tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4687246190858351752024-02-06T23:50:19.408-08:00My Beady Little EyesOde to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-63492925005521953692014-04-20T08:34:00.001-07:002014-04-20T08:34:53.478-07:00Yes, I am still here...I know, I know, I have been horrible at keeping up with my blog posts. My New Year's Resolution is to be more consistent (I promise!). Aaand...lol...that being said, I have started a new blog....hehe. And yes, I will be keeping both of them up to date.<br />
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My new blog will be used to showcase my love of paper and color, and all things crafty :). You can find it <a href="http://odetopaper.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Currently I am working on <a href="http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Andrew Thornton</a>'s Deep Waters challenge and have many other new things to show you.<br />
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In my last Beady blog post, I mentioned the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeadAndGlass" target="_blank">Bead & Glass Boutique</a> For the Love of Beads Challenge, which I never did finish. I am one of those people who can't do something with beads if they don't speak to me. And, so sorry Amy, these ones did not speak to me. I even tried to add to them, take away from them, and to no avail. So, they sit in my bead-soup stash, awaiting further inspiration. :(<br />
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On another (lighter) note, I have finished a few pieces in the meantime:<br />
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Thanks to Amy at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeadAndGlass" target="_blank">Bead & Glass Boutique</a>, I managed to get my hands on <a href="http://www.ameerunswithscissors.com/" target="_blank">Amee K. Sweet-McNamara</a>'s newest book,<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Soutache-Bead-Embroidery-Amee-Sweet-McNamara/dp/0871167506" target="_blank"> Soutache & Bead Embroidery</a>. Such beautiful designs!<br />
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I have tried my hand at soutache a few times, and really love the flow of the braid and the textures when mixed with glass beads. So, I had a thought...I emailed Amee K. and asked her if I could showcase her book and pictures of the finished pieces in her book (NOT the instructions of course, let's make that clear right now...) as I bead along with the book project by project. Her response : "<span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">You bet your sweet bippy you're allowed to do that! Blog away Fabulously Crazy Girl!" Ha! I love Amee, she is just so...loveable. </span></span><br />
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<span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">Here is my first project from the book: page 79, Blissful Abundance Necklace. Being a creative person by nature, I tend to not follow instructions exactly, and like to make the overall piece a little bit mine...lol. As you can see in the comparison pics, I varied from the overall construction of Amee's piece by not including the smaller focal piece. This was mainly because the bigger focal cab is a lot larger than was intended for Amee's necklace design, and therefore, another smaller focal would have been too much, in my opinion. I am so thrilled with this piece, I am seriously considering keeping it for my own :)</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amee's piece</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My piece</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Closer up of my piece</td></tr>
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My second piece from the book, page 19, Princess earrings, is still in the works. But what a fabulous pattern to use as a base for soutache knowledge instruction. Yes, I should have started at the beginning of the book, but, I am that "fabulously Crazy" girl, as Amee so politely puts it...heehee. Thanks Amee!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amee's beautiful Princess earrings</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my "in-the-works" Princess earrings</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I will post more pics when I get them finished of course!<br />
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And lastly, for this fabulously long blog post, my mystery kit reveal from Amy at Bead & Glass Boutique !<br />
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This is my mystery kit from Amy for the month of February:<br />
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Between life happening, and well, life happening, Amy and I both forgot about March, but I know that April's mystery kit is on its way as we speak. So excited to get it...I could use some beadspiration! <br />
Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-44409668097121302002014-02-27T16:54:00.001-08:002014-02-27T16:54:43.942-08:00Bead & Glass Boutique For The Love of Beads Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My second Bead & Glass Boutique Challenge kit included lots of pink. Pink, pink, and more pink. Not one of my favorite colors, but I ran with it. Had a great idea right off the hop, and started to get into it right away. Then, of course, life happens right? The kids have to do this or that, the hubby needs this or that, and then there's work, and my other crafty adventures. I blame Shelley Graham Turner for this one. She got me into this Ning Community called My Paper Pantry, and its all about paper crafting, which I also love to do.<br />
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That being said, my original piece didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. So I revised and ripped out, and started again. HA! Then I realized that Andrew Thornton's Radiant Orchid Challenge was due the day before this one. O Boy!<br />
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I managed to get the Radiant Orchid Challenge piece finished, but hadn't been able to find the time to finish the Love of Beads Challenge piece. I am sorry Amy. I just couldn't get it done in time. Even after I ordered extra seedies to go with the kit, it still isn't finished. I know, I am a disgrace...lol. I will finish it, it just won't be this week, or this weekend. I will post when it's done and hopefully Amy and the Bead & Glass Boutique can forgive me. I just love them to pieces.Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-69376952011977213632014-02-27T16:47:00.005-08:002014-02-27T16:47:47.602-08:00Bead & Glass Boutique Dreamweaver Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My first ever Bead & Glass Boutique Dreamweaver Challenge was a challenge. I wasn't sure what was going to happen with this kit. Again, I mulled it over for a long time.....before I finally nailed down what I wanted to do. In fact, this is only the second ever piece that I actually planned out and sketched beforehand...lol. I joined this challenge because I loved the colors of the kit (this happens a lot :)).<br />
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Purples and blues, what a great combination! So, I managed to use almost all of the kit. If you're familiar with their challenges, you have to use 77% of the kit in your piece and only one piece is allowed. My issue is this: in all of these challenges they never include enough seed beads for me :P. I ended up ordering extra waxed linen, and used it to crochet part of the bezel around the cab. So, this is my piece I call it Flight of the Dreamweaver. Not one of my better pieces (and I'm sure that's because I planned it out hehe), but still I think it's a worthy piece. The only things I didn't use from the kit were two colors of rat tail cord. And I used a lampworked dichroic cab made by my friend Judy McCourt, of Annoyed Artist Beads.<br />
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<br />Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-65726722361703558132014-02-27T16:30:00.000-08:002014-02-27T16:30:07.504-08:00Bead Journal Project February 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I wanted to do a piece that reflected something in my life, and I wanted to use Shibori Ribbon to do it...hehe. I had received a gemstone pendant in the BS USA Chinese Auction last month and loved the color, and it went really well with a scrap of ribbon that I had got from Glennis Dolce of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Shiborigirl" target="_blank">Shibori Girl Studios</a> (Beautiful ribbon she has!)<br />
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As I was pulling beads and colors, I realized that these colors alone remind me of my parents. The earthy tones and flow of the fabric shouted to me the name, and the rest came with the flow. I do a lot of intuitive beading. I find I have trouble planning things out. What I see in my head and what shows up on the paper (when I try and sketch things out) are two very different things. However, I find that once I pick my focal and some of the major beads to go with it, everything else just seems to fall into place.<br />
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More on my inability to plan a project later...tomorrow in fact...lol.<br />
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For now, let's discuss this piece. I call it the Pillars of the Earth. For a couple of reasons. One, the colors, obviously. They are beautiful earthy tones. Secondly, the colors and the stones reminded me of my parents and I thought about them the whole time I was creating this piece. They are MY Pillars of the Earth. They are my pillars of strength, of creativity (mom is a painter, dad a woodworker, and both are very musical), they are my grounding influence and have taught me to be the same. They are love and light and all things good, warm and fuzzy. So, in closing, This piece is my tribute to my mom and dad. Thank you for being who you are, and for teaching me the things I needed to know to be a lot like you.<br />
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I love you.<br />
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I will be putting this piece in a shadow-box frame for them to hang in their home.Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-29211880830879301112014-02-27T04:37:00.001-08:002014-02-27T04:37:15.864-08:00Radiant Orchid Challenge - Allegory Gallery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5udbx9gOERE68snHzX-qXTB_nrS9FUwycbVB_v8G9kfaPcUe0C434O7w89amhOmKjKXRcBwMQEmaABg2gJYvNccyCu6ORWZjHLDM2QUlR9swzL6dwKXNIxgZPIs50w9DJTxf27e9iQgD/s1600/radiantorchidchallenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5udbx9gOERE68snHzX-qXTB_nrS9FUwycbVB_v8G9kfaPcUe0C434O7w89amhOmKjKXRcBwMQEmaABg2gJYvNccyCu6ORWZjHLDM2QUlR9swzL6dwKXNIxgZPIs50w9DJTxf27e9iQgD/s1600/radiantorchidchallenge.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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When I heard Andrew Thornton was having a beading challenge, I jumped right in! I love Andrew, and although I have never been there, given how Andrew speaks about it, I imagine Allegory Gallery is definitely on my bucket list! So is the Bead & Glass Boutique in New Jersey, but that's another blog post (which I am also writing tonight :)).<br />
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Let's get down to business....Andrew sent all the challenge participants a kit which included all kinds of purply goodness. Purple happens to be my all-time favorite color, so how could I not? Now, those of you that know me, you know that I am a seed-beeder through and through. SIGH. So many challenges I want to be included in, but alas, they focus on a lot bigger beads than I am used to. I have tried and tried and TRIED to work with the bigger beads, but they just don't speak to me. So I mulled over this challenge for quite a while. I spilled the beads on my mat, mixed them, separated them again, sighed a few times and put them away again. I did this several times, lol.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPIo1Ce6yyUHSxTqpIjlgR9b7LtvBPJRaira3xduoY7buAhGIenxqJuOgCo-aqmzINB-6az102xLUGCRO0jTqIlJ1wsAMfp-3h5ZGy8fNe_993eoVBROhl6TIa0cLNMYPbo80CFMPG7yq/s1600/IMG_4291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPIo1Ce6yyUHSxTqpIjlgR9b7LtvBPJRaira3xduoY7buAhGIenxqJuOgCo-aqmzINB-6az102xLUGCRO0jTqIlJ1wsAMfp-3h5ZGy8fNe_993eoVBROhl6TIa0cLNMYPbo80CFMPG7yq/s1600/IMG_4291.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of big beautiful purple beads!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXsszweX7srzUORb141j_2FhBYRszEqCvZvENz9XjPyqFW9vidjko2VOArAL9oajQPJrDQLNfJKYDqz7eMYNTfn_dKNlysAfmN7ontz_K8mKgkAqxIdoNU_aBPy-HhMoXg3rPkJuaAKVe3/s1600/IMG_4293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXsszweX7srzUORb141j_2FhBYRszEqCvZvENz9XjPyqFW9vidjko2VOArAL9oajQPJrDQLNfJKYDqz7eMYNTfn_dKNlysAfmN7ontz_K8mKgkAqxIdoNU_aBPy-HhMoXg3rPkJuaAKVe3/s1600/IMG_4293.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of medium sized beautiful purple beads</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWMSspI2C2sGRiK-u1GoBkYAP2V_Pm-AHC3ZD3TqKnOi8K_OwNaSAkOJGCWlA8SGFHLm3ZdOuI7k0CEP2KhQHEQGj3RZP1tKcOiFWuogr-B_rZcacGzBRruZaQx0YTFFD0VbKd0QpkEzu/s1600/IMG_4289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWMSspI2C2sGRiK-u1GoBkYAP2V_Pm-AHC3ZD3TqKnOi8K_OwNaSAkOJGCWlA8SGFHLm3ZdOuI7k0CEP2KhQHEQGj3RZP1tKcOiFWuogr-B_rZcacGzBRruZaQx0YTFFD0VbKd0QpkEzu/s1600/IMG_4289.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And a few seedies in there too!</td></tr>
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Then I received my birthday present from my loving sister who remembered how much I wanted some cameos to try working with. I received a big baggie full of antique cameos just waiting to be remade into something vintagely modern (yup, it's a word in my world :P) and beautiful. So I pulled out this gorgeous purple cameo and spilled out the beads again, and ALAS! This simple but pleasant design came to me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0M6sF8b9x5l-NjphdjuWVi8b1y7Thxo5SVZpG3hauE94Dzh1ieRRn-KWW-RoTCILknaKp7GcQGeEDeYTH9MoSMeNUdSMqFTFPVTeu00MTFMEQnSEQV5cQWg0Bmi_nq9aFY8Q-tGSpDxk/s1600/20140211_171618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0M6sF8b9x5l-NjphdjuWVi8b1y7Thxo5SVZpG3hauE94Dzh1ieRRn-KWW-RoTCILknaKp7GcQGeEDeYTH9MoSMeNUdSMqFTFPVTeu00MTFMEQnSEQV5cQWg0Bmi_nq9aFY8Q-tGSpDxk/s1600/20140211_171618.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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And as I was putting it together in my head (I very rarely sketch things out - I can't get the design from my head to the paper), all I could think about was my wonderful mother, and that her birthday was coming up, and that cameos remind me of her. She is timeless, and beautiful and absolutely an amazing person.<br />
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AND, purple happens to be her birthstone, and one of her favorite colors too! This was perfect!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3HBKuwJl2hk57XXO7Q7VnBr-h2RIPEmszxjbHUufq2IbeS4HgJhhbTaLUjdEAbq0vlKvQzl99EOsqEVoizgbpXLCs2UO2_x0wL17yixwheQJ8i3WWc_fcWQce6-pnhTb7Gdc2oeqTWe9/s1600/Mom's+Cameo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3HBKuwJl2hk57XXO7Q7VnBr-h2RIPEmszxjbHUufq2IbeS4HgJhhbTaLUjdEAbq0vlKvQzl99EOsqEVoizgbpXLCs2UO2_x0wL17yixwheQJ8i3WWc_fcWQce6-pnhTb7Gdc2oeqTWe9/s1600/Mom's+Cameo.jpg" height="320" width="245" /></a></div>
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So, here is my challenge piece. I used all of the beads that I thought I could use, which was way more than I thought at the beginning, and the really big ones I gave to a very good friend of mine is in love with big beautiful beads. Win-win!<br />
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My mom loved the cameo piece and of course showed it off on her FB page :)<br />
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I am anxiously awaiting Andrew's next challenge and what it may entail!<br />
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In the meantime, don't forget to visit all the other participants' blogs, as well as Andrew's blog , and Allegory Gallery too!<br />
Thank you Andrew for including me! I love a good challenge.<br />
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Andrew Thornton <a href="http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.ca/">http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.ca/</a><br />
Allegory Gallery <a href="http://blog.allegorygallery.com/">http://blog.allegorygallery.com/</a><br />
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And the participants' list:<br />
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<div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: HelveticaNeue,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,'Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal;">
Rebecca Anderson <a href="http://songbeads.blogspot.com/" style="font-size: 14pt;" target="_blank">http://www.songbeads.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com</a>/</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: HelveticaNeue,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,'Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal;">
Jeanne Steck <a href="http://www.gemsbyjeannemarie.blogspot.com/" style="font-size: 14pt;" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>gemsbyjeannemarie.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: HelveticaNeue,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,'Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal;">
Carole
Carlson <a href="http://www.beadsophisticate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>beadsophisticate.wordpress.<wbr></wbr>com/</a></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal;">
Leah Tees <a href="http://mybeadylittleeyes.blogspot.com/" style="font-size: 14pt;" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>mybeadylittleeyes.blogspot.com</a></div>
Andrew Thornton, Alison Herrington, Laurel Ross, Joanne Goldberg, Julie Katz, Irene Leniham, and Linda Starosciak <a href="http://www.andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://www.andrew-<wbr></wbr>thornton.blogspot.com/</a> <br />
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<br />Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-29794965196056676592014-02-26T19:56:00.001-08:002014-02-26T19:56:19.875-08:00New friends, new ideas...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUyeurtk1xvz6M0KYRttQoXo-c_2mBnK6CjlV9te9VjrMgo4ks8k6J74KD6sf9UVLWi-n1R2sZZ-J5WitsNc2s0yrNJIrr0bIcXZyzxahUzYNZxC_euz7n6ROW8xY7AQbkTaea1GDjHjA4/s1600/bead&glassboutique.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeadAndGlass">https://www.facebook.com/BeadAndGlass</a></td></tr>
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I met a new friend on Facebook. Her Name is Amy, and she owns the Bead & Glass Boutique in Pitman, New Jersey. We have become fast friends, and seem to have a ton of stuff in common. I took an idea that I had to Amy and she has run with it...lol...and it's sooo much fun!<br />
