Bead Soup Number 6, 3rd Reveal

Well the time for Bead Soup number Six's 3rd and final reveal....

and my name is on the list :)

I was excited to be partnered with Stephanie Dixon aka The Dixon Chick. 

I sent her an assortment in Cream & Black with Cream Freshwater Pearls, Black Velvet Ribbon and a pretty Cream Applique to name just a few pieces... sadly I deleted the picture of it (Doh!) so I can't show you what I sent. Royal Mail claim to have delivered it though so that was a relief in itself! I'm really looking forward to seeing what she creates with it all.

I waited for my parcel from Canada with a mixture of excitement and anxiety.

  Sadly, my parcel from Stephanie got lost in the world of postal systems (Booo!)

and so I have nothing to show you from Stephanie.

However.... my friend Sarah Goode from Pookledoo stepped in and gave me

a pretty little stash to ease my anxiety levels (Yay!) and so I was still able

to take part, even if it is in a roundabout fashion.

This is what Sarah gave me

 And these are what I made with her pretty little stash:

I teamed some of the Cream Roses with Rich Cream & Gold Glass Pearls and Black Findings to form the first bracelet.

 I used her 3 strand Clasp, Focal, Glass Pearls, Seed Beads & Sodalite in the second bracelet and mixed them with Silver Plated Hearts, twisting them together loosely.

So a huge Thank You to Sarah for staving off little Miss Anxiety and saving the day. And  Huge Thank You to the lovely Lori Anderson for hosting the Blog Hop and being a champion organiser!

If Stephanie's parcel does find it's way out of the mysterious world of 'post' I will be only too happy to make something and post the results. In the meantime, I'm off to blog hop and see what everyone else has been working their little socks off to make.

I do hope you'll join me?!

Hostess, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Agi Kiss, Moonsafari Beads 
Alice Peterson, Alice Dreaming

Alison Sachs, Beads by Earthtones

Amanda Dittloff, Passion Smashin'

Andra Marasteanu, Bijoux de Monanage

Angie Szlovak, SweetBeads

Anitra Gordy, Leelu Creations

Ann Sherwood, Ann's Blog

Arlene Dean, A Glass Bash

Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Barb Solem, Vivi Magoo Presents

Barbara Blaszczyk, laboratorim Flory

Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Beth Emery, Stories by Indigo Heart

Bianca Odenthal, Zydies Glasperlen

Birgit Klughardt, GitesBeads
Bobbie Rafferty, Beadsong Jewelry
Bonnie Coursolle,  Jasper Gems
Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
Charlene Jacka, Clay Space
Cherrie Fick, En La Lumie're
Cheryl Foiles, Get Your Bead On
Christie Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Christina Miles, Wings n Scales
Christina Stofmeel, Feng Beads
Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design
Cindy Cima Edwards, Live to Design
CJ Bauschka, 4 His Glory Creations
Claire Smith, Embergrass Jewelry
Cynthia Riggs, Cynth's Blog
Dana Fowler, Trunk Full of Treasure
Dawn Pierro, Turtle Moon Designs
Dee Elgie, Cherry Obsidia
Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous

Dot Lewallwn, Speedie Beadie
Eileen Snyder, Dorset Hill Beads
Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads
Eva Kovacs, Ewa gyongyos vilaga!
Evelyn Duberry, Sheba Makeda
Fay Wolfenden, Torch Fairy
Fen Li, Bead Flora Jewels
Gail Zwang, Angel Moose Enterprises
Geneva Collins, Torque Story
Grace Dorsey, Fan of the Flame
Gretchen Nation,  Art Food Lodging

Hannah Annear, Squintessential
Hajer Waheed, My Beaded World
Heather Goldsmith, As I Bead It
Heather Otto, The Craft Hopper
Heidi Kingman, My Bead Therapy
Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
Isolina Perez, Isolina Perez
Jacqueline Keller, CreARTelier
Jane Haag, Did You Make Something Today?
Janeen Sorensen, Wild Vanilla Designs
Jean Peter, Jean P. Designs

