It is time to Party again, Bead Soup Party, that is!

Lori Anderson of Pretty Things just announced another Bead Soup Party! This is the second one and she is inviting fellow beaders to join.  The deadline to join is May 7th. If you are interested you better hurry over to her blog and sign in.

The first Bead Soup Party was so much fun, that I have signed up for the second one too. For the first time around I partnered with Mary McGraw of MK's Creative Musings and received a wonderful package of beads that resulted in this pretty necklace. 

Well, my Bead Soup Party story has a very happy ending. I donated the necklace to some of my co-workers who were taking part in the Tampa Bay's Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) walk that took place on April 3rd 2010. This was a cause very close to their hearts and they told me they raised an additional $150.00 with my necklace. Thank you Lori and thank you Mary, your gift to me made many people very happy. What a great way to meet people, make new friends, share creative ideas and have a lot of fun in the process.  See you at the party!

It is Warm Again in Florida

We floridians are still remembering how cold it was this past winter. I do not think we will complain about the hot weather again! Today in Tampa, FL it is 81 deg F, sunny, few clouds, and all in all a beautiful day. The kind of day that makes you want to find reasons to get outdoors. So what am I doing at the computer? Well, I wanted to share my latest Spring Beauty with all of you.

As a Design Partner for Artbeads.com I have used this opportunity to work with materials and beads that I am not too familiar with and incorporate them into my designs. Artbeads.com has introduced me to the wonderful world of Venetian Glass Beads, love them!  Can't get enough of them!

Today I post about their Stoneware Beads and Pendants. Such vivid colors and I loved working with them. These beads are made with stoneware clay, fired at different temperatures depending on their color, making for a durable and beautiful bead. Here is what I made with my selection of stoneware beads...

The centerpiece is the Blue Daisy and Ladybugs Pendant joined by a single bead of the same design, add in strands of green freshwater pearls and then an array of round Stoneware beads in all available  colors and the result was this eye-catching celebration of Spring! These beautiful and durable stoneware pendants are handmade by skilled Bulgarian artisans and Artbeads.com has such a wide selection, you can spend hours trying to make up your mind. Honest, it was hard to choose just one.

The stoneware beads have large holes, and I found that bead caps are necessary to keep the bead in place. But for the same reason, they would work well with leather or ribbon or any other wider stringing material. I used Copper bead caps, and Artbeads.com carries a similar design of bead caps in Copper-plated Pewter. The necklace is closed with a Trigger clasp and extension chain. 

Check out Artbeads.com's recent additions to their stoneware pendants, a must for every beader's stash and Spring wardrobe!

Disclosure: Some of the beads described above I have received free of charge from Artbeads.com.

I have been asked to review these beads/supplies and give my honest opinion of them.  I am not being paid by Artbeads.com for my endorsement of any of the products received and reviewed in my blog postings.

The Beauty of Spring continues to unfold...

I continue the celebration of Spring (and the end of the tax season!) with my bouquet of Swarovski Elements Flowers that I received from Artbeads.com as part of their 'Beauty of Spring' design campaign. I have noticed that many beaders have used and written about these beautiful delicate flowers.

I received a pair each of Jonquil (yellow), Aquamarine (blue), Light Rose (pink) and Violet (purple) flowers. These five petaled crystals have their hole drilled slightly off center and so perfectly dangle when threaded or wire-wrapped.
What better way to use this perfect posy, than a pair of spring hoop earrings.

To the flowers I added leafy green Peridot Swarovski Crystallized Elements Roundelles and a brightly colored Fuchsia butterfly also from the Swarovski Crystallized Elements collection.  Oh so pretty! The crystal flowers are lightweight and come in a variety of colors, perfect for earrings and other delicate designs. Think of the sparkle the clear or AB Crystal flowers would add to any bridal design... I see endless possibilities.

Talking of this being the end of the tax season and everyone breathing a collective sigh of relief, check out the Tax Relief Sale now on at Artbeads.com. Hurry to make your pick from the storewide selection. Sale ends April 22, 2010.

Check out my previous 'Beauty of Spring' design and watch for more Spring delights. Also take a look at the more than 200 jewelry designs by fellow beaders all celebrating the joy of Spring.

Disclosure: Some of the beads described above I have received free of charge from Artbeads.com.

I have been asked to review these beads/supplies and give my honest opinion of them.  I am not being paid by Artbeads.com for my endorsement of any of the products received and reviewed in my blog postings.