Dark Bloom Challenge Blog Hop reveal

Today is the day for the reveal of Andrew Thornton's Dark Bloom Challenge blog hop.

To participate, you had to purchase a Design Kit.  This kit features a selection of Japanese hex-cut seed beads, premium Czech glass (both vintage and new), iron corrugated rounds, an iron filigree bead, lampwork glass, Irish waxed linen, a gunmetal toggle, vintage moon-glow lucite, and recycled African glass beads.  The kit also includes a Luxury Bead Blend.

Each kit comes with a special, handmade component that remains a mystery until it arrives at my door! The Mystery Component might actually be more than just one bead or pendant.  It's always a surprise.  The Mystery Component is publicly revealed about a one month before the actual reveal day.

For this challenge, Andrew made polymer clay coin pendants.  He saw a similar stylized flower motif on an old Roman vessel and thought that he would translate it into a jewelry component.  He used a dark purply-black base and then hit the raised details with violet Gilder's Paste.

I always try to do Andrew's beads justice and am never sure that I succeed.  I was able to make a bracelet which I forgot to get a picture of, a second bracelet which I did get a picture of, a necklace, two pairs of earrings, and some wine glass charms.

For the necklace I used the mystery component, the Czech glass beads, the recycled glass beads and the gunmetal toggle clasp.

I next made a set of four wine glass charms using the matte seed beads (pink, purple, and gray) from the luxury mix.

I made a bracelet from some of the smaller beads.

I made a couple of pairs of earrings.

I have a few leftover beads that I will be using in the next couple of weeks and I will have an "after the blog hop reveal".

Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to visit the other participants in the Dark Bloom Challenge. 

Hannah
Karin Grosset Grange
Carolyn Lawson
Holly Baldwin
Jeanne Steck
Ann Schroeder
Kari Asbury
Andrew Thornton, Laurel Ross, Alison Herrington, Geri Colgrove, and Crystal Lombardo Farrell
Here is a link to Andrew's blog:  dark-bloom-challenge-reveal


Carolyn