Toki No Hourousha: July 2013

Me ? A bead hoarding problem ? What would you be talking about ? *cough*

Yeah, yeah... This hop was meant for me. I hoard things, all sort of things. It was high time I finally hoarded them in a way other people could see them !

But I decided to go big or go home. I decided to use one of my most precious treasures. What is that treasure, you ask ?

Why, it would be this amazing lampwork bead by Jennifer Cameron ! This bead also has a bit of history, see... Last yeah, Jennifer held a sale / party over on her blog in which there was much chatting, many shinies, and a good time to be had by all. I brought two beads from said sale, so when this one came out my heart broke. I didn't have the money to snag this beauty ! So I counted my losses and moved on, certain that someone would snag this beauty.

Jenn said the beads who didn't sell in the blog party would end up on etsy... And what do I spy on etsy a few weeks later ? This very beauty, waiting for me. It was as if it was simply meant to be mine and that was that. I didn't let it slip away twice ! But I could never convince myself that I could make this lovely bead any justice. So I hoarded it, as a dragon hoards treasure.

What stuck me was how differently two artists can perceive something. This is what Jenn said in her etsy description...

Bridal Jewelry. That's how I picture this focal with the something blue (and sparkly). Or maybe just a beautiful, elegant, and sparkly focal bead for a special piece of jewelry for yourself just because you are special and deserve it.

I saw water. Clear, pristine, beautiful water sparkling under the sun. Raindrops glimmering as they streak down a window.

With that in mind, I got to work.

I used blue dragon's vein agate, and a lot of opalite. Predictable ? Perhaps. But the opalite's glow work so well with the focal bead's sparkle. The bead caps were painted with a mix of lumiere paint then sealed. It gives them just that extra little something. The clasp is a pretty little heart and key that I felt counterbalanced the focal well.

The necklace itself was quite easy to so, but this part in particular was a pain in the ass ! I wanted the feel of rain, so I wrapped these tiny tiny little opalite rounds... Carefully cut the chain... Wire-wrapped briolettes ?! (Wat). This has been the bane of my existence since... Well, since I started making jewelry. I could never wire-wrap a briolette and not make it into a complete disaster. Im not even gonna get into how many of them I broke (too many). But I finished got to this end result.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this post ! Please give everyone else a visit, too !

1. Lori Anderson, Pretty Things
2. Nancy Dale, NEDBeads
3. Roxanne Mendoza, Roxi Designs
4. Melissa Trudinger, beadrecipes
5. Rana Lea, Rana Lea Designs
6. Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
7. Rita Avila, Jewel School Friends
8. Linda Anderson, From the Bead Board
9. Sharon Palac, Sharon's Jewelry Garden
10. Erin Guest, Renlish

11. Joan Williams, lilruby jewelry
12. Diane Hawkey, Diane Hawkey
13. Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation
14. Sue Kennedy, SueBeads
15. Lisa Cone, Inspired Adornments
16. Kari Asbury, Hippie Chick Design
17. Nichole Byers, Nichole Byers
18. Lori Jean Poppe, Adventures in Creativity
19. Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings
20. Lori Schneider, Bead Addict

21. Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me
22. Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
23. Niki Sayers, Silver Nik Nats
24. Elsie Deliz-Fonseca, Eliz-Eliz and All That Craft
25. Amber Dawn, Inventive Soul
26. Heather Powers, Humblebeads
27. Sarah Goode, Pookledo
28. Monique Urquhart, A Half-Baked Notion
29. JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions
30. Cheri Reed, Creative Designs by Cheri

31. Robyn, Museiddity
32. Catherine King, Catherine's Musings
33. Jacquie, Bead Gypsy
34. Janet McDonald, Singing Woods
35. Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreations
36. Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti
37. Hannah Rosner, Good River Valley
38. Rochelle Brisson, A Creative Chelle
39. Nelly May, Smelly Nelly
40. Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads

41. Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool
42. Christie Murrow, Charis Designs
43. Leanne Loftus, First Impression Design
44. Valerie Norton, Hot Art
45. Judy Riggs, Rigglettes
46. Crystal Thain, Here Bead Dragons
47. Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo
48. Sue, Mid-Life Great Expectations
49. Nan Smith, Wired Nan
50. Miranda Ackerley, MirandAck Arts

51. Marie Covert, Creating Interest
52. D'Arsie Manzella, This Here Now, Mamacita
53. Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs
54. Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
55. Johanna Nunez, The Lovely One Design
56. Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
57. Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs
58. Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things
59. Debbie Rasmussen, A Little of This, A Little of That
60. Nat, Grubbi Ceramics

61. Marjorie Savill Linthwaite, Bennu Bird Rising
62. Cheryl McCloud, One Thing Leads to Another
63. Heather Otto, The Crafthopper
64. Candida Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks
65. Tracie Dean, Dean Designs
66. JuLee Wolfe, The Polymer Penguin
67. Ginger Bishop, Lil Mummy Likes
68. Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
69. Jeannie Dukic, Jeannie's Blog
70. Dini Bruinsma, Angaza by Changes

71. Birgitta Lejonklou, Create With Spirit
72. Shalini Austin, Jewellery by Shalini
73. Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle
74. Ile Ruzza, Ilenia's Unique Beaded Jewelry
75. Jackie Marchant, Fiddledeedee Jewelry
76. Annita Wilson, AW Jewelry
77. Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame
78. Hannah Trost, PZ Designs
79. Linda Inhelder, Must Haves Jewelry
80. Miri Agassi, Beadwork

81. Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
82. Dyanne Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
83. Susan Bowie, Susan Nelson Bowie
84. Megan Milliken, MaeMaeMills
85. Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry
86. Ambra Gostoli, Chic and Frog
87. Lori Lochner, Bloghner
88. Gerda Jurimae, Gerda's Crafts Blog
89. Susan, Mistheword
90. MaryLou Holvenstot, MaryLou's time2cre8

91. Mary Shannon Hicks, falling into the sky
92. Karin King, The Sparklie Things Blog
93. Christa Murphy, Adventures of One Beady Woman
94. Jenny Davie-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor
95. Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous
96. Mallory Hoffman, Rosebud 101 - For the Love of Beads
97. Danielle Kelley, Imbue the Muse
98. Kym Hunter, Kym Hunter Designs
99. Dolores Rami, CraftyD's Creations
100. Marcia Dunne, 13 Alternatives

101. Marlene Cupo, Amazing Designs
102. Emma Todd, A Polymer Penchant
103. Wendy Holder, Jewelry by WendyLea
104. Michelle Escano, The Cabby Crafter
105. Louise Glazier, Lily and Jasmine Treasures
106. Dana Hickey, Wind Dancer Studios
107. Lennis Carter, windbent
108. Anne Betenson, Crystal River Beads
109. Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution
110. Lisa Stukel, Carefree Jewelry by Lisa

111. Janine Lucas, Travel Stories
112. Claire Lockwood, Something to Do With Your Hands
113. Kathy Engstrom, Catherine's Dreams
114. Paula Hisel, Simply Beadiful
115. Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
116. Mischelle Fanucchi, Micheladas Musings
117. Kim, Cianci Blue
118. Linda Sadler, Ida Louise Jewelry
119. Karen, Spokalulu
120. Jennifer LaVite, Dry Gulch Bead and Jewelry

121. Andrea Glick-Zenith, ZenithJade Creations
122. Karen Martinez, Fairies Market
123. Robin Reed, Artistry HCBD
124. Amy Bright, LABweorc
125. Jasvanti Patel, Jewels by Jasvanti
126. Tammie Everly, TTE Designs
127. Karin Slaton, Backstory Beads
128. Natalie Moten, Running Out of Thread
129. Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections
130. Jenny Kyrlach, Wonder and Whimsy

131. LiliKrist, Handmade by LilK
132. Jessica Klaaren, The Truth Space
133. Cynthia Abner, Created Treasures
134. Beth Emery, Stories by Indigo Heart
135. Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads
136. Jeanne, Gems by Jeanne Marie
137. Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
138. Laren Dee Barton, Laren Dee Designs
139. Steph, Confessions of a Bead Hoarder
140. Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

141. B. R. Kuhlman, Mixed Mayhem
142. Patty Miller, Cabari Beads
143. Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads
144. Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things
145. Lizzie Clarke, The Need to Bead
146. Christina Miles, Wings 'n' Scales
147. Patricia, The Color of Dreams
148. Marde Lowe, Fancimar
149. Ev Shelby, Raindrop Creations
150. Sarah Small, By Salla

151. Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
152. Laurie Vyselaar, Lefthand Jewelry
153. Pam Traub, Klassy Joolz
154. Lisa Harrison, Daisy Meadow Studio
155. Anzia Parks, Anzi-Panzi's Work Shoppe
156. Ingrid, Lilisgems Handcrafted Jewelry Inspirations
157. Andra Weber, Andra's Joyful Journey
158. Kelly Hosford Patterson, The Traveling Side Show
159. Adlinah Kamsir, Dreamstruck Designs
160. Marci, That Nothing Be Wasted

161. Kris Lanae Binsfield, Cherish Designs
162. Stephanie Perry, Mustard Bead
163. Birgit Klughardt, Gites Beads
164. Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog
165. Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
166. Sandy Markley, Gypsy Spirit Designs
167. Elena Adams, Lena's Beady Blog

Oh deary me. Where can I even begin ? The last few months have had it's share of things - some of them bad, like depression rearing it's ugly head again, but some good, like a promotion at work ! Which did shovel a lot of things on me. My muses have been absent for quite a few months, but as I pre-write this (July 1) I am ON VACATION and I am hoping to chase down those little buggers again. I do believe I have vanquished this bout of depression, too - or at least I hope so.

But that's not what you're here for, right ? You're here for SHINY THINGS ! Yes, yes.

The package I received from Lisa consisted of brown, white and green ceramic beads. Immediately I thought of... mint chocolate ice cream. XD; But then I remembered I had an amazing focal that would work so well with these... What is summer without dragonflies buzzing over the lake of your cabin, after all ?

So, my season is definitively summer ! The fact that I am a summer baby certainly helps, too. :)

So, first of all... I made a necklace.

Isn't it lovely ? The dragonfly stamping was hand-painted and antiqued, mixed with a mjx of amber, spectra beads, and czech glass. The second biggest round beads are from my kit, and the biggest lampwork bead was made just for this piece by my amazing friend Donna Millard <3

And I found the most darling little dragonfly clasp to match it !

Isn't that adorable ? Like it's bigger sister, this dragonfly was painted and antiqued by me. The copper wire is pure copper, and will darken in time.

Not content with only doing one piece and having beads from my kit left over, I made a matching bracelet.

Wait, Audrey, I hear you say. That is a bracelet ??? Why, yes it is ! I like big, chunky jewelry, and that adorable little ceramic focal (from The Classic Bead) needed some buddies to hang out with. The large pebbles are from my kit.

It is worn like so, wrapping over the wrist once and closing on the front.

And what i like to do is cross the strands and tuck the clasp under the focal neatly. The focal still has enough movement that it can be lifted for easy access to the clasp.