Star Hitched Wagon: Hot off the Bench

Showing posts with label Hot off the Bench. Show all posts

4.06.2012

A Color Challenge

Love a good color challenge!

So, of course, I was very excited to discover

Louise Gale's Creative Color Challenge!!!

My first month to participate was March.

Yes I know it's April...

I'm just a tad late.

But I had to share because just look at this color challenge.

Tranquil Blue's:

Don't you just want to escape to that beach?

Beautiful!!

Funny thing though...I struggle creating jewelry with blue.

Aqua?

Absolutely...it's my go to color.

But traditional royal blue, cornflower blue, sky blue...

I struggle!!

So this was the prefect CHALLENGE for me.

Helped to push me to do something I normally wouldn't.

And the result?

LOVE it!

So glad I gave it a shot.

A fun bold set!

Lapis, freshwater pearls, recycled glass, enamel, black spinel,

handmade artisan silver, as well as Bali and Thai silver.

What do you think?

I'd love to hear what you have to say!

Do you need a good color challenge?

Make sure you stop by Louise's site...

Wait until you see what she has in store for us for this month!

Can you say CHALLENGE!!!

Too fun!

So glad you stopped by!

Have a beautifully colorful day!

4.05.2012

3.03.2012

Bead Soup Reveal

It's time!!!

Time to show you what I created with my fabulous Bead Soup from Mary Jane.

Remember what she sent:

Such a gorgeous mix of treasures!!

And a lot!!!

I was able to make three pieces with this soup and I still have a few pieces left.

First I will start with the earrings...

I had never seen the flat coin pearls before...

drilled like a rondelle or wheel!

So cool! LOVE them!

(I even ordered a strand of white ones after this discovery!!!)

So back to the earrings...

I used the pearls Mary Jane sent as well as some pearls from my stash.

Then finished them off with some Thai silver and handmade sterling spacers from my stash

(made by The Happy Jewel)

Next...

on to the necklace.

The box Mary Jane sent me was tied up all pretty with this gorgeous ribbon.

So with that and the thin cord she sent and that sweet button...

I made the base for a very simple but beautifully rich necklace.

I added a lampwork bead from my stash (made by Blue Lagoon Beads)

and some tiny garnet rondelles

finished it off by tying on a little piece of the second ribbon that was included.

I am really happy the way this turned out...

it is very different from what I usually make...

but that is what is so great about Bead Soup.

Helps us to color outside the lines!!

And finally onto the bracelet!

My favorite piece!!!

Usually (and maybe it is even the rule) participants use their clasp and the focal in a necklace...

But I'm a bracelet kinda girl!

I LOVE bracelets and will always prefer one to a necklace!

So it makes sense that I would spotlight this gorgeous focal piece...

in a bracelet that I will wear with such excitement!!

I added a lampwork bead (made by Lluvia Brito) and a teardrop bead from my stash...

the rest was from Mary Jane.

Love everything about this!!

Rustic and earthy but lightened up just a bit with the aqua...

which, of course, is my favorite color to wear!!

What fun this was!!

Now you have a TON of other masterpieces to look at...

you better run!!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Hope you enjoyed my Bead Soup!

A HUGE thank you to our

Hostess, Lori Anderson

She puts a TREMENDOUS amount of work into making this happen!

And I am pretty sure we all LOVE her for it!

Lori has some extremely exciting news...

her first book "Bead Soup" will be released this fall...

pre-orders start happening on March 7th at Amazon.

Congratulations Lori!!!

So very happy for you!

Be sure to check it out...

