My first Swap N Hop with Bead Peeps!
Just like Linda Anderson and Gloria Allen! I’m now one of them! I get to include #BeadPeepsSwap on my pages and blog post even!
I am so humbled by the amount of work that busy artists like Linda Anderson and others will put in, just to encourage and support the work of total strangers. I am so grateful to be a part of this.
When I first started to explore the internet for jewelry How-Tos I kept seeing this little picture on the side of my favorite blogs. It seemed like a seal that said “LOOK! This is a real jewelry artist!” Then I learned that there was so much more than just a blog badge that is the world of Bead Peeps. Becoming a part of that is a real blessing.
I’m very late, but to actually be taking part in the 2016 Bead Peeps Swap-N-Hop was pretty unlikely, and I didn’t think it would happen.
The first unbelievable part of taking part in the S-N-H (Swap-N-Hop) was being partnered with an artist I was introduced to when I first began to explore the idea of making and designing jewelry. GLORIA ALLEN! of Gloria Allen Designs, Author of the Wings and Beads Blog – at http://wingsandbeads.blogspot.com/
Gloria has a great Etsy shop too, you should drop in and see her great stuff!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/GloriaAllenDesigns?ref=listing-shop2-all-items-count#items
Scroll through Gloria’s posts over the last two years and you’ll see the work of a whimsical and intuitive designer. You’ll also see a warm and giving person shining through. Gloria challenges herself at every corner. Taking part in a tremendous number of design challenges that are designed to inspire and stretch an artist. They’re intended to help others grow as much as the participant is. Even when she’s learning and exploring new components, Gloria takes time to encourage and invite others to join her along the journey. Regardless of whether she’s merely finishing what’s on her work-table for a regular Finish-Up-Friday, or studying the fashion colors of the year and designing jewelry to coordinate with it.
In some ways Gloria and I are worlds apart. I live in an isolated farm house on the Kansas prairie and Gloria lives on the east coast in what we’d consider “The Big City back east.” But it’s fascinating how similar our tastes are. Mom’s to a large family of grown children, we’re both juggling life and everyday responsibilities with our need to create.
Almost immediately after I decided to jump in and join the swap disaster struck and life put up brick walls. After struggling with health issues for years, I was zapped with several kidney stones in a row and basically ordered to go get things fixed. So, instead of leisurely designing my pieces with the incredible components that appeared in my mailbox, I was being responsible. I took the time to get well and schedule a surgery at Mayo clinic to attempt to see that my health will improve. That meant that in between kidney stones I was seeing all of my local specialists and getting all of my ducks in a row. Then I was unexpectedly told to get some biopsies done& bam they were scheduled for the Thursday before the reveal & my son’s Saturday afternoon College Graduation! AAAAaaagggh.
Anyhow, better late than never as they say.
Of course another stumbling block is my own self – Do you ever know exactly where something is, but it’s not? I ask myself “How can I be such a “loser?” I don’t mean that the way you might think. I lose things. I mean- important stuff – that I just had! Like the picture of my greatly adored focal and the components that Gloria sent! I can describe everything in detail, I can describe where each component was sitting in the photo, but nope, I lost the photo.
Actually, I thought I’d lost some of the beads too! I do that a lot. Turn around and something’s lost that I must have to finish whatever it is that I’m working on. Linda suggests we talk about challenges we faced to make our swap piece, well there’s one of my biggies – Brain Fog!
Someday the view will clear & I’ll be astonished to find everything exactly where it belongs! So, now that the panic is over, and I’ve taken a photo of what I have left, I found the picture I need right here on the SD card that was on my desk. Yea… that’s about the way it goes.
Gloria was really inspired when she chose my pieces. She ordered this incredible ceramic focal bead that’s a TREE! It’s from Suzieqbeads and is so exactly what I would have picked for myself. She also included some perfect yellow rondells from Grace beads. Those were intended to show me just what I was missing by not learning sooner about “good” lampwork beads. Quality shouts from the simplest looking bead. I’m sold on artisan lampwork.
To go with those were also some marvelous ceramic beads to accompany the focal and the lampwork. They are all in warm earthy orange and brown along with some lustrous glass pearls that have a warm apricot glow to them. Perfect to pair with the copper I love to work with.
The fascinating thing I found as I worked more closely with the orange beads were the silver highlight polka-dots and swirls. They inspired me to make the second necklace with silver and copper wire.
