Suburban Girl Design Team

I was so excited when I found out that I had been chosen for Diana Ptaszynski's (Suburban Girl) Design Team.   After discovering Diana's beads, pendants and charms on etsy, we became friends on facebook.  We actually met one another (along with some other amazing Bead Babes) at the Berks Bead Bazaar in Reading, PA.  I must say that Diana is a hoot!  She is one very energetic and vibrant woman but also has a soft side to her as well.  She is a sweetheart and a good friend.  Another funny thing is that Diana is married to Colin Mellars and I am married to Colin Miller.  And yes, the "Colins" met in Reading and sat in the lobby while the Bead Babes shopped...such good sports.

After I received the "spring" bead from Diana I realized I already bought this bead from her a while ago and I could just simply hook them on some ear wires, making a pair of earrings - but I wouldn't do that - not even on April Fool's Day.  Diana also included a very pretty lamp work bead made by Jan Onipenco.

The beads arrived in this sweet little bag and this is what they looked like!  Very pretty!

When I saw Diana's bead it reminded me of spring time.  The flowers are popping up all over the neighborhood and color is plentiful.  Jan's bead carries hues of purple, blue and gold which added to the flash of flowers scrolling through my head.  I remember buying some lucite flowers and thought I would make a little "garden" surrounding Diana's bead.

First, I connected Jan's bead to Diana's and that was going to be the focal pendant.  I attached it to some chain and got my fingers ready to do some serious wire wrapping.

After careful placement of each and every flower, I added a few leaves to the "garden."  I really like how the lucite flowers are in the background and your eye still gets drawn to the focal pendant.  Wrapping around the back are two strands of soft colored leather and I finished it with more lucite flowers dangling from both sides of the leather.

The garden starting to grow!

Added the leather and clasp...

Viola!!

A close up of the lucite flowers.

The final creation....

Please take a look at the other members of the design team and their creations...

 Diana Ptaszynski http://www.suburbangirlstudio.com/

Jenny Davies-Reazor http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog

Kristen Stevens http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com/

Jan Onipenco http://moltenmayhem.typepad.com/

Marla James http://marlasmudmoments.blogspot.com/

Sandra Basara Miller http://www.sandra5461.blogspot.com/   <--- You are here!

Michelle Buettner http://misheldesigns.blogspot.com/

A special thanks to Diana and Jan for providing the beads...and a huge thank you to Diana for allowing me to take part in this!