Second Annual Octoberfest Blog Hop

How can it be the end of October already? That means *gulp* that December and the end of the year is much closer than it should be. On a personal note, I actually finished my very first 5K yesterday!! Woohoo! I still have a LONG ways to go because running the whole thing wasn't an option, but it was a fundraiser for a former teacher of my girls who is battling breast cancer. So I used the times I had to walk to pray for her and reminded myself of how blessed I am. I finished, but it wasn't pretty! lol.

My November is going to be very busy with three big jewelry events including (hurray, hurray) a trip to my sister's!! This will be my fourth annual jewelry show there and I love seeing repeat customers who've become friends along the way.

Autumn in Florida means that hopefully we're almost done with hurricane season. Our leaves don't change and we're expecting temperatures to drop to the high 70s this week. However, it also means that Pumpkin Pie Blizzards have arrived at Dairy Queen and there's Pumpkin Pie Spice creamer available at the grocery store :) If you're a pumpkin lover like I am, I have a Pumpkin Goodness board on (you guessed it) Pinterest! I love making pumpkin bread and muffins but may have to try the recipe for this pumpkin buckle sometime soon-

Pumpkin Buckle

                                                  

If you read my last blog post, you'll know that I recently had a chance to meet Raida of Havana Beads and see/buy some of her lovely beads and focals. While I was there looking for some beads for the 6th Do Over Challenge, I decided to indulge in more for today's blog hop. She had a gorgeous focal ceramic leaf that shouted "Fall";  it became mine :) and soon morphed into this...

Autumn Splendor

Those funky brown spacers were so much fun to wire wrap onto beaten copper circles. I added just a touch of green crystal to bring out the green in the amazing pendant. I haven't decided if I want to add another bigger green crystal at the bottom of the leaf- for right now I like it as it is.

Here's a closer look at the earrings

The fact that they're not perfectly matched adds to the appeal for me- definitely handmade and unique!
And one more look at the necklace by itself.

Autumn Splendor

so here's to fall and all the changes it brings. If you're in or around the Okeechobee area, I'll have a booth at the Craft Fair in the Woods on November 9th and would love for you to stop by and say hello! They don't have a website but here's a link to their Facebook page.

There's a whole lot of other people participating in the Octoberfest Blog Hop so make sure you check out what they've posted too. Thanks again to Rita of Toltec Jewels for hosting this, and may your October end with splashes and dashes of grace and joy!
Christie

Caroline                                       http:// Carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com

Andrea Glick-Zenith                     http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/

Dolores Raml                               http://craftydscreations.wordpress.com/

Karla Morgan                               http://TexasPepperJams.blogspot.com

Susie Harris                                 http://jewelleryjunkie.blogspot.com/

Susan                                          http://libellulajewelry.com

Mischelle                                      http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com/

Billi                                               http://billi-rs-rothove.blogspot.com/

Kay Thomerson                           http://kayzkreationz.blogspot.com/

Jean Yates                                  http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/

Kelly Hosford Patterson               http://travelingsideshow.blogspot.com

Kathy Lindemer                           http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com

Liz E                                            http://beadcontagion.blogspot.com

Jasvanti Patel                              http://jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com

Christie Murrow  (you're here)   www.charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com

Jodie Marshall                             http://marshalljodie.blogspot.com/

Andrea Trank                              http://heavenlanecreations.com/

Dini Bruinsma                              http://angazabychanges.blogspot.nl

Elsie Deliz Fonseca                     http://ladelizchica.blogspot.com/

Pepita                                         www.pepita-handmade.blogspot.com

Karla Morgan                              http://texaspepperjams.blogspot.com/

Kathleen                                     http://99bobotw.blogspot.com/

Vera Lynn                                   http://veradesigns.blogspot.com/

Rana Wilson                               http://ranaleadesigns.blogspot.com/

Catherine King                           http://catherines-musings.blogspot.com/

Lily Vincent                                 http://thecreativeklutz.blogspot.co.uk/

Janice Hidey (Janimar)               http://drawingthelinesomewhere.com/

Cory Tompkins                           http://TealwaterDesigns.blogspot.com

Candida Castleberry                  www.spunsugarbeadworks.blogspot.com

Cynthia Kent Machata                http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com/

Alicia Marinache                         http://www.allprettythings.ca

Linda Anderson                          http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com

Leah Curtis                                 http://beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Reno (JenRen)              http://jenrenjewelry.blogspot.com/

Robin Reed                                 http://willowdragon.blogspot.com/

Tanty Sri Hartanti                        www.tjewellicious.blogspot.com

Lisa Lodge                                  http://gratefulartist.blogspot.com/

Ingrid A.                                      http://lilisgems.wordpress.com/

Judy Turner                                www.silver-rains.blogspot.com

Gina Hockett                               http://freestyleelements.blogspot.com/

Nelly May                                    www.smellynelly.blogspot.com

Tanya McGuire                           http://tanyamcguire.blogspot.com/

Ahowin                                        http://www.blog.ahowinjewelry.com

Sonya Stille                                 http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com

Pam                                            http://www.klassyjoolz.blogspot.com

Carol D.                                      http://dillmansdallies.blogspot.com/

Asri Wahyuningsih                      http://asribeadwork.blogspot.com/

Ginger Bishop                             http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com

Janine                                         http://www.esfera.me/travel/blog/travel-stories

Shaiha Williams                          http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/

Toltec Jewels (Rita, your hostess)  www.JewelSchoolFriends.com

6th Do Over Challenge

Some time ago I signed up for the 6th Do Over Challenge with Jeannie K. Ducik for the first time, and was delighted when I found out I would part of this. The guidelines were as follows: Each of the participants would receive a piece of jewelry that Jeannie made earlier in her career, and must use at least 50% of the Do Over piece in the new design.