Special Book Sneak Peeks, Cindy Wimmer

1. Adlinah Kamsir (Singapore) and Hajer Waheed (Kingdom of Bahrain)

2. Adrienn Lukacs (Hungary) and Agata Grygiel (Poland)

3. Agi Kiss (Hungary) and Carolien Muller-Genger (the Netherlands)

4. Agnes Asztalos (Hungary) and B.R. Kuhlman

5. Alesha Conklin and Becki Mendivil

6. Alice Peterson and Carol Dillman

7. Alicia Marinache (Canada) and Dita Basu

8. Amanda Dittloff and Brandy Thomason McNair

9. Amanda Tibbetts and Andrea Trank

10. Amy Freeland and Kay Mallery

11. Andra Weber and Christine Murrow

12. Ann Sherwood and Diane Welte

13. Barbara Bechtel and Kerry Bogert

14. Barbara Lewis and Cat Pruitt

15. Bonnie Coursolle (Canada) and Fay Wolfenden (Canada)

16. Carmel McGinley (Australia) and Tracy Stillman (Australia)

17. Cassie Donlen and Deryn Mentock

18. Cathie Carroll and Janel Dudley

19. Cece Cormier and Morwyn Mullins

20. Charlene Jacka and Christina Hickman

21. Cheryl Brown (Canada) and Diana Ptaszynski

22. Christina Stofmeel (the Netherlands) and Eva Kovacs (Hungary)

23. Christine Damm and Deb Brooks

24. Cilla Watkins (Canada) and Elaine Robitaille (Canada)

25. Sabrina Straub (Switzerland) and Kathy Combs

26. Cindy Cima Edwards and Eleanor Burian-Mohr

27. Cory Celaya and Rhea Freitieg

28. Courtney Breul and Dana Hickey

29. Cynthia Abner and Jennifer Boreck

30. Cynthia Tucker and Jean Peter

31. Debbie Goering and Heidi Post

32. Dee Elgie (UK) and Joanne Lockwood (UK)

33. Dian Hierschel (Germany) and Eniko Fabian (Austria)

34. Diane Cook and Lyn Foley

35. Donna Bohler and Lisa Lodge

36. Donna Millard and Kiersten Giles

37. Doris Stumpf (Germany) and Eszter Czibulyas (Hungary)

38. Elisabeth Auld and Eva Sherman

39. Elke Leonhardt-Rath (Germany) and Marjolein Trewavas (UK)

40. Ema Kilroy and Laurie Keefe-Cecere

41. Erika Nooteboom (the Netherlands) and Giorgia Rossini (Italy)

42. Erin Grant and Jean Wells

43. Evelyn Duberry (Canada) and Gaea Cannaday

44. Genea Crivello-Knable and Heather Powers

45. Ginger Bishop (military, Okinawa) and Martina Nagele (Germany)

46. Heidi Kingman and Lori Greenberg

47. Helen Kemp and Lisa Wangeman

48. Helene Goldberg (Australia) and Karen Vincent

49. Jamie Hogsett and Jeannie Dukic

50. Jeanette Ryan and Jelveh Jaferian

51. Jennifer Cameron and Tania Spivey

52. Jennifer Justman and Kari Carrigan

53. Jennifer Tough and Lorelei Eurto

54. Joanna Matuszczyk (Poland) and Julianna Kis (Hungary)

55. Joanne Tinley (UK) and Michaela Pabeschitz (Austria)

56. Julie Anne Leggett and Kelley Fogle

57. Karen Hess and Linda Landig

58. Karyn Bonfiglio and Kathleen Lange Klik

59. Kashmira Patel and Kat White

60. Kat Barron Miller and Kelly Morgan

61. Kathy Lindemer and Rose Binoya

62. Krafty Max and Sandra Miller

63. Kristen Latimer and Pam Ferrari

64. Kristie Roeder and Lea Avroch

65. Kristina Johansson (Sweden) and Penny Neville (Canada)

66. Krisztina Erlaki-Toth (Hungary) and Nicole Keller (Germany)

67. Lara Lutrick and Lisa Suver

68. Laura DeMoya and Lisa Hanna

69. Libby Leuchtman and Melanie Brooks

70. Linda Koch and Rosemarie Cowit

71. Lisa Chapman and Menka Gupta

72. Lisa Liddy and Marion Simmons

73. Lori Anderson and Marcie Abney

74. Lori Bowring-Michaud and Mary Govaars

75. Lori Dorrington and Maria Rosa Sharrow

76. Lori Finney (Canada) and Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp (Canada)

77. Lynn Bennett and Mandi Ainsworth

78. Marta Kaczerowska (Poland) and Milla Starchik (Canada)

79. Mary Harding and Shannon LeVart

80. Mary Jane Dodd and Stacey Curry

81. Melinda Orr and Molly Alexander

82. Melissa Meman and Michelle Escano-Caballaro

83. Michelle Jensen and Sandra Young (Canada)

84. Nan Emmett and Nicole Valentine-Rimmer (Canada)

85. Nancy Boylan and Suzette Bentley

86. Natasha Lutes and Patti Vanderbloemen

87. Pam Hurst and Rebekah Payne

88. Patty Miller and Sara Rhoades

89. Rebecca Anderson (UK) and Lori Anderson

