Thursday, October 31, 2013

She Made She Made October Reveal



Hi Y'all,

Wow can you believe it is the end of October already!  It seems like the older I get the faster the years go by.  Christine and I have been having a great time creating with our gifted stash, here is what I picked for October...


The resin rose, mine is red and Christine's is turquoise, and some 14 mm yellow Fire Agate.

Here is what I made...

 
I have not just strung a necklace in a while and these beautiful 14 mm Fire Agate beads just want to be in a simple strung necklace.  I paired them up with 10 mm yellow Agate and 4 mm Carnelian with copper findings.  I like all the warm colors in this piece it reminds me of fall leaves.

 
I had two of the 14 mm beads left so I took some 20 gauge silver wire and made a pair of earrings.  I am trying to do better with the wire wrapping, but still not there. 

 
I thought long and hard on the rose pendant.  I wanted to put it on something more then just a chain, but what type of rope did I want to bead.  I started with a CRAW rope but then I was not feeling it, so I ripped it out.  Then I started a peyote rope, but nah.  Then I thought about Herringbone spiral, but I just did that for my last challenge, so I went to Russian spiral and was satisfied.  I had some 3x4mm red roundels and some 3 mm AB clear bicones and did a little decorative section on each side of the pendant area.  I used the few crystals I had left from the decorative area and used them in the bail.

 
Please go by Christine's blog and see what she has created with the 14 mm Fire Agate and resin rose.
 
Happy beading Y'all,
Therese


Saturday, October 26, 2013

6th Do Over Challenge Hosted by Jeannie K. Dukic

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Hi Y'all,

Well a few months ago Jeannie K Dukic put out the call for those that wanted to sign up for her annual Do Over Challenge.  The challenge was open for the first twenty people that signed up and was willing to play by her rules.

The Rules 

The do over piece is an old piece of jewelry, that Jeannie, did not like or did not sell for one reason or another.  When you sign up you will receive the piece for free, but you must pay for the S&H fee for either one or two pieces.  
When you receive the piece or pieces you must use 50% of the piece in your new design.  If you got two pieces you can mix the two together and create one or more pieces.  The pieces are not refundable, if you do not like what you received and do not wish to participate Jeannie will send you a bill for the piece you received, the piece can not be sent back to Jeannie.

I have been following the do over challenge for a little while and this time around I jumped at the chance to participate.  I loved the mystery of what I would receive in the mail from Jeannie and also fretted that I would not be able to come up with a design, but once my piece arrived I knew right away what I was going to do.

Here is what I received from Jeannie:


A necklace made with shell daggers, lime green and turquoise dyed Howlite disks, a brass Starfish pendant, all connected to a chain.

Here is what I created with the necklace after I took it apart.



A friend of my Mom's gave me a box of shells, and a bunch of seed beads all she asked is that I make her something with one of the shells.  So when I got the necklace from Jeannie I went to the box of shells and pick this one out, because I liked the colors in this one.  I went to my stash of gemstones and pulled out the 
4 mm turquoise dyed Howlite rounds to go with the turquoise dyed Howlite disks from the necklace. The seed beads are Toho size 15 and size 8 bronze and Toho size 11 bronze matte finish.  The end result is this shell bead embroider pendant with fringe made using the Howlite disks and shell daggers from the necklace.
I hung the pendant on a leather necklace.  I call this piece "By The Seashore".  


This how it will look when worn.



I made these earrings using the lime green Howlite disks from the necklace, hot pink 6X8 mm roundels, 
4X6 mm roundels, and  2X4 mm roundels from my stash. I strung them onto 22 gauge silver wire. I named these "Tutti Fruiti" 




With the rest of the shell daggers from the necklace and the roundels I made this Princess style necklace, that I called "Bright Colorful Beach"

The only part of the necklace I did not use was the chain and the brass Starfish.

I had a great time creating with the necklace that Jeannie sent to me.  Thank you Jeannie this was a fun challenge.  I hope to be able to participate in another one of your Do Over Challenges.

Now please go and see what the others have created with their Do Over pieces.


Oh and by the way, my Mom's friend loves the pendant that I made for her.  Thank you again Jeannine, for helping make that creation come to life.

