Pearl Challenge!

Welcome to my blog featuring the jewelry I made for Shel's Pearls, Pearls, Pearls blog hop. Michelle is a pearl fanatic and makes absolutely stunning pieces with pearls of all sorts. She created this blog hop to challenge us to do the same. This was a very difficult challenge for me since I have always had a major creative block when it comes to designing with pearls. I buy pearls with great intentions but can never seem to get past the starting point. To me pearls are all about frilly, lacy and girly designs none of which are words I would use to describe my style. I love what other people do with pearls to cross over style lines but I haven't been able to do this to my satisfaction. However I managed to make 2 pieces for this challenge and I am happy with the results. Thanks Michelle for hosting this hop and pushing me out of my comfort zone. I will continue to experiment with pearls for now on.
The first thing I successfully completed after several failed projects was this pair of earrings.

 I love these tiny fresh water seed pearls and wanted to use many since they look great in bunches. I wire wrapped them on rosy colored torched copper ball headpins and hung them like a curtain of pearls from an antique copper ring. They were too plain like this so I hunted through my stash and came up with these cranberry fresh water pearls that match the ball headpins perfectly. They are dangling from my own handmade earwires and I'm  happy with how they turned out.


The second piece is experimental in two ways. After seeing all the creative ways used with waxed Irish linen thread in Diane's recent blog hop I have been playing around a lot with it and wanted to use it for this challenge with the pearls. Unfortunately my knotting skills need a lot more practice to perfect. I strung these beautiful peach toned Swarovski pearls on dark brown linen and added tiny reddish-brown agate beads to frame the pearls in an illusion style necklace. It's a casual way to wear pearls and suits my style well.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing what I came up with for this challenge. Please hop over to Mishel's blog or click on the InLinx Linkup here to see everyone else's creations. Have a lovely Sunday!
Please check back here on Tuesday, July 1st to see the reveal for my own blog hop:
My Country Blog Hop

An InLinkz Link-up

Coming up next week!

Hi there!  Next Tuesday, July 1 is the second annual My Country Blog Hop where participants will highlight their country by creating handmade art and telling the story behind it's creation. I thought of this idea while participating in Lori Anderson's 7th  Bead Soup Blog Party last year. I love that our community of designers and makers is international and that we share our passions across all borders. It is a thrill to meet other bloggers from all across the world and share our many experiences, both about jewelry and life in general.

I have always been a proud Canadian but this patriotism grew when I lived in the UK for four years (1997-2001). I found myself having to explain what being a Canadian meant to me and sharing all that I love about living here. These feelings of pride and patriotism have stayed with me since I returned here and I have become a big booster of everything Canadian. Most Canadians already know many of the wonderful aspects about our country but over the years I have realized that the world in general needs more Canada! So this is my mission....to share what I love about this wonderful country and what it means to be Canadian.

Of course, being Canadian, I don't like to brag!!!! ( we are known as polite and self-effacing people).Therefore I invited other bloggers to join in to share what they love or have learned about their country and then  to stretch their creativity to create a work of art that reflects their country. It's a great opportunity to see your home from the point of view of others and to learn what there is to love in living elsewhere. Please follow along and check out the other participants art and stories.

The event takes place on July 1, 2014 which is our big national birthday celebration, Canada Day. On that day you can hop to the blogs of the following participants and enjoy their contribution.

My Country Blog Hop Participants

Nan Smith (hostess|)               nanmade.blogspot.ca

1. Ana (Portugal)                                                       acbeads.blogspot.ca

2.Rita  (Orlando)                                              JewelSchoolFriends.com   

3. Dini (The Netherlands)                                    angazabychanges.blogspot.nl

4. Robin Reed  (Indiana)                              willowdragon.blogspot.com

5. Lilik Kristiana   (Indonesia )                             pcbylik.blogspot.com

6. Karla Morgan  (Texas)                                    texaspepperjams.blogspot.com

7. Karen Mitchell (South Australia)                  www.overthemoon-design.com

8. Jayne Capps  (Oklahoma)               mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com             

9. Melissa Trudinger  (Australia)                  beadrecipes.wordpress.com

10. Johana Nunez  (Puerto Rico)                                http:artincendi.com

11. Kepi  (Alberta)                                          kepirasmussen.blogspot.ca                                    
12. Deb Fortin  (Ontario)                                       studiok24.blogspot.ca  

13. Divya  (India)                                                                              jewelsofsayuri.com

14. Tammy Adams  (Arizona)                             paisleylizard.com/blog.html

15. Kay Thomerson  (Texas)                        kayzkreationz.blogspot.com                                          
16. Bairozan  (Bulgaria)                                                            bairozan.blogspot.ca

