Deborah Apodaca Designs LLC: 2016 2nd Annual Bead Peep's Swap-N-Hop Reveal

First off, a huge thanks to Linda Anderson for hosting this event. Check out Linda's blog at From the Bead Board.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this hop! That being said, I have not finished my swap goal. BUT, please, please, please....................don't stop reading this post!

2015 was a very stressful year for me and ended with me heartbreakenly closing a store and having throat surgery. I KNEW KNEW KNEW that I was taking on too much when I asked to join this hop, but I was so needing a push to get back my creativity. And, I am excited to say that it has worked! Unfortunately, I had a full plate and was just adding to the pile and putting me into overload.

After the closing of my store, I decided to turn myself and my artisans in another direction and go online. So my creative outlet has been busy designing 4 websites (and my own webpage has been taken temporarily offline - and will itself be getting a facelift) and professionally photographing jewelry and art dolls for these webpages. I am so excited for this new opportunity and it gives me a new purpose.

I am still trying to get my house back in order after bringing 2,000 sf of store supplies into an already chaotic mess! But, it has made major strides and getting everything back into it's place and finding my "white space" is a lot closer than it was last year.

I finally see a white light at the end of the tunnel and then I am in therapy again and this time for my feet and calf from pains that ended up not being related to my fibromyalgia. So I keep seeing my time whittle away, 4 hours each day, right after therapy.

I know that excuses are just that....excuses, but I am working hard to get my items done! I am currently in South Carolina on a long overdue trip to visit my family and packed and brought all of my supplies with me to finish my project and hit several other road blocks.

Evidently, all my family love me, since they keep making arrangements to spend time with me! And that would be great until I get sitting down and realize that I did not, in fact, pack all that I need to finish my project. I have improvised on some things, but I need to find a store tomorrow and stock up on some supplies, ie., glue........

My blog partner is Katy Heider and she sent me some beautiful shibori ribbon, a handcrafted enamel clasp and a variety of beads in my favorite array of colors!!!

I immediately knew what I wanted to make and it was going to be a huge challenge for me for several reasons. I have never worked with shibori ribbon nor with the technique I planned to embark upon. Hopefully, I will be able to do justice to this wonderful collection and make Katy proud!

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In the meantime, please check out Katy's blog and find out what she has made from her bead collection. Here is a photo of what I sent to Katy.

Katy, I'm sorry I let you down, but give me a week and I promise you won't be disappointed!!! I can't wait to see what you have done with that beautiful piece of polymer clay.

Here is a listing of all the participants. Please check them all out and then please return to mine next week and, hopefully, you won't be disappointed. I, myself, will not be doing the blog hop until my pieces are completed and an update has been made to my blog.

Hopefully, you did read to the end of the blog and will return!

MY PARTNER - Katy Heider http://onthepondcreations.blogspot.com/

Linda Anderson - Hostess - http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com

Natalie Davidson http://www.northshoredays.com/

Marcy Lamberson http://www.studiomarcy.blogspot.com

Kathy Lindemer http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/

Dita Basu Http://www.alankarshilpa.blogspot.com

Andrea Glick http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/

Kristina Peck http://tealeavesandtinyhats.blogspot.com/

Shai Williams http://www.shaihasramblings.com/

Catherine La Vite http://www.drygulchbeadsandjewelry.blogspot.com/ Christina Hickman http://vintagetreasuresjewelry.blogspot.com/

gloria allen http://wingsandbeads.blogspot.com

Teresa Schurter http://treezstreazurs.com/

Maria Rosa Sharrow http://willowstreetshops.blogspot.com