Holiday Bling Blog Hop #2 - Reveal Day

Wow it is all ready the middle of December and time for the big reveal of my second round of the Holiday Bling Blog Hop. 

For this round I was match with a fellow Ontarian, Sandra McGriff.  Sandra and I decided to surprise each other. 

In preparation for a craft sale I had been making my little netted snowflakes, so I decided that I would send a small flurry of snowflakes to Sandra. 

 I sent her a dozen of these sparkly flakes. The challenge was securing them to a piece of cardboard to keep them flat during shipping. 

Here is what I received from Sandra.

Festive mailing envelope

Penquin card and shiny gift box

Necklace and earrings

Detail of Owl focal accented with pearls, quartz chips and small gold beads

Tree ornament made with buttons accented with gold

Tree ornament made with buttons accented with red

Here is a list of the amazing creative people who are part of the blog hop. Hop over to each to see the creativity that was shared.

Shirley Moore	http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com
Lori Bowring Michaud	http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
Catherine King	http://catherines-musings.blogspot.com
Dyanne Cantrell	http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com
Sonya Stille	http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com
Elaine Ray	http://elaineray.blogspot.com
Gina Hockett	http://freestyleelements.blogspot.com
Jo-Ann Woolverton	http://itsabeadifulcreation.blogspot.ca
Debbie Rasmussen	http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com
Renetha Stanziano	http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Ginger Bishop	http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com
Miranda Ackerley	http://mirandack.com/category/thoughts
Sandra McGriff	http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca
Tammie Everly	http://ttedesigns.blogspot.com
Alicia Marinache	http://www.allprettythings.ca
Melinda Abrahamson	http://www.firstreetcrafts.com
Rita/ Toltec Jewels	http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com
Chandra Merod	http://www.junipergoods.blogspot.com
Mary Govaars	http://www.mlhjewelrydesigns.com
Kelley Fogel	http://www.mylifeonebeadatatime.blogspot.com
Tiffany Goff Smith	http://www.southerngalsdesign.blogspot.com
Heather Rats Otto	http://www.thecrafthopper.com
Anitra Gordy Boyers	www.leelucreations.blogspot.com
Marlene Cupo	http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com
Shelley Graham Turner	www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com

Toronto Public Library - United Way Craft Sale

Tomorrow, Nov 16,  marks my second craft sale. Last year I did the small craft sale at the Toronto Public Library United Way Talent Show. This year the Craft Sale is its own event as part of the fund raising Library staff do for the United Way. Along with a collection of creative library staffers we will be selling our creations at the North York Central Library from 12 - 7 pm.

I will have a small Christmas tree full of my little netted snowflakes.

Here is a selection of some of the necklaces that will be for sale. 

I will have earrings and pendants as well.

Follow this link to see some of the offerings of my co-workers.

I hope that those of you in the area will stop by and see the amazing creativity of library staffers and make a start at your holiday shopping.

Have a fabulous weekend.

Cup of Bead Soup - Reveal

It is finally reveal day for the Cup of Bead Soup Vintage Lucite Beads. It was organized by the bead soup guru, Lori Anderson,with beads provided by Crystal of Bead Happily Ever After. I was one of the 4 beaders selected.

Flop Cat Design

Mixed Mayhem Studios

It's a Beadiful Creation

Roxi Designs

Here are the beads as they arrived

Original ideas that I layed out

Final design with removable pendant

With pendant removed

Necklace only

I added some metallic beads, Swarovski crystals, jump rings and large lobsters claws.

It was interesting to work with a colour palette that is not my norm, especially the use of gold accents.

Take some time to check out the amazing work of the other beaders. 

 

Flop Cat Design

Mixed Mayhem Studios

Roxi Designs

Pretty Things

Big thanks to Lori and Crystal!!!

Happy Beading!!

Owl Vessel

This is a project that I finished last month, but had not photographed. Being on off work this week I have been trying to get projects completed and photographed.

