Stringing Fool: Beads

Showing posts with label Beads. Show all posts

Thursday, December 3, 2020

Happy Beads Blog Hop! 2020

Has it been Two Years?

Pine Ridge Treasures is sponsoring a new Happy Beads Blog Hop. And I am saddling up and taking part. A number of things have gotten in the way of making jewelry, and keeping up this blog. But here we are starting off again.

Lisa Lodge has sent out new collections of beads to inspire, and cheer us all up, and I am finally retired from my job after 37 years, so away we go.....

I chose beads in the purple/ violet color family. Yum! And look, there's some coordinating waxed linen thread!

When this assortment arrived, I immediately noticed a few big round beads and said: "Earrings'!" And, that's what they turned out to be.

I don't consider these completely finished, as I need to glue and trim the connection to the wire.

But after the first earrings, the necklace and bracelet were sure to follow.

And another pair of earrings. Hope you enjoy!

So there you have it! I'm back to making jewelry!

Your hostess: Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Kim Dworak Cianci Blue

Heather Canepa, Desert Jewelry Designs

---- >Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool Jewelry (you are here)

Shaiha Williams, Shaiha’s Ramblings

Ann Schroeder, Bead Love

Kari Asbury, Design Challenges

Therese Frank, Therese's Treasures

Linda Anderson, From the Beadboard of...

Lisa Prewitt Knappenberger, LiRaysa Designs

Ellen Newcombe Gravante, TBD

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Pine Ridge Treasures: Black and White Blog Hop

Adventures in Monochrome

Lisa Lodge, of Pine Ridge Treasures is hosting another blog hop, this one has a black and white theme.

As usual, the participants received a selection of beads and other items, like findings and charms, to spark our creativity.

My set contained light blue and white glass pearls, black teardrop beads, and an assortment of other goodies. I did not take a picture of the beads because I lost my head when I saw these components, and immediately made these earrings.

The square ceramic dangles, and the snowflake obsidian cube beads were just perfect for this pair of earrings.

I let everything sit for a while, and during that time I acquired some things at a bead show. A little bag of pewter ovals lead to my quickly assembling this necklace, and then some matching earrings, too.

This is a pretty long necklace, but it is light and comfortable to wear, perfect for summer. You can get some idea of the length, here:

It's about 18 inches from the charms at the bottom, to the over-sized clasp and its little charm. I just love the look of the stone, metal and the little silver key. And the oval links are just perfect with the components of the kit. Some gunmetal colored chain carries the black and white theme to the body of the necklace. I love the way all the little charms I created from the components compliment each other.

Of course I had to make some extra earrings, and use the blue pearls.

I was surprised at my own ability to use this limited palette to create pieces that were such fun to wear. I know, because I've worn them.

Would you like to see the other pieces the participants have made? Click on these links!

Your hostess: Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Kim Dworak, Cianci Blue

Shaiha Williams, Shaiha’s Ramblings

Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool Jewelry <-----You are here

Marde Lowe, Fancimardesigns

Kari Asbury, Hippie Chick Design

Karin Grosset Grange, Ginkgo et Coquelicot

Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera

Rosee Hanemaayer, Silver Penny Artisans

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Grow Your Blog!

Another opportunity to see who is out there, and make new friends.

Self Portrait taken for the Focus on Life Challenge.

Last year, I happened upon a blog hop aimed at helping us spread the word about our blogs, and maybe even get new followers. Vicki at 2 Bags Full hosts the "Grow Your Blog" hop, and it is quite an endeavor.

So, here we are, and I hope that you are enjoying your hop!

I started my blog when I decided that I wanted to communicate with more people who had an interest in hand crafted jewelry. I participated in my first jewelry blog hops, and joined several Facebook groups. Then I joined a photography challenge that went on for TWO years! Currently, I am participating in Shelley Graham Turner's CREATE. SHARE. INSPIRE challenge.

Some of my interests include making Jewelry, Creating in Polymer Clay, Photography (especially birds and flowers) our Family, Pets, Cooking, and anything else that sparks my interest.

How would you like this mug to hold your pens, pencils or paintbrushes? You can win it by leaving a comment below. The winner will be chosen at random on February 17. The mug is covered in polymer clay.

