I'm late, I'm late, for a very important (reveal) date...

A Very Merry Unbirthday Party!

 

Please accept my humble apology for being so very late to this party.  Circumstances of my life last week made my brain mush and the party slipped my mind.  But enough about that, that's for a later post, let's get on with the PARTY!

 

Just what the heck is a Very Merry Unbirthday?  Well, it's a swap and hop to celebrate your birthday even if your birthday isn't in the month that we d the swap.  Make sense?  So you send your partner jewelry in her birthstone colors and she does the same.  There you have it, fun UN birthday gifts for all!

 

I am a November birthday girl and so my birthstone is topaz.  I remember as a child how much I disliked my yellow birthstone, lol.  Then somewhere in my twenties blue topaz became an acceptable alternative to the traditional yellow and I no longer hated my birthstone.  As I have aged I have learned to like the yellow topaz almost as much as the blue. 

 

My partner for this swap was the talented and very generous Renetha of Lamplight Crafts. Renetha sent me this very lovely package.  I wish I would have thought to include a card for her in the package I sent (next time I will remember to do this).  Thank you so very much for these thoughtful gifts Renetha :).

 

The gift bag contained these lovely little packages...

 

And inside those were these TWO very yummy pairs of earrings...

Don't you just love this fall colored bling?  These are have citrine drops, ruby gemstone rondelles, and those mirrory 24k gold fumed lampwork beads.

 

Pretty sure I will be wearing these blue blingies all through spring and summer!  This pair features blue topaz drops, light blue lampwork beads by Studio Jules and silver plated findings.  By the way, I have to mention I really like these earring cards too.

 

Thanks also to Shelley and Marlene for putting this all together.  And, if you weren't already aware Shelley also heads up a noble cause, JillysBeadPosse  on facebook, head on over there to see what it's all about.

 

Oh, and don't forget to visit the other participants in the hop if you haven't already! 

 

 Ali McCarthy www.northwoodscreativestudio.blogspot.com  You are here

Alicia Marinache www.allprettythings.ca

Anzia Parks www.anzipanzisworkshoppe.blogspot.com

Audrey Belanger www.esperianterra.blogspot.ca

Cheri Reed www.creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com

Cheryl Dunham www.renaissance-jewelry.blogspot.com

Chris Eisenberg www.wanderware.blogspot.com

Christine Schlicht http://www.marshellswaps.blogspot.com/p/visiting-bloggers-reveal-day.html

Cynthia Machata www.antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com

D Lynne Bowland www.islandgirlsinsights.blogspot.ca

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell www.deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com

Gina Hockett www.freestyleelements.blogspot.com

Ginger Bishop www.lilmummylikes.blogspot.com

Gloria Allen www.gloriaallendesigns.blogspot.com

Janeen Burlingame www.facebook.com/janeen.burlingame

Joana Perez Stribel www.facebook.com/lasjoyasdejana

Lori Schneider www.Beadaddicted.blogspot.com

Mary Govaars www.mlhjewelrydesigns.com

Mischelle Fanucchi www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.com

Paula Gaskill www.lovelylaylabugsjewelry.blogspot.com

Renetha Stanziano www.lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com

Robin Reed www.willowdragon.blogspot.com

Sherry Baun www.unicornsjewels.blogspot.com

Shirley Moore www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com

Sierra Barrett www.giraffecanhas.wordpress.com

Susan Bowie www.susanbowie.wordpress.com

Susie Harris www.jewelleryjunkie.blogspot.com

Mowse Doyle www.mowsemadethis.blogspot.com

Cindy Muse www.facebook.com/mritech813

Ellie Grossman http://www.marshellswaps.blogspot.com/p/visiting-bloggers-reveal-day.html

Marlene Cupo www.amazingdesigns-Marlene.blogspot.com

Shelley Graham Turner www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com

 



Hopped It!

Whew, I don't know how Lori manages to assemble this whole project, manage the people, hop all over and participate!  But we are oh so thankful that she does, because it has been a blast so far.

