The Color of Dreams Blog Hop Reveal

Welcome to the Color of Dreams Blog Hop

featuring 

the art beads of Patricia Handschuh

in 

the jewelry art and designs of 50 artists

Today, 50 participating artists have created their dreams in art. Each artist has been given an orphan/ooak bead created by artist Patricia Handschuh of The Color of Dreams Boutique. The artists could create with the bead received in any way they wished, using their beads as inspiration for colorway, theme, technique. Artists were welcome to use additional Color of Dreams beads in their designs, as well as other artisan beads. The challenge was not limited to jewelry.

I created this challenge to celebrate Patricia's art -- beads that I find tranquil and inspiring, full of tropical color and beauty. Each bead is like a little piece of Floridian paradise, renewing and nurturing.  It's my joy to share Patricia's wonderful work from The Color of Dreams Boutique with our gifted community.

Beautiful Beads from The Color of Dreams Boutique

The Design Challenge

Share a dream that has come true, one you are working on now, or one you hope for in the future. The one goal of the hop: focus on our dreams as entirely possible, with the idea, "If we can dream it, we can achieve it." Create "from the end" -- as if the dream has already come true -- using your jewelry design to do so.

For my jewelry & dreams:

The Hedgehog

I started with the adorable hedgehogs Patricia makes. I love these little guys! 

I created beaded beads in peyote and RAW, and added a little sari silk to the triple ball copper findings. Although it's spring, to me these earrings carry a little autumn magic with them wherever they go. They are my dream because of the autumnal shades -- a way I can hold close the beloved fall season, even while happily living in Orlando! I adore Florida, and so many gifts have come true here for me and for my family; yet  Autumn is the one season I still feel a longing for.... So on go my hedge hog earrings and I'm there! Crunching as I walk along sidewalks full falling, turning leaves, golden in the sunset, breathing deeply the chilly air,  happy to have brought along a cup of warm coffee for my walk. 

As a power animal, the hedge hog represents someone who is curious and close to Mother Nature. The hedgehog as an animal totem reflects a person tuned into the weather (I'd be a storm chaser if I could! Another huge dream & one I like to imagine but know I won't do, so wearing my hedgehogs works well enough) who knows when rain and storms are coming, someone who disperses negativity and has a way of staying calm & practical, staying grounded through challenges -- always seeming to land on her feet! The hedgehog represents loyalty and honesty, female elder wisdom, energy, resourcefulness, inquisitiveness, protectiveness, enjoyment of life, intelligence.

Mandala bead pattern by Datz Catz Designs

Blue Roses

For my challenge of one pillow bead, I almost made a bracelet. I had everything set out -- pretty sapphire Swarovski bicones and rich Vintaj antique bronze findings & wire. But after sleeping and dreaming about our blog hop, I knew in an instant I wanted to make a beautiful beaded pendant with my pillow bead! Everything I needed to embellish the pretty periwinkle blue, cream, opaque mint and rust colored bead just seemed to appear as needed. And so I made a reversible beaded bezel full of lush sparkling embellished crystals and pearls. 

Flower Bezel pattern by Hannah Rosner

One side of the bead plays up the rust shades in the floral design and in the veins of the leaves and the blue shades of the flowers. It is embellished with Swarovski Tanzanite ABx2 bicones, blue freshwater pearls, and Chinese crystal elongated briolette drops.

The back of the pendant became a reversible focal. The crystals that support the elongated briolettes of the bezel adorn the bead by playing up the pretty mint green in the pattern with satin matte and AB bicones and sweet mint lined clear beads. I love both sides! And I love how easily the bead was to bezel and embellish! A perfect size and shape for beadwork. 

I almost thought I'd given all my Color of Dreams beads away for the hop, beside my hedgehogs, when I came across the blue flowers in an art bead bag. I remember Patricia had gifted me the beads with a purchase, and I had thanked her, explaining how I love blue roses and found it very cool that she gifted me my favorite floral motif! 

That was at least a year or two ago. I love how the special blue roses bead has now come to life! For me, it represents dreams coming true -- all dreams. The magic of life giving us what we wish for, what we love -- and the unique desires and dreams each one of us has that belong just to us. I love how our dreams make us who we are -- and as we grow and become, following our heart and soul, those desires become a diverse, harmonious, ever-expanding world. For that, for that magic of life: the infinity of dreaming, of wishing, of becoming I am so grateful. My dream is to remember that magic, to have hope and trust, to know and relish in the knowledge that anything is possible. 

My pendant honors my mom, Rosella, called Rose, who first taught me we can be, do, or have anything because to dream it is to create it. Her beauty, strength, love and wisdom is a part of me, a precious gift, forever! 

Love you, Rose. Hedgehog Hugs :)

The Giveaway

On Sunday, April 13 all Color of Dreams blog hop participants will be entered in a drawing to win this gorgeous bead set donated by Patricia Handschuh. The winner will be chosen using random.org. Good luck! The beads are stunning! 

The Artists Sharing the Color of Dreams:

Honorary Guest and Featured Artist: Patricia Handschuh
Patricia's blog:              The Color of Dreams        
Patricias Etsy:               The Color of Dreams
Hostess: Toltec Jewels   Jewel School Friends
Kay Thomerson            KayzKreationz
Audrey Belanger           Toki No Hourousha

Alicia Marinache           All the Pretty Things
Terry Carter                 TappingFlamingo
Lori Schneider              Bead Addict
Jenny Kyrlach              Wonder and Whimsy
Asri Wahyuingsih          Asri's Beadwork
Dini Bruinsma               Angaza by Changes
Karla Morgan               Texas Pepper Jams
Debbie Rasmussen        A Little of This, A Little of That
Veralynne Malone          Designed by Vera
Kathy Stemke               Vintage Memories Jewelry Design
Heather Richter             Desert Jewelry Designs
Lori Poppe                   Adventures in Creativity with LorilliJean

Jayne Capps                Mama's Got To Doodle

Andrea Glick                Zenith Jade Creations
Kathleen Breeding         99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall
Becky Pancake             Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Karin Martinez              Fairies Market
Miranda Ackerley          Mirandack

Penny Houghton           Smelly Nelly
Carolyn Lawson           Carolyn's Creations
Christie Murrow          Charis Designs Jewelry
Monique Urquhart        A Half-Baked Notion
Eve Shelby                  Raindrop Creations Jewelry by Evelyn
Cryss Thain                 Here Bead Dragons
Jasvanti Patel               Jewelry By Jasvanti
Nan Smith                   NanMade Handmade Jewelry
Sue Kennedy               SueBeads
Jean Yates                   Snap Out of It, Jean! There's Beading to be Done!
Debbie Rogers             Debbies Treasures
Marybeth Rich             A Few Words From Within the Pines
Shirley Moore              Beads and Bread
Shaia Williams             Shaiha's Ramblings
Kathy Lindemer           Bay Moon Design
Linda Anderson           From the Bead Board
Gloria Allen                Gloria Allen Designs
Regina Wood              Ginas-Design
Robin Reed                Artistry HCBD
Mary Goovars            MLH Jewelry Designs
CJ Bauschka              4 His Glory Creations
Robin Showstack        The Crazy Bead Hoarder

Jael Thorp                 Jael's Art Jewels

Renetha Stanziano       Lamplight Crafts