Happy beading Y'all,
Therese

Friday, October 25, 2013

A Time To Stitch 4 Update


Hi Y'all,

Well Christine and I have tallied up the participants and all of the stitch suggestions.  We are excited to reveal the participant list and the three other stitches for this challenge.  So with out further ado here is the list and the stitches.

Your Hostesses 
Therese Frank and Christine Altmiller 

Amy Severino
Janet Bocciardi
Cynthia Machata
Alicia Marinache
Paula Kramer
Kim Hora
Dee Alcalde
Degi (Kokopelli)
Maryanne Gross
Liz E
Sally Russick
Becky Pancake
Katherine Gale
Jasvanti Patel
Karin Slaton
Alenka
Sarah Sequins
Tanya Goodwin
Debbie Rasmussen

The tally of the suggested stitches:

RAW - 2
Chenille - 2
Spiral Rope - 5
Pondo Stitch - 1
Herringbone - 1
Flat Spiral - 1
Flat Cellini - 1
Chevron - 4
Brick Stitch - 1 
CRAW - 1

The ones with the most votes 1. Spiral Rope, 2. Chevron, and tied for 3. RAW and Chenille

The four stitches are: Net stitch (mandatory), Spiral Rope, Chevron stitch, and Chenille 

Christine and I decided that the third suggested stitch would be Chenille, since RAW was in a past ATTS challenge.

Challenge Rules:

The Net stitch is the mandatory stitch and must be used in one of your pieces.  You must choose at least one of the other three stitches for your other piece.

The Spiral Rope can be done in the Spiral Rope stitch, or any of the other spiral stitches, that is your choice.

RAW can be used in your design, as long as, one of the other 4 challenge stitches is use as the main stitch.

Christine and I are pretty easy going, so if you missed the sign up and would really like to be a part of this challenge, just leave a comment on either mine or Christine's blog and we will put you on the list.

We are looking forward to see what each of you have created and the stitches you chose to use on the blog hop day January 15, 2014.

Happy beading Y'all,
Therese


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Antiquities Traveler's Blogoversary Hop

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Hi Y'all,

The time has come to celebrate Cynthia's, of Antiquity Travelers blog, 2nd Blogoversary.  Yes the wonderfully talented Cynthia is celebrating having her blog for two years.  Is it just me, or does it seem like she has been in the blogging world for a lot longer?  

A few months ago Cynthia contacted me and four other people, that she has been following since she had started her blog, and asked if I would like to join in a blog hop to celebrate her two year Blogoversary?  Of course I said yes.  A few weeks after saying yes I received a package in the mail and here is what was inside:

Cynthia sent some green matte size 8 seed beads, 4 mm Rose Quartz gem stone beads, some green with blue tints sari silk from Darn Good Yarn, and the focal piece a Tribal Tiki mask pendant made by Jana of Happy Fish shop on Etsy.

Here is what I make with the ingredients in my package:


As soon as I opened and saw what was in the package the ideas started to flow.  I knew I was going to make a beaded rope and defiantly use the silk.  My first attempt was using CRAW with just the green seed beads and also use the Rose Quartz beads, but I did not like the way it was turning out, so I ripped it apart and started over with Herringbone, again with just the green seed beads and Rose Quartz.  Yeah you guessed it, I did not like that either.  There was just too much green and the pendant has dark blue undertones.  I went to my seed bead stash and pulled out these dark blue Iris finished size 8 seeds and did a Herringbone Spiral tube.  Then I went to Hobby Lobby and picked up the green and blue size 10 mm round beads and these neat shaped stone beads, not sure what type of stone.  Pulled out some silver base metal findings and started putting the necklace together.  I knew I wanted to use the sari silk in the back, so I made a loop with the flex wire and tied the silk onto the loop and slid a cone over it to hide the knot.  On the pendant I wanted it to hang flat in stead of on it's side, so I took two decorative head pins and I used one to make a bail at the top and the other to fill in the hole at the bottom, so now my Tribal Tiki mask has a decorative pierced chin.  This necklace is very comfortable to wear with the silk tie in the back.

Thank you Cynthia for including me in on your Blogoversary Hop.

Now please go and see what the other participants have created with their Tribal Tiki mask pendant.

Janet Bocciardi          Honey from the Bee
Christine Altmiller      One Kiss Creations
Bobby Rafferty          Beadsong
Therese Frank           Therese's Treasures (you are here)
Alicia Marinache        All the Pretty Things
Cynthia Machata        Antiquity Travelers

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

A Time To Stitch 4 Challenge




Christine and I are ready for A Time To Stitch 4 and hope you are too!  

