Around the World: a Necklace Round Robin - the Flight continues

I am sure most of you have already read the beginning of the story of our necklace Round Robin. If not, please visit Cindy at Sweetbeadstudio for the first post and Sharon at Livewire Jewelry for the second post about this project that spanned two continents and an ocean, resulting in 5 necklaces, 5 journals and 5 hearts connected in the most incredible way.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my Round Robin sisters - Cindy, Sharon, Esther and Véronique - for giving me the gift of their friendship, their talent and their time. You girls just rock!

It is not so easy to follow Cindy and Sharon - both had such wonderful words to describe this adventure. And believe me, it was an adventure. Being able to hold something one or more of these talented ladies had made was humbling. It was challenging. It was exhilarating (it was also addictive, but don't tell anyone I told you...). It pushed me out of my comfort zone every time. So - it was an adventure in the very best way.

I had decided early on that I wanted to make a journal to accompany my necklace. Not that I had ever done anything like that before. I almost didn't get finished on time. I didn't have a theme for my necklace - I put together a few things that I liked - a resin connector, an etched copper piece and linked them with copper and pearls and beads in green. I have a serious attraction to green. Just sayin'. I made a pouch to hold my necklace and sent it off to Esther, who was to work her magic on it.

As you can see - aside from the incredible beauty my sisters created for this necklace - they also fed my addiction. So much luscious green! The single components of this necklace still blow me away!

Pages in my journal - created by Esther

created by Cindy

created by Sharon

created by Véronique

Since Véronique is, unfortunately, unable to join us in blogging about this project at present - I thought I would share a bit of this second part of the adventure on her behalf, as I was the first to add to her necklace.

Her necklace piece blew me away - and challenged me greatly. She has a completely different style. I decided to focus on the colour and take it from there. Since Véro didn't make a journal to travel with her necklace - she created something like a cabinet card with the information on the back - I decided to start one for her and incorporated her card into it.

My addition to Véronique's necklace

Esther will be showing more of Véronique's necklace tomorrow - so stay tuned!

Sharon's necklace was next. Totally different again. Blown away again. Her theme was Earth and Sky.

Which brought a favorite quote from Khalil Gibran to mind.

A piece of raw Baltic amber, made into a dangle.

My addition to Sharon's necklace.

Her journal and the pouch I sewed for her necklace.

Then, Cindy's necklace arrived.  And - yes, you guessed it - I was, again, blown away. Of course, you all know I am a flea market junkie, so this piece really resonated with me. I immediately knew I would create a resin connector from a vintage rhinestone buckle I found at the flea market. It was just perfect, because I knew Cindy loved rhinestones.

My addition.

An additional page I created in her journal, to connect to her Sentimental Journey theme. 

Next up was Esther's necklace. A masterpiece. But you are going to have to wait until tomorrow to see it - when she will be posting on her blog Mes illusions baroques. Don't miss it.

As Cindy has already mentioned, we are all incredibly honoured to be in the Belle Armoire Jewelry issue this winter. I haven't seen the article yet. But I am truly honoured to be published in this magazine. And Cindy, thank you for all the work and effort you put into getting us there. You know we love you!

In order to celebrate, I will also be having a little giveaway. A couple of my resin pieces, some silver plated vintage beads and dangles and a vintage rhinestone buckle, as seen in the above photo. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. A winner will be announced on Thursday.

Thank you all for sticking with me through this long post and for your interest in a project that was truly out of this world.

Monday S word blues and more Round Robin news

This morning I had to deal with this. It is that s word again. 

And anyone that wants to tell me how lovely it is - please leave your address, so I can have it forwarded to you.

It continued to snow all day. We have had between 5-6 inches and the temps will dip down to about -8°C during the night, so there will be an ice crust underneath tomorrow. As you can imagine, driving was such a great experience today.

But - I have other news. Much more lovely than snow. Please hop over to my friend Sharon's blog to read more about the Around the World Necklace Round Robin! You can also click on the links on the right column.

Do you want to see? The Last Days of Summer

I have been posting teasers of work in progress. I have a couple of things kinda-sorta finished. Although I am not sure that I might still have to tweak them a bit. But since alot of you have been so kind as to say you want to see the pieces - well - here is the reveal. I started these before Fall officially arrived and I was thinking about those last precious days of summer - and dragonflies - and this is what my crazy hands came up with:

Translucent resin/tissue paper wings and labradorite beads and fresh water pearls form a lariat style necklace. These wings are extremely light weight and delicate. Almost like the real thing...

These are more transparent, as there is vintage lace enclosed in resin in these wings. Sari silk ribbon, vintage lace and vintage buttons (dyed some of them myself) combined with fresh water pearls, carved MOP rose bead and some ethereal light blue beads that I received from Sharon! (Thank you again, Sharon. Do you by any chance remember which stone this is? Maybe amazonite?) This is a longer necklace.

Another view.

This last one is more colourful - like a summer's day at the beach. And yes, I have seen dragonflies at the beach! These are opaque with my typical ink and stamping on both sides, sealed with resin. Combined with a delicious mix of glass beads in corresponding colours. This one is shorter.

Not sure they are completely finished. Maybe just a little something here or there, for some added interest.
Hope they were worth waiting for.

Where did the last week go???

It is Sunday again - I seem to have lost a week. Has anyone seen it?

Well, I do know what happened - it is all because of a small and very sick little black cat. She doesn't belong to me. But she has decided that I am to be responsible for helping her get well again. She refused to leave my doorstep. So this week has been tied up with trying to get her to eat, taking several trips to the vet's, washing her up so she doesn't smell so terribly and so on and so forth. She is very malnourished and has a wound on her throat. I hope I will be able to pull her through. Meet Ghost:

I did manage to get in a trip to the flea market this morning, before taking my husband to the train station. I didn't find much, just two pieces. A chain (looks like silver, but doesn't have a mark) and a carved resin rose.

While I was away, I received some goodies in the mail.
First, some gorgeous polymer clay "slides" with images of Venice from Angie at Hopemore Studio. I am so looking forward to working with these.

I also received a package full of love from Sharon, of Livewire Jewelry. Thank you so much my sweet friend! The heart is hanging in my studio, where it will inspire me. I love the ATC and the necklace too!

I did spend some time during my vacation with a bit of button sorting. I sometimes buy a box of buttons at the flea market and I culled through them to find all the shell and mother of pearl buttons.

Oh, and I did make a couple of things. A bracelet and a textile cuff for my sister.

A pendant for my sister-in-law, using one of LeAnn's (Summers Studio) precious little birds.

Another necklace starring one of LeAnn's gorgeous porcelaine focals.

I still need to edit the pictures I took in Italy - although I didn't really take very many this year.

Hope you are all having a wonderful Sunday.