Jennifer Judd, Jen Judd Rocks
Jennifer L Justman, Soul's Fire Designs
Joanna Matuszczyk, Bizuteria z filcu
Joanne Brown, Jo's Jewels
Joanne Lockwood, Jo Bunkum (You are Here!)
Joyce Becker, Joyce's Joyful Gems
Judy Riley, Three Red Beads
Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
Karen Williams, Baublicious
Karin von Hoeren, Creative Ideen

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
Kashmira Patel, Sadafule .. always in bloom!
Kate Richbourg, We Can Make That at Home

Katrin Lembke, AllesPerle
Kathy Combs, Torched in Texas
Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz
Kelley Fogle, My Life, One Bead at at Time
Kelly Hosford Patterson, Traveling Side Show

Klaudette Koon, Only Road
Lara Lutrick, Lampwork Beads by Lara
Laura Guenther, Blue Antiquities

Laurie Lalonde, Simply Mod Jewelry
Lilik Kristiani, Soul of My Embodiment
Linda Younkman, Lindy's Designs
Lisa Chapman, Beach Cat Beads
Lisa Lodge, Pine Ridge Treasures
Loretta Carstensen, Designs by Loretta
Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
Lori Dorrington, Lori's Adventures in Etsy Land
Lupe Meter, Gem's PC Corner
Lynn Davis, LLYYNN

Malin de Koning, Beading by Malin
Mandi Effron, Craft-o-licious
Mandy Williamson, Mimi's Beading
Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter
Maria Rosa Sharrow, Willow Street Shops
Marianne Baxter, Simply Seablime Jewelry
Marina Dobrynina, Savon Feutre
Marjolein Trewavas, Room for Change
Marelene Cupo, Amazing Designs
Marsha Neal, Marsha Neal Studio

Marta Kaczerowska, uhuhu
Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes
Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry Blog
Michelle Burnett, Reverie and Revival
Michelle Escano-Caballero, The Cabby Crafter
Miko Wiropati, Uniquely Yunikua
Milla Hope,  LB Creative Arts and Crafts
Mimi Gardner, Other Curiosities
Miranda Ackerley, MirandackArts
Natalie McKenna, grubbi

Noemi Baena, fuego, metal, y color
Pam Ferrari, Ferrari Originals
Pam Sears, Crazy Creative Corner
Penny Neville, Copper Penny
Rachel Baron, R. Baron Designs
Rachel Myers, Rockabead Jewelry
Rana Wilson, Definitive Designs by R. Wilson
Rebecca Anderson, Song Beads
Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
Riki Schumacher, Riki Jewelry

Rose Binoya, Ahtee's Blog
Rossana De Gaspari, Rdegas Blog

Sandi James, Do Be Do Bead Do
Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
Sandra Wollberg, City of Brass Stories
Sarah Goode, Pookledo  My Anxiety Preventor!

Sarah Small, blog by salla
Shai Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings
Shawn Mills, Shawn Marie Designs with Bent Wire
Sheila Davis, Stone Designs by Sheila

Sheryl Stephens, Babble Bead
Shiraz Biggie, Secret Song Designs


Solange Collin,  Ahowin Handcrafted Jewelry
Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads
Stephanie Dixon, The Dixon Chick  My Official Blog Hop Partner
Susan Kennedy, Sue Beads
Susan Sheehan, Strands of Thought
Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beadphoria
Sweet Freedom, Sweet Freedom Designs
Tabatha Dinger, Modernly Created
Tania Hagen, Pelima Jewellery Design

Tanya Boden, Fusion Muse
Terri Gauthier, Blooming Ideas
Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo
Tracy Stillman, Tracy Stillman Designs

Thrift Shop Blog Hop Challenge.... Rags to Riches!

I finished my Thrift shop challenge! And a challenge it has been too.... I have made and unmade 3 things with my poor little broken necklace and finally realised I had been trying too hard. So I decided to do what I normally do and just stare at it for a while, put it away and leave it. Thankfully it worked and the idea came as I was playing songpop with Sarah.... 99 Red Balloons! Ok, ok, there are not 99 beads here but that's when the images began to pop. I slept on it and then made it this morning. Just one false start this time until I ended up with this double/wrap bracelet with the connectors & extension chain taken from my 50p bargain and put together with Swarovski Pearls & some sumptuous Red Coral. I realise some of you may have a problem with the use of Coral.... my apologies if you do. But I love it and am really pleased with the end result. Thank you Miss Goode for challenging my addled brain.