Netting will be the one stitch we all will do. 


This is just one suggested tutorial for the Net Stitch there are many more on You Tube.  Also you can find tutorials for Net Stitch in books, magazines, and in Etsy for a small purchase price. 

As for the other stitches, we are putting it in your hands.....you get to suggest a stitch, and the 3 most frequently suggested stitches will be what we will work on for this 4th challenge.   

The dates for this challenge are:

10/16-22 : Sign Ups and Suggestions

10/25 : Reveal of The Most Suggested Stitches that will join Netting for the Challenge 

1/15/14 :  A Time To Stitch 4 Hop Day 


The Rules of the Challenge are:

1. Everyone does Net Stitch

2. You need to pick one of the other 3 stitches.  But you can certainly do more if you'd like~we're not stopping ya! 


If you suggest a stitch, then you are also signed up for the Hop.  If you have no suggestions but want to participate, of course we will add you to the list.  

When you sign up and suggest, please provide your name, blog address, and e-mail address.  


You can sign up here or at One Kiss Creations.  

We cannot wait to hear your suggestions!  This is going to be a fun hop :-D  Thanks so much for supporting our other 3 ATTS Hops.  We really do enjoy doing these and learn a heck of a lot.  

Happy beading Y'all,
Therese

Saturday, October 5, 2013

All the Pretty Things: Happy 2nd 'blogoversary'!

All the Pretty Things: Happy 2nd 'blogoversary'!: I can't really believe it: it's been 2 full years since I started this blog and what a wonderful two years they have been!! In num...

Friday, October 4, 2013

October Challenges

This October I will be participating in four challenges...

The first challenge will be revealed on October 23rd.  The wonderful and very talented Cynthia Machata of Antiquity Travelers blog  is celebrating her Blogoversary with a little challenge.  She sent out a package to five people of her choice I was one of her choices along with Christine Altmiller, Janet Bocciardi, Bobbie Rafferty, Alicia Marinache, and of course Cynthia kept one for herself.  Here is what I received from Cynthia...

This fabulous polymer clay pendant, which is the challenge piece, some size 8 seed beads, some 4 mm Rose Quartz beads, and some Sari Silk.

Next challenge is Jeannie K Dukic 8th Do Over Challenge reveal date October 26th.  To participate in this challenge you must agree to except an old piece of Jeannie's jewelry that she made, but for some reason she did not like or it did not sell and you pay the S&H cost for the piece, but you must use at least 50% of the piece in your design. If you chose not to participate after you received your piece from Jeannie then you will be charged for the cost of the piece you were sent.  
Here is the piece I received from Jeannie...

This is the first time I have participated in this challenge.

Next challenge is Christine's Rolling Blog Hop October 26th through December 9th.  Christine wanted to have a laid back blog hop so she asked a few of the people that she has gotten to know since she has been blogging if they would like to participate in a none pressured blog hop and that she would send us each a package with a secret challenge piece so of course we all said yes.  This is the list of participants:  Hope Smitherman, Bobbie Rafferty, Janet Bocciardi, Lisa Stukel, Cynthia Machata, Tanya Goodwin, Liz E. Erin Fickett-Rowland, Kim Hora, Maryanne Gross, Christine and myself.
Here is what I received from Christine...

The vintage spools are the secret challenge piece, that must be used, the rest is up to us if we want to use them in our designs.  I love the color scheme Christine sent to me, this picture does not show the beautiful iris and AB finishes on the seed beads.  I had to laugh when I read in the note that she apologized for sending me such a dark color palette.   I wrote her back and told her that I love the color palette and that it appeals to my dark mysterious side.  The stone pendant is Labradorite, the bars are polished Hematite, 8 mm and 4 mm beads are unpolished Hematite, the daggers are a beautiful AB Jet.  

Last but not least is mine and Christine's She Made/She Made one on one challenge reveal October 31st.  It is my turn to pick what we will be creating with and this is what I chose...

A resin rose pendant and 14 mm yellow Fire Agate. Christine's rose's color is turquoise.

I hope that you will come back and visit me on all of the reveal dates and of course I will be letting you know when I will be posting my finished design in the Rolling Blog Hop.

Happy beading Y'all,
Therese