Monday, September 23, 2013

Flight by Night

Anyone who knows me, knows that I absolutely LOVE butterflies.  Hands down, I think they are the most beautiful creatures on this earth.

With that said, when the Animal Challenge was announced by my beading team OTTBS, I was elated to take this challenge by the horns.

No second guessing, I started looking for just the right pattern to bead.  I found an Anna Stacia pattern on pinterest and started my even count peyote journey.


I actually had to start over once I was a fourth of a way down the pattern because I miscounted and doubled up on a row and that threw everything off.  I was truly ready to just throw this in my "unfinished" pile, but the pattern was so pretty I just had to give it another go.


The original pattern has a white background and the butterfly and flower are bright and sunny colored, but I am in love with brown and turquoise so I decided to make a night themed bracelet.


The pattern did not have a directions for the clasp, so I decided to bead a toggle clasp


I love the shimmer from the metallic brown and gold and how it contrasts with the matte turquoise


This photo shows the contrast (and the 2 slightly different shades of turquoise) of the beads a little better and because I used a different camera setting, the background is also a little less pronounced, so that the butterfly stands out.

Now on to my next project...not butterfly themed, but I know I will soon find another project that features butterflies.

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Perception (Horned) Bangle



Even in darkness, light can prevail, nothing is ever all good nor all bad, always remember that joy can come even if you are sad. Both dark and light can coexist, it is up to you to determie which perception shall persist. (Dee Alcalde)


This bangle represents ones perception in life. Sometimes we have a pessimistic, or dark view; while at other times we have an optimistic, or light view of situations. Regardless of ones perception of things, it is my belief that when things appear great, there is still some darkness and when things seem dim, there is always a brighter side.

The bangle is composed of a light side that is speckled with horns and spots that are a darker shade; while the opposite side is composed of a dark color that has horns and spots of a lighter shade (hence my view point explained above).

 
I started by choosing my colors and since I had just came from the bead shop, I choose some of the newly selected colors. I was in a purple, pink, metallic mood.
 
 
The actual shape (heptagon - 7 sided shape) was derived from the Horned Bangle concept found in Contemporary Geometric Beadwork.  The actual bangle in the book is only a hexagon but I wanted something a bit more quirky.
 
 
I love how this simple circle morphs into a whole new shape/design.

 
I made the pink side first and then decided that I needed something to break up the pink, I just did not want a completely pink bangle.

 
 
So I added the darker purple on the opposite side and that got me to thinking about a name for the piece...
 
 
As I continued my work, the heptagon shape and contrast in the colors made me think that some may find this piece ugly, I mean it really is not a normal shape for bangles and the horns just add to the strange quality of the piece.



However, I could not help but thinking that this is one of my most artistic and fabulous pieces.  Not only is it completely unique but I absolutely love the colors I selected and the seamless, imperfect perfection.










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Sunday, September 15, 2013

Pearl Blog Hop Reveal



Normally I do not work with pearls, though I have a considerable stash of them; so I was excited to pull out my pearls and create some beautiful earrings:


Materials include plastic pearls (8mm, 6mm and 4mm) embellished on both sides with 4mm swarovski crystals and 11/0 seed beads 


The earrings are finished with rose gold tone hooks and jump rings 


I love the outcome, such a simple, yet elegant pair of earrings.

Please check out the other participants designs for the blog hop:

Pearls! Pearls!! Pearls!!! Blog Hop Participants:


MiShel Designs - Pearls! Pearls!! Pearls!!! Blog Host 

Sadafulee,…Always in Bloom 

Antiquity Travelers
 
Jewelry By Jasvanti

Bead Contagion
 
Back Story Beads

Sharyl’s Jewelry and Reflections

Silver Niknats

Fresh Baked Designs

Lisa Yang Jewelry

Designed by Vera

Serena Trent

Amy Bright

Carefree Jewelry by Lisa

Agape Creations Jewelry

Klassy Joolz

Beautifully Broken Me
 
One Kiss Creations

Stories from the City of  Brass

Make Bracelets!