17. Carolyn's Creations  (           )        carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com

18. Lecia Woessner   (New Orleans)                  copperroses.blogspot.com

19. Linda A.  (Wash. D.C.                           FromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com

20.Inge Van Roos (California)                          ingetraud.wordpress.com

21. Natalie   (New Zealand)                  http://www.northshoredays.com

22. Lori Schneider (              )                            beadaddicted.blogspot.com

23.Mary Harding (New York)maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com 

24. Bouchra Rebai (Algeria)                          bouchrarebai.wordpress.com     
25.Michelle McCarthy  (Florida )         Fireflydesignstudio.blogspot.com 

Announcing the Participants in My Country Blog Hop

A few weeks ago I posted about the upcoming blog hop I am hosting for July 1 called My Country Blog Hop. I am very pleased with the response and can't wait to see what everybody creates for the reveal.
The concept is for each participant to choose a locale they are familiar with and create a work of art inspired by that place. This is the second year for this hop and it is lots of fun to see what everyone comes up with.
Each blog will feature a description of the inspiration behind the creation and we will all learn something new and interesting about different parts of the world while sharing about our own homes.

This lovely Trillium, official provincial flower of Ontario where I live, was the inspiration behind my first attempt at a polymer clay cane

This was my final result which I was not too happy with. However it was my first attempt and quite a new challenge for me.

Last year it was all about jewelry but I've expended the field this year and any handmade work is acceptable. You can make jewelry, drawings, paintings, paper art, textile art, sculpture, etc.whatever helps you to tell a story. We will all post photos of our creations and share the inspiration that led to the results. 

You could make polymer clay replicas of these Pennsylvania landmarks!

Or Union Jack earrings to show your British roots.

Japanese kimono fabric can turn up in many art forms.

It is truly an international blog event with participants from the Far East, The Antipodes, the Middle East, Europe, USA, the Caribbean and Canada. Thanks to all for joining in. Here are the lovely folks who signed up. Please check back on July 1 for the reveal.

Hostess: Nan Smith  (Canada)                            wirednan.blogspot.ca 

1. Ana (Portugal)                                                       acbeads.blogspot.ca

2.Rita  (Orlando)                                              JewelSchoolFriends.com   

3. Dini (The Netherlands)                                    angazabychanges.blogspot.nl

4. Robin Reed  (Indiana)                              willowdragon.blogspot.com

5. Lilik Kristiana   (Indonesia )                             pcbylik.blogspot.com

6. Karla Morgan  (Texas)                                    texaspepperjams.blogspot.com

7. Karen Mitchell (South Australia)                  www.overthemoon-design.com

8. Jayne Capps  (Oklahoma)               mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com             

9. Melissa Trudinger  (Australia)                  beadrecipes.wordpress.com

10. Johana Nunez  (Puerto Rico)                                http:artincendi.com

11. Kepi  (Alberta)                                          kepirasmussen.blogspot.ca                                    
12. Deb Fortin  (Ontario)                                       studiok24.blogspot.ca  

13. Divya  (India)                                                                              jewelsofsayuri.com

14. Tammy Adams  (Arizona)                             paisleylizard.com/blog.html

15. Kay Thomerson  (Texas)                        kayzkreationz.blogspot.com                                          
  16. Bairozan  (Bulgaria)                                                            bairozan.blogspot.ca

17. Carolyn's Creations  (           )        carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com

18. Lecia Woessner   (New Orleans)                  copperroses.blogspot.com

19. Linda A.  (Wash. D.C.                           FromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com

20.Inge Van Roos (California)                          ingetraud.wordpress.com

21. Natalie   (New Zealand)                  http://www.northshoredays.com

22. Lori Schneider (              )                            beadaddicted.blogspot.com

23.Mary Harding (New York)maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com 


24. Bouchra Rebai (Algeria)                          bouchrarebai.wordpress.com     
25.Michelle McCarthy  (Florida )         Fireflydesignstudio.blogspot.com  

My Country, Blog Hop

If you're looking for my reveal for BSBP 8 go here:

My Country Blog Hop


Last summer I hosted my first ever Blog Hop and had a great time so I decided to do it again with a few changes. Please share with your friends.

My Country Blog Hop July 1, 2014

The focus was on making jewelry that was representative of your home nation. That seemed a little limited to me so this year I'm opening it up to all craftspeople.

Most of us know many details about our country, province, state, county or hometown. Imagine you have to show somebody something about your home in a handmade product. It can be jewelry, fabric arts, clothing, drawing, painting, etc. Literally anything you can make which will highlight something about your home which may not be common knowledge to outsiders is acceptable. 

We all love our homes and this is a chance to show off it's best features. 

It is great fun to learn about the homes of our blogging friends and it is a challenge to create a work of art that best tells a story about our homelands.

You don't have to currently live there , either. It can be where you were born, where you once lived, where your ancestors originated or almost any other reason that you are knowledgeable about this place.

