The Learning Curve...and a Giveaway!

So, this post has come about due to some recent conversations on facebook, and some exciting changes in my personal life.





As a beadweaver, there is a dedicated learning curve. Some folks instinctively grasp the math behind the beads, and some can effortlessly put colors together in fantastic displays of gorgeousness.
The rest of us? Well, it takes work, and more work, and more work.
I do feel that I have made huge strides in my technical skills, and choosing colors that play well together. Some of my favorites......

And....some of my 'not so favorites'...

The important thing is, I've learned with each design. I've found which colors I work best with, which materials, and the techniques that really make me feel good.

It has truly been and enjoyable journey, and I am finally opening a shop!!!!

It is a components shop, so those folks that love seed bead creations, but don't like working with them, can now use them in their designs.

It is still very small, with limited inventory, but hey, you've gotta start somewhere!

Here's the link: http://artisancomponentmarketplace.com/shirleymooredesigns/

I'm also working on opening a finished jewelry store as well, but that will probably not happen til after the first of the year.

My last piece of good news is that I am now teaching classes at my local bead store, Moonstone Beads. If you are in the Myrtle Beach, SC area, please stop in, it's a great store!

 It's been a fun challenge for me, really stopping to think about patterns that will work for beginners.

I have to confess, even when I was a beginner, I was always pushing the envelope, trying patterns that were harder than my skill level...so this has been very different.

Ok, so if you've made it this far, you definitely deserve a treat, right?

I need nice, constructive criticism, so I'm asking for help on the storefront.

Please head over and check it out, and let me know if you see something I can improve, change, add, etc. 

Come back and comment and you will be entered to win  one of these pretties. I will draw a winner on Friday, Oct. 24th

Thanks for your help! Blessings, Shirley

It's AJE Reveal Day...and it's a stunner!

I know, I know, it's not polite to brag on yourself....but seriously, I'm just rather impressed at where this piece took me!
If you are not familiar with AJE, you are in for a treat. It's a blog of super talented folks, and each month they create a piece from a component one of them created. They are also nice enough to have a few folks join in each month as well. I've been very privileged to participate in the past.
This month the component is created by the fabulous Kristi Bowman. What that woman can do with clay is awesome!

I grabbed this image from the AJE site. Mine piece is the bottom row, on the right.  I just adore the warm, coppery tones in it.
There is also a hint of purple, so that pretty much set the color choices for me.
However.....I hit a major hiccup in my process.
See, there was this gorgeous sexy, double St. Pete in Beadwork a few months ago that I just knew would marry so well with the pendant. I started it with plenty of time to spare...colors were awesome...I knew it would work, even with the modifications I was making to the pattern. But, confidence is great to trip you up at times. I made a major uh-oh in my beadweaving. So, I had to decide very quickly whether I would Ripppit, Ripppit, or start something totally new.

I'm crazy, so I decided to start something completely new. Fingers flying, brain sizzling with ideas, I tried some things I've not tried before; and, well, I love it! I hope you do as well...

I chose some luscious purples, blues, coppers, and metallics to show off the pendant's rich patina.

The chain is a mix of triple spiral, seen here, along with some new peyote beaded beads as well.

Obviously, I need to learn how to photo the entire length of a longer necklace...sigh.

Closeup of the beaded beads I stumbled upon. I'm not going to be prideful enough to say, 'I created'. However, I do love the look, and they are very tactile. The wavy strands move freely upon the bead.

Lampwork toggle from The Beading Room. The soft mottled colors work perfectly with the overall palette.

I was so excited to finally get to use these fabulous disc beads by Lea Avroch. They show off the peyote beaded beads perfectly.

 Look how everyone plays so well together!!

I've used this RAW variation several times. I love how easy it is, and the silver lined beads meander like a stream through the matte beads.

So, were you wondering what happened with the original design? Well, I went ahead and took a pic of it for ya, cause I'm nice like that....

See how pretty and feminine? And the pattern was for a double layer St. Pete, so these oranges would have been peeking out through the purples.

You can wear it with the fringes inside our outside. I hope I decide to finish it. But, you just never know....

Thanks for hangin' with me through all those pics. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Kristi's components, and thrilled to create for AJE.

You can check out everyone's work from the links over at AJE. 

Blessings, Shirley

Autumn Design Challenge Reveal

Hi all! Welcome to the reveal for Lesley and Caroline's Design challenge!
You just have no idea how thrilled I was to be able to work with these components. I have been a stalker...um follower, of Lesley's for quite a while. This is my first time working with Caroline's beads, and I can tell you, it won't be the last.
Have you ever had so many ideas floating around in your head, you just don't know which to do? Well, that was me. It took a bit for the beads to get here from the UK, so I was also short on time.
My design process definitely gave me fits for this challenge, but hey, that's part of the fun!
Where is my before pic, you ask? Why, of course I forgot to take one! But, in my defense, I was excited!
Lesley sent a bracelet bar, and a leaf, and Caroline sent a strand of oh so luscious beads.
I'm part of a kumihimo facebook group, and one of the members, Pru McRae, had just released a new tutorial that I had been itching to get my hands on. When I saw that bracelet bar, I knew exactly what I wanted to do!

