It's a Bead Soup kind of Day

Welcome to reveal #2 of Lori Anderson's 7th Bead Soup Blog Party. This is my fourth time being part of this great event and was privileged to be paired with Claire from Cats Eat Dogs. She sent me this yummy soup ( click on the link to see what I was sent). The colors and beads were so me, and they've been a delight to play with.

So, for your viewing pleasure, here are my creations:

 I started with the focal, which was a wonderful shade of blue green, and dressed with up with one of the shell drops and added a couple of dangles. I stacked the quartz rounds with the deep blue green flower spacers and used copper wire wrapping to tie it all together. The necklace is asymmetrical and ends with a copper toggle clasp.

Originally, these drops were going to be part of the necklace above, but then discovered that they were top/side drilled so went to plan B. I used 26g copper wire and twisted it together, added some more little flowers and copper spacers that I had. The only beads I bought were the gorgeous aqua/metallic crystal beads which I found on sale at the big M. I fell in love with them, and used them all! This was not a planned piece, but it came together while I was fiddling, and I'm pleased with the end result.

These lucite shells paired with copper/metallic drops ( all courtesy of Clare) to make a sweet little pair of earrings.

But my favorite??

The bracelet. This is what I first started working on, and I absolutely love, love, love it. This one is MINE! It actually matched what I was wearing the day I made it, and combination of copper and blue greens is one of my favorites. I used almost every type of bead that Clare sent in this bracelet, and had a blast doing it.

Here's another view:

Added a second row of chain which matches the first pendant to tie the two pieces together. I'm so pleased with how these turned out. I feel like it's a cohesive collection.

 There were a few beads that I didn't use, but have plans for (the exquisite yellow drops). Don't forget to stop by Clare's blog to see what she served up with the beads I sent her.

**Somehow there is an invisible table below the list of names- scroll through the empty space to get to the comments section.  I CANNOT get to it disappear***

 Thanks, Lori, for another wonderful experience, and for going above and beyond when life has been challenging lately! Here's the rest of the 2nd reveal participants (there's a BUNCH of us from literally all over the world):

