Michael's Reader Challenge Blog Hop

Welcome to the Third Michael's Reader Blog Challenge! With my friends Dani and Nancy, we 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 Necklace using the beads, picking their own clasp, focal and additional beads -- they could add 2 additional elements to their final piece. Today is the day where we all reveal the final projects! Happy Blog Hopping!


Here is my final necklace design. When I first sat down to create something with the beads, I had tried out a few things, and became frustrated and actually pushed the pile of beads away from me to work on something else entirely.  Two nights ago, I sat down to try again, and came up with this simple, asymmetrical number. 
I doubled the chain on both sides, but on one side, half way up, I wire wrapped a Red quartz rondelle. The red beads were 1 of my additions.  The pewter flying bird pendant from Lynn Davis works nicely with the Wintery mix of beads.

I used that blingy toggle that I got at Michael's when we picked out the beads. Up the right side of the chain, I simply wire wrapped the chosen beads randomly as dangles.

The bird pendant has a hole in the bottom, and figuring out what to hang from it, is always a struggle for me. I love my choice overall- a red silk ribbon with a Black and Raku Lampwork bead from Blue Seraphim- which  has a cool "lantern" shape.

I am so excited to reveal the next challenge but will wait til after Christmas to put up the shopping list. Yesterday I picked out a few things from FusionBeads.com. But the cool thing is, if you can't find the items, you can mostly like find the same items at other online venues too- so you shouldn't have trouble getting all the same components!  A hint: earthy, olive, OWLS, Leather, wood.  :)



Here are some detail shots for a closer look.

























Comments

  1. Thanks for another great challenge and I love your necklace, so different! As always I am in love with your photography, I see you are enjoying your new camera!
    Great job, great challenge Lorelei!!!
    Thanks,
    Shannon C

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  2. Oh my! I love how you incorporated a little bling without making it too flashy-blingy...it's a great piece :)

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  3. Love your necklace, always love your stuff!! Thanks for the challenge, fun as always!!!

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  4. First thank you again for doing this. The next one sounds very cool. I will certainly play along. Your necklace is so lovely and such a unique interpretation of the materials. Love the red and the bird and the simplicity of it.

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  5. I almost didn't make it! I love this as birds are my absolute favorite symbol! The lantern is beautiful and the first thing I thought of was a Chinese lantern too! I can't wait for the next one! Have an awesome day Lorelei!!!

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  6. Again, this was a lot of fun. I like that you're giving my creative juices a workout by picking out beads that I wouldn't usually use.

    You're piece is so lovely and simple. I love the red faceted rondelles!! Heading out now to check out everyone else's!

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  7. I need those red beads.

    Faboosh as always!! And then next one sounds excellent. I'm going to bug you for the list of beads early... :)

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  8. how cool that you and Nancy both used birds! hope to join the next challenge!

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  9. Lorelei, love the way you incorporated the glass bead to the bottom of the bird. I wouldn't have thought to attach it that way. Next time you host this challenge I'm going to have to make some time and join in!

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  10. That is really beautiful, Lorelei. I love the red and the bird. Thanks for hosting a fun hop again!
    Enjoy the day!
    Erin

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  11. LOVE IT, love it, love it! The focal piece is amazing! Looks like the bird is carrying off a lantern of light through the night!...eh, that rhymed! lol! :)
    Anyway, I love the addition of that little bit of silk cord, adds just a touch of softness and the red adds a bit of a romantic feel to it for me.

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  12. Another beautiful Lorelei-style piece. I love it.

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  13. Lorelei, first off, thanks again for organizing us into this way fun bloghop!!

    Secondly, your necklace is divine! I lovelovelove that bird pendant. And how you did the dangle off of it, with the silk ribbon is incredible! What a fun necklace this is :)

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  14. The bird is so graceful and elegant, and I love the addition of red. I love anything fired in raku, and your bead is beautiful! I also love the way you presented your detail shots in the black grid. Thank you so very much for organizing this, and Merry Christmas!

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  15. Hi Lorelei - I love the design. Great blog hop and hey I am on Foxfire leaving a message (Christmas miracle!)

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  16. Gorgeous necklace Lorelei! I love the bird and the pop of red. So pretty! Thanks again for hosting this blog hop! I can't wait to check out everyone's designs!

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  17. Although I didn't participate myself in this one it's been great to hop around and look at what everyone has done. So many really nice things out there.

    I love what you did too Lorelei. Those red accents really does it for me, including the string. I'm in a red period myself right now, could it be the christmas spirit ...

    And I've not been so keen on MoP before but those facetted ones I am very lusting for. Have been looking a little on-line for similar ones, but not found any so far :-(

    All my best,
    Malin

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  18. Gorgeous! I love the red accents!

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  19. Simple and elegant; pretty!

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  20. I think this round/challenge/hop came out even better than the last b/c there were less items and a very limited palette- each person went in a very different direction w/it. I'm having fun peeking through them all. your necklace is so 'you' and sweet. i really like the black chunky -tourmaline is it?
    you're awesome!

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  21. Lovely! I'm looking forward to the next one!

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  22. Love the red, the bird pendant and Lampwork bead. Beautiful necklace!

    Thanks again these challenges are really fun and the time you take to put them together is appreciated. Looking forward to the next one.

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  23. Really really a wonderful beautiful necklace Lorelei!

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  24. Love it, of course! I especially like that gorgeous lampwork bead. I think one of my favourite things about you and your blog is that you are so keen to share your excitement about all the bead artists you use - I have 'found' so many wonderful artisans through you! Although I love red, I rarely use it in jewellery making but I think you and Malin might inspire me to dig out some red and do a bit of creating...And the chain you've used kicks ass. Where do you get all your wonderful chain from???! I love it!

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  25. PS What I forgot to say was O.M.G. Fusion Beads challenge - THANK YOU!! I can play along next time - yippee!!

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  26. I love how you picked up the colors from the clasp in your choice of the lampwork bead! Definitely, a keeper!

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  27. What a beautiful necklace Lorelei - I love the lampwork bead and the bright flashes of red. It definitely reflects your impeccable artistic eye - great job! :-)

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  28. Ooooh, I love that, Lorelei. My bird is so lucky in your hands, it turned into a swan ... that's a mixed metaphor but you know what I mean. And I scored that clasp myself this week ON SALE, that never happens for me. I can't wait to use it, I was hopeful it would blend with the pewter and just look! It's gorgeous. Thanks for giving the bird new wings.

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