WELCOME TO THE BEAD SOUP BLOG HOP/GIVEAWAY

Welcome to the 6th Bead Soup Blog Hop Hosted by the wonderful Lori Anderson of Pretty Things.  Lori works really hard to organize these huge events for us and it's greatly appreciated!

This is my third Bead Soup participation and I have had great partners each and every time.  This time my partner is Sharon Driscoll of Right Turn Artwerks. Sharon is a lampwork and ceramic artist like me but our styles are so very different.  When I saw Sharon's beads I told her to send me color, and boy did she oblige.  Here's what she sent me.

She really spoiled me!

The first thing I did was pull out the red Parawire and the Coiling Gizmo and made a long coil.  The focal has a yellow head pin that goes through the body of the lampwork beads.  It was long enough to put the coil through the head pin and wrap it creating a bail.  I mixed the seed beads Sharon sent me on the right side of the necklace and used a crimp bead to make the two long links.  I used another piece of the red coil for color and attached the toggle Sharon sent me.  Above that is one of Sharon's ceramic bead hearts and a little red spacer bead dangle.

To visit the rest of the blogs please go to Bead Soup Participants

Now for the giveaway!  All you have to do is leave a comment below and you are automatically entered.  I will be giving away one of my new lampwork flower head pin sets.  I will pick one winner through random.org on Wednesday Evening, August 1st.  Please make sure I can contact you if you win.

GOOD LUCK!

Enjoy your day,

Raida

EASY EARRINGS WITH SPARKLE FLOWER HEAD PINS

During the past week I've been asked on Etsy what to do with my head pin flowers.  I got such a wonderful response from my customers.  I have to admit I was very proud of myself.  I have two processes when I work.  One, I think of some sort of jewelry concept and then I sit at the torch and try to create what I envision.  Second, I sit at the torch and magic happens and I have no idea what to do with it other than, its pretty, I love it, I'll make it work!  Well the second was the process in which these were created.  I sat down today with a pair of orange/red flowers I made yesterday and started to play with the wire that comes with the head pin.  I lampworked these on 20 ga. copper wire so why not make the ear hook out of the wire that's already attached to the glass.  Here's how to make these.

1.  Use a needle nose pliers and curve the wire attached to the flower upward.

2.  Attach the leaf head pin right on the inside curve of the flower wire and

start to wrap around the flower wire.

3. String a little glass bead and continued to wire up the head pin.

4. With a cheap plain pen, curve the top of the wire.

5. Hammer the curve at least 6-7 times.

6. Cut the end of the ear hook around the area of the leaf/flower curve and file the ends.

I left it long because the weight of the glass pushes it forward in your ear.

You don't want them to fall off.

7. Hammer the rest of the ear hook 2-3 times to strengthen the ear hook.

8. If you like, antique earrings with liver of sulfer and polish them with steel wool (0000).

ALL DONE!

Here's an idea of the size they turn out.

Enjoy your day,

Raida

101 Bracelets, Necklaces and Earrings

I just received my copy of 101 Bracelets, Necklaces and Earrings magazine and I'm so thrilled with the beautiful designs and inspiring creations in this issue.  Last year I submitted a bracelet I made for the "Rich Yellows" section of the magazine that was accepted.  My friend Cherrie Fick also has a beautiful pair of earrings in the "Cheery Oranges" section called "Peachy Garland Earrings" using my honeysuckle head pin leaves.  Trust me when I tell you this magazine is packed with beautiful designs!  Here's a picture of my bracelet.

Goldenrod Bracelet

I have one of these connectors available at Havana Beads, Etsy.

Don't forget to come by on Saturday for the Bead Soup Blog Hop Reveal and "GIVEAWAY".

Enjoy your day,

Raida

NEW GOODIES ON ETSY

I've been working this week on some different color flower head pins.  I just love these things!  I sold out of most of them but I'll be making more next week.  I need to make some extra ones to make some jewelry with since I've been asked by customers for some jewelry designs using the flowers.  I've also posted some new ceramic beads and have some more in the kiln which I'll probably post tomorrow.  Also, take a look at some of my new Regaliz beads.  Here's a look at some of the new goodies.

Lavender Sparkle Floral Head Pins

Red Sparkle Floral Head Pins

Teal Sparkle Floral Head Pins

These little butterfly pendants are made with these really sweet vintage stamps I purchase from France.

Two NEW Sparkle Bead colors

Gypsy Skirt Sparkle Beads

Lavender Fields Sparkle Beads

Have you seen the new Regaliz (licorice in Spanish) bracelets.  The bracelets are Greek Leather and you can purchase all kinds of components to personalize your bracelet.  I was able to purchase an oval shaped mandrel that would give me the right size to go through the leather.  Here are some of the beads I've made and some samples of what they look like on the leather.

Enjoy your day,

Raida

SPARKLY FLOWERS & A DESTASH SALE

The sparkles keep calling me.  Yesterday I spent a good portion of the morning making sparkly flower and leaf head pins.  I also made some floral buds as well.  I love how they turned out.  What do you think?

I'm also doing some clearing out of some of my ceramic beads so I'll be listing some destash items on my Etsy site through the weekend.  Check it out.

Enjoy your day,

Raida

MY BEAD SOUP IS HERE!

I received my bead soup from my partner Sharon Driscoll of Right Turn Art Werks. SILENCE.................. That's me on the floor passed out!  Boy did Sharon spoil me with these wonderful lampwork and ceramic beads.  The colors are just so much fun.  Our reveal is July 28th so I better get going on my design.  Here are some pictures of Sharon's beads.  She also received my beads so here are some picture of the beads I sent Sharon.

BEADS SENT FROM SHARON

Any of these two can be focal beads.  Aren't they wonderful!

I have my work cut out for me with all these great bright colors.

MY BEAD SOUP SENT TO SHARON

Floral Focal Bead

Coordinating beads

Button Clasp

This is the package I sent Sharon.  Very earthy. What a difference from the bright colors she's used to working with.  She has a sweet story of what my beads reminded her of on her blog.  Check it out.  Sharon Driscoll blogspot.

Enjoy your day,

Raida

NEW CLAY BEADS/PENDANTS

First, I would like to thank all my wonderful customers who came to see me at the Down the Street Bead Show this past weekend.  I also met lots of new customers who kept me busy for the three day show.  Thanks so much, it was a pleasure meeting all of you!

Now for some new beads fresh from my ceramic kiln.  I just listed these on Etsy this morning.  Hope you like them.

Enjoy your day,

Raida