Here's the necklace set that I was sent:

 All those little seed beads were a little overwhelming because I am not a seed beader.At All. So it was off to my favorite inspiration place, Pinterest. After searching through my boards and some new pins, I came across this:
                                               

I couldn't find the original site for this pin, because I would love to give credit to the designer. I love this design and the vibrant use of color. Isn't it beautiful? This became my jumping off point. I knew I wanted to use some original beads and recently discovered that Raina of Havana Beads didn't live all that far from me. I messaged her and was delighted to find that I could go meet her and see her gorgeous beads in person. Her studio is located in the colorful Fish House Art Center. Next time I'm definitely going to set aside more time to explore!
                                       

               


I had a lovely time talking to her and seeing not only her beads/focals/creations, but her workspace and some of the projects she was working on. Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures of her beads by themselves but you'll see them in in the design below and in the blog entry tomorrow. After playing with this design several times, here is the final project.

African Leaf

Don't Raina's round ceramic beads pick up the color of the leaf focal nicely? I added a few wood and shell beads in with the seed beads on the right side and found some great horn beads that blended the colors in. I tried repeatedly to make the twist tighter on the one side, but with four strands of wire going through one crimp bead this is where it ended up. If you have any tips on how to keep strands tighter, I'm all ears!

Here's another look:

Thanks, Jeannie for letting me part of this very fun Do Over challenge. Now it's time to head on over and see what the other participants did with their jewelry!
Jeannie K Dukic 
 Penny Houghton
Susan Delaney
Becky Pancake
Therese Frank
Donetta Farrington
Molly Alexander
Mowse Doyle
Renetha Stanziano
Ginger Davis Allman
Kathy Richardson
Christie Murrow   (You're Here)
Veralynne Malone
Shai Williams
Beti Horvath
Linda Britt
Miranda Ackerley
Mischelle Andrade
Tracy Stillman
Charlene Bausinger
Deana Hager

Come back tomorrow to see what I made for the Autumn challenge- until then, may your day be filled with splashes and dashes of grace and joy. I'm off to try and finish my first 5K!

And then it was Fall....

How did it get to be October already? The DH and I hit the road for two weeks to visit several ministries that have been birthed out of Dunklin Memorial Church, where we live and work. It was a joy to see dear friends who are now running their own alcohol and drug regeneration programs. I've had a lot of goodbyes during the 26 years we've lived here, and hellos are always a welcome change! We'd hoped to make the trip for the changing of the leaves, but that didn't work out so I guess there's always next year now that we don't have to plan around the girls' school schedule. Being an empty nester has its advantages!

We stopped in South Carolina, and then made a side trip to Forest City, NC where I took was able to take a beading class at Off the Beaded Path where Darlene and Patty made me feel right at home. The very talented Kelly Dale was off on maternity leave, but I was delighted when I heard that familiar voice from all the videos and was able to meet her and her sweet baby boy. Because the DH was waiting patiently out in the car due to a change of schedule I didn't have time to poke around the store, but next time? Yep. It's part of the game plan. Then it was off to Franklin, NC, for a couple of days.

Up in Franklin, NC

Dry Falls

 From there we drove to his home town of Bonlee, where we had a lovely couple of days with his brother and wife and went to the church where he  grew up.

Bonlee Baptist Church

Next stop? Virginia. Gorgeous scenery along the way, with wonderful friends waiting for us.

Pilot Mountain

From there we made the circuit back to Florida stopping to see each of our three girls. During some down time, we hung out at Lake Ella in Tallahassee, after I made a stop at Glasswork by Susan. This is her Facebook page link, and it's one of my "have tos" when we get up there. I snagged a few lampwork beads and always love her stained glass pendants and other goodies.

Lake Ella, Tallahassee

After stopping in Gainesville and Orlando, it was home, sweet, home where our cat was elated to have us back. Two weeks is too long, even with a dear neighbor girl watching over her. She( the cat) has developed a medical condition which means that we won't have her around for too much longer. That will be hard.

Someone's happy to have us home!

My other big news?? I AM SO EXCITED!! While we were gone, I got an email inviting me to be part of the Znet Shows design team. I am beyond thrilled!

I'll be part of a couple of blog hops at the end of the month, so stay tuned for those.

Until then, may your October will filled with colorful splashes and dashes of grace and joy

Christie