Superstition Blog Hop

Paisley Lizard's Tammy Adams is sponsoring her first blog hop and I couldn't wait to participate. 

Tammy was offering a black cat pendant at a special price to be used as the source of our inspiration.  This was a pendant that Tammy made herself.  I like the background of black, gray, and silver,

I had a hard time trying to decide which other beads to use. 

Black faceted beads and silver seed beads were a possibility

Another choice was gray pearls with black ebeads and the black faceted beads from the first choice.  I almost think those black beads are too large.  All I am seeing are the big beads and nothing else.

The last choice was the large black beads again with a matte silver seed bead.

The end result was something completely different from most of the suggestions.  I almost wonder why I take pictures of the wannabes.  I never end up taking a progress shot of what I actually end of making.

I actually ended up using two different sizes of gray pearls, black seed beads and some gray tube beads that I either got in a destash or one of Andrew Thornton's challenge kits, I can't remember which.

I found a cat and fish toggle clasp in silver to use.

I made earrings to go with the set.  I always try to make earrings whether I end up selling them with the necklace or not, I want to give the customer an option.

Please stop by the other participants of the blog hop and say hi:

Tammy Adams (Hostess)	http://www.paisleylizard.com/blog/
Renee Hong	http://www.fineanddandyjewelry.blogspot.com
Betony Maiden	http://beadwenches.blogspot.com/
Coral Law	http://abcoraldesign.blogspot.com/
Lee Koopman	http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com
Jeanette Belmont	http://www.onecanvasatatime.com
Shai Williams	http://www.ShaihasRamblings.com
Beth McCord	http://ebbeadandmetalworks.blogspot.com/
Robin Lynne Showstack	http://heartsdesiresjewelryforyou.blogspot.com/
Lori Blanchard	https://alainnjewelry.wordpress.com/
Deb Fortin	http://www.mhotistudio.blogspot.ca
Michelle McCarthy	http://www.fireflydesignstudio.blogspot.com
Maria Rosa Sharrow	http://willowstreetshops.blogspot.com
Kim Dworak	http://cianciblue.blogspot.com/
Divya N	http://www.jewelsofsayuri.com
Karin Grosset Grange	http://ginkgoetcoquelicot.blogspot.fr
Mowse Doyle	http://mowsemadethis.blogspot.com/
Rebecca White	http://morganafeycreations.121hub.com/#sec-blog
Shawneen Fagnani	http://blondespotpinkshoe.blogspot.com/
Catherine King	http://Catherines-musings.blogspot.com
Brook Bock	http://artisticendeavor101.blogspot.com/
Kari Asbury	http://hippiechickjewelrydesign.com/blog
Nan Smith	http://wirednan.blogspot.ca
Carolyn Lawson	http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com  You are here!
Linda Anderson	http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com
Ann Schroeder	http://www.beadlove.wordpress.com
Melissa Trudinger	https://beadrecipes.wordpress.com/
Kathy Lindemer	http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/

Thank you for stopping by.  Be sure to come back next Thursday, November 19, to see what I have made for the reveal of Andrew Thornton's Gold Dust Special Challenge and Last Harvest Challenge.

Comments are always welcome.

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

Star Frost Special Challenge reveal

Today is the reveal of Andrew Thornton's Star Frost Special Challenge.  I apologize for the delay.  My computer decided it needed to update some programs and I wasn't able to wait until midnight so that it could happen.

Andrew always makes up the most inspiring bead kits for his challenges.

 

 

 

He selected a crisp, clean palette. The kit features snowy whites, cool silvers, icy blues, wintery grays, and crystalline clears. When thinking of the challenge, he tried to summon up the first weeks of winter, when all is transformed, as if by magic, into a winter wonderland.

Andrew adds a Mystery Component to each challenge. For the Star Frost Challenge, he created a polymer clay pendant using a combination of tinted pigments, Gilder's Paste, nail polish, and acrylic paint to create the finish on this pendant. He thought it was perfectly wintery to compliment the kit.

Above pictures and commentary are taken from Andrew's blog.  The following pictures are ones that I took.  Andrew's descriptions are so much more desciptive than mine.

I didn't get a picture of the full kit so I used Andrew's picture above.  Here is a picture of the beads that I managed to photograph.

 



I decided that I was going to be making a necklace using the string of white beads and the string of different colored blue beads.  The decision was on how to string them.  Do I use a blue and three white, a blue and three white beads or do I use a blue, three white, a blue, a white, a blue, a white, a blue and three whites?  Decisions, decisions.

I laid the mystery component on top to see how it would look.

So here's my final decision:

I used left over beads to make hoop earrings.  I made these rather full as just using enough beads to have blue ones on either side of the white and blue ones in the center didn't look right to me.

I used another set of beads to make a pair of earrings:

I still have few beads left to add to my stash or Andrew is going to have an after reveal reveal where you show what else you made or what you made but didn't get to post.  I believe this will be towards the end of February but I will let you know.

Be sure to stop by the other participants to see what they made.

Carolyn Lawson  (You are here)
Carole Carlson of Beadsophisticate
Shai Williams
Karin Grosset Grange of Ginkgo et Coquelicot
Ann Schroeder
Tammy Bowman of Inner Muse Jewelry
Alison Herrington
Kari Asbury of Hippie Chick Jewelry Design
Alice Peterson
On Andrew Thornton's blog:
Andrew Thornton, Cheryl Tucker, Mia Nutick, Joanne Goldberg, Lisa Mendum


Please be sure to stop back by on January 24, 2015, for the True Blue Challenge put on by Lisa Lodge of Pine Ridge Treasures and then again on January 29, 2015, for the Desert Sand Challenge put on by Andrew.

Thank you for stopping by.

Good Earth Challenge reveal

Today is the day for the reveal for Andrew Thornton's Good Earth Challenge.  Each of the participants purchased a bead kit from Andrew that was stuffed with goodies.

Included in the kit is a Luxury Bead Blend that consists of Japanese Miyuki seed beads, Toho seed beads Czech glass. African recycled glass, jasper, agate, gold plated daisy spacers, quartz, Chinese crystal, goldstone, Swarovski crystals, ventage sequins, German glass, vintage Japanese glass, Swarovski crystal pearls.

The kit also features a selection of Japanese hex-cut seed beads, premium Czech glass (both new and vintage), vintage brass rounds, Indian glass, Irish waxed linen, a vintage Hamilton gold bead, artisan ceramic rounds.  (Bead descriptions are from Andrew's blog.)

It also includes the gorgeous mystery components that Andrew made himself.  A set of five faux Moroccan Amber beads made out of polymer clay.  Just my colors.  Love them already.  He included a leaf charm also made of polymer clay.



I loved working with these colors.  Things just sort of flowed together.

First up I used the Irish waxed linen cord, the faux Morocan amber beads and some of the Czech glass beads (if the nuggets aren't Czech glass please let me know so I can correct this) to make a bracelet. I also used the gold star spacers.

  

Here is another view of the bracelet.  I have left the cord hanging as I am trying to decide whether I want to add dangles.

I next made a necklace using the leaf pendant, Czech and Indian glass beads.  This I strung on wire

Andrew is very generous and I have lots of seed beads left.  I also need to make a couple pairs of earrings to match the bracelet and necklace.

Thanks for stopping by and please visit the other participants at Andrew's blog.