Agata Grygiel	http://inny-pamietnik.blogspot.com/
Ali McCarthy	www.northwoodscreativestudio.blogspot.com
Alice Craddick	http://www.alicesbeadsandbaubles.blogspot.com/
Amy Severino	www.amybeads.blogspot.com
Ana Krepel	http://catspajamas-dogstuxedos.blogspot.com/
Andra Weber	www.andrasjoyfuljourney.blogspot.com
Andrea Glick	http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/
Andrea Trank	www.heavenlanecreations.com
Anitra Gordy Boyers	www.LeeLuCreations.blogspot.com
Annette Rivers	http://mamaowlsmess.blogspot.com/
Anu Tuppurainen	http://koti-ilta.blogspot.fi/
April Grinaway	http://brooklynbeadgoddess.blogspot.com/
Audrey Bélanger	http://esperianterra.blogspot.ca/
B.R.Kuhlman	http://www.mixedmayhemstudios.com
Barbara Bechtel	http://secondsurf.com
Barbara Mason	www.Adorninglyyours.com
Becky Pancake	www.beckypancakebeaddesigns.blogspot.com
Beti Horvath	www.stringingfool.blogspot.com
Billi RS Rothove	http://www.billi-rs-rothove.blogspot.com
Bobbie Rafferty	www.beadsong.blogspot.com
Brandi Burdick	http://www.tofallorstumbleupon.com/
Candida Castleberry	http://spunsugarbeadworks.blogspot.com/
Carol Dillman	http://dillmansdallies.blogspot.com/
Carolyn Gebert	http://kookykardinal.blogspot.com/
Carolyn Lawson	www.carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
Caron Reid	http://www.caronmichelle.blogspot.com.au/
Catherine King	www.Catherines-Musings.blogspot.com
Cathy Jakicic	http://bds.jewelrymakingmagazines.com/
Chandra Merod	www.junipergoods.blogspot.com
Charlene Jacka	http://clay-space.com/blog
Cheri Reed	www.creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com
Cherrie Fick	www.designsinthelight.co
Cherrie Warzocha	http://colorsofshae.blogspot.com/
Cheryl Brown	www.dragonflybeads.ca/category/blog
Cheryl Dunham	www.Renaissance-jewelry.blogspot.com
Cheryl Foiles	www.getyourbeadon.com
Cheryl Gangle	www.RockCandyJewelryDesign.blogspot.com
Chris Eisenberg	www.wanderware.blogspot.com
Chris White	http://dzeyenrstudio.blogspot.com/
Christina Miles	http://wingsnscales.blogspot.com/
Christine Murrow (you're here)	www.charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com
Cindy Ritchie	http://mooseriverglass.blogspot.com
Clare Etheridge	www.catseatdogs.com
Cory Tompkins	www.tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com
Cris Peacock	http://crispart.blogspot.com/
Cynthia Abner	http://createdtreasures.blogspot.com/
Debbie Rasmussen	http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.ca/
Debi Levine	http://oneheartsblog.blogspot.co.il/
Deborah Brooks	http://www.fromtheheartcreations.blogspot.com/
Deborah Read	www.deborahreadcom.blogspot.com
Debra Behrends	http://www.hopefuljourneys.blogspot.com/
Dorota Żerańska	www.gdymamczas.blogspot.com
Elaine Robitaille	http://www.tooaquarius.com
Elsie Deliz-Fonseca	http://www.ladelizchica.blogspot.com/
Emma Todd	www.apolymerpenchant.com
Erin Guest	http://www.renlish.com
Evelyn Shelby	http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/
Evie and Beth McCord	http://www.ebbeadandmetalworks.blogspot.com
Francy Inman	http://www.8secondstudio.blogspot.com/
Ginger Bishop	www.lilmummylikes.blogspot.com
Gloria Allen	http://gloriaallendesigns.blogspot.com
Hajer Waheed	http://mybeadedworld.wordpress.com/
Hope Smitherman	http://CraftyHope.blogspot.com
Ilenia Ruzza	http://ile1974.blogspot.it/
Ilona Hegedűs	http://ilkabeads.blogspot.com
Ine Vande Cappelle	http://jewelsbyine.blogspot.com
Jackie Ryan	http://kydojewellery.blogspot.co.uk/
Janine Lucas	http://www.esfera.me/travel/blog/travel-stories
Jean Peter	http://jeanpdesigns.blogspot.com/
Jean Wells	http://jeanawells.blogspot.com/
Jeanne Steck	http://gemsbyjeannemarie.blogspot.com/
Jelveh Jaferian Johnson	www.jelvehdesigns.blogspot.com
Jennifer Cabic	www.jennifercabic.blogspot.com
Jennifer Reno	http://jenrenjewelry.blogspot.com
Jennifer VanBenschoten	http://www.vanbeads.blogspot.com
Jenny Davies-Reazor	www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog
Jenny Kyrlach	http://anafiassa.blogspot.com/
Jenny Robledo	http://peppasdream.blogspot.com/
Jessica Brower	http://ifcreations.blogspot.com
Jill MacKay	www.jillmackay.com
JJ Jacobs	www.comingabstractions.blogspot.com
Jo-Ann Woolverton	www.itsabeadifulcreation.blogspot.ca
Joanne Tinley	http://www.daisychaindesignsjewellery.blogspot.com/
Johanna Rhodes Nash	http://firephoenixcreations.blogspot.co.uk/
Judy Robinson	http://woodbeads.wordpress.com
Juli Cannon	www.beadnik.net
Julia Gerlach	www.beadandbutton.com/beadbuzz
Julie Bowen	http://blog.autochthonous-evolved.com
Julie Panusis	http://catsmeowco.blogspot.com
K Hutchinson	http://jumbledhutch.wordpress.com
Karen Martinez	http://fairiesmarket.blogspot.com/
