Creative Spark Magazine ~ Summer 2016

The latest issue of Creative Spark from Znet Shows is here! This issue is full of their new sizes and shapes of cultured sea glass with a tiny bit of Chinese crystals thrown in. As always, thank you Hope of Crafty Hope for putting this beautiful issue together!!






1 - Earrings
Base Metal Alloy Teardrop charms in antique brass (M0375-AB)
Chinese crystal faceted rondelle bead in Opaque Pacific Blue (RS274-211AB)
Chinese crystal faceted rondelle bead in Lemon AB (RS274-84AB)



2 - Earrings
Base Metal Alloy Teardrop charms in antique brass (M0375-AB)
Chinese crystal faceted rondelle bead in Lemon AB (RS274-84AB)
Chinese crystal faceted rondelle bead in Crystal AB (RS275-01AB-FIVE)



3 - Bracelet
Cultures Sea Glass freeform large hole Pendant in Pacific Blue (PMX7-B30)
Base Metal Alloy SeaCreature charm (M0614-S)
Chinese crystal faceted rondelle bead in Lemon AB (RS274-84AB)
Chinese crystal faceted rondelle bead in Crystal AB (RS275-01AB-FIVE)
Cultured Sea Glass Sand Dollar Pendant in Desert Gold (P49-B16S)
Cultured Sea Glass nugget bead in Light Sapphire (S39-B31)
Cultured Sea Glass Round Bead in Opaque White (S06-B42-ONE)



4 - Necklace 
Chinese crystal faceted rondelle bead in Crystal AB (RS275-01AB-FIVE)
Base Metal Alloy toggle clasp in antique silver (M0316-AS-1)


Here are some links to help you navigate to specific sites:

1. Cultured Sea Glass (link: http://www.znetshows.com/gemshow/retail/sea_glass_beads.asp)

2. Sea Glass Beads (Link: http://www.znetshows.com/gemshow/retail/sea_glass_beads.asp)

3. Wholesale Beads (http://www.znetshows.com/gemshow/retail/wholesale%20beads.asp)

4. Chinese Crystal Beads (link: http://www.znetshows.com/gemshow/retail/chinese_crystal_beads.asp)

5. Glass Pearls (link: http://www.znetshows.com/gemshow/Retail/ptvlstsuba.asp?ProductsubType=glasspearls)

Creative Spark Magazine ~ Winter 2015

I always love working with ZnetShows and the team of designers - this was no exception! The Winter 2105 edition of Creative Sparks' theme is 'icy' - I received an array of beautiful blue sea glass beads to work with!

The first pair of earrings I used vintage glass pieces from a chandelier and a pearl drop with the cultured sea glass sand dollar pendant (33-Royal blue – P49-B33S).

For the second pair, I wanted a simple ombre look.Cultured sea glass button beads (33-Royal Blue - S51 B33), cultured sea glass pebble beads (99-transparent turquoise blue), a crystal sea glass nugget.

I wanted to use one of the large cultured sea glass starfish beads (33-Royal Blue - S27-B30SXT) as the focal of a bracelet. I then added the cultured sea glass barrel nugget beads (28-Turquoise Bay, S79-B28S), pearl, a fish charm, faceted silver spacer beads and toggle.

I  made a simple necklace using the same large royal blue starfish and added smaller pearls and crystals from my stash, that's not in the magazine

I want to thank Hope and the Znet Team for this wonderful opportunity! Now sit back and enjoy all of the lovely deigns in Creative Spark from the Znet Design Team members!

Creative Spark Magazine ~ Summer 2014

There was another call out to ZnetShows Design Team members for a Summer Challenge - to make one daytime (casual) and one nighttime (dressy) set for the latest edition of Creative Spark magazine.

                                            I picked the colors, blue and yellow, and ZnetShows picked the beads.

                My pieces could be worn for Summer Days or Summer Nights - they are casual-blingy enough for either.

For my first set, I used the Sea Glass teardrop, opaque blue (S77-B46), and turquoise and orange crystals from my own stash for the earrings. The bracelet has a Sea Glass fancy ring, desert gold (PMX7-B16), Sea Glass freeform curved pendant (P16-B46) and the same turquoise and orange crystals.

For my second set, I wire wrapped Sea Glass teardrops, amber (S77-B17) and added blue crystals for a little bling. The necklace is longer and has a Sea Glass fancy ring, royal blue (PMX7-B33), Sea Glass sand dollar, desert gold (P49-B16S), Sea Glass conch shell, turquoise bay (S29-B28S) and a Sea Glass fish pendant (P51-B84)

Please check out ZnetShows blog, the Creative Spark magazine and all of the  amazing designers in this challenge.

