Bead Hoarders Blog Hop Reveal!

I already said that I signed up for Lori Anderson's Bead Hoarders Blog Hop. But before I get to the hop, I'd just like to send all my best wishes and thoughts to you, Lori. You are such an inspiration to all of us in the blogosphere. I wish you good health - that's something we say to people here in Estonia :)

But, to the hop...

When I saw the idea of the hop - to use beads that you have stashed away for some special purpose or just because you didn't know what to do with them - I immediately knew which beads I would be using.

Same picture again :)

These have intimidated since I got them two years ago (maybe more - I think they were one of the first ones I got.) The red is very red and the spots look like oil on a puddle. But I decided to tackle them now. 

And here is the result:

I made a bracelet using bead embroidery. I found that I have seed beads that have a similar oily shine to them and mixed them with red seed beads. They are embroidered on red felt and the bracelet has a copper clasp.

Some more pictures:

The clasp.

On my hand. Perfect fit, no?

And one more.

Thank you, Lori, for throwing us such a fun event! Here is a list of all the other participants, be sure to hop by and enjoy their work as well. I myself will be doing that some time next week, I am currently renovating my home :)

PS. Sorry this post wasn't up earlier. I scheduled it for midnight, but for some reason, blogger decided to put it in drafts instead and not publish it. Ah, the wonders of modern technology.

1.  Lori Anderson, Pretty Things
2. Nancy Dale, NEDBeads
3. Roxanne Mendoza, Roxi Designs
4.  Melissa Trudinger, beadrecipes
5.  Rana Lea, Rana Lea Designs
6.  Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
7.  Rita Avila, Jewel School Friends
8.  Linda Anderson, From the Bead Board
9.  Sharon Palac, Sharon's Jewelry Garden
10.  Erin Guest, Renlish

11.  Joan Williams, lilruby jewelry
12. Diane Hawkey, Diane Hawkey
13.  Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation
14.  Sue Kennedy, SueBeads
15.  Lisa Cone, Inspired Adornments
16.  Kari Asbury, Hippie Chick Design
17.  Nichole Byers, Nichole Byers
18.  Lori Jean Poppe, Adventures in Creativity
19.  Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings
20.  Lori Schneider, Bead Addict

21.  Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me
22. Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
23.  Niki Sayers, Silver Nik Nats
24.  Elsie Deliz-Fonseca, Eliz-Eliz and All That Craft
25.  Amber Dawn, Inventive Soul
26.  Heather Powers, Humblebeads
27.  Sarah Goode, Pookledo
28.  Monique Urquhart, A Half-Baked Notion
29.  JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions
30.  Cheri Reed, Creative Designs by Cheri

31.  Robyn, Museiddity
32.  Catherine King, Catherine's Musings
33.  Jacquie, Bead Gypsy
34.  Janet McDonald, Singing Woods
35. Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreations
36.  Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti
37.  Hannah Rosner, Good River Valley
38.  Rochelle Brisson, A Creative Chelle
39.  Nelly May, Smelly Nelly
40.  Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads

41.  Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool
42.  Christie Murrow, Charis Designs
43.  Leanne Loftus, First Impression Design
44.  Valerie Norton, Hot Art
45.  Judy Riggs, Rigglettes
46.  Crystal Thain, Here Bead Dragons
47.  Terry Carter,  Tapping Flamingo
48.  Sue, Mid-Life Great Expectations
49.  Nan Smith, Wired Nan
50.  Miranda Ackerley, MirandAck Arts

51.  Marie Covert, Creating Interest
52.  D'Arsie Manzella, This Here Now, Mamacita
53.  Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs
54.  Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
55.  Johanna Nunez, The Lovely One Design
56.  Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
57.  Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs
58.  Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things
59.  Debbie Rasmussen, A Little of This, A Little of That
60.  Nat, Grubbi Ceramics

61.  Marjorie Savill Linthwaite, Bennu Bird Rising
62.  Cheryl McCloud, One Thing Leads to Another
63.  Heather Otto, The Crafthopper
64.  Candida Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks
65.  Tracie Dean, Dean Designs
66.  JuLee Wolfe, The Polymer Penguin
67.  Ginger Bishop, Lil Mummy Likes
68.  Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
69.  Jeannie Dukic, Jeannie's Blog
70.  Dini Bruinsma, Angaza by Changes

