Michelle Mach's Fall Challenge Blog Hop ~ Reveal!

I was excited to get in just in time to receive my kit for Michelle's Challenge.....
Please visit Michelle's blog here.  It's very insightful and has so much to offer ~ 


Each of us received a kit including the same natural 
brass Vintaj pieces: 
Each kit also includes: 

* 1 vintage Lucite 14mm wine button

* 1 vintage Lucite teardrop carnelian Deco hoop 

* 2 Lucite orange 3mm heishi 

* 1 acorn bead cap
* 2 filigree diamond links
* 1 branch
* 1 leaf-shaped metal blank

* 2 vintage Czech glass bronze 4mm heishi
* 2 vintage Czech glass beige 2-hole discs

 plus a few surprize vintage pieces ~ 

Autumn is upon us here in Central PA....I just heard the Canadian geese flying over on their way to Maryland.  The days are getting colder. The leaves are beginning to change to spectacular colors and a Screech owl was eerily hooting last night...we all stopped to listen...they give a chill to listen to...and it was a crisp night here ~ 

As I was trying to come up with my design  ~ I thought about the owl we heard... Imagined him as a silhouette in a full moon, sitting on a branch here now that the leaves are starting to turn.  This is where I began.  A few hammerings to the Vintaj leaf and recoloring some of the bright leaves to be a little more to my liking....muted and deeper, richer colors....a bit of destash leather and some chunky copper link chain....   Add a little gilders' paste and Adirondack alcohol inks, I transformed a shell hoop into an Autumn moon in blue, green and black.  I had this wonderful owl available from my bead soup partner Maria Horvath...I've had this little guy on my bead table for weeks....just waiting for the perfect opportunity! This was it ~ 

My finished necklace ~ I am so excited to share ~ I really love this....it's just fun and elegant at the same time... 

It's a pleasant reminder of our fun night here this weekend...

Shell Hoop ~ with alcohol inks and gilders paste
brass tree branch &  acorn bead cap 

Rustic patina on brass leaf, ceramic bead with acorn cap... glass leaves 

Leather necklace  split with a copper end & purple vintage bead as button clasp 

Andrew
The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton

Cat
Boo Beads

Chris
beadjewelry.net

Cilla
Tell Your Girlfriends

Cyndi
Beading Arts

Cynthia
Cynth's Blog

Dawn
Morning Glory Beading
Donetta
Simply Gorgeous

Heather
As I Bead It

Holly
SilverRose Designs

Kate
We Can Make That at Home

Kristina
Wild Roses and Blackberries

Lauren
Laurel Moon Jewelry & Beads

Linda
Lutka & Co

Lisa
Lucid Mood Studio

Lola
Bead Lola Bead

Mary
MLH Jewelry

Melinda
Melinda Orr Metal & Clay Jewelry Designs

Michelle H.
Firefly Visions

Michelle M.
Beads & Books

Salla
Blog by Salla

Shannon
Falling into the Sky

Shay
Shaiha's Ramblings

Shel
MiShel Designs

Shirley
Beads and Bread

Stephanie
Pixybug Designs

Tari
Pearl and Pebbles

Terry
Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Tracy
The Bead Junkie

Thanks Michelle for including me in this wonderful challenge! 

Andrew's Beading Challenge for September

I was so excited to get a kit from Andrew Thornton's September Bead Challenge ~ 

I just happened to catch it early on Facebook!  Here is the kit I received plus some mystery beads. I loved the colors right away... 

I really loved the mystery component of a copper metal clay flower impression 

that had been highlighted with gilders paste and dichroic bead ~ 

I thought it would be perfect with my rustic patina on the large round disc and my purple patina with mica on the large brass flower disc ~ 

The sweet enameled flowers were a perfect fit with the lavender "grow" connector...the necklace clasp is a new design available.....

A few added shell beads, gemstones and lots of matt silver rings and I am really happy with my finished piece ~

I wore it right away!

Thank you Andrew! 

To read about the challenge click HERE

To read the beautiful words on Andrew's Blog click HERE

for some of the components of this challenge... 

 A polymer clay link from Heather Wynn-Millican of SwoonDimples, a polymer clay pendant from Heather Powers of HumbleBeads, enameled flowers from Sara of C-Koop Beads, original vintage Miriam Haskell beads, Swarovski crystals, purple-colored flexible beading wire from Soft Flex Company, and a Luxury Bead Blend.

And you can find all my clasps and findings here Melinda Orr Designs 

The Mystery Components 

RSVP ~ Bead Soup Blog Party (X) Yes ~ Attending

The invitations went out from Lori Anderson's "Pretty Things" Blog ~ 

RSVP's have been received ~ See the post

The exchange beads are mailed! 

So excited for my beads from Maria Horvath to arrive  ~ She is a beader extraordinaire! 

This is my first Bead Soup Party and anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE a party! 

This is quite the get together with over 350 guests ~ Wow...Lori you are amazing for hosting this event! 

Here's a secret view of my Soup recipe components & beads ..

It has been scrambled, so it's a surprise to Maria when she receives them! 

Mysterious huh! Stay tuned for the next chapter of Bead Soup ~ 

Entered...Crossing my fingers & waiting for the email! :-)

I'm entered in the contest....are you?  Looks like fun...and Shannon from Miss Fickle Media says they take patinas well!  Hope they choose me!!

http://www.rings-things.com/blog/2011/03/17/take-our-design-challenge/comment-page-4/#comment-1494