Amy Severino

Andrea Trank

BeckyPancake

BobbieRafferty

BR Kuhlman

CharlieJacka

ChristieMurrow

ChristinaMiles

ChristineStonefield

CynthiaMachata

CynthiaRiggs

DonettaFarrington

HopeSmitherman

KashmiraPatel

KathyLindemer

Kay Thomerson

KellyPatterson

KlaudeteKoon

Lee Koopman

Lisa Lodge

RenethaStanziano

SandraWashington

Shaiha Williams

SherylStephens

StephanieHaussler

TammieEverly

8th Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal

The 8th Bead Soup Blog Party is on! A great big Thank You to Lori Anderson of Pretty Things for all of the hard work she puts into her pride and joy, the Bead Soup Blog Party!!

My ever-so-talented partner, Christina Miles of Wings and Scales, made me two - yes 2!! - or her amazing pendants!! They are little pieces of artwork - I feel so lucky that she sent me two!! She made the clasp and connectors, too!! It's too bad she doesn't live a couple states closer because I'd definitely take a roadtrip to visit her so I could learn how to make them!

I started with the lovely sun pendant and wire wrapped some of the beads that Chris sent me - they go perfectly with the pendant! I wanted to highlight the amazing pendant, so I only added a few beads on each side, used the handmade clasp and some of the sari silk she sent.

Another close up of the pendant, copper clasp and connectors that Chris made

          I made a pair of earrings to go with the necklace - I chose silver because I like to mix metals when I wear them.

I wanted to make a bracelet with some of the beads Chris sent me, so I found the bird focal in my stash and started adding beads to it. I used flower beads and a small Humblebeads pendant that were in my stash.

I was having a hard time deciding how to make the sweet bird pendant shine - I finally got inspired yesterday. I used beads and connectors from the soup that Chris sent and added blue beads from a rosary that was my Mom's which I feel is fitting since this is Mother's Day weekend. I knotted a bit of sari silk to the pendant and added some copper chain from my stash.

I really love the pendants Chris sent me and hope I did them justice! I'll definitely cherish them!! I can't wait to see the beautiful jewelry she made with her soup!!

Thank you for stopping by!! Please check out all of the participants in the party - here's the link to the party - all wonderfully talented designers!

Creative Spark Magazine ~ Spring 2014

I was chosen as one of the "lucky 13" ZnetShows design team members whose designs would be in the spring edition of Creative Spark magazine!! I always love working with the beads I receive from them!!

Here is the 2014 spring edition of Creative Spark magazine!!

Click to view Creative Spark - Spring 2014 on GLOSSI.COM

I went to work on the earrings first. I made a beachy pair of earrings using the concave coin pendant, turquoise bay (P31-B28S) along with my own coin puffed beads, peridot (S15-B23SFIV) and shell charm.

I wanted to make a beachy bracelet, so I started with the sea glass oval ring, peridot (S62-B23S) and added to it. I used some of the thrifted chain and spacers I received from the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party and added some of the sea glass pebbles, aquamarine (BDS1926-03) and my own sea glass rondelles, light green ceramic rounds and a starfish charm.

I made a swingy, springy pair of earrings with the Chinese crystal cubes, tangerine (RT250-83A) , rondelle beads, lemon (RS126-84AB), and rondelles, clear (RS127-01) along with my own fuschia Swarovski crystal bicones.

I love the colors in these Chinese crystal elongated oval beads, sahara green (RS249-122L) and matching diagonal drilled glass cube, sahara green (RS271-120).

I used the lovely Chinese crystal glass axe beads, sunglow (RS106-10), glass axe beads, grayish champagne (RS115-69L) and diagonal drilled glass cube, crystal AB (RS271-01AB).

I wanted to make a simple, long, blingy necklace that can be worn with a T-shirt and jeans or a night on the town. I used a Chinese crystal nugget faceted bead, tan (RS267-69) along with a gold faceted coin bead, square glass nugget bead, light yellow (RS202-68) and clear teardrop.

The last piece is completely blingy and fun! For the first row, I used the Chinese crystal glass oval beads, jet black (RS228-02S) with some of my glass cube beads, jet black (RT255-02). The second row is the diagonal drilled glass cubes, crystal AB (RS271-01AB) and my glass rondelle beads, crystal clear (RS152-01). For the third row, I used glass bicone beads, crystal AB (RS270-01AB) and my jet black faceted teardrops.

To be able to work with ZnetShows and all of the amazing designers is always such an honor! Everyone involved is so wonderful and helpful that it makes it a fun venture every time I'm asked!

Please check out the new spring issue of Creative Spark!!

7000 Bracelets for Hope

ZnetShows offered their design team the opportunity to contribute bracelets for The Global Genes Project, a patient advocacy organization that supports those who are affected with rare and unusual genes.