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I had been ordering a few things here and there from Amy's store, but there are so many more things I want! I made a list of things that I love, need, or want. Yes, it's a long list :)<br />
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Then I gave Amy a budget to stick to every month. Now every month, Amy picks out a few things on my list (within the budget of course) and sends me a mystery kit. The kit consists of things I want, need, or love, and come from my list, yes...but, I do not know what's coming every month :) It's a like a Christmas gift for myself every month. I love it! I am currently waiting for my second package to be delivered.<br />
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My first package came in late January, and consisted of ultrasuede, glue (E-6000), some beautiful Shibori Ribbon, and some superduos in awesome purply colours. <br />
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So, some of these items I have used already, the others have been put away for future use, but all of them were on my list and I love them! Amy has been so receptive to this idea, and I suggested she use this as a marketing tool. She is marketing the mystery kits (after I receive them) on her stores FB page at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152197642779940.1073741885.61978214939&type=3" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152197642779940.1073741885.61978214939&type=3</a><br />
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Every month or so, Amy holds an online sale on her FB page, and of course it's very VERY tempting to purchase new beads, they are all so yummy. But Amy will take orders and mail them out quickly. She is very good with customer service and is so easy to talk to. I just my new friend! <br />
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<br />Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-7412619019846832912014-01-04T08:08:00.000-08:002014-01-04T08:08:34.146-08:00The Bead Journal Project and other fun things!I have recently joined a Facebook page called "The Bead Journal Project". OK, when I first caught wind of this, I was naturally curious...what is that all about? So I requested to join the page, and lo and behold! What a great place! The Bead Journal Project page is full of wonderfully helpful and insightful people who make a bead embroidery piece every month, either around a theme or what they are feeling at that given time. The pieces are reflected upon throughout the year and as they are made, and sometimes put together at the end of the year to form a "calendar" of the past. What a fabulous idea! I have tried to start journals before, either in writing or in art, and always have a really difficult time getting them started. This one wasn't so hard! And if you decide on a size, to follow all year, that isn't so large and intimidating, it can be a quick project or a month-long one.<br />
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I chose to go with the ATC card size (2.5 x 3.5), which is a nice small size and easy to bead as it is a rectangular shape.<br />
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The hardest part for me was the colours to choose. Wow, I am a colour nut. I love colours...ALL of them!<br />
My kids always laugh at me when I can't decide on colours...lol.<br />
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So, here is where I started:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8l-wf05287VJs8t0aZk7DPUZHw1bIHbDrF2PT1apNgICCYvyCLJgKZ4Ao4SpBgDbGQMJo1toJuoN3jGZiOnWlzSjnhqTqOlGJnl8TNVPDCslFDErBoFQd30CypjGmRD0hz9Qb86uyTGE/s1600/20140101_163226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8l-wf05287VJs8t0aZk7DPUZHw1bIHbDrF2PT1apNgICCYvyCLJgKZ4Ao4SpBgDbGQMJo1toJuoN3jGZiOnWlzSjnhqTqOlGJnl8TNVPDCslFDErBoFQd30CypjGmRD0hz9Qb86uyTGE/s1600/20140101_163226.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wow, my picture is upside down...lol</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I love these colours, but it wasn't until I was many rows in that I realized my beads weren't all the same shape. All were size 8, but different companies, different shapes...you know the story. So I proceeded to pick other colours, although none I was totally happy with until the I grabbed the teal :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVN1FeBJD8S__OHVgmrqoYmesHsVTRS2KQDK4o_k6UuYRnooqqfxVd4SbY76FfddGajniBSftwvXlyuBo0PWsygPkEjcd1dvzG3ymtKXHOCSzZJg4gV8onVJi9AsnL1ftzY6z0HWeEaqDe/s1600/20140102_170425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVN1FeBJD8S__OHVgmrqoYmesHsVTRS2KQDK4o_k6UuYRnooqqfxVd4SbY76FfddGajniBSftwvXlyuBo0PWsygPkEjcd1dvzG3ymtKXHOCSzZJg4gV8onVJi9AsnL1ftzY6z0HWeEaqDe/s1600/20140102_170425.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 drop peyote background</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I wanted to start with a background of beads, using the beads as a canvas for some kind of focal. This idea for the background came to me from reading a post on the FB page for Bead Embroidery Forever (what a great name!). Plus, I have never done 3 drop peyote before and wanted to give it a try. I liked this gradual changing of colour because it represents making order out of chaos. I find in my beady adventures that I am in a state of chaos for most of the time, until I really nail down the project idea. This is not where I want to be in my Bead life. I want to be orderly and decided and goal-oriented, just as I am in other aspects if my life.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPJFwZjji8ESsvzuLAOAVhlhF4c_3A4EWu9tGDh1qMgnNq4bdh2vVrM8jRTJ6yyh8mbKSYZpWD4byEmutF3PBvLKNdZIyXe7v9L40XlqEyEbIAGtQqokazKIDnhrjxPG9vQT1bpGw1_s0/s1600/20140102_170408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPJFwZjji8ESsvzuLAOAVhlhF4c_3A4EWu9tGDh1qMgnNq4bdh2vVrM8jRTJ6yyh8mbKSYZpWD4byEmutF3PBvLKNdZIyXe7v9L40XlqEyEbIAGtQqokazKIDnhrjxPG9vQT1bpGw1_s0/s1600/20140102_170408.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">working on the focal</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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After the background was finished, I began working on the focal. The focal was started with a vintage swarovski topaz rectangle. I bezelled it and then decided to adhere it to the background and add vines. This of course represents the coming together of the chaos into a neat little package, which is where I would like to be all of the time :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0yocm_3Z1itGgdzkrMWSDoSbg7uPDlAJlJtPBX2KFicLvPbt1YQM8L3HcVn42Kb14PVQ4ORM0pd4sPjkOVNA6q-rUdTCeqsa0F-3Nigh7go455g5j5F_dUBFW46g5kouXP1IZj_cCmh6/s1600/20140102_203308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0yocm_3Z1itGgdzkrMWSDoSbg7uPDlAJlJtPBX2KFicLvPbt1YQM8L3HcVn42Kb14PVQ4ORM0pd4sPjkOVNA6q-rUdTCeqsa0F-3Nigh7go455g5j5F_dUBFW46g5kouXP1IZj_cCmh6/s1600/20140102_203308.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">putting it all together</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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So, all three pieces ready to put together....so what is wrong with this picture? Do you see it?<br />
That's right....I should have adhered the background to the embroidery backing BEFORE I sewed the focal on. THEN I wouldn't have had some much darned trouble with the vines and such, and the thread slipping between rows of 3 drop peyote size 8 beads...lol! Oh well, life is a learning curve right? Right!<br />
So, lesson definitely learned!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jOg79cTyMYaSy1F4E03MUk_vcN5Ev1mxK0LCt7olt3ZaGNdbJWb8NtMVQOIEAJpn8pXVwWdAJrkAa4lGdSdTym2x75xG0g3hzQ6GXLeTf10wWkK04Ue1M2Hl0Ie0XIUDMF7Kk9OlAz5G/s1600/20140103_211621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jOg79cTyMYaSy1F4E03MUk_vcN5Ev1mxK0LCt7olt3ZaGNdbJWb8NtMVQOIEAJpn8pXVwWdAJrkAa4lGdSdTym2x75xG0g3hzQ6GXLeTf10wWkK04Ue1M2Hl0Ie0XIUDMF7Kk9OlAz5G/s1600/20140103_211621.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Voila!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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After putting the three pieces together, I backed it with sierra suede (yes, I know, not ultra suede, cuz I can't get the stuff here :S), and edged it with a modified picot using 8s and 15s.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherlEGNWKvw9rTDOzHbhPE9CgbN11iQt9yiLzH2eKm_kn9pch88xaRsnSw8WQf5P5eU6nHjj6Mh9xzUj7hsVYzL8wvYMZVMQ9fC7FWwoFK8agbhRspnK1Gc6vgAF27CmQU9zICjK3PcRf3/s1600/20140103_211649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherlEGNWKvw9rTDOzHbhPE9CgbN11iQt9yiLzH2eKm_kn9pch88xaRsnSw8WQf5P5eU6nHjj6Mh9xzUj7hsVYzL8wvYMZVMQ9fC7FWwoFK8agbhRspnK1Gc6vgAF27CmQU9zICjK3PcRf3/s1600/20140103_211649.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">side view...and yes, I know it's not a car...</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cTOGgDNrtP9X7GITKRY35iTHW5d6jlR5uMq2q5u7w19BEvsRFamyxr4MBU6uLXNs9i19U4IHBGJ9faSaiLqdb03wghHPXJ1kf3mgsba5wbIqn3mjpv0oTbPj5_WI8Y1Q_yWLKYtdK6pn/s1600/20140103_211718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cTOGgDNrtP9X7GITKRY35iTHW5d6jlR5uMq2q5u7w19BEvsRFamyxr4MBU6uLXNs9i19U4IHBGJ9faSaiLqdb03wghHPXJ1kf3mgsba5wbIqn3mjpv0oTbPj5_WI8Y1Q_yWLKYtdK6pn/s1600/20140103_211718.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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And so begins my journey into the wonderful, yet challenging, world of the Bead Journal Project. I know it will be a fun and fulfilling year!<br />
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Oh yes, let's not forget about other fun things coming up...<br />
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<a href="http://www.allegorygallery.com/" target="_blank">Allegory Galleries</a> Radiant Orchid Challenge has begun!<br />
<a href="http://gratefulartist.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Pine Ridge Treasure</a>'s Winter Sparkle Blog Hop on the 22 of February!<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeadAndGlass" target="_blank">Bead and Glass Boutique</a>'s Dreamweaver Challenge has just ended...<br />
<a href="http://www.prettythingsblog.com/" target="_blank">Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Hop</a> will be announced soon, along with some other challenges she has planned!<br />
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That is all for now (isn't it enough!) Actually, I do have other things planned for this year, but all can NOT be revealed just yet...so stay tuned!Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-1693870500241368742013-09-08T05:00:00.000-07:002013-09-08T05:00:00.064-07:00Bead Soup Cafe Blogger/Nonblogger Photo ChallengeOn the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeadSoupCafe/" target="_blank">Bead Soup Cafe</a> Facebook page, we have a regular Blogger/Non-blogger Challenge. The host of this month's challenge is <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/GemFairyJewels" target="_blank">Toltec Jewels</a>, and she has chosen two photos for us to choose from:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ocs20Jwdd99695Rq81lnR9qDwhGwS_jpDm1r1ZMrNA6BkLDwhXcGwL-3W32AJ92EQDQU6yPGZDch5jRSU0aExowDJr7C6gQK-NuwIIeJiXEOiXOY8587i2inPknnZUq8R_3GV4H88XFH/s1600/Frida+Kahlo+time+flies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ocs20Jwdd99695Rq81lnR9qDwhGwS_jpDm1r1ZMrNA6BkLDwhXcGwL-3W32AJ92EQDQU6yPGZDch5jRSU0aExowDJr7C6gQK-NuwIIeJiXEOiXOY8587i2inPknnZUq8R_3GV4H88XFH/s1600/Frida+Kahlo+time+flies.jpg" height="320" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Time Flies" by Frida Kahlo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99sjQtYGW1ttEfSwXwfoogZVhLk5us5r0UlKXItdsUzS4aU06rRoQD5UYWGR579jjYt93KF78NHJXoZOW5RpjW_qZ7R5HsARJqkm4YZ7OHshlwGUkPt3eVoyhrkTzwPJU5FO6iqLy3Q85/s1600/tealgoddess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99sjQtYGW1ttEfSwXwfoogZVhLk5us5r0UlKXItdsUzS4aU06rRoQD5UYWGR579jjYt93KF78NHJXoZOW5RpjW_qZ7R5HsARJqkm4YZ7OHshlwGUkPt3eVoyhrkTzwPJU5FO6iqLy3Q85/s1600/tealgoddess.jpg" height="320" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teal Goddess, artist unknown</td></tr>
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I chose the Teal Goddess, of course, because teal is one of my favorite colors. I have recently purchased <a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/118702190/atlantis-cuff-tutorial-combining?ref=shop_home_active" target="_blank">Nancy Dale's Atlantis Cuff freeform peyote tutorial</a>, and fell in love with this process. I also recently acquired a <a href="http://www.peruzi.net/" target="_blank">Peruzi </a>ceramic cab and seedies from Australia. So, I put one, two and three together, and came up with this cuff:<br />
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Thanks for visiting my blog; check back later for more of my adventures in beading fun!Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-79766670370201244942013-08-24T05:00:00.000-07:002013-08-24T05:00:09.148-07:00Summer Colour Surprise Blog Hop!Hello Everyone and welcome to my *ahem* attempt at something new. Yikes, terrible attempt, but nonetheless, I made it in time. <a href="http://gratefulartist.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Lisa Lodge</a> and <a href="http://www.zibbet.com/pineridgetreasures" target="_blank">Pine Ridge Treasures</a> have hosted this blog hop (among many others), to stretch our creative muses and she always seems to want to stretch mine to its breaking point...lol.<br />
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Alas, I have tried. Lisa sent me polymer clay beads from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/torisophiadesigns.biz" target="_blank">Torie Sophia</a> (whom I absolutely adore!) and some summer green faceted beads. Love the colours...not comfortable with the big chunky beads. I am but a lowly beadweaver and bead embroiderer, and these beads just begged for some big bohemian type of piece. HA! Again, I gave it my good shot and here is what came of it....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3r4hmZm9eeV8iWyeYCvIwzI1xb3WyG9mNGIuF0d8lhlo4LHeLvAu0U_J7fg7X7MMPTf9wlpA5YK_Wz27s24vR84bWjxet6BV18kgzVg_8ZzA3UgohMCFTMFLkSG3KjD_kJbTrmSH9Ffy/s1600/20130823_175145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3r4hmZm9eeV8iWyeYCvIwzI1xb3WyG9mNGIuF0d8lhlo4LHeLvAu0U_J7fg7X7MMPTf9wlpA5YK_Wz27s24vR84bWjxet6BV18kgzVg_8ZzA3UgohMCFTMFLkSG3KjD_kJbTrmSH9Ffy/s1600/20130823_175145.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I hope you enjoy the hop as I know I am going to! Thanks again Lisa Lodge for making me creatie something out of my comfort zone...lol...Love ya!<br />
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Please continue hopping to these wonderful beaders and their blogs:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Your Hostess: Lisa Lodge, <a href="http://www.gratefulartist.blogspot.com/">A Grateful Artist</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Chris Eisenberg, <a href="http://www.wanderware.blogspot.com/">Wander Ware</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Audrey Belanger, </span><a href="http://esperianterra.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #e50091; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Dreams of an Absolution</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Mary Govaars, <a href="http://www.mlhjewelrydesigns.com/">MLH Jewelry Designs</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Melissa Trudinger, <a href="http://www.beadrecipes.wordpress.com/">Bead Recipes</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Monique Urquhart, <a href="http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com/">A Half-Baked Notion</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Beti Horvath, <a href="http://stringingfool.blogspot.com/">Stringing Fool</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Charlene Bausinger Jacka, <a href="http://clay-space.com/blog">Clay Space</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Tara Plote, <a href="http://www.newbiebeader.blogspot.com/">The Newbie Beader's Blog</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Renetha Williams Stanziano, <a href="http://www.lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com/">Lamplight Crafts</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Leah Mifflin Tees, <a href="http://mybeadylittleeyes.blogspot.com/">My Beady Little Eyes ***You are Here!***</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, <a href="http://www.bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/">Bay Moon Design</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Toltec Jewels, <a href="http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/">Toltec Jewels for Jewel School Friends</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Molly Alexander, </span><a href="http://www.beautifullybrokenme.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Beautifully Broken Me</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Alicia Marinache, <a href="http://www.allprettythings.ca/">All the Pretty Things</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Laurie Vyselaar, <a href="http://lefthandjewelry.wordpress.com/">Lefthand Jewelry</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #191919; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Eleanor Burian-Mohr, </span><a href="http://cornerstoregoddessjewelry.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Charmed Life</span></a><span style="color: #191919; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Julie Lockhart, <a href="http://coparaingeal.blogspot.com/">Copar Aingeal</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Dolores Rami, <a href="http://craftydscreations.wordpress.com/">CraftyD's Creations</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Elizabeth Bunn, <a href="http://elizabethbeads.blogspot.com/">Elizabeth Beads</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Mowse Doyle, <a href="http://mowsemadethis.blogspot.com/">Mowse Made This</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Veralynne Malone, <a href="http://www.veradesigns.blogspot.com/">Designed by Vera</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Candida Elkins Castleberry, <a href="http://www.spunsugarbeadworks.blogspot.com/">Spun Sugar Beadworks</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Shaiha Williams, <a href="http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/">Shaiha's Ramblings</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Christie Searle Murrow, <a href="http://www.charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com/">Charis Designs Jewelry</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Andrea Glick-Zenith, <a href="http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/">ZenithJade Creations</a></span>Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com14Red Rock, ON P0T, Canada48.945248 -88.25943323.4232135 -129.568027 74.4672825 -46.950839tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-29534003591265557492013-07-06T03:50:00.000-07:002013-07-06T03:50:00.018-07:00Seasons Blog Hop!Yay for Pine Ridge Treasures' Seasons Blog Hop. It's arrived!<br />
