Holiday Bling Blog Hop #2 - the reveal

Welcome to the 2nd Holiday Bling edition - the 'baby' of Marlene of Amazing Designs and Shelley of Tori Sophia Designs. Everybody had so much fan back in October with their first edition, they decided to repeat it this year :)

I had the amazing pleasure to be partnered with Rita from Jewel School Friends - over the past few months I became e-friends with Rita, an amazing soul and a great supporter of rookies like me :) After the initial exchange of information I started agonizing on what to do. Rita is an amazing chain maille designer and she proposed chainmaille. Uh-oh... It was a bit like sending bead weaving to Therese :) I decided to approach this like everything else in my life: make it fun or make it go!

I love Rita's Christmas tree chainmaille piece

and it's Christmas, after all - I really wanted a Christmas tree. But... how?

In playing on the wig jig one evening I suddenly knew - it's not completely chainmaille, but it looks smartly enough like one, I hoped Rita will love it. Since I was completely out of silver and recently just bought tons of copper (that's how Rio Grande sells copper, in pounds :)) - I thought copper would work, trees have brown bark, don't they?

It was now time to agonize over what to use on tree itself - but luckily I went to 2 Rock and Gem shows this year, and I came across these lovely dyed jade, in a minuscule size (3mm I believe). Don't ask me why I bought them - most likely because they looked like miniature candy, they reminded me of a candy of my youth :)

When I was done - I was in love! The tree looks just like the one in the living room: bright, cheerful and very colourful!

All I had to do was pack it and send it to Rita - and that's exactly what I did. We sent each other's package around the same time.... right around the same time Sandy hit... more reason to agonize over whether the package(s) will reach each other! They did - and just a few days ago I was able to pick mine up. I opened right there, in the post office... and I almost fainted! I had to pull off the necklace I was wearing and put Rita's instead. I haven't took it off yet - I decorated the tree last night with it... I cleaned the living room (as in: windows cleaning, sheers washing, sparkling the wood of the room) 2 nights ago with it around my neck.

Did I make you curious? Good :)

I'll show you pictures next. First - this is what came out of the USPS envelope:

Bling in the box and on it too!

Merry Christmas to you too, Rita!

Aaah - do you see it? If you're a member of the MarShel group on facebook you should recognize that beauty! It's the one Rita entered in the FB challenge we have going on... the one that's tied for 1st place (with an equally awesome piece from Sandra of Skye Creative Chaos)

A gorgeous Persian chain with a capture of crystals. Seriously - have you seen something more beautiful than this?

With a very glitzy bling-full magnetic clasp!

Add to that 2 more packages - I had to wait to get home to see what's inside; I wanted to take pictures of the beautiful wrap too!

Surprise #1

A oceany-windy bead. Lovely colours, beautiful swirls: it's waiting for me to finish the Christmas preparations and focus on it properly!

Surprise #2

A beautiful enameled cross - look how intricate the design is! I haven't had a chance to ask Rita more details about my surprise items, but I will. I am quite curious where the cross is coming from. William looked at it and commented 'Wow, mommy! You've been spoiled!' - yes, smart child, that's exactly how I feel: rotten spoiled!

A 'family' picture :)

Thank **YOU**, my friend! Your gifts are beautiful and I will cherish them forever. I am glad I met you and got to know you a little bit. God willing maybe we will meet one day soon :)

And thank you, my visitor - for staying for the story :) Please make sure you visit everyone on the list below - you're in for a treat, these ladies are amazing!

Oh, I haven't showed you pictures of my tree, you say? Well - if you check Rita's blog you'll see it for sure =)

Marlene Cupo	http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com
Shelley Graham Turner	www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com
Shirley Moore	http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com
Lori Bowring Michaud	http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
Catherine King	http://catherines-musings.blogspot.com
Dyanne Cantrell	http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com
Sonya Stille	http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com
Elaine Ray	http://elaineray.blogspot.com
Gina Hockett	http://freestyleelements.blogspot.com
Jo-Ann Woolverton	http://itsabeadifulcreation.blogspot.ca
Debbie Rasmussen	http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com
Renetha Stanziano	http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Ginger Bishop	http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com
Miranda Ackerley	http://mirandack.com/category/thoughts
Sandra McGriff	http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca
Tammie Everly	http://ttedesigns.blogspot.com
Alicia Marinache	http://www.allprettythings.ca <= you're here
Melinda Abrahamson	http://www.firstreetcrafts.com
Rita/ Toltec Jewels	http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com <= my partner!
Chandra Merod	http://www.junipergoods.blogspot.com
Mary Govaars	http://www.mlhjewelrydesigns.com
Kelley Fogel	http://www.mylifeonebeadatatime.blogspot.com
Tiffany Goff Smith	http://www.southerngalsdesign.blogspot.com
Heather Rats Otto	http://www.thecrafthopper.com
Anitra Gordy Boyers	www.leelucreations.blogspot.com