Bead Soup!!

Blog Candy giveaway winner is Jen Ren!  Congrats, Jen!

Overall Soup - isn't it pretty!

I mentioned before that I'm participating in the Bead Soup Blog Party - a chance for beaders all over the world to exchange materials and create with something new with what they received.  My partner, Merja Syrjamaki, from Findland sent the most lovely soup, and I'm so excited to be working with it!  I have to admit that I tore into the packaging when I got the soup, so some of the photography groupings might be different than Merja had originally intended. Each soup has to include a focal and a special clasp, and could include as many beads as the person wants to send.  I'm looking forward to working with this soup, as I haven't worked much with gemstones in the past, so this is something to get me out of my comfort zone!

I`ve also included a picture of what I sent Merja at the end of the post - included are some of the lampwork beads that I made, as well as a very cool button that I found at one of the local knitting stores.  At almost 2" in diameter, I'm curious to see what Merja does with it!

Clasp and Focal - The focal is created with crystal clay and crystals

Rose Quarts and Pink Pearls

African Jasper and Pearls

"Jade", Keshi Pearls, crystal quartz and brass spacers

The soup I sent Merja - a little bit of everything!

Bead Giveaway - Blog Candy!

I created a number of beads for the "Memories and Thanks" blog hop that Lori Anderson hosted a few months back.  I used a number of them in the piece that I created honouring my childhood babysitter.  I quickly realized that I have just too many, and some of them are just too similar to the ones in the finished piece and I won't ever use them in something else. 

 So - what better to do with them than host Blog Candy!  I'll draw from everyone who leaves a comment below on Friday, the 22nd of February, and send the beads off to whomever I draw.  If you do make something out of the beads,  I'd love to see what you created out of the beads.

There's 12 small frosted white beads, 7 small frosted streaky blue beads, one large blue focal with flowers, 3 matching rounds, and two tiny, tiny spacers, for a total of 25 beads.

One for me... and one for blog candy

Thanks to all for the lovely comments on the scissor fobs! It's been one of those weeks (ok, months) where it's hard to push yourself to do anything except work. I'm glad I made the time to get the packages together. Several of the recipients blogged about the receipts, so the full packages are with: Kathy , Erica and Jo.

I did manage to get torch time in over the last few weeks, and these are the result - cute, funky heart pendants. I've earmarked the green heart for myself, and as much as I love the lavender/blue/green heart, I'd like to give it a new home. If you adore the heart as much as I do, leave a comment, and I'll draw for something at the end of the week (April 1st).

More here.

Admittedly, I haven't done much lately. But now that the four recipients of my stash packages have all received theirs, here are the four scissor fobs that accompanied the packages.

Giveaways!

I posted a giveaway of some silk thread and lampwork buttons at the start of the week, and Erica, Jo, Kathy and Stitcher entered. Since there were only 4, and I didn't want to dissapoint any of them, I thought I'd make-up 4 packages instead.

So, without further delay, here are the four colours schemes are: Vikki Clayton's Earth Dragon (on its way to Jo), Week's Dye Works Celebration (on its way to Erica), Vikki Clayton's Midnight Rainbow (on its way to Kathy) and Vikki Clayton's Slate. I'm looking forward to seeing what they all make!

Blog Candy - with a twist!

I have to admit that I love making exchange packages, pay-it-forward gifts and putting together blog candy. There's something about putting together a package in and hearing their reaction to the package that I really enjoy. I used to do quite a few stitching exchanges for this reason, but it seems like the energy has gone out of the exchange boards in the last few years. I've also been inspired by the BJP project as a chance to use colour, try new things and just generally think outside the box when it comes to making new things.

So... here's what I'm proposing. I'm putting together a blog candy package, which will contain at least the skein of Vikki Clayton's "Slate" thread, plus 5 tiny (and unique) buttons, which should fit perfectly in the centre of a biscornu. By the time I put the package in the mail, there might be other goodies in there too. I'll pick someone who comments on this post by the end of tomorrow (Feb 14th) at midnight MST.

Within 3 months of receving the package, the person getting the package agrees to use some (or all) of what's in there to stitch something of their choosing, and then send me (or post) a picture of what you've made from it. You get to keep whatever you make, plus all of the extras in the package.

Contest.

Blogtoberfest is over at the end of the month, and to celebrate, I thought I'd offer up a second giveaway, which will run until the end of the month (October 31st)

This giveaway is for 10 glass beads handmade by yours truly - 5 gummy bear shaped beads, plus 5 large hole beads, which can be worn on a Pandora/Troll/European style bracelet. A couple of caveats - the gummy bears are actually glass, so should not be eaten. The large hole beads can be worn on a bracelet, but the Pandora people told me that wearing "non-Pandora" beads will revoke the warranty on the bracelets. You can also put the beads on chain or string, or anything else of your choice.

To enter, leave a comment on this post. Mentions of the contest on your blog will get you a second entry into the contest.

Gifted.

I have new beads to share! To celebrate, its time for a little blog candy giveaway!

Draw closes on Friday, October 23rd, and I'll draw on Saturday for this set of beads - 4 spacers, 4 medium flat rounds, 1 medium flat round with dots and 1 large flat round. There's enough beads here for at least a bracelet, probably more if you want to add some extras, and perhaps even a necklace if you want to spread things out. To enter, leave a comment on this post. If you leave a link on your blog to this post (and leave me a comment saying you've done so), I'll enter you a second time.