71.  Birgitta Lejonklou, Create With Spirit
72.  Shalini Austin, Jewellery by Shalini
73.  Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle
74.  Ile Ruzza, Ilenia's Unique Beaded Jewelry
75.  Jackie Marchant, Fiddledeedee Jewelry
76.  Annita Wilson, AW Jewelry 
77.  Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame
78.  Hannah Trost, PZ Designs
79.  Linda Inhelder, Must Haves Jewelry
80.  Miri Agassi, Beadwork

81.  Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
82.  Dyanne Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
83.  Susan Bowie, Susan Nelson Bowie
84.  Megan Milliken, MaeMaeMills
85.  Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry
86.  Ambra Gostoli, Chic and Frog
87.  Lori Lochner, Bloghner
88.  Gerda Jurimae, Gerda's Crafts Blog  -- YOU ARE HERE
89.  Susan, Mistheword
90.  MaryLou Holvenstot, MaryLou's time2cre8

91.  Mary Shannon Hicks, falling into the sky
92.  Karin King, The Sparklie Things Blog
93.  Christa Murphy, Adventures of One Beady Woman
94.  Jenny Davie-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor
95.  Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous
96.  Mallory Hoffman, Rosebud 101 - For the Love of Beads
97.  Danielle Kelley, Imbue the Muse
98.  Kym Hunter, Kym Hunter Designs
99.  Dolores Rami, CraftyD's Creations
100.  Marcia Dunne, 13 Alternatives

101.  Marlene Cupo, Amazing Designs
102.  Emma Todd, A Polymer Penchant
103.  Wendy Holder, Jewelry by WendyLea
104.  Michelle Escano, The Cabby Crafter
105.  Louise Glazier, Lily and Jasmine Treasures
106.  Dana Hickey, Wind Dancer Studios
107.  Lennis Carter, windbent
108.  Anne Betenson, Crystal River Beads
109.  Audrey Belanger,  Dreams of an Absolution
110.  Lisa Stukel, Carefree Jewelry by Lisa

111.  Janine Lucas, Travel Stories
112.  Claire Lockwood, Something to Do With Your Hands
113.  Kathy Engstrom, Catherine's Dreams
114.  Paula Hisel, Simply Beadiful
115.  Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
116.  Mischelle Fanucchi, Micheladas Musings
117.  Kim, Cianci Blue
118.  Linda Sadler, Ida Louise Jewelry
119.  Karen, Spokalulu
120.  Jennifer LaVite, Dry Gulch Bead and Jewelry

121.  Andrea Glick-Zenith, ZenithJade Creations
122.  Karen Martinez, Fairies Market
123.  Robin Reed, Artistry HCBD
124.  Amy Bright, LABweorc
125.  Jasvanti Patel, Jewels by Jasvanti
126.  Tammie Everly, TTE Designs
127.  Karin Slaton, Backstory Beads
128.  Natalie Moten, Running Out of Thread
129.  Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections
130.  Jenny Kyrlach, Wonder and Whimsy

131.  LiliKrist, Handmade by LilK
132.  Jessica Klaaren, The Truth Space
133.  Cynthia Abner, Created Treasures
134.  Beth Emery, Stories by Indigo Heart
135.  Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads
136.  Jeanne, Gems by Jeanne Marie
137.  Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
138.  Laren Dee Barton, Laren Dee Designs
139.  Steph, Confessions of a Bead Hoarder
140.  Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

141.  B. R. Kuhlman, Mixed Mayhem
142.  Patty Miller, Cabari Beads
143.  Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads
144.  Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things
145.  Lizzie Clarke, The Need to Bead
146.  Christina Miles, Wings 'n' Scales
147.  Patricia, The Color of Dreams
148.  Marde Lowe, Fancimar
149.  Ev Shelby, Raindrop Creations
150.  Sarah Small, By Salla

151.  Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
152.  Laurie Vyselaar, Lefthand Jewelry
153.  Pam Traub, Klassy Joolz
154.  Lisa Harrison, Daisy Meadow Studio
155.  Anzia Parks, Anzi-Panzi's Work Shoppe
156.  Ingrid, Lilisgems Handcrafted Jewelry Inspirations
157.  Andra Weber, Andra's Joyful Journey
158.  Kelly Hosford Patterson, The Traveling Side Show
159.  Adlinah Kamsir, Dreamstruck Designs
160.  Marci, That Nothing Be Wasted

161.  Kris Lanae Binsfield,  Cherish Designs
162.  Stephanie Perry, Mustard Bead
163.  Birgit Klughardt, Gites Beads
164.  Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog
165.  Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
166.  Sandy Markley, Gypsy Spirit Designs
167.  Elena Adams, Lena's Beady Blog

June Favourites

A bit late but here we go...