Their symbol is a blue jean ribbon, so we were asked to pick two different sea glass, crystal or pearl beads and make bracelets.

I picked cultured sea glass oval ring beads in light sapphire and Chinese crystal octagon beads in light sapphire.

I chose the sea glass oval bead so I could use it as the toggle, and added Chinese crystal rondelles and brass beads as charms.

For the second bracelet, I used the lovely light sapphire faceted octagon beads, Thai silver puff beads and a small Hope charm.

 I'll be mailing these bracelets out to:
Global Genes
c/o 7000 Bracelets of Hope
28 Argonaut, Suite 150
Aliso Viejo, CA  92656 

Please consider donating to this worthy cause.

Seasons Blog Hop Reveal

When Lisa Lodge of A Grateful Artist-Pine Ridge Treasures announced her Seasons Blog Hop way back in February, I thought it would be a fun hop to join!! Her idea was to send out beads and then the participants would 1/ Create jewelry that represents one of the four seasons or 2/ Create jewelry that represents a "season" in your life. Thank you, Lisa, for this fun, inspiring hop!!

When I received my beautiful selection of beads, I kept thinking spring, renewal, soft rains and new beginnings. I love the soft rains and pastel colors of the first blooms of spring - these beads represent that, to me.

I chose the biggest lampwork bead as the focal and started adding beads around it to make a bracelet. All of the round beads are from Lisa and the flower beads are from my stash.

                  
                                                    I think I'll keep this one!! I love the sweet, little butterflies!!

I found this wonderful poem by Alice C. Batemam 

The Renewal of Spring

The tiny tender shoots of green  
Reminding us that this is spring  
The cold dark winter left behind  
The summer sun now on our mind

The feeling that all will be well 
We leave behind our winter shell  
To go explore a warmer world 
To watch the buds as they unfurl 

To smell the earth, damp from its rest  
To feel inside we've passed a test  
We've made it through another year 
To watch new life as it appears

We take long walks, inhaling deep  
The rich new smells from after sleep  
The earth awakening again  
Shaking off the winter's pain

Drinking in the fragile sun 
Showing us that we have won  
Another round of cold and frost  
We've paid the price of winter's cost

We are renewed, as is the earth  
We are enhanced to see the birth  
Of all the green and growing shoots  
With fragile stems and fragile roots

If they can make it through the cold
We know that we can then be bold
Enough to feel our own release
And give our souls much-needed peace

Thank you for stopping by - please check out all of the beautiful designs!!

Hostess: Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Cassi Paslick, Beads: Rolling Downhill

Stephanie Sanner Haussler, PixyBug Designs

Leah Mifflin Tees, My Beady Little Eyes

Karin Slaton, BackStory Beads

Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Lori Jean Poppe, Lorillijean Creative Corner

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams

Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design     ---- you are here ----

Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life

Alicia Marinache,  All the Pretty Things

Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera

Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz

Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs

Toltec Jewels, Toltec Jewels for Jewel School Friends

Lennis Carrier, Windbent

Erin Kenny, Beadifultherapy

Tanya Goodwin, A Work in Progress

Cilla Watkins, Tell Your Girlfriends

Renetha Williams Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts

Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Sierra Barrett, Giraffe Can Has

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Shirley Jones Moore, Beads and Bread

Dawn Horner, Northern Adornments

Charlene Bausinger Jacka, Clay Space

Tara Plote, The Newbie Beader's Blog

Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks

Miranda Ackerley, Daze and Days

ZnetShows Partner Picks Summer Challenge and Giveaway

ZnetShows has another challenge for its design team - we were paired up, sent beads our partner picked out and asked to design jewelry.

My partner is Hope Smitherman of Crafty Hope - here is her Etsy shop.

Hope's selection of beads is both colorful and beautiful!

I made a chainmaille Mobius Rose (also known as a Love Knot) and attached that to a Chinese crystal with a beadcap and three crystal dangles.

I made a pair of simple, swingy earrings with the antique brass Freeform charm. I added an aqua Sea Glass nugget bead (S38-B30) to the charm - I love brass and aqua together!

I used light green Irish waxed linen cord, light sapphire Sea Glass nugget beads (S39-B31SFIVE), light green Sea Glass beads (BDS-1865-43), and a smoky quartz Sea Glass button spacer for this bracelet.

I love the colors in labradorite, so I made this necklace using the black Glass beads, an olive Sea Glass tusk (S42-B22FOUR), blue opal Sea Glass bead (S03-46FIVE) and a Swarovski crystal.

Personally, I think turquoise can go with any color, so I paired a turquoise Howlite oval bead with the orange Aqua Terra Jasper beads and copper.

There will be a giveaway with this challenge - check the ZnetShows blog on Saturday, July 6th to enter to win beads and see the list of participants in the ZnetShows Partner Picks Summer Challenge.