Summer Carnival Blog Hop

I am participating in the Summer Carnival Blog Hop hosted by Lisa at Pine Ridge Treasures.  I love Lisa's hops, she always sends a ton of beads and this one was no exception.

I actually remembered to take a picture of the beads she sent before I started playing with them!  I was sent cultured seaglass, crystals and two pretty bird charms that for some reason are not in the picture.  The colors really make me think of summer.  And blue is my favorite color, I can never go wrong with blue. 

 

I really wanted to do something with the crystals first. Jill Wiseman has a bunch of youtube videos, and I love the way she explains things, she is so easy to understand.  I had wanted to try the flat spiral stitch, but to do it I needed a lot of crystals for the middle.  Since I now had a lot of crystals thanks to Lisa, I decided to try a necklace.  I think it came out really well.  A friend suggested I try my pictures on a black velvet background because it would make the beads stand out more.  She was right - I think it helped. 

 This used all but two of the yellow crystals I was sent (I saved those for earrings), and size 11 purple seed beads  and some 3mm purple bicones from my stash.   I used a Vintaj clasp and size 15 gold seed beads to connect the clasp.  Here is another picture, I tried turning the necklace so you could see the edges better.

It lays just beautifully and I love it.  Now I am trying to decide if I should do the same thing with the blue crystals or if I should try something else.  I will put up a part two post when I've finished with the other beads, I think the yellow cultured seaglass wants to be a bracelet.

Thanks Lisa as always for hosting the blog hop and thanks to everyone for stopping by to see what I've done.  Please take a look at what the other participants have come up with:

Your hostess:  Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Kim Dworak, Cianci Blue

Marybeth Rich, A Few Words from within the Pines

Karin Grosset Grange, Ginkgo et Coquelicot

Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera

Ann Schroeder, Bead Love

Kathleen Breeding, 99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall

Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation

Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Heather Richter, Desert Jewelry Designs

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks

Catherine Yvonne King, Catherine's Musings

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Shaiha Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings

Chris Eisenberg, Wanderware

Eleanor Burian Moore, The Charmed Life

Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design

Dee Alcalde, Agape Creations Jewelry

 Marianne Baxter, Simply Seablime Jewelry

Carole Carlson, Bead Sophisticate

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams

Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz

Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Dolores Raml, CraftyD's Creations

Marianne Hurley, Reads and Beads

Kathleen Breeding, 99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall

Marci Allen Koziolek, Krafty Max Originals