Kris Kringle Swap

I entered the KK swap in the Beading Daily forums.  I was in for a treat.  I love giving and receiving so I was thrilled when the time came to start shopping for my mark (Ruth).  This is what I got her:

• Menu Pad and Grocery Pad: I figure since she is a stay at home mom (I am a soon to be mom but I am a stay at home wife) she does at least half of the lists I do. So I figured she might put them to good use.

• I have always been crazy about stationary so a small notebook or journal is always great for me to carry in my purse. I also use them sometimes for jewelry design and writing down materials I would like to use.

• The Christmas stickers are handmade. They have been kept dearly in my sticker stash. I moved from Spain a year ago, and bought them there. They were made in France.

• The bookmark is also from my last trip to Italy (Oct 2009). Do you know the story? When they suspected a woman was unfaithful, they would make her put her hand into the mouth of this rock and if it bit her, it was because she had been unfaithful. La boca della Veritá.

• The necklace I made a while ago. I have sciatica pain and have not been able to sit in my studio for some weeks. But reading her bio, it just came to me that I had just the necklace that would have earth tones, be the size she specified. I hope she enjoys wearing it.

• I chose these boxes of seed beads because they seemed nice and in coordinating colors. I am not a bead weaver, so I hope I chose right.

• 4mm fancy jasper rounds and 8mm fancy jasper rounds. I know you said you used small beads, but I just loved the colors of the big ones so much that I hope to challenge your imagination and creativity to put them to good use. Hopefully you will use them both in a project.

• 4mm chevron beads. She said nothing about glass in her bio, but I think they match the color of the seed beads and she might be able to use them both.

• The red coral 5mm rounds were an impulse buy. I was recently in a challenge where we had to work with earth tones. There were some people that used red in there and it looked so great! I would love to see what she makes with them.

• And last but not least, I thought a girl should always have some sparkle. So I bought the Swarovski beads for her.

Today I received my package from Ann M.  She made a wonderful selection of beads, put them in plastic baggies and labeled them.  She is so organized.

• Dyed Howlite (red)

• Copper Wire

• Hematite shapes

• 18mm wire beads

• Aventurine Chips

• Glass Balls

• Silver Plated Chain

• Brass Earwires                                                            • Silver Earwires

• 4 coins from different countries                                    • 20mm Spotted Shell Coins

• Flourine Chips                                                            • Turquoise Pendant

• Nut Beads                                                                  • Tiger’s Eye Chips

• Silver Memory Wire

 
I just love beads!  Aren't they inspiring?

Pearls and Style - Necklace and Earring Set

I made this necklace for my mark in the Beading Daily July Necklace Swap. It has already traveled abroad with her on vacations.


It is made with pearls and mother of pearl beads, silver plated chain and findings and silver plated wire. It also has some crystal beads to give it more shine.

                                                           

Beading Daily - July Necklace Swap Reveal

The reveal is ready to be seen, just follow this link:  http://www.beadingdaily.com/forums/t/8905.aspx

I forgot to take a picture to the one I sent to my mark.  I was so excited to ship it and so conscious not to send her the picture before she got it (My mark was the person that organizes the swap) that I forgot to take the picture at all.

This is the one I got from Ann.  It is nice and easy to wear.  I am digging out my green clothes... they somehow managed to hide themselves.

Necklace Swap 2 from Beading Daily: The one I got

This is the beautiful set that Melissa Heilman made for me:

We turned out to be each others marks.  :)

Necklace Swap 2 from Beading Daily

Here is the necklace I made for my mark:  Melissa.

It is made of copper wire and chain, Czech glass beads, pearl chips, blue delicas and metal charm.

Here is the detail.  I hope you can appreciate the perfume bottle charm that hangs with the cluster over the focal bead.

And here are the matching earrings