A necklace with a copper filigree finding and pink and copper glass beads,
plus a shiny rhinestone in the centre.

Necklace with bright yellow polymer clay roses (made by me) and metal leaves.

A brooch with a polymer clay disc and bead embroidery on the edge. Custom order.

Simple angel earrings filled with air and light. Polymer clay. Custom order.

A five-line cuff on memory wire. I just love the purple drops.

And finally - buttons! My mother wanted me to make buttons
so she could use them on her bags. The symbol that kind of looks
like a star is a motif from Estonian national embroidery - kaheksakand.

And some earrings :)

The Long Absence

Hi. Sorry I've been gone for so long but the past few weeks have been insane and so will the coming few weeks be for me. So I'm using these early morning hours to write an update. 

~~~

On July 6 there was a big handicraft fair in my hometown and naturally I spent the weeks leading up to that preparing for that... making stuff and putting price tags on items and just making sure everything is in order. At the same time my little shop on Facebook really took off properly - people are ordering things and they are requesting custom made items, so I was also trying to stay on top of all that. This is almost turning into a full-time job for me.

Here's a picture from the fair

I did really well :)

In the bacground you can also see bags that my mum made. We were both selling that day, but I ended up chasing my little sister for most of the time and spent the last two hours in a basement making a big tea mug from actual clay. This was fun for me, because I haven't touched actual clay in years. And as I have prior experience, the lady instructing the little workshop promised to get in touch with me so that I could glaze my own mug :) 

Here it is, still all soft, along with a flower pendant I made and a snowman my little sister made.

~~~

But I got ahead of myself. Leading up the fair, I was mostly busy with polymer clay. Lot's of it. I don't think I ever want to see it again :D I already posted this picture on Bead Soup Cafe, but 

Making this bunch took me two full days. And this is just the first bunch of clay I cooked.

You can see some national Estonian motifs here, too. Especially on the ones with a black background.

~~~

At one point I also managed to sing up for Lori Anderson's Bead Hoarders Blog Hop, where the participants use the beads they have been hiding from the world for far too long. The reveal will take place on July 20. Here are the beads I will be using:

Up till now, I've just been too intimidated by them. And I do think that these were some of the first beads I ordered. But the red is just so bright and the purplish (more like oil on a puddle - coloured) circles are so nice that I just have not been able to do anything with these. So - challenge accepted! 

~~~

After all the madness of the past weeks, I crashed on wednesday and took completely ill for two days. Must take better care of myself.

 

And now I'm going to write my June Favourites post. Finally.

Summer Elements Blog Hop

Today is the reveal day for the Summer Elements Blog Hop hosted by Rita from Toltec Jewels at Jewel School Friends. Here is her post for the reveal - she's made a mouthwatering blueberry necklace. I'd wear the heck out of that :D

The idea of the hop is to share an element of summer, perhaps create something inspired by it. 

To me, summer is nature. To me, summer is flowers and their scent. To me, summer is the Song and Dance Festival that takes place every couple of years and the first of which was held in 1869. And I decided to try and share all of this with you. 

The national flower, and certainly one of my favourites, is the cornflower: 

Image not mine - I didn't see any wild cornflowers blooming yesterday, when I set out to find them.

The garden variety.

And some pictures of a field of rye. Rye is the type of crop most often associate with the cornflower, the name of the flower translated directly from Estonian would be rye flower.

 

For the reveal I created a pendant, using motifs from Estonian national embroidery. I embroidered a cornflower, some daisies and two crop heads. The background is white linen and the pendant is framed with black matte seed beads. Blue, black and white are Estonian national colours.

And finally, a taste of the Song Festival I mentioned. 

