AJE Component of the Month

Hi, everyone.  Today is the reveal for the Art Jewelry Elements Component of the Month.  Linda Landig made these fabulous clay leaf pendants in the most gorgeous fall colors.  The one I received is the pale green one with the yellow-gold leaf on the right side of the picture.




Is the picture just gorgeous?  All those leaves just falling all over the place.

I did some thinking and pondering over what I wanted to do.  I received my monthly goody box from Blueberry Cove Beads and it had the perfect beads for me to use.  I used the yellow shell chips, the mottled orange round beads and the brown mottled round beads.  I added gold daisy spacers and green rondells.  I used an asymmetrical beading pattern and away I went.

 

Isn't that pendant just gorgeous!

 

I used a spring ring clasp and attached it to one of the wires on the pendant.

 

I love how it turned out and will be adding a bracelet and earrings to the set.

 

Please let me know what you think and be sure to visit the other bloggers.

 

GuestsCarolyn Lawson
Alice Peterson
Diana Ptaszynski

AJE Team

Susan Kennedy
Niky Sayers
Caroline Dewison
Jenny Davies Reazor
Linda Landig
Lindsay Starr
Kristen Stevens

Thanks for stopping by.

 

Carolyn

 

2015 Pine Ridge Treasures' Beach Blog Hop!

Hopefully this post is going to work.  Never had so much trouble signing into blogger.

But this is supposed to be about a bead challenge and not my computer problems.

Lisa Lodge from A Grateful Artist blog sponsored another bead challenge this week.

I purchased a kit with lots of lovely beads and was able to make two necklaces and two earring sets.  But first off is the set of beads that I received from Lisa.

Cultured seaglass in aqua, cobalt blue, medium blue and a lovely lavender that reminds me of Alexandrite without the color changes.

The first set that I made was using the lavender with some purplish crystals that were included in the kit along with the silver rectangular spacers also included.

 

The other set that I made used the cobalt blue, the aqua nuggets, and more of the silver spacers.

 

Some how I only managed to get a shot of the blue earrings by themselves so here they are.

I still have some lovely beads left and will try to get another set done.

Please stop by and visit the other bloggers that are participating in the challenge.

Your hostess:  Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks

Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Kari Asbury, Hippie Chick Design

Susan Anderson, La Main Tresor

Kim Dworak, Cianci Blue

Margaret Pelech, Margaret Pelech's Blog

Lisa Prewitt Knappenberger, LiRaysa Designs

Carol Briody, A Beads Life

Karin Grosset Grange, Ginkgo et Coquelicot

Shaiha Williams, Shaiha’s Ramblings

Gloria Allen, Gloria Allen Designs

Rosee Floss Hanemaayer, Silver Penny Artisans

Saundra Farren, Something by Saundra

Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool Jewelry

MaryAnne Kelly Hobbs-Fernie - TBD

Chris Eisenberg, Wanderware

Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things

Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera

Kelly Fletcher – TBD

Linda Anderson, From the Bead Board

Diana Chavis - TBD

Thanks for stopping by.

Carolyn

Summer Waters Blog Hop/Challenge

Sorry for the delay in posting. 

Today is the reveal date for Lisa Lodge's latest blog hop/Facebook challenge Summer Waters.  I purchased a kit from Lisa and created several different items.  But to start off, here is a picture of the kit that I received from Lisa:

Lovely white pearls, a silver clasp, multiple cultured sea glass pieces, light aqua barrel shaped beads, dark blue square spacers, a pair of dark blue wings, aqua star fish, aqua rondells, and spacers.

Here is the first piece that I made using the aqua cultured sea glass, 4mm white pearls, and large hole silver spacers that slide slightly over the pearls.

The next item that I made used the dark blue wings.  The wings have little indentation on the curved edges so they look like feathers.

Next up was a necklace using the dark blue square spacers, 6mm white pearls from my stash and some red matte seed beads from another kit of Lisa's.

Next were earrings to go with the red, white, and blue necklace.  In fact, I think I went a little overboard.  I made four pairs using all the left over blue spacers. 

Sorry about the pictures.  I am not able to access the pictures I took with my phone.  I was playing around with my camera and these are not the greatest.

 



Fortunately I took some individual pictures so here are some close-ups.

