Andra's Joyful Journey

I realize that I have gotten either very lazy or just overwhelmed over the past month. When I last posted I had just had my hand surgery and realized how annoying it was to try to type one handed. I am all better now and have lots to tell everyone. The end of March I went ot Newport News, VA to spend my last week of recuperation at my brother's house. While there I took two classes. The first was a refresher on free-form peyote stitch at TaDa Artisan's Boutique & Bead Store in Williamsburg, VA and I made a bracelet which is almost done. I will post a picture when it is done .Tammy had just opened the store and held a special class for Mom and me. Next I took a bead loom class at Beadworkz in Suffolk, VA. with Cindy Yost. Five years ago I bought her book, Copper Loom A New Approach to an Ancient Craft, co-authored with Kat Allison. Then two Christmases ago Tom bought me the loom. Finally I can use it! Wow what fun!

I chose to make a bracelet out of purple #8 seed bead soup. So the finished project --

I also chose these beads to match a necklace I made this year. It has a spiral rope and a hidden clasp focal slider.

I had a such great time in Newport News, I went back on April 21st and joined the Southeastern Virginia Bead Society. The members are wonderful and so welcoming. They meet the third Sunday of every month and Mom and I figure that we will just plan on visiting Tom that weekend each month.

I was asked to contribute to the Silent Auction at Georgia Shakespeare's Bard's Bash 2012. My daughter, Donna, is their Development Manager and is in charge of the show. The theme is Oscar Wilde, so she asked for something wild, flamboyant, Victorian, steampunk, etc.

I made a necklace set, Victorian Splendor

and Beauty In The Eyes Of The Beholder

The auction is tonight so I will post tomorrow what they sold for. Georgia Shakespeare is a not for profit theater in Atlanta, GA located on the campus of Oglethorpe University.The company does a lot with the surrounding school systems promoting the development of the theater. This gala event is their major summer fund raiser and helps to mark the beginning of their summer season. This year they will also be performing The Tempest at Shakespeare in the Park, an event for the community. Please check out their web site here.

Enough for now so Good Night Everyone.

The revel day is finally here and I am so excited. First of all, apologizes are in order I haven't written all month and I will explain why in another post. My wonderful partner, Christie and I were made for each other. Thank you Lori for your wise and great pairing! Christie and have several things in common not only our love of beading and Christ, but the joy we have in our daughters. It is wonderful to see the love and happiness that shines in Christie's photos.
Now on to the soup--- I received a fantastic soup from Christie.

Wow, the selection I had to chose from. I attacked the blue beads and chain first. I have had an idea floating around in my head for awhile about using chain, beads, and a donut. I have a large rose quartz donut for four years now crying for a home and Christie gave me the perfect home for it.

I do not work with chain so this project stretched my imagination. I was challenged to figure out how to work the donut, beads and chain together. I used the chain, blue beads, and clasp that Christie sent and added the pink beads and donut from my stash. Next came matching earrings. These got reworked four times because I could not figure out how to get the donuts to hang straight.

I have already worn the set to work and everyone loved them!

Next, I pulled out the seed beads and all the Brown and cream beads Christie sent. This was the project I took on my cruise. While everyone else was reading a book sunning on the deck, I was cheerfully beading away. My project started out as peyote stitch bracelet which morphed into a freeform netted bracelet embelished with the creams and brown beads. I only added the briolettes. I was going to bead the clasp, then decide to use a magnetic clasp and finally made the bracelet into a bangle. I love the results! (Mom's response was "This is really great but I can't wear it. It is too big for my wrist." Ha Ha There was logic to me madness!

Finally, I realize this morning that I had not used the focal pieces Christie sent. So back to the chain, the focal pieces, headpins, the rattail cording, and the bead caps she sent along with a few lampworked beads I had.

This was a quick project because I had hand surgery yesterday afternoon and knew I would not be in shape to bead this evening. I like how it turned out and was very pleased how confident I was working with the chain.

Lori, thank you so very much for the chance to meet Christie and to be a part of this Bead Soup Blog Hop!

For my followers, HOP around and see what everyone else created!

1. Adlinah Kamsir (Singapore) and Hajer Waheed (Kingdom of Bahrain)

2. Adrienn Lukacs (Hungary) and Agata Grygiel (Poland)

3. Agi Kiss (Hungary) and Carolien Muller-Genger (the Netherlands)

4. Agnes Asztalos (Hungary) and B.R. Kuhlman

5. Alesha Conklin and Becki Mendivil

6. Alice Peterson and Carol Dillman

7. Alicia Marinache (Canada) and Dita Basu

8. Amanda Dittloff and Brandy Thomason McNair

9. Amanda Tibbetts and Andrea Trank

10. Amy Freeland and Kay Mallery