I used some of the copper that had the patina applied, but I also polished and brightened some of the copper that I was twisting and hammering.
Did Gloria know that I often think “When you can’t walk Fly!?” Well, I do, and she added a great copper wing that will soon be on a bracelet with those words stamped onto a piece I annealed – ready to stamp.
I’m not sure why, but even though they’re all the same components, one piece has more of a late summer feel while the other feels very dark and cozy, kind of autumn woodsy. I’m not sure how I come up with that idea, but it’s like September and November. If you’re asked, you know that they’re both technically called the “Fall” but you know they’re totally different.
There’s an uncompleted necklace here too, teaching yourself wire weaving when you can’t even stick to your own drawings isn’t a recipe for instant success. This is something I definitely want to stick too, but maybe not this week.
The sunflower pillow beads from Grace beads that Gloria sent as a gift were originally going to be earrings, until I looked in my stash of special beads. There were these ceramic beads that match the leaves almost exactly. I also had several Czech flowers that imitate the sunflowers and well.. . . I need to think on this some more.
Come back someday soon. I’d love to show you how I learned to make my own headpins for this challenge and how to make and reduce a polymer clay cane to make Day Lily’s for Gloria’s stash.
Gloria is taking part in a wonderful weekend retreat with Christi Friesen and Brenda Sue Lansdowne and Katie Oskin and many, many others this weekend. I’d planned to go before we found out about my trip to Mayo, so I sent her some goodies to use in one of the classes where they’ll learn about Haskell type caging. You’ll have to stop by her blog and see what kind of wonderful ideas she’s gathered to share with us.
I had such a hard time deciding what was good enough to send to Gloria to work with. She buys and uses some of the best beads that I’ve ever seen, and so many of them are artisan made. She’s met so many wonderful bead designers, true artisans themselves, and she’s shared them with us all. She inspired me to seek the best possible beads, and always try to use artisan produced materials, so I only wanted to send her the best of what I could find.
It wasn’t until I sat down to make some day lilies that I realized how much I wanted to make and send Gloria something I’d designed and made just for her.
I drew some elegant and sweeping Art Noveau type wire weaving and wrapping, but when my fingers get ahold of the wire and beads, something different always comes out. Someday, I must get the brain and the hands to communicate better!
Thanks for stopping by!
Here is the photo of all the pieces in my new collection, earrings and necklaces for now, and a bracelet in the works.
Please be sure and stop by Gloria’s Blog and Linda Anderson’s and all the rest. You’ll be so inspired if you do!
As you hop through the following pages, think about what incredible jewelry these designers were able to come up with, even though they weren’t the ones to choose their focal pieces or components. I’m sure it was a real challenge, but it will yield real benefits for us all. You may have guessed by now, but the idea for the blog hop is for us to choose the components for our partner, and see what we can do with what our partners have chosen for us! The pairs are listed together below.
Pop by Gloria’s first if you would please, and leave her an encouraging not. After that, be sure to read Linda Anderson’s post. She’s our hostess and deserving of your thanks for making this all possible~
Such creative designs – wonderful!! Love all your pieces.
Thanks so much Susan. I can’t wait to get back to hopping and see your pieces too. Thanks for the encouragement.
Even with life “getting in the way” you managed to create interesting and well thought you pieces! Great job and such a well written blog post to boot
Honestly, creating helps to overcome “life” and its constant intrusions. You give me a lot of credit for this one, but I was really inspired by my partner!
Wow! I am not sure that I would have been able to get anything done with all those challenges facing you let alone the beauties that you created. Great job!
I’m really grateful for your praise and encouragement. It means so much, truly, Thanks
I love your wirework, you are so brave! (It looks amazingly complicated) My favorite is the tree pendant necklace.
Well, I don’t know about brave
and I guarantee they’re not complicated, they’re pretty easy, they kind of make themselves. I love the Tree too!
Teresa I hope you are getting better??? I love the designs you have!!! They are a bit Boho Chic, and very earthy. They have wonderful movement and texture!
Hi Teresa, I am glad that you joined us. Your designs are wonderful. You did a great job. The day lilies pendant you made for Gloria is very unique. I hope you get your health issues worked out soon.
I’ve really grown a lot by being a part of this. Your words of encouragement really mean a lot to me, Thank You.
