The challenge I am posting for today is seed beads and glass. Lisa Lodge of Pine Ridge Treasures who hosts really fun challenges sends us kits and we make something from them. My first jewelry set is made with the blue glass beads from my kit. I used the size 6 cobalt blue seed beads to right angle weave a triangular base. Then I embellished it with the white cubes and finished the edge with the transparent light blue daggers. The straps use the transparent light blue ovals in sets of three spaced with more of the size six cobalt seed beads and white cubes. I put gold chin and a toggle clasp on the ends to finish it. I also made earrings.

I have been wanting to try the new quadra tile beads so when Lisa said that they were in  the kits I jumped at the chance to play with them.  Before this challenge came up I was able to take a class with Diane Fitzgerald working with the quadra tile beads but I did not want to use the technique that she taught for this challenge. I wanted to see what I could come up with and here it is. I put the cream picasso quadra tiles on edge in a circle. The inner row has a pair of the transparent green O beads from my kit between the quadra's and the outer row has a larger transparent green fire polished bead. Then I used size 15 cream colored triangular seed beads to egde the fire polished beads and the compenent looks like a flower. I made three flowers and stitched them together. The straps I made with the trandsparent green two hole beads spaced with two of the 15 triangles between each. It is a fairly simple design but I am proud of it.  Lisa labeled the beads transparent green but they look more gray to me. This is a nice neutral color scheme that could be worn with lots of colthes.

My third piece is a bracelet. I started this piece before the necklace above. I had the center row of  matte red metallic quadra  tiles from my stash stitched to the cream picasso quadra tiles from the kit  with the transparent green O beads and cream size 15 triangles on top. I could not decide how I wanted to finish the bracelet so I set it aside and made the flower necklace. When I came back to the bracelet I though about all of the popular wrap bracelets being made right now and this idea developed. I knew that if I stitched the outer row of the quadra tiles together it would be too inflexible to use so I stitched loops of the cream triangles around gray seude leather lace. I used a wood bead and loop for the closure. I am happy with how this came out. I think it is a unique design. The ladies in my bead group like it too. I hope you like what I am showing today. Here is the link to see what others made with their challenge kits https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.1600218440219630&type=1

Twilight is the name Lisa Lodge chose for this challenge kit. The beads are in shades of black, gray, purple,white and clear. The moment I saw the black rounds I associate them with this lovely lampworked bead that I got from a friend of mine.  I have admired this style for a long time so I was anxious to use it. I hung the focal from three strands of black seed beads and used a flower bead cap on a headpin to complete the focal. The straps are the black rounds from my kit with tan fire polished beads and red size 6 seed beads. This necklace came together easily.

Necklace number two is made in a similar style. The focal on this one is an old single earring. I stitched purple seed beads to it to give it more color and make it match the design I had in mind. I clipped the clip-on back off above the hinge then I curled the piece that was left to make an attachment point. I strung seed beads on wire and attached them to the curl to form the bail. The straps are made from the dark gray pearls, smaller purple pearls, and clear faceted crystal rondelles from my kit. My designs have been simple lately as I have been studying for my final test at school. I graduated yesterday so now I will have more time to bead. Yeah!

This is what I have left from my kit so I have lots more to design with. I have more ideas and I plan to make them soon. To see more of the pieces that other beaders designed from their twilight kits please click on https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.1594161557491985&type=1

Flora Hues is the challenge I am posting today. The hostess is Lisa Lodge of http://gratefulartist.blogspot.com  
Lisa sells us kits and we create something from the kits that we get.
I still had my treasures from the Bead Peeps challenge on my bead board and the pink stone from that challenge matched the delicate pink of these pearls so well that this necklace set was born. I added triangle size 11 seed beads between the pearls and faceted black coin beads to make the straps. The focal is the beautiful stone with black discs on either side that I wire wrapped with a faceted black drop below. It is a simple piece but I like it.

Since the hop is called flora hues I wanted to make something with a flower. I dug through my filigree and found this silver flower. I used it as the back layer of my focal. I stitched purple flower petals  to the backing. The center is a round white pearl from my kit. The bail is simply coiled silver wire. The straps are made with the purple rice shaped pearls and round white pearls from my kit. I have a third necklace in progress. I will post it when it is done. To see what others made go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRTbeadsandmore/
I just figured out that I have this marked on my calendar for the wrong date. Sorry I am late posting. 
 

Welcome to my Bead Peeps 2015 post. First let me say thank you to Linda Anderson for hosting this fun event. My partner for this hop is Kathleen Breeding. She was really generous with what she sent. I got a priority mail box stuffed full. This is the first piece that I made. The pink filigree, large Lucite flowers, chain, bugle beads , and clasp were all from my goodies. Did you notice the pink earwires? I think they are really fun.

My second necklace used the lovely purple polymer clay beads that Kat sent. The peanut beads were also in my box from Kat. I added bead caps, Glass discs, titanium coated hematite squares and drop, and the chain, which I got in New York at CJS Sales last Thanksgiving.

