History Hop button!

Who doesn't love buttons? I wanted to make a button (that neat little photo that you can add to your blog to show all the fun things you're involved in) for this round of the History Hop, but I hadn't made one in so long, I wasn't sure I could! Apparently, things have gotten easier since I last made one, not harder.

You can add the button below by copying the text in the box (below the image) and adding it to your blog. The image will show up wherever you put it on your blog and links back to the main History Hop: Paleolithic blog post - where a full list of participants will be added by the reveal day. The button image is 200 pixels wide.

1: Go to your blog

2: Add the relevant widget and place it where you'd like it to appear (see mine on the sidebar?).

• Blogger: a new HTML/JavaScript gadget.
• Wordpress: a new Text widget.
• Typepad: a new "Embed Your Own HTML" module.

3: Copy and paste the code below (make sure you copy the whole code) into the widget/magic box you just added.

4: Make sure to save!

<div class="beady-eyed-bunny-button" style="width: 200px; margin: 0 auto;"> <a href="http://www.beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow"> <img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/694/22696700204_47e2239685_o.jpg" alt="Beady Eyed Bunny" width="200" height="134" /> </a> </div>

Thanks, Dini, for the nudge! :) And thanks to Code It Pretty for the super easy button builder!

Stacked earrings challenge round 2

Earlier this year, Malin de Koning started an earring challenge for a small group of us. We enjoyed it so much, we decided to continue the challenge and take turns sending out beads to each other. The rules remained the same: use 3 types of the beads sent to make at least one pair of earrings. This time, Claire Lockwood stepped up with this lovely selection of beads.

  

Claire sent a great selection of beads in mostly greens, cream, soft pinks and purples. Some of the first to catch my eye were the minty drops and pink daisies (top right) and those white and green plastic beads (center).

So, without further ado, here are the earrings! I made 6 pairs in total, but there were still enough beads to make a few more. First up is a pair of stumpy, stacked earrings with my handmade copper findings. I used the flowers, pink daisies, and green beads Claire sent with some lampwork beads by Fyrebirds.

I adore the minty drops Claire sent and used them with the wooden beads, clear glass rings, and faceted Czech glass. I added my own copper findings and wire spacers.

This pair is very different for me, and I think they meet the stacked criteria! I used the small and large metallic beads, and the gemstone hearts Claire sent. Added to the mix are some filigree bead caps, Czech glass beads, and rectangular headpins and earwires I made.

Another different style for me - buttons. I don't usually use buttons in my jewellery, but these lovely mother of pearl ones were hard to resist. I knotted them on linen cord with Czech glass and my bronze earwires. I cheated a little here as there are only 2 buttons on each earring, but I think they'll pass...

 

Pair #5 has a stack of green leaves and a couple of the milky spacers from the bead mix. The leaves immediately made me think of strawberries, so I added some red blossoms (I know, they should be white!) and a tassel of linen and tiny Czech glass beads.

 

Last but not least, I used the wooden discs, little glass rounds, and the larger rustic glass beads. I added some tiny coconut beads and pyrite quartz chunks and copper findings.

Here's a group shot of all the earrings again. I hope you enjoyed them! Be sure to check out what the rest of the group made. 

Malin de Koning - Beading by Malin de Koning

Claire Lockwood - something to do with your hands

Heidi Post - Ex Post Facto Jewelry

Rebecca Anderson - Songbead

Leah Curtis - Beady Eyed Bunny

Earring Challenge by Malin de Koning

It's about time I revive my blog! And what better way to do it than with a challenge? The lovely Malin de Koning invited me along with Claire Lockwood, Rebecca Anderson, and Heidi Post to join in an earring challenge with her.

Malin put together an inspiring pack of mixed beads for us to use: wooden beads, glass, tiny trade beads, gems, and coral...it was quite a selection! Malin is the master of earrings in my book and has a wonderful eye for detail. I can really see 'her' in these beads.

The challenge was to create at least one pair of earrings, ideally, with at least 3 of the beads from the pack. There was such a great selection of beads, the real challenge was deciding on how to use them.

As soon as I received the beads from Malin, I got started on a few pairs of earrings. I actually made the final pair last night. There are 6 in total.





Here's the first pair...I used the tiny, green howlite washers along with the green discs and stone-like cogs (one of my favourite beads in the mix). I paired them with my own enamelled leaves and copper earwires.

Next up is a pair of seaside inspired earrings. I loved the golden wooden nuggets Malin chose for us and immediately thought of something light, and beachy. I mixed up some of the wooden beads with a pair of mismatched starfish art beads by Majoyoal. Finished with bronze findings I made.

Now on to something a bit different...You can see one of my favourite beads (they're all lovely!) from the pack was the green howlite barrels. These are slightly mismatched with the faceted glass beads, howlite, tiny metal beads, and glass pearls. I wire wrapped some of the beads onto a tassel of recycled leather with lampwork art beads by Earthshine Beads.




Continuing on the tassel theme is a fresh, Springy pair of earrings using the plastic flowers (love these!), juicy striped seed beads, more of the lovely howlite along with recycled leather and green garnet from my stash.

