Challenge of Color Blog Hop

I have been a follower of Erin Prais-Hintz blog for a long time. I love her writing and her wonderful sense of color and her beautiful jewelry. She is such a lovely friend too. Fifty of us took up the challenge of creating a piece of jewelry based on a custom color palette from Jessica Colaluca of Design-Seeds. I chose teal for my palette and this is what Jessica sent me.

Isn't it yummy? I was thinking "teal" would be a deep jewel tone, but, as you can see, this is the pastel alternative.

As soon as I saw it, I knew what I wanted to do. But as I was playing with the beads, I kept thinking, "if is was March, I would call this 'Waiting for Spring', but . . . it is LATE November." Then it came to me, "Visions of Sugar Plums!" Lampwork egg, lampwork hearts, czech glass and crystal beads all wire wrapped on a sterling silver chain. The toggle closure is set with pale teal crystals.
Now go on to Erin's blog Treasures Found to check out the other challenge participants.

May I Introduce . . .

My brother Randel and his bride Ira. They were married in St. Petersburg, Russia this morning. Our family couldn't attend, but watched via podcast.

The vows and prayers

Aren't they a lovely couple?

My New Sister! Mrs. Richardson

Here's my brother giving his new father-in-law a good ol' Texas bear-hug!

They were introduced five years ago by mutual friends and have seriously "dated" by Skype for last two or so years.

She is leaving all to move to Texas to become part of our family. Welcome to the Family Ira!

Relaxing on Jamaica Beach (Galveston)

Jamaica Beach, Galveston at Sunrise

I am not a sun worshiper, I hate sweating. Our first visit to Galveston was in the middle of the summer just after hormone-altering surgery and I hated it.

However, our second time on the beach was wonderful – in October, just last year.

We have a wonderful friend who has this terrific beach house in the middle of the island that has been in her family since she was a child. She has offered it to us all three of the times we have visited the Gulf Coast. This year feels like the best of the three because we are really relaxing – all four of us (doggies included).

Hubby and his "Huckleberry"

Last year we had a visit from Nan Emmett (read here), but this year it just me and my sweet husband with our two mini-schnauzers Windsor and Lindisfarne (Lindi for short).

couch taters

wet dogs

I have been working on some jewelry for my brother’s fiancé and their wedding party. Not exactly "my" style, but exactly what they wanted.

They just got the news she has her visa and will be able to emigrate from Russia to the US before Christmas. Anyway, here is what I have been up to since the Bead Soup Blog Party.

When we return to “civilization,” I will post again, but until then . . . . aaah, reeelaaaax.

Bead Soup Reveal!

Many thanks to Lori Anderson of Pretty Things for organizing the largest Bead Soup Blog Swap blog hop party ever -- with 362 participants! It was a herculean task just sorting and pairing all the members, but she also had computer crashes, horrendous migraines, and jewelry shows. WOW.
.
I was partnered with the generous and talented fellow Texan, Angela May of Canterbury Cottage. This is what I sent her . . .

And this is what she sent me.
I love the subtle colors of lavender and moss with a swirl of ivory. I was challenged by this lovely mix, not because of the colors, but because of the scale of the focal. The stone rectangle is two inches by one and a quarter inches with a slight wave. Beautiful, but larger than what I usually use in my jewelry.
.
I waited for the mix to speak to me. What came about is called "Mistral" after the cleansing storms of the Provençal region of France.

Along with the focal, I used some of the other beads Angela sent and added colored crystals with brass chain. Isn't the chain beautiful? Angela and I did a little swap of our own -- I sent her a custom Renaissance Angel Wing for the generous length of the twisted brass chain she sent me.