Robin, I am getting better, Thank You! I guess you’ve summed up me and my designs exactly 😀
I love your wire work. Those large cage like focals are fabulous. Where did you learn this technique? The necklaces are beautiful and I hope you are feeling better.
How marvelous of you to say that. To be honest, I don’t know where I learned this, I just started playing with wire and this is what comes out. I’ve watched a few Sharilyn Miller videos, and I draw what I think I’m going to make, but when the wire gets in my hands it doesn’t do what I drew, it just kind of does this 😀
What a great article about Gloria! The piece that you make her is lovely and special. I can’t wait to see what she does with it.
I am sorry you have had health issues to deal with. It is good that you took care of them and just in time to see you son graduate. Congrats to both of you!
You did a great job especially with all of your challenges. Just want you to know that I think I send more time looking for my beads than making with them.
Oh I do exactly the same thing! It’s such a tactile problem for me. I have to touch and look twice at each color and shape
They have to feel right in my hand before I can use them. Gloria really set me up to make some fun pieces by the choices she made for me.
Such detailed work… lots of movement and texture. Well done
I’m so glad you see that in these Fay. That’s exactly what I’m trying to learn to include. Thank You sincerely for your kindness.
Very pretty designs. I love all the work you have put into your peices. Great job
To be honest, it doesn’t feel like work and getting such an encouraging review like this makes it VERY worthwhile. I’ll be hopping by your blog this evening!
Teresa – Congratulations on a beautiful first Swap N Hop! You did it! =) My fav piece has to be the one with the tree. I love the way that you suspended it and the beauty that surrounds it. Just STUNNING! Thank you for joining us!
Linda
http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com
Thank you for including me Linda. You’ve been such an encouragement and your work to get this going to support us all is really appreciated.
It is commendable that you have managed to create these pieces inspite/despite your health issues. They are beautiful and I hope that you get well really soon
Your well wishes are greatly appreciated. And your kindness regarding my work is too. I’ll keep working on both my jewelry and my getting well! Especially with such wonderful encouragement.
Well, you managed to get a lot done even with all the ‘issues’ you had!! I am glad that you are past the most of it…hopefully!! Your creatons are amazing and I can’t wait to see what more you do!! ~KM http://www.kraftymax.net/bead-peeps-swap-n-hop-2016/
Thanks, finishing this was very important to me. It really has motivated me and I’m getting some done everyday now
I’m hoping to be posting more regularly too! I truly admired your work and your beading is wonderful! I’m going to practice beaded ropes this summer!
Holy wire wrapping, Batman! These pieces are spectacular. I love the orange.
This is so funny! We just rewatched the Batman movies sitting here recuperating & Zounds, they’re fun
Orange does take me back to the hippy-dippy days. I love the Boho feel of it.
I love the art nouveau feel of your pieces! Who knew I would like orange so much! Get well soon!
Orange is a unique color, and thanks, I’m on the mend for now!
Great designs, I’m glad you could get some things done, but definitely take care of yourself!
From here on out I plan to be more balanced, but the wire gets addictive. Thanks for thinking of me.
Awesome pieces! I really love how your tree pendant turned out! I have followed Gloria for some time and she does some awesome work! Thanks for joining in.
Gloria really does have an eye for beads and coordinating her designs, she’s an inspiration!
What fun pieces you made – neat wireworking techniques to highlight the beautiful beads you were sent!
Thanks Bobbie, free-form wire can get addictive, but it’s also very fun.
Love the earthiness of your pieces!
When the beads arrived from Gloria that was the feeling they conveyed, and it all grew out of her supplies!
Fantastic wire work focals! I admire what you have accomplished in spite of the health problems and I wish you get well sooner! I thought Wonky September would be my favorite but when I saw the rest of your pieces, I’m not sure I could pick up just one!
You’re so encouraging Rosantia! Thank You very much. I can’t decide on a fav either!
Such wonderful pieces! especially with all that life getting in the way. I hope your health is doing better and congratulations on your son’s graduation. It’s so great you found the Peeps and are enjoying our fabulous group!
You’re so nice to say that Kari, and I’m so glad to be in the group too! Linda surely has collected a great bunch over there.
well done on making some beautiful jewellery whilst taking care of yourself too. Love the wire work and the orange tones.
Oh my, I am so sorry I missed you comment. Your kindness and encouragement is really appreciated though.