Michaels Reader Challenge- Blog Hop

Update! I have been adding links all morning so be sure to get the most updated blog hop list on my post this morning!

 
Welcome to my first Reader Blog Challenge! I chose several strands of beads and some chain from Michael's craft store. I posted the pics here on my blog and readers ran out to their local Michael's and snagged as much as they could from the choices I gave. The "rules" were that each person needed to create a piece of jewelry using the beads, they had to create their own clasp, and if they wanted to add beads, they could add 2 additional elements to their final piece. Today is the day where we all reveal the final projects!

As you can see, this is my necklace below. I created a longer style and my additional beads were: a strand of copper fringe chain, some ceramic beads from Nan Emmett of Spirited Earth, and the focal- is a wood ring. I also grouped all the chain into one of Elaine Ray's ceramic bead cones. Now, as I'm looking at the pics, I realize I did not follow my own rules- because I didn't even include a clasp on my necklace. Good going Lor. Well, better luck next time.
And there will be a next time! I think that the next time, I'll pick a nice well-stocked online venue like Fusion Beads. This will allow more International beaders to participate.

A couple people chose to email me their photos, since they aren't bloggers. So I'm going to share those with you here as well.

First up is Stephanie Silva. Looks like Stephanie created a longer style necklace with some dangles off the focal. Her additional items were brass chain, some ruby colored rounds, and I see some sweet creamy white chain links used in a unique way!  

Judy of Three Red Beads, submitted a gorgeous design- the one thing I notice is the embellished clasp. How beautiful! Looks like she added in some iridescent triangular seed beads in a red tone, and is rocking the multi-strand style. Love how this one turned out, very unique!!

Tess Miller of Totally Beadazzlin Jewelry Designs submitted a piece with a pendant focal!  Here's what Tess said about her piece: "...I loved your eclectic selection of beads ~ several that I wouldn't normally have chosen.  I grabbed pink Rhodolite and some yummy purple Amethyst as my two add-in options.  As I layed all the beads out and pondered, they seemed to be begging me for an asymetrical design ~ something I've not been hugely successful at completing in the past (yet another challenge).  I also wanted to come up with something unusual for the clasp, so I ended up attaching the base of my homemade clasp and the hook portion together on one side, using the white chain on the other side and giving the length of the piece a little more "adjustability".  I hadn't seen that before and I’m kinda diggin' it the more I look at it."

And we have another longer style necklace from Ellen Wagner. Ellen added some beautiful copper filigree pieces, a large green coordinating focal, and did some funky weaving of the green pearls and chain at one side. Clever! Ellen couldn't find the wooden cubes she she bought some interesting wood cylinder beads and used them in her final piece.

Betty just got her necklace image to me and I wanted to add it in before the day gets away from us! Looks like Betty went with asymmetrical style, which I Love!! And check out that interesting stringing technique at the front of the necklace with the jade and chain. WOWZA!

Sue and Danny submitted this lovely necklace to me this morning. Danny has Autism, but loves to bead! I can't say I blame him! He puts all the beads together, and Sue, his Mom, does all the wire wrapping and stringing. It turned out lovely, and Danny was quite excited to be part of his first contest. I applaud them both!

Here is a submission from Paula... A more complicated necklace design that is out of this world. Love that dragonfly focal!

Paula said:
"I added shell rectangles from bead gallery to balance out the square to circle ratio of the components, another larger white chain from bead landing, and I used enamel paint to create a white washed finish on a dragonfly pendant from enchanted planet and used findings from bead landing, ( I missed the make your own clasp part, sorry again)."

Melanie submitted her necklace to me, and this is the first time that someone other than family and friends has seen her work! Join me in giving Melanie a sweet round of a applause because she did a great job with this challenge! I love the simplicity of her necklace design!

Birgitta (love that name!) emailed me her necklace design this morning, and I was excited to see another International diva that has been able to participate in this challenge.

Birgitta had Nan of Spirited Earth send her the Michaels beads, and she came up with a knock out necklace. She had this to say about her piece:

So I had to come up with a new idea....
In the same envelope sent by Nan (spirited earth) I  got some  jummie
stuff she made that I decided to use
her leaf in front and branch :)  Thanks Nan for the help!!
I got the white lentils and wooden cubes + the white chain
I choose multicolor jade ( a bit pumpkinlooking)  instead of some soft
green from my own treasures and some big but round white pearls...(no
green pearls)
I was rather brave too / solder on copper a ring to the white chain
(matching my clasp)  but it only got a little bit brown ....matches the
rest :)








Enjoy hopping through all the blogs to see what everyone came up with! Happy Sunday!

Mary Harding
Hilary of Fryestyle
For My Sweet Daughter
My Life Under the Bus
Kristie of DreamSomeDesigns
Linda's Bead Blog & Meanderings

Copper Diem

Andrew Thornton
TyneBodenNecklaces
Raida of HavanaBeads
Erin of Treasuresfound
Molly of BeautifullyBrokenMe
Beading by Malin de Koning

AuntieAnnie
Gr8Findings
Deborah M Purdy
Spirited Earth

Erin Siegel Jewelry
beads by breul
Beads for Busy Gals
Cynths Blog
Nayas Organized Chaos
Crafty Hope
2 catch a hummingbird

Rosebud For the Love of Beads
Jamberry Song
Peacock Fairy
Elysian Studio Art
Designs by Debi
sweet girl design

Silver Rose Designs
Tropic Beads
Imaginative Jewelry
Magnolia Attic
Jeni Smathers
Glass Addictions