Sun & Sea Creative Bead Chat Challenge 2012

I have been part of a group on facebook called Creative Bead Chat.  Bead lovers from all over share their creations and tips and all sorts of things.  They are a wonderful support group, personally as well as creatively.
I was chosen by Random.com to be one of the recipients of the beads for the Sun & Sea challenge.

Here is what I started with.  I pulled together some things I thought would go well with the ceramic, polymer, shell, copper & glass I was provided with.

My own textured & patina'd copper sheet & wire with the challenge goodies.

 The first item I made is this double strand copper necklace & earring set.
I took 1/3 of the sheet of copper & made it into charms.  The bail of the donut is embellished peyote stitch.  The copper ear wires are hand made by me.  The beautiful copper clasp provided is on the back of this piece.

Ocean Breezes

Ocean Breezes Earrings

 This bangle was next.

Shell We Dance

 Adding some pearls, aquamarine & sponge coral helped set-off the beautiful components provided.

On The Boardwalk

 The glass beads were beautiful enough that I wanted to spotlight them on these hoops.

Sunrise

I had so much fun creating with the items supplied by some very talented bead artisans.

My pottery is still my first love, but beads and creating things with them come in a fairly close second.

Thank you to all who organized this challenge!  And thank you to all of the others who have participated.

Feel free to comment below, I won't know what you think (good, ambivalent or bad) unless you do.  And, I don't bite!

Please visit the other blogs that have participated in the challenge.

Most of all, have fun!

http://www.yayjewelry.blogspot.com/

http://cswdesignsbyhehe.blogspot.com/

http://alice-dreaming.blogspot.com/

http://blog.aimeesjewelrytreasures.com/

Turtles...

My younger sister, Regina has been collecting turtles for many years. We can't even remember exactly when she started 'collecting', but we know she got a turtle pull toy for her first birthday. My oldest sister, Sue, has become fond of turtles since swimming with a sea turtle on her visit to Hawaii a few years ago.

My friend Linda went to Hawaii in January and brought me back 6 Tiger Eye carved turtle beads. I debated what to do with the beads. Then one day, it came to me. There are 4 of us girls in our immediate family, 2 of whom are especially fond of turtles. I decided to make a pair of earrings for each of them, and a pendant for the other 2 of us. The photo was just before shipping the one pair to Regina in Churchville, NY. I positioned her pair 'swimming' North, and Sue's pair 'swimming' South to Aiken, SC and the ones for Terri and I are in the middle since we are both here. I used copper beads and findings to make them.

I got an IM from Regina this afternoon and she just received them. She said she LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVEs the earrings. Sue arrived here tonight and I gave her her pair, she said to add another LOVE to the list so she has 5.

I got a lot of sanding done on my pieces tonight. Tomorrow morning I will glaze. I still need to take some photos before the show... Two more production days to go...