Karen Vincent	www.swallowtailjewellery.blogspot.com
Karen Williams	http://www.baublicious.blogspot.com/
Karin Slaton	www.backstorybeads.blogspot.com
Karyn Bonfiglio	http://plussizebangles.com/blog
Kat Douglas	www.Washoekat.blogspot.com
Kate Dufour	http://mixfolios.wordpress.com/
Kate Mulligan	http://mulliganstewjewelry.blogspot.com/
Kate Richbourg	www.katerichbourg.com
Kathleen Gallant	http://partnersincharms.blogspot.com
Kathleen Lange Klik	http://ModernNatureStudio.blogspot.com
Katie Nielsen-Nunez	www.Vikingcraft.blogspot.com
Kay Bolton	http://www.toodlesandbinks.blogspot.com
Kayla Potega	http://www.teejewelry.blogspot.com
Kelli Jacobson	http://www.CreativeMoonJewelryAndThings.com
Kelly Patterson	http://travelingsideshow.blogspot.com
Kelly Ramstack	http://adventureswithkelly.blogspot.com
Kiersten Kern	http://myglassbeadlife.blogspot.com/
Kim Sparks	http://beadabunch.blogspot.com/
Klaudete Koon	http://klaudetekoon.blogspot.com/
Klaudia Tóth	http://www.klaudiabizsu.hu/
Krista French	http://expressyourfaith.webs.com/apps/blog/
Kristin Oppold	http://www.yayjewelry.blogspot.com
Kym Hunter	http://kymhunterdesigns.blogspot.com/
Lana Kinney	http://somethinguniquebylana.blogspot.ca
Laura Guenther	www.blueantiquities.blogspot.com
Lauren Fenty	http://laurenbeads.blogspot.com/
Leah Curtis	http://beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.co.uk/
Lennis Carrier	www.windbent.wordpress.com
Linda Murphy	www.bonitabead.blogspot.com
Lisa Johnson	http://whimsyswonders.blogspot.com/
Lori Anderson	www.prettythingsblog.com
Lupe Meter	http://gesmpccorner.blogspot.com/
Lynn Jobber	http://thecreativeklutz.blogspot.co.uk/
Mandi Effron	http://craft-o-licious.blogspot.com/
Marcia Dunne	www.thealternativefoundry.blogspot.com
Margareta Saari	http://magsinhelmet.blogspot.fi/
Marianne Baxter	www.simplyseablimejewelry.blogspot.com
Marie Covert	http://thistledown-and-swaddlings.blogspot.com/
Mary Ellen Parker	www.beetreebyme.blogspot.com
Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens	http://www.glassbeadart.blogspot.com
Megan Milliken	www.maemaemills.blogspot.com
Melissa Meman	http://melissameman.blogspot.com
Melissa Mesara	http://one-earedpig.blogspot.com/
Michaela Pabeschitz	http://der-lamardebonita.blogspot.co.at/
Michelle Tucker	http://michellescreativemusings.blogspot.com/
Mimi Gardner	www.OtherCuriosities.blogspot.com
Mischelle Fanucchi	http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com/
Monica Phillips	http://www.monicaglassandjewelry.com/blog
Mowse Doyle	http://mowsemadethis.blogspot.com/
Nancy Boylan	www.snazzydoodle.blogspot.com
Nancy Dale	www.nedbeads.blogspot.com
Pat Haight	http://wigglebuttblog.blogspot.com/
Patina Queen	www.patinaqueenstudio.blogspot.com
Patty Miller	http://cabaribeads.blogspot.com/
Pia Kaven	http://piakaven.blogspot.com
Rebecca Anderson	http://songbeads.blogspot.com
Rose Johnson	http://swtrosethorn.blogspot.com
Roxanne Blanc	http://strikesmyfancy-2013.blogspot.com/
Sarah Goode	www.pookledo.blogspot.com
Sarah Singer	http://singingsongsofsixpence.blogspot.co.uk
Sarah Strover	http://beaupepys.blogspot.com
Shalini Austin	http://jewellery-by-shalini.blogspot.co.uk/
Sherri Stokey	www.KnotJustMacrame.com
Sherry Baun	http://www.unicornsjewels.blogspot.com
Sheryl Stephens	http://www.babblebead.blogspot.com
Silvia Sernicola	http://pipa-the-latest.blogspot.it/
Solange Collin	http://www.blog.ahowinjewelry.com
Stacie Florer	http://www.soultosubstance.com
Stacy Alderson	http://iridalsattic.blogspot.co.uk
Stephanie Haussler	www.pixybugdesigns.blogspot.com
Stephanie LaRosa	www.stringaholic.blogspot.com
Sue Burleigh	http://sagebreezes.blogspot.com/
Susan Bowie	http://susanbowie.wordpress.com/
Susan Kelly	http://midlifegreaterexpectations.blogspot.com
Susan of Libellula Jewelry	www.libellulajewelry.com
Susan Sheehan	http://susanasheehan.blogspot.com/
Suzanne Fragiacomo	www.glassymom.blogspot.com
Tammi Sloan	www.mybrownwren.blogspot.com
Tammie Everly	http://ttedesigns.blogspot.com
Tania Hagen	http://pelimadesign.blogspot.co.nz/
Tania Spivey	www.moobiegracedesigns.blogspot.com
Tanya Goodwin	www.pixiloo.blogspot.com
Tanya Wiles	http://studioblog.tenebroushollow.com
Tari Kahrs	http://pearlandpebble.blogspot.com/
Theresa Buchle	http://www.bead-mused.blogspot.com
Tiffany Smith	http://southerngalsdesign.blogspot.com
Tina Holden	http://beadcomber.blogspot.com
Tracey Nanstad	http://abeadifulmess.blogspot.com/
Tracie Dean	http://homeofthepurskey.blogspot.com
Tracy Bell	www.CopperGlassAndRecycledTrash.blogspot.com
Tracy Kruse	http://goldkissesart.blogspot.com/
Veralynne Malone	www.veradesigns.blogspot.com
Veronica Campos-Hallstrom	http://www.clubcreativestudio.wordpress.com