You can read more about how it was made here.

Here are some other recent projects.

Jewelry Display at Christkindlmarkt, Port Jervis NY

Fruit Cake. 100% fresh fruit.

Polymer Clay Beads, Made to match the scarf in the picture.

Queen Ann's Lace

Orioles on the Apple Tree.

Holiday Pins, made of Polymer Clay!

More Polymer Pins.

Colorful Fungus!

Old Clemson Bros. Building, Middletown, NY

Special order Pendant.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Focus on Life: Color - My Favorite!

What IS my favorite Color?

I have problems with any question that starts "What is your favorite ______?" So when Sally Russick prompted us to use our favorite colors to fulfill this week's Focus on Life challenge I said "But I don't have a favorite color!!!"

And truthfully, I love lots of colors, and combinations of colors. So I decided to go with turquoise (or maybe it's aqua). I do love this color that also is the name of a gem stone that is not always the color we recognize as turquoise. I happen to gravitate to this color to wear, both in clothes and in jewelry. And I am perfectly okay with the fact that much of the jewelry made with stones colored turquoise is dyed. As long as it looks good, and the color does not fade, I'm good with it.

Everywhere I look, there is a piece of my wardrobe, looking good in my favorite color.

And on my crafting table....

Polymer clay, commercial plastic, and dyed howlite.

I love all colors, so I am excited to see what the other participants have chosen. Join me?

An InLinkz Link-up

Friday, July 11, 2014

Let's Celebrate! Celebrate the Season.

More Food. Summer's bounty!

Can you handle another week of food pics? This is the way I celebrate the season. Sally Russick sent us another celebration prompt for this week's inspiration. I found a way to get even fresher produce than the Farmer's Market ...because this is the farm where they are grown, and it's right down the road from where I work.

Garlic scapes, shell peas, and green beans. and a peek at the lettuce

My friend Lynn and her daughter Tyler help out every Tuesday

Had to sneak in a picture of the summer bounty I have produced with the help of Heather Powers of Humble beads. I am taking her Art of Color Polymer Clay Bootcamp Class.

What other summer celebrations have we found?

An InLinkz Link-up

Friday, June 20, 2014

Focus on life: Finding the Fun in Photography - Be Colorful

I Have Been playing with Color since Monday!!

Colorful:

a)full of interest; lively and exciting.

b)having much or varied color; bright.

This week I have been participating in Heather Powers' Art of Color Polymer Clay Boot Camp, learning to mix clay colors, create color palettes, and best of all...making beads!

So When Sally Russick sent us our prompt for Focus on Life, I was all in on Being Colorful!

First a little Color Theory:

Here are two color wheels we constructed from either cyan, yellow and magenta, or red, yellow and blue.

Then, we took complimentary colors from one of the wheels, and constructed a complementary palette.

We mixed the colors chosen with black, white, gray, and each other.

After doing a few test beads, I tried making some beads that coordinate with a scarf I like.

Two sections of the scarf.

And here are the beads that were inspired by the colors of the scarf.

Hey, I like them!

Let's see what aspects of color the others have worked with. If you are interested in finding out more about Heather's class, you can visit her website HumbleBeads.

An InLinkz Link-up

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Summer Color Surprise Blog Hop

It's here, it's here!

The Summer Color Surprise Blog Hop is here!

And I almost missed it! Lisa Lodge of A Grateful Artist - Pine Ridge Treasures announced this Blog Hop months ago. I signed up and ordered my beads. I've been gazing at them from time to time ever since. Adding and subtracting the beads to add from my stash.

And then... I stopped. August 24 was sooooo far away. Then this afternoon, thankfully, I saw a Facebook posting by Lisa, inviting people to her blog hop. Tomorrow. Saturday! So I got busy! Fortunately, everything was together, and I was able to make a bracelet and two pairs of earrings with no problem. The bracelet started life as a necklace in my mind, but I think it makes a better bracelet! This photography could be better, but that's what you get when you wait until the last minute!

The lovely beads Lisa Sent me
Ceramic Beads by Shatera

The base beads, plus some I was trying out with them

With the lovely palette I had starting out, I did not need to add much. I was not sure what I would do with the lovely floral links, since I wanted to string the bracelet on wire, but just wait!