Here is my entry, Entangled, for the Etsy Beadweavers May challenge, How Unusual! You can view the actual listing HERE.
For this challenge we were encouraged to, “use at least one unconventional item”. I have seen plenty of modern jewelry made with nuts & bolts, toothbrushes, straws, coins, etc. so I tried to find something that had never been used before. Looking around my house I saw some old cork coasters and thought hmmm, might work. So off I went to do a search to confirm no one had used one before - nothing came up on Etsy, so I decided to use a cork coaster for my unconventional item. Not to worry - this is an unused one straight from the box. Since it was quite large, I cut off the top for a more visual pleasing shape and to create a pair of matching earrings.
Keeping in line with the “unusual” theme, I chose my least favorite stitch which is unusual for me to use (I find it quite fiddly and tedious and learned bead weaving via other stitches so it just never grew on me), and hard as it may be I did not incorporate any black into this piece. And trust me, this was a struggle! Several times I picked up black beads than put them down, trying to create a more feminine piece but still in my style. I am drawn to the color black and most of my jewelry has some black in it!
This was not my original design. I found that cutting the coaster with a smooth edge was difficult no matter what I cut it with and the shape I wanted was to intricate and the way I wanted to attach some beads just didn’t work out. But it would be perfect for a future bead embroidery project!
This is my very first attempt at freeform. I’ve always been attracted to this style since I am obsessed with asymmetry and hate “rules”. Freeform just seems so rebellious & fun and has been on my beading bucket list for a while now. I will definitely do more freeform soon –but with some black in it!
Here is my entry, Nebulous, for the Etsy Beadweavers March challenge, Am I Blue? You can view the actual listing HERE.
For this challenge we were encouraged to use the March birthstone Aquamarine, a/o Turquoise, a/o Tanzanite, individually or together, the more blue the better. Over 16 different shades, finishes, and sizes of blue beads were used; matte, pearl, metallic, silver lined, bugle, triangles, cubes, turquoise, teal, aquamarine, zircon, navy, royal, sky, etc.
Please visit our team BLOG between the 9th and the 15th to see all the entries from the wonderfully talented artists in this team and vote for your favorite entry!
Here is my entry for the Etsy Bead Weavers October Challenge, Misty Winter's Dawn; Wintertide. You can view the actual listing HERE.
This months challenge was to use a winter color palette to achieve a pale, pastel, foggy, subdued look.
Here are a few beautiful photographs I drew inspiration from...
Found here.
Found here.
Found here.
I chose to work with the pinks and purples found in the sky as the sun rises to meet the horizon and light bounces off snow & ice in the early morning.
Please be sure to visit our team blog, between the 9th and the 15th of October to see all the entries from the wonderfully talented artists in this team and vote for your favorite entry!
Time to VOTE for your favorite Lunar Obsession. This months challenge was to be inspired by the moon. Many great works from talented artists. Be sure to check them all out!
My entry is #23, La Bella Luna.
You can read more about my necklace and view more photos HERE.
Tonight will be a Blue Moon, rumored to be very auspicious. What perfect timing to list my entry, La Bella Luna, for the Etsy Bead Weavers September challenge, Lunar Obsession. You can view the actual listing HERE.
Often when perusing local bead shops I will purchase beady things that are ugly or weird, just because I like things that are unusual. The focal of my necklace, a grey resin cabochon, is just that. It caught my eye because I have never seen anything like it. I picked it up on a whim, not having any idea of what I would do with it. When I got it home and looked it over a second time, I thought I would never use it, that it was a little too ugly for jewelry use, and would join my overwhelming stash of going nowhere soon beady “stuff” that waits patiently for its birth.
For this challenge we were to be inspired by the moon. I often look to the moon; wondering, awed, captivated. Cloaked in darkness and full of mystery, constantly changing and often lacking symmetry. When viewing the moon even from such a great distance you see craters, shadows, texture, the beauty of light reflecting off of its surface.
The focal is representative of the moon’s surface. Also used in this piece were Picasso and metallic finish peanut beads, textured metal sequins, Hematite beads, matte cube beads, a cat eye cabochon, bugle beads, matte & opaque seed beads, and a gunmetal tube bead, backed with Ultrasuede, and finished with a gunmetal toggle closure.
Please be sure to visit our team blog, between the 9th and the 15th of September to see all the entries from the wonderfully talented artists in this team and vote for your favorite entry!
*Enjoy your holiday weekend and be sure to look up tonight and behold the Blue Moon!*
