Made in Oregon, Assembled in California - Part 1!

A few months back, I had won a giveaway that Gail Accinelli was hosting on her blog
http://www.beadsbythebay.blogspot.com/

Here's what I won

As pretty as they are, and as trendy as they are, they challenged me for a long time! I just could not figure out what to do with them! I did not want to just add another glass or lampwork bead with them and mae earrings. Sure that looks pretty, but not challenging enough for me to attempt. I also kept them outside in full view so that I could get inspiration just from looking at them! Nope, nada, nothing for 2 months!

A few weeks ago, a friend messaged me saying she is in Florence, wearing a yellow spring dress, and really needs a necklace to go with it :-) The first idea I had was to use some small yellow flecked murrini beads I had...since she is in Italy. But the tulip up there caught my eye, and I knew that is what I had to use! Not as a bead cap or end cap, but as a tulip. And this is what I came up with:

Then came the challenge of stringing it. I knew I wanted to use white waxed linen, and some yellow wood beads. Beyond that, I didn't know what I wanted to do. Took me a while, and a lot of different combinations to come up with the final "configuration"

I really liked how it turned out. Looks so "happy" :) And all thanks to the wonderful tulip that Gail made for me. I hope she makes more! Here is the link to her store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/OregonMadeJewelry

She has kits for making some really pretty earrings. So do check it out!

I will leave you here with some more pics of this loveliness! It is on its way to my friend today, hope she likes it!