Baby Belly Update!

33 weeks pregnant today! We enjoyed a nice weekend in New Hampshire. The weather was beautiful all weekend. Josh took this pic while we were on a walk. Sure is a little tough getting around being this pregnant! Just walking or standing for a while wears me out, but I'm hanging in there! :)

Sunrise

My last minute entry into the Art Bead Scene (ABS) monthly challenge. The inspiration for the month of August is the painting "Sunrise" by John Savitsky.

The radiating sun in this painting really speaks to me. I love the sun motif and the colors in this artwork. These are some of my favorite colors to work with in my jewelry designs!

I used a carved coconut shell pendant for the focal and honey-colored Greek leather for the bail. The pendant is strung on a beaded strand of natural beads, gemstones and textured ceramic beads by Marti Conrad. More Greek leather in a dark chocolate up both sides and around the back. The necklace is finished off with a drilled beach stone by Pam McKay for a loop and bead closure.

There's still time to enter! You can check out all the entries so far this month at the ABS flickr gallery!

Whirlpool

I love designing simple, casual jewelry with earthy, rustic elements. Something you would wear with jeans and a t-shirt. Every day active jewelry. This ceramic pendant by Indian Creek Studios, reminds me of a vacation we took a few years ago at Niagara Falls. We hiked along the Niagara river where there is a huge raging whirlpool. It was beautiful and awe inspiring! This pendant reminds me of that whirlpool. It has a texture to it that looks like moving water! Visit Indian Creek Studios shop and blog to see more of Pam's ceramic beads and jewelry components! :)

Blogger Award

A couple of beady friends here in blog land were sweet enough to pass on this blog award! Thank you Kristen and Courtney! :) Now, according to the award rules, I must share 7 things about myself and pass the award on to 7 other blogs, so here it goes:

1. Summer and Autumn are my favorite seasons.
2. I love nature and spending time outdoors, especially during my favorite times of the year!
3. I'm deeply inspired by foreign cultures and concepts.
4. I enjoy working with others and I seem to work best when collaborating on projects.
5. I love teaching jewelry-making and sharing the joy of beading!
6. I love jewelry and beading books and I collect many.
7. I hope to write my own jewelry-making book one day. 

Below are 7 other blogging artists worthy of mention, although I love many others as well. Please check out these fabulous jewelry and bead artists! Some of them may be new to you, so don't miss' em!

Suburban Girl Studio

Lucid Moon Studio 

Sharon's Jewelry Garden 

Stefanie's Sammelsurium


Clay Designs by Glee

Yolanda's Clay 

MaryAnn Carroll

Sea Glass and Silk

Sea Glass and Silk

Necklace inspired by my trip to Maine!

On our way back from Boothbay Harbor, we stopped at The Beadin' Path in Freeport, Maine! This was my first time to this famous bead store. A great bead shop and I can't wait to go back there again for some more shopping! In the mean time, I will be visiting their website. I got all the supplies for this necklace at their shop in Freeport. I love these glass nugget beads, they look just like real sea glass!