Summer Elements Blog Hop

WELCOME

to the

SUMMER

ELEMENTS

Blog Hop

 Celebrating

our favorite

Element of Summer

Sweet Summer AIR

Sweet Summer WATER

Summertime FIRE

Our Summer EARTH

Summery SPIRIT

One of my favorite elements of summer is the living earth: growing, blooming, flowering. 

The long days lift my spirit.

The gentle evenings nurture my soul.

I love gardening, and healing foods. Every morning I have berries and vegetables to start my day. Summer bounty gives me such joy. I especially love berries, which give my body healthfulness, and often keep me out of my wheelchair. 

Last spring, I thought about the coming summer and asked two incredible artists if they might create custom beads: blueberries!

My wish came true:

I received beautiful polymer clay blueberries custom made by Lennis Carrier of Windbent on Etsy.

And beautiful polymer clay blueberries custom made by Marlene Cupo of Amazing Designs on ArtFire.

I was inspired to create blueberry vine jewelry, and thus began my search and wish for blueberry art beads, after coming across this lovely rustic woodland wedding blueberry crown: 

Sweet Little Sparrow on Etsy creates beautiful wedding crowns, headbands, and pins!  

I created my blueberry cluster:

Blueberry vine made with twisted wire.
Beads, Baubles & Jewels has a video tutorial on this simple branching technique.

And used the blueberry "vine" for a blueberry necklace. I used soft sari ribbon for the large, lovely leaves of blueberry vines. 

My daughter says she feels like a goddess wearing the special summer necklace! We both giggled and had fun wearing the whimsical necklace :)  

The depth of colors using both Marlene's and Lennis' beads created a rich, delicious blueberry plant. A delight!

Blessings and thanks! 

Enjoy our Summer Celebration of jewelry, beads, crafts, poems, recipes, and fun!

Thank you for joining in my blog hop! I'm happy to enter all the participants who've shared in a giveaway. I'll be posting the winner of $25 in beads (a Lima Beads gift certificate) by next Sunday. Click here for the winner.

Thanks again everyone! 

Summer Elements Blog Hop Participants: 

Toltec Jewels (Hostess)     http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/

Marlene Cupo                   /http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com

Cheri Reed                        http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com

Ailsa Cordner                    http://www.bramalfiebeadsetc.co.uk

Nan Smith                         http://www.wirednan.blogspot.com/

Sherri Stokey                     http://www.knotjustmacrame.com

Christie (Charis Designs)    http://charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com

Carolyn Lawson                 http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com

Susie Harris                        http://jewelleryjunkie.blogspot.com/

Andrea Glick-Zenith           http://zenithjade.blogspot.com

Nelly May                          http://smellynelly.blogspot.com

Melissa Trudinger               http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com

Dini Bruinsma                     http://angazabychanges.blogspot.com

Kathy Lindemer                 http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com

Cory Tompkins                  http://tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com

Robin Reed                       http://willowdragon.blogspot.com

Gina Hockett                     http://freestyleelements.blogspot.com

Karen Martinez                 http://www.fairiesmarket.blogspot.com

Liz                                    http://beadcontagion.blogspot.com

Jasvanti Patel                     http://jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com

Solange Collin                    http://www.blog.ahowinjewelry.com

Gerda                                http://gerdascraftsblog.blogspot.com

Karla Morgan                    http://texaspepperjams.blogspot.com/

Anindita Basu                     http://alankarshilpa.blogspot.com/

Alicia Marinache                http://www.allprettythings.ca

Andrea Trank                    http://heavenlanecreations.com/

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com

Mischelle Fanucchi             http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com

Tanty Sri Hartanti               http://tjewellicious.blogspot.com/

Shaiha Williams                  http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com

Mary Govaars                    http://mlhjewelrydesigns.com

Becca Sirevaag                  http://godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com

Lennis Carrier                    http://windbent.wordpress.com

Regina Wood                     http://www.gina-design.blogspot.com

Sue Kennedy                     http://suebeads.blogspot.com

Kathleen Breeding             https://www.facebook.com/99BOBOTW

Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!