Mining the Motherlode

    Welcome to the 3rd annual Bead Peeps Swap-n-Hop!

    My partner, Inge Von Roos, sent me the absolute motherlode of lampwork glass beads! I'm in heaven! I love lampwork glass, but it's usually beyond my budget. 

    Within an hour of opening the box, my table look like this.

    I had 17 different projects laid out before evening's end! The hardest part, not touching them until I could photograph them the next day! 

    Needless to say I barely made a dent in the stash, but I did manage to get quite a few pieces done! 

A few of her beads fit perfectly into projects I already had planned, that we're just missing that special something to complete them. This was the first pair. 

"Steel Magnolias"

The "Steel Magnolias" and my "Pirouette" earrings were initially one pair of earrings, with the large dark amoeba lampwork glass beads right on top of B Marie's ruffles on the Pirouettes. They were quite spectacular! But ridiculously heavy, to the point that no one would ever be able to wear them. I knew that I needed to split them into two different pairs of earrings, but I didn't have the right components in my stash. 

    The violet check glass flower blossoms that Inge sent turned out to be to be the perfect thing I had been looking for. With violet pearl drops, and topped with bronze stick pearls. I had fun playing with the double balled headpins, for a finishing touch. 

"Giverny"

"I am following nature without being able to grasp her, I perhaps owe becoming a painter to flowers."   - Claude Monet

This was another set I had partially compiled, and Inge's lampwork glass floral beads turned out to be the perfect fit.
    Matched with a pair of my own rustic enameled charms, and Venetian blown glass beads.
    A Lepidolite gemstone bead, and some colorful decorative trim balances it all out. 

Inspired by Claude Monet's paintings of his beloved garden estate in Giverny. The founder of the impressionist style, it's rumored that his cataracts may have been the root of this style and that he painted the grounds as he actually saw them.

"Star Spangled" 

"Why dost thou gaze upon the sky? O that I were yon spangled sphere! Then every star should be an eye, to wander over thy beauties here " - Thomas Moore 

Next I paired up a mismatched set of Inge's lampwork beads with polymer clay stars by Tracy Lockhart to dazzle the night skies. Topped with swirly lampwork glass space beads, and accented with rainbow fairy ribbon and metallic seed beads these gals really shine!  

"Lazidaisical" 

    My "Lazidaisical" earrings were inspired by warm summer days and picnics in the park. Mismatch sets of Inge's lampwork glass beads were paired with Joanne Louvaine Bell's dazzling gold polymer clay blossoms, and rough cut citrine nuggets. 

"Both Sides Now" - Joni Mitchell

"Love Is All You Need"

"Like the tiny spark of fire that consumes the forest, the spark of love is all that you need to experience love and it's full power and glory, in all it's aspects, earthly and divine." - Deepak Chopra

Inge's fun orange lamp work glass beads paired perfect with the swirly polymer clay heart by Staci Louis Smith. I corset laced a pair of Joanne Louvaine Bell's fabulous butterfly wings. Strung on waxed linen and sari silk in a rich palette of saffron and spice tones. It also contains lampwork glass beads by Leza Harary, B Marie Washington, and yet a fourth Artist I can't recall. The bronze flower medallion is stamped "love is all you need", and it closes with an ornate hand forged carnival style scrolled hammered brass hook and loop clasp.

"Linger"

"Let us dream of evanescence, and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things" - Okakura Kakuzo

Last but not least.....

"You know I'm such a fool for you, you've got me wrapped around your finger." .....or your wrist anyway.

I paired Inge's cranberry glass beads with sterling silver Chinese lanterns, and vintage hot pink rhinestones. A bit of intricately embroidered hot pink sari silk, and some metallic raspberry pink eyelash add a little bit of texture and bling. 

    I used the hammered silver toggle clasp that Inge sent me in this bracelet as well. Finished with miniature Sterling silver lantern charms, with faceted Ruby Jade, and a tumbled Ruby nugget. 

    I'm quite smitten with how this turned out! I'm usually not a pink person, and it's a bit more blingy than I normally do, but I managed to take the style and make it my own nonetheless! 

"Linger" - The Cranberries

    Next stop, Inge's Blog! Go see what she made with that amazing Raku Barnacles cabochon by Wonderous Strange. 

    Then don't forget to check back next weekend when I will reveal my own design with a Raku Barnacles Cabochon, and compare the designs interpretations of 3 different artists made with the same bead swap kit! Should be interesting! 

A huge thank you to our hostess Linda Anderson for all of her hard work! You can find the list of all of the swap participants here on her blog, Cherry on Top Design. Make sure you thank her while you're there. 

    Thanks to all of you for stopping by. Leave a comment and let us know what you think. 

Until next time, Peace, Love, & PyxeeDust! 😊💗