Scissor Fob Winner

Is Redwitch! Congratulations!

There were 9 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Redwitch
2. Karoline
3. Christine
4. StitchinGranny
5. Kathy
6. Juls
7. Suz
8. Abi
9. Dani

On the fourth day of Christmas....

Sunday's blog candy, and the fourth installment in the Christmas giveaway, is for a scissor fob, plus 5 matching beads (not pictured). To enter, please leave a comment on this post, and I'll draw from all comments received on Wednesday. You can enter for both Saturday's and Sunday's blog candy if you'd like.

On the third day of Christmas.....

As a gift to my on-line friends this year, I decided to give away 12 items of blog candy on the 12 weekend days before Christmas. The rules are simple - just add your name to the comment section below, and I'll draw a name on Tuesday night from those comments, and then mail the item to the winner.

Saturday's draw is for a pair of Swarovski crystal Christmas tree earings. I'll have to admit that I didn't think up the design on these ones, but I saw them a couple of weeks ago at the local bead store's sale, I decided they'd be perfect for what I had in mind.

And the winner .... (Christmas Blog Candy #2)

Is Lelia! Congrats! She wins Sunday's scissor pocket.

And the winner .... (Christmas Blog Candy #1)

Is Claire! Congrats!

For those of you who missed out - stay tuned! There's 1 more open blog candy, plus 10 new blog candy items to come.

On the second day of Christmas.....

Sunday's blog candy is for a beaded scissor pocket. Please leave a comment in this post if you'd like to be included in the drawing. I'll pick a name from the comments received on Wednesday at midnight Eastern time. Feel free to enter your name if you've also put your name in for Saturday's drawing or if you've won something previously from a blog draw.

On the first day of Christmas....

I decided to give away 12 gifts on the 12 weekend days before Christmas as blog candy. I love doing blog candy - it gives me a chance to send things out into the world and have other people appreciate them. I like the act of creating things for other people, and blog candy is a perfect way to do that.

So without further ado, here is the first of the 12 gifts - a hand beaded needlecase. It's a combination of blue, turquoise and lime green beads, which are more green in real life than the yellow tone showing up in the picture. If you'd like to enter your name for the needlecase, please leave a comment in this post, and I'll draw from all the comments on Tuesday night at midnight Eastern time. You don't have to be a regular reader, or have commented before, just leave a comment and I will enter you into the drawing.

And the winner is - Ranae

Ranae's name was selected by the "Random.Org" randomizer. Congrats!

Blog Candy - At Long Last

I've finished the last of the Pay-It-Forward/Blog Candy gifts that I offered out back in....um.... January, and thought I'd celebrate with a little blog candy. The blog candy is for 12 handmade glass flowers, plus 6 glass beads. The glass is all Bullseye odd-lots, which is handmade in the US. These glass colours are outside of their normal range, so there are not that many of these beads running around.

To give away the beads, I'll make a drawing from all of the people who comment on this post. It doesn't matter if this is your first visit or you are a regular reader - just leave a comment and I'll throw your name into the hat.

The Blog Candy closes Wednesday, October 29th - so please comment before then.

Progress and Blog Candy

I was busy this week finishing up two purses for a charity project. They have people to knit and crochet, but often get items that need a bit of help to make them special. I put beads on two bags this week - the blue one has little glass buttons that I made and the purple/brown one has a couple of things from my bead stash on it.

I ended up with a few of the green and blue buttons left over and thought I'd offer them up as blog candy this week. I haven't done much blog candy this year because I've been behind on gifts that I promised, and need to get them caught up. But since the buttons are finished, and aren't really much of a gift until they're put on something, I thought I'd offer them as blog candy.

If you'd like to receive the buttons, please leave a comment on this post, and I'll draw from all of the comments on Friday night. It doesn't matter if you're a regular visitor or this is your first viewing of my blog, all comments will be entered.

On the buttons - they are 100% glass, and would prefer to kept away from kids and pets. The do have quite a large shank on them, and so are perfect for attaching to something with some depth - a biscornu or knitted/felted bag, for example.

Back from Vegas...

I decided to take a short jaunt down to Vegas with some friends this week - the attraction of warm weather and sunshine (and shopping!) was too much to resist, and so I thought I'd take a quick break. It was a nice break, and good to catch up with my friends, but equally as good to be back home again. In Vegas, we went to the Star Trek Experience at the Hilton, mostly at the request of one of my (male) friends. Not being a trekie, or even close, I had a very blank look on my face as the tour guide asked what part of a series or movie a certain character or sequence was from. Fortunately, I was with another female who hadn't watched any of the movies or series either, and so the two of us were able to commiserate during the tour.

I finished up Monique's Blog Candy gift this afternoon, and it should be in the mail tomorrow, and hopefully in her hands shortly! I'd actually started this one right after my first two items, but decided it didn't really suit the next recipient, Christine, and so I hope Monique likes it. She's posted that she likes green, so I hope it suits her.

Blog Candy Number #1

Christine just emailed me to let me know that she received her needlecase and cellphone charm today. I'd created the little needlecase based on one I sent in an exchange last year, but without the japanese character on the front. I'd also included the little cell phone charm to match - I wanted something for spring, especially as both Christine and I live in Canada, where winter can seem to drag on forever.