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For this blog hop, Lisa Lodge from <a href="http://gratefulartist.blogspot.com/%E2%80%8E" target="_blank">Pine Ridge Treasures</a> sent me a beautiful ceramic pendant (in, I might add, frightening as heck colours) made by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ORRTEC" target="_blank">Melinda Orr Designs,</a> and some lovely blue accent beads and copper findings to match. Ok, so NOT colors I would normally work with together (like ever). Turqouise blue and orange. What am I going to do with that??!?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhwBkJQUxAPhcLpvug_Ys_DaM0PJDXDVEKKq6cLRM7dFQlE1yNbR8Nugf6UmErII_692tcikACRsyryRLPTXwlPsN-rpXgV-s-rA12e-TCYxhfqV5C5e3NyTeLvxmnP6Vc87nwmw1LYwK/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhwBkJQUxAPhcLpvug_Ys_DaM0PJDXDVEKKq6cLRM7dFQlE1yNbR8Nugf6UmErII_692tcikACRsyryRLPTXwlPsN-rpXgV-s-rA12e-TCYxhfqV5C5e3NyTeLvxmnP6Vc87nwmw1LYwK/s1600/002.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottom is what I added from my stash, top is what I received from Lisa Lodge.</td></tr>
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Of the few blog hops I have participated in, including <a href="http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/%E2%80%8E" target="_blank">BSBP7</a>, this I think was the scariest for me. These colors did it. Wow, I contemplated for months! And, then to have to match it to a season of the year, or a season in my life. Uh oh.<br />
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So, here is what I came up with (and forgive me, this piece is not entirely finished - I'll explain later). These colors only remind me of one thing. Sailing. Which brings me to the seasons, summer of course! However, the sailing reminds me of two things: my daughters, who are both sailors (sea cadets, go figure), and my parent's place on Manitoulin Island (many yachts and sailboats to watch!). My youngest daughter is leaving today for Kingston, Ontario to go sailing for 3 weeks. Wow, this is such an adjustment for me; she's only 13. My oldest daughter (16) and I are leaving for my parent's house on Monday. Twelve hour drive, but she is 16 and now has a driver's license so she can help drive :). It will be a great trip, provided I can keep myself from worrying about my younger daughter the whole time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzojnqi1msGY7pe0PuhgbJnpV4f1-kUkDYhGTWayiFdfkw-EMm9uLTcpy24UOTRuZIFFlGfhxtNhnmqxlflqC20s3t_o1nhWSeZXhgis0eG_A07ZFaLdEnansukucsCzQjhcKBi64ivv4N/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzojnqi1msGY7pe0PuhgbJnpV4f1-kUkDYhGTWayiFdfkw-EMm9uLTcpy24UOTRuZIFFlGfhxtNhnmqxlflqC20s3t_o1nhWSeZXhgis0eG_A07ZFaLdEnansukucsCzQjhcKBi64ivv4N/s1600/004.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what I started with...yuk</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I ripped this piece apart 3 times. I started with bead embroidery, and tried to keep the stripey flow of the piece in the embroidery, but absolutely despised it. Can honestly say that's never happened to me before. So, I started again...and again...Finally I came up with an idea I liked. I wanted it to be something a sailor might wear on her night ashore, but would also convey the trust, skills, and luck involved when on the water.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ghgY7lbJrl_U_KBr-RzlGPssfvVpEwCRpjKDFeXluD6CCEhWdyxXysGT7YMJlAwmN6bML5HFaglT3FGxM8cJbHXXWpRlxOcsWeVAMoLxDQNJmvcdTPUcJD6XXUJP9AbOpX0JeOmfZ6gE/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ghgY7lbJrl_U_KBr-RzlGPssfvVpEwCRpjKDFeXluD6CCEhWdyxXysGT7YMJlAwmN6bML5HFaglT3FGxM8cJbHXXWpRlxOcsWeVAMoLxDQNJmvcdTPUcJD6XXUJP9AbOpX0JeOmfZ6gE/s1600/003.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">almost finished...lol</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I started out with the turqouise soutache, added the cream, and some beads, and then remembered I had this small scale fabric rope. I wanted to add the element of luck to the piece, so I had my older daughter make a good luck sailor's knot to sew on the bottom. Love this idea, but here is where we come to the unfinished part. Younger daughter leaving today, had to pack her up for 3 weeks (including sailing gear), older daughter and I are leaving for two weeks on Monday, must have us packed and ready to leave for 6am Monday morning. Finished work for the summer on Thursday at 2pm, van has been in the shop for a week, finally got that home yesterday, and hubby works out of town. I really wanted to have the rope part of the necklace finished and the good luck knot sewn on, but alas...LIFE has caught up with me this week. So much to do, so little time.<br />
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That being said, it can still be considered a finished piece as is...it's just a pendant instead of the full necklace. Although, I would like to finish it and write another blog post to show it off as a finished piece, for my own satisfaction :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiWOl_kSy30Sg21Xz13u31ilSnkmyfPmNhpm-YHa6Hw_zyTGDytM0pNTM26DgofIr_w0IWpQKSc-fWtyYYzfBiBkH6dQeakMyRULZ-hSft58fS_vrVoBgGUAQP8ak9s_oDN14TUtPRwfO/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiWOl_kSy30Sg21Xz13u31ilSnkmyfPmNhpm-YHa6Hw_zyTGDytM0pNTM26DgofIr_w0IWpQKSc-fWtyYYzfBiBkH6dQeakMyRULZ-hSft58fS_vrVoBgGUAQP8ak9s_oDN14TUtPRwfO/s1600/004.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thank you for visiting my blog, and I hope you enjoy the whole list of blogs participating in the Seasons Blog Hop:<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Your awesome Hostess: Lisa Lodge, <a href="http://www.gratefulartist.blogspot.com/">Grateful Artist</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, <a href="http://www.bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/">Bay Moon Design</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Cassi Paslick, <a href="http://www.cassisbeads.blogspot.com/">Beads:
Rolling Downhill</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Stephanie Sanner Haussler, <a href="http://www.pixybugdesigns.blogspot.com/">PixyBug Designs</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Leah Mifflin Tees, <a href="http://mybeadylittleeyes.blogspot.com/">My Beady Little Eyes ***you are here!***</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Karin Slaton, <a href="http://www.backstorybeads.blogspot.com/">BackStory Beads</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Audrey Belanger, <a href="http://www.esperianterra.blogspot.ca/">Dreams of an Absolution</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Lori Jean Poppe,
<a href="http://lorillijeanscreativecorner.blogspot.com/">Lorillijean Creative
Corner</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Karla Morgan, <a href="http://www.texaspepperjams.blogspot.com/">Texas Pepper Jams</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Christine Stonefield, <a href="http://www.sweetgirldesign.blogspot.com/">Sweet Girl Design</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Eleanor Burian-Mohr, <a href="http://www.cornerstoregoddessjewelry.blogspot.com/">The Charmed Life</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Alicia Marinache, <a href="http://www.allprettythings.ca/">All the Pretty Things</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Veralynne Malone, <a href="http://www.veradesigns.blogspot.com/">Designed by Vera</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Kay Thomerson, <a href="http://www.kayzkreationz.blogspot.com/">Kayz Kreationz</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Mary Govaars, <a href="http://www.mlhjewelrydesigns.com/">MLH
Jewelry Designs</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Toltec Jewels, <a href="http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/">Toltec
Jewels for Jewel School Friends</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Lennis Carrier, <a href="http://www.windbent.wordpress.com/">Windbent</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Erin Kenny, <a href="http://www.beadifultherapy.blogspot.ca/">Beadifultherapy</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Tanya Goodwin, <a href="http://www.pixiloo.blogspot.com/">A
Work in Progress</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Cilla Watkins, <a href="http://www.tellyourgirlfriends.com/">Tell
Your Girlfriends</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Renetha Williams Stanziano, <a href="http://www.lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com/">Lamplight Crafts</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Christie Searle Murrow, <a href="http://www.charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com/">Charis Designs Jewelry</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sierra Barrett, <a href="http://www.giraffecanhas.wordpress.com/">Giraffe Can Has</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Melissa Trudinger, <a href="http://www.beadrecipes.wordpress.com/">Bead Recipes</a></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Shirley Jones Moore, <a href="http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com/">Beads and Bread</a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Dawn Horner, <a href="http://www.northernadornments.blogspot.com/">Northern Adornments</a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Charlene Bausinger Jacka, <a href="http://clay-space.com/blog">Clay Space</a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Tara Plote, <a href="http://www.newbiebeader.blogspot.com/">The
Newbie Beader's Blog</a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Candida Elkins Castleberry, <a href="http://www.spunsugarbeadworks.blogspot.com/">Spun Sugar Beadworks</a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Miranda Ackerley, <a href="http://www.mirandack.com/">Daze
and Days</a></span></div>
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<br />Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-31950583448041915502013-05-19T20:59:00.000-07:002013-05-20T11:21:05.246-07:00Whimsical Monkey's Earring Swap Blog Hop!<br />
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I have had so much fun with the other Blog Hops I have participated in that when I came across this one, I just couldn't help but sign up :). I was partnered with the lovely Nancy Smith, you can find her blog here: <a href="http://www.wirednan.blogspot.ca/">http://www.wirednan.blogspot.ca/</a> . I wanted to do something I haven't done before, so instead of bead weaving someone else's pattern, I designed my own! This is what I made for Nan:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKSuaO4EX-vbj6qJzgsRLkdQA01bauJGB6FDg_oqRFn9o_Heb9dEW0y_IuR0MU3XazH0yz33scjiIHb3f86ZR6gpLJMapNmpQfdX61p5ijCTdvYSYDZ-qt5EAfoFiy6gYCg8tgEwDlU1o/s1600/Stella+Earrings.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKSuaO4EX-vbj6qJzgsRLkdQA01bauJGB6FDg_oqRFn9o_Heb9dEW0y_IuR0MU3XazH0yz33scjiIHb3f86ZR6gpLJMapNmpQfdX61p5ijCTdvYSYDZ-qt5EAfoFiy6gYCg8tgEwDlU1o/s1600/Stella+Earrings.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have wanted to try the new rizo and rulla beads, and finally was able to get some. This was my chance, and I'm glad I took the risk; I really like how they turned out! These earrings are called 'Stella' and I was so happy with them, I even made a matching pendant. Am currently trying to decide if I should write up a tutorial for them, what do you think? They are made using rizo beads, rulla beads, delicas and drop crystals.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjj-N46DUCD6wnBfNttz-k_XTgXHgPViW2phreDvnR1TMfjccZud5__6l0DXdELBoqL2BVA2c-Qtpnrj9BdSTdtfUbnLD5b_sGvPo9ZBPQ2HYWujbXlqPwOK8fLs0YMYQtBsFhJuRhITi/s1600/Stella+Set.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjj-N46DUCD6wnBfNttz-k_XTgXHgPViW2phreDvnR1TMfjccZud5__6l0DXdELBoqL2BVA2c-Qtpnrj9BdSTdtfUbnLD5b_sGvPo9ZBPQ2HYWujbXlqPwOK8fLs0YMYQtBsFhJuRhITi/s1600/Stella+Set.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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And in return, here are my earrings from Nan! Aren't they gorgeous! I love them Nan, thank you! The ever-sneaky Nancy sent me TWO georgeous pairs of purple and silver earrings! And purple just so happens to be my favourite colour! We must have been close friends in a former life ;)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7qylqvpcJWkPi2AQ8ZSnLXKqeFtRV65aVHoEaXQ8OOTDipxc0PoEtvdVPXsBsHnPhyphenhyphenvWRFFCNDNfY-59BsZzErtS7GSSxJ64gCpaFLztO0WbbokCntQeacKLzXS45SFl154aamVDOd91/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7qylqvpcJWkPi2AQ8ZSnLXKqeFtRV65aVHoEaXQ8OOTDipxc0PoEtvdVPXsBsHnPhyphenhyphenvWRFFCNDNfY-59BsZzErtS7GSSxJ64gCpaFLztO0WbbokCntQeacKLzXS45SFl154aamVDOd91/s1600/003.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span>This first pair are made with Glass flower beads and Argentium ball headpins(made
by Nancy) with the addition of matching seed beads from her stash. She also
made the earwires! </span><br />
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And these ones<span><span> she made with Sterling wire that she shaped into almond
earwires and then coiled the same wire around the beads. The purple ones
are vintage glass and the pink are dyed jade.</span></span><br />
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Thank you for including me in this Blog Hop, I hope to participate in many more! For those of you still waiting to see my second piece for the BSBP 7, it is waiting in the wings for more inspiration, don't worry, I haven't forgotten about it!<br />
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I apologize for the late post, but I was away for the weekend and didn't get the memo about the reveal being back on until I was already out of town! Any who, Jessica, I'm glad you decided to continue with it, and I'm sorry you had such a trying time with this. I hope it doesn't deter you from doing this again in the future!<br />
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Please visit the other Blogs participating in this Earring Swap Blog Hop:<br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><u><i><b>Blogs:</b></i></u></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Inge von Roos: <a href="http://ingetraud.wordpress.com/">ingetraud.wordpress.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Nancy Smith: <a href="http://wirednan.blogspot.ca/">wirednan.blogspot.ca ***This is my awesome Partner!***</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Marianne Baxter: <a href="http://www.simplyseablimejewelry.blogspot.com/">http://www.simplyseablimejewelry.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Leah Tees: <a href="http://mybeadylittleeyes.blogspot.ca/">mybeadylittleeyes.blogspot.ca ***You are here!***</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Andrea Trank: <a href="http://www.heavenlanecreations.com/">www.heavenlanecreations.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Miranda Ackerley: <a href="http://blog.mirandack.com/">http://blog.mirandack.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Cheri Mitchell-Reed: <a href="http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/">http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Susan Kennedy: <a href="http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/">http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Michele Dotson: <a href="http://star-jewels.blogspot.com/">http://star-jewels.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Deanna Cox: <a href="http://www.deannaaki.wordpress.com/">www.deannaaki.WordPress.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Shelley Graham Turner: <a href="http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com/">www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Ingrid McCue: <a href="http://www.wrappedinsilver.com/">www.wrappedinsilver.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Lennis Carrier: <a href="http://windbent.wordpress.com/">http://windbent.wordpress.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Ginger Davis Allman: <a href="http://thebluebottletree.com/">http://thebluebottletree.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mary Anne Flesch: <a href="http://www.handcraftedserenity.blogspot.com/">www.handcraftedserenity.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Nicole Valentine Rimmer: <a href="http://www.nvalentine.blogspot.com/">www.nvalentine.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Stephanie Weiss: <a href="http://uniquelymebwd.blogspot.com/">uniquelymebwd.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Silvia Sernicola: <a href="http://pipa-the-latest.blogspot.it/">http://pipa-the-latest.blogspot.it/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Karla Morgan: <a href="http://www.texaspepperjams.blogspot.com/">www.TexasPepperJams.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Kay Thomerson: <a href="http://kayzkreationz.blogspot.com/">http://KayzKreationz.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Paula Hisel: <a href="http://simplybeadiful.weebly.com/simply-stated.html">http://simplybeadiful.weebly.com/simply-stated.html</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Carol Dillman: <a href="http://dillmansdallies.blogspot.com/">http://dillmansdallies.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Spun Sugar Beadworks: <a href="http://spunsugarbeadworks.blogspot.com/">Spunsugarbeadworks.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Tara Plote: <a href="http://newbiebeader.blogspot.com/">http://newbiebeader.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Rachel Baron: <a href="http://rbarondesigns.blogspot.com/">http://rbarondesigns.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Laurie Keefe: <a href="http://treeofliferootedinmysoul.blogspot.com/">http://treeofliferootedinmysoul.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Kashmira Patel: <a href="http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/">http://sadafulee.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Gina Hockett: <a href="http://www.freestyleelements.blogspot.com/">http://www.freestyleelements.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Shellie Grindy: <a href="http://www.creativeeclectica.com/">http://www.creativeeclectica.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Shai Williams: <a href="http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/">http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Dyanne Cantrell: <a href="http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com/">http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mimi Gardner: <a href="http://www.othercuriosities.blogspot.com/">www.OtherCuriosities.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Jessica McMullen: <a href="http://pheonixgatedesigns.blogspot.com/">http://pheonixgatedesigns.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Jennifer LaVite: <a href="http://www.drygulchbeadsandjewelry.blogspot.com/">www.drygulchbeadsandjewelry.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Laura Medeiros: <a href="http://zoeowyn.blogspot.com/">http://zoeowyn.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Alenka Obid: <a href="http://www.pepita-handmade.blogspot.com/">www.pepita-handmade.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Elsie Fonseca: <a href="http://www.ladelizchica.blogspot.com/">http://www.ladelizchica.blogspot.com/</a><br />