So now it's time for me to see what everyone else made. Please look too! Here is the list of the other participants in this hop:

Sarah - www.pookledo.blogspot.co.uk
Deb - http://greenshoot.blogspot.co.uk/
Kimberley - http://goddessesandbeads.blogspot.co.uk/
Skye - http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.co.uk/
Ambra - http://chicandfrog.wordpress.com/
Beti - http://stringingfool.blogspot.com/
Emma - www.apolymerpenchant.com
Shelley - www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com
Tammie -  http://ttedesigns.blogspot.co.uk/
Leah - http://beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.co.uk/
Denielle - www.somebeadsandotherthings.com
Keri Lee - http://www.pinklemonade.typepad.com
Rochelle - acreativechelle.blogspot.com
Pam - http://pamelas-studio.blogspot.com/
Ingetraud - http://ingetraud.wordpress.com/
Audrey - http://esperianterra.blogspot.com/ 
Julie Anne - www.thepeacefulbead.com 
Sharyl - http://www.sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com
Micheladas - http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com  
Lo -   http://thecreativeklutz.blogspot.co.uk/
Kala - http://maybejustperhaps.blogspot.co.uk

Me! - http://jobunkum.blogspot.co.uk

Thrift Store Blog Hop

My friend Sarah over at Pookledo invited me to join her Thrift Store Blog Hop whilst I waited for my Bead Soup to arrive. It sounded so challenging, I just had to have a go! The idea is to purchase an item from a charity shop for £1 ($1.50) and turn it into jewellery. Well I'm all for mixed media and upcycling but I fell for this poor little broken necklace. It only cost 50 pence. What a bargain!

Now I just have to make it into something else..... wish me luck!

Here is a list of the other participants in this Blog Hop. Please pay them a visit to see their Thrift Store Pieces.

Sarah - www.pookledo.blogspot.co.uk

Deb - http://greenshoot.blogspot.co.uk/

Kimberley - http://goddessesandbeads.blogspot.co.uk/

Skye - http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.co.uk/

Ambra - http://chicandfrog.wordpress.com/

Beti - http://stringingfool.blogspot.com/

Emma - www.apolymerpenchant.com

Shelley - www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com

Tammie -  http://ttedesigns.blogspot.co.uk/

Leah - http://beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.co.uk/

Denielle - www.somebeadsandotherthings.com

Keri Lee - http://www.pinklemonade.typepad.com 

Rochelle - acreativechelle.blogspot.com

Pam - http://pamelas-studio.blogspot.com/

Ingetraud - http://ingetraud.wordpress.com/

Audrey - http://esperianterra.blogspot.com/ 

Julie Anne - www.thepeacefulbead.com 

Sharyl - http://www.sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com

Micheladas - http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com 

Good luck to you all, I'm looking forward to seeing your finished creations.

Race For Life

Yesterday I did the Race for Life with some of my workmates. We have managed to raise £315.00 so far which is fantastic. If you can spare a pound or two please click on the picture below to be taken to the JustGiving Page:

 This is our team: Stacy, Leah, Claire, Vicki, Hazel, Little Laura and Me.

In case you have never heard of it, Race For Life is an annual event which raises money and awareness for Cancer Research UK.

 Cancer Research UK is the world's leading charity dedicated to beating cancer through research. We are fighting cancer on all fronts, finding new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat it to save more lives. We are entirely funded by the public. With your help, we can ensure more people beat cancer.

I would love to say I ran all the way but I didn't. In fact I walked more that I ran. The whole thing has highlighted that I am in terrible shape. The photo's are terrible (I would un-tag myself if it wasn't for the good cause) and it's left me feeling quite low and with very little confidence once more. So... next year I plan to be fit. And slimmer. I hope to run all the way next year and then maybe I'll feel like I have achieved something.