Be Thankful Blog Hop Sign Up

November is a wonderful time of year.   We are fully immersed in all the beauty that is Fall.   Even in Florida, there are signs that the seasons are changing and the summer's heat slips away.  Our thoughts turn to family and friends as we make plans for Thanksgiving and in my family it also means birthdays!! November is a big birthday month around here.  

All of these great memories and reminders often have me thinking about the things I am thankful for.   So this November, I would love to work with 12 other jewelry artists on a Blog Hop that focuses on what we are thankful for.  Is it your family?  The love of your life?  Your creativity?  Being able to do what you enjoy?  Join us and show what you are thankful for.

This hop will focus on Czech glass beads.  I will be including a selection of rondelles, faceted, Druk, coins, drops and cruller beads in a range of amber, green, blue, gold, orange and red.   All the colors of autumn.  And because I am thankful for special friends, I have asked a talented jewelry designer who I am blessed to call friend to create the clasps for this challenge.   Cova Cobalt of Cobalt and Copper is a very talented metal artist, and I am so excited about having her clasps in the hop!

You are free to use as much or as little of the kit as you would like to create your designs.   The only requirement is that the clasp must be used in one of your pieces.   I do hope that you would use a lot of the included beads, but it is not required.

Each kit is $16  plus $2 for shipping.   Please use the Paypal button below to purchase your kit and either comment below with your blog address, include it in a note with your purchase or email it to me. Act fast,  because this blog hop is limited to only 12 participants.  I will be emailing all participants as well with instructions and a reminder as the hop gets closer.  



Please click on the button here to purchase your kit

Blog Button:

A Selling Milestone

I need to let  you in on a little secret.  I absolutely love making new pieces of jewelry, but.... I am really bad at getting them listed for sale.  I mean really really bad.   I post new pieces on Facebook all the time, but when it comes to listing it on Etsy or my website,  nope.   I procrastinate, put it off, find something else to do, get distracted by beads.  You name it,  I find an excuse.   I can't tell you how many times my pricing files and my Etsy shop have sat open on my taskbar never to be touched.   

I was looking at photos the other day, and I noticed I had beautiful pieces that I loved creating that went back to July!  It is almost October and I hadn't listed those pieces.  So,  I put my nose to the grindstone this weekend and got some listings done.  I am now up to the middle of September and feel like I have accomplished a lot!  Yes, I have more to go, but progress is progress!  And it really does make me feel better to see the products listed.   

To add to that, I made it to 100 active listings on Etsy.  That is a milestone I have been trying to reach.  So in honor of me accomplishing it,  I am offering 20% off using coupon code HUNDRED.  Check out my Etsy shop Forest of Jewels

So what have I learned from all this?  Procrastinating doesn't make the work magically disappear.  It is still waiting for me and the beautiful jewelry sits, waiting to be cataloged and put away until it is sold.  And what else did I learn?  By not listing my products quickly,  I don't get to really allow them to reach their real purpose...making someone happy because they are wearing one of my designs.

From now on Monday will be listing day.   I will be dedicating some time each Monday to make sure that my listings are current.  Once I get out of the back log that should only be a few listings a week.  Monday is good for me because I usually photograph my designs on the weekend.  No reason to make things sit and find a way to put it off.  After all, taking little bites always make the project manageable.  So, if you are a designer out there who puts off listing your work, give it a try and let me know how it works for you.

September We're All Ears Challenge Reveal

Hello!  Welcome to the September reveal of the We're All Ears challenge hosted by Earrings Everyday  Every month, Erin is our hostess and she chooses a great inspiration photo for all those who participate to create from.   This month,  the inspiration was macro photography.   Check out her post here to learn more about this type of photography and why she chose it to work with this month.

I  wiggled for joy when I saw this month's photos.   Trees!  Bark!  Lichen!!  How could Forest of Jewels not love those pictures?  I was excited to take my favorite design themes and work with them this month.   I decided to focus on the trees and the colors in the photographs to design my earrings.

