Sparkle & Shine!

It took me a while to first of all start this bracelet...in fact I was half done and I left it for about a week. I've been having a creative block when it comes to making jewelry. Which is part of the reason I've been showing so much in the way of my attempts at drawing and my photos! Have to have something to post!

Since early December the only time I made anything new was for custom orders that came in, the Monet Challenge and this bracelet???

I will have to get myself in gear because I have two shows coming up...Feb. 11th "All that glitters" & Feb. 12th the "Soups On" which is a Heart & Stroke Foundation fundraiser! More about that later...

For now I would like to show you my bracelet...remember the beginning of January I did a post about these gorgeous beads from Artbeads.com a mixture of Bali, Hill Tribe, and sterling silver, with the gorgeous Indian Pink & Mocca roundelle Swarovski crystals...not to forget the star toggle. I get side tracked so easily sometimes...when I was cutting and pasting the links I just happened to notice Artbeads.com has a total of 3068 silver beads if you combine them altogether...there are so many to choose from!!!!

I can't say enough how lovely these two new colors are...but then I'm a huge fan of all shades of browns, as I mentioned the Indian Pink has a slight hint of purple which sold me right away!!!

I have to tell you I tried 4 times to lay this bracelet out to take an interesting shot and show off the detail...I think sometimes I try too hard... finally I picked it up from both ends and let it go and voila...there you have it, so I left it that way!

This is definitly a "me" bracelet as I often wear bracelets with dangles...the movement appeals to me...

Have a great weekend...
Cheers

*FTC compliance disclosure* the products attributed to Artbeads.com in this post where provided as a promotional gift by Artbeads.com in relation to the blogging program. My comments pertaining to these products are my personal opinion, no compensation has been received for the comments.

Swarovki crystals, silver & a fab Shopping Spree!

Just look at all these gorgeous beads from Artbeads.com ...it was just like Christmas all over again...I do love to see the Post lady (politically correct) walking up my drive way!!!

I just love the color of these 8 mm Swarovski Crystals...they are called Indian Pink, I don't wear a great deal of pink but this color is very special, somewhat dark with a very slight hint of mauve. You have to see them to understand what I mean...

I didn't have to wait forever to get a nice sunny day to take these photos...and the color is fairly accurate...

Just look at these gorgeous Mocca 8mm crystals...I've been wanting to try this relatively new Swarovksi crystal color for some time now, I'm certainly not disappointed the color is definitly "me" , it reminds me of a smokey quartz but with sparkle ... smokey quartz is a personal favorite of mine. Don't you just love the name of the color...doesn't it sound delicious!!
Surprisingly enough this photo shows the color fairly accurately as well...I say surprisingly because I found both the Indian Pink and the Mocca to be very difficult to achieve a natural color in the photos!

Hill Tribe Bumpy Stamped Puffed Disc...(16.5mm x 17mm)now that is what I would call a mouth full...having said that these are great beads, they are generally a whiter silver...I'm a huge fan of Hill Tribe anything, the workmanship is always #1, at least from my experience...

Another great Hill Tribe bead, this one is called Hill Tribe Silver Swirled and Doted Disc Bead...(14.5mm) another mouth full but the description is accurate...

Next is a Bali Silver Flat Round Bead with Sun...(12mm x 10.5)great bead with what they are calling a sun in the middle...on my bead it looks more like a starfish, at least to me it does...which suits me just fine!!!

Here are the smallest beads in my order...they are called a Crimped Hollow Bead
6.5mm x 8.5mm) tiny in comparison to the other beads I've chosen but I like the leaf design on the bead, these would be lovely in a larger size on a silver bracelet...these are fine silver from Thailand.

To finish of my piece is a beautiful sterling silver Star Toggle from Israel...

I always like to show a photo of everything together, just to show how well they fit together...all these stunning beads are from Artbeads.com.
FYI...I do have to say the color of the crystals in this shot is a little too dark but I didn't realize that until it was time to do the post and now it is dark outside and I don't want to wait for more sun...or at the very least a bright, cloudy day...sounds like a bit of an oxymoron doesn't it...but those who like the sun to take photos will understand!!!

When I ordered these pieces I had something in mind but now I'm not so sure that is what I want to do...I'm very tempted to make myself a bracelet with dangles...those are my most favorite kind ...I generally have to have at least one dangle but I have visions of more with these beads!!!

I'll think about it...
A heart felt thank you to Artbeads.com, for allowing me the opportunity to show you such wonderful products...

***By the way just wanted to let everyone know that Artbeads.com is having a spectacular give away***

They have just launched their biggest Sweepstakes ever!
***Enter to win a $1,000.00 Shopping Spree at Artbeads.com***
Wow that would be fabulous wouldn't it, I could spend that in a hurry, there are so many unusual and unique items at Artbeads.com!!! This contest is open to US and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) age 18 or older...
The contest began yesterday, January 6th, 2010 and ends March 4th 2010.

Here is the link...
http://apps.facebook.com/sweepstakeshq/contests/16554

I have a link to the contest on my side bar as well, which I will leave up until the contest is closed...
Cheers

*FTC compliance disclosure* the products attributed to Artbeads.com in this post where provided as a promotional gift by Artbeads.com in relation to the blogging program. My comments pertaining to these products are my personal opinion, no compensation has been received.

And The Winner Is...

What a great time I had reading the comments everyone left for the Artbeads.com Email Gift Certificate give away!!!

Lets see...mentioned was Thai beads, brownish beads, Hill Tribe beads, special beads, Czech glass beads, Swarovksi crystals, shiny black beads and the list goes on!

What would I buy...it would have to be silver of some kind, whether it was sterling, Thai or Hill Tribe, what ever caught my eye, but then this isn't about me...:0)

The winner is...Shaiha, she says "Artbeads is my favorite place to shop". Congratulations Shaiha enjoy your shopping spree...

Thank you everyone for taking the time to leave a comment and enter my "give away"...


By the way...if you haven't yet entered Artbeads.com Facebook contest for a $100.00 Gift Certificate you still have time...their contest ends December 20th at midnight...so hurry!!!

The link is here...http://www.facebook.com/artbeads?v=app_28134323652

Thanks again everyone...
Cheers

*FTC compliance disclosure* the Email Gift Certificate and the Gift Card attributed to Artbeads.com in this post are promotional gifts from Artbeads.com provided directly to the winner, in relation to the blogging program. My comments pertaining to both Gift Certificate and Gift Card are my personal opinion, no compensation has been received.

A few more photos!!!

First we have a stunning necklace made with top quality Sleeping Beauty Turquoise, featuring a a Hill Tribe silver flower...finished with a delicate sterling silver toggle.


Next is an everyday bracelet, something you can wear with just about anything and everything.
I've used black onyx, agate, a large jasper nugget and sterling silver lobster claw...


Another every day bracelet...this is a little more color specific but then you would be surprised what you can wear this with...included is carnelian, red aventurine, orange agate, and a couple pieces of round coral...a mixture !! Finished with a sterling silver lobster claw.


The last is a great necklace and earring set...the lovely lampwork beads are made by a fellow Etsyian...the lovely pendant is wire wrapped and hanging from a delicate sterling silver chain...the earrings are hanging from sterling silver lever back wires...


Cheers