Spring Surprises Challenge from Znet Shows!

Some of you may remember I have participated in design challenges from ZnetShows. They have put out a call to the design team once again, and I was lucky enough to be selected! (It truly was luck this time, as they pulled names out of a hat!)

I figured I would receive a few beads and make some pretties. My jaw dropped when I received the package from Znet; the amount of beads they sent was incredible!

A selection of their cultured sea glass!

And a mountain of different crystal shapes, sizes and colors!

I have already created some pieces for our reveal, which will be in the ZnetShows spring Glossi. When the issue is available for viewing, I will surely let you know!

ZnetShows 7000 Bracelets For Hope Lightning Round

Wow, it has been way too long since I have updated my blog. Once the school year starts, my time is precious, and this poor blog is one of the casualties of this fall!

A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted as part of the ZnetShows Design Team to participate in a charitable creative endeavor. It was decided that we would create a bracelet for 7000 Bracelets For  Hope, part of the Global Genes Project, an organization I worked with last year when my students needed some community service hours. This organization works to raise awareness and offer support to the thousands of rare diseases that do not receive as much attention as other, more noted diseases. They ask jewelry artists to donate blue bracelets to be given to someone who has been affected by a rare disease or disorder.

Using some beautiful blue crystals and teeny 3mm glass pearls, I created a bracelet that also featured some of my torch enameled beads in a soothing shade of blue.

The crystals are Turquoise colored 6 x 4mm chinese crystals, while the glass pearls are a color called "Montana" (Color K0735). While ZnetShows offered to send me *more* blue beads for this challenge, they were so generous during the sea glass challenge last spring, that I had plenty left in these colors to create a bracelet. I couldn't ask for better colors to complement my enameled beads!

I will be sending the bracelet out in the next day or so. If you are interested in donating a blue bracelet to the cause, please see their website for the information and requirements. Also, be sure to visit ZnetShows when you are looking for Chinese crystals and glass pearls! Please let them know that you found them through their 7000 Bracelets For Hope Challenge!

ZnetShows Partner Picks Summer Challenge Reveal!

Well, it's been a heck of a few weeks since I signed up for this challenge! I selected some beads to be sent to my partner, Kay of Kayzcreationz, and she sent me a very pretty grouping of beads!

I knew I would be busy with the end of school, but figured once it was out, I could design my heart away...then, I broke my right hand. Yep, I'm right-handed.

This is what can happen when you take on a sidewalk and gravity at the same time, kids.

Before I even really had time to adjust to my new left-handedness, my mother had to be rushed to the hospital and was very ill for a few days with a nasty infection. She's still there, but is supposed to thankfully come home Monday--4 weeks later! So to say that I have been busy with non-jewelry matters is an understatement.

But I'm also stubborn. ;)

While I can't do any great wire work right now, or too much knotting, I can make basic loops and strung pieces with my left hand, using my right as little as possible. Who knew?

So without further delay, here are the pieces that I was able to create for the ZnetShows Challenge. I apologize for the pictures, which I had to take on the fly (like most everything these days!).

I loved the orange sea glass diamonds, and they reminded me of a blazing sunset. Since the theme is built around summer and the beach, I added the blue large hole crystals, and one of my own iridescent clear drops for sparkle. I love how these turned out!

Next, I wanted to use more of the green crackle agate, which I love, love, love! These earrings can be worn any time of year, not just for summer.

My final piece, which took a bit longer than normal, is the necklace built around the focal chosen for me by my partner. When I saw it, I immediately had a vision for it, and I came pretty close! I used the pewter fish and sea-foam green pebbles to accent the focal. For the necklace, I paired some glass rice pearls in a sandy brown with more of the pebbles. I finished it off with some copper chain, because I wanted to keep the brown theme...but now I am wondering how it would look with silver?

Complete necklace

 

Close up of the focal

 I'd like to invite you to see the rest of the designers' reveals on the ZnetShows blog. A special shout out goes to Hope Smithermen, of Crafty Hope, who helped to organize this swap and blog hop!

ZnetShows Partner Picks Preview!

Once again the generous people at ZnetShows have created another design challenge. This time we were paired up with another artist, who got to select an assortment of beads from ZnetShows stock to send to us. And since it's summertime, the theme has to do with summer and the beach.

All of the designers will be holding a blog hop this Saturday, July 6^th. For now here is a preview of what my partner sent to me. I was paired up with Kay from KayzKreationz. Here is what Kay chose to send to me!

