Past blog hops and challenges

Sunday, September 30, 2012

October Fest challenge

The blog Jewelry School Friends is having a blog challenge that is a little unusual in that you can make items that do not involve beads or beading.  It's being called A Jewelry, Craft, Bead, Home & Hearth Creative Challenge for Blogs, Facebook Pages, and the JSF page.


See this link for more details:
october-fest-jewelry-craft-bead-home
I believe there are a couple of more openings if anyone is interested.










I already have an idea for a necklace and possibly earrings.  The big reveal is October 28, so please come back to see what I made and to visit the other bloggers in the challenge.

Thanks for stopping by.

Carolyn

Monday, September 24, 2012

Vintage jewelry

My mother recently died and we have been going through her jewelry and there are strung necklaces, pearls, Avon, and Sarah Coventry pieces.  Some of the jewelry dates back to the 1930s, 40s, and 50s.  Does anyone know of a book or website that will give me some information on the value/collectablity of these items?

Thanks for stopping by.

Carolyn

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Vintage jewelry

Creative Chaos giveaway

Have been missing in action for the blog postings I should have been posting but have been reading the ones that I follow.

One of the blogs that I follow, Creative Chaos, is having a bead giveaway for the month of September (isn't this a great giveaway?)
plus and is also having some short-time giveaways.  See her blog post here:  creativechaos

Here is a link to another of Skye's giveaways: faux suede giveaway.  I think this one is still open.

Here's another one:  Pay It Forward and free beads You can enter for the Pay It Forward spot or for the free beads.

Didn't realize how much I had missed.

Thanks for stopping by.

Carolyn

"Mis-matched" Earring Swap

I was selected to be one of the participants in Diana of Suburban Girl Studio's "Mis-matched" Artbead

Earring Swap.

I was matched up with Sarah of bysalla.blogspot.com.   Here are the earrings that I received.

Thanks for stopping by.

Carolyn



Thursday, September 13, 2012

Inspiration & Collaboration: the social artist giveaway

The new blog Inspiration and Collaboration; the social artist is having a fabulous giveaway of a set of beads that Staci Louise of Artisan Accents and Genea of Genea Beads collaborated on.

Aren't they fabulous!!!  My name is in the pot!  I would love to win a set.  You can enter through this link:  giveaway-time

Good luck everyone!

Thanks for stopping by.

Carolyn

Sunday, September 9, 2012

My Dream Jewelry Studio Sweeeptstakes



As I was exploring and reading new blogs, I ran across "A Half-Baked Notion"'s blog and she was talking about this sweepstakes. 

It sounds fabulous with 30 prizes  from Craftoptics, Rio Grande and CraftArtEdu to be won.

Click on this link to enter: mydreamjewelrystudio

Good luck everyone and thanks for stopping by.

Carolyn

Upcoming blog hop

Lisa Lodge of Pine Ridge Treasures is having a "Bead Table" blog hop.  I am one of twenty-five participants who paid a small fee to receive random stuff from Lisa's bead table. 

What's in the bead kit? Various beads and components in a variety of colors and shapes. Items that don't necessarily "match". The idea is to find a way to combine these items with "extra/orphan" beads and components from your work area into a fun design.  Here is what I received:




Lots of yellows, golds, and oranges.  I have already made one item and am working on another. 

I am going to attempt some wire wrapping so wish me luck.  Haven't done any before and hopefully this won't be too ambitious.





I hoe you will come back and join me and the other participants for the "Bead Table" blog hop on October 13.

Thanks for stopping by.

Carolyn 

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Free book giveaway - Bead & Wire Jewelry Exposed

AllFreeJewelryMaking Giveaway: Bead & Wire Jewelry Exposed

Posted by Kelly S. on August 28th, 2012 at 04:31pm
So you’ve mastered wire wrapping, you’re bored with the same old beading patterns, and you’re asking yourself “What’s next?” The answer? Bead & Wire Jewelry Exposed! This designer jewelry project book is filled with tutorials that turn the world of beading and wirework as you know it totally topsy turvy. And today’s your lucky day, because we’re giving away a signed copy of Bead & Wire Jewelry Exposed for free to one lucky winner!
BeadandWireJewelryExposed AllFreeJewelryMaking Giveaway: Bead & Wire Jewelry Exposed

Click on the link above to signup for the free book giveaway.

Thanks for stopping by.

Carolyn

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Challenge of Travel reveal

Sorry this wasn't posted at with the other posts but the scheduler didn't work the way it was supposed to.

I signed up for Erin's blog hop as soon as I heard about it.  I have always liked traveling, getting on a plane and arriving some place that you have never been before.  Getting the chance to visit places and see the sights.

When I signed up, I had the option of choosing my own country or letting Erin choose for me.  I chose the continent, Asia, and Erin chose the country, South Korea. 

