Sunday, January 15, 2012

Secret Snowflake Challenge Reveal



Sunday is the reveal day for Michelle Mach’s Secret Snowflake Challenge. I'm doing my post early since I won't be home. Michelle put together a beautiful kit of Czech glass beads, button pearls, pewter daisy spacers, a silver plated ring, and porcelain pendants and charms from Chinook Jewelry. She also included a lovely embossed snowflake envelope as a gift to us.

I started late on this project, and ended up photographing my pieces in the last few moments of daylight the evening before the reveal date. I’m not thrilled with the pictures, but you’ll be able to get a good idea of each piece.

The first is a pair of earrings using the porcelain snowflake charms and Czech beads, hung on sterling ear wires.


'Let It Snow'

The second piece is a bracelet made with dangles using most of the glass beads in the kit plus a few Swarovski crystals and seed beads of my own. The chain is hammered silver links.


'Cold As Ice'

The necklace was a struggle for me. I wanted to wrap a short wire with dark blue sari silk then with beads, but it didn’t turn out like the vision in my head. So I used a luxury bead blend left over from one of Andrew Thornton’s recent challenges, along with Vintaj chain, a silver-studded blue lampwork bead, and the porcelain focal from Chinook Jewelry.


'In The Bleak Midwinter'


Each time I sat down to work on this challenge, the song ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’ kept playing in my head. The song is one of my favorite Christian winter songs. It’s a hauntingly lovely tune, and I love it when we get to sing it in church.



I’ve posted the lyrics,as well as a video of the song. Be sure to visit the other participants to see what they made with the same kit. The list is below the video.


In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.




Alice (Alice Dreaming) That's me!
Chris (beadjewelry.net)
Christa (Adventures of One Beady Woman)
Crystal (Here Bead Dragons)
Cynthia (Cynth's Blog)

Dawn (Morning Glory Beading)
Donetta (Simply Gorgeous)
Erin A. See Michelle's Blog
Jennifer (JenniferJW)
Jennifer (Jewelry, Art and Life)

Kari W. See Michelle's Blog
Kate (We Can Make That at Home)
Kay (Palm Coast Art)
Linda (Lindy's Designs)
Lisa C. (A Bead a Day)

Lisa (Inspired Adornments)
Mary (MLH Designs)
Michelle (Beads & Books)
Michelle B.

Norma (Moonlit Fantasies)
Pam (The Crazier Sister)
Rebecca J.
Renetha (Lamplight Crafts)
Rosemarie (Gem Rose Designs)

Shannon (Falling into the Sky)
Susan (Bead Inspired)
Therese (Therese's Treasures)
Therese (Domestic Goddess Enterprises

34 comments:

Joann Mannix said...

Oh, how i love beautiful jewelry. I gasped out loud when I scrolled down to the picture of the bracelet. And the names of your pieces are so fitting. Really lovely jewelry.

And thank you so much for your kind words on my blog and the beautiful poem you sent my way. I consider it a gift, a precious one and I appreciate it very much.

Linda Younkman said...

I love the charm bracelet idea for these beads. You did a great job.

Michelle said...

You created so many beautiful designs. I love the color and movement of that bracelet. I created earrings very similar to yours to give to my mother.

Linda Younkman said...

Alice, I like the charm bracelet idea for all the blues. This looks great. Fun challenge, I have enjoyed checking out all the sites.

Unknown said...

Beautiful work. I love the darker blues paired with the dark metal in your necklace. Lovely song and video too.

Donetta said...

So very pretty...although it came out different than the picture in your mind, the necklace with Chinook pendant and the gorgeous Vintaj chain is simply stunning!

lamplight crafts said...

Now I have to make a bracelet too! Wonderful designs.

Mellisa said...

So pretty Alice! I just loved seeing what everyone did with the focals :)

Chris said...

Lovely! The colors really came together in your bracelet, and the necklace is wonderfully textural. Nice work! :)

Unknown said...

Alice, I loved the bracelet and I too struggled with the pendant and loved what you did with it.

dundeegirl2 said...

I love all your pieces but especially the bracelet. I like the dangles and know how much time it takes to make them all.

dundeegirl2 said...

I love all your pieces but especially the bracelet. I like the dangles and know how much time it takes to make them all.

dundeegirl2 said...

I love the bracelet. I know how much time it takes to make those dangles!

dundeegirl2 said...

I love the bracelet. I know how much time it takes to make those dangles!

Lisa Crone said...

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your bracelet! :)

Kate Richbourg said...

Pretty, pretty, pretty! Those earrings are a classic and are so wearable. The dark wire on the necklace was a nice touch!

Michelle Mach said...

I love the bracelet with all the wire-wrapped links. Those hammered silver links are gorgeous and a perfect match for the beads. I love that you had a song in your head while you were designing and that you shared it with us. Music can be a great inspiration!

Thanks for joining the challenge!

Unknown said...

I loved the Bleak Midwinter piece. It conveyed the sentiment so well!

Here Bead Dragons said...

Love the colors you used on the necklace. All of the pieces are great.
~cryssT

moonlitfantaseas said...

love the bracelet! and the necklace is amazing!

Pamela Orians said...

I love what you created! I love "In The Bleak Midwinter" Christmas carol/song, too! :D

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

Alice, your creations are really lovely...love the beautiful aqua blue color! I have to tell you~ every time I visit your blog, I am struck by the beauty of your header photo... Thanks for visiting my "nice" post!

Therese's Treasures said...

Alice,
Your pieces are beautiful! I did not think of making a bracelet. Love your necklace! I like that you did an asymmetrical design. It is always nice to have a song playing over and over in your head while you are designing.
Therese

Lisa Cone - Inspired Adornments said...

So pretty! I love the bracelet. It would look stunning with a winter white outfit.

JenniferJW said...

So so pretty! I want that bracelet, especially!

Cynthia said...

I had trouble yesterday leaving a comment (on your blog, and a few others....trying to go back now.
Anyway, love what you did. The bracelet is fit for an Ice Princess!

Kay said...

Love that you made a set, each piece is beautiful!

ClickNCamera said...

I love these earrings, they are perfection! Beautiful work!

Cathie Carroll said...

In the Bleak Midwinter is anything but bleak. What a beautiful piece!

Thank you for stopping by my blog the other day.

Warm regards,
Cathie

Bits of Learning said...

Alice, your designs compliment the snowflake components beautifully! You did such a fantastic job with the challenge!

Cindy said...

What a beautiful song to share and correlate with your challenge pieces, Alice! You were so ambitious and made earrings, a bracelet and a necklace - wow! Absolutely stunning and so perfect for this chilly winter weather.

Crystal said...

There's truly a *winter wonderland* of innspiration in your designs! Just lovely!

If you are in the mood for another challenge... I am currently having a Valentine Challenge on my blog. Hope you'll stop by and check out the details:
http://beadhappilyeverafter.com/blog/?p=18244

Warmest wishes,
Crystal :-)

My Life Under the Bus said...

Blues are my favorite!!! I would totally wear this lovelty job Alice!!! XOXO

bwheather said...

Oh wow, I just love each of the pieces you created for this challenge. Fabulous stuff. ;-)