MJM Jewelry Designs: August 2012

Well, I guess the crowd in my head cheered because it's that time of the year again!

BACK TO SCHOOL!!!
The kids are heading back this coming week and I couldn't be more thrilled.

The kids, however, not so much.

But it's been a long summer, they have done SO many things. We've spent endless time outside and they all have lots of memories and stories to tell all their friends when school begins again.

In honor of this most festive occasion, I am having a sale in my Etsy shop!

20% off everything in the store!

The coupon code is BACKTOSCHOOL2012

Some of my favorite pieces are in there just waiting for new homes. I'd like to make room for some new things that I've been creating. And I'm on an earring kick. So more earrings should be posted throughout the week next week.

So take a few minutes and stop by the shop, have a look around. I don't have these sales often, so if you see something you like, I'd grab it fast. Remember, most of my pieces are One of a Kind, so you probably wont see it again.

Back to school means more time for designing! I always say that, but I'm really trying to take advantage of the time that the house is quiet and it's just me... and the beads. :)

Well the day has finally arrived! It's my turn to reveal my bead soup!

My partner this time around was Martha Aleo, and she sent me some very cool beads to work with.

I thought for a while on what I should do with these beads and I wanted to try something that I am not all that accustomed to making. It ended up being a multi strand bracelet with different beads...no symmetry. Which is not like me all! I generally like things all neat and tidy and the SAME, but as I grow as an artist, I have found that things can be just as beautiful in an asymmetrical way.

Here is what I came up with:

I wanted to use a little bit of everything she sent me. I used the beautiful lampwork glass beads on one strand, found some black Swarovski Pearls that matched the circles, and put Swarovski Crystals inside each one, and used some of the green tube beads. The third strand is actually a piece of black chain that I had left over from my last beads soup with Pam Ferarri! It was perfect and completed this multi strand bracelet exactly as I wanted it to. I used her handmade clasp as well, and I'm really happy with how it turned out!

I also made a matching pair of earrings:

Using the rest of the lampwork beads and some of the black clay disks that she made, I love how these came out! I love my dangles, and these are great!

I have a ton of materials left over, and had all intentions of creating more, but kind of ran into a snag this past week. I had some water damage on the roof of the back room on my house and unfortunately when I started tearing into it, it turned out to be so much worse than I could have ever imagined. I've been in rebuild mode all week and have had to devote all my time to that and keeping my house together! I'm so glad I got an early start and was able to get what I wanted made for the reveal! Now I have a great stash to continue to creating with for some time to come!

Can't wait to see what Martha designed with what I sent her! Let's go check it out together now...

Thanks for stopping by!

Be sure to visit the rest of the participants on this reveal date, they are listed below!

Thanks Lori for another fun event!!

Hostess, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Adlinah Kamsir, Dream Struck Designs

Adrienn Lukacs, Raszputyin Designs

Agata Grygiel, Cytherea Bijoux

Alenka Obid, Pepita Handmade

Amy Dickerson, Damyjo Designs

Amy Schmidt, Amy's Treasure

Amy Severino, Amy Beads