Saturday, July 19, 2014

Gemstone and Metal Blog Hop Reveal



Hi, it is me again with yet another blog hop or challenge review.  It has been a very busy week around here!  This time, I would like to welcome you in to take a peek at Lisa Lodge's Gemstone and Metal Blog Hop.   Several months ago,  Lisa offered participants the chance to work with natural gemstones and participate in her hop. I love natural stones. so I couldn't wait to participate in this one.




Lisa is always so generous with her kits!!  These pictures show just a bit of the wonderful items she sent me to work with.   The gemstone in my kit is black vein jasper.  I received tons of beads in this stone.  Rectangles, coins, different sized faceted beads and rounds.  The metal side of the hop included a pretty clasp,  two different kinds of spacer beads, some chain, cones, and connectors.  


When I sat down to design,  the one thing I felt was missing from the collection was a bit of color.  The black, white and grey in the black vein jasper is very bold and adding just the metal spacers made my design ideas kind of one dimensional.   So, I looked for a color that would work well with the stone and metal.



I settled on red as my accent colors for my pieces.   It is a strong color and compliments the grey, white and black in the jasper nicely.  To add my signature touch of sparkle,  I included some Swarovski crystals in jet with an AB finish, so they are a glittery shade of grey.



I was careful when picking the rectangles of jasper to match up the colors so the beads display all the variety of color in the stones.  I used some of the metal lentil spacers to separate the stones and then added barrel shaped red glass beads for that pop of color.  I then finished off the necklace with the crystals, smaller faceted jasper beads and then connected it to the chain that Lisa provided.   Unfortunately, I damaged the clasp  she gave me so I had to use one of my own.



Next, I designed a bracelet that can either be worn with the necklace or stand well on its own. I used faceted rodelles and one oval shaped of the jasper beads,as well as these neat metal spacers that are different than those on the necklace.  I used red for the color pop, this time, using glass beads that remind me of little perfume bottles.   Finally, the Swarovski crystals appear again for additional sparkle.



I couldn't make jewelry and not put together a pair of earrings!  Here I used more of those silver spacers from the necklace and small jasper rondelles.  I chose two oval glass beads in a bright red and added a crystal at the end so that all the pieces tied together.

It was lots of fun participating in the Gemstone and Metal Blog Hop and I want to thank our hostess, Lisa Lodge, again for giving me the opportunity to participate.   Please take some time to visit the other artists on the hop and see what they created.   Thanks for visiting!

Your hostess:  Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist
Kim Dworak, Cianci Blue
Marybeth Rich, A Few Words from within the Pines (You are Here)
Karen Grosset Grange, Ginkgo et Coquelicot
Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera
Katrina Taylor, I Wanna Go Out
Ann Schroeder, Bead Love
Kathleen Breeding, 99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall
Terri Wlaschin, Dances in Fog
Margaret Pelech, Big Margaret
Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation
Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Heather Richter, Desert Jewelry Designs
Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations
Toltec  Jewels, Jewel School Friends
Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes
Shaiha Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings
Chris Eisenberg, Wanderware (May be delayed a few days)
Eleanor Burian Moore, The Charmed Life
Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design

Robin Reed, Artistry HCBD
Laurie Vyselaar, Lefthand Jewelry
Cassi Renee Paslick, Beads: Rolling Downhill
Crystal Thain, Here Bead Dragons
Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things (May be delayed a few days)
Marde Lowe, FanciMarDesigns
Linda Anderson, From the Bead Board
Leithleach Alainn Seodra, Alainn Jewelry
Lisa E. Prewitt Knappenberger, LiRaysa Designs
Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs

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22 comments:

  1. Your set of jewelry that you made will be the life of the next party that you attend. The red that you added really sets you designs in motion. Lovely.

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  2. One of my favorite combination, black, white and red! Always so bold and bright! I love how you showed all the variety in the stones, it makes the pieces so interesting. This is a wonderful set!

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  3. I love your necklace. The red is exactly what is needed to add some pop to it. The design is terrific. I love how each pieces of jasper is honored with its placement.

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  4. Wonderful set! The red is a great color with the jasper. My favorite piece is the bracelet because I think those metal pieces and the red beads are really charming shapes. Lovely work!

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  5. That red does look wonderful with the jasper --all three pieces are beautiful.

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  6. You are right Marybeth. Red was the perfect compliment to the black vein jasper. Your pieces are beautiful.

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  7. Red is a wonderful colour to add into your set of jewelry. Very elegant.

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  8. What beautiful pieces and the red does make the stones stand out. Lovely items, all of them.
    ~cryssT

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  9. I love the red with the jasper, it pops perfectly. Beautiful pieces!

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  10. beautiful love the pop of red

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  11. beautiful pieces =) i actually love the little heart clasp - even if it was a stand in =)

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  12. Lovely pieces - the red really makes the jasper stand out!!

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  13. AnonymousJuly 19, 2014

    Great pop of color! That red really brings that jasper to a new level....

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  14. What a great set! That red both adds a pop of color and accents the jasper beautifully.

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  15. I love red and black and grey together!! What a great choice. I also like the way you chose a corrugated type design on your red to pick yp the lines in the jasper!!! Great Job!!! Have a Blessed Day!!!

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  16. AnonymousJuly 19, 2014

    Wow does the red standout so beautifully in your designs it brings out the stripes in the jasper more vividly Margaret Pelech

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  17. Adding that pop of red was great inspiration!!!

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  18. AnonymousJuly 20, 2014

    You and I thought alike in putting the red with the black-veined jasper. Love your pieces!

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  19. I'm liking the red with that. A brilliant stroke of inspiration!

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  20. The red is a perfect accent for the black and white jasper.
    Kind of like the newspaper "black and white and re(a)d all over"
    LOL.
    I would definitely wear any or all of your pieces. Very, very nice.

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  21. That red really did the trick. Beautiful set...and I too always have to make earrings....lol. Great job. Thanks for sharing!

    veradesigns.blogspot.com

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  22. AnonymousJuly 21, 2014

    I love black and red together - so modern and fresh. Great job as always, Marybeth! Thanks for being in the hop!

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I love to hear your thoughts on my posts. Thank you so much for stopping by!