 I was a part of the second reveal and just finished up hopping through all the participants of this round.   Soooo much inspiration and creativity out there.  Found more people's work to admire and more blogs to follow.  A special thank you to those of you who posted the links list on your blog, made my hopping easier :).  And an even bigger, warm and heartfelt thank you to all those who left lovely comments on my reveal post and also to those who have started following me now.  I hope to start replying to those kind comments tomorrow.

I wish I could have commented on everyone's blogs, but I found myself running out of things to say and didn't want my comments to sound canned.  Please don't be offended if I haven't left a comment, my brain just got overwhelmed by designs and couldn't find anymore words. 

I started the hop on Saturday morning while I rode my stationary bike and walked the treadmill.  Amazing how long you can exercise when you are distracted by something more fun and interesting!  I will have to blog a bit about my trying to get in shape sometime in the future.  I continued hopping yesterday until Blogger wouldn't let me anyway, I was beginning to think I broke Blogger, it wouldn't let me back in.  And so I finished up throughout the day today and tonite.  I would have finished sooner, but we had a sunny, breezy, 70 degree day today so I had to spend some time outside with my hands in the dirt starting to clean up my gardens.  Oooo and my daffodils finally started blooming yesterday, I should have taken some pics of those today.  Hopefully there are still some blooming when the sun shines again, it's supposed to rain the next couple of days so we shall see.

One more reveal date to go next week for the BSBP.  I'm so hyped from all the hopping I think I will stay up and bead a bit.

7th Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal

I'm so excited and honored to have been a part to the 7th Bead Soup Blop Party.  Huge hugs and thanks to our very organized, patient and kind hostess Lori Anderson of Pretty Things.  You can read more about the BSBP on Lori's blog, see the link above.  This is a gigantic event to organize with over 500 participants from I don't even know how many countries.  That's is why there were three seperate reveal dates, so you would have time to visit all the fab participants.

Also a great big thank you to my swap partner April Grinaway of the Brooklyn Bead Goddess.  April sent a huge helping of yummy soup for me to work with.  She a is fanastic lampworker and sent me many of her awesome handcrafted beads.  I hope I have done at least some of them justice.  Be sure to visit Brooklyn Bead Goddess to see what she made with what I sent her.

A reminder of the spectacualr soup I got from April.

 

I know everyone has a ton of blogs they want to visit this weekend so I will try to keep the rest of my post light on text and heavy on pics.

 

The first piece incorporates the copper focal that April sent and many of her beads, along with some copper tubes I enameled in purple and added some dots of glass to.

Here is the first piece modeled by my daughter.  Aren't those hematite cones cool?

 

The second piece looks a little square when laid out but because parts of it are strung on SoftFlex it lies nicely around the wrist.  Great lampwork beads by Brooklyn Bead Goddess and also the clasp she sent.

Modeled again by my daughter.  LOVE that yellow bead, note the trapped air bubbles in the purple.

See, it's really not square like it looks on the table, lol.

 

A simple pair of earrings to go with the necklace and bracelet, or just about anything else really. 

 

 

This last piece is a bit of a "fail".  It didn't turn out as I intended or envisioned but after reworking it twice I set it aside as is.  After lots of rethinking on the concept of it's construction, I think I may have actually figured it out.  When I get it right I will post new pics of it here.  Here it is as it sits now.

 

The "circles" on the sides are not hanging in a nice circular shape as I had planned.  I think I may have a solution figured out though.  I really like this concept, so I'm not giving up on it yet :).  I love these beads by April and I vow to do them justice.  Everytime I look at or play with these beads I keep asking myself  "why don't I own any yellow beads except these?", they are really stunning.

 

Hope you rested up last night.  There is a long list of fun below, so grab a cuppa someting and get hopping :).

