Round Robin Reveal

I posted the premise and inspiration of this Round Robin Challenge below, in a previous post.

...Here is the beginning of my bracelet before Carla and Steph added their magic...

The Round Robin began a couple of months ago, and during that time our three bracelets have been shipped across the country, pondered over and creatively expanded.

~~~~~Here is my finished Bracelet!~~~~~

I can't stop looking at it and rolling it around my arm and appreciating all the little bits of it!

It is soooo gorgeous and it is already one of my most favorite pieces of jewelry.

And the personal feeling it gives me, knowing my friends thoughtfully labored and created;

warm emotions just overflow my heart.

Steph added some fabulous metal daisies near the closures that I just adore! A world charm, to represent the distance between us, a snowflake (appropriate for Maine!), a C Koop enameled ring and some bright colors that are showcased in aquamarine, swarovski crystal and Lucite that are so very Steph! The colors mesh so well with the other vintage bits!

Carla added some silver with an oxidized silver anchor that represents hope, a beach stone bead from her own beloved lakeshores, and aquamarine because she knows I adore the color! As is Carla's style, it is simple and understated. Carla is my hero when it comes to simplicity and restraint!

I loved getting their unfinished bracelets but I anguished over adding to them, since both ladies have such different styles than mine. Carla is earthy and outdoorsy and loves order. Steph is bright and colorful and sparkly. I was hoping I had something in my stash that would honor their styles, but still reflect my vintagey feel. As soon as they have posted their bracelet on their blog I will post their links so you can see all three finished pieces.

I am still blown away by the creativity, thoughtfulness, and care used to pick and design each other's pieces.

Then there was the journaling aspect of this project...

I began with watercolor paints and markers and stamps and everything I think I own in my scrapbooking stash...heaven forbid I keep it simple....

Here is my first page.....

Steph has 25 jobs, runs 48 businesses (yes, I'm slightly exaggerating) and has a wonderfully artistically talented young teen daughter and husband. She must have a cache of elves to keep her household running because she is juggling so much in her life, I am amazed how she does it all! As we began this project, she was leaving on a bead-buying trip to Tuscon and had barely a moment to begin her journal. But she added a beautiful page to mine! It even has glitter! Oh, I may love the old rusty part of me, but glitter does something to make the girly in me happy! (I did some photoshop editing to the picture of her page to highlight my favorite part)

Carla is a wonderful photographer and she shared her thoughts and processes with me in pictures and newly acquired scrap booking supplies. As usual, Carla's eye for balance and symmetry was reflected throughout the pages she created even though this was a medium she had never played with before. I appreciated her thoughts about the challenges and learning experiences she experienced. It was like a revelation when she said this was a group project and she mostly works alone. Huh. Me too. Us artists can be a solitary bunch. All the more reason to participate in things like this Round Robin. It reshapes our creative ways!

(This photo is also photoshopped!)

I know we all have grown as artists.

Every bead, charm and embellishment was thoughtfully placed and every page is full of the essence of who we are. I have learned new things about my long-distance friends and gained an insight into their character and lives. It is amazing how you can discover such incredibly extraordinary people through such an impersonal vehicle as the internet.

Through this Round Robin Challenge, not only have I acquired a bracelet, I have gained friendships with two very wonderful women.

And THAT, dear reader, is the real treasure.

Please check out Stephanie's Journey here at Pixybug Designs