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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

2012 Fall/Winter Pantone Bead Swap




 2012 Fall/Winter Pantone Bead Swap :

LATE NIGHT SHOUT OUT TO......Nancy Dale!!!


I could not wait until tomorrow to write this post!! 

I am in awe of the complete and utter kindness 
of strangers...
so I have to share.  

I have artist friends online. 
I have come to love chatting, comparing notes, getting advice and even ordering beads and findings 
from many of my new friends.  

In the past, 
I have observed many folks 
participating in bead swaps and blog hops.  

For a long time, 
I wondered what in the world 
a Bead Swap might entail.  

Well, around the middle of September, 
I entered my very first bead swap!  

I made the choice to participate in a swap that was hosted by "Bead Diva" Lori McDaniel Anderson.  

I picked one of her swap/hop 
because I have been a follower of her blog 
and a friend on Facebook for awhile now.  
I find Lori to be kind, encouraging, helpful and 
LOADS OF FUN!  

I felt this would be a "safe" place to start.  

The majority of bead swap/blog hops out there, randomly places partners together.  

They all have some type of theme to follow and 
a date is set to have your bead picks 
mailed to your partner.  

Once participants receive a bead package 
from their partner,
 they post pictures on their blog.  

Then each person takes their bead packages 
and creates one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces 
using items from the package.  

On a specific date, 
there is a blog hop reveal 
where everyone "hops" 
to all the participants blogs
to see the wonderful goodies 
that have been designed.  

It seemed to be incredibly fun 
and I thought it would be a great way 
to step out of my box and try something new.  

This first swap that I chose to participate, 
did not require a finished jewelry piece 
or a post on my blog.  

Since I am new at blogging, 
this one sounded perfect for me! 

In the instructions, 
we were told to 
"send a thoughtful package 
of excellent beads to your partner, 
as if you were giving a gift 
to your best friend".  

Now I can do that!!  

The theme of this swap was the new 
2012 Fall/Winter Pantone Colors.  

Yum!



Names were randomly paired by Lori 
and the names of partners were issued.  

I received the name of a wonderful designer, 

Nancy...Nancy...Nancy
 was an absolute 
first-time-swapper-dream-come-true!  

She was so encouraging, 
sweet and thoughtful!  

Her work is wonderful 
and you can check out her sites here:

I will confess...
 I was a little overwhelmed 
when I went to her web page 
and saw her Magnificent beading projects!
Complex beading that produces 
absolutely breathtaking works of art. 

I felt a little out of my field 
but Nancy was so sweet.  

We were instructed to coordinate 
with our partner and decide which colors 
we want to use in our swap.  

Nancy and I both loved 
the "French Roast" and "Honey Gold".  
We were drawn to the "Bright Chartreuse", 
even though it isn't a color we use often.  

So, to make things interesting, 
we decided to include this color 
in an effort to push our designs 
outside our comfort zones. 

So, Nancy sent me a delightful package 
with seed beads, crystals, glass beads, 
agate, pearls and more!!!


I love everything she sent! 

However, dear dear Nancy felt 
that she had not shared 
enough goodies with me. 
(Silly Woman)

And it is here, 
that I have to confess ...

I have been overwhelmed by her kindness! 

Nancy put together ANOTHER package 
and sent cabochons, shell beads, 
more crystals in all shapes and sizes 
along with MORE seed beads!!! 

And I ♥LOVE♥ the enameled pendant!!! 
I have got to learn how to do that!! LOL 

I just ♥LuV♥ Nancy!!!  
Below is the 2nd package I received (yesterday now):



Aren't these items just 
yummy, yummy, yummy!?

So, as you can see
I've got my work cut out for me!

I was going to post the bead swap package
that I put together for Nancy 
but I am now embarrassed 
at how pawdry my package looks 
in comparison to Nancy's!
 
I hope that you will go to Nancy and Lori's
site and see their fantastic work 
and maybe join in the fun.

Until next time...





4 comments:

  1. Awwww... Thank you so much for all of your kind compliments! You should post a pic of what you sent me!! You sent wonderful things!!! I'm so glad you got the second packet, and so glad that you like the things! I would love to see what you make with any of the bits, and I'm very grateful we got to meet up through the swap!!

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    Replies
    1. Nancy Dale you have been sooooo great through this whole process. I feel very blessed to have worked with you on this swap. It is so nice to make new friend!!! I am excited about all my goodies and I hope to get started on something with them next week. You will be the first to see what make....so excited! Thanks again!

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  2. Congratulations Valeria on your beautiful new blog! What a wonderful Pantone post :) I've made such special friends also because of Lori's hops and swaps. Lori is wonderful, isn't she? As is our community of jewelry designers and bead artists. Welcome to the blogging world!

    I'm so sorry about your loss in August. your fur-babies are sweet xxoo

    I just realized you have a blog for October Fest! I guess it just didn't "click" that my FB friend Valeria who posted about her blog -- is already in with her blog. I'm so proud of you :) love you so much -- and wow!! love your new blog!!!

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