Pine Ridge Treasures Clay & Metal Blog Hop

Welcome to my first ever blog!  First, a huge thank to you Lisa Lodge for not only hosting this wonderful hop, but for reassuring me that I could actually create a blog!  She was even nice enough to spend some of her valuable time talking me through creating a blog since I was pretty ignorant about the whole process.  I'm not a spring chicken so I didn't grow up with all the fancy dancy technology of today's age (hey, don't judge...one day you'll say the same thing!).  Now on to the hop...

I arrived home one day to find the anticipated blog hop package in my mailbox.  As usual, I listened to the hubby say "How many more beads do you need?"  He's apparently a slow learner because a beader will NEVER have enough beads (do I hear a loud applause?).  Then the hubby got to listen to me squeal with delight and I got the ever-annoying eye roll.  Now, take a look at why I squealed with delight:

As usual, beady scrumptiousness!  I instantly loved the gorgeous metal pendant made by Sharyl McMillian-Nelson!  Be sure to check out her stores at http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/SharylsJewelry and https://www.etsy.com/shop/Metapolies.  She has some most wonderful items created by her own two hands.  That's impressive!  I also fell in love with the purple/orchid crystals supplied by Lisa.  I'm always a sucker for anything sparkly (yes. I was THAT child of my parents who always wanted sequins or sparkles on her clothing).  Be sure to check out Lisa at http://www.zibbet.com/pineridgetreasures.

I didn't want to add a lot of extra beads to what I'd already received because I didn't want to take away from that beautiful metal pendant.  I'm still in awe that Sharyl made it by hand!  I wanted to keep the necklace simple and let the pendant speak for itself so here's what I came up with:

I didn't want to add a lot to the pendant & beautiful crystals, I merely wanted to enhance what I saw in the pendant.  It reminds of what little snowfall we get here in the south. You know, the kind in which a dusting will bring a major city to a complete halt!  It brings back memories of when I was a child and we got several inches of ice & snow in the 70's, stuck at home with no power for almost a week, and trying to convince our parents we could play outside all day and not get sick.  It was during that rare time that I would stand outside in the snow and ice and watch the colors dance around on the snow and look oh so sparkly!  That's what Sharyl's pendant reminds me of...that wonderful feeling of seeing something so bright white reflect all the colors the world has to offer.  Beauty at its best!

I had so much fun with my first blog and hope you did too!  Please be sure to check out all the other wonderful creations by these fabulous ladies...so hop on over to their blogs!

Your hostess:  Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Shaiha Williams,   Shaiha's Ramblings

Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends

Heather Richter, Desert Jewelry Designs

Marybeth Rich, A Few Words from within the Pines

Kim Dworak, Cianci Blue

Karen Grosset Grange, Ginkgo et Coquelicot

Ann Schroeder, Bead Love

Lisa Prewitt Knappenberger, LiRaysa Designs

Carol Briody, A Beads Life

Miranda Ackerley, MirandAck

Kari Asbury, Hippie Chick Design

Susan Anderson, La Main Tresor

LeAnne Loftus, First Impression Design

Leithleach Seodra, Alainn Jewelry