	Hoping your day is filled with  creative dashes of grace and splashes of joy!
	Christie This is where the pesky invisible table is--- just keep scrolling down to get to the comments.  Thanks!

Drum roll please!

This is just a quick little blog posting, but wanted to show you the results of the give away last fall.  You may remember that Gina Hockett of Freestyle Elements was the winner. And boy,oh boy, did she do justice to the soup.  Hop on over to her blog and see what all she created with what I sent.


Looking at all the lovelies sure added some grace and joy to my day, as I'm sure it will to yours. Don't forget that March 30th is the first reveal of Lori Anderson's 7th Bead Soup Blog Party. Can't wait to see all the goodies. Your's truly is in the second reveal scheduled for April 6th. Until then....

Sand and Sea Blog Hop

A few months ago, I signed up to be part of Lisa Lodge's Sand and Sea blog hop. She sent us either a blue or brown pallette of beads to work with and I received a brown set. Now, I don't gravitate towards peaches and browns a whole lot but that's what makes being part of something like this fun and why it's called a challenge!

Here's a picture of the beads I received

  There was a whole assortment of goodies buried in there and it took some pondering to figure out which direction I wanted to go. Lisa had asked that we not go out and buy any beads, but that we use from our stash ( no problem there). After looking at the peaches and golds I added a few more things to the pot ( peach glass pearls, an old broken necklace and some gold e-beads), and here was my bead starting point:

And then the project kind of took on a mind of it's own. I decided to do some wire crochet so I could use a lot of the smaller beads, but to mix it up a little I used three different colors of 26g wire: antique bronze, copper and gold. This played off of the bigger beads and the colors in the focal piece.