I wanted the earrings to be linear to reflect the main photo in the collage above.   Brown was a focus color, but I also wanted to bring in the soft green and beige from the other photos.   The rod shaped beads are fossil stone and I highlighted those with small green aventurine rounds,  and small round sesame and red jasper beads.   The top half of the earrings are larger green aventurine lentils and the sesame and red jasper beads.

I am so in love with the delicate fluidity of these earrings.  The colors really reflect what the forest looks like outside my window.   It was a pleasure to work with different types of natural gemstones.   My love of stones are what got me into designing my own jewelry in the first place.

Thanks again to Erin,  it was a great challenge and I look forward to next month.   Make sure you stop by the challenge page to see what everyone else has designed!

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

August We're All Ears Challenge Reveal

www.gabrieldawe.com

First, I want to say how much I look forward to the We're All Ears challenge every month over at Earrings Everyday.  When Erin started it, I was happy to participate and even when it took me some time to figure out what to make I was excited to finish and get my piece posted.   I still love the challenge and can't wait to participate.  But boy this month was hard on me!  The modern art chosen for inspiration, is just that, very modern and is usually not something I enjoy.   Since I am not a fiber artist, I really struggled to come up with a game plan.

Next, I spent some time focusing on the artist's color choices.  I love the color choices and the way the primary colors blend into each other and combine in just the perfect way.   From my color study I decided that I would pick one of my favorite colors and then see where I could go from there.  

Even though pink is my favorite color, I design more in blue than any other.  It is such a comforting shade to me and I just love the way it looks in jewelry.  Taking a peek around my stash,  I found the perfect blue beads that I had gotten in a bead swap recently.  Of course, no matter what I tried, the beads just didn't look right on earrings.   They are uneven, and every spacer or bead I put next to them made the earrings look so wonky they were visually displeasing.  I was so ready to give up, to just say I would skip this month.   But that made me sad.   I love this challenge,  have enjoyed stretching my design skills every month and so love the results.  So after about a good 10 minute pout,  I looked at those beads a bit differently and came up with this:

Those seed beaded beads are what gave me all the trouble.  But, I loved the way the lines of teeny tiny little blue beads made me think of the lines in the inspiration piece and I just couldn't let them go!  From the bottom of each bead,  I have continued the line elements of this month's theme, using crystals in clear and two shades of blue.  Personally I feel that they all work really well together.

So what did I learn from it all???  That I love the monthly challenge and as an artist I have to keep going.  If something doesn't work, put it aside for awhile and then return.   In the end, I really like my earrings and even more, I am enjoying the personal satisfaction I get from completing an event I so looked forward to.

Do you want to see what everyone has made?  Check out the link below:
*Until I can get the link thingy to work (don't you love my technical terms??)  Here is the link to the blog post* 

We're All Ears Reveal






 

Choosy Chicks Choose Chicklets Design Challenge Reveal

Welcome to double reveal weekend! If you are looking for the Summer Carnival Blog Hop, it is the post below this one.   

One of the nicest people I have met in the jewelry design world is Rita from Toltec Jewels.  She is so caring and helpful and a genuine sweetheart.   Rita goes out of her way to make her design challenges fun for everyone.   Thanks for that Rita!   When she announced this design challenge I couldn't wait to join in.  The pretty little beads made by SueBeads were just so cute I couldn't wait to participate!

See how cute it is???  This sweet forest green little bead was right up this girl's alley.  When it came time to design my piece, I really focused on the size of the bead.   Since the chicklet is small,  and it was very very important to me that the bead not get lost in my work, I decided that I would make a delicate design.

Forest Nymph

My chicklet is the star of the show, and it has lots of glitter and shine to go with it.  The lighting when I took the picture was a little strange.  Thank the Florida summer weather when it is bright sunny  one second and stormy and dark the next.   But,  next to the focal bead are crystal rondelles in a citrine color.  That light yellow crystals work really well with the green.  The spacers have a hint of green in the crystals as well.  Finally,  I used Czech glass beads in ruby and yellow with a Picasso finish.  