 

Agata Grygiel	http://inny-pamietnik.blogspot.com/
Ali McCarthy	www.northwoodscreativestudio.blogspot.com  You are here!
Alice Craddick	http://www.alicesbeadsandbaubles.blogspot.com/
Amy Severino	www.amybeads.blogspot.com
Ana Krepel	http://catspajamas-dogstuxedos.blogspot.com/
Andra Weber	www.andrasjoyfuljourney.blogspot.com
Andrea Glick	http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/
Andrea Trank	www.heavenlanecreations.com
Anitra Gordy Boyers	www.LeeLuCreations.blogspot.com
Annette Rivers	http://mamaowlsmess.blogspot.com/
Anu Tuppurainen	http://koti-ilta.blogspot.fi/
April Grinaway	http://brooklynbeadgoddess.blogspot.com/
Audrey Bélanger	http://esperianterra.blogspot.ca/
B.R.Kuhlman	http://www.mixedmayhemstudios.com
Barbara Bechtel	http://secondsurf.com
Barbara Mason	www.Adorninglyyours.com
Becky Pancake	www.beckypancakebeaddesigns.blogspot.com
Beti Horvath	www.stringingfool.blogspot.com
Billi RS Rothove	http://www.billi-rs-rothove.blogspot.com
Bobbie Rafferty	www.beadsong.blogspot.com
Brandi Burdick	http://www.tofallorstumbleupon.com/
Candida Castleberry	http://spunsugarbeadworks.blogspot.com/
Carol Dillman	http://dillmansdallies.blogspot.com/
Carolyn Gebert	http://kookykardinal.blogspot.com/
Carolyn Lawson	www.carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
Caron Reid	http://www.caronmichelle.blogspot.com.au/
Catherine King	www.Catherines-Musings.blogspot.com
Cathy Jakicic	http://bds.jewelrymakingmagazines.com/
Chandra Merod	www.junipergoods.blogspot.com
Charlene Jacka	http://clay-space.com/blog
Cheri Reed	www.creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com
Cherrie Fick	www.designsinthelight.co
Cherrie Warzocha	http://colorsofshae.blogspot.com/
Cheryl Brown	www.dragonflybeads.ca/category/blog
Cheryl Dunham	www.Renaissance-jewelry.blogspot.com
Cheryl Foiles	www.getyourbeadon.com
Cheryl Gangle	www.RockCandyJewelryDesign.blogspot.com
Chris Eisenberg	www.wanderware.blogspot.com
Chris White	http://dzeyenrstudio.blogspot.com/
Christina Miles	http://wingsnscales.blogspot.com/
Christine Murrow	www.charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com
Cindy Ritchie	http://mooseriverglass.blogspot.com
Clare Etheridge	www.catseatdogs.com
Cory Tompkins	www.tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com
Cris Peacock	http://crispart.blogspot.com/
Cynthia Abner	http://createdtreasures.blogspot.com/
Debbie Rasmussen	http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.ca/
Debi Levine	http://oneheartsblog.blogspot.co.il/
Deborah Brooks	http://www.fromtheheartcreations.blogspot.com/
Deborah Read	www.deborahreadcom.blogspot.com
Debra Behrends	http://www.hopefuljourneys.blogspot.com/
Dorota Żerańska	www.gdymamczas.blogspot.com
Elaine Robitaille	http://www.tooaquarius.com
Elsie Deliz-Fonseca	http://www.ladelizchica.blogspot.com/
Emma Todd	www.apolymerpenchant.com
Erin Guest	http://www.renlish.com
Evelyn Shelby	http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/
Evie and Beth McCord	http://www.ebbeadandmetalworks.blogspot.com
Francy Inman	http://www.8secondstudio.blogspot.com/
Ginger Bishop	www.lilmummylikes.blogspot.com
Gloria Allen	http://gloriaallendesigns.blogspot.com