 You can see the mingling of the three colors here where I ended it

 And here's my chunky wire crochet necklace. It's a little too big for me, but I've already had two people ask about buying it, and to quote a friend of mine "I've never met a chunky necklace I didn't like!"

But there was more work to be done! Originally I was going to use the focal with the necklace, but that was just wayyy too much going on. I used some 20g wire, took a deep breath, and tried my hand at some wire wrapping. That cute little turtle just had to be featured somewhere, and the copper tones played up the copper in the focal.  I also used two semi-matching beads to make matching earrings and wrapped them in a similar fashion to complement the focal bead. After they were all done, I realized that they were their own little set and didn't need to compete with the wire crochet. This is not my typical fare, but I really am pleased with the end results.

Here's another look at the earrings....

 and the focal

Thanks, Lisa! This was a fun challenge, and it's nice to get out of your comfort zone to see what you can create.

Here's a list of the other participants- stop by and say hi!

Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life

Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs

Tanya Goodwin, A Work in Progress

Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, Sharyl's Jewelry

Marla Gibson, Spice Box Designs

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Dot Lewallen, Speedie Beadie

Ema Kilroy, Ema K Designs

Kim Booth, The Pink Martini Boutique

Jami Shipp, Celebrating Life

Leah Tees, My Beady Littleeyes

Christie Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry  **you're here**

Monique Urquhart, A Half Baked Notion

Gloria Allen, Gloria Allen Designs

Cindy Anderson Wilson, It's My Sea of Dreams

Suzi Campbell, Suzi Campbell Creations

Shaiha Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings

 

I'm off to enter goodies into the local fair- may your day be filled with splashes and dashes of grace and joy!

Loving My Soup

I've been paired with the lovely Clare from CatsEatDogs as my partner for Lori Anderson's  7th Bead Soup Blog Party. She's originally from across the pond but now lives in St. Louis with her family. I'm intrigued by the name of her blog ( note to self: find out why she choose that name).  We're in the second reveal so you'll have to wait until April 6th to see what we create out of the goodies.

My lovely soup!

 I loove these colors! The ideas started swirling around when I opened the package. The rules for the BSBP are that I have to use the focal ( and who wouldn't want to?) and the clasp. No problem there. They do not have to be used in the same design, however so who knows what will transpire! Thank you, Clare, for a delightful soup.

Here's what I sent her

Clare's soup

 

She's a lover of vintage style jewelry so with that in mind, I put together a lot of antique brass findings, a key pendant and a heart toggle with pearls, along with a couple of different color arrangements. I make it a policy not to open my soup ( yes, she was on time, I was not) until mine has been mailed,so had to look at the package for a couple of days before ripping it open. Can't wait to see what you come up with, Clare!


I've been playing with my Vintaj Big Kick machine (more about that in a upcoming post) so added this pendant at the last minute. I'm having so much fun with this new toy!

Vintaj Big Kick pendant

So, there it is. Don't forget to head over to Clare's blog and tell her hello. If you want to see more amazing soup, Lori Anderson has created a whole board on Pinterest for participants to post on.  After the reveal, creations will be posted there as well. Lot's of inspiration awaits looking at all the lovely collections.


Here's to splashes of joy and unexpected dashes of grace--Christie

Sign Ups are OPEN!

It's time to sign up...for the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party with Lori Anderson from Pretty Things.  If you have a blog (this is the whole reason I started mine some time ago) and love making jewelry, please do yourself a favor and hop on over to her page to sign up. You won't regret it. It's grown me creatively, exposed me to amahzing artists from around the world, and provided hours of oohing and aahing inspiration.

You've only got through Sunday, January 27th so don't wait! It will definitely add a splash and dash of grace and joy to your beading life :)

Christie

Breathe Where You're Planted

What a year 2013 has been so far! I told a friend that I'm really unimpressed with this new year. I am rarely sick, but I've now gone through three separate health issues since New Year's Eve day. The latest has been dealing with some unexpected heart issues which has, in the last nine day, culminated in two ER visits and three doctor's office visits.