Cheryl Dunham: <a href="http://www.renaissance-jewelry.blogspot.com/">www.renaissance-jewelry.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sandra McGriff: <span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[60].[1][4][1]{comment452820758140455_454729054616292}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span id=".reactRoot[60].[1][4][1]{comment452820758140455_454729054616292}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><a class="" href="http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca/" id=".reactRoot[60].[1][4][1]{comment452820758140455_454729054616292}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[1]" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca</a></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[60].[1][4][1]{comment452820758140455_454729054616292}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span id=".reactRoot[60].[1][4][1]{comment452820758140455_454729054616292}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0">Tania Spivey: </span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[580].[1][4][1]{comment452820758140455_454935231262341}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span id=".reactRoot[580].[1][4][1]{comment452820758140455_454935231262341}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><a class="" href="http://moobiegrace.blogspot.com/" id=".reactRoot[580].[1][4][1]{comment452820758140455_454935231262341}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[1]" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://moobiegrace.blogspot.com/</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u><i><b>Facebook:</b></i></u></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Beccy Peterson: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beccys-Baubles/158754397489442?fref=ts" target="_blank">Beccy's Baubles</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Ani Forsyth: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ani.pettinari?group_id=446135802142284" target="_blank">Veil Dancer </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mowse Doyle: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MowseMadeThis">https://www.facebook.com/MowseMadeThis</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mischelle Fanucchi: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/micheladasmusings">www.facebook.com/micheladasmusings</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Marde Lowe: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/FanciMar-Designs/230219510334148?fref=ts" target="_blank">FanciMar Designs</a></div>
Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-12801761227883549002013-04-27T00:00:00.000-07:002013-04-27T05:08:52.043-07:00The Third Reveal is Finally Here!!!!!<br />
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<a href="http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.ca/2013/04/welcome-to-3rd-reveal-of-7th-bead-soup.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7PKR8r8N88-ckF_dSs9p8wuGEvF6teuntyagUhchUJSUcoycBWa00oimXWFUyhfuLA_pfgt8Am2bOhvXopm_h4hUeiXR6Npdo1KZT8kGw9xkVyVcYV_DeBvGbL7QeClttiY4B1Eldoku/s1600/3rdreveal7BSBP.jpg" height="320" width="225" /></a></div>
Welcome to the third reveal for the Bead Soup Blog Party 7! I am not one to shy away from a challenge, so when the call for participants went up, I considered it for a few days and then jumped right in. My awesome partner is Lori Finney (also from Canada) and you can view her blog post here: <a href="http://lori-finney.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">http://lori-finney.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.ca/</a> <br />
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Lori sent me a wonderful package of two colourways to design with: a mix of reds and browns and a mix of purples. My package also included a reddish brown focal (a gemstone I'm sure, but don't know what kind) and a really pretty bright copper dragon fly clasp.<br />
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Immediately, my brain went into overdrive. I started separating the mixes, and then had my girls look them over. My younger daughter looked at all the wonderful beads and suggested a couple changes to the mixes and I stayed with her colour ideas. Sometimes it's great to get another opinion that you may not have thought of yourself! Thanks Pnut!<br />
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I mulled them over for quite a few days and decided there were definitely two jewelry set ideas in the mist of my brain. One for the reds and one for the purples of course! The focal and clasp went with the red mix, that left the purple mix without a focal and clasp so I added those from my stash, along with some maribou, soutache and rounds. Lori also included in my package two of her own beaded beads and I wanted to incorporate those into my pieces as well.<br />
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I started with the red mix (the main piece) and had an AWESOME idea. This idea even became the basis for my idea for the second piece. The colours in this mix were so red and fiery and hot, and the focal had some potential to be red-hot as well, so I started to design a Moroccan woman. I bezelled around the focal with bright copper 15s and then added a Swarovski crystal drop in front. I wanted to bead embroider and soutache around the cab to make it look like flowing material as in what a belly-dancer would wear. I began with bead embroidery on one side of the cab, then I added the whole thing to a new piece of foundation so that it would be a little more three dimensional, and I started to soutache on the other side. This is where I hit a real bump in the road. It didn't look right. No matter what I tried, it still didn't look right. I was so disappointed in this piece that I put it aside and decided to work with the other colour mix: the purples, one of my favourite colours to work with. I do wish I had taken pictures of the red piece BEFORE I ripped it apart though...lol<br />
<br />
The focal is dyed jasper I believe, and in an odd shape. So, I started with the soutache, added some cup chain, the purple seed beads and larger round picture jasper beads I received in my package, added some 4mm bone rounds and black rounds, and ended it with black marabou. I used one of the beaded beads from Lori as a drop on the pendant and made earrings and a bracelet to match. My original thought was to call it Nights of New Orleans because it reminded me of Mardi Gras, but my older daughter suggested that it reminds her more of the showgirls of Vegas, so it's final name is Pretty Vegas. Thank you Haley!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXADcwu4zbTW0wVl4VHzbW8MXXfdNEhYrpy2d3Pbu_kIvEW354uRI-FtmdSZPI9ogz5tAVBGUK2gVQjBa7AuF1DMaZOKQQxzWZQBlnoV_Es23LP3MwdxCnhbwobfy9uL83RgNdFJHj8-Gc/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXADcwu4zbTW0wVl4VHzbW8MXXfdNEhYrpy2d3Pbu_kIvEW354uRI-FtmdSZPI9ogz5tAVBGUK2gVQjBa7AuF1DMaZOKQQxzWZQBlnoV_Es23LP3MwdxCnhbwobfy9uL83RgNdFJHj8-Gc/s1600/003.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Now back to the red piece. I wanted so bad to call this piece Mysterious Marrakesh, but I'm not sure what it will become when I finally have it finished. I apologize for not having it complete, but as far as challenges go, this was a duzy, although I am NOT giving up on it by any means. I ripped it apart last night thinking I had another idea for it, but alas, the mist overclouded the idea in my brain once again...lol. Now it sits, bezelled still, but naked otherwise, waiting for my brilliant ideas to reemerge once again.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLQcOxMMNb754oQkcgxkkk2Dd45mu1tAId5-5HRlK23YRaZLqKmS9MzqwpEjbVfu5K3zM1JxOYepOOr5C1hdNMkLYXFicIcYAWQ7rBCPuACJyi6cJQwhmVTTSbUEfiaw5BB2KsmoExU2m/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLQcOxMMNb754oQkcgxkkk2Dd45mu1tAId5-5HRlK23YRaZLqKmS9MzqwpEjbVfu5K3zM1JxOYepOOr5C1hdNMkLYXFicIcYAWQ7rBCPuACJyi6cJQwhmVTTSbUEfiaw5BB2KsmoExU2m/s1600/001.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
And apart from my inability to finish the main piece in time, I enjoyed this challenge very much. Thank you Lori Anderson for spear-heading this wonderful venue and allowing us to meet other brilliantly talented people who enjoy doing what we do.<br />
<br />
As for other challenges? Well, I am just discovering my designer abilities and will continue to join as many challenges as I can in order to keep growing as an artist. I am participating in the Hats Off blog hop challenge, Pine Ridge Treasure's Seasons and Summer Blog Hop Challenges, and any others I can find :)<br />
<br />
Thank you for visiting my blog. I have included the list of participating blogs:<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;"><td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 190pt;" width="253">Adlinah
Kamsir</td>
<td class="xl76" style="width: 299pt;" width="398"><a href="http://www.dreamstruckdesigns.blogspot.com/">www.dreamstruckdesigns.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Agi Kiss</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://moonsafaribeads.blogspot.com/">http://moonsafaribeads.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Alenka Obid</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.pepita-handmade.blogspot.com/">www.pepita-handmade.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Alison Sachs</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.beadsbyearthtones.blogspot.com/">www.beadsbyearthtones.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Amanda Tibbetts</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.amandamade.com/blog">http://www.amandamade.com/blog</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Amy Sims</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.amysimsdesigns.com/">www.amysimsdesigns.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Ana Cravidao</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://acbeads.blogspot.com/">http://acbeads.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Andra Marasteanu</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://bijouxdemonange.blogspot.com/">http://bijouxdemonange.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Andria Poole</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.jewelleryartiste.blogspot.com/">www.Jewelleryartiste.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Angela Perkins</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://jeweledinspirations.blogspot.com/">http://jeweledinspirations.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Anja Schultz</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://anjas-perlenwelt.blogspot.de/">http://anjas-perlenwelt.blogspot.de/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Ann Sherwood</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://ann-sherwood.blogspot.com/">http://ann-sherwood.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Anna Nordeman</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://annas-adornments.blogspot.com/">http://annas-adornments.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Annita Wilson</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://awjewelryandbeadwork.blogspot.com/">http://awjewelryandbeadwork.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Arlene Dean</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://aglassbash.blogspot.com/">http://aglassbash.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Astrid Boyce</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://astridboyce.blogspot.com/">http://astridboyce.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Barb Fernald</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://barbarasfernald.com/">http://barbarasfernald.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Betty James Hoppensteadt</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.tybetastidbits.blogspot.com/">www.tybetastidbits.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Birgit Klughardt</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.gitesbeads-gite.blogspot.com/">www.gitesbeads-gite.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Bonnie Coursolle</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://jaspersgems.blogspot.ca/">http://jaspersgems.blogspot.ca/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Brandy Thomason McNair</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.bellavitajewelry.blogspot.com/">www.bellavitajewelry.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Brenda Sigafoos</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://brenda-sigafoos.blogspot.com/">http://brenda-sigafoos.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Carmen Lau</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://littlemake.blogspot.com/">http://littlemake.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Carol Wilson</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://jetadorn.blogspot.com/">http://jetadorn.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Caroline Dewison</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.blueberribeads.co.uk/">http://www.blueberribeads.co.uk</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Cassie Donlen</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.cassiedonlen.blogspot.com/">www.cassiedonlen.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Catharine Temaluru</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://ienmaginationsjewelry.wordpress.com/">http://ienmaginationsjewelry.wordpress.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Catherine Turrell</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://fairysketches.blogspot.co.uk/">http://fairysketches.blogspot.co.uk</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Cheri Reed</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/">www.creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Cherrie Warzocha</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://colorsofshae.blogspot.com/">http://colorsofshae.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Christa Murphy</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://adventuresofwonebeadywoman.blogspot.com/">http://adventuresofwonebeadywoman.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Christina Hickman</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://vintagetreasuresjewelry.blogspot.com/">http://vintagetreasuresjewelry.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Christina Stofmeel</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.fengbeads.com/">www.fengbeads.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Christine Hansen</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://intuitivesparks.blogspot.com/">http://intuitivesparks.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Christine Stonefield</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.sweetgirldesign.blogspot.com/">www.sweetgirldesign.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Cilla Watkins</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.tellyourgirlfriends.com/">www.tellyourgirlfriends.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Cindy Cima Edwards</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.cindycima.com/">www.cindycima.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Claire Lockwood</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.somethingtodowithyourhands.com/">www.somethingtodowithyourhands.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Colleen Vinthagen</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.thewireworkshop.com/blog/">http://www.thewireworkshop.com/blog/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Dagmar Liebisch</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://kokopellidesign.blogspot.de/">http://kokopellidesign.blogspot.de/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Dana Fowler</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.blogjunepur.blogspot.com/">www.blogjunepur.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Danielle Kelley</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://imbuethemuse.blogspot.com/">http://imbuethemuse.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Deb Fortin</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.studiok24.blogspot.ca/">www.studiok24.blogspot.ca</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Dee Elgie</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://cherryobsidia.blogspot.co.uk/">http://cherryobsidia.blogspot.co.uk</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Denise Milward</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://milwardstorysofar.wordpress.com/">http://milwardstorysofar.wordpress.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Diah Anggreni</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://pernik-manik.blogspot.com/">http://pernik-manik.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Diana Gonzalez</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.arteypoemas.com/">www.arteypoemas.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Diane Valasek</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://dragonflyclose.blogspot.com/">http://dragonflyclose.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Dita Basu</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.alankarshilpa.blogspot.com/">http://www.alankarshilpa.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Donetta Farrington</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://simplygorgeous-donetta.blogspot.com/">http://simplygorgeous-donetta.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Doris Stumpf</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://glaszwerg.blogspot.de/">http://glaszwerg.blogspot.de/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Elizabeth Bunn</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://elizabethbeads.blogspot.com/">http://elizabethbeads.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Elizabeth Drake</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://mutteringsofacrone.wordpress.com/">http://mutteringsofacrone.wordpress.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Elizabeth Jones</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.eyekandyjewellery.com/">http://www.eyekandyjewellery.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Elizabeth Stolarczyk</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://elizabethsart.blogspot.co.uk/">http://elizabethsart.blogspot.co.uk/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Ema Kilroy</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.emakdesigns.com/blog">http://www.emakdesigns.com/blog</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Erin Kenny</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://beadifultherapy.blogspot.ca/">http://beadifultherapy.blogspot.ca/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Evelyn Duberry</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.shebamakeda.com/">Www.ShebaMakeda.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Fay Wolfenden</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.torchfairy.blogspot.com/">www.torchfairy.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Francesca Watson</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://francescawatson.com/">http://francescawatson.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Gen Smith</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://gennysworld.blogspot.com/">http://gennysworld.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Ginger Davis Allman</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.thebluebottletree.com/">www.thebluebottletree.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Giorgia Rossini</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.joyblonde.blogspot.com/">www.joyblonde.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Hannah Annear</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.quirkyhannah.wordpress.com/">www.quirkyhannah.wordpress.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Heather Otto</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.thecrafthopper.com/">http://www.thecrafthopper.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Heidi Kingman</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.heidikingman.blogspot.com/">www.Heidikingman.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Ildiko Jarai</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.sviroalkotasai.blogspot.hu/">www.sviroalkotasai.blogspot.hu</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Iveth Caruso</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.creativeatelier.net/">www.CreativeAtelier.net</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Jackie Locantore</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/blog/MorningStarSanctuaryStudio">http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/blog/MorningStarSanctuaryStudio</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Jacqueline Keller</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.creartelier.blogspot.com/">www.creartelier.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Jane Pranata Lim</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://cherryeve.blogspot.com/">http://cherryeve.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Jennifer Davis</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://jennifersjewelsandjunk.blogspot.com/">http://jennifersjewelsandjunk.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Jennifer Tough</td>
