"Another time" - Earrings and buttons!

I spend a day sorting through my room (work and crafting room). It is chaotic, still not even sorted completely from our move (1 and a half year ago... uhm...), overfull... *sighs* A day is not enough but that was all energy I could invest. I got rid of a lot of things... some in the trash and more to friends. I also gave old buttons and crochet lace away (I asked in facebook who would like to have some for their work). I still have a lot more crafting stuff to give away... and even more to sort out... we will see.

But even while I sorted out a lot of buttons... there were some I kept. Like these tiny mother-of-pearl buttons. Really old and just beautiful... and since my rule is: If I want to keep it I also have to use it (no too precious stash anymore! ...or at least... not soooo big...). 

So here we go. 

 One of my biggest problem was: Which side of the buttons shall I use? Have a look at the (also original) back side: You can see the rest of the shell! How absolutely stunning are these buttons to see where they come from?

It is always a little bit difficult to catch the sparkle of glass beads in the sun with all the high contrast and dark shadows. Still the earrings look especially beautiful in the sunlight so here I tried to catch at least an impression :)

The clear beads as well as the blue and green reminds me of water... so fitting for mother-of-pearl buttons...

...and again a contrast that I also love, the perfect facetted czech glass beads and the old rough pressed glass beads...

Both earring pairs make me smile and seem to have a story of their own. This feeling... a little bit vintage, colourful bohemian and playful steampunk... just a little bit of all combined...

BSBP - What came overseas!

I am participating in the 8th "Bead Soup Blog Party" (BSBP) created and hosted by Lori! Have a look at the blog and/or join the facebook group "Bead Soup Cafe". I already watched the past BSBPs and last year missed it due to my stay in Korea. But this year, finally, I managed to sign up in time (just one day sign up but with weeks of warning ;))!

In short: sign up day february 9th / partners announced february 28th (or a little bit later ^^) / sending beads by march 14th / Blog party may 3rd!

You will send your partner a focal bead, a clasp and corresponding beads. High quality and artisan beads that you would love to receive by yourself! 

My partner is Natalie from NewZealand (how great, that is really the opposite from where I live on the world :)) and what you see at the first picture is the bead soup she send to me! Inspired by the ocean and NewZealand. One of the ideas of the BSBP is that the soup is already put together before you know your partner so that you are not choosing the favorite material/beads/colours of your partner. Instead maybe giving your partner a great challenge by having to work with these suprise beads. In this case that won't be a challenge at all for me... because... Natalie send me beads in colours (and a theme!) I just love and already integrated in my work over and over. How beautiful are all the shades of blue and green and purple?! Thank you Natalie! :)

Natalies blog is "NorthShore Days". She lives together with her two kids and her husband at the coast. Uhm... of course I stalked her after getting her address using google maps! ^^ To live so close at the ocean is really a dream! More than understandable how much this influences her work and her bead soup. 

I asked her if it would be okay if I show some of her work and images in my blog so I could show it to you (as you may already guessed by seeing her images here, she said yes). I linked all the images so you will go directly to the blog post!

Birds, you never ever go wrong with whimsical birds!

Upcycled cork, I love the colours and the look!

And the cute layered necklaces she makes. She also shows a lot of tutorials on her blog including one for these necklaces :)

Back to my bead soup... :)

The beads came together with more (non-bead) goodies for me! Like the beads a touch of New Zealand. A fabric bag with a beautiful print, chocolate and a sweet necklace made by Natalie. Have a closer look at the flower in the cabochon! Recognize the flower? :)

You know me. Sometimes I can't get enough picture... or rather am nearly completely missing any editing skills ^^

Different shapes of glass beads all in green and blue!

Purple shining in the mother of pearls...

...and facetted with veins of red and blue (can you see it?).

I already know how I will combine these little ones! ^^

Mother-of-pearl earrings and pendant

This were presents for family members. Earrings and a pendant made with mother-of-pearl pieces which were collected from our family on the spanish island Formentera (THE island ^^).

For the ones combined with red beads I used gold-plated metal parts because the recipient is allergic against most other metals (or ingredients in the metalls...).

And the pendant to the earrings with the red beads :)

You see all the tiny holes I drilled through the scallops parts?

I used my dremel for this.

It is still not to easy because the little things are so fragile.

I drilled onto a layer of foamed rubber!

If you try to drill them on a harder surface they will break!

After that I just put a lot of beads next to them to decide which combination I would like.

Glas beads are just beautiful!

I love the silver layer inside!

Now I have to look for new things to drill hole into them ^^ I love that I can now make stuff out of all the little things I find and collect...

Like memory jewellery...