It is a beaded box pattern from Julia Pretl's website. She had a sale back in the summer. I purchased a number and decided to make the owl box first.

finished box

I have decided not to make the lid and use it pencil holder.

Designer Style Challenge - Results

On Saturday evening at the Gala event of the 25th Fall Creativ Festival the winners and runner ups were announced in the eigth catergories.

My two entries were semi-finalists in two catergories (beadwork and paperarts). They were on display for attendees to see and vote on their favourites.

Here are pictures I took with my iPhone on Friday when the show opened.

Iris Twist Vase on display

Hexagonal Triangle Vase & Irises on display

At the Gala presentation the finalists' creations were displayed on the runway with models wearing or carrying them. My Iris Twist Vase was a finalist in the Beadwork catergory. Here is my vase coming down the runway.

The three Beadwork finalists, Chippy Ezer, Dorothy Kale and myself, waiting for the announcement of the winner.

Congratulations to Chippy Ezer, the winner in the beadwork catergory, for her design Dream of Africa Necklace. She was awarded a beautiful Swarovski trophy and $1000.

Chippy's beautiful necklace

 Dorothy and I were the runner ups and were each given $250 gift bag from Swarovski.

Dorothy's Three Egg Surprise

Congratulations to all the other finalists. To see all the semi-finalists creations click here.

Here is all the amazing things that were in the bag from Swarovski.

Felted Vessel

It was my first day at the Fall Creativ Festival. Today I took Dawn Liu-Smyth's Felted Vessel class. It was an all day class that end with an amazing finished vessel.

Our starting equipment

Circle resist

First layer of ice blue merino

Wet on both sides

2nd and 3rd layers done

 At this stage we broke for lunch. That could be why I thought that my  piece looked like a pizza with no toppings.

Silk hankie surface embellishments

The other side

Rolled up and ready to start the felting process

 After lots of rolling, rotating, and flipping the fibers had start to come together.

Time to cut an opening

With a balloon inside to help with the shaping

Rinsed and drying

 At the end of the class we each had a unique vessel drying on a balloon. I love that look of my vessel. Once it is dry I will add some additional bead embellished.

No classes tomorrow but I will be at the Rypan Designs booth #717 for the day.

Vintage Lucite Challenge - Arrival

Back in September the bead soup guru, Lori Anderson, offer the opportunity to participate in mini Cup of Bead Soup with vintage lucite beads. The beads were provided by Crystal of Bead Happily Ever After.

Tonight when I checked my mail box there was one of the wonderful padded envelopes that we love to see. Inside was this amazing selection of  beads.

I started to play with the beads as I was on the phone to see if my friend Anna was going to come the our Bead Society meeting tomorrow night.

I think I will take the beads to the meeting tomorrow night and see what I can create. Reveal day is November 10, so come back and see what I am able to make.

Holiday Bling Blog Hop Reveal

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Fall Pantone Bead Swap Reveal

On Monday LiliKrist, my partner in the swap, got the package I sent her. She liked how neatly I had packed it. I was looking forward to arrival of her package from Indonesia. When I arrived home from work on Monday night there was a tag on my mailbox to let me know that I had missed a package. I was not able to get to the post office until tonight on the way home from work.

Here is what I picked up.

Inside was this beautiful quilted pouch fill with neat little wrapped packages.

The contents all laid out in their labelled bags.

Here is a closer look at the beads for each colour.

French Roast - daggers and seed beads

Honey Gold - mushroom beads and seed beads

Pink Flambe - Swarovski bicones and agate beads

Tangerine Tango - Java seed beads in orange and dark orange

Ultramarine Green - Aventurine and petal beads

Bright Chartreuse - lentil and square beads

Olympian Blue - Agate and Handmade Ceramic bead

Titanium - crystal drop beads and recycled glass beads

Rhapsody - Stick beads and owl bead

Rose Smoke - round and heart beads

I am looking forward to playing with these beads and make some new pieces.

Thanks LiliKrist for these great beads from the other side of the world!