Sunday, July 29, 2012

Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party 6 Begins

Mail from Cornwall, England arrives in Lewes, Delaware
Yesterday was the first reveal of three in Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party 6.   It also marked the day when I got a package with Queen Elizabeth's image on it was delivered to my home in Lewes, Delaware.  I knew right away that this package contained beads sent by my partner in this blog party Hannah Annear from Cornwall, England.  We are in the third reveal which will take place on August 25.  
Map of all of the  400  International Participants in Bead Soup Party 6


When I first opened my package from Hannah I found so much and such variety that I was overwhelmed.  I decided to focus on selecting the clasp and focal that I will use.  We are required to use a focal and a clasp from the mix.  Everything else is optional.
Bead Soup  Mix from which Bay Moon Design Picks Ingredients 


Clasp and Focal Bay Moon Design Will Be Using
I decided that I will select the clasp and focal that I will use.  There were several choices.  I went with a large gold clasp and a brown and black focal with hints of brown.  This will be a challenge for me.  I usually work with fairly small clasps and beads.  These are both very large.
Love these colors!

I am hoping to make some other pieces from this stash.  She sent me some pretty pink, purple, green, and lavender stripped beads that are just calling to me to use.  I know they are not going to be in the required piece.  I just can't imagine that.  The real question is if I will have time with my daughter's wedding October 6. 

Stop by my blog between now and August 25 for a chance to win some silk ribbons created by Marsha Neal Studio.  Of course these silks will be the "Down by the River" palette that I submitted for her challenge.  Anyone who comments on my blogs can earn 1 entry to a drawing for this palette of browns and greens.  Following my blog earns another entry. A third entry can be made by posting a comment with a link to a social media sight like twitter, facebook etc. in a comment on my blog.






A winner will be announced September 30. I am keeping the contest open until then to give all the bloggers who are in Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party a chance to enter when they read my blog about my beads and design.  I will be blogging on August 25 about what I created and my partner Hannah Annear will be blogging about what she designs using what I sent her.  
 
                   Enjoy seeing what the the designers in the first reveal have created!




                                         Hostess, Lori Anderson, PrettyThingsBlog.com
Alice Craddick,  Alice's Beads and Baubles
Alicia Marinache,  All The Pretty Things
Amanda Tibbetts,  Amanda Made
Amber Dawn Goldish, Inventive Soul
Annita Wilson,  AW Jewelry
Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool
Birgitta Lejonklou,  Create With Spirit   
Candida Castleberry,    Spinning Spun Sugar
Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations
Cassie Donlen, Glass Beadle
Cheryl McCloud,  One Thing Leads to Another
Cheryl Roe, BeadRoe
Christina Hickman, Vintage Treasures Jewelry
Christine Hendrickson,  Clamworks
Cilla Watkins, Tell Your Girlfriends
Cindy Wilson, Mommy's Dream
Cindy Wimmer, Sweet Bead Studio
Cory Celaya, Art With Moxie
Cory Tompkins, Tealwater Designs
Cris Peacock, Cris' Page
Cynthia Deis, Shiny Little Things
Cynthia Machata, Antiquity Travelers
Cynthia Wainscott, Exotic Peru
Dana Hickey, Magpie Approved
Denielle Hagerman, Some Beads and Other Things
Diane Valasek, Dragonfly Close
Doris Stumpf, Glaszwerg
Dyanne Everett-Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
Elaine Robitaille, Too Aquarius
Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life
Enikö Fabian, Perl-eni
Erin Prais-Hintz, Treasures Found
Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads
Hilary Frye, FryeStyle
Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog
Jami Shipp, Celebrating Life
Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle
Jennifer Cameron, Glass Addictions
Jennifer Pottner, Rock Candy Beads
Jennifer VanBenschoten,  Jewelry, Art and Life
Jenny Davies-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor
Jenny Vidberg, Shyme Design
Jessica Dickens, My Jewelry, My Life, Me
Jessica Klaaren, Beadful-Things by Jessica
Joan Williams, Lilruby Jewelry
Judith Johnston, Judith Johnston
Judy Riggs, Rigglettes
Judy Turner, Silver Rains
Julie Anne Leggett, The Peaceful Bead
K Hutchinson, Jumbled Hutch
Karen Meador, Dreamcatcher Ranch
Karyn Bonfiglio, Plus Size Bangles
Katherine Gale, Terra Beadworks
Kathleen Lange Klik, Modern Nature Studio
Katja Benevol Gabrijelcic, Slovonske Technobe
Kelli Jacobson, Creative Moon
Kelly Ramstack, Adventures with Kelly
Keri Lee Sereika, Pink Lemonade
Kim Bender-Hora, KimmyKat
Kirsi Luostarinen, Kirsi Luo Korut
Kitty Bozzini, Kitty Lampwork
Laura Demoya, The Bead Therapist
Laurie Hanna, Laurie's Jewelbox
Leah Curtis, Beady Eyed Bunny
Lesley Watt, The Gossiping Goddess
Linda Inhelder, Must-Haves Jewelry
Lisa Liddy, Metal Me This
Mallory Hoffman, For the Love of Beads
Marge Beebe, Rock Creek Creations
Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things
Marion Simmons, Shade Tree Studio
Marla Gibson, Spice Box Design
Marta Weaver, Marta Weaver Jewelry
Marti Conrad, Marti C's Clay Blog
Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens, GlassBeadArt, Lampwork Beads
Melanie Brooks, Earthenwood Studio
Michelle Hardy, Firefly Visions
Mikala Coates, Maybe Just Perhaps
Mowse Doyle, HoCArt
Nancy Boylan, Snazzy Doodle Designs
Nancy Peterson, Beading From the Heart
Nicole Rennell, Nicole Rennell Designs
Niki Meiners, 365 Days of Craft
Niky Sayers, Silver Nik Nats
Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas
Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs
Pamela Gangler, She Always Loved Pink
Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
Raida Disbrow, Havana Beads
Renetha Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts
Shannon Hicks, Falling Into the Sky
Shannon LeVart, Miss Fickle Media
Sharon Driscoll, Right Turn Art Werks
Shelley Graham Turner, Fabric of My Life
Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame
Shirley Moore, Beads and Bread
Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads
Stacie Florer, Soul to Substance
Stacie Stamper, Park Avenue
Stacy Alderson, Iridal's Attic
Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs
Stephanie Stamper, Rainy Day Designs
Suzette Bentley, Ellie's Bijoux
Tammy Jones, Jewelry Making Daily
Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti
Terry Matuszyk, Pink Chapeau