Hajer Waheed	http://mybeadedworld.wordpress.com/
Hope Smitherman	http://CraftyHope.blogspot.com
Ilenia Ruzza	http://ile1974.blogspot.it/
Ilona Hegedűs	http://ilkabeads.blogspot.com
Ine Vande Cappelle	http://jewelsbyine.blogspot.com
Jackie Ryan	http://kydojewellery.blogspot.co.uk/
Janine Lucas	http://www.esfera.me/travel/blog/travel-stories
Jean Peter	http://jeanpdesigns.blogspot.com/
Jean Wells	http://jeanawells.blogspot.com/
Jeanne Steck	http://gemsbyjeannemarie.blogspot.com/
Jelveh Jaferian Johnson	www.jelvehdesigns.blogspot.com
Jennifer Cabic	www.jennifercabic.blogspot.com
Jennifer Reno	http://jenrenjewelry.blogspot.com
Jennifer VanBenschoten	http://www.vanbeads.blogspot.com
Jenny Davies-Reazor	www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog
Jenny Kyrlach	http://anafiassa.blogspot.com/
Jenny Robledo	http://peppasdream.blogspot.com/
Jessica Brower	http://ifcreations.blogspot.com
Jill MacKay	www.jillmackay.com
JJ Jacobs	www.comingabstractions.blogspot.com
Jo-Ann Woolverton	www.itsabeadifulcreation.blogspot.ca
Joanne Tinley	http://www.daisychaindesignsjewellery.blogspot.com/
Johanna Rhodes Nash	http://firephoenixcreations.blogspot.co.uk/
Judy Robinson	http://woodbeads.wordpress.com
Juli Cannon	www.beadnik.net
Julia Gerlach	www.beadandbutton.com/beadbuzz
Julie Bowen	http://blog.autochthonous-evolved.com
Julie Panusis	http://catsmeowco.blogspot.com
K Hutchinson	http://jumbledhutch.wordpress.com
Karen Martinez	http://fairiesmarket.blogspot.com/
Karen Vincent	www.swallowtailjewellery.blogspot.com
Karen Williams	http://www.baublicious.blogspot.com/
Karin Slaton	www.backstorybeads.blogspot.com
Karyn Bonfiglio	http://plussizebangles.com/blog
Kat Douglas	www.Washoekat.blogspot.com
Kate Dufour	http://mixfolios.wordpress.com/
Kate Mulligan	http://mulliganstewjewelry.blogspot.com/
Kate Richbourg	www.katerichbourg.com
Kathleen Gallant	http://partnersincharms.blogspot.com
Kathleen Lange Klik	http://ModernNatureStudio.blogspot.com
Katie Nielsen-Nunez	www.Vikingcraft.blogspot.com
Kay Bolton	http://www.toodlesandbinks.blogspot.com
Kayla Potega	http://www.teejewelry.blogspot.com
Kelli Jacobson	http://www.CreativeMoonJewelryAndThings.com
Kelly Patterson	http://travelingsideshow.blogspot.com
Kelly Ramstack	http://adventureswithkelly.blogspot.com
Kiersten Kern	http://myglassbeadlife.blogspot.com/
Kim Sparks	http://beadabunch.blogspot.com/
Klaudete Koon	http://klaudetekoon.blogspot.com/
Klaudia Tóth	http://www.klaudiabizsu.hu/
Krista French	http://expressyourfaith.webs.com/apps/blog/
Kristin Oppold	http://www.yayjewelry.blogspot.com
Kym Hunter	http://kymhunterdesigns.blogspot.com/
Lana Kinney	http://somethinguniquebylana.blogspot.ca
Laura Guenther	www.blueantiquities.blogspot.com
Lauren Fenty	http://laurenbeads.blogspot.com/
Leah Curtis	http://beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.co.uk/
Lennis Carrier	www.windbent.wordpress.com
Linda Murphy	www.bonitabead.blogspot.com
Lisa Johnson	http://whimsyswonders.blogspot.com/
Lori Anderson	www.prettythingsblog.com
Lupe Meter	http://gesmpccorner.blogspot.com/
Lynn Jobber	http://thecreativeklutz.blogspot.co.uk/
Mandi Effron	http://craft-o-licious.blogspot.com/
