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Saturday, May 31, 2014

Ocean Blog Hop Reveal Day

The day is finally here. It is Ocean Blog Hop Reveal Day. I signed up back in the depth of winter and am getting to share it with you just before the official arrival of Summer.

Our organizer, Lisa Lodge, sent us each a kit with an assortment of beads. We were challenged to create jewelry that has an "Ocean" theme.  I got a kit that included cultured sea glass, a clay fish by Shaterra and clay mermaid beads by Gaea.
Kit from Lisa
I bent the rules just a bit by doing a beaded box, But I already had the delicas pulled together for the wave box designed by Julia Pretl. So I made a few changes to the colours that Julia used so that the mermaid beads from Gaea would work as feet and a finial. I used the following colours 351/372/792/84/310.
Wave box, design by Julia Pretl
I secured the feet and finial with head pins, crystals and earring stoppers.
Gaea mermaid beads used for feet and finial
Now back to following the rules. I wanted to create a bracelet so that it would look like the fish was jumping out of the water. I orginally tried to rechart the wave from the box but that proved too difficult. I knew that there had to be a pattern out there for me to use.

I had seen some of Debbie von Tonder's wonderful cuff patterns on Facebook. So I went to her peyote pattern etsy store and found two possible patterns, Sea Curl and Under the Sea.

I decided to use the Under the Sea pattern with colors from the fish. The tail of the fish is attached to one end and a lobster claw clasp is on the other end. A couple of jump rings hang from the mouth to finish the design.
Under the Sea Cuff with Shaterra fish, designed by Debbie von Tonder
Another view of cuff
What to do with the white cultured sea glass beads. I added some other cultured sea glass that I had purchased during one of Lisa's destash events on Facebook. These soft green star fish and small round green beads are perfect. I used a small round magnetic closure.
Cultured Sea Glass Starfish Bracelet
I had one of the mermaid beads from Gaea left. I decided to make a purse charm with the addition of some chain and crystal starfishes from my stash.
Last Gaea bead with crystal stars
I am so glad that I was able to use all the beads in the kit. It was great to do another of Julia's boxes and try something different like Debbie's peyote cuff.

Thanks again to Lisa for organizing this great challenge.

Take some time to see what some of the others have done -


Our hostess:  Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist
Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry
Kim Dworak, Cianci Blue
Karin Grosset Grange, Ginkgo et Coquelicot
Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks
Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera
Monique Urquhart, A Half-Baked Notion
Katrina Taylor, I Wanna Go Out
Mary Ann Macri Jacobs, Trucksville Crafts
Jeanne Steck, Gems by Jeanne Marie
Ann Schroeder, Bead Love
Marianne Baxter, Simply Seablime Jewelry
Terri Wlaschin, Dances in Fog
Margaret Pelech, TBD 
Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation
Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Heather Richter, Desert Jewelry Designs
Andrea Glick-Zenith, ZenithJade Creations


Happy Beading!

24 comments:

  1. I love your bead weaving! The cuff with the bracelet bar is amazing, and the beaded box is stunning!

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    1. Thanks Karin,
      I am a beadweaver at heart. I do stringing, but love working with the little tiny beads.

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  2. Stunning pieces, everything is just beautiful. I love the box and the cuff especially. I've never seen Julia's boxes and I need to go have a look at them. I do love Debbie's patterns, I have a whole collection of them!

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    1. Thanks Kim, I have done every box in Julia's book "Little Bead Boxes" as well as many from her website. This is the first of Debbie's patterns I have done but will likely do more.

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  3. Oh my gosh! Here's to breaking the rules. I'm in love with that beaded box. Gaea's beads are so perfect as the feet and finial. I just can't get over how beautiful it is. But I'm going to pull myself together so I can move on because I love your other creations as well. The beaded cuff using the fish focal as clasp is wonderful. I love your sea glass bracelet and purse charm too.

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    1. Thanks Ann! I will be hopping around later today.

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  4. Wow weee! Jo-Ann: That beaded box is stunning! My mouth dropped open when I saw it. So gorgeous. I also love the bracelets and the purse charm. I would write a lot more, but I am speechless. So glad you could participate!!

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    1. Thanks Lisa! I love the challenge of trying something new as well as working the theme into something already planned.

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  5. I am always in for a treat when I visit here, Jo-Ann :) Your beaded lovelies are an inspiration and I love the bright bracelet and pretty charm, too... here's to breaking a few rules!

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  6. Thanks Monique! I love being a beading rebel!

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  7. The box is absolutely beautiful!!! And, I love the bracelet with the fish. Nice job on all your pieces.

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    1. Thanks Marybeth. I love make Julia's boxes. The bracelet was a fun challenge to do.

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  8. Breathtaking work. Absolutely love the cuff and using the ceramic fish as the clasp. The box is gorgeous too. So much intricate work. Kudos to you! Sorry for the late comments. Computer problems. My post is up now - Please swing on by.

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  9. Your your beadwork is gorgeous. Great job on all your pieces.

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  10. Gorgeous cuff for the fish. I'm glad the ocean blog inspired you to make your box. That's the best part of the blogs is to have even more ideas that don't necessarily use the beads we received. To be inspired by everything is a great part of being an artist.

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  11. That box is amazing! Love how you used the beads and incorporated them so well. Your fish cuff is beautiful, and using the bead as the clasp is pretty ingenious. Beautiful work. I'm running late to the party, so apologies. Christie

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  12. I LOVE your box!!!!!! your pieces are wonderful!!!

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  13. Holy cow! That box is incredible and the bracelet is fabulous! LOVELY!!!

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  14. Beautiful! That box is just gorgeous! I do love the bracelet....I can so see wearing it to the beach!

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  15. That box is really something. And the little fish focal is so cute on your bracelet. All your pieces are very pretty.

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  16. Absolutely divine! Such attention to detail and aesthetics. I am in awe.

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  17. Wow I LOVE the fish bracelet! The colors are just great, and what a great job on the beaded box. So much work.

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