 

Sorry about the poor quality of video, but this is one of my favourite songs that has been performed at the festival. This was recorded in 2004, so it was before I got a chance to be one of the singers. I have participated twice, in 2007 and 2009, and both times were amazing. I would translate the title as Beatuful Land and the first lines as Summer is beautiful and so is the evening... So it kind of fits the hop :) 

Oh yes, and while I'm on the topic, here's a link to a very powerful performance from 2011. *Hint, hint*

The Summer Elements Blog Hop Participants: 

Toltec Jewels (Hostess)     http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/

Marlene Cupo                   http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com/

Cheri Reed                        http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/

Ailsa Cordner                    http://www.bramalfiebeadsetc.co.uk/

Robin Reed                       http://willowdragon.blogspot.com/

Nan Smith                         http://www.wirednan.blogspot.com/

Sherri Stokey                     http://www.knotjustmacrame.com/

Christie (Charis Designs)    http://charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com/

Carolyn Lawson                 http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com/

Susie Harris                        http://jewelleryjunkie.blogspot.com/

Andrea Glick-Zenith           http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/

Nelly May                          http://smellynelly.blogspot.com/

Melissa Trudinger               http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com/

Dini Bruinsma                     http://angazabychanges.blogspot.com/

Kathy Lindemer                 http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/

Cory Tompkins                  http://tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com/

Robin Reed                       http://willowdragon.blogspot.com/

Gina Hockett                     http://freestyleelements.blogspot.com/

Karen Martinez                 http://www.fairiesmarket.blogspot.com/

Liz                                    http://beadcontagion.blogspot.com/

Jasvanti Patel                     http://jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com/

Solange Collin                    http://www.blog.ahowinjewelry.com/

Karla Morgan                    http://texaspepperjams.blogspot.com/

Anindita Basu                     http://alankarshilpa.blogspot.com/

Alicia Marinache                http://www.allprettythings.ca/

Andrea Trank                    http://heavenlanecreations.com/

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com/

Mischelle Fanucchi             http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com/

Tanty Sri Hartanti               http://tjewellicious.blogspot.com/

Shaiha Williams                  http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/

Mary Govaars                    http://mlhjewelrydesigns.com/

Becca Sirevaag                  http://godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com/

Lennis Carrier                    http://windbent.wordpress.com/

Regina Wood                     http://www.gina-design.blogspot.com/

Sue Kennedy                     http://suebeads.blogspot.com/

Kathleen Breeding             https://www.facebook.com/99BOBOTW

A Special Special Order

A friend of mine recently bought a necklace with a hand-embroidered pendant in a golden setting that had some Estonian national flowers as well as a pink blossom on it. She asked me to make her a pair of earrings to go with it. 

My first thought was, well why don't you make them yourself. But as it turned out, not all schools teach things like that in Estonia. Crafts are a compulsory part of our national curriculum in middle school, but the actual content of the lessons depends on the school and the teacher. So I dug out the books I had and reminded myself of the techniques and different stitches of embroidering. 

The flowers are embroidered using woollen and cotton threads (some of them at least 20 years old by now, I have a pile of stuff like that at home), and I added some transparent seed beads to give the earrings a sort of shine. The cloth is 100% linen, though it's bleached to make it white. 

The real question for me was how to actually make the embroidered motifs into earrings. I was also afraid that the threads of the cloth might unravel when I cut it. 

The original plan was to use golden cameo settings to create a similar golden frame around the earrings as the pendant had, but that fell through because for the earrings to be reasonably light, the metal settings would've had to be quite small and I didn't want my first embroidery project in a while to be microscopic, so that it would be easier to accomplish. 

Then I realised that I have some golden Preciosa seed beads and decided to use these to create a sort of a frame. But this still left the unravelling problem. In the end I cut the motifs out larger than the earrings were supposed to be and glued the pieces onto the same cloth. I used a kind of glue that I was sure would become completely transparent as it dried. After it had dried, I cut the earrings out by the outline I had drawn and glued the pieces onto white felt. Then I brick stitched the edges with golden seed beads and added the ear wires with jump rings which sit in one of the seed beads. The end result was super light.

Making these was quite an adventure for me and I don't really think that this kind of technique would ever become my medium of choice, but hey, it's really great to try out new things and I'm sure I'll make some more things like that in the future.

