Posts

 This is a post a long time in coming!   But I have decided to post some reviews of places I have shopped from (beading related) or persons whom I have purchased products.  Ok so here is a big shout out to Althea Duffy of Opals from Ranch Surreal.  Look that up on Facebook folks!  I have purchased opals, sterling opals, boulder opals, and turquoise from her and HAVE NEVER been disappointed.  From time to time she posts a sale of her stones on Facebook via live video, check it out, you won’t be disappointed!  She has a delightful personality, and begins with a welcoming “Hey Guys!” Every time!  She has a large variety of all sizes, shapes, and types of cabochons perfect for bead embroidery!  Plus she does some awesome beadwork herself.   Go check her Facebook group out!  The above is unsolicited, unpaid for review that is totally my own opinion!

Starfish ! I grew up going to the beach everyday. I lived in St. Petersburg, FL where the best beaches in the USA can be found. I love Starfish and Seahorses all things beachy. Just thought I would share my little starfish with you today.

Image

Blu Mudd Challenge #6

Image
Good Day everyone!  I hope all of you are beading away happily!  I have recently been beading for Blu Mudd Challenge #6.  It was a black and white challenge this go round.  We have an wonderful array of eye candy to view at the link so please by all means click the link.  Please take the time to view each and every submission individually, choose "like"as many times as you like to vote for your favorites!  You won't be disappointed !!! Here are some photos of my personal submission: For my first piece I chose a pattern "Lady Sybil" by Sandra Scholte.  I ended up deviating from the pattern and going my own way with it.  But it was her pattern that got me started and inspired the look of the entire piece.  You can purchase her patterns on Etsy here  Trinkets Beadwork  she has amazing patterns from which to choose!!  For my 2nd piece I chose to learn a new stitch, Chenielle Stitch.  It works up lovely, quick and easy.  I am going to use this new stitch ov

Blu Mudd Design Challenge

Image
I had the pleasure of being a participant in the Blu Mudd Design Challenge 5.  Moriah Betterly a very talented clay artist furnished each artist with a leaf cuff, acorn and 3 matching tubular beads.  There were different color pallets, randomly mailed to the artists so the color choices were by surprise!  I love surprises!  My pieces were green, red with the tiniest hint of blue....well here let me show you.  (The photo will enlarge if you click on it :) Leaf & Acorn Challenge 5   Vote for me here :) I purchased complimentary beads from my local bead shop "The Bead Strand" in Ocala, FL.  For  my design I chose Miyuki 8/0 seed beads in 4 colors. 3 in different hues in Picasso seed beads, and a deep reddish hue matte seed bead. The colors in the seed beads seemed to be from the same glaze Moriah used on the leaf.  I thought the beads complimented the leaf so well I had to use them.  I chose to create my necklace using a spiral herringbone stitch.  Please click on t

Bead Chat Magazine & Znetshows Sea Glass 5x5 Test Group

Image
I am one of 5 randomly chosen artists on Artisan Whimsy to be chosen for the 5x5 July Test group.  Currently published in their online magazine "Bead Chat Magazine". We worked with fabulous Beach Glass Beads presented to us by Znetshows .  Znetshows has an extensive wholesale selection of gemstones and beads and their website  is updated daily! Be sure to check back here for updates as I will post photos when I receive my "Beach Glass".  Thank you to Znetshows and Artisan Whimsy for this opportunity! i was inspired by childhood memories of long walks on the beach, looking for the perfect shell or bit of glass as a "treasure" to take home.  Below are photos of the jewelry i made using the "Beach Glass". Happy Beading! Go Gators!

Blu Mudd Design Team

Image
I am so happy to have been chosen to participate in the Blu Mudd Design Team  for a 2nd time!  If you are not familiar with Blu Mudd please take a gander at the Etsy Shop  and you will see a lovely selection of unique jewelry components, pendants, buttons, cabochons etc... skillfully created by  Moriah Betterly .   Below is a sampling of components that Moriah so graciously sent out to each of the participants.  The challenge is to create a jewelry design utilizing the pendant you receive.  The pendants are randomly chosen, and until you open the package you don't know what you are getting!  Fun! Fun! Fun! We submit one photo of our finished piece to Moriah.  Moriah has posted the photos on the Blue Mudd  facebook page and everyone (that means   all   of you! ) can now vote on your favorite piece.  But I do encourage you to take a visit to view the pieces and vote on your personal favorites.  One comment = one vote and you may comment on several pieces, but each piece onl

Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal

Image
It was my pleasure to be partnered with Jean A. Wells please be sure to check out her blog for some amazing pieces! Jean sent me some lovely ingredients for my soup. Here is her winning recipe. 1 handmade pendant created by the very talented Kylie Parry , 25 Brown Sugar beads, 1Fancy Floral Clasp, 1 Green Jasper Nugget, 6 10 mm wood roundelles, 2 Green Picasso Czech Bicone Beads, 5 Dark Forest Porcelain Beads by Ingrid, 8 8mm Fire Polish Topaz Beads and 8 8mm Topaz Crackle Beads. Here is what I created using her recipe. I hope you enjoy it. First for the bracelet here I drilled a second hole in the pendant made by Kylie Parry, I made a copper spiral which I then covered with some lovely fiber that is meant to be doll hair. I did a right angle weave with an assortment of the beads from my soup along with some Czech fire polish from my own collection. I made a little pair of earrings to match shown further below. The bracelet below was created with beads from the soup with the additi