Beads and Bread: lariat

Showing posts with label lariat. Show all posts

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Color of Dreams Blog Hop

I'm so very thrilled and excited to show you what I've created for this special hop! Rita, better known as Toltec Jewels, invited us to participate in a very special challenge. She generously shared a gorgeous art bead with each of us, created by the awesomely talented Patricia Handschuh.
I'm telling you, I was quite the little happy camper when I opened the package. Patricia creates very intricate patterns in these beads. Here's the shot of the beads that Rita mailed out to us.

Simply a riot of happiness, right? It was fairly easy for me to decide what I wanted to create...just a matter of getting it all done. I really went right to the wire with this one, which means that I had to take the pics last night, rather than in daylight. I'll be out most of the day Sunday, but I am going to add daylight pics to the post later.
The bead was small enough that I could have created a bracelet with it, but I decided I wanted a necklace. Specifically, a set of necklaces. I chose to create a trio of lariats, with the bead taking center stage as the closure.
I had so much fun just playing around with different styles, beads, and techniques with this challenge. So, surprisingly, one of the ropes is a simple string of beads. But it worked, and taught me that simple can still have a big impact. The second rope is a kumihimo braid with a matte orange accent bead. The threads used for it were a variegated yarn, white crochet thread, and two strands of matte ab orange beads.
The third rope is a twisted RAW that has a pretty, delicate spring look to it. Which is rather funny, because it has in-your-face hot pink, and metallic green beads in it! That's one of the coolest parts about playing with beads for me...all the endless combinations of colors and styles.

Here's a shot of the focal bead. I surrounded it with an alternating square of CRAW.

I love how different the strands are, and yet they pick up all the gorgeous colors in the bead. The ropes can be worn alone, or together, with the clasp or not, which makes it so very versatile.

Here's a closeup of the individual strands. I'm really loving all the subtle color changes in the kumihimo braid from the variegated yarn.

Thank you Rita, for sharing Patricia's beads with us. I'm so happy to have found another source for beads, and thrilled with where this challenge took me. Please go visit all the other participants in this wonderful challenge! Blessings, Shirley

Honorary Artist: Patricia Handschuh
Patricia's blog: The Color of Dreams
Patricias Etsy:   The Color of Dreams
Hostess: TJ Jewel School Friends
Kay Thomerson   KayzKreationz
Audrey Belanger Toki No Hourousha

Alicia Marinache All the Pretty Things
Terry Carter TappingFlamingo
Lori Schneider   Bead Addict
Jenny Kyrlach   Wonder and Whimsy
Asri Wahyuingsih   Asri's Beadwork
Dini Bruinsma Angaza by Changes
Karla Morgan Texas Pepper Jams
Debbie Rasmussen A Little of This, A Little of That
Veralynne Malone Designed by Vera
Kathy Stemke   Vintage Memories Jewelry Design
Mowse Doyle   Mowse Made This
Heather Richter   Desert Jewelry Designs
Lori Poppe   Adventures in Creativity with LorilliJean
Jayne Capps Mama's Got To Doodle
Andrea Glick Zenith Jade Creations
Kathleen Breeding   99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall
Becky Pancake   Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Karin Martinez Fairies Market
Miranda Ackerley Mirandack
Penny Houghton Smelly Nelly
Carolyn Lawson   Carolyn's Creations
Chris Eisenberg Wanderware
Christie Murrow Charis Designs Jewelry
Monique Urquhart A Half-Baked Notion
Eve Shelby Raindrop Creations Jewelry by Evelyn
Cryss Thain   Here Bead Dragons
Jasvanti Patel   Jewelry By Jasvanti
Nan Smith   NanMade Handmade Jewelry
Sue Kennedy   SueBeads
Jean Yates   Snap Out of It, Jean! There's Beading to be Done!
Debbie Rogers   Debbies Treasures
Marybeth Rich   A Few Words From Within the Pines
Shirley Moore Beads and Bread
Shaia Williams   Shaiha's Ramblings
Kathy Lindemer   Bay Moon Design
Linda Anderson   From the Bead Board
Judy Turner   Silver Rains
Gloria Allen Gloria Allen Designs
Regina Wood Ginas-Design
Robin Reed Artistry HCBD
Mary Goovars MLH Jewelry Designs
Marlene Cupo   Amazing Designs
CJ Bauschka 4 His Glory Creations
Robin Showstack The Crazy Bead Hoarder
Cynthia O'Toole Sparkles and Sweets
Jael Thorp   Jael's Art Jewels
Renetha Stanziano Lamplight Crafts

