It's Almost Time!!!!

For the Swap n Hop 2018!!!

I've been having a few technical difficulties as far as trying to get my pictures from my phone to my computer. Because of that, I have not been able to show you what I sent my bead swap partner Lisa Johnson of Spud & Mrs. Butters. I finally figured out a way to get my pictures, so here ya go.....

The first thing I knew I wanted to send were these abalone chips. I knew Lisa liked the more natural look, and I figured these would be perfect. 

I love abalone...all the different colors in the shell are so pretty.

I love the shape and shine of these. They go perfect with the Abalone!

You really can't tell in the picture, but these have some sparkle to them. I think I remember her saying she liked a little bit of glitz, so I tossed these in the mix.

Now, I needed some color, so I remembered I had these glass turquoise beads. So....in the went.

Now for some fun, and a bit of a challenge, I threw in some guitar strings. I have made ornaments, bracelets, earrings, keychains, pendants, etc, with used guitar strings. 

I've also used the beads off of them to put into earrings or use as spacer beads in other pieces of jewelry. I'll be curious if she does something with the guitar strings. 

My family and I love to cruise, and last year when we were in Puerto Rico, I picked these babies up! Rhodochrosite is a stone of love. The Inca called it Inca Rose. 

Some of the requirements for sending was to have something that was handmade. We were also to put in a focal.  I couldn't decided what focal, so I sent her three...all of which I made.

A wire wrapped shell piece I found while beachcombing near my old stomping grounds...Cocoa Beach, Florida. I wire wrapped this shell with a gun metal colored wire.

Then I wired wrapped some cultured sea glass and added a mermaid charm. Cultured sea glass does NOT come from the ocean or lake...it is actually tumbled by man. Sadly, the beaches I grew up around do not have sea glass....actually that is probably a good thing, because sea glass come from people throwing their glass bottles in the ocean or lake, and not in the garbage where it belongs.

Then I decided to add this piece. I have used these as a key chain, a pendant, or an ornament. If you notice the bead just below the loop on the top is a bead that came from the guitar string. This bead is what hold the string onto the instrument.

These beads are among my favorite! I love all the different colors!

Well, there you have it! That's what I sent my Bead Peeps Swap n Hop 2018 partner, Lisa Johnson. Stay tuned for the beauties she sent me, and what I do with them. The reveal date is April 6!!!!