The Ocean Blog Hop Jewelry Reveal

Come, let's dive in! 

The ocean is a sanctuary. Like the wild beasts of our planet, the living ocean
is a great balancer, beholding well-being so that always all is well on planet Earth. 

Photo taken at Disney's Wild Kingdom hotel -- from our room's balcony!

The specialness of the ocean is magnificent; just as the specialness of jewelry artists in our hop today makes each participant a gift.  One of those participants is Chris Eisenberg of Wanderware. Chris shared the exquisite goodness of the ocean in a two minute video with our FB group. 

Please, give yourself these two minutes to feel the wonder & love of that 
which creates universes and that which creates the ocean: 
that wonder & love is for & by you, too.

Lisa Lodge of Pine Ridge Treasures asked us to celebrate the ocean in design. Through her FB page for Pine Ridge Treasures, she creates bead mixes for purchase, offering several mixes for blog hops each year.

For our theme of the ocean today, Lisa sent out blue/green kits and orange/sand kits.
The kit I received is easily the most beautiful Lisa has yet to make for a blog hop:

Abundant  fire polished crystals of all sizes, tranquil blue cultured sea glass focals & rounds, sea shell opalite, nautical navy blue rondelles, white matte seed beads, & a substantial, quality clasp & dolphin pendant!

I wanted to do the beads justice, to show my thankfulness for the beautiful beads in my jewelry design. I wanted the magic & mystery of the ocean to come through  my jewelry, with the feel of moonlight across the waves, soft rolling water,splashing & spraying, full and tranquil beneath the pull of the moon.

Living near the ocean reminds us of our magnificence, makes us feel our worthiness, value and goodness.

Living in Orlando, we are so close to the ocean our air smells like salt water. It was the first thing I noticed & was in awe of years ago moving here: the soft breezes across the peninsula are so clean and pure, as we are surrounded by the water. The Atlantic ocean is just a 20 minute drive away, as is the Gulf of Mexico.

Singing praises to the ocean and Lisa's lovely beads, I am still not done creating jewelry. When our internet went down the day before the hop, I decided to embellish my beadwork even more, and I began creating two more designs. I made chainmaille and ran out of rings. I made earrings to photograph the blue and green flowers my daughter gave me for the hop. I'm still not done with several other pieces, but below is what I completed so far. Because the opalite shells are amazing, and it's one of my favorite glasses to use, opalite jewelry is forthcoming; likewise, the soft cultured sea glass focals and components call, as do the green crystals. The white seed beads allowed me to go with a completely different colorway (purple and orange!), and the theme allows me to create with lampwork art beads that have been just waiting to become jewelry!  I am moved to go where the beads & colors & theme takes me, and I'm excited by the works in progress. I love being so inspired! Thank you Lisa and blog hop artists. :)



HOLIDAY IN ORLANDO

Full of Czech matte AB seafoam green fish beads, various Czech lavender seashells and sapphire stars, Swarovski lilac bicone crystals, faceted teal & indigo crystal rondelles, lavender glass pearls, blue  glass drops and natural red coral, this Holiday ornament was created for the Bead Soup cafe challenge -- but wasn't entered. I wanted to share it for our hop because  it hasn't really been seen. I love it! To me, it is an ocean celebration & joy! :) 

THE WAVES

St. Petersburg & Odd Count Tubular Herringbone with Swarovski crystals, Czech stars & shells, fire polished crystal, 22k gold charlottes. Focal by Lennis Carrier of Windbent. 

Another beauty from beloved Lennis Carrier, the brass rose is for my mom, Rosella.

THE WAVES take on more meaning & love with Czech shells gifted to me by beautiful  Jill Bradley.

DANCE OF THE DOLPHIN

Byzantine maille with fire polished crystals, stardust rings & silver rings, dolphin pendant & clasp.

WHALES PLAYING IN MOONLIGHT

Sterling silver whale charms, MOP discs, silver rings, cultured sea glass. 

The rich blue mother of pearl coins gifted from the lovely Robin Reed
caught my eye after the earrings were complete. Remaking the earrings,
the mother of pearl  fit perfectly inside the silver links, meant to be.
The earrings move like mobiles! 

Current reveal (June 14) artists of the Ocean Hop:

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations
Ev Shelby, Raindrop Creations
Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends
Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
Ema Kilroy, Ema K Designs
Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks
Catherine Yvonne King, Catherine's Musings
Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes
Shaiha Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings
Chris Eisenberg, Wanderware
Eleanor Burian Moore, The Charmed Life
Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz
Jill Bradley, Chat 2 Jill

I also wanted to include Ocean Hop May reveal artists:

Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry
Kim Dworak, Cianci Blue
Marybeth Rich, A Few Words from within the Pines
Karin Grosset Grange, Ginkgo et Coquelicot
Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera
Monique Urquhart, A Half-Baked Notion
Katrina Taylor, I Wanna Go Out
Mary Ann Macri Jacobs, Trucksville Crafts
Jeanne Steck, Gems by Jeanne Marie
Ann Schroeder, Bead Love
Kathleen Breeding, 99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall
Marianne Baxter, Simply Seablime Jewelry
Terri Wlaschin, Dances in Fog
Margaret Pelech, Margaret Pelech's Ocean Blog
Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation
Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Heather Richter, Desert Jewelry Designs
Andrea Glick-Zenith, ZenithJade Creations