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Two for One Reveal-Lampwork Blog Hop

Yeah, I did. I signed up for TWO hops, with reveals on the same day. I know, what was I thinking?
Obviously, my brain wasn't working at that moment.
You can go here to see what I created for Therese Franks' Birthday Challenge.

Y'all know Lisa Lodge's Blog Hops are always fun, right? Well, if you've never participated in one, you owe it to yourself to sign right up! She has a couple that are open right now, you can check them out on her blog.
I did sign up a lot later than everyone else on this one. I was really, really trying to resist....we see how well that worked, huh? Anyhoo....have you ever been a bit starstruck when you get beads in the mail?
Of course you have, what a dumb question. That is exactly how I feel every time I see JulsBeads. That woman has some serious mojo magic with lampwork. I was thrilled when I got my package from Lisa, and opened it to find these babies! Beady Alert! Juls is having a MEGA Sale on her entire shop! You're welcome.

And you just need to take my word for it if you've never held any of her beads, the pics really, really don't do them justice.

The deep blues offset by the swirls of no-clouds-in-the-sky-blue are just....yeah. Let me just head off to Dictionary dot com and see if I can find a good adjective.

Nope. Couldn't find one. So, let's just carry on, shall we? Now, of course, I wanted these babies to be front and center, and I wen through several different ideas on my way to the solution. I made a sample piece of netted rope that picked up that deep blue perfectly, but it was feeling a bit too delicate for me, so it got tossed in the 'I'll do something with that later' pile.

This pattern is from Laura McCabe's Embellished Beadweaving. I've used it several times, I love how fast it works up, and looks so very different depending on the bead choices.

This is why I love this pattern. Depending on the beads used between the pearls, it has a totally different feel. I used some Czech crystal lined, that have an irregular profile, which translates to a more organic overall look.

Well, this one was to help you see the entire length. Not lovin' this pic so much, but hopefully it gives the idea...

Those matte raku beads are mainly a dusty brown, but they have lovely hints of blue randomly popping up. The other 11's are a silver lined crystal, and a shiny topaz with black diamond inside color. The pearls on the rope are a deep blue, almost indigo. I really, really heart this necklace. It has a surprisingly vintage feel, and the soft, rather neutral colors mean I can wear it with a TON of stuff! Happy Me!!!!

As always, a HUGE Thank you to Lisa for a great Blog Hop!

Here is the list of participants, have fun!!! Blessings, Shirley

Your hostess: Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Laurie Vyselaar, Lefthand Jewelry

Annette Rivers, MamaOwl's Mess

Karin King, The Sparkle Things Blog

Shaiha Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings

Mimi Gardner, Baubles, Beads and Other Curiosities

Dee Alcalde, Agape Creations Jewelry

Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams

Lori Jean Poppe, Lorillijean Creative Corner

Eleanor Burian Moore, The Charmed Life

Leah Mifflin Tees, My Beady Little Eyes

Terri Wlaschin, Dances in Fog

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, Sharyl's Jewelry

Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation

Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera

Linda Aspenson Bergstrom, TBD

Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends

Judy Turner, Silver Rains

Gloria Allen, Gloria Allen Designs

Kathleen Douglas, Washoe Kat's

Connie Tipton, TBD

Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Andrea Glick-Zenith, ZenithJade Creations

Michele Dotson, Star Jewels

Chris Eisenberg, Wanderware

Jennifer Clifford, TBD

Kathleen Breeding, 99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall

Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me

Loretta, Loretta's Boutique

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyns Creations

Shirley Moore, Beads and Bread ----------------------- You are Here

Bonnie Coursolle, Jasper's Gems

Alice Craddick, Alice's Beads and Baubles

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

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.