It’s reveal day for the 2nd annual Bead Hoarders Blog Hop! This is my first time participating, but I have been a bead hoarder for many years.

Our hostess for this hop is Lori Anderson. I met Lori, virtually, earlier this year when I took part in her Bead Soup Blog Party. That was my first blog hop, and my introduction to so many amazing jewelry and component designers.

The purpose of this hop is to use “beads you’ve been hoarding as too precious, or too pricey. or just too special to work with …” I have lots of those. Some I bought, some were given to me as gifts. All of them are my precious.  Continue reading →

The  inspiration for this month’s We’re All Ears challenge on the Earrings Everyday blog was a short animated film about a mystical creature and a young girl.  I’m no kind of film critic, so I can’t say why I was so enchanted by this short film. All I can say is, much like our hostess, I’d love to see this made into a full-length feature.

The story takes place in a forest, so there’s lots of nature images and colors by which to be inspired. And I do love earth tones for my jewelry. However, I was more inspired by the misty white-winged mystical creature that came to drink from the well where the little girl was filling a bucket.  Continue reading →

It’s reveal day for the “Falling on the Edge of October” jewelry design challenge and blog hop, hosted by Toltec Jewels.

The challenge was to create something with one of the orange “sparkling rocks” lampwork beads made by the featured artist, Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens of Glass Bead Art Lampwork. That’s a photo of them there on the left in the blog hop badge. Aren’t they divine? Our hostess sent each participant a bead and then it was up to us to create jewelry. Continue reading →

The inspiration theme for the October “We’re All Ears” earring design challenge was marbling. These monthly challenges are hosted on the Earrings Every Day blog. If you’re a fan of earrings, as you know I am, you should follow that blog. There is literally a new pair of earrings to admire every day.

And on the third Friday of each month, there is an assortment of designs by various artists, all inspired by the same theme. Continue reading →

We’re All Ears – September Challenge

This is my first time taking part in the “We’re All Ears” earring design challenge. I’ve been following along since I first learned of the monthly challenges on the Earrings Everyday blog.

How did I not know there was a blog all about earrings sooner? If you follow my blog, you know how I feel about earrings. If you’re just now joining me here – I love them. Love!

Ahoy mateys, mermaids, selkies, water sprites, and finfolk, and welcome to reveal day for the Anchor’s Aweigh Design Challenge and Blog Hop.  Our hostess on this creative voyage is Toltec Jewels, who challenged us to design with our choice of sapphire blue or stormy seas green anchor charms hand made by our featured artist, Diana Ptaszynski of Subarban Girl Studio. Continue reading →

The “Blogger/Non-Blogger Challenge” is a round-robin event held on a Facebook group page, so that folks who don’t blog can participate. It’s sort of like a blog hop, but without the hopping. Participants post photos of their designs in a group album and any member of the group can vote on their favorites. The winner, by popular vote, becomes the hostess for the next challenge and selects the theme. Continue reading →

Welcome to the Choosy Chicks Choose Chicklets Design Challenge & Blog Hop, hosted by Toltec Jewels and featuring lampwork beads by Sue Beads. Each participant was sent one “Chicklet” bead to incorporate into a jewelry design.

We were also allowed to purchase additional Chicklets if we wanted.  And why wouldn’t we? They’re awesome.  The beads come in a wonderful assortment of colors, with little flowers stamped on both sides. No one knew what color they would get – all part of the challenge and the fun of this hop. Continue reading →

Welcome to the first Haberdashery Blog Hop, hosted by Melissa Trudinger. The participants are using fabric, buttons, ribbons, lace, and trims of all sorts to stitch, embellish, string, and create jewelry incorporating the goodies normally reserved for sewing and dressmaking. Continue reading →