Happy New Year!

I hope you and yours enjoyed the holidays! Our family had a fun time together and enjoyed visiting with family. The highlight was definitely my boys. They continue to fill my life with light and laughter and my holidays with warmth and love. We indulged in plenty of delicious food and and sweet scrumptious treats! Mark and I savored our time together on New Years Eve. We relaxed and hung out at home, ordered Chinese food, watched a movie and rang in the new year. Wouldn't have missed it! I hope it's going to be a happy, healthy and creative one for us all!!!

We had a nice little surprise snowstorm on December 29th, that started in the afternoon. We don't get a lot of snow normally (except last December when we had 20"), but I get so excited when we do! We got about 4+", but the temperature rose above freezing by late morning. It was beautiful while it lasted, big fluffy flakes and so quiet. Ran and grabbed my camera for a few pictures. To friends that are enduring the frigid Arctic Blast...I hope you and yours are safe and that you are staying warm!!!

I received a tripod for Christmas and was so excited to get a picture of the Blue Moon. We set it up for the first time on December 30th, and got a couple pictures of the moon between the clouds. I was glad that we tried that evening because it was raining on the 31st, and the moon wasn't visible at all. I'm looking forward to playing with it more and hoping for better photos.


I'm hoping that the New Year Eve's blue moon added some extra magic to 2010!

I am still working on two gifts for friends and I also signed up for the Bead Journal Project again. As some of you know, I decided to make Christmas gifts this year. I knew with my other obligations and the holidays that I didn't have time to weave or embroider them all. So I decided to get out my tools and make a variety of earrings and necklace sets. I saw a necklace design awhile ago that I fell in love with and thought they would love it also. So I ordered some beads, sterling silver components, earring findings, etc.

These earrings are made with 15.5 x 14mm Swarovski Jet Flat Briolettes. They are held in place with Antique Silver Plated Pewter Vine Pinch Bails and are hung on Sterling Silver French Hook Earwires with Coils. They hang approximately 7/8" from Earwires.

These earrings are made with Hill Tribe Silver 13mm Hammered Ring connected with a Sterling Silver Open Jump Ring to a Hill Tribe Silver 20 mm Hammered Ring. They are suspended on Hill Tribe Silver Ball End Earwires and hang 1-1/4".

These earrings are made with an old pair of silver beads from my stash. They are not Sterling Silver, but they are very pretty and lightweight for their size. A 5mm Swarovski Round Jet Crystal Bead is wire wrapped on a SS Head Pin and is dangling from the Eye Pin. These are hung on Sterling Silver Earwires. They measure 1-3/4" from Earwires.

These earrings are made with an old pair of silver beads from my stash. They are not Sterling Silver, but they are really pretty and lightweight for their size. Two 4mm Swarovski Round Jet Crystal Beads are wire wrapped on a SS Head Pin. These are hung on Sterling Silver Lever-Back Earwires. They measure 1-1/2".

These earrings are made with a Hill Tribe Silver 13mm Hammered Rings and Hill Tribe Silver 12 x 12mm Hammered Heart Beads. They are wire wrapped to the Hammered Ring on a SS Head Pin with two 4mm Swarovski Indicolite AB Bicone Beads. They are hung on the Sterling Silver Earwires with two Sterling Silver Open Jump Rings. These hang 1-1/4".

Note: I love these hearts, but was a bit frustrated with the large and odd shaped opening at the bottom. Different sizes of round and bicone shaped beads didn't fit very well and neither did a Bali Head Pin. I would probably order a heart pendant next time versus the bead for a nicer looking finish at the bottom of the heart.*

These earrings are made with Sterling Silver Hammered 3-Loop Teardrop Chandelier Findings. They measure 29 x 17mm. Three 6mm Swarovski Indicolite AB Bicone Beads were strung on a SS Head Pin and wire wrapped to each of the loops. This pair was hung on Sterling Silver Interchangeable Lever-Back Earwires. They measure 1-1/2".

These earrings are made with two oval gemstones and I believe they are Rainforest Jasper. They have Hill Tribe Silver 4mm Flower Stamped Beads and 3mm Swarovski Olivine Bicone Beads that are wire wrapped on a SS Head Pin. These are hung on SS French Earwires. They measure 1".