<td class="xl76"><br />
<a href="http://jenniferbeads.blogspot.ca/">http://jenniferbeads.blogspot.ca</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Jenny Vidberg</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://shymessmycken.blogspot.se/">http://shymessmycken.blogspot.se/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Jessica Klaaren</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://cellardoorjewelry.blogspot.com/">Http://cellardoorjewelry.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Joanna Matuszczyk</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://filcowe.blogspot.com/">http://filcowe.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Joyce Becker</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.joycesjoyfulgems.blogspot.com/">www.joycesjoyfulgems.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Judith Johnston</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.lampworkbeadlounge.com/">http://www.lampworkbeadlounge.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Judy Riley</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.threeredbeads.blogspot.com/">www.threeredbeads.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">JuLee Wolfe</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.thepolymerpenguin.blogspot.com/">www.thepolymerpenguin.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">June Butt</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.onewhiteswan.blogspot.co.nz/">http://www.onewhiteswan.blogspot.co.nz/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Karen Mitchell</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.overthemoon-design.com/">http://www.overthemoon-design.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Kari Asbury</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com/">http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Karin King</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.maverickbeads.blogspot.ca/">www.maverickbeads.blogspot.ca</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Karin von Hoeren</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.creativeideen.de/">www.creativeideen.de</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Karla Morgan</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://texaspepperjams.blogspot.com/">http://texaspepperjams.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Kathrin Lembke</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://allesperle.blogspot.de/">http://allesperle.blogspot.de/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Kathy Stemke</td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="height: 2px; margin-left: 397px; margin-top: 0px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 3px; z-index: 6;"></span><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout2;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="xl76" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 299pt;" width="398"><a href="http://vintagememoriesjewelry.blogspot.com/">http://vintagememoriesjewelry.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Katja Benevol Gabrijelcic</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://slovoni.blogspot.com/">http://slovoni.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Katy Heider</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://onthepondcreations.blogspot.com/">http://onthepondcreations.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Kay Thomerson</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://kayzkreationz.blogspot.com/">http://KayzKreationz.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Kelley Fogle</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.mylifeonebeadatatime.blogspot.com/">www.mylifeonebeadatatime.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Keren Panthaki</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="https://vasdea.wordpress.com/">https://vasdea.wordpress.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Kimberly Idalski</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.kimisjewelryandgifts.blogspot.com/">http://www.Kimisjewelryandgifts.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Kirsi Loponen</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://peikkonen.blogspot.com/">http://peikkonen.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Klaudia Tóth</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.klaudiabizsu.hu/">http://www.klaudiabizsu.hu/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Krista Quantrill</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.cornucopiaofcrafts.blogspot.ca/">www.cornucopiaofcrafts.blogspot.ca</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Kristina Hahn Eleniak</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.peacockandlime.wordpress.com/">www.peacockandlime.wordpress.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Kristina Johansson</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.wildrosesandblackberries.blogspot.com/">www.wildrosesandblackberries.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Laney Mead</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://laney-izzybeads.blogspot.co.uk/">http://laney-izzybeads.blogspot.co.uk/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Lara Lutrick</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.lutrick.blogspot.com/">http://www.lutrick.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Laura Guenther</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.blueantiquities.blogspot.com/">www.blueantiquities.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Lauren Potts</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.lpsjewelry.blogspot.com/">www.lpsjewelry.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Laurie Vyselaar</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.lefthandjewelry.wordpress.com/">www.Lefthandjewelry.wordpress.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Leah Tees</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.mybeadylittleeyes.blogspot.ca/">www.mybeadylittleeyes.blogspot.ca *****You are here*****</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Lena Adams</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://mommaslilbirdiesblog.blogspot.com/">http://mommaslilbirdiesblog.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Lesley Watt</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com/">www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Leslie Wayment</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.aabeadsonline.com/blog/">www.aabeadsonline.com/blog/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">LiliKrist</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://pcbylik.blogspot.com/">http://pcbylik.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Linda Kropp</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://lindasartbarn.blogspot.com/">http://lindasartbarn.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Linda Newnham</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.earth-shine.co.uk/">http://www.earth-shine.co.uk/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Linda Younkman</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.lindysdesigns.blogspot.com/">www.lindysdesigns.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Lisa Boucher</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://lisasclayhappenings.blogspot.com/">http://lisasclayhappenings.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Lizzie Clarke</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.theneedtobead.blogspot.com/">www.theneedtobead.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Lora Bright</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://fandangling.wordpress.com/">http://fandangling.wordpress.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Lorelle McIntyre</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://beadyart.blogspot.com.au/">http://beadyart.blogspot.com.au</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Lori Anderson</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.prettythingsblog.com/">www.PrettyThingsBlog.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Lori Finney</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://lori-finney.blogspot.ca/">http://lori-finney.blogspot.ca/ *****This is my awesome partner!*****</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Lucie Bouvier</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.carlosbeadstore.com/blog/">http://www.carlosbeadstore.com/blog/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Malin de Koning</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.se/">http://beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.se</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Marina Dobrynina</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://savonfeutre.blogspot.fr/">http://savonfeutre.blogspot.fr/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Marina Kosovic</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://machoopko-design.blogspot.com/">http://machoopko-design.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Marion Simmons</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.shadetreejewelry.com/blog.html">http://www.shadetreejewelry.com/blog.html</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Marita Suominen</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://momentofjewelry.blogspot.fi/">http://momentofjewelry.blogspot.fi/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Marjolein Trewavas</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://roomforchangemeuk.blogspot.co.uk/">http://roomforchangemeuk.blogspot.co.uk/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Marsela Schroth</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.marselita.de/">www.marselita.de</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Martha Aleo</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.ornamento.wordpress.com/">www.ornamento.wordpress.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Mary Govaars</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.mlhjewelrydesigns.com/">www.mlhjewelrydesigns.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Mary K McGraw</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://mkaymac.blogspot.com/">http://mkaymac.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Maybeline Tay</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://thejewelrylarder.blogspot.sg/">http://thejewelrylarder.blogspot.sg/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Mea-B. Uebler</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.glasorakel.blogspot.com/">www.glasorakel.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Melissa Trudinger</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.beadrecipes.wordpress.com/">www.beadrecipes.wordpress.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Menka Gupta</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://menkag.blogspot.com/">http://menkag.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Merja Sundström</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://suntsan.blogspot.fi/">http://suntsan.blogspot.fi/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Merja Syrjämäki</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://helmiriippuvuus.blogspot.fi/">http://helmiriippuvuus.blogspot.fi/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Michelle Buettner</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.misheldesigns.blogspot.com/">http://www.MiShelDesigns.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Michelle Escano</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.cabbycraft.blogspot.com/">www.cabbycraft.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Michelle Wigginton</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://adornedonadelaide.blogspot.ca/">http://adornedonadelaide.blogspot.ca/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Milla Hope</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.lbcreativeart.com/">www.Lbcreativeart.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Miranda Ackerely<br />
<br />
Mowse Doyle </td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.mirandack.com/">www.mirandack.com</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 133px;"><colgroup><col width="133"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="17">
<td class="xl66" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; width: 100pt;" width="133"><a href="http://mowsemadethis.blogspot.com/">http://mowsemadethis.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Mrs M Makes</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.mrsmmakes.wordpress.com/">www.mrsmmakes.wordpress.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Nan Smith</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.wirednan.blogspot.com/">www.wirednan.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Natalie Davidson</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://northshoredays.blogspot.co.nz/">http://northshoredays.blogspot.co.nz/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Natalie Moten</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://runningoutofthread.blogspot.com/">http://runningoutofthread.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Natascha Marty</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.sommerlicht.ch/">www.sommerlicht.ch</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Nikki Banham-Hall</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://jewellerymakingblog.blogspot.co.uk/">http://jewellerymakingblog.blogspot.co.uk/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Noemi Baena</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://blog.noemibaena.com/">http://blog.noemibaena.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Norma Turvey</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://moonlitfantaseas.blogspot.com/">http://moonlitfantaseas.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Pam DeBoer</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://pamelas-studio.blogspot.com/">http://pamelas-studio.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Pam Hurst</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.pamhurst.blogspot.com/">www.pamhurst.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Patti Pruhs</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://threebeadsandastring.blogspot.com/">http://threebeadsandastring.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Penny Houghton</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.smellynelly.blogspot.com.au/">http://www.smellynelly.blogspot.com.au/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Penny Mills</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.cobblestone-lane.blogspot.com/">www.cobblestone-lane.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Rachel Van-Walsh</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.balancedcrafts.com/blog">www.balancedcrafts.com/blog</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Rebecca Sirevaag</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com/">www.godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Regina Santerre</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://reginaswritings.blogspot.com/">http://reginaswritings.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Regina Wood</td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="height: 3px; margin-left: 397px; margin-top: 41px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 3px; z-index: 1;"></span><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout2;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="xl76" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; width: 299pt;" width="398"><a href="http://www.gina-design.blogspot.com/">http://www.gina-design.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Roberta Fauntroy</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.thevirtualbeadsociety.wordpress.com/">www.thevirtualbeadsociety.wordpress.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Rosanagh Watson<br />
<br />
<br />
Rose Johnson </td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://ring-a-ring-a-rosie.blogspot.co.uk/">http://ring-a-ring-a-rosie.blogspot.co.uk</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 133px;"><tbody>