Examples from last year's hop include a polymer clay flower that are the provincial flower of a province; jewelry inspired by the corn of Mexico, a bracelet to commemorate the coronation of the new king of The Netherlands, earrings that look like the flags of the Switzerland and Portugal. You can see that there was a variety of submissions and each artist also told a story about their home and their artistic inspiration. It's just for fun as a challenge and we all get to learn something new and see what other craftspeople are up to in their homes.

MY COUNTRY BLOG HOP
REVEAL JULY 1, 2014


Please leave your name , email address and location you have chosen to represent in the comments before June 10th,2014. If you prefer not to post your email address you can send  it to me at wirednan13@hotmail.com.

By the way, July 1st is Canada Day so you can expect many Canadian references like the following:

I'm looking forward to welcoming all of you to the celebration of my country and getting to know something new about yours. Can't wait to see what you create!!!!

BSBP 8 Giveaway! and Another Blog Hop!!!

If you're hopping in BSBP8 here's my reveal.


Whew! and Wow! I've barely started hopping and I'm overwhelmed. There is so much artistic talent, warmth and love in this community of jewelry makers in the blogosphere that It makes me feel all soft and fuzzy! Wait....that's my vision after going through so many blogs!!!
Some of you may have heard the reason I'm late to the party is a serious health issue which struck on the day of the party. I managed to post my reveal and check the reveals of my partner, Michi, and Lori ,before I  headed to the hospital where I spent the next week  with no reliable wifi service ( and a few other things on my mind!). It turns out that I am in congestive heart failure and need to take it slow and easy for a few months.
 They never really decided what caused it but I've got it and have to learn to live within it's restrictions and hope it will gradually improve. Apparently it can do that so that's what I'm aiming for. Right now means lots of rest , restricted salt and fluid intake and taking a handful of pills every morning. I've been home for a week and each day has seen an improvement. The hardest part is letting other people "do" for me. I'm such an independent soul that being the passive recipient  of the efforts of others is killing me!! Must be all those years of being a nurse.

The good news is that I can keep hopping until I've read everybody's blogs which I never managed to do before.So much amazing jewelry which keeps inspiring me in my own work. Designing and playing with beads. wire and clay are all things I can do for hours without tiring out so it's really a win-win situation.

Enough about me. I said i was going to giveaway my clothes peg and button necklace away to a commentator on my reveal post. Here is what it looks like:

I used the random number generator and the number that came up is 7! 

The 7th person to comment on my post was Jael!!!!! 

Congratulations, Jael.

If you'll send me your postal address I'll send your fun necklace out to you. 

Thanks, everybody for reading and commenting on my blog.

It's great to get to know the people on the other end  of my blogging madness.

It feels less like I'm talking to myself!!!! (although I do that too!)

I'm also introducing my International blog hop this weekend but I'll do that tomorrow with a new post. See you all then!

YAY! It's finally here! BSBP Reveal Day

( Blogger is acting up! I scheduled this post for midnight last night because I 've been busy. I just checked and found out nothing happened !Anyway I'll post it live now. Here goes! So frustrating. )
Lori Anderson of Pretty Things created this event several years ago and it has grown exponentially since. Now almost 500 jewelry artists from all over the world come together to contribute and PARTY!!! Lori matches up all participants with a partner and they each send their partners a collection of bead soup including a focal and a clasp both of which must be used in the final design. The most amazing creations will be available for all to see in the blogosphere starting today, May 10th.

Every designer has a blog and posts pictures of the bead soup they received and their final designs. We all hop around from blog to blog enjoying all the original and exciting designs and letting our fellow jewelry makers know what we think. It is soooo much fun and usually takes 2-3 weeks of serious blog reading to see everyone's work. A million thanks to the amazing Lori (and her husband and son) for persevering  with this arduous project despite dealing with some very serious health issues . She deserves all the love AND PIE she can handle!

Here's the link to all the other participants .   http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.ca/2014/05/8th-bead-soup-blog-party-participant.html
Please visit Lori's blog and that of my partner, Michaela Pabeschitz of Austria. I guarantee you'll see some glorious eye candy. Enjoy !!!

Here's the incredible bead soup I received from Michi:

She is a very talented lamp work artist and I am the incredibly lucky recipient of several examples of her work. All the lamp work beads are hers and she added green Czech glass, Carnelian, Agate and Hematite beads  and a lovely sterling silver clasp. She threw in some great shell beads and a hand-dyed silk ribbon to pull it all together. I was overwhelmed with her generosity and hope that I was able to do justice to this collection of bead beauty.

 Here is what I created. This necklace is my first attempt at making an asymmetrical piece, my first handmade bail and the first time I added fabric (sari silk ribbon) to a piece of jewelry! 

The lovely green lamp work glass beads and the flat olive green Czech beads inspired me and reminded me of this fabulous polymer clay sea urchin pendant that I recently bought from Staci L. Smith. The design evolved organically and although it was quite a challenge, I am very pleased with the result and will be keeping this necklace for myself.