I am really very much in love with this delicate piece.

And, as an added bonus, I made a little pair of earrings to go with the necklace.  I just can't keep from making earrings!

Thank you again Rita and Sue!  This was such a fun challenge and I am really looking forward to seeing everyone else's designs.  Please click on the links below to visit the other artists participating.

Guest of Honor & Featured Artist:  Susan Kennedy

Sue Kennedy's blogs:                               SueBeads...A Beady Girl's blog
                                                               Art Jewelry Elements
Sue Kennedy's website                            SueBeads
SueBeads Art Beads                                SueBeads

Hostess:

Toltec Jewels                                           http://www.JewelSchoolFriends.com

Artists:

Linda Anderson                                       http://fromthebeadboard.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Reno                                           http://jenrenjewelry.blogspot.com/

Shirley Moore                                          http://beadsandbread.blogspot.com/

Kristen Stevens                                        http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com

Marybeth Rich                                         http://forestofjewels.blogspot.com (you are here)

Jael Thorp                                                http://jaelsjewels.blogspot.com/

Melissa Trudinger                                     http://Beadrecipes.wordpress.com

Andrea Glick                                            http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/

Nan Smith                                                http://wirednan.blogspot.com

Blanca Medina                                         www.peru-medesigns.com

Shai Williams                                            http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com

Carolyn Lawson                                       http://Carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com

Rana Wilson                                             http://Ranaleadesigns.blogspot.com

Robin Reed                                              http://willowdragon.blogspot.com

Robin Showstack                                     http://heartsdesiresjewelryforyou.blogspot.com/

Sheila Prosterman                                     http://catswithbeads.blogspot.com

Karla Morgan                                          http://Texaspepperjams.blogspot.com

Kari Asbury                                             http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com

Kelly Rodgers                                          https://www.facebook.com/BeadinBlackBlue

Jayne Capps                                            https://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com/

Mischelle Andrade Fanucchi                    https://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com/

Heather Richter                                       http://desertjewelrydesigns.blogspot.com

Chris Eisenberg                                       www.wanderware.blogspot.com

Kathleen Breeding                                   http://www.zibbet.com/99BottlesofBeadsontheWall

Linda Landig                                           http://lindalandig.wordpress.com

Crystal Thain                                           http://beaddragons.blogspot.com/

Cheri Reed                                              http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com

Heather d-Entremont                               http://frugalmadougall.wordpress.com/

Dini Bruinsma                                          http://angazabychanges.blogspot.com/

Lori Schneider                                         http://www.beadaddicted.blogspot.com/

Tammy Adams                                        http://www.paisleylizard.com/blog.html

Melinda Orr                                            http://bandanagirl.indiemade.com/blog

Lennis Carrier                                         http://windbent.wordpress.com/

Cynthia Machata                                     http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com

Elizabeth Hodges                                    http://thewhisperingseas.blogspot.com

Debbie Rasmussen                                  http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com/

Tanya McGuire                                       http://tanyamcguire.blogspot.com/

Charlie Jacka                                          http://clay-space.com/blog/

Ev Shelby                                               http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson                        http://sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com/

Jasvanti Patel                                        http://jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com

Summer Carnival Blog Hop Reveal

Hello again and welcome to the reveal for Lisa Lodge's Summer Carnival Blog Hop!  Lisa is a wonderful jewelry artist over at A Grateful Artist.  She hosts lots of Blog Hops throughout the year and I am always very excited to participate. So, several months ago when she announced the Summer Carnival I had to jump right in!

In this hop, Lisa told us that we would receive a kit full of wonderful beads that would include crystals and cultured sea glass and as she always does, her kit was overflowing with goodies; take a peek!