<tr height="17"><td class="xl66" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; width: 100pt;" width="133"><a href="http://swtrosethorn.blogspot.com/">http://swtrosethorn.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Rosemary Cheslock</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.glasseyebutterfly.tumblr.com/">www.glasseyebutterfly.tumblr.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Rossana De Gaspari</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://rdegas.blogspot.com/">http://rdegas.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Sabine Dittrich</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.perlendschungel.blogspot.com/">www.perlendschungel.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Sam Waghorn</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://palemooncreations.tumblr.com/">http://palemooncreations.tumblr.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Sandi James</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.dobedobeaddo.blogspot.com/">http://www.dobedobeaddo.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Sandra McGriff</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca/">http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Sandra Wollberg</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://city-of-brass-stories.blogspot.com/">http://city-of-brass-stories.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Sandra Young</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://gypsyroadbeads.blogspot.ca/">http://gypsyroadbeads.blogspot.ca/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Shai Williams</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/">http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Sharon Palac</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.sharonsjewelrygarden.blogspot.com/">www.sharonsjewelrygarden.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Sierra Barrett</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://giraffecanhas.wordpress.com/">http://giraffecanhas.wordpress.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Silke Gröber</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://just-beads.blogspot.com/">http://just-beads.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Siobhán Keogh</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://vovsjewellery.blogspot.ie/">http://vovsjewellery.blogspot.ie/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Stefanie Teufel</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://stefaniessammelsurium.blogspot.com/">http://stefaniessammelsurium.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Stephanie Stamper</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.skwds.blogspot.com/">www.Skwds.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Sue Hamel</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://cardandjewelrycorner.blogspot.com/">http://cardandjewelrycorner.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Sue Rennie</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://moonandsevenstars.blogspot.co.uk/">http://moonandsevenstars.blogspot.co.uk/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Susan Kennedy</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com/">www.suebeads.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Susan McClelland</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://mistheword12.wordpress.com/">http://mistheword12.wordpress.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Susanna Lehto</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://othellehto.blogspot.fi/">http://othellehto.blogspot.fi/</a> </td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Suse Stelljes</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.pearlify.blogspot.de/">www.pearlify.blogspot.de</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 32.1pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="42" style="height: 32.1pt;">Susie Hibdon</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://vintagesusieandwings.blogspot.com/">http://vintagesusieandwings.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Suzann Sladcik Wilson</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.beadphoriablog.com/">www.BeadphoriaBlog.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Tara Plote</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://newbiebeader.blogspot.com/">http://newbiebeader.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Terri G.</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://terrisbloomingideas.blogspot.com/">http://terrisbloomingideas.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Terry Carter</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://tappingflamingo.blogspot.com/">http://tappingflamingo.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Terry Matuszyk</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://pinkchapeau.wordpress.com/">http://pinkchapeau.wordpress.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Theresa Frank</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.theresestreasures59.blogspot.com/">http://www.theresestreasures59.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Tina Bosh</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://bookbug-somanybookssolittletime.blogspot.com/">http://bookbug-somanybookssolittletime.blogspot.com/</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Tina Noonan</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.wingedimp.blogspot.com/">www.wingedimp.blogspot.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Toltec Jewels</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/">www.JewelSchoolFriends.com</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><br />
<br />
<br /></td>
<td class="xl76"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl78" colspan="2" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Facebook
Participants</b></span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"><br /></td>
<td class="xl75"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Audrey Allen</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/adallen07">https://www.facebook.com/adallen07</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Cindy Wimmer Muse</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mritech813">https://www.facebook.com/mritech813</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Cynthia O'Toole</td>
<td class="xl77"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.otoole">https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.otoole</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Deb Floros</td>
<td class="xl77"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deb.floros">https://www.facebook.com/deb.floros</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Debbie Jensen</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/debbie.jensen.984">https://www.facebook.com/debbie.jensen.984</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Erin Honeycutt</td>
<td class="xl76"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/erin.honeycutt1">https://www.facebook.com/erin.honeycutt1</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Kaushambi Shah</td>
<td class="xl77"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/kaushambi.shah">https://www.facebook.com/kaushambi.shah</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Lisa Lloyd Harrison</td>
<td class="xl77"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lisa.lloydharrison">https://www.facebook.com/lisa.lloydharrison</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Mary Jane Tanner</td>
<td class="xl77"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mary.j.tanner">https://www.facebook.com/mary.j.tanner</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl75" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">Valerie Tilghman</td>
<td class="xl77"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/valerie.tilghman">https://www.facebook.com/valerie.tilghman</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl74" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 190pt;" width="253"><br /></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; width: 299pt;" width="398"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl70" height="40" style="border-top: none; height: 30.0pt; width: 190pt;" width="253"><br /></td>
<td class="xl70" style="border-left: none; border-top: none; width: 299pt;" width="398"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-3921299937804116532013-03-18T14:21:00.000-07:002013-03-30T18:04:04.680-07:00Stewin' the Soup!Ha ha ha, let the games begin! I have received my soup from my BSBP 7 partner, Lori Finney, and she has received hers! Here's some pics:<br />
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AAAAnnnnddd of course, I have misplaced them. How is it that you can "lose" electronic files? This is not supposed to happen. Well, needless to say, the soup I received from Lori Finney is totally AWESOME! And it really is like two soups in one. There are red/orange beads and there are purple shades of beads! So, there will be two pieces completed from this soup!<br />
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I FOUND THEM!!!!!! And here they are:<br />
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My soup from Lori Finney:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0heMboSk8cCZ-4r07HkH9IMI1DrMi9YTKkSY1NKwUc9937mYLBbxAIXD8gFlgIXcu5EeO6pC-Xkc-o5JrfAi97qbpN6c3MQbjRJX2ZMfqPERqhUGCkIf_CZJzIvz6rcWBP3LfhcpYDxf/s1600/IMG_5705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0heMboSk8cCZ-4r07HkH9IMI1DrMi9YTKkSY1NKwUc9937mYLBbxAIXD8gFlgIXcu5EeO6pC-Xkc-o5JrfAi97qbpN6c3MQbjRJX2ZMfqPERqhUGCkIf_CZJzIvz6rcWBP3LfhcpYDxf/s1600/IMG_5705.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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And here's the soup I sent to her:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EG0_-QNW5XLT-7Mv3C1DeeiWcAabjHpV-ggwGlc_KB6wJHGlrCTtjd_BECwlcdsNM_GH-pcyl2kCAcMorCwmEptqgwTpf2YQndfSqzb3mPkcrHh55fQFS2Hq5D7nxAFzPmu5y2wRW8d7/s1600/IMG_5707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EG0_-QNW5XLT-7Mv3C1DeeiWcAabjHpV-ggwGlc_KB6wJHGlrCTtjd_BECwlcdsNM_GH-pcyl2kCAcMorCwmEptqgwTpf2YQndfSqzb3mPkcrHh55fQFS2Hq5D7nxAFzPmu5y2wRW8d7/s1600/IMG_5707.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also promised to show you a much better picture of the piece I completed for Lisa Lodge's Sand and Sea Blog Hop, and this one, I have NOT lost:<br />
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I had a lot of fun with this blog hop, and I am looking forward to working more on my BSBP 7 piece as well as my Seasons Blog Hop piece (another from Lisa Lodge!)Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-4646092428320723842013-03-09T06:00:00.000-08:002013-03-09T14:06:19.202-08:00Introducing...Molly's Reach!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtdU9UzBHUpZRs1HsnfOcFYgQ8IQNgmNs59t2hsw1KwZ9dNOtnUPnfpc5ONWzjxeL0c-08vhx3LNy0B5Qvf6VGup1BT6hQziXRVjsOGB_X3uevzDUR9D9a9Rb-uiqXmBLZdidfIOeBaD7/s1600/My+Bead+Table+II+widgit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtdU9UzBHUpZRs1HsnfOcFYgQ8IQNgmNs59t2hsw1KwZ9dNOtnUPnfpc5ONWzjxeL0c-08vhx3LNy0B5Qvf6VGup1BT6hQziXRVjsOGB_X3uevzDUR9D9a9Rb-uiqXmBLZdidfIOeBaD7/s1600/My+Bead+Table+II+widgit.png" /></a></div>
My very first blog hop, and I have to say, what a blast it has been! <a href="http://gratefulartist.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Lisa Lodge</a>'s Sand and Sea Bead Table Blog Hop is my first trip into the blog hop world, and I enjoyed every minute of it! I received my soup from Lisa, and it was sand colours, ok, I thought. I can deal with this. I received this package right after Christmas, and its all I thought about for days...lol. Then I decided what I was going to do.<br />
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I added some beads from my stash (of course!) and it just so happens, this is what I had on my bead table at the time :)<br />
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I had my daughter draw out the starfish shape, and the ideas kept coming. I loved the focal bead she included, made by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/MarshaNealStudio" target="_blank">Marsha Neal</a>. So I incorporated it into the body of the starfish and then embroidered soutache and beads around it and filled the rest of the body in with bead embroidery.<br />
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I made the rope of the necklace using a modified St. Petersburg stitch and added random beads to it as well. There were so many beads in this soup, that I had lots left over and made some earrings to match. I even made the earring wires! Woohoo, another new thing...lol.<br />
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Bonus Time:<br />
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So, when I was a kid, we lived in British Columbia, and we spent almost every summer on the west coast staying in cabins or camping, and we always had easy access to the beach. One special summer, when I was about 10 or 11, we got to meet the cast of one of my favourite television shows. What a great summer we had! This piece reminds me of that television show. And the fifth person to comment below with exactly where I got the name for this piece will receive a fabulous bead soup from my own stash, complete with focal, accent beads, and findings.<br />
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Here is the list of participating blogs...enjoy!:<br />
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<h2>
Eleanor Burian-Mohr, <a href="http://cornerstoregoddessjewelry.blogspot.com/">The Charmed Life</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Mary Govaars, <a href="http://www.mlhjewelrydesigns.com/">MLH Jewelry Designs</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Tanya Goodwin, <a href="http://pixiloo.blogspot.com/">A Work in Progress</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Kathy Lindemer, <a href="http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/">Bay Moon Design</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Toltec Jewels, <a href="http://www.toltecjewels.blogspot.com/">Jewel School Friends</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, <a href="http://sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com/">Sharyl's Jewelry</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Marla Gibson, <a href="http://spiceboxdesigns.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Spice Box Designs</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Melissa Trudinger, <a href="http://www.beadrecipes.wordpress.com/">Bead Recipes</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Dot Lewallen, <a href="http://speediebeadie.blogspot.com/">Speedie Beadie</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Ema Kilroy, <a href="http://www.emakdesigns.com/blog">Ema K Designs</a></h2>
<h2 style="background: white;">
Kim Booth, <a href="http://thepinkmartiniboutique.blogspot.com/">The Pink Martini Boutique</a></h2>
<h2 style="background: white;">
Jami Shipp, <a href="http://celebratinglifewithdamamashipp.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Celebrating Life</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Leah Tees, <a href="http://mybeadylittleeyes.blogspot.com/">My Beady Littleeyes</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Christie Murrow, <a href="http://www.charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Charis Designs Jewelry</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Monique Urquhart, <a href="http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com/">A Half Baked Notion</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Gloria Allen, <a href="http://gloriaallendesigns.blogspot.com/">Gloria Allen Designs</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Cindy Anderson Wilson, <a href="http://itsmyseaofdreams.blogspot.com/">It's My Sea of Dreams</a></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Shaiha Williams, <a href="http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/">Shaiha's Ramblings</a></h2>
<br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">Annette
Rivers, </span><a href="http://mamaowlsmess.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">MamaOwl's
Mess</span></a></span></h2>
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So, enjoy all of the bog posts in this hop, and put your thinking cap on. <b>How did I come up with the name of this piece?</b><br />
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P.S. I have joined another one of Lisa Lodge's blog hops: <i>Seasons</i>. I am looking forward to it and I can't wait to receive my bead mix from her! And don't forget Lori Anderson's <a href="http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Bead Soup Blog Party</a> is coming soon!!!! And I will post a better picture when my photographer has finished with them! :)Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-70257753705552017922013-03-03T18:00:00.002-08:002013-03-03T18:00:19.465-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmC98pfjtNCmEWnqJwjZUO52IquWv6rKGVG0IQrc_dZbZh9dqcbclhnC3WPunUsVfbsAcqFUijm72Zxli37GjxTzeZJIwYlngjMMSUnpTlPrCcHL7HSmwNISBnem0mn7lPlVM6QySf1g9/s1600/BSBP7-Header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmC98pfjtNCmEWnqJwjZUO52IquWv6rKGVG0IQrc_dZbZh9dqcbclhnC3WPunUsVfbsAcqFUijm72Zxli37GjxTzeZJIwYlngjMMSUnpTlPrCcHL7HSmwNISBnem0mn7lPlVM6QySf1g9/s1600/BSBP7-Header.jpg" height="86" width="320" /></a></div>
The 7th annual Bead Soup Blog Party has begun! This is my first year participating in this Party and I am so excited! There are many Party players this year (I've heard 500!) and it looks to be the Party of the year!<br />
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My partner for this Party is Lori Finney, a fellow Canadian and seed beader! Joys! You can visit her at <a href="http://lori-finney.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">http://<span class="il">lori</span>-finney.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.ca/</a>. I am so excited to partner up with you Lori!<br />
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I have received my soup from Lori, but I'll wait to post it until Lori has received her soup from me! There is a list on Lori Anderson's blog of Party Participants. I am thrilled to be included, thank you Lori!<br />
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Oh, I know, this is a short post, but imagine how good the next few are going to be! I will be in the third reveal, on April 13, 2013. Come on back and check it out!<br />
<br />Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-79629124989442917142013-02-16T12:23:00.000-08:002013-02-16T12:23:49.351-08:00Love, love, LOVE!! I am in LOVE!I am totally in LOVE with PRECIOSA Twins! And it turns out, <a href="http://preciosa-ornela.com/beads-for-blogpost" target="_blank">Preciosa Ornela</a> has a promotion where I can blog about them, and they might send me some free Preciosa Ornela beads! Woohoo! I am so stoked, I cannot wait to see if I'm chosen.<br />
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Preciosa Ornela supplies PRECIOSA seed beads and beads to the entire world! I'll bet some of you have been using Preciosa beads and didn't even know it...These two-hole beads and seed beads are called PRECIOSA Twin™. The native language of the PRECIOSA ORNELA Marketing Department is
Czech. However, the language for the BEADS FOR BLOGPOST campaign is
English! (or we try to do our best :) You should really give this a shot if you have a blog. After all, what do you have to lose but a few minutes of your time!<br />
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Preciosa Ornela has this to say on their website: "WE LOVE VIDEOS! ...but ...the best videos (at least according to us!)
are those, which showcase our Traditional Czech Beads, mention PRECIOSA
ORNELA or link to preciosa-ornela.com." "We want to hear from you -- about you! Share your creative ideas,
funny/interesting stories or personal experience with Traditional Czech
Beads.