South Korea!  I immediately thought of the TV series M*A*S*H.  Taking place in the early 1950s at the time of the Korean War.  Never mind that it was actually filmed in California.

South Korea was created after World War II when Korea was divided with Russia having a trusteeship over the north and the United States having trusteeship over the south.  This was supposed to be temporary but the North would not agree to holding elections and establishing a national government.  An election was held for the South and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) was proclaimed on August 15, 1948.  The United Nations recognized the Republic of Korea as the sole legal government of Korea in December 1948.

Below is the flag for South Korea called Taegukki (Taeguki means harmonious state of movement for yin and yang and ki means flag).  The red stands for Yang and the blue for Yin.  Yin and yang are opposites and struggle with each other while they cooperate in harmony thus taeguki.  The symbols in the corners are called Kwae and mean the principle of movement and harmony.  These different symbols mean heaven (Kun) (upper left), fire (Yi) (lower left), water (Kam) (upper right), and earth (Kon) (lower right), thus the movement of all objects in the universe and the movement of the universe itself.

·         image by Željko Heimer (information on the flag came from  "FOTW Flags Of The World website at http://flagspot.net/flags/")

Seoul is the capital and largest city with 11,000,000 of the reported 48,900,000 population living there.  The best months to visit are April, May, September and October.  You can stay in the country for up to 30 days with no visa and up to 90 days with a tourist visa.  Travel within the country is reasonably fast with fast and comfortable buses and trains along with domestic air flights.  There are well maintained roads and rental cars are available.  There are many choices for rooms and restaurants to meet every price point.  Many people speak at least a little English and some of the street signs are written in English.  There are plenty of tourist attractions depending on what you are interested in.  You can also shop, hike, play golf, visit museums, or temples.

Here is what I started with to make my South Korean represented jewelry.  The large square stones are jade from South Korea in a kind of grassy green with black markings, thus the black seed beads and cubes. 


Earrings made from the black cubes and 3-sided Korean jade.

















Bracelet with Korean jade and black accents.



  
 
 Matching necklace













Thanks for stopping by.  Please stop by the other participants and see where they have traveled and what they have made.


 
Name
Blog
Region Chosen
Inspiration Nation
Monique Urquhart
Africa
Burkina Faso
Niky Sayers
Africa
Egypt
Therese Frank
Africa
Kenya
Raychelle Heath
Africa
Lesotho
Joan Williams
Africa
Mauritania
Sherri Stokey
Africa
Senegal
Regina Santerre
Africa
Seychelles
Raida Disbrow
Africa
Tanzania
Kristi Wodek
Africa
Zimbabwe
Sally Russick
Americas
Brazil
Melissa Trudinger
Americas
Mexico
Tracy Stillman
Americas
USA
Sandra Wolberg
Asia
India
Tanya Goodwin
Asia
Japan
Susan Kennedy
Asia
Japan
Beth Emery
Asia
Japan
Lisa Cone
Asia
Japan
Tanya Boden
Asia
Japan
Inge von Roos
Asia
Laos
Erin Prais-Hintz
Asia
Nepal
Dee Elgie
Asia
Phillipines
Carolyn Lawson
Asia
South Korea
Lisa Stukel
Asia
Sri Lanka
Elly Snare
Asia
Thailand
Shelley Graham Turner
Europe
Austria
Mallory Hoffman
Europe
Bosnia Herzegovina
Paige Maxim
Europe
France
Jenny Davies-Reazor
Europe
Germany
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson
Europe
Greece
Evelyn Shelby
Europe
Iceland
Holly Westfall
Europe
Ireland
Rebecca Siervaag
Europe
Ireland
Toltec Jewels
Europe
Ireland
Lee Koopman
Europe
Ireland
Laren Dee Barton
Europe
Italy
Cindy Wilson
Europe
Norway
Kathleen Lange Klik
Europe
Poland
Shaiha Williams
Europe
Portugal
Jennifer Justman
Europe
Romania
Elsie Deliz-Fonseca
Europe
Spain
Lola Surwillo
Europe
Sweden
Kim Hora
Europe
Switzerland
Leanne Loftus
Europe
The Netherlands
Patti Vanderbloemen
Europe
The Netherlands
Marcie Carroll
Europe
Turkey
Marlene Cupo
Oceania
Federated States of Micronesia
Ine Vande Cappelle
Oceania
Fiji
Tammie Everly
Oceania
Guam
Alice Peterson
Oceania
Kiribati
Elisabeth Auld
Oceania
Nauru
Susan McClelland
Oceania
New Zealand
D Lynne Bowland
Oceania
New Zealand
Denielle Hagerman
Oceania
New Zeland
Rebecca Anderson
Oceania
Papua New Guinea
Mischelle Fanucchi
Oceania
Samoa
Kari Asbury
Oceania
Solomon Islands
Cece Cormier
Oceania
Tonga
Emma Todd
Oceania
Tuvalu
Debbie Price
Oceania
Vanuatu