October Fest Blog Hop

Tolec Jewels is hosting a October Fest blog hop. 

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Tolec Jewels wanted to celebrate Autumn in all its splendor and glory.  She asked that participants create just about anything (did not have to be just jewelry) to celebrate Autumn!   I love the change of seasons and I did celebrate Autumn.  

I made a fall inspired leaf necklace. The center part is cubic right angle weave and then I added the leaves and Czech beads.  I used some beautiful jasper roundel beads, two beads I enameled and copper chain.  I really like the way this necklace turned out.

I did some chocolate candy molds.  I do these for just about all of the holidays. 

 Chocolate covered Oreos!  Oh so delicious!  Even though some of my chocolate went into the outer cavities.

 

My Sister and I carved pumpkins with my 5 year old Jacob. 

This was the first time I let Jacob carve alone, he was soooo excited!

We roasted the pumpkin seeds.  This was a first for me and they were good, taste like popcorn.

My boys at Crooked Pines Farm.

Jacob

 Noah

 My big boy in the pumpkin patch!

 Some of my Fall decorations.

Please visit the other participants and see the way they celebrate Autumn.

And last but certainly not least.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR HOSTESS!

 

Host Toltec Jewels            http://www.JewelSchoolFriends.com

Heather Otto                        http://www.thecrafthopper.com
Mischelle Fanucchi           http://www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.com
Marlene Cupo                      http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com
Shaiha Williams                   http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com ;
Shelly Graham Turner      http://shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com/ ;
Shelly Joyce                         http://www.aujourlejour-shelly.blogspot.com/
Charlie Jacka                       http://clay-space.com/blog/
Pam Sears                              http://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com/
Margareta Saari                  http://magsinhelmet.blogspot.com/
Marita Suominen               http://momentofjewelry.blogspot.fi/
Lisa Posthumus                  https://www.facebook.com/lisa.posthumusharper
Jeannie Dukic                      http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog
Cheri Reed                            http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/
Arlene Dean                         http://aglassbash.blogspot.com/
Duffy Blevins                       http://bubbasjewels1.blogspot.com/
Susan Kennedy                   http://suebeads.blogspot.com/
Dita Basu                               http://www.alankarshilpa.blogspot.com/
Sonya Ann Stille                http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com/        ****You are here
Audrey Allen                      https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wrapped-Up-In-Magic/145456948869148
Kashmira Patel                   http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/
Kathy Lindemer                 http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/
Kris Mattingly                     https://www.facebook.com/kris.h.mattingly
Lennis Carrier                     http://www.windbent.net/
Shannon Hicks                    http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/
Paula Hisel                         http://simplybeadiful.weebly.com/simply-stated.html
Karin Slaton                        http://backstorybeads.blogspot.com/
Shirley Moore                    http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com/
Alicia Marinache              http://www.allprettythings.ca/
Valeria G. Rome                http://fancysphynxdesigns.blogspot.com/
Lo                                            http://thecreativeklutz.blogspot.com/
Zoe Marcin                          http://beadsteaandsweets.blogspot.com/
Carolyn Lawson                http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
Kimberly Booth                 http://thepinkmartiniboutique.blogspot.com/
Sherri Stokey                      http://www.knotjustmacrame.com
Tanya McGuire                  http://www.tanyamcguire.blogspot.com/ ;
Debbie Rasmussen           http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com/
Christine Stonefield         http://sweetgirldesign.blogspot.com/
Tanty Sri Hartani      http://tjewellicious.blogspot.com/
Sandra McGriff                   http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.com/
Renetha Stanziano           http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com/
Evelyn Shelby                    http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/
Colene Waltermire           https://www.facebook.com/groups/426147797447039/?fref=ts
Lee Nova                              https://www.facebook.com/groups/426147797447039/?fref=ts

Facebook Group Posts          

https://www.facebook.com/groups/426147797447039/?fref=ts

A Time to Stitch 2 Hop

It is time for me to reveal another blog hop....this one is hosted by Therese Frank and Christine Altmiller.  This is A Time to Stitch 2 hop and it features Right Angle Weave and St. Petersburg Chain.  The rules are pretty simple:  make something using Right Angle Weave or make something using St. Petersburg Stitch. 

I did a basic right angle weave base and added a layer of fringe that is right angle weave too and added the daggers for more drama. To make this elegant evening necklace I used black Czech firepolish beads, size 11 seed beads and black daggers.  I am going on a cruise in December and think this will be perfect for one of my dresses. 

I also did a lariat that used several stitches.  St. Petersburg stitch and a chevron stitch make up the main parts of the lariat and they are joined together using a ladder stitch, the pieces that make the three inside fringe portions use right angle weave and straight fringe. The beads on the end of my fringe are enamel beads I made.  For the clasp I used circular peyote stitch.  This is a design by Kelley Wiese and she called it Royal Chains Lariat.  It was in Bead Work magazine issue Oct/Nov 2009.   I have wanted to do this necklace since I first saw the pattern way back when but I did  not know how to do St. Petersburg or Chevron stitch.  This was my first time doing the Chevron stitch, really easy and stitches up fast.  I really love the way this piece turned out.  I think I will do it again in lighter colors.

 

Unfortunately I had difficulties and could not get the list of the other participants to copy with links so I am asking you to please go to their blogs by visiting our hostesses  Therese and Christine.  Thanks so much!

