Winter Sparkle Blog Hop 2014

I am fortunate to have a beading friend who was thoughtful enough to purchase a kit for the Winter Sparkle Blog Hop for me as a Christmas gift! ...Isn't that a good idea for the next time a friend of yours has a birthday...or you need to think of something for a Christmas gift for someone? :) This Blog Hop takes place on Saturday, the 22nd of February and our hostess is: Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist.

As a result, I received some wonderful beads to create three different pieces of jewelery.
Here is a picture of the beads that I rec'd in my kit.

Because there was such a generous portion of beads to choose from, I was able to create not one, but three complete sets of necklaces with earrings! :)
Here are pictures of them.

One of the first pieces I created, this one became a wedding shower gift for a "Seahawks" bride! Didn't even realize until it was pointed out to me that I was using their colors. :)

Thought that the cute dolphin charm would make a good focal on this one...if my daughter ever sees it, she'll be hinting that it would make a good birthday gift! ...She loves dolphins!

close up

Second piece, added a blue, green ceramic bead as a focal for this one.

Third piece...had to get more creative with this one, as was running out of beads from the package given me. Used a vintage connector, bronze colored glass pearls and a large, faceted glass bead from my stash to finish this one. Thought it turned out rather well.

close up of focal

This is what I still have to work with for another piece if I want to! Was amazed at the amount of pieces I was able to create, using but a very few of my own... :)  

Here is the 'widget' picture and link to get to Lisa's blog:

http://gratefulartist.blogspot.com/
Please visit these other blogs to see their creations
Your hostess: Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist
Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes
Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Eleanor Burian Moore, The Charmed Life
Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation
Chris Eisenberg, Wanderware
Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations
Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends
Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry
Heather Richter, Desert Jewelry Designs
Ev Shelby, Raindrop Creations
Dolores Raml, CraftyD's Creations
Kim Dworak, Cianci Blue
Cassi Renee Paslick, Beads: Rolling Downhill
Annette Rivers, Mama Owl's Mess
Tammie Tusher Everly, TTE Designs
Crystal Thain, Here Bead Dragons
Marybeth Rich, A Few Words from within the Pines
Norbel Marolla, She Flies Again Jewelry
Karen Burg, KEB Designs
Karin Grosset Grange, Ginkgo et Coquelicot
Jasvanti Patel, Jewels by Jasvanti

Winter Sparkle Blog Hop ...delay...

Hi,
So that everyone that comes to visit my blog knows, I won't be posting early in the day, as I have a memorial service to attend out of town.
I will post tomorrow, the 22nd, it will just be late in the day. I was not thinking, and suddenly realized that I can't be in two places at once.
My apologies.
I hope those that come to visit will return to see my results...won't give away any more than that!
Later,
Ev

The New Year and new jewelry pieces

Well, the dust has settled from the holiday season and I'm ready for spring...soon it will be time for the annual bead soup blog hop...and I'm ready for that too! :)
Have kept busy beading; each Sunday my friend and I bead. We also have personal 'beading challenges' once a month or so, where we each take turns at buying bead assortment packages and then seeing what we can create with them! :) This time around I created a purple and white piece with the package for our February challenge.

I was lucky enough to win a lovely birdhouse w/birds from The Bead Shop Liverpool challenge in November of last year and have just finished creating a piece with the bigger bird and the birdhouse. I think it turned out rather well.
Opps! Am having some trouble with uploading pictures...there is supposed to be several here!! :) Will try again...here is the birdhouse and birds I rec'd as a prize from participating in a challenge through Bead Shop Liverpool.

My lovely prize!

The Bead Shop/Liverpool Bead Challenge

the earrings

The finished piece