Lori Anderson had asked a question on a Facebook forum about what word  we would choose for the new year. Truthfully, I hadn't given any thought before I saw her post, and it got me thinking and praying. After some quiet time and deliberation, I felt that my word for was "Breathe". This year was to be a time of breathing in God's presence, slowing down and clearing the clutter from my schedule and life, and using that to be inspired to more creativity. Doesn't that sound wonderful? Just taking time to breathe in and breathe out- no fussing, no worrying, just being in the moment to breathe. Then I got sick the first time, and my last 3 days of Christmas break was spent on the couch,  instead of organizing and whittling away on my to-do list. Breathe.

Back to work, still not feeling wonderful, and then an eye infection. Seriously? No contacts for a week, minimal makeup because of the eye ointments. Breathe. I started planning on what I was going to do for the Memories and Thanks Blog Hop. After taking a break from jewelry making for a couple of weeks, I was ready to let those creative juices flow and had set aside time to work on my project. And then.. my heart decided to go haywire. As an nurse, I was way past my comfort factor, and none of the usual solutions were working so off to the ER we went (my first visit as an adult). The staff was wonderful, but what I thought what a rather innocuous pattern had switched to something else. I'm one of those lucky people who feels all the irregularities in my cardiac patterns and it was freaking me out. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Email Lori and tell her I won't be able to keep my commitment. Breathe. After a couple of visits to the cardiologist and another ER visit at 4 am, as well as numerous tests and just being exhausted all the time, the very good news is that my heart is healthy and strong. It just happens to want to skip numerous beats. I'm grateful.

Let me backtrack for just a moment.  Before Christmas a dear friend had given me an amaryllis bulb in a container, unaware of my black thumb. I had it sitting by my front door with intents of getting it planted but one thing didn't lead to another and it just sat there. Day after day with no watering, no potting soil, no nothing. Just before my heart decided to have it's little party, I happened to glance at it one day and this is what I saw.

It was BLOOMING!! I was taken aback- did I mention it hadn't been watered or tended to? AT ALL?? I called my next door neighbor who is wonderful with growing things and asked her to adopt my brave little flower, which she did. It is now living outside next to another amaryllis planted and watered. At the time I was reading a devotional  that another special friend had gifted me with, One Thousand Gifts Devotional by Ann Voskamp. In the first chapter she writes about giving thanks in the meager times and thin things, because it there that we come to know Who God really is. It was challenging and refreshing at the same time.It was still somewhat theoretical at the time I was reading it though, until the whole heart spiel hit.

Today my heart is quiet for the first time in a week and a half. I've run errands, felt normal (hurray for energy), and enjoyed my day grateful not to have those disconcerting, non stop palpitations. I have a new appreciation for those who live with much worse on a daily basis. It's exhausting- literally.Through all of this I've realized that I want to emulate the courageous and hardy amaryllis. Without any care from me, it just sat there and bloomed. Without complaint, without fuss, it just bloomed. I want to do the same, I want to breathe in whatever circumstances God allows to come my way  knowing that, unlike the amaryllis, I have a loving, caring Heavenly Father who actively is tending to my needs whether I feel it or not, and wonderful friends who have interceded on my behalf.  I want to breathe whether I am planted in ideal circumstances or not.

 Breathe. Breathe in grace, breathe out thanksgiving. Breathe in His presence, breathe out my worries. Breathe in quietness and worship, breathe out prayers.

Tomorrow this vital organ of mine may decide to party hearty again ( pardon the pun). If it does, I will choose to be thankful. If it doesn't, I will be humbly grateful. In in all, however, I pray that I will just BREATHE.

If you just need a few minutes to soak, here's one of my favorite worship songs  Breathe by Michael W, Smith.


Until the next post, wishing you a new year filled with splashes of grace and dashes of joy!