This is just a sample of some of the pretties I received.   There were cultured sea glass beads in both a royal blue and more aqua blue color.  There are flat and oval sea glass pieces as well.   Also, in the kit were several types of crystals.  Rondelles in both clear and a most fantastic aqua color.  Rounding out the collection are larger clear oval crystals and some great metal spacer beads.

Now, you would think with all these wonderful beads I could just jump right in and design, right?  Well yes, tons of ideas presented themselves when I sat at my workspace and focused on these beads.  However, I really struggled on the Carnival theme.  All the cultured sea glass and beautiful aqua beads just fed into my love of the sea and I kept tracking that way in my designs.   So,  I decided to step away from my beads and start focusing on the theme.   What does a carnival mean?  Rides?  Cotton candy?  All the tinny music?  Those games you never win?  

Finally, I started to focus on Lisa's inspiration photo for the hop.  The Ferris Wheel, specifically.  I am afraid of heights and have only been on kiddie Ferris Wheels, and even then I got those butterflies in my tummy.  But there is one Ferris Wheel I really would ride on if I got the chance.  Some day, no matter what, I will get to England...and when I do,  I want to ride the London Eye.  Can you imagine the views?  That is if I keep my eyes open of course!  So,  I kindly asked a friend for an inspiration photo and my design just came to life!

photo credit  D.F.

While I know that isn't specifically a carnival,  I do think the blue and clear crystals really worked well with the sky and the sea glass is a nice stand in for the Thames.  Here is how my inspiration photo looks as a necklace.

Circle of Dreams

I really wanted to carry the circle of the Ferris Wheel into this necklace.  It was important to me that it be distinct and also allow for me to add the sea glass components.  The necklace is designed so that the round wheel portion is worn where a broach would be worn.  

From the kit, I used the blue and clear crystals to make the wheel design.  From my own stash, I added these great wire beads. They remind me of the little cars you sit in when going around in a Ferris Wheel.  The rest of the lower part of the necklace is made using the same blue and clear crystal rondelles, some metal spacers from my stash that I feel give the piece a very vintage feel.   Finally,  I added three of the aqua colored sea glass pieces.  Little nods to the river flowing by past the London Eye.   The chain, also from my personal stash, completes the circle theme.  There is no clasp, because at 30 inches long, this necklace is easy to put on over your head.

If you know me, you know I can't design a necklace and not include earrings!  So, here are a beautiful pair that focus on the beads used in the wheel portion of my necklace.

This time, I used the aqua crystals, the silver spacer beads that Lisa provided and added some small Swarovski crystal bicones and those great metal beads.  There is actually a glass bead inside the wire and they add extra sparkle.

Wow what a hop!  It arrived with a bag full of great goodies that I am still in love with and can't wait to design more pieces with the leftovers!  I really enjoyed focusing on conceptual aspects of art and taking those concepts and ideas and bringing them into a beautiful statement piece.   Making pieces like this for challenges like Lisa's is what makes me feel like a real artist.  It makes my creative spirit sore!

Thank you again to Lisa for hosting us and since this is a blog hop, there are lots of wonderful other artists to visit and see what they created.  Please spend some time visiting them from the links below.  Thank you for stopping by!!!

Your hostess:  Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Kim Dworak, Cianci Blue

Marybeth Rich, A Few Words from within the Pines (you are here)

Karin Grosset Grange, Ginkgo et Coquelicot

Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera

Ann Schroeder, Bead Love

Kathleen Breeding, 99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall

Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation

Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Heather Richter, Desert Jewelry Designs

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks

Catherine Yvonne King, Catherine's Musings

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Shaiha Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings

Chris Eisenberg, Wanderware

Eleanor Burian Moore, The Charmed Life

Dee Alcalde, Agape Creations Jewelry

 Marianne Baxter, Simply Seablime Jewelry

Carole Carlson, Bead Sophisticate

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams

Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz

Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Dolores Raml, CraftyD's Creations

Marianne Hurley, Reads and Beads

Kathleen Breeding, 99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall

Marci Allen Koziolek, Krafty Max Originals