Bead Peeps swap 'n' hop

I am taking part in the BEAD PEEPS SWAP 'N' HOP. 

We have been asked to tell a bit about ourselves and our jewellery habits. 

I started jewellery making when I was a wee girl . 

My first piece was a pop' n' snap plastic bead necklace. Does anyone remember those? 

Then my next endeavour was to take apart and reconstruct a stretchy candy necklace. 

(minus a few pieces lol)

 Again, does anyone other than me remember those?

Fast forward several decades and my foray back into jewellery making was due to

 getting a job at a local bead and art supply store.

 I decided that to sell the products, I had to learn what to do with them. 

 I truly worked for beads . well that's where my paycheque went anyway.

So now I have a embarrassing supply of beads and findings and other good stuff. 

That's where swaps are such a good thing . I get to share my stash. 

I have a rather eclectic style.

 I don't think I have found MY VOICE  yet. 

So I make as many different styles as I can, in the attempt to find it .

 I do LOVE wirework and do a majority of my pieces with that technique. 

But then again I also love metal clay so I do some of that as well.

 Then there is bead stringing, and metal smithing , add a touch of soldering , but nowhere in this melee of techniques will you find me bead stitching. 

 so WHY do I have so many tubes of SEED BEADS? 'Cause they are so darn pretty to look at. 

 I do use them to make the backs of some necklaces smooth and easy to wear. and  I do own two bead  looms, so does that count?

Lately I have been using hardware store materials to fabricate some rustic pieces. 

(think washers and steel wire and copper sheeting and nuts and bolts )

I also am reworking a lot of older pieces -UPCYCLING  them into wearable designs for current trends. salvage at it's finest

I LOVE COLOUR 

the only one i don't use is BEIGE. LOL

As a former (retired) Interior Designer I have been exposed to colour my whole adult life. 

I was (am) not one to follow trends as I design for long term use and have found that I am ahead of the game, so to speak, by about two years, so what I look for is not easily available .

 I have used purples and magentas for quite a while before they became popular . 

 Lime green has been in my colour schemes for several years and it's now a mainstream colour. 

so here is a hint for you- my latest obsession is with the colour CORAL. 

Lets see where this leads hmmm?

so what does all this mean to you dear reader? 

ANYTHING GOES, with me.

Looking forward to swapping and creating with my partner. 

til' later!