Our Bee's Charm Exchange

Last year we came across the blog entitled "A Charming Exchange." I would invite you to log on and read about this special exchange. A book by the same name has been published and is available through many outlets. I'm posting the Amazon listing here.

Note: While you are logged on "A Charming Exchange," please check the items being auctioned for breast cancer awareness. Hurry, there's only one day left.

Inspired by this blog, our group decided to do something similar.We gave ourselves ample time to research and decide what we wanted to do. After one year we're almost finished. I wanted to share my charm necklace. I will receive another six charms before the project is completed but I just had to share the progress so far.

This charm is made by our Bee founder, Jan. You can see the reverse side and the spider web if you enlarge the above necklace photo. Isn't this charm wonderful? It's even signed and dated.

Dolores has done a beautiful grouping of charms. It includes an angel, a heart and an oval hanging from this pretty stone.

This one has the beaded cabochon on one side and dainty Brazilian Embroidery on the reverse side. It has been made by Claudette.

This one has a mini crazy quilt block pieced in my favorite peach colors. It was created by Karen



The next three charms were made by Lynnis. The circular ones are beaded with beautiful peach Swarovski crystals. The other charm is a pretty bronze dichroic glass heart. I must admit to asking for that mini Swarovski piece. It's beautiful!

This charm is done by Stephanie in New Jersey. She creates the most beautiful dolls and teaches both online and in classes. She has done this beautiful face with a half moon on the back.

The final two charms are ones that I made. The basket has a small velvet emery insert with a tiny pair of scissors attached. The second one is a tiny cluster of grapes with a sterling silver leaf attached.

Today is Beading Day

Although crazy quilting and silk ribbon embroidery is my first love, I also enjoy beading. Who could resist all those bright and sparkling gems? For the past two years Jason has given me some beautiful cabochons for Christmas. Today I thought I would share some pictures of several.

This year he gave me this gorgeous stromatolite from England said to be 2 billion years old. Stromatolite is colonies of algae that are the earliest known living organisms in fossil record. Sometimes it's referred to as "landscape marble" because the algae colonies look like an outdoor landscape. The back is just as beautiful as the front which I found really unusual.


Last year he gave me a beautiful unakite jasper cabochon. I've made the 2-strand necklace pictured here. I've done a peyote stitch bezel around the stone. The necklace has fresh water pearls, Czech glass leaves and Swarovski crystals.


Many thanks to all of you who have welcomed me to the blogging world. I appreciate your kind words and compliments on my work. Specials thanks to my dear friends Julie, Judith and Allie for spreading the word through their blogs.

I'm enjoying my adventure and look forward to browsing through blogs on a daily basis. I love all the wonderful ideas and inspiration.