Bead Hoarders Bead Soup and Swap and Hop

I signed up for two swaps/blog hops in the upcoming months.  One is the Bead Peeps "Swap and Hop", where I've been partnered with Divya, who blogs at Jewels of Sayuri.  I picked out something I'm hoping she'll like, but will be a challenge to design with - after all, why participate in a swap if you're only going to get things that are your own style.  Disguising the beads in the swap so they'll be a surprise to Divya was a challenge,but I found a filter that did it.

The second swap is what I think will be the ninth edition of the Bead Soup Party.  This time, host Lori Anderson has designed the swap as a Bead Hoarders swap, so I can pick out my beads before hand.  I dipped into my stash of lovelies, and found a couple of things that I'm hoping my swap partner will appreciate.  The beads were a challenge to colour match for the rest of the soup, but I'm hoping my partner will appreciate what I've set aside.

Stay tuned for the reveals of both swaps!

Swap and Hop - April 8th
Bead Hoarders Bead Soup - March 25th

Earring Duo - Blue Birdie and Carmel Steampunk Gears

These cute little birdies were found at my local bead store - most of the charms and dangles they have are not really my style, but when I found these folky little brass birds, I knew they would be perfect.  Paired with handwoven beads in a matte silverlined blue, they'd be the perfect piece to attract attention at a casual gathering.

 

I haven't made many pieces recently without handwoven beads in them - once the muse took over, so did the beads!  I took apart a necklace recently that just wasn't working, and the little clay steampunk gears and the colourful lampwork rounds ended up on my work table next to each other.  They'd be perfect for a steampunk enthusiast who wants something that's a little more subtle or casual than your ordinary steampunk garb.

Blues and Greens - Casual Essential Oil Diffuser Bracelet and Vintage Apple Green Earrings

It's completely the middle of winter here,  maybe getting a little lighter each day, but still mostly just dark and grey.  So a little colour (and fun!) is in order.  The bracelet is an essential oil diffuser bracelet - the little white ball in the middle of the white and turquoise petals is made of felt, so you can include your favourite essential oil within a wonderfully fun bracelet.  A sterling silver clasp adds to lampwork beads, a handwoven beaded bead and some vintage acrylic flowers. 

The earrings are more lampwork - apple green disks and donuts, mini dark blue spacers and vintage acrylic navy rounds. 

Links to purchase are here and here

Romantic Duo - Peach and Violet Bracelet and Earrings

 

This isn't my comfort zone.  Peach and Violet?  Not me.  But sometime karma and glass speaks to you.   And you go rummaging around the beadbox for "something" and a large acrylic cube just kind of sticks out at you.  Sure, it's been there for 20 years, but it needed to be in this bracelet. 

The peach and light lavender beads are my own lampwork - some times its not as exciting to make spacers, but there are other times, like this, where the simplicity and striations of the glass make everything just right.   

If you'd like either of these pieces for your own collection, the earrings are here and the bracelet is here

Northern Lights - Essential Oil Diffuser Bracelet in Subtle Light Blue

I've become slightly obsessed with making beaded beads out of seedbeads, as seen by the lovely, just barely there blue coloured beads.  Not a seedbead colour I would normally work with, but it worked well in the bracelet.  This particular bracelet also has a felt diffuser ball, so it can also be used with essential oils.  Just put a couple of drops on the felt ball, and you'll benefit from all of the healing properties that essential oils have.

My Etsy shop has been sadly neglected, but the bracelet has been listed here