Category Archives: Blog Hops

“My Country” Blog Hop:  Welcome to Arizona

Arizona state flag

Arizona’s state flag.

Welcome to my little corner of the “My Country Blog Hop” hosted by Nan Smith.  This is the second annual event, where participants are invited to create handmade jewelry or art and use it to tell the story of where they are from. Our hostess is Canadian, and today (July 1st) is Canada Day. Be sure to visit her page to learn more about it.

I chose to represent my home state, Arizona. I currently live in Maryland, just a few miles from our nation’s capital city, the District of Columbia.  But I was born and raised in Arizona and will always think of it as my home, no matter how far I stray or how long I have been gone.  Continue reading →

A Flight of Dragonflies

Picture
Welcome to my post for “The Age of the Dragonfly 13th non-blogger/blogger challenge” hosted by Krafty Max Originals.  This is a round-robin event where the winner of the previous challenge (jewelry design chosen by popular vote) chooses the theme for the next challenge.

Our hostess shared this image as inspiration for the challenge.  We could design jewelry based on actual dragonflies, the colors in the photo, or the spirit and symbolism of the dragonfly.  I happen to have a slight dragonfly obsession, and I guess it’s been one of my totems for as long as I can remember.  Here are some of my dragonfly-themed jewelry designs of the past and for this challenge.  (Btw – a flight is what you call a group of dragonflies.) Continue reading →

8th Bead Soup Blog Party: Design Reveal Day!

beaded necklaces and earrings
Welcome to my first blog hop. Let me begin by thanking the intrepid Lori Anderson, hostess for this international bead-swapping blog-hopping extravaganza.  Thanks also to my partner, Sue, for supplying a gorgeous and challenging soup mix.

The turquoise, black, and red glass bead combination Sue sent is squarely in the middle of my color comfort zone.  So I was initially complacent about getting started, thinking I would have no problem incorporating the beads, focals, and clasp into jewelry designs. Once I finally sat down to start designing is when I realized the real challenge for me was in the shapes of the beads. I couldn’t decide how to use round, tube, teardrop, and coin beads all in the same design. Continue reading →

Bead Soup Ingredients Reveal Part 2: What I Received

package outside door

Is that my Bead Soup?

What a welcome site this was when I got home from work today. My mail carrier kindly climbed two flights and placed the box with label facing in. Even though I couldn’t see the return address label, I knew instantly that it was my Bead Soup ingredients from my partner Sue.

I scooped up the box (after pausing for this photo op)  and hurried inside. I wanted to open it right away. Alas, Inspector Mango and Design Consultant Cloud (you can see their photo on my About page) were needing dinner. I don’t think I’ve ever opened a can of cat food and gotten it into their dishes quicker. Much to Inspector Mango’s delight. Continue reading →

Bead Soup Ingredients Reveal Part 1: What I Sent

Bead Soup Blog Party ingredientsIf you remember this photo from my first post about the 8th Bead Soup Blog Party, you know it’s a pixelated teaser of what I sent to my partner, Sue.

Sue has received the Bead Soup ingredients so now I can share an unscrambled photo of what I sent. Recall that for this bead swap blog hop Party each participant sends a clasp, a focal or pendant, and some accent beads. We each then dig into our own stash of beads and wire and whathaveyou to incorporate at least the clasp and the focal into a completed design or two. Continue reading →

Introducing my Bead Soup Blog Party Partner

mixed media card

‘Mermaid by the Shore’ by Sue H.

If you’ve been following along, you know I was partnered with Sue H. of The Bottle Cork and Crystal for the 8th Bead Soup Blog Party.

<– That’s one of the beautiful mixed-media cards designed by Sue. You can see more of her designs, and read about them, on her blog.

I explained the basics of the Party when I shared a sneak peak of the Bead Soup ingredients I sent to Sue. While my package is on its way to her, and hers to me, I asked Sue a few questions so I could learn more about her and her jewelry. Turns out we have much in common when it comes to our source of inspiration, our favorite materials, and how we became jewelry designers. Continue reading →

Sending a Cup of Bead Soup to a New Friend

Coffee mug

The cup of soup I sent to my Bead Soup partner.

I am beyond excited to be participating for the first time in the Bead Soup Blog Party. This year is the 8th Bead Soup Blog Party hosted by the intrepid Lori Anderson of Pretty Things Blog. There are over 400 participants from across the U.S. and around the world. Each of us is partnered with another jewelry designer and will be swapping ingredients for making something marvelous, which we will then be sharing on our respective blogs later this spring. Continue reading →