Carolyn’s Creations

Raindrop Creations Jewelry

Freestyle Elements



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Monday, September 9, 2013

50% OFF All Patterns

I am having a sale on all my beading patterns in my Etsy Shop. Most patterns can be downloaded immediately after purchase, only the patterns that offer more than one choice will need to be e-mailed.  All patterns will be e-mailed with 24hrs of purchase (but they will most likely arrive within a few hours)

Beading patterns are offered in peyote stitch or brick stitch and some are offered in both brick and peyote stitches.

There are patterns that range from beginner to advanced.

This sale will last until Sunday, September 15, 2013

Pattern samples are below, please check back regularly, as I will be adding even more fun and unique patterns.
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Friday, September 6, 2013

Soutache, Reveals and More

I have been working hard at my full-time job but hopefully I can eek out some of the projects for various blog hops and swaps that I have signed up for in the near future.

I have a Pearl reveal on September 15, 2013. MiShel Designs is hosting this elegant and fun hop. I actually whipped up my pearl creation rather quickly, so I am just patiently waiting for the hop.


I have an Oriental Earring Swap with my group BeadSwap-USA and that is due on September 23, 2013. We need to make two pair of earrings that fit this theme, however, "Oriental" is quite vague so I am just going to do my best on this one. I love Chinese and Japanese culture so I think I am going to focus on that aspect of the orient.




Then there is a soutache contest for October 3, 2013 being sponsored by Simply Soutache. I have never done soutache but I have all the materials and I have been dying to test my soutache skills. I am a fourth of a way through my project and I must say.....soutache is either not my thang, or I just have to get used to this technique.  I will be able to make a more sound judgement after I am done with my piece.




And just because I didn't think I had enough projects under my belt, there is also a Sequin Blog Hop on September 28, 2013, hosted by Saturday Sequins.  I actually already have this project completed....and I am super excited to reveal it because this is my first time incorporating sequins into my jewelry creations.



I am currently working on two challenge pieces, one for my Etsy Bead Weavers Team 

The theme is The Art of Geometry and I have a project I am contemplating, hopefully I can make it happen before the October 5th deadline.


My other challenge is for my other team OTTBS and the theme is Animals and I have about an eighth of this project completed so we shall see if it gets done by the end of September.





Lastly, there is a Finished Item Swap, hosted by Beaders United, due on October 10, 2013, however, I also completed this piece, and again, I am excited to reveal it once the time comes because I love it, and if it wasn't for the swap, I would keep it for myself :-) But I am also receiving a handmade piece from someone else, so that is exciting and I love being able to give something I made to someone else.  


Oh wait, I spoke to soon, lastly, for real, is a Lampwork and Clay Blog Hop hosted by Pine Ridge Treasures.  This one is not until November 16, 2013 and so I am less stressed about this one. 


One challenge I enjoyed involved tackling a new stitch. The Oglala stitch was totally new to me and though I had read about it when I first started beading, I never got around to using it, but my Bead Challenge Group inspired me to try something new....


I call this little lady "Lacy Sprouts" (click on the link to get the full explanation behind the name), which is featured in my Etsy Shop 


Very comfortable to wear 


Sweet button closure


Seed beads and glass beads were used to complete this bracelet


The green and gold work so well together and this color scheme is my last good-bye to summer (until next year)



Whew...so much to do and so little time.  However, I love challenges and blog hops and swaps because they truly test my skills as a jewelry designer and jewelry maker and really, other than the swaps, there are no true obligations. I do like to give at least 98.3 percent when I am creating because I don't want to create junk or substandard pieces.  

One thing I am missing is time....time to sketch new pieces, time to create something more intensive.  When there are deadlines, it kind of limits what can be accomplished.

So with that said, I am pledging to fall back from deadline imposed projects and spend more time on developing my skills as a designer and small business owner.  The aforementioned take up enough time  and with full-time work and my spiritual obligations, I need to trim as much excess as possible and stream line my activities and time management.













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