Vonna Maslanka, Just Vonna

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Sea Glass from Isla Mujeres Inspires

Sea Glass Necklace-Unique Combination of Silk Ribbon and Chain by Bay Moon Design








Coast of Isla de Mujeres, Mexico




 This is a unique necklace that combines mint and brown colored sea glass that has been wire wrapped and paired with a focal of mixed metal chains and fastened with gorgeous hand dyed silk ribbons. The necklace has 6 pieces of mint colored sea glass, 2 pieces of brown sea glass, and 2 glass beads that have swirls of the 2 colors. Each piece of sea glass is meticulously wire wrapped. The necklace is 26 inches (66 cm.) around. This is a one of a kind unique,  artisan necklace.  The necklace has taken me awhile to finally create after all I have had this sea glass since my Christmas vacation.  My family went to Isla Mujeres, Mexico for the holidays.  To get there, you take a ferry boat from Cancun to the tiny island. 

My Thoughts Exactly!


 Everyday I devoted some time to picking up the sea glass, rinsing the sand off of it and drying it for the flight home.   I have a nice little stash if it.  There was lots of sea glass right along the coast where our house was.  I suspect a lot of liquor bottles from Cancun created this sea glass.  Wire wrapping this glass brought back fond memories of this beautiful little island.  I did a lot of walking on this vacation and I ran across some unusual signs which made me smile.  This yahoo's sign was outside of a bar.


I got the idea of using some silk fairy ribbon from Marsha Neal Studio with the necklace.  I thought the silk would add a different texture to the necklace which has so many different elements in it.  Everything else in the necklace is hard and the silk adds a softness to it.  I like the way the brown ribbon brings out the brown in the sea glass and chain.
  
Who doesn't love to win things? I ordered two palettes of "Down by the River" silks--one for me and one as a giveaway.  One of the silks is the same shade of brown as the fairy ribbon used in the sea glass necklace.

Anyone who comments on my blogs can earn 1 entry to a drawing for this palette of browns and greens.  Following my blog earns another entry. A third entry can be made by posting a comment with a link to a social media sight like twitter, facebook etc. in a comment on my blog.

A winner will be announced September 30. I am keeping the contest open until then to give all the bloggers who are in Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party a chance to enter when they read my blog about my beads and design.  I will be blogging on August 25 about what I created with beads that are sent to me from the UK by my partner Hannah Annear.  Hannah will be blogging about what I sent to her in Cornwall.   I included a piece of sea glass as well as a silk ribbon in what I sent her. 

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Down by the River in Sedona, Arizona


Face Necklace by Bay Moon Design
Red Rocks and Turquoise Blue Sky of Sedona
While on my recent trip to the southwest, I stopped by Sedona, Arizona, and fell in love with the stunning red sandstone rock formations, green trees and turquoise blue sky.  I also visited a number of shops there.  One of the shops, Native Hands of Sedona , had some ceramic pins created and signed by artist Miro FitzGerald.   There is a wonderful interview with her that I found on YouTube.  She shares how she finds inspiration for her paintings.
Interview with artist Miro FitzGerald

 I bought several ceramic pins of hers while there with the intention of using them in my jewelry.  One of her creations I call  " Face".   I paired the ceramic piece with two of Marsha Neal Studio silks to create a one of a kind necklace.  One of the silks is a fairy ribbon that compliments the turquoise blue in Miro Fitzgerald's ceramic piece.  The other is a 2mm silk ribbon in ivory from what I love to call "my"  "Down by the River" palette of silks.  I entered Marsha Neal's Silk Color challenge a few weeks ago and as a result Marsha sells a color palette that I was inspired to create based on my recent trip to the southwest. She sells "my" palette and other gorgeous silks in her studio's online store as well as her etsy shop 
I love the combination of the fairy ribbon and the 2mm silk ribbon with this piece.  The ceramic has enough weight to it that the two ribbons work together well to support it.


Who doesn't love to win things? I ordered two palettes of "Down by the River" silks--one for me and one as a giveaway.  Anyone who comments on my blogs can earn 1 entry to a drawing.  Following my blog earns another entry. A third entry can be made by posting a comment with a link to a social media sight like twitter, facebook etc. in a comment on my blog.

A winner will be announced September 30. I am keeping the contest open until then to give all the blogger who are in Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party a chance to enter when they read my blog about my beads and design.  I will be blogging on August 25 about what I created with beads that are sent to me from the UK by my partner Hannah Annear.  Hannah will be blogging about what I sent to her in Cornwall. 

 I discovered that Lori Anderson of Bead Soup Blog Party Fame is hosting a giveaway. It is a five-part giveaway--which means there are five chances to win something.  I am hoping to win what she calls bits and bobs that she brought back from the Bead and Buttons Show in Milwaukee.  Some are goodies that she bought and brought back and some are cool items that were donated for giveaways.  She is also giving away her Bead Soup Book.

Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Book



All of the details are on Lori's blog which I recommend as a must follow blog.