(Cutting and pasting our BFB photos is good...but we´ve seen those
already!)"<br />
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But, before all of this, I was already in love with twins. I searched and I searched and I SEARCHED the internet for free patterns that use these beautiful two-holed beads in jewelry projects. I found a few:<br />
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The best ones of course are right on the Preciosa website!<br />
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<a href="http://www.preciosa-ornela.com/Project-Simple-bracelets-with-PRECIOSA-Twin">http://www.preciosa-ornela.com/Project-Simple-bracelets-with-PRECIOSA-Twin</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58FMkuQ7Rxd-p9njBRlc_hSjFFDYeObpBKWevmpFbABzkG8M9Ez4GSouFyl5SfwSdliLVXruRmzLTDyISj8PyT5CWVqIkIoedsS84zY9QA2LjfsRGL5yba_i5yhkFadI1wqnf4f00Iypb/s1600/Project-Bracelets-made-from-PRECIOSA-Twin-seed-beads-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58FMkuQ7Rxd-p9njBRlc_hSjFFDYeObpBKWevmpFbABzkG8M9Ez4GSouFyl5SfwSdliLVXruRmzLTDyISj8PyT5CWVqIkIoedsS84zY9QA2LjfsRGL5yba_i5yhkFadI1wqnf4f00Iypb/s320/Project-Bracelets-made-from-PRECIOSA-Twin-seed-beads-1.jpg" height="176" width="320" /></a></div>
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SWOON............<br />
<br />And of course, I had to get my hands on some of the gorgeous beads. See, you have to understand that I generally don't see hide nor hair of
any new beads for at least a year after they come on the market :). There are two beading stores in my area. Both in Thunder Bay which is 100 kms away from me :(. And if I want to order them online, it takes at 2 weeks to get way up here from anywhere in the States. Another country? Looking at 6-8 weeks, lol, but if I'm chosen for these beads Preciosa Ornela, don't be alarmed, I would gladly wait!!<br />
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About a month or so ago, I go into one of these beading stores in Thunder Bay and ask the owner if she by any chance has any of these...she says, yes, and that she has 3 colours...lol...beggars cannot be choosers, so of course I bought two tubes of each colour she had. But, she says, I am putting in an order for more and they should be in next week. Yay!! I couldn't wait for my next trip up.<br />
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So, I drive over to the other beading store in the city, and ask if she has any. No, we don't have any of those yet. The lady says, but I finally got some Tilas! OK, cool, I picked out a few colours of Tilas, and hummed and hawed over her meager choice of Rivolis while I was there too.<br />
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My next trip up was last week. The second store, that didn't have any the last time I was there, had a new order in and a nice array of plain, matte, colours. Well, that just doesn't tickle my fancy. I picked out two colours and went on my merry way. While I was in there, I asked about other new styles of beads (you know, Rizzos, Spikes, and Gumdrops...) and she says....where do hear about all these new beads? You are usually the first one who asks for them, and then we wait to see if any one else is going to ask for them before we order them. I'm thinking, are you living in a hole in the ground?? Where else do you hear about such things, but on the internet! Pay attention!<br />
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The other beading store, is just boggling my mind. Ok, I know that life happens, BUT...anyway, you get the picture. I asked her about her new order of Twins and she says, oh I'm just making the order now. GASP! I was so looking forward to picking up a bagful of these beads! So, now I'm really disappointed.<br />
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I now have 6 colours of Twins in my stash, and have been using them all! LOL! I have made 10 pairs of earrings and two bracelets. And I'm still going! And I'm down to 5 colours now lol...Oh yes, a question for Preciosa Ornela (and maybe I missed the answer somewhere on their website...), am I allowed to sell the pieces I make from your free patterns if I give you credit for the designs?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vVYUVz1C7JErTVssFNh2j8GQh45DmjdmYt3WAylglhW47qASlKqgbDqGvuM2wlerVURNAXHo8HkW-PrMcCVlKpp3QasCc3VcpEwNUmsmyjRtPxVzCxqs6WeSbdHgXUqe8c1TaJbUgzbe/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vVYUVz1C7JErTVssFNh2j8GQh45DmjdmYt3WAylglhW47qASlKqgbDqGvuM2wlerVURNAXHo8HkW-PrMcCVlKpp3QasCc3VcpEwNUmsmyjRtPxVzCxqs6WeSbdHgXUqe8c1TaJbUgzbe/s1600/011.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6fXlNAXW63eoFRPiKY0J6Hd4Qf72Hubv1Vw0hdBZhtahUa5U69OJea0pCUI3JvSPvX-Iy_9QQdyiHDTmQwe3RH9ZLJvswlWSMG8uiSJojIcCDM361vHvdflAaJLRlYVWB9GE1sv5CRq0/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6fXlNAXW63eoFRPiKY0J6Hd4Qf72Hubv1Vw0hdBZhtahUa5U69OJea0pCUI3JvSPvX-Iy_9QQdyiHDTmQwe3RH9ZLJvswlWSMG8uiSJojIcCDM361vHvdflAaJLRlYVWB9GE1sv5CRq0/s1600/009.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsI92phCqvUu8wL0bVFo1VmaQiiScl_fJ3kqIL4iHOtxrMg_Ngaw6Oi9Ttf4KVjLGjDJ9Pu_pVZ6BSzK4xMsOtA1VvcZB-B-XP2FtZnn6XzI3KKbtSxWQugp3u8E-ZdHiwir3CAE2NOvm/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsI92phCqvUu8wL0bVFo1VmaQiiScl_fJ3kqIL4iHOtxrMg_Ngaw6Oi9Ttf4KVjLGjDJ9Pu_pVZ6BSzK4xMsOtA1VvcZB-B-XP2FtZnn6XzI3KKbtSxWQugp3u8E-ZdHiwir3CAE2NOvm/s1600/008.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYlZvpCD8Jo0To2ZmRTFujyRicFjLnXEocBD1uqmfBuUBm62lv-LxTvUb-tG97UPhKW_YlEe0rVd5awcTUlABTsdjRg15229lqYBT-fdng17nAtnvzZfAacdWTSrBT6gIqB3t48BH8BkS/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYlZvpCD8Jo0To2ZmRTFujyRicFjLnXEocBD1uqmfBuUBm62lv-LxTvUb-tG97UPhKW_YlEe0rVd5awcTUlABTsdjRg15229lqYBT-fdng17nAtnvzZfAacdWTSrBT6gIqB3t48BH8BkS/s1600/010.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.aroundthebeadingtable.com/" target="_blank">Deborah Roberti</a> has this beautiful free pattern for twin earrings. I liked the patterns so much I made six pairs! If I had had more colours of Twins, I would have made many more pairs...lol. And just about the quickest earrings to make up I have ever made!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowkbfR-k1zzxhQu_dtx5n4Rb91ZUbUgR_-avtVWoS1K6OD_evIfX85q2wrmAL14tWu-RjO7vtefge4AV42J37CvzgBKAuvU2Su1nhZUpclhuhk6wE8PjNL_Fc1dnXbrMg0-2f9Ub8vY5J/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowkbfR-k1zzxhQu_dtx5n4Rb91ZUbUgR_-avtVWoS1K6OD_evIfX85q2wrmAL14tWu-RjO7vtefge4AV42J37CvzgBKAuvU2Su1nhZUpclhuhk6wE8PjNL_Fc1dnXbrMg0-2f9Ub8vY5J/s1600/012.JPG" height="133" width="200" /> </a></div>
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This design by <a href="http://centperles.canalblog.com/" target="_blank">Mu</a> is also a fantastic quick pair to make up, but at this point I only had the two colours of twins :).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenZV8j6duWN0c_IuPtLUSEHwzRcKoTWTe4QIByYrmkvLq9H7OENFHD7tQr3HnbG40hMQEH1LUsB5143B6OEKILXJgBHWCmHdW-cPrW6ckjehjittPrdqlBiBaH6xTlibjkduZa47dvz5B/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenZV8j6duWN0c_IuPtLUSEHwzRcKoTWTe4QIByYrmkvLq9H7OENFHD7tQr3HnbG40hMQEH1LUsB5143B6OEKILXJgBHWCmHdW-cPrW6ckjehjittPrdqlBiBaH6xTlibjkduZa47dvz5B/s1600/014.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzXucpi1jNOqgpKRcs4mOFF4Ack-oMzGKjpXTXNbQlEOpPs8882iTQbZ8qoaV-K654UfjOIHJlAdv01unUd7SC2qNj1bN8WKUdy0ToaxX0JFguEVpQk5eMbRwtaPidXvuu4SetvV2DgISd/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzXucpi1jNOqgpKRcs4mOFF4Ack-oMzGKjpXTXNbQlEOpPs8882iTQbZ8qoaV-K654UfjOIHJlAdv01unUd7SC2qNj1bN8WKUdy0ToaxX0JFguEVpQk5eMbRwtaPidXvuu4SetvV2DgISd/s1600/013.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTh21k63MkVHNDmA0kwmIED338714JbndB2pZSn_hb3VxuWQEN16MWdynjHYEaUIGx5mlSG5trewrNQYHkiWcDvpSZqBm-6pEnzzcpWflXcxe08TbjNT7N4jot5HcCpDpbG58ygy9NERZ/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTh21k63MkVHNDmA0kwmIED338714JbndB2pZSn_hb3VxuWQEN16MWdynjHYEaUIGx5mlSG5trewrNQYHkiWcDvpSZqBm-6pEnzzcpWflXcxe08TbjNT7N4jot5HcCpDpbG58ygy9NERZ/s1600/015.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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And then there is this pattern that I tested for a beady friend in England. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/JuJuJewelleryUK" target="_blank">Sarouchka Lobbens</a> is a Belgian living in England with some wonderful talent! This is her Radiance Earring pattern, and in the third photo, I made three earring components and attached them in a necklace. Beautiful pattern Sarouchka!</div>
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And then...there are the bracelets I made from the <a href="http://www.preciosa-ornela.com/Project-Simple-bracelets-with-PRECIOSA-Twin" target="_blank">Preciosa Ornela</a> website free booklet on Twin bracelet patterns:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguWCPvI-k_XA2L9eKgVAcitfgRChyphenhyphen8xCcQ-EkTMS3gnjZYRhLrKindFWReZfKQ1OpOCwwLdAypWJ2_urMOq1oJrdMp45ui5CE5fOSyGhP8Rb0Xj6tc0oRo1APKoyBndp5RGH8RtneYZDY/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguWCPvI-k_XA2L9eKgVAcitfgRChyphenhyphen8xCcQ-EkTMS3gnjZYRhLrKindFWReZfKQ1OpOCwwLdAypWJ2_urMOq1oJrdMp45ui5CE5fOSyGhP8Rb0Xj6tc0oRo1APKoyBndp5RGH8RtneYZDY/s1600/017.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Aren't they gorgeous! I plan to make a few more, when I get some new colours, of course! And after that, I will be designing some of my own patterns to use with them. I would love to see them integrated into a soutache design! Stay tuned for more ideas and pieces!</div>
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<br />Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-58113598070218837972013-01-28T08:23:00.002-08:002013-01-28T08:23:49.743-08:00Forever and a day...I know, it's been forever and a day since I last posted. So much has been keeping me away from you, worst of all, ill health. I am ok, just really bogged down right now I guess. This stupid flu that I can't seem to get over doesn't help any. HOWEVER, that being said, there are far better things for us to talk about and for me to show you!<br />
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Since my last post was December 14, 2012, I guess I have a few things to show you! <br />
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<img border="0" height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6TTpUbNy0To1GxpZTf1kCoD8Uti5ykqFt1pRsYlc_SEfepIulA-wWgckrVazqLj_YQ1m3d_Nd39gAZPQdT44FKYCPKZXCII-yAlOxNtNdDZtRpSisCNQ6_gQ57qGBL2grZ21deuaS2_sC/s320/SufferinSoutachecopy.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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Let's start with AW. I posed a learning challenge on <a href="http://artisanwhimsy.ning.com/page/sufferin-soutache" target="_blank">Artisan Whimsy</a>, sponsored by Ameerunswithscissors.com, for members to learn the art of soutache embroidery right along with me. This was back in November. Amee K. Sweet-McNamara of <a href="http://ameerunswithscissors.com/">ameerunswithscissors.com</a> graciously offered to sponsor the challenge with a fabulous grand prize of 100 yards of soutache, a video tutorial and a bracelet kit! This challenge has just ended, and I don't have winner names yet, so I can't tell you anything more about that aspect of it...lol. I CAN tell you that it was a blast and we received some very creative entries. As an added bonus, I now have a new obsession...but let's not dwell on that.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyzQ4A8xxDZpOf2fimA4Wgj_ri8gW527B_Ey9gZJN1ifKn4dhmpNu5ctC4C7z2ePCYlZEa6nGWj_T5hpjqLYLXc5NODICw9hdKxt60a65SXZPi8X4oTUA8hNSDVb70LKokgFv4vCtizF8/s1600/Amee+Runs+with+Scissors+ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyzQ4A8xxDZpOf2fimA4Wgj_ri8gW527B_Ey9gZJN1ifKn4dhmpNu5ctC4C7z2ePCYlZEa6nGWj_T5hpjqLYLXc5NODICw9hdKxt60a65SXZPi8X4oTUA8hNSDVb70LKokgFv4vCtizF8/s1600/Amee+Runs+with+Scissors+ad.jpg" /></a></div>
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On to other things...lol. The<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/221231661225416/" target="_blank"> OTTBS</a> monthly challenges have been very inspiring. December's challenge was black and silver, which I did not complete. January's challenge is blue, green, purple and gold...peacock colours! I am trying to complete this challenge, but not sure I'll make the deadline. I also started the weekly challenge on OTTBS, to complete a pair of earrings every week for the year. Doesn't sound so bad does it? Well, let me tell you, it's not always easy. I think I have kept up with this challenge, but since I have been so sick, I haven't kept up with posting pics. Let's say I have a few weeks of pictures to post.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2tBL1FGtSGEQSol3p9vXDeiH-GP7IU-77vlmGK7CnJyjfppr2ayq5FJFMjuRe7EA1oCxKTCvtCqYehFXXhOdcApJj7iSIskYEdYVHzqi3n5fWVYujL1CtSHRNjBvuU3Tjd5zlqHgPWXm/s1600/CCCcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2tBL1FGtSGEQSol3p9vXDeiH-GP7IU-77vlmGK7CnJyjfppr2ayq5FJFMjuRe7EA1oCxKTCvtCqYehFXXhOdcApJj7iSIskYEdYVHzqi3n5fWVYujL1CtSHRNjBvuU3Tjd5zlqHgPWXm/s320/CCCcopy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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New this year, I joined two other groups on Facebook. The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/colorcombochallenge/" target="_blank">Colour Combo Challenge group</a> picks a new colour pallette every week and everyone designs a piece around that pallette. What a great motivator! I love this idea! Except that a week goes by really really fast in terms of challenges and designing, and of course real life :P The other group is called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/452347441480249/" target="_blank">The Year of Jewelry</a>, where members supplied 52 different inspirations for a year's worth of jewelry designs and members design a new piece every week for a whole year! Another wonderful idea! You see where I'm going with this? Not yet? Ok, here's some more information.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHVFl0HrOnrbzS6R1dUcbXH9qJaj32KXZGrqXBCikdglxYQwKStisELaQRVhyphenhyphenq_hZReYmUnXajhGDLZ9w6gJq2TWqqZ6U_srtBN-ZVyxg-tXO8fl9bMcmyiPLJslOU2Y-eaubf7p2bwYi/s1600/My+Bead+Table+II+widgit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHVFl0HrOnrbzS6R1dUcbXH9qJaj32KXZGrqXBCikdglxYQwKStisELaQRVhyphenhyphenq_hZReYmUnXajhGDLZ9w6gJq2TWqqZ6U_srtBN-ZVyxg-tXO8fl9bMcmyiPLJslOU2Y-eaubf7p2bwYi/s1600/My+Bead+Table+II+widgit.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://gratefulartist.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Lisa Lodge of Pine Ridge Treasures</a>, posed a Sand and Sea Bead Table Blog Hop, where you purchase a bead soup from her (complete with focal) and she sends you either a sea or sand related soup and you must design a piece using this soup and whatever is on your beading table. Ok, so I, of course, had to give this one a try as well! I am so excited! I have some great ideas,and by the way, my soup consists of sand-themed colours.<br />
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Also, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/383705698317459/" target="_blank">BBB group</a> on Facebook poses a new challenge every couple of months based on patterns designed by other people, so you don't have to design, you just have to bead. Nice. Definitely useful when your mojo has gone awol on you. But thats another story for another day ...lol.<br />
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Back in December I also joined <a href="http://www.beadswap-usa.com/" target="_blank">Bead Swap USA</a>. What a great time I have with these ladies! They host bead swaps in different themes with members from all over the world! They are also the home of the Travelling Bead Box! So far I have joined 3 swaps, and I am enjoying every minute of it! Except for Canada Post, but that's also another story for another time ha ha. <br />
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And last, but definitely not least, <a href="http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party!</a> I did it, yes I did. I signed up. However, I was smart and signed up for the last reveal :). I am very excited about this though. This is huge! Can't wait to see who my partner is!<br />
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So you must have some idea where I am going with this now? That's right, I think I may have set myself up to fail. Crap, but there are just so many things I want to do! So here's how I have managed so far, and I'm not so sure this is allowed, but here goes. I have decided that my earring-a-week challenge has turned into a whatever piece-a-week challenge. If its earrings, great, if its a bracelet, great too! See what I mean? Ok, so lets add in the CCC group colours, and the YOJ inspiration challenge. My piece a week now has to be in a specific colour pallette every week and is inspired by one of the YOJ themes. For example, the colour pallette could be blue, grey, green, yellow and red, but my piece will also have a music theme to it. Get it? Yay, that's three birds with one stone!<br />
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The BBB challenge makes things a little more difficult and like I said before, I save this one for when my mojo goes running around on me again. The dirty devil! <br />
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As for the Sand and Sea Blog Hop and the Bead Soup Blog Party, those are two entirely different things and will receive my undivided attention on each piece!Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-28440656766246529062012-12-14T15:22:00.000-08:002012-12-14T15:22:42.596-08:00Not Beady...But Definitely on My MindIt never fails to horrify me, the lengths people will go to to hurt others. To damage -beyond repair- 27 families, is just incomprehensible. And children to top it all off. I can't help but wonder what leads to these events.<br />
