Seasons Blog Hop Reveal

First let me apologize for missing the reveal date.  Yesterday is when the hop started, and I realized I missed the date while we were sitting in our booth at the Farmers Market.  From there I went to work until 2 pm and then we drove up quick to Grand Island so I could pick up my new glasses before Pearle Vision closed.  Then back to Hastings, where we helped my boss and friend, Julie Ochsner, paint in her NEW building!  We are prepping the building so that the beads, yarn, and quilting can be moved into their new home.  We will be moving the stores into the new building in August, so there is a lot of work to do before that happens!  We got home at 9:30 pm (we left about 5:45 am to get breakfast and set up for the Farmers Market), I showered and went to bed.  NO BEADING DONE.

Feeling bad that I had missed my deadline, mostly due to early procrastination upon receiving my beading kit from our Hop Hostess, Lisa Lodge, only to have tragedy strike my life in May, I got up this morning with the goal to make my piece and get it posted before bedtime.

The mission:
Each participant was sent a bead kit with a theme of one of the four seasons (there was room left for creative interpretation as well). Participants were instructed to use these beads in conjunction with other beads on their bead table (but to not purchase new beads).  Each participant would then create jewelry that reflected a season of the year, or a "season" in their life (first love, college days, etc). 

My packet was what I would classify as late autumn going in to winter.  I received a focal and accent beads in Crazy Horse Stone (had to do some hunting to find that out), two large Murano-style glass beads, Chinese crystals, and silver bead caps and toggle.  I would love to show you a picture of what I received, but I forgot to photograph it before I started my piece this morning!  

I started with the focal.  I didn't just want to string or wire wrap it.  BORING!  I do get tired of repeating the same old thing!  So I thought I would do some beadweaving around the pendant.  After fighting with my Fireline trying to get a base to stitch to for the brick stitch, I decided to start with a wire base.  I ran 24 gauge wire through the hole and then around the pendant and back through the hole twisting the wire at the top to make a bail.  This gave me my base to stitch to and then I finished it up in no time!  The beads twist around just a bit.  I was going to add crystals, but decided to KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) and let the stone speak for itself.  The stone has a lovely matte finish and a bit of unevenness in the striations.  I used a metallic luster burgundy size 8, a matte oxblood red size 11, and a pale lavender with just a bit of pearly luster also in a size 11 seed beads to do the beadweaving. 

To finish I kept the rest of the design simple, wire wrapping the stone accents with the bead caps, and the Murano glass with 20 gauge wire and a couple of crystals.  The toggle clasp sent with my kit finishes the silver chain necklace.

As to what season this reflects in my life, to me this stone feels peaceful.  I certainly could use more peace in my life, as the past couple months have brought great change in my day job.  I am finally easing into a new routine, but I still feel a bit overwhelmed at times.  If this design represents autumn turning to winter, then it brings to mind the feeling I get each time a season changes.  Sadness for the end of one season, but looking forward to the daily joys the new season will bring.

Want to see what everyone else created?  Here is the  list of the Seasons Blog Hop participants:
Hostess: Lisa Lodge, Grateful Artist

Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Cassi Paslick, Beads: Rolling Downhill

  You are here!  Stephanie Sanner Haussler, PixyBug Designs

Leah Mifflin Tees, My Beady Little Eyes

Karin Slaton, BackStory Beads

Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Lori Jean Poppe, Lorillijean Creative Corner

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams

Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design

Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life

Alicia Marinache,  All the Pretty Things

Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera

Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz

Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs

Toltec Jewels, Toltec Jewels for Jewel School Friends

Lennis Carrier, Windbent

Erin Kenny, Beadifultherapy

Tanya Goodwin, A Work in Progress

Cilla Watkins, Tell Your Girlfriends

Renetha Williams Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts

Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Sierra Barrett, Giraffe Can Has

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Shirley Jones Moore, Beads and Bread

Dawn Horner, Northern Adornments

Charlene Bausinger Jacka, Clay Space

Tara Plote, The Newbie Beader's Blog

Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks

Miranda Ackerley, Daze and Days