Beads and Bread: pink

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, February 23, 2013

Freeform Peyote Challenge

Two very awesome ladies, Karen Williams and Mandi Ainsworth, decided it would be fun to host a Freeform Peyote Challenge! I was so very excited to sign up, and today's the reveal day! I have to say, this has been a whirlwind of a project. I started out with something totally different, and it quickly grew out of all proportionate size. It would have been a 3 inch wide cuff if I had kept going. Now, there's nothing wrong with that, but not what I normally wear...so, back to the drawing board. Karen started a great facebook group for Freeform Peyote, and I got such inspiration from seeing all the different interpretations. One in particular stood out for me. It was simply made in two colors. Like a lightbulb, I realized that I could also do that. And my two colors immediately jumped out for me....silver and hot pink!
Now, most freeform pieces go through an....ugly duckling stage. Where you look at it and wonder if it will ever grow up to be beautiful. Not so for this piece. From the moment I started it, I love each and every stage of it. This has been such a wonderful piece for me, and will be a treasure in my collection for many years to come.
I did a few things differently on this one than what I've done in the past. I wanted a bit of structure, so I ladder stitched silver 11's for one end, then strung several types of silver beads until I reached the length I wanted, then did another ladder stitched row for the other end. So I started with a rectangle of silver, which I then filled in with lacy strands of beads.

I think the hardest thing to photograph is a freeform piece. There is so much to look at, so I tried to break it down for you.

The clasp end, silver lined triangle beads, accented with fuschia 15's.

The loop end is a pink and clear dichroic bead, with loops of the seed beads used throughout the bracelet encircling the bead.

It definitely took on it's own shape..I was thrilled when I saw what was happening.

A lovely bridge of silver twisted bugles flows down to a silver pond.

Hard to see, but there is a pink cube bead, an AB clear crystal, and a frosted pink bead in this shot.

Another view of the bridge.

I love the pink and silver mix here, reminds me of cherry blossoms.

Thanks so much Karen and Mandi, for this challenge. It gave me better understanding of myself as a beader, and what I'm capable of creating. And a lovely addition to my jewelry box!

Here's the list of the participants-have fun hopping! Blessings, Shirley