you, and I think it's come together pretty well. I'm not currently on his list of bloggers, but will contact him to add me, or just leave a message in the comments for those who want to see this piece, too. I'm eager to go see what everyone else did with their kit, too.

I hope you can envisage what this piece will be. I've yet to add the beads to the other side and sew in the loose ends. I'm going to attach the chain with jump rings on one side and a toggle to the other. I am not a huge fan of this colour, yet I love the earthy feel the beads gave, so felt a free form peyote base was what they needed. I hope you agree.

The unfinished necklace:


Close up detail:


And here are the other bloggers:

Kate Richbourg

Christina Porter

Kim Dworak

Tara Linda

Jessie Nelson

Dawn from Morning Glory Beading

Michelle Burnett

Pine Ridge Treasures

Rebecca Anderson

Karin Slaton

Cynthia Riggs

Therese Frank

Alice Bavaud will have pieces on Andrew Thornton's blog

Heather

Christmas Jewellery

Sorry I've been so very quiet. Things are ok with hubby. He had a bit of a scare, but is a lot better now. I've had my hands full with caring for him, rehearsals for our church Christmas choir, which was part of the Christmas play the kids put on. Last night we finally had our performance and all went very well.

Here's a photo of the jewellery I made for the night and a photo of me wearing it, with my youngest son, who was an angel in the play, though he's not in costume in the photo. Made using Swarovski crystal elements and beads, and sterling silver findings. If I don't get a chance to say so before Christmas I hope you all have a lovely time with family and friends.





Heather

Better Late ...

I have to apologise for posting this so late. On Monday I took hubby to the emergency department of the hospital. They took him in immediately, no waiting around. It was serious stuff. So, with my gorgeous pack of beads arriving only that day, sometime while I was sitting waiting for them to work out what to do with my man, it was quite an effort to work up something in such a short time and with so much to distract me. I've spent every day since in the hospital for some part if not all of it. They still don't know what is exactly up with him. They use the word investigating a lot.

So, last night I literately threw this necklace together. I'm not happy with it, but it will do for the sake of the challenge, though I'm certain I will pull this apart at some other time when my frame of mind is more together and come up with something I just love. The components are totally gorgeous. Loved this long awaited pack. I did begin a pair of earrings with the Swarovski crystals, but only one of those is complete. The mix of seedies and Czech beads, yum, is totally delicious and will at some time become a freeform peyote stitch bracelet. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the simple necklace I created with the pieces after only two nights to ponder. Please remember to check out the other participants in the September Reader's Challenge on The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton.









Heather

Very Vintage Challenge Necklace

As usual I've had a lot going on around here, so I ended up pulling another all nighter to get this piece finished. I'll probably make a pair of earrings with what's leftover, but my bed beckoned and by two this morning it was just about yelling at me. The ideas for this necklace went through several idea stages. One failed completely. I'd intended tying beads onto cord, but all the cord I had was too thick for several of the beads. I had a mad, messy idea, but that couldn't happen, in particular because of the cord thickness problem and no shops open in the middle of the night.

Anyway, this finished piece is completely wearable and chinks and tinkles as you walk. I kind of like that. I'm thinking just some cluster style earrings with the remaining beads and filigree pieces. I hope you enjoy my completed piece. Don't forget to take a look at the other entries below:

Andrew
The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton

Cat
Boo Beads

Chris
beadjewelry.net

Cilla
Tell Your Girlfriends

Cyndi
Beading Arts

Cynthia
Cynth's Blog

Dawn
Morning Glory Beading

Donetta
Simply Gorgeous

Heather
As I Bead It

Holly
SilverRose Designs

Kate
We Can Make That at Home

Kristina
Wild Roses and Blackberries

Lauren
Laurel Moon Jewelry & Beads

Linda
Lutka & Co

Lisa
Lucid Mood Studio

Lola
Bead Lola Bead

Mary
MLH Jewelry

Melinda
Melinda Orr Metal & Clay Jewelry Designs

Michelle H.
Firefly Visions

Michelle M.
Beads & Books

Salla
Blog by Salla

Shannon
Falling into the Sky

Shay
Shaiha's Ramblings

Shel
MiShel Designs

Shirley
Beads and Bread

Stephanie
Pixybug Designs

Tari
Pearl and Pebbles

Terry
Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Tracy
The Bead Junkie

Heather

The Bead Soup Blog Party - The Big Reveal

I've been having such a great time with my bead soup and checking out all the other blogs. Really, it's been a blast. Now has come the day when we reveal our finished pieces. I've been really looking forward to this day, so much that I made my blog post early and am publishing it now. Cool. This way I can work on the post and edit it over the next few days.

My piece is complete, except for a last minute edition, which I added a couple of nights ago. Here is my swap partner's blog to see what she created with the soup I sent her: Doralila Beads

There is a list of all the other blogs on Lori Anderson's Pretty Things blog so please visit them and join in the party:

Heather

Beading Books I'm Reading

I already mentioned one of the books I've been reading lately when I shared the earrings I made from Sharilyn Miller's book, pictured above. But I've also been devouring the images in The Jewelry Architect: Techniques and Projects for Mixed-Media Jewelry.Felt inspired by Weave, Wrap, Coil: Creating Artisan Wire Jewelry.And finally got my hands on my own copy of Sherry Serafini's Sensational Bead Embroidery: 25 Inspiring Jewelry Projects (Beadweaving Master Class Series). Another more practical book, which has finally pushed me to begin stocking the etsy.com store I made ages ago now, The Artisans, is The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On-Line. I fully recommend these books as great resources and loaded with information and eye candy for any beader or wire worker. The Artisans so far only has a painting by my husband, but look for more shortly.

Heather