90. Rebecca Sirevaag and Sharon Driscoll

91. Rochelle Brisson and Shannon Chomanczuk

92. Rosa Maria Cuevas (Mexico) and Tejae Floyde

93. Sabine Dittrich (Germany) and Sally Russick

94. Sandi Volpe and Sarah/Saturday Sequins

95. Shanti Johnson and Tracy Mok (Canada)

96. Skylar Brez and Theresa Buchle

97. Sonya Stille and Traci Zeller (Canada)

98. Stefanie Teufel (Germany) and Tania Hagen (New Zealand)

99. Stephanie LaRosa and Vonna Maslanka

100. Terri Wlaschin and Wendy Blum

2.25.2012

7000 Bracelets for Hope Blog Hop

 I am again participating in a blog hop for a GREAT cause.

The 7000 Bracelets for Hope Hop   

TheGlobal Genes Project collects blue jean/denim inspired bracelets for families living with rare disease, the campaign is called “7,000 Bracelets forHope.”  To help them raise awareness they are asking 7,000 jewelry designers, volunteers from the craft community and various artists to donate one bracelet to this campaign to show their support for kids living with rare disease, disorders or conditions. These bracelets will then be distributed to participating families.   

My hope is that this small contribution just might be a bright spot in a families day.  May it be a reminder that they are being held in our hearts and in our prayers.  

Messed up and originally posted this picture:

But this is the one I am really sending in!!  :(  Sorry for the mess up!

 A big huge THANK YOU to

Erin Fickert-Rowland of Elysian Studios   

 and Christine Altmiller of One Kiss Creations

for organizing this awesome hop.  

Now get to hopping, their are many participants who have no doubt made beautiful bracelets that will be a bright spot to many families.

Participants: 

The Studio Sublime

Crafty Hope

The Gossiping Goddess

SilverRose Designs

Firefly Visions

Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Michelle Mach

Pine Ridge Treasures

Backstory Beads

Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

Carefree Jewelry by Lisa

Sue Beads

MiShel Designs

Created Treasures

Taralinda Muses

My Life Under The Bus

Elizabeth Creates

SilverNikNats

Erin Siegel Jewelry

Carolyn’s Creations

My Life…one bead at a time

Fresh Baked Designs

Songbeads

Sunshine Bliss

Lori Anderson

Rainy Days Designs

Pat Barden Jewelry

Tell Your Girlfriends

Therese's Treasures

Windrock Studio

Bead Lola Bead

Spice Box Designs

Antiquity Travelers

Vitamin C...A Daily Dose of Creativity

Beads and Bread

Sharyl's Jewelry and Reflections

Ahtee's Blog

Thoughtful-Notions

Beads for Brains:365

Wild Sally Road

All The Pretty Things

Skye's Creative Chaos

My Addictions...Handcrafted Jewelry by Patti

Lindy's Designs

Falling Into The Sky

Star Hitched Wagon

Mama's Got to Doodle

10KDgroup

1.12.2012

Can You See...

...what's wrong with this picture???

I tell ya - I didn't not when I received my wonderful bead order.

Not when I put this piece together.

Not when I took photos for the web.

Not when I set it out on display for a Christmas show.

Not only until two ladies were whispering about it

did it occur to me that something might be wrong.

But even then - I thought they might not know how to read.

Then I got it home - looked at it and about died laughing!!!

Here's wishing you a little sernity for your day!! He he he.

11.14.2011

Do you have a message you want to send someone....and would like a unique way to remind them? How about a ribbon message necklace?
Gorgeous silk ribbons or cords hang on to beautiful little reminders:

They can be found here: Ribbon Messages

10.18.2011

Oh HAPPY day

Loads of beautiful beads in this set.....Jennifer Jangles, Smika, Pinocean, The Happy Jewel, and

Glass Bead Art. Love red - love these beads, love how it came together. I said this all weekend to customers at the Born in a Barn Sale.....making beautiful pieces is easy with such beautiful beads and findings. We as jewelry designers are very lucky to get to work with such fun pieces.

Thanks for looking!