Sunday, March 9, 2014

Gettin' my MOJO back...

well...kinda. =)  A few weeks ago, I found this awesome website (http://humblebeads.blogspot.com/2014/03/mojo-challenge-week-3-back-to-school.html)  which offered some ways to challenge yourself in your jewelry making abilities.  They suggested joining a "challenge" and while I'm doing "BeadSoup", I wanted something with a little more instant gratification?  Anyway, so this week's theme was to "Learn Something New"

A few weeks before this, Swarovski (my most favoritest company on the planet) announced their new colors and products for the season.  One of the new colors is called "Crystal Iridescent Green".  Doesn't sound terribly fantastic but my oh my!  The pearls with this color are AMAZE-BALLS!!

In my haste to get my hands on some of these babies, I ordered some pearls which I didn't realize were "half drilled".  As the name suggests.... they're only drilled half way through.  Seems like not a big deal, but it is kinda.  I didn't have *any* idea of what to use to make these little babies work for me.  I searched high and low using "eye screw" "screw cap" "eye bead cap" "screw eye bead cap" - nothing worked.  WELL - come to find out - it didn't work because it's not a "screw" or "eye" it's a "peg".  Grrrrr - how would *I* know that?!  Yeah, I wouldn't.  thanks.

SOOOOOO I finally found some GORGEOUS "peg bead caps" and I was off and running.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/182075251/classic-crystal-green-gold-dangle
















Aren't they INCREDIBLE?!



These pearls are drilled all the way through (which is typically how I purchase my beads)

Swarovski Crystal Iridescent Green Pearls AND Bicones


























So whaddya think?

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Jewelry Design MOJO:

So here's the Challenge...I started at week 3 (I'm actually already in 2 other challenges and have a HUGE bead soup challenge on the way, too!)....but am excited to see where I end up with this!  Thanks, HumbleBeads and ArtBeadScene!






Friday, March 7, 2014

My partner....

for the BeadSoupBlogParty is...... Lisa!!  Check out her blog right here: http://spudandmrsbutters.blogspot.com  I LOVE the name =)  Can't wait to get to know her.  Hooray!

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Bead Soup - Year 2!

Some of you may remember, around this time last year, I started talking about "BeadSoup" -well...it's upon us again!  BeadSoup started as a facebook group of women who were jewelry makers/designers and decided to swap beads and see what they could all do.  What an INCREDIBLE idea!

Last year, I participated in my first Soup and was matched with a woman from Kentucky.  She stretched me to look at different metals, where I was once an exclusive Silver girl - and opened my eyes to new types of beads, including ones she made of clay.  I'm REALLY excited to participate again and can't wait to see who my partner is and what we can learn from each other.

Here's what I made last year - I STILL love it!



Saturday, March 1, 2014

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Charity Sarazin was our BIG WINNER!!  She chose the Orange pendant - her favorite color!

WOOHOOO!