I've got the beach on the brain...

It's no secret, I love the beach! I don't get there very often but when I do I perk up the minute we get close enough to get that first whiff of the water. It's soothing to me and I always find peace and happiness there. I especially love it in the fall when the crowds have gone home and there's plenty of space to roam.

Last week I was reminded that I hadn't done any of my beach water focal beads in a long time and decided it was definitely time to do some more. They're made using a very simple technique and then they're dipped in an acid etching solution to give them the feeling that they've just washed up on the shore. You've just got to hold one in your hand to feel like you're there on the shore.

Here's a photo of all of the beads before they were etched. At this point they've been annealed and cleaned, they're just waiting for a dip in the acid bath and a cruise through the baking soda water to neutralize the acid.










Here's a closer view of a few of them:










Now here's a photo of those same beads after the acid bath:










Last night I met with the ladies from the Raleigh Jewelry Meetup and I took these beads along with me in small sets to offer them first dibs.










They've given so much to me in their demos, critiques, support and encouragement that I love taking my work there for them to see first. They're loads of fun and full of amazing talents and experience that they share with everyone. If you're in the area, you should definitely join them some evening.

Hope your week's off to a great start in your part of this world!

~Wendy