History Hop - REVEAL

I participated in Leah Curtis's history themed blog hop where the participants got to choose from a list of historical periods or cultures and create jewelry inspired by that. My theme was English Romanticism and Mourning Jewelry. Though I had a lot of ideas going on around my head when I picked it out, I only managed to create two pieces - a pair of earrings and a necklace. 

First the earrings. I had a bit of trouble with them at first, but after some useful advice from my mum I got them to work.

Czech faceted glass beads and Japanese Toho seed beads.

They're really not that large, my hands are just super small.

And the necklace. 

I wasn't sure at first if the greyish tones would go with white, but I think they work fine.

The piece started revolving around this vintage metal button with rhinestones that
my mum found in one of her drawers.

I made the focal by embroidering some of the grey faceted beads around it. 

For the additional pieces I sewed beads onto grey filigree discs.

This was my first such challenge and I had a lot of fun making these pieces. Here is the list of all the other participants, so go make yourself a cuppa and enjoy the show. I know I will :)

Leah Curtis - Indus Valley - beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.co.uk
Laney Mead - Māori - laney-izzybeads.blogspot.co.uk
Becca - Art Nouveau - godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com
Melissa - English Romanticism and Mourning Jewelry - beadrecipes.wordpress.com
Tracy Stillman - Native American - tracystillmandesigns.com
Liz E - Native North American - beadcontagion.blogspot.com
Ahowin - Māori (New Zealand)  - blog.ahowinjewelry.com 
Jasvanti - Indus Valley - jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com
Lizzie - Art Nouveau - theneedtobead.blogspot.co.uk
Julia Hay - Merovingian - pandanimal.blogspot.co.uk
Dini - Celtic - angazabychanges.blogspot.nl
Caroline - Art Nouveau - blueberribeads.co.uk 
Charlie - Moche of Peru - clay-space.com/blog
Karin - China - maverickbeads.blogspot.com
Niky Sayers - Rome - silverniknats.blogspot.com
Marcia Dunne - Celctic and Mourning Jewelry - thealternativefoundry.blogspot.co.uk
anafiassa - Mesopotamia - anafiassa.blogspot.com
Kokopelli - Native American - kokopellidesign.blogspot.com
Christa - Native American - adventuresofwonebeadywoman.blogspot.com
Clair - Roman - obstinatepursuit.blogspot.co.uk
Susan Bowie - Native American - susanbowie.wordpress.com
Gloria Allen - English Romanticism - gloriaallendesigns.blogspot.com
Sheila Garrett - Early Russia - 4brownowl.blogspot.co.uk 

May Favourites

As the month of May is almost over, I wanted to share some of the pieces I've created during it. So, without further ado, here goes...

A sunny bracelet with glass beads and bronze coloured details.
I made the chain myself form these bronze hoops that had just been lying around for a while now...
just one of those things you're not really sure what to do with once you've got them.

A set of a necklace and matching earrings. I made the primrose blossoms out of
polymer clay already in January but only used them now. I matched the blossoms with
light yellow or perhaps creamish glass beads with a structured surface.

Here I used up another set of polymer clay beads I made in January.
I decided to spice the necklace up with seed bead covered glass beads and silver-plated
findings. Also, on each clay bead, one of the blossoms is set with a shiny rhinestone.

Here I decided to try my hand at making brooches. Though bead embroidery is
time-consuming and sometimes quite irritating - especially when the thread tangles up and
it's too dark in the middle of the night to untangle it -, I find myself getting hooked on the technique.
I used Japanese Toho seed beads and some glass beads that had been lying around for ages.

And this set is my absolute favourite from May. Turquoise and gold coloured beads
- faceted, crackled, bicones, Czech seed beads and what not -
make for a fabulous pendant and earrings and all in a simple brick stitch.
Simple, yet intricate, don't you think. And I've never sold a set that quickly.

And here are some earrings as well. As I create quite a lot of earrings, I decided to put them all in the same image - less scrolling that way. 

See the red+copper butterflies in the upper right-hand corner? Those are mine :D

I think posts like this one might become a monthly thing. I'm much too lazy to post over every individual thing that I feel that I especially like and it might become boring for others as well, so this is a good solution.