Random Post

Hello!  This is a Random Post.  What does that mean?  Random thoughts, Random photos, basically a rambling, random post where things don't really connect cohesively.

Recent Bead Challenge with The Jade Dog...

Darcy Horn, owner and artist behind one of my favorite bead companies, The Jade Dog put together a November Beading Challenge with winners receiving gift certificates to her store.  I didn't win or place for a gift certificate, but it certainly was a CHALLENGE!  I had one thing in mind when I started but the final piece was quite different from the original idea.  Mostly, I was in a time crunch and really didn't like the way the "vision" was turning out.  So I tore it apart and changed it.  I finished last Thursday while I was home sick, which was convenient since it was due on Friday!  This was the first attempt at making beaded fringe on a bead embroidery piece, and I need more practice.

Memorial Pendant wrap up...

For the past couple months, we have been working on Memorial Pendants for a fundraiser for the families devastated by the school bus-semi accident near Blue Hill in September (my original post can be read here).
We designed a pendant which contained an individual cross for each person lost in the accident, but that would hang cohesively as a group pendant.  With the help of my good friend and favorite Tierracast supplier, Viv from Dragyn'sFyre, we kept costs low and we donated all funds less our supply costs to the memorial fund.  We originally made 100 pendants/necklaces and 2 pair of earrings with single cross designs.  All of those were sold, and we created 17 more pendants and earrings with single crosses.  We sold almost all of those and the remainders we taken apart to make up 7 pair of earrings for one of the families for an order for Christmas gifts.  All told we estimate (haven't written the final check yet), that we raised $1600 for the fund.  We are now finished with the project, and while I am glad we could design something that was a beautiful tribute to the lives lost, I hope I never have to design something for another tragedy.  Heart wrenching.

Chris's Big Marble Order...
Chris was thrilled to receive a special order for 15 marbles for a gal for Christmas gifts for her friends and family.  She gave him a list of colors preferred by her giftees.  Here is what he created:

Very fun and creative gift idea!  She was thrilled with what Chris created and added a couple others to her purchase.

Pretty Designs...

This piece was sold on Saturday at our last show, but it was one of my favorite designs created this year.  The pendant is a Humblebeads piece from Heather Powers.  I put lots of Czech glass, matte finish Chinese crystals, and galvanized Lucite leaves from The Hole Bead Shoppe together on antique brass rolo chain.  Beautiful.  I love to do nature pieces, and am always on the hunt for focals to work a design around.

Finally...
One week of anticipation left!!!!

The Hobbit (from IMDB)

I am such a Lord of the Rings addict!!  I couldn't get enough when the first three movies came out, and I am SO excited to see the next three!  Premiers next week, and I will be seeing it with Chris (and dragging Mina kicking and screaming) as soon as possible!!!

Bare Branches Blog Hop

Heather Powers, artist and owner of Humblebeads, put together a blog hop featuring her gorgeous beads and a mix of other beads, sari silk ribbon, and brass charms.

The day I received my kit, I put together my bracelet!  It really was easy to find inspiration with Heather's beads and bead mix.  I used the focal bead and wire wrapped it to the brass branch focal sent in my kit.  On one side of the bracelet, I used a large link chain and wove the sari silk ribbon back and forth and knotted large hole pearls from the kit on the ends of the ribbon.  I added bead dangles from the bead mix and Heather's lovely polymer round beads.  I thought I would add a bit of whimsy with a  bird and a pair binocular brass charms.  Who doesn't look at nature during a hike in the woods! 

On the other side of the bracelet I used a smaller link rollo chain and designed it more like a charm bracelet.  Using the beads and brass pieces from my soup mix, I created several charm dangles.

I liked the bracelet design so much, I created a pair of earrings from my bead mix.  At that point the group deserved to be finished out with a pendant.  I ordered another from Heather a couple days later for the pendant.  I used the left over Czech glass from the bead soup, added a wood slice bead, a brass acorn charm, a willowy Vintaj leaf from my stash and a couple natural stone and crystal beads to finish out the dangle.  On the earrings, I used Heather's polymer beads, brass bead caps, and Czech glass from the mix.  The bead caps stuck out away from the beads so I used my pliers and molded them around the bead so they were more tight fitting.  Don't want earrings to be tangled in hair or clothing!

Here is another creative photo of the pendant and earrings.  Dusk was approaching and the natural light was dying so the rush was on to get a good picture for my blog post!

The orange pumpkin sets off the teal of Heather's beads nicely!  This picture also shows the wooden bead slice and the natural stones and crystals I used from my bead stash.  I may still tie a piece of the leftover ribbon on the pendant, and since time was short I need to actually finish the chain on the necklace with a clasp. I just draped it for the photo!
Be sure to stop by the other Blog Hop participants to see what they have created with Heather's Bare Branches Bead Soup Mix!