{"id":9224,"date":"2012-05-04T23:49:41","date_gmt":"2012-05-05T03:49:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sweetbeadstudio.com\/?p=9224"},"modified":"2012-05-04T23:49:42","modified_gmt":"2012-05-05T03:49:42","slug":"the-vocal-focal-swap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.sweetbeadstudio.com\/?p=9224","title":{"rendered":"The Vocal Focal Swap"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello friends<\/h4>\n

Today I’m participating in a fun little blog hop hosted by Bonnie Coursolle of Jasper’s Gems<\/a>. \u00a0I have really enjoyed all of the absolutely creative swap, hop, and challenge ideas that this community is dreaming up! \u00a0I wish I could participate in more, but this is the last for a while….well, until the Button Swap Blog Hop<\/a> in one week! \ud83d\ude42<\/h4>\n

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Bonnie’s Vocal Focal swap was fun and easy. \u00a0In the Vocal Focal Swap<\/a>, Bonnie put a spotlight on what is very often the heart of a jewelry design. \u00a0 We were paired up and set off to send our partners a focal bead. \u00a0The great part about this swap was sending something pretty to someone I didn’t know, and receiving a surprise in the mail in return. \u00a0 No challenge to create anything with out focal beads, \u00a0just to enjoy the trade.<\/h4>\n

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My partner was Ginger Bishop<\/a> who happens to be overseas in Japan. \u00a0It turns out I have a lot in common with Ginger, being born in Japan myself, and she’s also a Mom of a little boy. \u00a0Ginger sent me a beautiful dragon focal that she purchased locally. I thought it was the perfect focal to receive from Okinawa! \u00a0 I’m planning to create a necklace on leather for one of my son’s upcoming birthday.<\/h4>\n

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Ginger sent me a sweet little wooden Kokeshi doll along with my package. \u00a0I have a few already and now I see a collection starting…. \u00a0You can learn \u00a0a little\u00a0about the background of these dolls here<\/a>. \u00a0Thank you so much, Ginger!<\/h4>\n

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It must have been serendipity that my focal partner happened to be in Japan, as today happens to be a Japanese holiday: Children’s Day <\/a>or Kodomo no Hi<\/strong><\/span>! \u00a0The 5th day of the 5th month was traditionally the Boy’s Day festival but now it is for all children, celebrating their health, growth, and happiness.<\/h4>\n

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Carp streamers (koinobori) made from paper and cloth are used for decorations, and can be seen “swimming” in the wind throughout Japan. \u00a0A black carp is flown for the father, red for the mother, and each son in the family – ranging in size from oldest to youngest. \u00a0 Now I would sure have a colorful porch if I did this…maybe next year!<\/h4>\n

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I have read that carp symbolizes strength, coming from Japanese folklore. \u00a0A carp that swims upstream, demonstrating perserverance, becomes a dragon (my focal comes in to play!).<\/h4>\n

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One of my aunts in Japan happened to send me this picture she found on the web this week – this is Tsuetate<\/a> hot springs, where the carp festival originated. She has traveled here several times. \u00a0I would love to see the sight of thousands of streamers in the springtime as well!<\/h4>\n

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Happy Children’s Day to our kids, whether they are teeny tiny or all grown up.<\/h3>\n

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Here are the Vocal Focal participants – let’s see the focals that have found their way to new homes!<\/h4>\n

<\/h3>\n

Cindy Wimmer \u00a0 \u00a0sweet bead studio<\/span><\/a><\/span>
\nGinger Bishop \u00a0 \u00a0Lilmummy Likes<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

Bonnie Coursolle \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Jasper’s Gems<\/span><\/a><\/span>
\nAndra Weber \u00a0 \u00a0 Andra’s Joyful Journey<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

Renetha Stanziano \u00a0 \u00a0 Lamplight Crafts<\/span><\/a><\/span>
\nLori Finney \u00a0 \u00a0 Using My Beads<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

Shirley Moore<\/span> \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Beads and Bread<\/span><\/a><\/span>
\n Kashmira Patel<\/span> \u00a0\u00a0 Sadulfee…..always in Bloom! <\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

Maybeline Tay \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0The Jewelry Larder\u00a0<\/a>
\nDee Torcherer Elgie \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Cherry Obsidia<\/a><\/h3>\n

Bonnie Coursolle \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Jasper’s Gems <\/a>
\nRhonda Baird \u00a0 Design and Conquer<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hello friends Today I’m participating in a fun little blog hop hosted by Bonnie Coursolle of Jasper’s Gems. \u00a0I have really enjoyed all of the absolutely creative swap, hop, and challenge ideas that this community is dreaming up! \u00a0I wish I could participate in more, but this is the last for a while….well, until the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,13,34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog-hop","category-life-and-times","category-things-to-see"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sweetbeadstudio.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9224","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sweetbeadstudio.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sweetbeadstudio.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sweetbeadstudio.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sweetbeadstudio.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9224"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.sweetbeadstudio.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9224\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sweetbeadstudio.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sweetbeadstudio.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sweetbeadstudio.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}