Thank you to all the creative, talented people that have left comments about the pieces that I created for the 8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Hop! You all were most kind in the lovely comments that I have rec'd...:)
There does seem to be a misconception though...I didn't 'wrap' the cab that makes up the pendant for the one piece...my very talented partner, Ghislaine is the one who created the beautiful pendant...:)

8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Hop Revel!

Well, it's time for the 8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Hop Revel, sponsored by Lori Anderson of Pretty Things! So excited to see what my partner, Ghislaine has created with the bead soup that I sent to her. From what I've seen on her blog, she is one talented gal! Her blog can be found at http://www.kruseartllc.com/. I certainly enjoyed working with the beautiful bead soup that I rec'd from Ghislaine. :)
Am also anticipating visiting many blogs and seeing what has been done with all the beads that have been sent to each of the participants in the Blog Hop!
Ghislaine was most generous with the soup that she sent to me and I was able to get two necklaces with earrings and a bracelet with earrings out of all of the beads...with only a tiny bit leftover...:)
Here is what I started with...

Ghislaine made the jump rings and clasps and braided around the pendant!

...And here is what I created. Hope you enjoy seeing them. :)

The coral dangles gives the earrings that 'pop'!

Used the burgundy pearls in this piece.

The bracelet turned out better than I'd hoped, even though it was a lot of work! :)

I added some resin roses here...

Added Red Tigers Eye to some of the beads that Ghislaine sent to me, thought they complimented the pendant beautifully! 

The tiny bit of beads leftover from what was sent to me.

Below is the link to Lori's blog where you can find the list for everyone who is taking part in the 8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Party...enjoy!
Ev Shelby

http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/

The Color of Dreams Beads Blog Hop Revel April 6th

I was pleased that I was able to join the other creative people in the Color of Dreams Beads Blog Hop. Here is the bead that was sent to me by Rita, our hostess, with Jewel School Friends.

Each participating artist was given an orphan/ooak bead created by artist Patricia Handschuh of The Color of Dreams Boutique to design with.

I thought long and hard about what might inspire me to create a piece that would do justice to such a lovely bead! :)
I finally decided that my grandchildren would be the inspiration for my 'dream', as I looked forward to having grandchildren for a long time and have four of them now.
I focused on the wonder and awe, as well as, the delight children show in discovering what beautiful things the world has to offer. Their pride in the first dandelion shared with gramma, the wonder of 'bugs' that crawl across the ground, the pleasure of that first bite of ice cream, as well as many others, too numerous to recount here. All of these and more I've been privileged to take part in with at least one of each of them. So, Hailey (11), Derrick(10), Daysha(7) and Mason(7 months), this blog is for each of you! :) Gramma Evie is so glad to have each of you in her life!  It is a joy, each time I get to see each of them...  

Now, here is what I did with that lovely bead I showed you at the beginning of the blog...:)

the designing stage...

And the finished piece...which I thought turned out rather well. :)

And a second picture, as I had some difficulty with getting a really good one with a black background.

Amazing difference the background colors can make, isn't it? :)

Here is a list of the participants:
Honorary Artist: Patricia Handschuh
Patricia's blog:            The Color of Dreams        
Patricias Etsy:             The Color of Dreams
Hostess: TJ                Jewel School Friends
Kay Thomerson           KayzKreationz
Audrey Belanger          Toki No Hourousha
Alicia Marinache          All the Pretty Things
Terry Carter                TappingFlamingo
Lori Schneider             Bead Addict
Jenny Kyrlach             Wonder and Whimsy
Asri Wahyuingsih         Asri's Beadwork
Dini Bruinsma              Angaza by Changes
Karla Morgan              Texas Pepper Jams
Debbie Rasmussen        A Little of This, A Little of That
Veralynne Malone          Designed by Vera
Kathy Stemke               Vintage Memories Jewelry Design
Mowse Doyle               Mowse Made This
Heather Richter             Desert Jewelry Designs
Lori Poppe                   Adventures in Creativity with LorilliJean
Jayne Capps                Mama's Got To Doodle
Andrea Glick                Zenith Jade Creations
Kathleen Breeding         99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall
Becky Pancake             Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Karin Martinez              Fairies Market
Miranda Ackerley          Mirandack
Penny Houghton           Smelly Nelly
Carolyn Lawson           Carolyn's Creations
Chris Eisenberg            Wanderware
Christie Murrow          Charis Designs Jewelry
Monique Urquhart        A Half-Baked Notion
Eve Shelby                  Raindrop Creations Jewelry by Evelyn
Cryss Thain                 Here Bead Dragons
Jasvanti Patel               Jewelry By Jasvanti
Nan Smith                   NanMade Handmade Jewelry
Sue Kennedy               SueBeads
Jean Yates                   Snap Out of It, Jean! There's Beading to be Done!
Debbie Rogers             Debbies Treasures
Marybeth Rich             A Few Words From Within the Pines
Shirley Moore              Beads and Bread
Shaia Williams             Shaiha's Ramblings
Kathy Lindemer           Bay Moon Design
Linda Anderson           From the Bead Board
Judy Turner               Silver Rains
Gloria Allen                Gloria Allen Designs
Regina Wood              Ginas-Design
Robin Reed                Artistry HCBD
Mary Goovars            MLH Jewelry Designs
Marlene Cupo             Amazing Designs
CJ Bauschka              4 His Glory Creations
Robin Showstack        The Crazy Bead Hoarder
Cynthia O'Toole          Sparkles and Sweets
Jael Thorp                 Jael's Art Jewels
Renetha Stanziano      Lamplight Crafts