Marcia Dunne	www.thealternativefoundry.blogspot.com
Margareta Saari	http://magsinhelmet.blogspot.fi/
Marianne Baxter	www.simplyseablimejewelry.blogspot.com
Marie Covert	http://thistledown-and-swaddlings.blogspot.com/
Mary Ellen Parker	www.beetreebyme.blogspot.com
Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens	http://www.glassbeadart.blogspot.com
Megan Milliken	www.maemaemills.blogspot.com
Melissa Meman	http://melissameman.blogspot.com
Melissa Mesara	http://one-earedpig.blogspot.com/
Michaela Pabeschitz	http://der-lamardebonita.blogspot.co.at/
Michelle Tucker	http://michellescreativemusings.blogspot.com/
Mimi Gardner	www.OtherCuriosities.blogspot.com
Mischelle Fanucchi	http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com/
Monica Phillips	http://www.monicaglassandjewelry.com/blog
Mowse Doyle	http://mowsemadethis.blogspot.com/
Nancy Boylan	www.snazzydoodle.blogspot.com
Nancy Dale	www.nedbeads.blogspot.com
Pat Haight	http://wigglebuttblog.blogspot.com/
Patina Queen	www.patinaqueenstudio.blogspot.com
Patty Miller	http://cabaribeads.blogspot.com/
Pia Kaven	http://piakaven.blogspot.com
Rebecca Anderson	http://songbeads.blogspot.com
Rose Johnson	http://swtrosethorn.blogspot.com
Roxanne Blanc	http://strikesmyfancy-2013.blogspot.com/
Sarah Goode	www.pookledo.blogspot.com
Sarah Singer	http://singingsongsofsixpence.blogspot.co.uk
Sarah Strover	http://beaupepys.blogspot.com
Shalini Austin	http://jewellery-by-shalini.blogspot.co.uk/
Sherri Stokey	www.KnotJustMacrame.com
Sherry Baun	http://www.unicornsjewels.blogspot.com
Sheryl Stephens	http://www.babblebead.blogspot.com
Silvia Sernicola	http://pipa-the-latest.blogspot.it/
Solange Collin	http://www.blog.ahowinjewelry.com
Stacie Florer	http://www.soultosubstance.com
Stacy Alderson	http://iridalsattic.blogspot.co.uk
Stephanie Haussler	www.pixybugdesigns.blogspot.com
Stephanie LaRosa	www.stringaholic.blogspot.com
Sue Burleigh	http://sagebreezes.blogspot.com/
Susan Bowie	http://susanbowie.wordpress.com/
Susan Kelly	http://midlifegreaterexpectations.blogspot.com
Susan of Libellula Jewelry	www.libellulajewelry.com
Susan Sheehan	http://susanasheehan.blogspot.com/
Suzanne Fragiacomo	www.glassymom.blogspot.com
Tammi Sloan	www.mybrownwren.blogspot.com
Tammie Everly	http://ttedesigns.blogspot.com
Tania Hagen	http://pelimadesign.blogspot.co.nz/
Tania Spivey	www.moobiegracedesigns.blogspot.com
Tanya Goodwin	www.pixiloo.blogspot.com
Tanya Wiles	http://studioblog.tenebroushollow.com
Tari Kahrs	http://pearlandpebble.blogspot.com/
Theresa Buchle	http://www.bead-mused.blogspot.com
Tiffany Smith	http://southerngalsdesign.blogspot.com
Tina Holden	http://beadcomber.blogspot.com
Tracey Nanstad	http://abeadifulmess.blogspot.com/
Tracie Dean	http://homeofthepurskey.blogspot.com
Tracy Bell	www.CopperGlassAndRecycledTrash.blogspot.com
Tracy Kruse	http://goldkissesart.blogspot.com/
Veralynne Malone	www.veradesigns.blogspot.com
Veronica Campos-Hallstrom	http://www.clubcreativestudio.wordpress.com

Facebook Participants


D’Arsie Manzella
Claire Brannigan Hasemeier
Robin Showstack
Melanie Lemen Swope
Beccy Peterson
Kelli Nelson
Chris Schlicht
Shelley Cole-Kuduk