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Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Bracelet Make-Over

This is the bracelet I made at Bead Fest in Kim St. Jean's "Ruffled Bracelet" class.
While I loved learning the fold forming technique, I'm don't think I would 
wear this bracelet-it's not quite my style. So I felt a bracelet "do-over" was called for.
I took it apart, re-annealed it and then was able to cut it into 3 separate pieces.

This is what I made with 2 of the pieces...now I do really like them!



Have you done any "do-overs"?

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Bead Soup Reveal Day

It is finally here-"Reveal Day"-can't wait to show you what I made...

My "SOUP" partner is Loretta Carstensen of designsbyloretta.blogspot.com.  Loretta lives in South Ogden, Utah.   She is retired and along with making jewelry loves to travel with her husband.

This is the "bead soup" I received. 

Thanks, Loretta for a beautiful "soup"!
The large red beads are glass African trade beads 
and the small ones are red jasper. I don't know what the focal bead is. 
Please let me know if you do.

In the beginning I didn't think this would be such a hard challenge but the more I looked at it the harder it became. I wanted to complement the focal and not overpower or take away from it. After much thought and deliberation, I finally decided the focal needed some wire wrapping...but that was only part of the necklace.  Again, I had to set it aside and ponder how to add just the right chain to set it off.  This is the design I came up with.




The toggle clasp was bright brass that I patinated to match the bronze wire links.

I also made a pair of earrings using the red jasper beads.

The African trade beads will remain in my stash for a while waiting patiently for an idea to "pop" into my head...so until later be sure to check out Loretta's blog along with all the other participants in the Blog Hop.

I'm off to blog hop and see what you made...

Thanks again, Lori for a fun Bead Soup Blog Hop!

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Outside my Window

Couldn't resist...this is what is growing in my yard-
 The irises are in full bloom...
 The azaleas have been so beautiful but are beginning to fade...