The clasp is at the back and is especially lovely with short hair or a dramatic "up-do".Earrings use the same cracked agate as at the back clasp and paired the pink irregular Lucite beads with sparkly pink crystal.Now, get on over to the first couple of batches of bead swappers:
The Hostess, Lori Anderson and her partner, Manuela Wutschke

1. Aimee Wheaton and Barbara York
2. Alice Craddick and Sandra Richardson Check out my mom and her partner too!.
3. Alison Sachs and Amy Severino
4. Allison Scott and Cynthia Abner
5. Amanda Cargill Austin and Charlene Sevier
6. Amanda Davie and Patsy Evins
7. Amber Dawn and Kim Ballor
8. Ambra Gostoli and Christine Hansen
9. Amy Freeland and Christine Altmiller
10. Ana Krepel-Novak and Eleanor Snare


11. Andrea Morici and Hope Smitherman
12. Andrea Trank and Jayne Capps
13. Andrea Turini and Charlene Jacka
14. Angela May and Emanda Johnson Me and my partner
15. Anitra Gordy and Elizabeth Owens Dwy
16. Ann Rishell and Debbie Price
17. Ann Sherwood and Lynne Bowland
18. Anna Lear and Barbe Saint John
19. Anna Sabina­­­­ and Erin Siegel
19. Nan Emmett and Erin Siegel
20. Astrid Boyce and Birgitta Lejonklou

For the rest of the fun, check out Lori's blog HERE.

Two-Color Quilt Exhibit

The exhibit reception was this past Sunday and it was wonderful! We all thought our show would be slated in the smaller Gough Gallery, but it now hangs in the larger Meadows Gallery. The quilts "LOOK" like the art they are. This poster is great too, designed by Tonya Littmann, whose green and blue quilt is just below mine in the upper left corner.


If you are in the Denton area, please check it out. The show is up until October 30th.

Also, Stay tuned for Bead Soup Part Blog Hop reveal this Saturday!

Treasuries!

One of the things I love about Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Swaps is the community that it builds. Yesterday I had a pair of earrings in a Treasury, now I have pair of Vampire Vamp Wings included in a Treasury inspired by "things with wings". What fun! And my piece is next to my former swap buddy's Lynne Bowland of Island Girl Aztec Lovebird


The curator of this particular Treasury is Heidi of Expostfacto. Check out her shop!

My Bead Soup Partner, Angela May, has received her package from me and has blogged about it here -- I think she likes is!

Look what I got in the Mail (and email)!

I have been emailing back and forth with my Bead Soup Partner, Angela May at Lady Hawthorne about our bead soups. We were both having a bit of a time getting it together and, come to find out, our soups crossed in the mail. I have not heard whether she has received hers from me yet, so I will not show what I sent, but I will say that the color scheme of what I received is very similar to what I sent. Yes, we do have a lot in common -- maybe we are telepathic too, who knows!

Here is a close-up of that gorgeous stone bead -- this digital images does not do it justice! Crack quartz, glass and Czech beads with silver end caps and a lovely filigree clasp. I cannot wait to begin designing in my head. I already have some ideas.

Also, there has been a flurry of activity on the Bead Soup yahoo Group with several of the participants making Etsy Treasuries. Here is one by Hope Smitherman of CraftyHope where my amber and honey quartz earrings have been featured. I just LOVE that! (click on the image to enlarge)


Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Hop has a reveal date of September 17th, so go on over to her blog and check out the list of over 360 participant's blogs.

Other than that, I have been busy trying to prepare for next weekend's four day Quilt Retreat. I usually end up bring almost everything but the kitchen sink, but I am trying to pare it down this time. We shall see if I succeed.

Bead Soup Teaser #1

I uploaded a photo of the lovelies I sent to my Bead Soup partner, Angela May at Canterbury Cottage and then whiled away the better part of an hour playing with photo effects on Picnik. I cannot wait to see what Angela does with them. More sneaks to come . . . stay tuned

I have been looking forward to this day for a while, . . .
The list is out and I know who my Bead Soup Blog partner is. It is Angela May (a.k.a Lady Hawthorne). She has a lovely blog called Canterbury Cottage. It looks as though we have some of the same interests and we are both Texans.Stay tuned to see what we get up to in the next few weeks.