Bead Peeps 2019 Swap N Hop REVEAL

I want to first take the time to thank our wonderful hostess, Linda Anderson, for inviting me to attend another Bead Peeps Swap N Hop.  This is the 5th year of the Swap N Hop and it has grown in not only size but also in the reveal aspects, being open to those who do not have blogs.

What is a Swap N Hop?  There is a day of registration.  You make sure that our fearless organizer, Linda Anderson, is able to access your latest jewelry pieces also letting her know whether you are a seed beader and if you are willing to swap with an international beader.  She then sits down to match everyone with a partner.

Once you have your partner you introduce yourself and learn about them and their jewelry (stalk them LOL).  Even though this is a swap of jewelry components, it is actually acquiring a friendship.  Designing jewelry is the initial bond, but the attempt is to find more commonalities for a lasting friendship.  You then decide what you will send to your partner.  Do you send them something they are familiar with? or do you give them a new experience? something outside of their comfort zone?

Today is the day that I introduce my partner, Barbara Harbuck, and also share what we swapped with each other.

Barbara is a nurse from Alabama.  Part of her nursing included being an International Flight Nurse, which makes sense since she loves to travel.  Barbara is new to beading and is still learning new techniques.  Here is some of her work.

I knew that I wanted to send Barbara something new to work with.  To give her something she had not tried previously.  You will find a photo of what I sent to Barbara at the end of this post.

This is the huge swap that Barbara sent to me!

Malachite from a trip to Africa.  Dzi beads from a trip to Southeast Asia.  Hand-blown glass beads from South Carolina.  Not sure what the cabs are made of - they aren't stone.  And an assorted selection of miscellaneous beads.

I am ashamed to say that this Swap has been a bust for me!  Not because of what I received, but because I have been so overwhelmed with being sick for over a month with the CRUD on top of being just over the top overwhelmed with my move last September that I did not get my Swap completed.

I moved to Tennessee last year to start over after a vicious divorce.  I needed a fresh start and new surroundings.  So I bought an RV with the intentions of traveling, visiting family & friends and taking in some retreats.  While looking at houses it became evident that I would need to build a studio from scratch since nothing had any type of garage or indoor space acceptable, so I purchased 8 acres in the Smoky Mountain foothills in Tennessee.  I love the rural area just outside of Pigeon Forge.

So instead of buying a house I decided to live in my 38' RV and start on my workshop and studio.  My RV is like a small apartment.  Plenty of room for me and my pets and then I could get back to work.  Good in theory.

Since September of last year, it has rained.  And rained.  And more rain.  Nonstop rain!  How people survive in Alaska without sunshine I will never know, because I couldn't get out of bed for being so depressed having no sunshine.  I was so hoping this Swap would give me the push that I needed, but instead I was sick with the CRUD from February until the end of March.  I have been so overwhelmed with all problems stemming from clearing my property, having PODs delivered and emptied and then I get major sick.  Although the CRUD is finally gone, I am still so very overwhelmed and fighting to make heads or tails of my life.

I did manage to get one piece completed from my swap stash.  I love Malachite and although the necklace is just simply strung, I love it and know I will wear it.  And considering the spiritual meaning of Malachite, maybe I should wear this necklace everyday!

----Malachite - It clears and activates all Chakras, and is especially helpful in the stimulation of the Heart and Throat Chakras.  An extremely powerful metaphysical stone Malachite is often called the "stone of transformation" and is used for deep energy cleaning, bringing healing and positive transformation to the wearer.---

I have begun a second piece using the cabochons in my swap stash.  I was scared with gluing the cabs onto to a beading foundation not knowing what they are made of, just that they aren't stone.  (((I have spoken to Barbara since the original post and the cabs are Amber)))  But so far I am good.  I have a friend who has been trying to get me involved in the SCA for ages knowing that I love all things historical.  I am finally going to an event later this month and joining the SCA.   With that in mind, I wanted to design an embroidered piece that could be worn with period garb.  Talk about overwhelming my brain.  Since I have gotten NO unpacking or organization done in my studio I had to break down and buy some delicas from Hobby Lobby (no bead stores locally).  So hopefully in the near future, I will have an updated post where I don't feel like a total letdown to my partner.

Here is a photo of the bead swap I sent to my partner.  Although I sent her items that could be used in techniques she was already familiar with, I wanted to give her an option to learn something new so I included bead backing and leather hoping she would be interested in trying her hand at bead embroidery.

Unless you are a member of the Facebook Group, Bead Peeps, you won't be able to see what Barbara has done with her stash.  If you are a jeweler and wish to join you can contact Linda Anderson for more information.

And this is the final stage of a Swap N Hop...The Hop.  Here is the complete list of participants, and their partner's, to this year's Swap N Hop.  Hopefully, you will enjoy and get inspired by their work.  To access their blog/Instagram/etc. just click on their names.

Make sure to leave a comment and thank you so much for stopping by.

As I am FINALLY getting to the end of this post I am running outdoors frantically trying to save the awning to my RV.  A huge thunderstorm has just blown in and you would have gotten some free entertainment watching me hold the darn thing down as I am getting soaked to the skin trying to get it rolled back up to safety.  DID I SAY I AM TIRED OF THE RAIN????????



2019 Bead Peeps Swap N Hop Participants

Barbara Harbuck - MY 2019 Bead Peeps Swap N Hop PARTNER

Linda Anderson (organizer)
Jeanne Parker

Fay Wofenden
Teri Del Signore

Natalie Davidson
Tammy Adams

Shai Williams
Rozantia Petkova

Kari Asbury
Sarah Reid

Robin Reed
Divya N

Samantha Jones
Andrea Frank

Inge von Roos
Lois Sherwood

Valarie Dunsmore
Marde Lowe

Raquel Rosario
Gloria Allen

Leah Schneider
Cheri Mitchell-Reed

Kathy Lindemer
Jennifer Strehler

Terry Jeanette Carter
Cynthia O'Toole

Christina Hickman
Cindy Peterson

Hope Smitherman
Bonnie Robbins

Sarah Auerbach
Catherine LaVite

Nadine Edris
Michelle Marson

Lori Poppe
Kristina Peck

Dora Oresic
Krafty Max

Susanne Stelljes
Penny Houghton

Naomi Knafla
Heather Faaborg

Marcy Roll
Carla Fry

Renetha Stanziano
Krafty Max

Tina Hemr
Kelly Rodgers

Shannon Luthy
Marianne Baxter

Heather Canepa
Sue Wagner