Creative Spark Glossie Fall Edition pre-post

First I'd like to thank everyone for the kind replies to my last post, it's going to take time, I know that, and I'm grateful to know so many who understand. I miss my brother, I always will, a part of me will always want to scream and yell, and cry out loud at the whole world as if it were someone's fault. I have questions. I have regrets. And I have hope. Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated. 

Jeff lived life the the fullest, and I plan to follow his example. He was a creator too, that's our connection. Occasionally he would ask me about my jewelry work, he worked with hemp and beads, knot work, micro macrame. I'll never have the physical strength to finish the pieces he left behind. But my mother insisted I take them anyway. To try. 

First, I'm trying to pull myself back into the creative mindset. I've followed the last two challenges from Znetshows.com, but without participating. This summer, the Znetshows Design team put together a Glossi, called Creative Spark, an online magazine featuring the products from Znetshows.com, using a theme, "Rings and Bling" and a select group of Znetshows design team members. The next edition of Creative Spark, the fall/winter edition, for which the theme is Pearls, I've been asked to participate. 

These are my bead choices. 

BDS1894-21 Glass pearls round beads O -Black K0808 (16mm)

These big black pearls are enormous, heavy, and solid. Like tiny bowling balls. I love them!!

This picture is a bit deceiving, these pearls are quite small, and very slate gray sky cold...or are they glittering frozen dew? Melt from an icicle hanging from the boughs? 

BDS1795-37 Glass pearls round beads O -Hemitite K0958 (3mm)

BDS1867-08 Glass pearls teardrop round beads O -Grey K0357 (7x5mm)

My non pearl choices: to compliment and accentuate the pearls.

MO529-AS Base metal alloy necklace antique silvertone

RS202-123 Designer glass nugget beads faceted varies Meridian Blue semi-transparent blue coating

And for the next post, Hope has put together 'lightning rounds', challenges with a quick turnaround. I've started a post with my choices and pieces, but I'd like to post it as one post and I'm still working on a couple of pieces. The aim of this lightning round is to make bracelets for the organization Global Genes Project and thier 7000 Bracelets For Hope campagn, who offer hope, encouragement, and blue bracelets to patients and families who suffer from rare and genetic diseases. I'd already planned a donation, and ordered several blue beads from Znetshows.com before I was invited to this challenge and so I have a lot to work with. I'll have that post up soon.

Lost

I apologize for my absence, it's not that I haven't been creating, I have. In fact, it's the only thing that brings me peace right now. It's now the only connection I have to my youngest brother, who passed away suddenly on August 20th at the age of 33. I have no words to express how much this hurts. I know, logically, that everyone suffers the loss of loved ones, that dying is a part of living. And because I was able to accept this fact when my grandfather, father, and grandmother each passed away, I believed I had a solid grasp of this concept. Even when my junior high friend died from a thoughtless gang related game, I knew that the grief would pass, and life would move forward as it's meant to. But there are days now when I just can't wrap my mind around how the world continues as if there's nothing missing.

It breaks my heart that this is the last photo taken of all of us together, and it's about 15 years old.

I miss you so much baby brother.

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And hey, if you win, accept Etsy gift cards in my Etsy shop ;)

Jewelry Clasp Inspiration

I saw this clasp on Pinterest and couldn't resist an inspiration version, of course, inspiration pieces are never quite as good as the original, but I like it none the less.
The base is 20 gauge copper wire, with 32 gauge copper wire wrapped around and woven through with 2 mm multi-hued pink and green tourmaline beads.

Polymer clay adventures

Some polymer clay beads my niece and I have been working on this summer

More Butterflies

Testing the email to blog option
Sent from my LG phone

Znetshows.com Partner Picks Summer Challenge and Giveaway, the reveal

OMG!!! What a disappointing week. I've only been able to get online just now (litterally, got off the phone with a tech in India at 12:01 AM this morning) since a power outage knocked out the power to my computer (my entire living room to be precise) last Thursday. My luck since has been along the same vien. But without my computer or TV, I've managed to read six books since messing up my left shoulder, making it impossible to at least finish the pieces I had only half begun before the due date.

Just a reminder, I've participated in a new challenge this summer. The Znetshows.com Partner Picks Summer Challenge and Giveaway was due last Saturday...yeah, last Saturday. You have no idea how disapointed I am not to have been online for the hop. 

So here's how it worked: Hope Smitherman sent out emails asking those of us who've been part of the Znetshows.com design team if we'd like to take part in a partner's challenge. We were asked to pick out seven items from a list to be sent to our partners using an inspiration photo of the beach. When we received our beads, we would then design pieces inspired by the beach.

My partner is the very talented Bee Kuhlman of Mixed Mayhem Studios and you should really check out what she's put together from the photo I chose from the Znetshows.com Pinterest inspiration board. And the ZnetShows blog for the other reveals and the details of a very generous giveaway.

And so, these are the beads that I was lucky enough to work with.

The links will take you directly to the items from their shop.

 

zmx-17-01 Chinese crystal designer glass rondelle beads faceted Waterfall mix

S45-B31SFIVE cultured sea glass square nugget bead

BDS1617-18FIVE Glass pearls round beads Kahaki color 4mm 

M0314-AB vine toggle clasps

M0078-AB Base Metal Aloy charm conch shell 30x15mm

and

M0124-AB Base metal aloy coin beads spiral battern 10mm

And somehow I missed taking a photo of these, but you can see them in the designs pretty clearly

BDS1837-02 Fire agate round beads dyed blue 6mm

And these are the pieces I was able to finish by Saturday July 6th

A Midsummer circlet

Crocheted Bracelet

This was actually the last piece I did. I was getting annoyed by the 'permanently colored' wire I was using flaking off as I manipulated it, I plan to redo the following pieces with actual brass wire when I get it. they'll look so much better with the brass chain.

My wrist doesn't tapper like most, so it's a little tighter than it would be on most people.

Earrings

Necklace, the original idea was beach wedding, but I kind of like the beachy casual of the crocheted design better.

I thought it would be interesting to have the clasp in the front.

The set

Since I gave up on the wire, I'd started on a pair of crocheted barefoot sandals to match the bracelet, but just typing is killing me and I keep having to take breaks, so I have to finish it later and post it after a short break from jewelry making.

Please visit the Znetshows.com blog for all the of the other partner reveals.