See? Isn't that just the most scrumptious???

 Ok, so my pics are definitely off in color a bit. I promise you, those goldstone beads are a perfect match for the colors in the bar. 

Here is a bit more full size view of the bracelet. I didn't like the way I ended it, so you don't get to see that part....cause it's my blog, that's why! The gold beads are size 5 triangles, and they worked perfectly with the goldstone beads in Pru's fabulous pattern.

Next up are the leaves...oh yeah baby! Caroline's bead set included a ceramic leaf, and I wanted to use them together. I happily set out to bead a leaf to go with them....

 I adore this leaf, but sadly, it didn't make the cut. My idea, and what we ended up with are worlds apart.....

But, oh, how I love it! My vision had lots of leaves in various sizes, with tons of fringes, and a peyote band to bring them together....hmm, guess I thought I was in charge here....

My poor pics do not do these beads justice, they are so beautiful, and just really didn't need  a lot of busyness.

 Two simple ropes, with all the lovely shades of autumn.

 I was so excited to finally get to use the UFO beads from The Beading Room. They have a bit of a weathered look, like picasso, and the light shines through them beautifully. 

I still had several of Caroline's beads to work with, and spent two days creating an awesome CRAW bracelet....and then just didn't feel the love. What to do, what to do (insert image of me pulling hair)

Every time I looked at those beads, they just said 'necklace'. Which is fine, but a speedy beader I'm not. All the beadwoven rope techniques I wanted to use, I knew I didn't have time to complete.

So, as I'm sitting there staring at my VERY MESSY desk, I keep looking at this awesome teal clon kumihimo cord, sitting next to one of those beads....

This is another of my favorite kumi patterns. This one is by the talented Sally Battis, of Sallybeadjewelry.

Huge apologies, I finished this up too late for decent pics. The magatamas have a gorgeous hybrid of colors, and that cord just sings next to Caroline's bead.

This feels sooooo comfortable on your wrist.

This challenge has been so much fun, HUGE thanks to Lesley and Caroline!

Here's the list of participants. Have fun checking out the designs! Blessings, Shirley

Lesley Watt - http://thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.co.uk/

Caroline Dewison – http://blueberribeads.co.uk

Gay Messander - http://gaysiemay.blogspot.co.uk/

Made By Jules -http://madebyjulesjewellery.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Heidi Post - http://expostfactojewelry.blogspot.co.uk/

Janet Bocciardi - http://www.honeyfromthebee.com/

Alice - http://alice-dreaming.blogspot.com

Dolores Raml - http://craftydscreations.wordpress.com/

Lucy Haslam - http://faerystone.blogspot.co.uk/

Pine Ridge treasures - http://pineridgetreasures.blogspot.com

Shirley Moore - http://beadsandbread.blogspot.com           You are here

Tracy Collins - http://travelsintimedesigns.blogspot.co.uk

Melissa Trudinger – http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com/

Mags - http://magsinhelmet.blogspot.com

Pepita - http://pepita-handmade.blogspot.co.uk/

Jo-Ann - http://itsabeadifulcreation.blogspot.com

Toltec Jewels - http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com

Judith Johnston – http://www.judith-johnston.com/blog/blog

Janine Lucas – http://www.esfera.me/travel/blog/travel-stories

Madeline Bunyan – http://madelinebunyan.wordpress.com/

Chic and frog – http://www.chicandfrog.wordpress.com/

It's a Wonky Bead Hop!

Today's the day! I've been so excited to share what I came up with for Kristi Bowman's Wonky clay beads!
She makes the most incredible clay pieces, and has recently expanded into polymer clay.
When I received my beads, I had to take a deep breath, because they are quite a bit bigger than what I normally work with....I'm a seed bead girl, remember?
However, inspiration was pretty quick to strike, because I remembered a great tutorial that I had not had a chance to try yet........from the awesome Sherri Stokey! Do you know where this is headed? No? Well, come on, let me show you!

I knew that Sherri's Multiwrap Macrame Bracelet tutorial would be perfect to showcase these beads.

I used an even bigger bead from the talented Natalie Pappas for the centerpiece. (I'm using this as a necklace, rather than a bracelet). 

 These wooden beads I picked up at a destash event picked up the colors perfectly.

 This knarly, beat-up button follows that organic, timeless look.

 I had to throw in that cool mood bead, it will show off all the colors! And I loved creating some beaded beads to slide on as well.

I'm so very pleased with how the necklace turned out. Huge thanks to Kristi for helping me to see that I can create with larger beads,and to Sherri for the perfect tutorial!

Head on over to Kristi's blog to see what everyone else created! Blessings, Shirley