Happy Hopping!
Ev

Ancient Civilization Challenge 2014

Here is just a little information on 'Etruscan Art' from Wikipedia; this was the ancient civilization that I chose for my inspiration for the piece of jewelery that I created.
Etruscan art was the form of figurative art produced by the Etruscan civilization in central Italy between the 9th and 2nd centuries BC. Particularly strong in this tradition were figurative sculpture in terracotta (particularly life-size on sarcophagi or temples) and cast bronze, wall-painting and metalworking (especially engraved bronze mirrors and situlae). The origins of the Etruscans, and consequently of their artistic style, dates back to the people who inhabited or were expelled from Asia Minor during the Bronze Age and Iron Age (See the Villanovan culture). Due to the proximity and/or commercial contact to Etruria, other ancient cultures influenced Etruscan art, such as Greece, Phoenicia, Egypt, Assyria and the Middle East. The apparent simple character in the Hellenistic era conceals an innovative,and unique style whose pinnacle coincided with the Greek archaic period. The Romans would later come to absorb the Etruscan culture into theirs but would also be greatly influenced by them and their art.
I was especially interested in the Etruscan bronze art work pieces that I viewed online and they were the main source of inspiration for my finished necklace.

Necklace in the designing stage...:)

The bright colors of Etruscan art inspired my choice of colors in my necklace

The finished necklace with earrings!

 Bronze Head, Tarquinia, 4th Cent BCE

Etruscan bronze bust, this lady's necklace of 'daggers' suggested the lovely shell spikes that I used in my piece.

The Ocean Blog Hop-June 14th Reveal Date

I'm signed up for the second reveal date for the Ocean Blog Hop hosted by Lisa Lodge of A Grateful Artist-Pine Ridge Treasures and am looking forward to seeing what all the other participants have created with their beads. :)

8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Hop-Beads Received!

Am excited to say that I've rec'd my bead soup from my partner Ghislaine Kruse-Van Erp, from Fischer, TX! Here is some info from Ghislaine's blog that tells you about her and the different mediums that she has used to create pieces of art.
"Growing up with a fiber arts teacher as a mother, I started learning the fundamentals of textile art at a very young age. I have always felt the need to push the limits of this medium. In my search for items that would translate to something that can be seen or used in everyday life, I went from making rugs and wall hangings to creating containers and baskets and finally jewelry. Every step along the way, I worked smaller and smaller while translating fiber art techniques into techniques I could use with metals and gemstones. Current favorite techniques include crochet, tapestry weaving and basket weaving."

...stay tuned for pictures...waiting for the battery on my phone to finish charging! :)
Here are the promised pictures! Ghislaine tells me that the reddish tube beads and the red round beads are coral and that the other beads are Picasso beads, which she says are one of her favorite types of beads...found that most interesting, as I, too love them!! The pendant is 'agate', wire-braided in copper and is just sooo beautiful, I just love it too!

the other half, plus...!

a lovely, lovely pendant...that Ghislaine wrapped herself...isn't she talented? :)

one half of the beads I received...

The Color of Dreams Blog Hop

Am looking forward to the challenge that The Color of Dreams Blog Hop will be for me! The reveal date is April 6th, so stay tuned for pictures and such...:)