Jun 16, 2013

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!

31 comments:

  1. WOW... I love blueberries. Great job to Lennis and Marlene for the wonderful beads.. Rita the necklace is beautiful. Thank you soo much for hosting the hop..It was soo much fun.

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  2. Lovely photos and thoughts! Thanks for organizing this!

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  3. OMG, Rita, I LOVE this piece!!! It's so very creative (great job by Marlene & Lennis, too) and just a bunch of fun! I'd love wearing that. Thanks for hosting this hop!

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  4. Very beautiful blueberries necklace. Wonderful thought and summer pictures. Thank you so much for this lovely adventure.

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  5. Blueberries really do say "summer" (as do all your wonderful photos), and what you've done with yours is lovely. Love the colors and the blueberry "tips" of both their beads!

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  6. Lovely necklace! I love blueberries & Those blueberries look good enough to eat, truly! Rita, Thanks for hosting & organizing this very interesting & fun hop :0

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  7. That necklace is amazing. OMG, I had no idea what you were going to do with those. I love the blueberry wedding tiara you used for inspiration too. Thank you.

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  8. That necklace is amazing. OMG, I had no idea what you were going to do with those. I love the blueberry wedding tiara you used for inspiration too. Thank you.

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  9. As always, your photos tell an amazing story and you don't need words to embellish it. Thank you so much for this fun hop. You know, when you asked me to make the blueberries (one of my favorites too, (after watermellon) I never connected the reason was for this hop. You did an incredible job with them, and I am so happy to have helped, along with being a part of this Summery Hop, and mostly your friend. {{{{Hugs}}}}

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  10. Blueberries necklace, wow, I never thought of that!!
    Very clever idea, I love it.
    Thanks again for this hop.

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  11. What an awesome necklace and adorable blueberry beads!!

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  12. Beautiful photos and creation! Thanks for hosting! I don't know how you do it all!!!

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  13. I just love your work Rita, it is so creative, thank you for having this blog hop!

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  14. I love everything in your weblog... The pictures, the text, the jewellery. You made a ♥lovely lovely necklace!

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  15. Wow! That necklace is incredible! I do have chuckle though as our rit next week is being held at Blueberry Park where you can pick all the blueberries that you want.

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  16. Beautiful necklace ! Delicious too 😄. Heading off to find me some blueberries

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  17. Wow, Rita! That blueberries necklace is awesome. The beads are so pretty. Great job!

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  18. Firstly thank you for hosting this wonderful hop!! I love seeing what everyone comes up with, each thing is so different!!

    Your blueberry necklace is just gorgeous!!!

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  19. What a beautiful necklace you made Rita! I love that Lennis and Marlene made similar but distinctly different blueberries for you too! Thanks for a fun blog hop!

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  20. I love love love this necklace, it is soooo beautiful and fun!!!

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  21. That is really a wonderful necklace. I love blueberries, and to see them in jewelry is such a treat! The use of both, slightly different, really makes this design. Way to go dear! And I love that pic with the pink planting beds!!

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  22. I love your post, photos & your necklace...
    your blueberry beads is so yummy...and you create them very nice.. ^_^

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  23. Now that's creative very pretty. Thanks so much for sponsoring the blog hop I'm always looking for ways to expand my community. I hope you have a FANTASTIC summer.

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  24. Wow, what a beautiful blueberry necklace! :) Sorry that I'm a (little) late in posting for the blog hop. Yesterday was Father's Day, and I spent it out of town with my fiance's family, and I got sick. :( Boo about the last part!

    <3,
    Andrea

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  25. What an amazing blueberry necklace. It really resonates with the spirit of summer. Gorgeous! I also enjoy the berries/fruits of summer and the long evenings. A time to recharge. I have such fun with good blog hops. Thank you for being our fearless leader.

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  26. Sorry for being late - I am here on Summer Solstice :)

    A wonderful post, Rita. I love your pink/purple garden :) But the blueberry necklace is stunning. Both Marlene and Lennis created beautiful berries - and they work together perfectly!

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  27. Big apologies for being a week late! Posted now! Will be visiting everyone's blogs later.
    Beautiful piccies - just live those blueberries.
    Xxx

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  28. I know I've already commented but I keep coming back to your page to look at your pictures. They are so beautiful and inspiring.

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  29. I love your beautiful necklace!Those blueberries look good enough to eat. Thanks for a great summertime hop. It's really a fabulous way to start the season which has been very late arriving up here in the great white north!

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  30. WOW :D those blueberry beads are SO mouthwatering and I love how you made them into a necklace. Just so lush.

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Gracias for your comments and for visiting! I appreciate every word :)
Namaste --
Rita