16 April 2014

Spring Fever Challenge



Color makes me happy, and this pile o' loveliness was too alluring to ignore. So back in February when it was most definitely winter outside, Miss Lesley offered a chance to play in the Spring Fever Design challenge that she cooked up with some other lovely ladies. I could not sign up fast enough. You see, winter has been lingering on far too long. And just when the grass was greening up and the birds were starting to chirp, this happened....

Sunday... there was grass.
Monday... there was sticky, drippy, clumpy, heavy snow!

Pretty... for December. Not so much for April 14th!
ARGH!

So playing with these fresh springy beads made me feel a teensy bit better. Thank you to Miss Lesley of THEA Elements, Miss Caroline of Blueberri Beads and Miss Claire of Smitten Beads for the happy dose of pretty that the shared with me! Of course, I neglected to snap a picture of all of this before I dug in, so you will have to see if you can pick out my random bunch from the pile o' fun pictured below.


That is a whole lot of happy right there! How can you not smile when faced with this awesomeness?


I started with this little birdie bead from Miss Caroline. Little tulips adorn the creamy body. So stinkin' cute! I just recently purchased some vintage Lucite fiber optic top drilled beads from a destash that were the perfect match to the pink flowers. And it just so happened that I had a strand of top drilled pearls in a fresh citrus green sitting on my table. I have been wanting to use this adorable little beaded link for eons. I believe this is from my friend Miss Kristen Stevens. That is sort of the blinged out 'nest.' I finished it off with a little strip of the dyed sari silk ribbon in a lovely sage to mauve shade and a rhinestone connector clasp. I call this Nestling In as this is just what the birdies are trying to do around here! That is, before the snow!



I really am not a big fan of pink. But there were these lovely pink ceramic rounds from Miss Lesley in the mix. Also sitting on my messy desk space were these new gunmetal spike dangles. I like to mix opposites in my work... the pink is soft and girly and the black spikes are hard and more masculine. And to keep it from being too goth-preppy I added these bling balls that were also just sitting there. (Clearly, I have a lot of beads that I never put away after I buy them!). I am calling these The Softer Side of Tough as this has a great balance of hard and soft, round and spiky, matte and sparkly.

And finally, I had time to make this necklace I am calling Pick a Posie. I used the other wee birdie and the leaf bead from Miss Caroline. I have these little wooden flower spacers that are really cute. These spacers are the result of me digging in the clearance bins at Walmart. Clearly, no bead goes unloved in my world. They were stacked together spacing out some horrendous acrylic beads but I saw the possibilities in them (and threw out the beads they were supposed to highlight!). Goes to show that there is potential in everything! I wanted to highlight the daisy shape by weaving them in and out with some lime green SoftFlex beading wire in Chrysoprase. As luck would have it, I happened upon a cream ceramic flower from Lisa Peters Art that has the same exact shape. You can't really tell in this picture, but there are tiny gold dots all over the surface. The back is the rest of the sari silk ribbon from Miss Claire and some more of those rhinestone connector clasps that I totally love (I think I bought every one in every color they had when they were for sale at Michaels last year!).

I haven't been up to the task of making much in the past month or so as I have been focused on some family matters, so it felt good to have something light a fire under me! Wouldn't these make great gifts for Mothers' Day? If you are interested in any of these creations, please let me know! Otherwise,  I will be putting them in my website shortly.


I feel pretty good that I used almost all of the pieces that were sent to me. I only have the heart shaped pendant with a rose on it and one little dottie mauve barrel bead spacer from Miss Lesley left over (see below).


Instead of letting them languish in the depths of my overstuffed studio, I am going to give them away! I figure that if we all pass a bit of sunshine around there might be enough warmth to melt the snow and bring on the real flowers! The only way to enter is to leave a comment on this post and it only takes one comment to win (but please be sure that I can contact you via email by turning that feature on in your profile or putting it in the comment!). I will select a winner of the pendant and bead (and who knows what else will make its way in the package!) next week!

Please check out all the other participants and get your dose of spring fever!

Caroline Dewison - http://www.blueberribeads.co.uk 
Erin Prais – Hintz – http://treasures-found.blogspot.co.uk/ < you are here
Klassy Joolz - http://klassyjoolz.blogspot.co.uk/
Toltec Jewels - JewelSchoolFriends.com

37 comments:

Caroline said...

Beautiful designs Erin, I love the necklace, those little flower beads are really cute!

Thank you for joining us in the challenge!

Karen Z said...

I love that you started with the 'not spring' foto and then brightened my day! Thanks for the giveaway too. tnk2000@roadrunner.com

Suhana Hart said...

Absolutely stunning bracelet, necklace is gorgeous too but I love the little bit of bling on the bracelet from the beaded ring (?):)

baymoondesign said...

Erin~I love your work and you out did yourself on this blog hop. I think it is pretty cool that you look in the discount bins at Walmart! I really like how you wove the beading wire through the flowers. I also like how you made a little nest with the sari ribbon. I always struggle to use sari ribbon and you always pull it off. I would love to pin the ceramics you are giving away. baymoondesign@gmail.com

Cassi said...

Your designs are beautiful! And we had that same depressing snow here in northern Illinois. That was a bad day :-)

I would be incredibly happy to work with that focal!

Jean Katherine Baldridge said...

TOTAL LOVE for what you created !!!

You and these divine beads? essence of Spring! No matter about the snow! jean xoxox

Claire Lockwood said...

Wow! These are all gorgeous creations! How neatly everything matches up!: the top-drilled vintage beads and the pearls; the wooden daisies and the ceramic flower! All very sweet indeed!

Carol Briody said...

