Oct. 28 October Fest and Beginning of Holiday Craft Fairs

Baywood Holiday Craft and Collectibles Fair 2011

Welcome to October Fest sponsored by Toltec Jewels for Jewel School Friends!  This is a jewelry, craft, bead, home and hearth blog and facebook challenge and celebration!

 For me this weekend marks the beginning of preparing for the holiday craft fairs.  Delaware by Hand members of which I am one are invited to participate in the Biggs Museum of American Art  Holiday Fair on November 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This market will be held in conjunction with First State Heritage Park's 18th Century Market Fair. Please go into the museum to see our holiday creations.  My second is at Baywood Golf and Country Club on November 10.  I can't wait to see how Baywood is decorated last this year.  Can they top the autumn decorations from 2011?  I hope my Delaware friends will stop by and say hi.

Ceramic Owl by Sandy Sapienze

In between the two fairs, I am going to a Sewing by the Sea Fall 2012 Retreat in Ocean City, Maryland,  for a few days to rejuvination.  This retreat is put together by the mixed media artist Sandra Sapienza.  She gifted me with a series of ceramic owls that she created.  I used one of her smaller owls with an eclectic mix of some of my favorite beads-pearls and jasper.  It created an earthy necklace that is perfect for the Fall. 

I live at the beach so my Fall has leaves, empty sandy beaches, and local wildlife like this deer at Cape Henlopen State Park. 

                       Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because it involves chocolate.

I am not know for spending much time in the kitchen and when I do it usually involves chocolate.  I found a perfect fall treat--acorn cookies. It is very easy to make. 

                       Acorn Treats made with Chocolate Kisses

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 48 semisweet chocolate chips
• 48 milk chocolate kisses
• 48 Nutter Butter Bites

Directions

• In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Spread the flat side of each kiss with a small amount of melted chocolate; immediately attach each to a cookie.
• Attach a semisweet chocolate chip by spreading a small amount of melted chocolate on the opposite side immediately attach each to a cookie . Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets; refrigerate until set. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 4 dozen.

The Witchery by the Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland

                                        Happy Halloween!

My Bead Table Blog Hop

Beads Sent by Lisa Lodge of Pine Ridge Treasures for the blog

Lisa Lodge is the host of "My Bead Table Blog Hop".  We have a lot in common.  She is a self taught jewelry artist and bead lover. I am too!  She loves to incorporate nature into her designs, especially ocean colors. I do too! We met online in other blog hops.  I jumped at the chance to get some beads from her table because she has a wonderful eye for color as you can see from what she sent me.  She also has a large range of beads that she collects.  I absolutely love some of the ceramic beads that she sent me.  

Star and Comets Necklace by Bay Moon Design 

The necklace is made with different shades of aqua and turquoise beads from the mix that Lisa sent as well as a handmade artisan focal which has stars and comets. The unique focal is by Firefly Design Studio. I used sterling silver wire to create loops to attach the focal to the beads that are strung on wire.  A cream colored silk ribbon from Marsha Neal Studio is added to complete the necklace.

Green Fish Necklace and Matching Earrings by Bay Moon Design

 This green fish necklace is made with different shades of green beads from the mix I was sent as well as some neutral colored ceramic beads I had on hand.  The large square ceramic beads in the mix were a perfect match for a wonderful fish focal by Firefly Design Studio that I had just purchased at the Philadelphia bead fest. The beads are wire wrapped with brass wire.  I made some matching earrings with some leftover matching beads from the mix.  The necklace gets its inspiration from nature. The green and beige colors remind me of the sea life found in the ocean.

Lime Green Fish Necklace with Unique Artisan Ceramics by Bay Moon Design

 My next necklace is made with different shades and types of green beads from the mix as well as some green speckled ceramic beads that are vintage and I had on hand.   I also added the pale green ceramic beads that surround the fish.  They are from Lisa's lovely mix.  I used the last of the 2 fish focals by Firefly Design Studio that I got at the bead fest.  The necklace also contains a gorgeous piece of silk ribbon from Marsha Neal Studio which I crocheted and attached a clasp to the ends of it.  Each piece of the necklace is meticulously wire wrapped with bronze wire.   The necklace gets its inspiration from nature.   The greens remind me of the color of the ocean.

Tangerine Orange Floral Necklace by Bay Moon Design

For this tangerine orange pearl necklace I paired a dainty flower from the mix with a copper filigree I had on hand to create the focal. I had tangerine orange blister pearls and copper beads on hand so I used them to complete the necklace.  The necklace has copper leaf clasp to carry out the nature motif. I love to use pearls because they are classic and are from nature.

Vintage Owl Bracelet by Bay Moon Design

I used a super cute, gray owl and some gray base metal beads from my bead stash along with orange, yellow, and rectangular agate beads from the mix.  The gray owl is German vintage lucite with the design carved on both sides. The leaf toggle carries the toggle carries through the nature theme.










Please visit each participant and leave a kind comment.
My Bead Table Blog Hop Participant List:




Your Host: Lisa Lodge
 

Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me

Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Ginger Bishop, lilmummy likes...

Tanya Boden, Fusion Muse

Lisa Boucher, Lisa’s Clay Happenings

Michelle Buettner, Mishel Designs

Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life

Mikala Coates, Maybe Just Perhaps

Marlene Cupo, Amazing Designs

Kathleen Douglas, Washoe Kat's

Mary Anne Klinglesmith Flesch, Hand Crafted Serenity

Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs

Tanya Goodwin, A Work in Progress

Mary Hicks, Falling Into the Sky

Tina Holden, Polymer Clay Bytes!

Shelly Joyce, Au jour le jour

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Susan Lloyd, Designs by Susan

Cynthia Machata, Antiquity Travelers

Kashmira Patel, Sadafule .. always in bloom!

Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog

Kristen Stevens, My Bead Journey

Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads

Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design

Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends

Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas

Sandra Wollberg, City of Brass Stories

Next blog hop

October Fest: A Jewelry, Craft, Bead, Home and Hearth Blog & Facebook Challenge & Celebration sponsored by Jewel School Friends on October 28.