What I loved about this challenge was that, although I loved the beads Malin sent, there were some that I might have overlooked myself. The silver coloured beads were one of those. They are lovely on their own, but I don't normally use silver. However, they fit nicely with the mismatched flower caps and striped seed beads for a bohemian pair of earrings. The lampwork discs are by Earthshine Beads.

And because I just adore those little flower caps, here's a better photo!

 

Last but not least is the pair I made last night. They're a bit funkier than the others, but I like something about the flow. I used the lampwork discs Malin sent, some of the coral, striped seed beads, and some glass beads and petal bead caps from my stash.

A huge thank you to Malin for this wonderful challenge! Check out what everyone else made for the challenge on their blogs. I can't wait to see!

Malin de Koning

Rebecca Anderson 

Claire Lockwood

Heidi Post

BSBP8 Reveal!

The long awaited reveal has finally arrived. Are you excited? I am! 

My partner this year was Caroline Dewison from BlueberriBeads. I consider myself very lucky! Caroline is a wonderful ceramic bead artist in the UK. I have always been fond of her adorable birds and urchin beads, but I didn't tell Caroline that. That's exactly what she sent me! Well, birds, urchins, one of her new house beads, more ceramics, and a whole bowl full of extra beads.

Here's a little reminder of the oh-so Springy purple and green soup I received.

The bronze clasp is by another talented UK artist, Lesley from Thea Elements. I've never used one of Lesley's clasps before, but they are definitely one of the best I've ever had the pleasure of designing with.

So, knowing I had to use the clasp, I excitedly moved on to my first piece. How could I resist doing yet another sea themed bracelet? 

 

 

In the bracelet, I used the clasp Caroline sent me, her ceramic urchin bead, chunky fluorite and citrine gemstones, a sand dollar charm, and agate and citrine as charms between the chunkier beads. All of the extra beads were from my stash, I'm glad to say!

I wire wrapped all the beads in solid brass and torch fired my own ball ended headpins to use wtih the faceted agate beads I added.

Here's another picture of that sweet urchin bead Caroline made.

 

My second piece ended up being in a very different colour palette. I just love the zesty little chartreuse Czech glass drops Caroline added to her soup. And what goes better with green than purple? I stacked them on copper wire and added a pair of beautiful lampwork 'butterfly wings' by Earthshine Beads. Decorative copper earwires, et voila, Spring earrings!

I'm not usually a pastel-loving kind of person, but for Caroline's birds I made an exception. The soft lavender tones of her bird bead really won me over. I ended up using a mix of cream and pastel purple and green for this bracelet with just a hint of blue.

It's a variation on a series of bird bracelets I've done recently. Caroline's bird sits above a nest of agate eggs and Czech glass blossoms. I used the Golem lentil she sent me and some more beads from my own stash. The speckled, egg-like creamy ceramic beads are by Thea Elements. The ceramic daisy clasp and purple rounds are by Tan Grey.

And now for the finale...I chose to use Caroline's large, purple bird as my focal bead. The purple beads Caroline included in her soup were just perfect for each other. I immediately made the bird into a "stacked" pendant with its own nest (purple eggs included!) and one of those adorable butterflies dangling below. I added the leaf for an extra woodland-feel.

 

I had a bit of trouble deciding what to string the pendant on. I wanted something simple but different at the same time. I played around with silks and copper chains, but decided on using some recycled leather and wooden beads from my stash.

I used the leather to weave the wooden circles together for a collar style at the front of the necklace. I thought the necklace looked great sitting just below the neck, so I kept the overall length fairly short.

I wire wrapped Caroline's dimpled ceramic beads at each end of the wooden beads to frame the focal area. To finish it off, I made a brass clasp and wire wrapped it those teeny-tiny purple Czech glass beads.

And there you have it! I hope you enjoyed seeing what I created. I have to thank Caroline for being such a great swap partner and for sending me this fantastic soup to work with. Of course, a huge thank you to Lori Anderson for pairing us and for hosting this wonderful blog hop!

You can check out what the rest of the participants made at this link.

Guessing Game Giveaway!

It seems like all I blog about is giveaways! But when I was taking photos of my recent beads, I couldn't resist using them for a quick game. All you have to do is guess how many beads you think are in this little basket. Easy!

The prize is a 15% off coupon to use in my Etsy shop.

Enter the giveaway by leaving a comment with your guess.

Extra entry for sharing this post on your Facebook, blog, or wherever you like! Come back and guess again.

Deadline is Sunday the 13th of April.

The closest guess wins. Simple! Here's a little hint...somewhere between 1 and 72. Good luck! :)

Giveaway!

Wouldn't you love a bit of Spring? I felt like making a wirework piece, so I dug through my stash and made a little practice pendant. And it could be yours!

I used a beautiful little cabochon by Laney Mead and wrapped it in swirls of pure brass wire. The cab has a warm, burgundy background with lime leaves and a pretty little blue and yellow blossom. There's a sweet little bubble at the center of the flower that sparkles just right in the sunshine.

And I'm giving it away! all you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post.

International entries welcomed!

You can enter until January 31st.

There's no need to share this on your blog, Facebook, etc., but if you want to spread the word and a little bit of Spring, then thank you!