Beach Blog Hop 2015

Once again it is time for a challenge/blog hop put on by Lisa of The Grateful Artist. I love doing her challenges and hops as it really makes me think outside the box and try new things.

First is a picture, I actually remembered to take one...of what I was sent:

Of course they sat on my desk while I mulled over what I wanted to do staring at me everyday. I knew I wanted to try making a cuff bracelet, but just couldn't quite figure out how. So since I follow her, I went to  Sally Russick blog who had just done a cuff with a cabochon. And then I went to Cyndi Lavin site Beading Arts who I also follow and have purchased her jewelry books. The most current one, Arm Candy. After looking at both of their sites and the books, I jumped into making a cuff. I discovered, they aren't that easy, but what I learned making this one, I will carry with me when I make my next one. I had the cabochon made long before I came up with the cuff pattern. The fabric is some scraps I had on hand and the light green beads mixed in with the smaller beads are from Lisa's beads. I had wanted to use the star fish and the sand dollars, but they just wouldn't lie correctly so I used them elsewhere.

And here are the sand dollars with some of the other beads. The bubble pendant I got at Hobby Lobby. The caps on the blue beads I had on hand and really liked how they worked on them. Then the orange beads I had and just put them on jump rings and made a chain from them to hang the beach charms on. Then just hung everything from the pendant. Then I hung the pendant on a chain I already had.

The star fish I made into earrings along with some orange beads that looked kinda like coral and some aqua "caps" I got at Hobby Lobby also. (I only went into look...really) I also added the rice pearls I got in the challenge kit. They are strung on silvertone eye pins. The coral I decided to try and do a bit of wrapping around them to see how it looked. I really like how they turned out and can see them being worn on the beach!

Since I still had more beads and wanted to try some more bead weaving, I found a design on All Free Jewelry Making. The bracelet was created by BeeJang from Bead Tutorial. It is called Sky Blue Tiny Treasure Bracelet. I didn't quite have the right beads, but I think it came out nicely. Though I should have used my clear thread. It is a bit big so I will put a smaller closure on it. The dark green and orange beads I had on hand, the rest were from Lisa. 

AND because I still had some beads left, I made up 5 pairs of simple earrings. 

I hope you have enjoyed reading and looking at the pieces I made, for the list of the other designers and more eye candy hop over to Lisa's blog A Grateful Artist.

And a big thank you to my daughter Sydny who modeled the bracelets for me.

Til next time,

Keep on beading.

Veralynne