Last but not intended to be the least of what I tried to make.  I need some help here.  What is the best way to make these starfish into earrings?  Premade jump rings don't seem to work.  I am open to suggestions.

Thanks for stopping by.  Please be sure to visit the other participants listed below.

 

Your hostess:  Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist
Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations  You are here.
Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Susan Anderson, La Main Tresor
Kim Dworak, Cianci Blue
Saundra Farren, Something by Saundra
Gloria Allen, Wings and Beads
Shaiha Williams, Shaihas Ramblings
Rosee Chara Hanemaayer,  Silver Penny Artisans

Artisan Component Marketplace Blog Hop

Artisan Component Marketplace is a fairly new component marketplace where you can buy handmade components from approximately 25 vendors.  They recently called for people that would be interested in participating in a blog hop using some of the vendors' components.  I was one of the fortunate ones that was chosen to participate.

 

I received a copper component from Kristi Bowman Design:

 

 

 

A ceramic component from Marla's Mud:

 

 

 

A wood toggle clasp from Asbury Avenue Designs:

 

 

 

The first piece that I made went together fairly quickly.  I had some crystals leftover from another blog hop on my bead mat waiting for me to make something.  They went together perfectly with Asbury Avenue Designs toggle clasp.  I used the sari silk that came with the components to make a necklace.  I don't do mixed media very often but I think it turned out nicely. 

 

 

 

Below is a close-up of the toggle clasp and the crystals.

 

 

Below is a better look at the sari silk and how the colors go with the toggle clasp.

 

 

 

Marla's component went really well with some pearls I had laying on my beading table.  I took an eye pin and bent it around the component and wrapped it to make the bail.

 

 

 

The component had touches of pink and gold over a darker rose color.  I used dark rose pearls along with pink rice pearls and gold seed beads,

 

 

 

The final component I need to use is the pretty diamond-shaped copper bracelet bar from Kristi Bowman Designs.  I wasn't able to complete the bracelet that I plan to make.  Here is the idea that I have for it:

 

 

A three strand bracelet with turquoise heishi beads.  I plan to use the copper round beads you see on the top strand and some red seed beads for another strand and the final strand will probably have bright copper seed beads.  I thought to use a lobster claw clasp on one side of the bracelet bar.

 

This should be finished on Sunday and I will post the finished bracelet then.

 

Please be sure to visit the Artisan Component Marketplace blog to see what Kari has made and the links below to see what the other participants made.

 

Brandy Haag http://bhjewelry.wordpress.com/

Carolyn http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com/   You are here

Jenny Kyrlach http://anafiassa.blogspot.com/

Kelly Hosford Patterson http://travelingsideshow.blogspot.com/

Lori Poppe http://lorillijeanscreativecorner.blogspot.com/

Rachel Mallis http://mintmonarch.com/blog

Robin Kae Reed http://artistryhcbd.indiemade.com/blog

Terri Arcas http://driftnbleu.blogspot.com/

Gloria Allen http://wingsandbeads.blogspot.com/

 

Thanks for stopping by.  I participated in another blog hop today, so be sure to visit it /pepitas-butterfly-birthday-blog-hop-and-giveaway 

 

Carolyn

 

Pepita's Butterfly Birthday Blog Hop and Giveaway

Alenka of Pepita Handmade blog asked for people to help celebrate her birthday by making something with butterflies whether that would be a piece of jewelry, an ornament, or something else.

 

I had the intention of making crystal butterfly earrings but time got away from me.  So I decided I would showcase a necklace I made a while ago.  I think JoAnn's was either having a sale or closing out some of their Swarovski components.  I picked out the butterfly that is in this necklace.  I usually do not tend to pick out silver components but I really liked the colors.

 

  

I added some crystals in Violet, Jet Black, and clear colored Crystal.  I added a lobster claw clasp at the back making the butterfly offset to the side.

 

 

Please join me in wishing Alenka "Happy Birthday".  Her birthday was actually March 28th but that date had several blog hops already scheduled and Alenka rescheduled so that the blog hop would not get lost among all the others.

 

Be sure to visit her blog and leave a comment for a chance to win a pair of earrings that she has made. 

 

Please visit the other participants to see what everyone made.