Hi Erin! My favorite bead, among the entire grouping of hop beads (upon seeing that first amazing! picture of the entire group offered for the Spring challenge), was that darn cutie little tulip bird from Caroline! It made me run right over to her Etsy shop to purchase one! Your bracelet is perfection! Those are wonderful colors together. I'm loving the necklace with those rescued posies, too..we all must keep eyes-open to 'possibilities' in life. The earrings..pretty cool!

Chelle said...

I love your designs. The bracelet is gorgeous.

Klassy Joolz said...

Hi Erin,

Your designs are always a delight to see! Love them all. Bling is always good!

Smiles, Pam

Silver Parrot said...

Beautiful pieces, Erin! And although I can't envy you your weather (as we have already had 90 degree days here LOL), I so totally envy you for getting to play in such a brightly colored and fun blog hop! I definitely missed out on a great opportunity, darn it!!

Faerystone said...

Wow these are all so beautiful i am in awe x

Shel said...

Such wonderful designs Erin! As always, I'm drawn to your style and the way you mix things up - love those earrings especially - they are just fab!! The photo of all the art beads and ribbons is just over the top gorgeous, too - makes me ready for Easter weekend! :-)

kristibasket said...

Wow, your pieces are amaZing!! :) I love the bracelet! I always can't wait to see what you might create!

Unknown said...

Such a beautiful welcome for Spring! I hope you get more sunshine outside your window soon!

Unknown said...

I have tears!!!! How in the world you take my day which started out awesome and then turned in a direction that I neither wanted or needed so here I am checking out the blog to cheer me up and you go and include me in another one of your amazing pieces of art. I am so truly thankful for you! YOU are always a something GOOD!!!!!

oh and PS you know I am here to take any of your orphans!!!

PSS I also need to make you a few more blingy blings!! Add those to the package I am amassing for you.

Lori Anderson said...

That beaded link was the perfect touch. Excellent!

Lesley Lane said...

Stunning designs and photos. The bracelet is my favourite, you have complemented that cute bird bead so well.

Dolores Raml said...

Awesome pieces! We're still getting snow yet today, don't know where our spring has gone.
Would love the chance to win those awesome beads you have left.

Shai Williams said...

I am so not a pink girl but I just love the edge you gave those earrings. They are so something I would wear.

I would love to give the focal and the bead a good home so please toss my name in the hat.

Unknown said...

Love your jewelry and the colors make me yearn for spring after six months of Wisconsin winter!
Mary maryredman@tds.net

KayzKreationz said...

I love your bracelet. So spring feeling. And the necklace is wonderful. I love that you used the wooden flower spacers instead of the other beads in the necklace. Would love a chance to win the beads. My e-mail is in my blog profile.

My Life Under the Bus said...

That Posie necklace is the bomb! Love those wooden flowers!

Therese's Treasures said...

Hi Miss Erin,
Your pieces are all beautiful! When I saw the beaded ring in your bracelet I said to myself "oh wow Erin has learned to bead weave", but a last not so. Isn't strange how something that was meant to be an non important bead in a string of beads turns out to be the ones we think are the most important. I love the earrings just the right amount of contrast. If you were to put your beads away I don't think you would be as lucky to find the perfect component telling you to pick them to go into your design. Thank you for wanting to share your beautiful loot with one of us.
Therese

Ann Schroeder said...

I always love everything you create, and the pieces for this challenge are no exception. You just have the eye! The story of how you got those wooden flowers is proof! It's fun to see what you put together. Thanks for sharing.

Toltec Jewels for Jewel School Friends said...

Oh, what a gorgeous post, Erin! A treasure ;) Love "Pick a Posie" -- gorgeous sari silk and brass, and the Soft Flex looks great showing! Nice use of that technique to add the spring green and highlight the ribbon. A lovely home for your sweet bird. "The Softer side of Tough" rocks! Love the ballet colorway, the strength in that. And finally, stunning "Nestle In" -- the vintage lucite and pearls look exceptional together. What a superb bracelet! Brilliant. x Rita

Kim Stevens said...

You are so good at what you do Erin. I can safely say that I could close my eyes and point to anything you make and I would love it. And all those spring beads....I need a paper bag! lol

Love the clasp in the bracelet!! I've been working on a necklace, copper enameled flowers, in my metals class and I hope I can get it done in the next four class times!!

Unknown said...

I love all 3 pieces you've created. I can't pick a favorite since they're all beautiful. I love what you did with the sari silk. That's my own personal challenge these days....incorporating textiles into my jewelry.

Lesley said...

beautiful work as always - thanks for joining our challenge.

Unknown said...

Beautifully designed pieces as always Erin!! Love them all!! Thanks for a chance to win too!

Unknown said...

Like the earrings a lot. Inspires me to mix it up a bit more.

The Cabby Crafter said...

I love everything that you made. The assortment f beads is just... Delicious!

Shee Sews said...

Wow that bracelet is defo a wake me up spring is here, I love the delicious pink mixed with the green and art bead. You are so funny in your descriptions to. I can't believe you didn't use those lovely yummy beads so yes please I loved mine so much and hoped for pink in mine that the chance to get another has me all excited :D

Anonymous said...

You always make such beautiful pieces Miss Erin! Don't think I can pick a favourite, might be a tie between the necklace and the bracelet! (melissa_trudinger at yahoo dot com)

Laurel said...

Love all the spring colors and the flowers and birds! I've been playing a lot lately with rose and green, so the two beads would add tremendously to my stash. I do love your designs, Erin. Thanks for sharing!!

Sagheer said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Becky Pancake said...

Awesome designs Miss Erin. You always seem to know the perfect accents. I too go through the dollar bins at Walmart and I have found many usable beads there.

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin