Bead swap bounty!

I'm participating in a bead swap organized by the Artfire Beadweavers Guild. (Be sure to check out the amazing work of these talented artisans. And thanks, Krafty Max, for organizing!)

This swap works a lot like the ones organized by Lori Anderson: First, people sign up to participate. The organizer randomly pairs artists, who mail each other a packet of beads. The packet must contain a focal and clasp, which must be used in the finished design. How many of the other beads to use is up to the artist, who can supplement the gift beads with goodies from her own stash.

I have been paired with Barbara Judy of Beads of Spirit. Please, check out her Artfire store. Her jewelry is lovely, but I am especially fascinated by her guardian spirit gourd dolls. They are intricate and soulful; I've never seen anything like them.

She sent me the above beads more than two weeks ago, but I couldn't get a picture taken until this morning. I love black and gold and silver, so I know I'll have fun with this. I'm especially crazy about the clasp she enclosed. Barbara says the focal is from Unicorn beads and that she has one just like it. (She bought two to make earrings but they are too heavy--who among us has not done that?)

In Lori's Bead Soup Blog Hop, artists are paired with people who often work in different media--a polymer clay beadmaker might get paired with a wirework whiz, for example. Because everyone in this swap is in the Artfire Beadweavers Guild, this is mostly the Great Seed Bead Exchange. But that's okay. You can never have too many seed beads!

The reveal is May 15. Luckily, may class will be over before then, and the summer session doesn't start for a few more weeks, so I'll actually have some free time.