Hello again & news about a new hop

Well crap >.< That was a hell of a blogging break, wasn't it? Sorry about that. Just haven't felt like blog writing in a while, and since I didn't have a shop lined up to feature last month ( or this month, actually) I didn't have that excuse to 'make' myself blog. Anyone out there with an online shop who'd like to be featured here, give me a shout via email  skyescreativechaos AT  gmail.com.

Now onto the reason for my finally breaking my blogging dry spell.

For those who are on FB and part of the group CBC ( Creative Bead Chat), you might have noticed the big giveaway they had to celebrate hitting 2000 members. They had to create a second group in which to hold the giveaway, it was that big ;) My mind in blanking on the actual number, but I know there was over fifty prizes given away! Everything from finished jewelry, to beads and components, to magazines, gift cards and even a display stand!

Yes I was one of the lucky winners :) And the one I won just proves that it was meant to be ;)

by MarlasMud

See what I mean? Perfect for me :)

Anyhow, it seems like I ended up sort of being volunteered/volunteering to host a bloghop or two to feature all of the winners with their goodies :)

I'm thinking we'll do two hops, to take place the last two Saturdays in September. 

Depending on how many of the winners decide to take part... if the list isn't that big, then we'll do one hop the last Saturday in September.

This kinda sucks as an intro post to a new blog hop, I know... but I've erased and retyped this so many times, I think this is as good as my brain will do today >.< I'll be posting a blog about this with the sign up info over at Artisan Whimsey... as soon as I give Melinda a shout.

Wow... blog writing has never taken this much effort before >.< I must be more burnt on this than I thought!

Gratuitous Bead Porn....

I figured it was long past time to show some of the goodies I've received over the last few months.  

We'll go back and start with the little bead swap Lori Anderson organized over at the Bead Soup Cafe  waaaay back in March . Lori herself was my partner and these are the goodies she sent my way.

Bead Swap goodies from Lori

Aren't those fabulous? I took three close ups and remember deleting one of them... and yet now I only have one close up O.o I think I just saved the one because it shows the toggle clasps, the stone eggs and the 'hope' charm...

I just love those stone eggs.. and the steampunky toggles... I just get too many ideas for them and then freeze up because..I have too many ideas >.< lol

So next we just ahead to May to another Bead Soup Cafe swap arranged by the lovely Lori... the Pantone Spring Color Bead Swap.

Here are the beauties my partner Solange Collin , of Ahowin Handcrafted Jewelry, ( and her etsy ) sent me from France.

Pantone Spring Color Bead Swap

Aren't all of those so yummy? Again, soooo many ideas .. TOO many ideas >.< lol I've finally decided I NEED to use some of those trade beads in the one piece I've been working on. I just HAVE to.  The sodalite chips and the turquoise chips are vying for a place in another project, but as it stands now I don;t have enough of either for the full thing... so unless I alter the design enough to make it work... or my one friend who's selling off all her beads has chips in the same ultra small size that I can nab... I may see if Solange can  hook me up with some more. I can either pay her outright for the cost of the beads plus shipping, or we can work out a trade or something :) 

 Had enough photos? I have more... could split them into multiple beadporn posts...

 .. hmm... nah, I can squeeze a few more in here yet... ;)

Let me see.... what ones to share...  The 'Beads for Bloggers' from Tanya of Fusionmuse I'm saving until I get the info on the beads themselves.... and Keith's lampwork beauties are being saved for another post as well....( Keith is the ubber talented newbie glass worker boyfriend of Lauren Potts of Lp's Jewelry)

Ah... here's a few more I can share in this post :)

Last month over at Creative Bead Chat, Marla James of MarlasMud posted a comment about her friend Karen's shop and the new fiberwire she was selling. Karen's daughter makes it and has some gorgeous color combos done and for sale at Starry Road Studio , and Marla asked if anyone would like to try it.  Since I was the first to reply, I got to try it :)  Marla bought me some!

Starry Road Studio goodies

This is the 'Ooolala'... one that looks to be sold out at the moment. The  beads are a gift from Karen :) I have other beads from her that I had definite plans for back when I bought them... and yet still have not used them >.<  I started a couple things with the wire and then changed my mind almost immediately lol

Next we come all the way up just a couple weeks ago... I entered a little giveaway over at one of my favorite blogs, Scorched Earth and received an email from Petra informing me that I'd won one of the selections... but the one I'd named was already taken... then she gave me the photos of the other choices, including some beady goodness that hadn't been there before. One of them I liked even better then my original choice.

So I got this large heavy duty blue plastic mailer all wrapped up into a tiny little bundle with massive amounts of tape holding it together ... lol  and when I opened it I found this. A little black organza bag ( LOVE that!) jammed full of little tiny tissue wrapped  hand made clay goodies, and a little blue bag full of gemstone rounds :) I actually didn;t take a close up picture of the gemstones...I got too carried away with all of Petra's handmade treasures!

Love!  

My mom loves the nest best of all, and you have to admit, it is pretty damned cute :)

I rather like the feathers.. and the shells... oh and those little 'mangers' :) totally not ending up as anything religious coming from me though lol ;)

Well that's it I think. All the ones I'm going to share in a multi post, anyhow :)

The solo features are coming up soon though... and I think tomorrow I might do a MacroMonday and share some of my non-bead photos :)

I'll leave you with one more photo though... I bought these babies at 'The Hottest Yard Sale Under The Sun' ... a local deal that runs on day and they block off a huge chunk of the main street for. It's not a 'yardsale' anymore though...most of the stuff out for sale now are over stock or left over seasonal from the various stores along the way, along with street performers and various fundraising tents.  Over at the city hall, there's a nice shady, cobblestone section between city hall and a block of stores known as 'Artists Alley' where every Saturday in the summer various artists set up their work to sell. There's a sketch artist there that I've bought several pieces form, as have my mother and brother. I don't have any of my own though.. the ones I bought were all for other people >.<   Any how, no I didn't buy a sketch from him... this post is about beadporn.. why would I toss other stuff in here?  No no no no.

I bought THESE,

No clue what I'll do with them. I still haven't used my other glass work like this...I included on in the beadsoup I sent Shaiha back in the BSBP4, and while I HAD plans for the others.... haven't done them yet  >.< lol

Think it's time for me to pull out that muffin pan and fill 'er with these 'projects' so I can see them sitting there waiting for me.

That's it for today :) I hope you enjoyed drooling and didn't short out your keyboards ;)

~ Skye