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Is it a mental disorder (I am thinking yes)? Is it an anger management issue? Yet, there are also differences between Canada and the US and their respective fire arms laws, but it has to start somewhere else. This person did not decide to pick up a gun and ruin 27 families BECAUSE he could get his hands on a gun. Sure that facilitated the tragedy, but is not the ultimate cause of it.<br />
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This kind of behavior, if not caused by a severe mental disorder, must stem from something or sometime or somewhere. Is it because of the feeling of entitlement that all of our youth exhibit in this generation? I see it in my own teenagers. As parents, it is our job to ensure our children understand why this is NOT the way go about life.<br />
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Increasingly, this becomes more difficult for us as parents. I worry what will become of future generations, if we as parents of this generation can not get a handle on this attitude. <br />
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You can roll your eyes, and shake your head when I mention that...as kids, we were not allowed to have this kind of attitude...but it is so true! When did this feeling of entitlement become the norm, the standard, and the expected?<br />
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In the grand scheme of things, I have good children, and my husband and I work hard to keep it this way. BUT there are still these feelings and attitudes from my children that we try and discourage. What did we do as parents, educators, doctors, psychologists and politicians to enable these thoughts and behaviors?<br />
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Is it because we empowered them, gave them the tools to stand up for themselves, and taught them how not to be the little guy anymore? I shudder to think that this has caused such evil and tragedy.<br />
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Or is it because we stopped having them take responsibility for their own actions? At some point, we shifted the onus of responsibility away from the self and onto someone or something else. I believe this may have played a huge part in some of the evil we see today. Maybe not all of it, and maybe not this specific instance, but definitely a large part. <br />
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We will probably never know what was in this young man's mind today as he went about his evil chores, but at the very least, can we as parents, educators, politicians, psychologists, and doctors at least do an assessment of what we have taught our children, and how it may have played its own part in some of these horrifying events?Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-54966967676599282602012-10-16T10:57:00.001-07:002012-10-16T10:57:26.274-07:00My Beady Friends :)I have made some new friends, and some new pieces, but let's talk about the new friends first!<br />
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If you haven't joined <a href="http://artisanwhimsy.ning.com/" target="_blank">Artisan Whimsy</a> yet, you should be ashamed of yourself! This is a group of jewelry artisans from all over the world, who can come together to learn new methods, blog about their craft "envy", and chat with others who feel the same way about making jewelry that they do.<br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="backgroundColor=0xFFFFFF&textColor=0x403E32&config=http%3A%2F%2Fartisanwhimsy.ning.com%2Fmain%2Fbadge%2FshowPlayerConfig%3Fxg_source%3Dbadge%26size%3Dmedium%26username%3D1phbhi35qx7hv" height="174" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" scale="noscale" src="http://static.ning.com/socialnetworkmain/widgets/index/swf/badge.swf?xn_version=124632088" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="206" wmode="opaque"></embed> <br />
<small><a href="http://artisanwhimsy.ning.com/">Visit <i>Artisan Whimsy</i></a></small><br />
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Not only do they consist of wonderful personalities, but the wealth of knowledge that must be contained within those virtual walls must be tremendous! Imagine a place where you can go at any time of the day to find an answer for a whole beady host of questions! How do you finish the back of a bezeled cabochon? How do I choose the right colors for my piece? I need motivation, someone help me?<br />
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Sure, you can find some of these things on YouTube. However, when you visit Artisan Whimsy (as a member, of course) you have access to real time people; whoever happens to be online at any point in the day. These people are fantabulous! I have made many friends in the first two weeks of the site being up and running, and have learned some new things, and also been handed some confidence by strangers! What better place can you find to do that?<br />
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I live in the north (and there aren't too many beady people around up here), and let me tell you, it is such a breathe of fresh air to be able to log on and find one or two ladies already online and ready to say good morning and have a beady chat over morning coffee (or hot chocolate in my case). I love this, and it makes my day every morning.<br />
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So, in my search for a bead swap partner, I have found two groups that I could now not live without. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/221231661225416/" target="_blank">Operation Tackle That Bead Stash</a> and Artisan Whimsy are two of the most inspiring and motivating groups for me on the web. I love all of you ladies! Keep up the great inspirations!<br />
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Ok, so on to new pieces...<br />
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When I joined the OTTBS group on <a href="http://tacklethatbeadstash.blogspot.co.uk/2012" target="_blank">Blogger</a> and Facebook, I found out that they have some amazing challenges going on. A new challenge every month, and every two months, a new book challenge. So, in September I managed to get a small piece done for the September Challenge: use green and gold only. WOW! That is a bit of a challenge! But here it is:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamzf6T05wIaD9QNg_IaV_Fp4nzFOsUvrilMVTAUSR-OS1p_PgDDPnhyqZc8hKn4ZMzWd7INABTlTVSuVMu47ONv3bvKr-ZYZOX60LGyERM6UF67h_SD5nEktULEHpAGyUombzegar8vlV/s1600/087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamzf6T05wIaD9QNg_IaV_Fp4nzFOsUvrilMVTAUSR-OS1p_PgDDPnhyqZc8hKn4ZMzWd7INABTlTVSuVMu47ONv3bvKr-ZYZOX60LGyERM6UF67h_SD5nEktULEHpAGyUombzegar8vlV/s320/087.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
OK, so it's not the most impressive thing I've done, but I only had a couple of days, and I thought why the heck not? What have I got to lose?<br />
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Challenge number two: Bead, Book, Bounce. Every second month the ladies choose another book for us to complete one or more projects out of. Since I came in near the end of September I figured I had enough time to complete a book project. My first BBB book? <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Little-Bead-Boxes-Miniature-Containers/dp/1589232917" target="_blank">Little Beaded Boxes</a> by <a href="http://www.beadcave.com/julia/" target="_blank">Julia S. Pretl</a>. SNAP! And I thought the first one was a challenge! Well, needless to say, the challenge reveal date is November 6, so I still have time. But in case you're curious, here is a WIP picture:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OOH3yD9Rru0LOwSZvKqfBQ5d65faZ3Y7AgzyXpZncfBBKO7RNIe32VtFiHikplItlJnenLsZvqbPPOrNKYRJBh5mlwXic6QwcOHKELF6WFfS90xuOKCP4lRRHJVaSdTCFr5VtUrgY4mW/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OOH3yD9Rru0LOwSZvKqfBQ5d65faZ3Y7AgzyXpZncfBBKO7RNIe32VtFiHikplItlJnenLsZvqbPPOrNKYRJBh5mlwXic6QwcOHKELF6WFfS90xuOKCP4lRRHJVaSdTCFr5VtUrgY4mW/s320/001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I am attempting the triangle box from page 43 of the book. It's a challenge because I have never attempted a three dimensional piece before now. It's coming along, and I will have it finished by November 6th. I promise.<br />
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Challenge number three: October challenge. Make a piece or component of jewelry from this picture:<br />
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<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJHB_zJRr9acuu_SAtif3UQ26zQRRHpUHhprdWR64PtoVfnu-88_0SFvswtbUP_9rE970SUf-wP_oRdO2l6ScMx1s8F5xXu7pkMnk7W9gg6tQpDQ6rKNXahy38DNQugvkpV50tXrEYMvk/s320/alice.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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This is an Alice in Wonderland photo (that I do not recognize) but look at the possibilities. And there are no limits! So, if the colors or designs on her tights inspire you, then go with it. If you are inspired by the mirror in the background or by the trees standing behind her, go with it! Cool, I like this kind of challenge, well, because anything goes! Here is my October challenge piece I called "Alice" (go figure...):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tOWHB8V96KawltXb4KTLGiUXCzZ8lMfIifLSCLUF6iJINzKDhCj4a8HhfuzuEExC2omd3zz6h5wF_UXtFNMEBdDyNcPPM2ASNOiVM6vv5jNUqHwyxeG0z_jWILswjenRU0JcmQ30ScO9/s1600/Alice+closeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tOWHB8V96KawltXb4KTLGiUXCzZ8lMfIifLSCLUF6iJINzKDhCj4a8HhfuzuEExC2omd3zz6h5wF_UXtFNMEBdDyNcPPM2ASNOiVM6vv5jNUqHwyxeG0z_jWILswjenRU0JcmQ30ScO9/s320/Alice+closeup.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I think I was inspired by the contemporary but old world feel of the picture. <br />
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And lastly, a personal challenge. I challenged myself to make one of <a href="http://www.serafinibeadedjewelry.com/" target="_blank">Sherry Serafini</a>'s contemporary corsage cuffs to wear at a wedding. At the time I had three days to make the cuff. Needless to say, I did not make the deadline, but I did complete the challenge!<br />
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And I have to say, I am very pleased with myself! I think this is one of my most favorite pieces I have done.<br />
Let's hope I did Sherry proud!<br />
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New friends and new challenges. What a great start to the new school year. I find the challenges are motivating, and inspirational, and also a challenge in the way that it is a challenge to complete a challenge without going to the bead store to purchase new beads for said challenge ;P<br />
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<br />Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-65139653817581484922012-10-09T08:53:00.004-07:002012-10-09T08:53:40.067-07:00Find Motivation and Inspiration Wherever You Can!Sometimes for us creative people, motivation and inspiration are
difficult to come across. Think of it as a "writer's block" for
artistic people, for lack of a better term. It is also important to
remember that inspiration and motivation are two entirely different and
separate things.<br />
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At the same time, we must also keep in mind that
inspiration can be used at any time, on its own; however, motivation
must have inspiration if it's to be acted on. Yes, it is sometimes
confusing.<br />
I have been inspired many times to start a specific
project, but lack the motivation to dive into it! I have also been
motivated to complete a project, but am not inspired by the materials
enough to finish it. Sucks, I know, but this is the way the creative
mind works.<br />
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You will often hear artisans speak about their
materials and how the material 'speaks' to them. This is true in a way
that to a non-creative person will sound like a bunch of
gobblety-gook. As an artisan myself, I know that the material does not
speak to me in the literal sense of the word, but rather in a
paradoxical way. The colors may remind me of something important that
has happened in the past or something that I want to happen in the
future. The shape of my beads might resemble something funny to me.
The mix of shape and color could inspire me by making me smile.
Sometimes it's as simple as that. Sometimes it is not. Sometimes,
especially on a bad day, inspiration is impossible to find.<br />
<br />
How do
I bring myself out of the gray on a bad day? Well, let me tell you. I
have an amazing group of friends (web or in person) who have been my
inspiration at many a times. I also know that to climb out of a bad
mood, it is important that I find something creative to do, even if it
is the most menial, arduous task, such as sorting out a bead soup mix
and putting them back in their proper places. Sometimes I can bead
myself happy by picking up a really simple project or by using a
purchased pattern.<br />
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Another huge thing that I find inspiring and
motivating at the same time is teaching someone how to do what I love to
do. Not only will you have a partner 'in-crime' (so to speak) that you
can bead with and talk to at the same time, but you will also find
pleasure in teaching someone else how to make beautiful things, how to
use their own creativity, and how to use that creativity to bead
themselves out of a bad day.Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-35505253907953122162012-10-09T08:52:00.003-07:002012-10-09T08:52:45.039-07:00Creative Genious or Slight Insanity?They say there's a fine line between genius and insanity. I wonder
if this applies to creative people as well? I know that many creative
people throughout the ages have been found to have mental issues. Does
being hyper aware of everything count as a mental issue? Does it come
from being creative and having a penchant for detail? I don't know, but
I do know this: if a creative person is not mentally ill then the
creative process could drive that person to insanity.<br />
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Make sense? I thought so.<br />
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So,
I found this awesome beading group on Facebook as I was looking for
some kind of bead "community". Operation Tackle That Bead Stash is a
group of wonderfully funny people who love to bead! Every month there
are different challenges posted and you have the option of participating
in them and posting pictures of the outcome. I was originally looking
for someone to commit to a bead swap, but as most of these people are
across the world in the UK, I guess that's a little out of the
question. In my first 12 hours as a member of the group, I joined a
challenge, saw some absolutely stunning pictures of completed jewelry
projects, learned a couple of tricks of the trade, and had a wonderfully
hilarious conversation about Jaffa Cakes (?), sea sponges, and
taxed/non-taxed items across the pond. What a great group! I have come
to the conclusion (tentative) that if one must be a little insane to be
creative, then why do it alone?<br />
<br />
Speaking of insanity, I wonder how
many other creative people are out there at 4:30 in the morning
blogging because they have worried a thought to death when they should
be sleeping?Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468724619085835175.post-89388667227304896732012-10-09T08:52:00.001-07:002012-10-09T08:52:18.618-07:00It's a Beadiful World!Welcome to My Beady Little Eyes. Not only do I love to bead, I love color, and shape and anything to do with color.<br />
I
have started this blog to give an accounting of my foray into the
wonderful world of beads and all things pretty. I love to make pretty
things, and besides making jewelry I am also a painter, knitter,
crocheter, woodworker, and crafter. Let me see, have I forgotten
anything? Oh yes, I LOVE to learn! I want to learn everything and
anything I can. For example, I am currently in the process of taking
courses to complete my Early Childhood Education Diploma, even though I
already have my Human Resource Professional Certificate. And for fun?
Well, that includes many creative things as well as dying arts. I
recently found a friend who has an old shorthand textbook. Hee hee, I
am so excited!<br />
Oh, one more thing, my family is very musical. So, I also tend to enjoy learning new instruments.<br />
So, now that you know a little about me...lets discuss the beginning of my beaddiction and how I got to where I am today.<br />
After
being under the weather for about 8 years, I discovered beads through a
long time friend. On a beautiful (and typical) northwestern Ontario
May long weekend, she taught me how to make my first beaded bracelet
using pearls, seed beads, and a circular Russian netting pattern. Well,
I was hooked! To this day pearls remain my favorite beads to work
with...thanks Di!<br />
After the long weekend, I couldn't wait to find a
beading store and get started. The only store around is in the city an
hour away. So, I called up the owner of this store, Jangles in Thunder
Bay, Ontario and asked the owner if I described a few things to her if
she could put an order together and I would have a friend pick it up for
me. Sure, she said! Well, I described the book that my friend had and
what colors and sizes I was hoping for. She was great! She sent me
everything I needed to get started, including her very own (and last)
copy of the book I had described her. For the first few visits/orders,
she even sent me some surprises, and that lent to my venturing into
different kinds of beads and techniques. Oh, what fun!<br />
So, here I am, two years and many patterns, beads and techniques later, and I still love to make pretty things!Ode to Paperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516937082404998485noreply@blogger.com0