2nd Annual Bead Hoarders Blog Hop...Reveal Time!!!

Once again Lori Anderson invites us to stop hoarding and start creating! Many of us beady people tend to hoard, stash, squirrel or otherwise keep a tight grip on many of the lovely beads we acquire. So Lori is challenging us again to pull out those gorgeous beads and use them...it's time to create some gorgeous designs! I must say last time I participated in this hop I went creative crazy. I was very inspired. This time I am in the middle of a 6 day...that's right SIX...show that spreads over 2 weekends and started right after Thanksgiving! I do this show every year and every year I tell my family this will be the last year...that started about 10 years ago! Anyway, the long and the short is I only created one necklace this time around and I am writing this post just after 11pm with my hubby reminding over the shoulder it will be bedtime soon because tomorrow is an early morning. Oh the life of an artist!

Beads from the "collection" (my preferred term...hoarder seems so ugly for such beauty) are the stunning seahorse pendant from Nan Emmett of Spirited Earth and boro beads from Firelily. The seaglass is new from Lisa Lodge of Pine Ridge Treasures. She holds some wonderful destash and bead challenge kits and events in her Facebook group. The piece is finished with copper chain, one of my handmade spiral clasps. All the copper is antiqued and sealed by me.

I wore this piece to my show today. I haven't decided if I will list it my shop or keep it for myself...I still have enough beads in my stash to make another and at least 3 more seahorse pendants from Nan...maybe I should sell this one! LOL! Well that's it for me...I'm off to bed soon for a busy day tomorrow. I will hop around next week while I am trying to recover from this show craziness :) Please visit Lori's blog here for a complete list of participants...I know there will be tons of gorgeous eye candy to see! ~Kari

Bead Hoarders Reveal Time!

 

Several weeks ago I signed up to participate in Lori Anderson's Bead Hoarders Blog Hop. At the time I signed up I didn't realize I would be at an all day show on reveal day...needless to say I'll be hopping late this evening or Sunday while I sit around in my pjs recouping from the show! For those who don't know this hop is about using beads from our own stash to create...whether you hoard, stash, or save for "just the right design" the idea is use those fabulous goodies! Previously I have shared pictures of my ever growing bead addiction...some artisan goodies I just can't resist and I won't even bother to try! Participating this hop has been wonderful. I created lots of new designs...perfect timing for my show...and after I return from the show I will be having shop update which is long over due!

 

I have tons of fabulous images from Calico Collage, and a bit of serendipity revealed how perfect the matchstick (half domino) size works for bookmarks. From past designs I knew the images would be beautiful with Gaea's beads, Firelily boro beads, and Spirited Earth beads. Similar wood tiles are available in my supply shop, Asbury Avenue Designs.

 

 

 

 The matchstick tiles are also a great size for long, lightweight earrings! Again, I've combined the images with Gaea and Firelily beads. The tiles are also beautiful wrapped in filigree as seen in the last pair. The earrings on the right are my first attempts at using Ranger patinas from Vintaj to color the brass chandelier drops. They are fun and easy to use...I have many ideas for future designs with colored metals. The gorgeous glass headpins are from Havana Beads.

 

  

 I love the way these earrings turned out! Everything just really came together in creating these beauties. The first pair has charms from Tesori Trovati and boro beads from Firelily. Erin offers 3-6-9-12 month samplers and I was most fortunate to "subscribe" for almost a year in 3 and 6 month increments. These charms were from one the samplers making them an extra special treat because she only creates so many of each month. The top right earrings are Firelily beads...are you seeing a pattern here...lol! They are paired with long rectangles from Menagerie Studio, finished off with a few sparkly crystal dangles. The last pair has copper charms from Kristi Bowman Design. These I have held onto waiting for "just the right beads" and I think these boros from Firelily turned out to be perfect! The purple in the beads really picks up the purple in the copper.

 

 

 Thanks to a custom request I even got creative with some filigree, Czech firepolish, Lucite flowers and colored glass pearls. I have a huge variety of colors and sizes in the flowers and filigree so keep an eye out during the shop update for some new collections made from these!

 

 

Last but not least, I did manage to create several necklaces too! Some of these were projects started that didn't work out in the first go around so I set them aside...some were in the planning stages but never progressed past planning. I am very pleased how they all came together, sometimes creating is all about timing! These designs range from extra long to choker style and share some of my favorite artists. Menagerie Studio, Firelily, Tesori Trovati, Spirited Earth, Bo Hulley Beads, Gaea and images from Calico Collage.

 

I would like to thank Lori for hosting this hop...it has been wonderful for my creative flow! I'd also like to ask you all to send a little extra love, good thoughts, prayers, whatever Lori's way...she's had a lot of health struggles over the last few months and I know our support and caring helps her so much. Also, a big THANK YOU to all the wonderful artists who do what they do that helps inspire me to do what I do...I appreciate each of your friendships, creativity and inspiration so much!