Spring Fever Design Challenge Reveal

Good day to you! I was so excited to have my name pulled out of the hat as a participant for the Spring Fever Design Challenge Reveal! I mean, really. Beads, components and silk from Lesley Watt, THEA Elements and THEA Jewellery; Caroline Dewison of Blueberri Beads; and Claire Braunbarth of Smitten Beads.

Here is the amazing loot that I received from these lovely ladies: the silk is from Claire, the birds and leave ceramic beads are by Caroline and the flower connector/pendant and blue/peach beads are by Lesley:

And here is the necklace I created:

In the end I decided to keep it simple. It slips right over my head. I connected the silk to the body of the necklace with twisted copper rings that I made. If you could see what my desk looks like you'd wonder how that happened. Do all of you drag out every single bead and component you own that you think will work in a particular design? It will take me a week to put it all away. I haven't dared to enter my studio since last weekend because it's such a mess.

Here's a close up of the birdhouse connector I made. This is a template in Laura Beth Love's (of Dishfunctional Designs) new book Boho Chic Jewelry. I clearly can't count because there are 3 roof shingles on the left and only 2 on the right..... I need to rework this. I think I would prefer it without the rhinestone connector on it and to do a little decorative painting instead. We'll see if that happens.

I still have a leave and peach bead left to play with. Thank you so much ladies for including me in this very fun hop. Oh, and by the way - spring? I woke to an inch of snow blanketing everything this morning. I sure wish she'd hurry up and decide to stay with us!! Now, grab a cup and hop along to see what all of these lovely ladies created!

Lesley Watt - http://thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.co.uk

Caroline Dewison - http://www.blueberribeads.co.uk 

Kathy Lindemer - http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.co.uk 

Vicky Roberts - http://thebeadshopliverpool.blogspot.co.uk

Lori Bowring Michaud - http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com/

Leigh Thow - http://jewellrleigh.blogspot.co.uk

Ailsa Jackson - http://katzjewellery.blogspot.co.uk/

Steph L - http://stringaholic.blogspot.co.uk/

Kristi Harrison - http://kristibasket-itsanewday.blogspot.co.uk/

Merja - http://helmiriippuvuus.blogspot.fi

Lucy Haslam - http://faerystone.blogspot.co.uk/

Penny Neville - http://copperpennydesigns.blogspot.co.uk/

Linda - http://earth-shinedesigns.blogspot.co.uk/

Kristen Stewart - http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.co.uk/

Erin Prais – Hintz – http://treasures-found.blogspot.co.uk/

Klassy Joolz - http://klassyjoolz.blogspot.co.uk/

Jenny Argyle - http://keithagnestutorialsdesigns.blogspot.co.uk

Shaiha - http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com

Claire Lockwood - http://www.somethingtodowithyourhands.com/

Patti Gasparino - http://www.mylifeunderthebus.typepad.com/

Suhana Hart - http://www.buttonedupbeads.blogspot.co.uk

Toltec Jewels - JewelSchoolFriends.com 
Emma Quinn - http://jewellerybyemmaquinn.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/spring-fever-design-challenge.html

Spring Fever Design Challenge & BSBP 8

Well hello! Holy cow, this is only the 18th time I've blogged in the past 14+ months. That's really sad. Sigh. I've got to work on changing this, well a lot of things. Let's start with the positive shall we?

A couple of weeks ago Lesley Watt of THEA Elements, The Gossiping Goddess and THEA jewellery as well as Claire Braunbarth of Smitten Beads and Caroline Dewison of Blueberri Beads put out a call for participants for their Spring Fever Design Challenge and I had my name pulled out of the proverbial hat! YAY me! We've all had enough of this winter, correct? I know I certainly have - I really don't have any desire for another gray day, or another flake of snow. We've had quite enough already. I'm ready for walks on the beach in my shirtsleeves and flip flops, thankyouverymuch! My beautiful components arrived earlier this week:

AMAZING, aren't they - each and every little piece! Now, I will say the peach will be a little bit of a design challenge for me - and that's a good thing! Usually if I use a bit of peach, it's peach with a tad bit of pink to it. My oldest daughter has fallen in love with Caroline's bird beads - she can't have them though, they're mine! Please stop back on reveal day - Wednesday, April 16 to see what I and the other 25 artists created with all of these lovely bits and bobs - they're all similar, but different!

Also coming up is the 8th annual Bead Soup Blog Party. Reveal day is Saturday, May 3. What a fun day (heck, week is more like it) that will be - I believe there are approximately 500 participants. The very  lovely Lori Anderson (and her husband Rick, and several very hard-working helpers) of Pretty Things created this wonderful event for us folks who love beads and love to create with them.

I've been paired with Kelly Hosford Patterson of PyxeeStyx and The Traveling Sideshow. To say that Kelly is an incredibly talented mixed media artist is a total understatement. She is a fiber/couture and jewelry artist - she creates her own fabrics folks! Kelly works with wire and metals, she enamels - honestly, I don't think there's a medium she couldn't tackle if she hasn't already tried it. Here are some amazing things Kelly has created, I mean seriously folks (photos all by Kelly):

I'm inspired and I can't wait to work with her. We're just getting to know one another and we're shipping our soup to each other a little bit after everyone else, but it will be so worth it. Stay tuned to see what we send and receive!