Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Bead Soup Blog Hop Partner

This is my first time for Lori's amazing Bead Soup Blog Hop. Click on the link to the right to get flown away to Lori's blog to find out all about this great trip around the globe.

My partner is Gaea Cannaday. She has the most amazing Ceramic Beads. I spent my whole dinner break last night looking at her blog, her website, her Etsy shop. Everything is just wonderful and wow! those Day of the Dead pieces are just my cup of tea. All the Earthy tone colors, but still I keep wandering back to those Ceramic Sugar Skulls!

The one thing that we had to have for this Blog Hop was a nice clasp. OMG, I don't use clasp unless I make them with seed beads, so I had to go through all my boxes of things all over the studio, because I didn't want to send her the ugly lobster claws that I have rusting away in a box from when I first started to bead. Imagine me going through tray after tray looking, contemplating, discarding, then looking more. Finally, I found something nice enough that will match the focal piece that I picked for her along with some other things that will match. I saw she doesn't do seed beads, so I decided to not add them to the stash as I don't want to make someone go blind with all those size 11/15s I usually use. Then I saw she likes fiber, so I found a nice piece of fiber from my doll making stash that will work well. Now, the deadline to mail is the 17th. Do you think I really sent them out today knowing my "allergy" of post office? No, but I swear swear swear, that tomorrow they are going out with a few other things that I NEED to get mailed.

Here is a little sneak of what I'm sending:




So, what did I get in the mail today...my Bead Soup Blog Hop package from Gaea. Look at this beautiful acorn pendent & the matching beads to go with it...and I love the hand made clasp. Now the hard part! I have until September 17th to construct something with these treasures before the actually Blog Hop will start. My problem...I don't string so I'm going to have to figure out how to use these lovelies with bead weaving. I've been practicing doing RAW after taking classes with Marcia & Carol, but woo! I'm going to have to do some major jewelry design here. But isn't that what a Challenge is all about.




Also going in the mail tomorrow: Land of Odds Illustrative Tapestry package with all the pictures, story, information (whew, I was tired just doing it all). Gilbert Hippo is going to a new home. I'm hoping to find the pictures I took for BFAC so I can send that to Kate (or will have to take more pictures), and then a few other little things that need to get mailed!

Well, off to do more packing. We are getting new laminate floors next month for the whole downstairs & I have to take all my Scottie stuff & Doll stuff & jewelry stuff & just about everything else out of the china cabinets so they won't get damaged when the floors get installed. I'm not even half done & already got 8 boxes. I can see a nice adult beverage calling my name later.

5 comments:

Marianna said...

drooling!!!! I own several of Gaea's pieces and they are to die for! have fun and can't wait to see what you come up with, so exciting!

Gaea said...

Hi Dot!
My grandmother was a "Dot" so I have a fondness for your name! I am so excited to get your package and thank you for taking pity on a poor seed bead challenged soul! Your work is just exquisite!

Jenni said...

Oh I LOVE your soup from Gaea...I love the whole earthy appeal she has going.I will be interested to see how you tie those in to your style.
Jenni

Cindy Gimbrone said...

Oh I love Gaea's work too! I spend hours on her website trying to pick a couple of things and it's impossible! I love it all but I too love the day of the dead skulls.

I know what you mean about trying to find the right clasp. I was a little jarred by that too, I like the clasp to disappear into the piece so I tend to make them minimal or part of a bead. I don't generally have any toggle clasps so I had to make one!

Love love love the seed bead work - all that texture and color is amazing. I don't have the knack for it. I'll work in 8's and 11's but can't do the teeny tiny ones and admire those who do! Can't wait to see how your lovely work enhances Gaea's beautiful beads!

Thanks for sharing!
Beadfully yours ;-)
Cindy

Pretty Things said...

Yep, challenge IS what it's all about! I hope you have fuN!