Jumped the Gun....

Well I must apologize to Therese Frank and Christine Altmiller....I was so excited that I jumped the gun!  I posted my blog about the  Time to Stitch 2 blog a day early.  As I was sitting in the car line this morning waiting to go on a school field trip with my son, I realized that I did it for the 24th and not the 25th of October! 

Guess you can just call me an eager beaver!

I have removed the post and rescheduled it for the morning.
So please come back tomorrow and see my creations!  Thanks!

Head to Head Challenge

My friend Sweet Freedom and I have decided to do a head to head challenge.  We each start with the same bead and the only hard and fast rule is that it must contain some free form peyote.  This is perfect for me since I just did this stitch for the first time and really want to try it again.  We will do a monthly blog update on the 14th.  Our finished pieces will be revealed on January 14th 2013. 

We are the only participants in this head to had and we worked together to find one or more matching beads that we would both be happy to create a design from.  We had an entire bead mat full of matching beads and eliminated down to the following really cool ceramic triangle bead.  I am really into the fall colors right now and this is just the perfect color, it is a beautiful reddish orange color. 

Both of these pictures were taken from  Sweet Freedom's blog.

Ever since I joined the first BSBP #5 I have been hooked on blog challenges.  They have really made  me grow as a designer and I just LOVE them so this is perfect for me.  We often joke and I call my  friend  a Jedi Master and I am her apprentice. 


I must say that we are both much more attractive than these two....LOL!

Over the years of our friendship I have learned a great deal from her and I am honored that she wants to do this challenge with me.  I am excited to see what we each create. 
So be sure to return on the 14th of November and December to see our updates and January 14th for the final reveal.

"My Bead Table Blog Hop"

Lisa Lodge of Pine Ridge Treasures is hosting this blog hop. She sent each of the participants a group of beads from her bead table and we were required to use as many of them as we could and supplement with beads that were on our bead table.  We were not to go out and purchase any new beads. 

These are the beads Lisa sent me.  An eclectic mix of pinks and greens (which I love) and a few others. 

I admit I was really stumped.  What to make?!?  I thought and thought and just could not figure out what to do.  Luckily I love to work with seed beads and I had some on my workbench, I usually do!  I finally decided that the best way for me to design a piece was to do some free form peyote.  I had never done free form before so that also was a challenge.  I did a necklace and feel like I did justice to using as many of Lisa's beads as I could.  The only thing of mine that I added were the seed beads.  Lisa did send me some size 6 seed beads and I used them as well. I finished the back with one of the beaded pink beads and a peyote loop. I am not really pleased with how the necklace turned out, and I would never wear it,  but for my first time doing free form peyote I can say that it is a fun and very versatile stitch and I will do it again.  The thing that I love most about challenges was accomplished, I learned something new, worked outside of my comfort zone and grew as a designer.

Please visit the other participants and see what Lisa sent them and what they created. 
Your Host: Lisa Lodge  

Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me

Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Ginger Bishop, lilmummy likes... 

Tanya Boden, Fusion Muse

Lisa Boucher, Lisa’s Clay Happenings

Michelle Buettner, Mishel Designs

Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life

Mikala Coates, Maybe Just Perhaps

Marlene Cupo, Amazing Designs

Kathleen Douglas, Washoe Kat's

Mary Anne Klinglesmith Flesch, Hand Crafted Serenity

Therese Frank, Therese's Treasures
Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs

Tanya Goodwin, A Work in Progress

Mary Hicks, Falling Into the Sky

Tina Holden, Polymer Clay Bytes!

Shelly Joyce, Au jour le jour

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Susan Lloyd, Designs by Susan

Cynthia Machata, Antiquity Travelers

Kashmira Patel, Sadafule .. always in bloom!

Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog

Kristen Stevens, My Bead Journey

Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads

Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design

Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends

Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas

Sandra Wollberg, City of Brass Stories

Holiday Bling Blog Hop

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New Group blog/site in town!

Please join me and several very talented and amazing creative ladies as we launch our new blog and social site;  Artisan Whimsy.  The following comes directly from the site to really tell you what we are all about.

We've been working hard to come up with an all inclusive Social Site and Blog ~
We're excited to welcome you all to our new Ning site...ARTISAN Whimsy ~
A Home for Creative Bead Chat 
With this site our large group can create topics for discussion in any jewelry or business building avenues. You may share your designs, comments, tutorials, sales etc on your "My Page" tab.
It's exciting that everyone's invaluable information can be collected here in an organized way.
It will be easy to search for areas that interest you.
You can add comments or just read whatever you are interested in.  You can participate in a big way or just a little.

We will posting a few blog posts per day and look forward to any/all members contributing.  

We will be hosting, destash sales, a marketplace, giveaways and tons of fun events to keep you all smiling ~ 

 Your work will be seen by anyone and everyone in the jewelry design business.
Our members are totally focused on jewelry...how, what, where and when~

So hop on in and get comfortable ... feel free to start new discussions in the forum and add your wonderful design pictures to your  "My Page" these pictures will be featured on the main page in order of posting ~

A great opportunity to learn new techniques and make friends!  

So come on over, join in the fun and maybe win some awesome items this weekend during our big launch! Hope to see you all there!