Oh deary me. Where can I even begin ? The last few months have had it’s share of things – some of them bad, like depression rearing it’s ugly head again, but some good, like a promotion at work ! Which did shovel a lot of things on me. My muses have been absent for quite a few months, but as I pre-write this (July 1) I am ON VACATION and I am hoping to chase down those little buggers again. I do believe I have vanquished this bout of depression, too – or at least I hope so.

But that’s not what you’re here for, right ? You’re here for SHINY THINGS ! Yes, yes.

The package I received from Lisa consisted of brown, white and green ceramic beads. Immediately I thought of… mint chocolate ice cream. XD; But then I remembered I had an amazing focal that would work so well with these… What is summer without dragonflies buzzing over the lake of your cabin, after all ?

So, my season is definitively summer ! The fact that I am a summer baby certainly helps, too. 🙂

So, first of all… I made a necklace.

Isn’t it lovely ? The dragonfly stamping was hand-painted and antiqued, mixed with a mjx of amber, spectra beads, and czech glass. The second biggest round beads are from my kit, and the biggest lampwork bead was made just for this piece by my amazing friend Donna Millard <3

And I found the most darling little dragonfly clasp to match it !

Isn’t that adorable ? Like it’s bigger sister, this dragonfly was painted and antiqued by me. The copper wire is pure copper, and will darken in time.

Not content with only doing one piece and having beads from my kit left over, I made a matching bracelet.

Wait, Audrey, I hear you say. That is a bracelet ??? Why, yes it is ! I like big, chunky jewelry, and that adorable little ceramic focal (from The Classic Bead) needed some buddies to hang out with. The large pebbles are from my kit.

It is worn like so, wrapping over the wrist once and closing on the front.

And what i like to do is cross the strands and tuck the clasp under the focal neatly. The focal still has enough movement that it can be lifted for easy access to the clasp.

Thank you so much for visiting, and please give everyone else a visit and a comment, too !

Your Hostess: Lisa Lodge, Grateful Artist
Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Cassi Paslick, Beads: Rolling Downhill
Stephanie Sanner Haussler, PixyBug Designs
Leah Mifflin Tees, My Beady Little Eyes
Karin Slaton, BackStory Beads
Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution << YOU ARE HERE <3
Lori Jean Poppe, Lorillijean Creative Corner
Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design
Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life
Alicia Marinache,  All the Pretty Things
Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera
Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz
Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
Lennis Carrier, Windbent
Erin Kenny, Beadifultherapy
Tanya Goodwin, A Work in Progress
Cilla Watkins, Tell Your Girlfriends
Renetha Williams Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts
Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry
Sierra Barrett, Giraffe Can Has
Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes
Shirley Jones Moore, Beads and Bread
Dawn Horner, Northern Adornments
Charlene Bausinger Jacka, Clay Space
Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks
Miranda Ackerley, Daze and Days