This bracelet features more of Michi's wonderful lamp work to which I added some vintage antique copper beads and my own hand-made clasp. (This one already has an owner).

 Look at those lovely beads!

As I continued with the green theme I used the Czech Picasso finish beads and the Hematite discs from my soup to make this fun set and added a ceramic bicycle pendant handmade by Melanie of Earthenwood Studio. I hung this from a pre-made black velvet cord necklace. It's a fun piece for summer.

Michi makes beautiful critters in her lamp work creations including  all kinds of flora and fauna. She sent me a lovely set of floral beads and a matching owl focal which I used in this asymmetrical necklace with some dyed jade beads in pale green. I used the sterling clasp at the front , the silk ribbon around the neck and more of the Hematite beads she sent me. Those black vintage cone beads are from last year's soup from  my fabulous partner, Toltec Jewels.

Both  the focals I received are in this piece as well as the clasp....challenge met!

 A matching bracelet with vintage green plastic beads .

Well that's about all for the green  pieces!

Sorry but there's more! 

Once I got started I couldn't stop. I'm really glad that the hop wasn't postponed any longer because there would be even more. 

Before I show you any more I wanted to tell you about my BSBP 8 giveaway. I will draw a name at random from all the comments made on this post and the winner will get this fun necklace  made using parts of the packaging Michi used to mail my soup to me.

I couldn't resist doing something with these cute mini clothespins.  I found these colored wooden buttons at the dollar store and they looked great together. I'll draw a name for the winner on May 24th so check back then.

 I'll also be introducing my own International Blog hop on that day. It was great fun last year so I hope you'll join in. The reveal will be July 1st...Canada Day! Start thinking now about what you can make to represent your country. It can be jewelry or any other handmade craft. Details on the 24th.

So let's get on with rest of my reveal so you can move on to all the others. After sticking pretty much to the green and black theme in the first pieces I switched  to a gorgeous reddish orange colour  with a complementary colour of pale blue.

A lovely colour combination for the summer.

This is really two necklaces that could be worn separately or together. I really like how they look as a matched set.

"A Walk on the Beach"

Features the seashell beads , Carnelian ovals, and Agate rounds from my soup.  From my own stash I added blue crackled agate beads, blue dyed jade beads, Picasso finish Czech beads, antique copper disc spacers and chains. The ammonite pendant is a ceramic piece  found at Stinky Dog Beads and it pretty much set the mood for the design.

 I made these earrings to match the necklaces but they could easily be worn on their own.

I wanted to use a least one of every bead in my soup so  I made this bracelet using one of the large Agate beads as a focal and more of the Carnelian oval beads. It is finished off with one of my own hand made copper clasps.

Whew! That's all of it! If you've managed to stay with me up to now I hope you'll leave a comment so I can include you in the giveaway draw for the button and clothespin necklace. I'm heading off to party myself and see what beady wonderfulness my fellow participants have created. Please be sure to visit my partners's blog next and see what she did with the bead soup I sent her. To remind you of what I sent to her I've included a picture of it here.

Thanks for visiting my blog. I hope you'll come back again to visit.

Once again here's the link for all of the Bead Soup Blog Party 2014.

Have a great weekend!

 Nan

April's Challenge from LiliKrist

As soon as I saw this painting posted by LiliKrist of Personal Collection by Li.K. for the April challenge, I loved it immediately and knew I wanted to join in. The colors and the composition are wonderful and really speak of Spring to me. I love that the subject matter is Mother Earth. Here's the painting:

"GAIA" by UK artist Edward Foster

I wanted to include all of the colors from the painting but also to reflect the painting style with circles and fine elements making up the whole (like  Georges Seurat's pointillism)

The natural and spiritual feeling is very strong in this painting but I didn't really know how to represent that in a piece of jewelry which  would still be in keeping with my own personal style.

Bracelet for Gaia 

I recently discovered these tiny, colored hematite beads in many gorgeous colors and have been using them in everything I make. I bought them at my absolute favorite bead store in Toronto , Hi Beads, on Queen St West at Augusta. I used blues, greens and matte copper beads lined up like the waves of tiny squares in the painting. I added antique copper chains and findings with my own handmade clasp. I was stumped with the warm golden orange color but after many trials decided that these agate chips and focal had just the right look and feel. The larger blue-green beads are Picasso finish Czech glass beads with more of the mini hematite spacers with a shiny copper finish in a hexagon shape.The multiple circles of the bracelet are a reflection of the circular shapes in the painting.Overall I think it has an elegant,earthy feel for Mother Earth.

Thank you LiliKrist , for hosting this challenge. It was great fun and I look forward to your choice of art for next month. Please go to her blog to see who else was inspired by this challenge and check out what they have created.