Anchors Aweigh!! Design Challenge and Blog Hop Reveal

It is time for the Anchors Aweigh Design Challenge Reveal!!!  The wonderful Rita over at Toltec Jewels was kind enough to put together a blog hop featuring the absolutely beautiful beads created by Diana at Suburban Girl Beads. The Sweet porcelain anchors just called to me and my love of the sea.   I was so happy to be chosen by Rita to participate,  and I appreciate all of the hard work she puts in to making these blog hops such an enjoyable experience for everyone.

I was certain that I took a picture of my sweet little anchor beads when they arrived, but after searching my very well labeled photo files, I couldn't find it. So, I borrowed Rita's photo to show you how cute Diana's beads are.   They were such a pleasure to work with and I am excited to share with you the necklace I created.

I knew I wanted to make a necklace, the anchor beads deserved to be the focus of a sea themed piece.   It only took me a few minutes to decide to use cultured sea glass, but I wanted to add a bit more; maybe challenge myself a bit with the piece.

So,  I took a Vintaj brass blank,  embossed it with a sand dollar and then added a soft blue patina and glaze.  I wanted the brass round to remind you of a coin from a ship that had sunk many many years before.  A treasure that can be found in many places very near by.  If you ever get the chance to visit Florida, Sebastian Inlet has a nice little museum that includes a lot of information about sunken treasure.  

What do you think?  Does it remind you of a coin who has spent 200 years at the bottom of the ocean?  I added the porcelain anchors to a strand of small round aqua cultured sea glass, then my signature touch of sparkle with some aqua crystal spacers.  Half way up the necklace, I created interest with aqua blue lampwork glass.  There are some small rounds and the nice square pieces as well. 

Earrings you ask?  Of course I did earrings!  I just can't resist making a pair for a challenge :)  I used the same aqua cultured sea glass rounds, an aqua crystal spacer and added some Vintaj  brass sand dollars to carry along the theme of my necklace.

Thank you so much Rita and Diana for creating such a fun blog hop.  It was a pleasure to participate and I can't wait to see what everyone else has made.   To check out all the participant's designs, please use the links below:

Anchors Aweigh!! Design Challenge & Blog Hop 

Participating Artists

Featured & Honored Artist:        Diana Ptaszynski

Diana's Shop:                           Suburban Girl Beads

Diana's Blogs:                          Suburban Girl Studio

                                                 Art Jewelry Elements

Hostess: TJ                               Jewel School Friends

Bobbie Rafferty                         Beadsong Jewelry

Chris Eisenberg                         Wanderware

Heather Richter                         Desert Jewelry Designs

Michelle McCarthy                    Firefly Design Studio

Kathy Lindemer                         Bay Moon Design

Dini Bruinsma                            Angaza by Changes

Cynthia Machata                       Antiquity Travelers

Kathleen Breeding                     99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall

Linda Younkman                       Lindy's Designs

Robin Reed                                  Artistry HCBD

Marla Gibson                              Spice Box Designs

Gina Hockett                               Freestyle Elements

Renetha Stanziano                      Lamplight Crafts

Marianne Baxter                          Simply Seablime Jewelry        

Christina Miles                             Wings N Scales

Marybeth Rich                            A Few Words from Within the Pines

Shai Williams                              Shaiha's Ramblings

Cheri Reed                                  Creative Designs by Cheri

Monique Urquhart                      A Half-Baked Notion

Jennifer Reno                             Musings of a Crafty Jenny

Shirley Moore                             Beads and Bread

Tammy Adams                           Paisley Lizard

Melissa Trudinger                       Bead Recipes

Jill Bradley                                  JillyBeads