Crystal, sea glass & fishies!

Shell focal

Coordinating beads!

Make sure to stop back on July 6 to see what I create!

ZNet Shows Diamonds in the Rough Reveal!

If you follow this little blog o' mine, you may remember that I was part of the design team that was selected to  play with the new sea glass components from Znet Shows. Well, they are an extremely generous group of people, because I was also allowed to partake in their newest design endeavor; taking some overlooked wholesale beads, and giving them some fresh life.

I was allowed to chose from a long list of beads that were being passed over, and Znet sent me a huge collection of beads to play with for free! Every beader's dream, right? You can also enter to win a gift certificate from Znet Shows, so you can play with some of their cool beads--check out the end of this post for how!

One of the first stones I wanted were the carnelian flats. They were perfectly organic in their irregular shapes and the color was beautiful and deep. The warmth of the stones begged to be coupled with some lighter, more feminine components, including a lovely mauve shell pendant.

 

Here is a close-up of the pendant. I added an opalescent quartz nugget to make it more 3-dimensional.

Below are a pair of matching earrings, which are surprisingly light, for having the big chunky carnelian beads. I made some copper ear wires to finish them off.

For the next piece, I knotted the rhyolite nuggets on some irish waxed linen, and used one of my own lampwork beads as a focal.

 

Next I grabbed some of the round tiger's eye beads, and made some funky, freeform earrings. A photo can't quite catch how fun these are, since they have a ton of movement to them!

I also grabbed some tiger's eye, this time in a cube shape, to make this funky, tribal, bib collar necklace. It's strung on a piece of black rat tail, so the bib can be the star of the show!

Finally, I was able to craft one more necklace. I wanted to use another of the gorgeous shell flower pendants that I was sent. What came to mind was a perfect necklace for summer. Shimmering whites, with a hint of mauve from the pearls, perfect to with that little sundress you've been waiting to wear!

I did not get to all of the beautiful beads that were sent my way--there were so many of them! I also received some tiny bamboo coral rounds, some poppy jasper rounds, cool grey fire agate beads, and a pair of smaller flower pendants.

If you want to see the actual beads, click on the links above...and if you fall in love and buy some pretties, tell them Rachel sent you!

Now, if you would like to get some chances to win a $20 gift certificate from Znet Shows, check out the Diamonds in the Rough Top 20 vote on Facebook! Click on an individual picture, then click "like" to vote for it--and you can vote for more than one! Good luck!

Design Time for ZNet Shows!

If you didn't see my recent post, I was selected by ZNet Shows to receive some free Cultured Sea Glass Beads in order to design some pieces for this new bead line. Isn't that any beader's dream?

The generous selection of Sea Glass beads and pendants!

 Despite a crazy schedule, I was able to create four pieces; two earring pairs and 2 necklaces. I have another necklace design dancing in my head, but sadly, haven't been able to sit down and bring it to fruition, and the deadline is today.

When I sat down to start my designs, I thought about the purpose of the creations...they are supposed to showcase the Sea Glass, so that other beaders can get ideas on how to utilize the beads. So I put my pride away and focused on making the Sea Glass the stars of the show.

The first pair of earrings are simple, but I love them! Two rectangle pendants, with accenting blue rounds, wrapped and joined to silver ear wires.

Next, I used two of the dagger shaped beads and black crystals for the second set of earings. These were wire-wrapped on some rosy copper, and I made some simple coordinating ear wires to finish the earrings off.

For the first necklace, I stacked two of the pendants to create one, more substantial pendant, which was wrapped onto a bail and added to some silver chain. I accented the necklace with some more of the shaped sea glass, and made the necklace adjustable by using a lobster clasp and more chain. I would definitely wear this with a pretty sundress on a summer day!

With the second necklace, I wanted to make use of some of the crystals that ZNet sent, just because I can't resist anything sparkly. I'm not much of a girly-girl, but sparkles are a favorite. So I wrapped individual crystals and created a chain, with the toggle clasp off to the side. The pendant on this necklace is simple--again I wanted to showcase how easy it is to make something beautiful with these beads!

I can't thank ZNet Shows enough for their generous offer and the opportunity to get to design with some of their beads. Please check out their ZNet Shows Facebook page or ZNet Shows' blog about the challenge to see some of the other beautiful creations by other artists!