Necklace number three started with the white shell. I used some of the gold aluminum wire to bezel it. Then I used some of the round gold wire from my goodies to attach the stitched focal from Kat. I made a spiral rope to hang the pendant from and finished it with 2 wavy pearls from A Grain Of Sand and more of the chain I used in the purple necklace. 

I told Kat that I liked to work with unusual items so she sent me the wine cork. I could not pass up the chance to find a way to use something so unique. I wire wrapped seed beads around it for more color. Next I wired pearls from my box to the gears which were part of my loot. I made links from the sea glass shapes and the two shell pieces also from my goodies. The rondelle link  was from Kat too. Then I went to my stash for more aqua colored items to complete this mixed media piece. I made a link with rubber O-rings and another with a ceramic tube.Then 2 links with sea glass drops and an acrylic tube one too. The silver faceted beads  that I used in several of the links were from Kat . It's kind of funky and asymmetrical but I like it. I also made three pair of simple earrings but I seem to have deleted that pic so I will retake and post it tomorrow when it is light. Now I will show you all of the beads that she sent.

Didn't I tell you that she packed the box? Wow what a haul I got. I have plans for lots more item but since I am back in school my bead time has been drastically reduced so they will have to wait for another day.  The large brass clasp will be used in a necklace I am making in a Diane Fitzgerald class on Sunday. I will be passing on some of this to several of my bead friends. Please check out Kathleen's blog at http://99bobotw.blogspot.com/ then go to Bead Peeps on facebook to see what others made.

I am participating in this years Bead Peeps challenge. My partner is Kathleen Breeding. She was Extremely generous with what she sent me to play with for this challenge. This pic shows aluminum wire,  pink chain, focal and gears, acrylic beads, pearls, sea glass, flowers, stickers, seed beads, cloisonne, hearts, butterfly, brass clasp, wishbone, earwires, and frames. This is just the start. She pack a priority mail box.

Next came seed beads galore including two hole duos, piggy beads, peanuts, and bugles.

Aren't those polymer clay beads yummy? Just look at those peocock beads, they spoke to me right out of the package.The yoyo beads are interesting as well as the faceted brass squares. I am intregued by the cork and I know I need to find something interesting to do with it. The jump ring opener was a nice inclusion.

There are several focals in this pic that I can choose from including the black and coral heart, seed bead bezeled polymer piece, and the wire wrapped focal.

Several more seed bead tubes to choose from.

Stones galore in this pic including magnasite, calcite and rose quartz. Shell rounds and mother of pearl too. Several types of flowers to play with also. Didn't I tell you she was extremely generous? I have so many ideas floating in my head. Now I just need to get busy. I will be sure to pass on lots of my extras to other beaders.

Last year I got to go to the Bead & Button Show for the first time. I was lucky enough to get a kit from Toho beads  and became a member of Team Toho. I was asked to create something with my kit. I wanted to do something different than the usual necklace, earrings, or bracelet. I came up with the idea of a fascinator and that is what I created. I sent for a buckram form but it got lost in the mail so I made a wire frame to support the beadwork. I made flowers from the petal shapes, triangles and seed beads as embellishments and stitched flower trim around the edge too. I made wire and seed bead accents and added two feathers from my friends cockatoo. The inside is finished with pink ultrasuede. I am pleased with how this turned out. If you would like to see what the others made with their kits here is the link http://teamtoho.net/challenges-and-contests/2014-toho-challenge/  Most others focused more on the blue beads but I was drawn to the metallic pink. Our bead group was well represented as 5 other members also participated in this challenge.

I am participating in  the Bead Peeps Blog Hop. This is what I sent my partner Kathleen Breeding. I bead embroidered the pendant. My friend Cindy gave me the stones. I believe that they are goldstone. They are copper colored with black, navy blue, and sparkles. I also made the clasp and  links. I used magnetic copper wire for these. Magnetic copper wire is used inside electric motors. It has a coating on it that makes it darker and richer looking than regular copper. The coating also makes it not turn green like regular copper. I included some of the 20 gauge magnetic wire for Kathleen to use in my package. The black nuggets are stone that I got at Dakota Stone and I believe the marquise shapes are carnelian. The rounds above the black nuggets are red jasper. I am not sure what the strand of rounds in the upper right is but the color seemed right for this mix. Under the carnelian is shell discs and a pair of cabs I got in a mixed bags of goodies. All of the items to the left of the pendant are vintage. The tan two hole discs I got in New York City at CJS Sales. The other beads in the box with them had tags that said made in Czechoslovakia In 1989 the tags started saying made in Czech Republic so they are older than that. The large orange pearls, faceted cabs, and orange luster pieces all came out of the Bead Hoard boxes I got from A Grain of Sand. I includes size 11 copper seed beads and the two colors of size 15 seed beads that I used in making the pendant so she has something matching to play with. She said that she preferred copper and orange was her favorite color. I hope that she likes what I send.