 

 

1. Alenka (Pepita) - hostess --> http://pepita-handmade.blogspot.com

2. Monique (A Half-Baked Notion) --> http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com

3. Beti Horvath --> http://stringingfool.blogspot.com  

4. Kathy Lindemer --> http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com

5. Kepi --> http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com

6. Christine Altmiller --> http://onekisscreations.blogspot.com

7. Amy S. --> http://blogspot.amybeads.com

8. Dini Bruinsma --> http://angazabychanges.blogspot.com

9. Cynthia (Antiquity Travelers) --> http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com

10. Alicia --> http://www.allprettythings.ca

11. sheilaposter --> http://catswithbeads.blogspot.com

12. Therese Frank --> http://theresestreasures59.blogspot.com

13. Rebecca White --> http://morganafeycreations.121hub.com

14. Rachel Mallis --> http://www.mintmonarch.com/#!blog/c1jlz

15. Liz E --> http://beadcontagion.blogspot.com

16. Ana (ACBeads) --> http://acbeads.blogspot.com

17. Jasvanti Patel --> http://jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com

18. Carolyn --> http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com   You are here.

19. Nan Smith --> http://wirednan.blogspot.com

 

Thank you for stopping by.  Be sure to visit my other blog posting for the Artisan Component Marketplace Blog Hop.

 

Carolyn

Jasper Intrigue Blog Hop

Today is the reveal day for Lisa Lodge's Jasper Intrigue Blog Hop.  I needed to purchase a kit from Lisa and I received a bag full of goodies that I was to use to make a piece or two or three of jewelry. 

Here is what I received from Lisa:

A little metal birdie and a brass stamping, a strand of beads, and some green and red jasper (those pieces on the left) and some dark gray and red jasper (on the right).

On the top right are two pieces of oval shaped jasper, a strand of crystal rondells, some egg-shaped green and red jasper pieces that match the pieces in the first picture.  Some more smaller sized crystals and some pretty brown jasper.

I used the egg-shaped green and red jasper and some of both sizes of crystals along with some dark red seed beads to make a necklace and matching earrings.

I still have more beads left over.  One bracelet is in the works and at least one more pair of earrings.

Please be sure to stop by and visit the other participants.

Your hostess:  Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Susan Anderson, La Main Tresor

Karin Grosset Grange (France), Ginkgo et Coquelicot

Shaiha Williams, Shaiha’s Ramblings

Sheila Prose, Cheap Charms

Terri Wlaschin, Baking Beads in the Keys

Therese Frank, Therese's Treasures

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

Carolyn

Marsala Valentine Challenge Blog Hop reveal

This post is late and I am sorry for the delay.  Computer problems that I hope have been solved now.

Today is the reveal for Andrew Thornton's Marsala Valentine Challenge. 

Andrew prepares 20 bead kits that he makes available for purchase through his store Allegory Gallery's website. 

The above pictures are from Andrew's reveal blog posting:  /marsala-valentine-challenge-reveal

Andrew always includes a mystery component or two in his kits.  This time we lucked out and received two components.

 The following are what I designed and put together.

When I saw the large bead that was included in the kit, I decided to make that the focal of this necklace.  I had some silver chain that I used to thread the silk through that was included in the kit.  I then used two sets of matching dark red beads to hand on either side of the focal.

I then made several pairs of earrings, including a pair using the mystery components.

The first pair of earrings were made with a pair of diagonally drilled cube beads and some oval shaped beads that were light and dark colored shades of red.

This next pair of earrings were made with some wine colored round beads and some stick (not sure what to call them) beads.

 
This last pair of earrings are made with the mystery components which Andrew made.  I used some of the sequins that were included in the Luxury Bead kit along with two rose colored oval beads.

 



Thank you for stopping by.  Please be sure to visit all the other participants:

Alison Herrington
Dolores Raml
Carole Carlson 
Lennis Carrier 
Carolyn Lawson   you are here
Michelle McCarthy 
Ann Schroeder
Kari Asbury 
Shaiha Williams 

On Andrew Thornton's Blog:
Andrew Thornton, Nancy Noyes-Ward, Donna Hoblit, Cheryl Lee Tucker, Laurel Ross
Thank you for stopping by.  Be sure to return on Saturday for Lisa Lodge's A Touch of Mint challenge.

Carolyn