This is the necklace that I saw and knew that I wanted to make. This 'Leaves and Flower' necklace is made with Hill Tribe Silver pieces. It measures 16" and has a 2" SS chain extender to increase the length to 18". The leaf and flower pendants are hanging from a strand of tiny silver faceted 1.5mm beads. It has a SS lobster clasp and I wire wrapped a white fresh water pearl to the end of the chain.

The earrings are Hill Tribe Silver leaves that are 13 x 31mm and are hanging from Hill Tribe Silver Earwires. It is a beautiful set and the leaves and flower pendants move and make a beautiful soft jingle sound.

Artbeads declared December as their month for Silver and Glass Components for their Blogging Program. These are the pieces I chose to create with and share:

1 - Large Thai Silver Picture Pendant - 39 x 21.5mm
1 - Line-Grooved Square Toggle Clasp - Loop 19 x 15mm, Bar 24mm
4 - Bali Head Pins with Granulation - **4 Head Pins you ask...yep, just in case I goof up! ;-)
2 - 12mm Bali Beads with Flattened Dots

These Thai beads and pendants are made by the Karen Hill Tribe in northern Thailand using traditional tribal methods passed down from generation to generation. Purchasing these Thai beads helps sustain a traditional craft and provides the Karen people with a reliable source of income. The silver content in our Hill Tribes silver beads and pendants is typically 95-99%, even higher than sterling (92.5%). This higher silver content is softer and therefore easier to shape into all the unique and wonderful styles. On close inspection you will notice that no two pieces are exactly alike, attesting to the handmade nature of these beautiful pieces. Because of the higher silver content, Hill Tribe Silver does not tarnish as quickly as Sterling Silver.

Here is a close up of the Thai Silver Picture Pendant

I made these earrings with the 12mm Sterling Silver Bali Bead with Flattened Dots and added a 10mm Swarovski Round Pearl Mystic Black Bead. They are wire wrapped using the Bali Sterling Silver Head Pin with Granulation. These are hung on SS French Hook Earwires with Coils and measure 1".

I used the Large Thai Silver Picture Pendant as the focal piece in this necklace. It measures 16" and has a 2" Sterling Silver Cable Chain extender to increase the length to 18". I wire wrapped and attached to the chain, three individual 5mm Swarovski Round Jet Beads and a Hill Tribe Silver Small Leaf Charm with two 3mm Swarovski Round Jet Beads. There is a Sterling Silver Lobster Claw Clasp. It is strung with Hill Tribe Silver Faceted 2 x 1mm silver beads with four Swarovski 3mm Round Jet beads with the picture pendant as the focal piece.

The dangle earrings are made with Sterling Silver Cable Chain. I wire wrapped five individual 8mm Swarovski Round Jet Beads to the chain. These are hung on Sterling Silver Earwires. They measure 1-1/4".

I decided to string one more necklace, 'Leaves and Pearls', using the Hill Tribe Line-Grooved Square Toggle Clasp. There is one 8mm white freshwater pearl wire wrapped and attached to the loop side of the clasp. It measures 18". There are three Hill Tribe Silver Leaf Pendants and three individual 8mm white freshwater pearls that are wire wrapped. These hang from a strand of Hill Tribe Silver tiny faceted 1.5mm beads.

The earrings are made with a 9mm white freshwater pearls and Hill Tribe Silver 4mm Flower Stamped Beads. They are wire wrapped and hang from Hill Tribe Silver Earwires.

In November, Artbeads kindly sent me a $20 gift certicate! I decided that it would be fun to put a package together for a giveaway. I purchased the same Large Hill Tribe Silver Picture Pendant that I used in the above necklace. For this giveaway, I have included the Hill Tribe Silver Picture Pendant 39 x 21.5mm, 24" of ZambaPro 49 .019 Nylon Coated Stainless Steel Beading Wire, 2" of Sterling Silver Cable Chain, 2 - 2x2mm Sterling Crimp Tubes, 2 - 3mm Sterling Crimp Covers and a Sterling Silver Lobster Claw. I would have included two cable stringing thimbles, but I ran out when I took the picture below. I will include in the package two Sterling Silver Cable Stringing Thimbles. All you have to add are the beads of your choice for stringing!

So leave a comment and tell me which one of the three necklace sets was your favorite. I'll accept comments through Saturday, January 16th, and post the winner on Sunday, January 17th. See you then! ~Lisa

Disclosure Statement: I have received the above items free of charge from Artbeads, and I am honestly reviewing the products and have not been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received.