My Bead Soup From Hungary

I felt so spoilt when the package arrived the other day containing the bead soup from my lovely partner in Hungary. I adore the colour combination and haven't been able to stop thinking about what I want to do with these beads. Anyway, below there is also the unedited version of what I sent to Eva, but you can also view it at her World of Pearls.

Heather

Bead Tease for Doris

Here is a teaser of the beads I sent off to my swap partner Doris  for the Bead Soup Blog Hop. With the international postage the two of us might be waiting a little longer than some of the other bead soupers. Should be fun, though. I'm really looking forward to playing.

Heather

Bead Soup Blog Party

So, it's been pretty crazy around here. I had my mother visiting, which was wonderful, but nothing much got done as far as beading goes. But, my part in the Bead Soup Blog Party was completed today in a bit of a rush. The wind is high outside, but I braved it for the 30 minute walk to the post office. My car is the workshop today.  The little sprinkle of rain didn't bother me, but the wind pushed me along and made my trip much quicker I think.

I've packaged up my little offering and have sent it off to Germany. I sure hope my swap partner is happy and inspired by her little package of beads. I'm eager to see what is heading my way, too. My partner, Doris, has a cool blog Doralila Beads that I had to use the translate option to read. But even if you can't translate her blog the pictures tell you enough. Doris creates gorgeous lampwork beads, definitely worth drooling over. So make sure you check out what she's up to over there. I'll post a teaser later of the beads & pieces I've sent to Doris.

Heather
Photo used with permission from http://www.sxc.hu/

Mostly Metal Challenge

Well, I signed up with many others for the Mostly Metal Challenge by Michelle Mach. My lovely little kit arrived today. The photo above shows how it looks. I'm allowed to add anything from my own stash, but cannot show you my completed piece until the date of the big reveal, which is August 16 this year. Anyway, I've got some ideas forming. Maybe some seed beads, or wirework? I will have to have a play with the pack tonight and see what I can come up with. I hope you're joining in the challenge, too.


Heather

Filling the Well

I have to admit just the last couple of weeks I haven't really been doing much beading. I've been filling up the well, as I like to say, instead. I find after doing heaps of creating, especially when I try to do as many of my own ideas as possible, I can run a little dry. So, I like to step back a bit, read some books, look at loads of things, do some bead shopping, think about possibilities and just let that creative moisture seep back into my life.

I have two projects sitting on trays where I can see them every day. One is almost complete. All it needs is a little more beading added and a clasp. The other isn't really done, except for the beads and a rough shape of what it will become. The supplies for another piece, for a contest, arrived yesterday, so that will need to be laid out on a tray. I have another bracelet that just needs a clasp added and it's complete, too.

Two of these pieces are gifts and two are for contests. So, there's going to be some furious beading happening, soon. It's ok, though. I'm confident I will get them done. I love the cycle of my creativity and have learnt to tune into it, submit myself to that ebb and flow. The tide is coming in and soon there will be loads of things happening.

So, here's a photo of one project and the bracelet without the clasp. Not a fab photo, but it's just sitting here on the coffee table, so I didn't bother moving it.



Heather

Made on the Left This Arvo

After being at church this morning, then feeding the family lunch, I headed down to the Made on the Left market at Morris Place, Innaloo. After the bitter cold of the day outside it was lovely to be inside a warm place, but I was a little disappointed the venue was actually in a pub. Still, the set up was good for the displays. Not so if you good if you needed wheelchair access, though, as there were three flights of stairs to climb.

Overall, the goods on display were lovely. I felt the quality reflected how creative and talented we are as West Australians. I particularly liked some gorgeous handmade bags created by one of the mums down at the school my little man goes to. The Ali B Creative bags, wall hangings, etc, were stunning in detail, design and the colours were delicious.

The Stuffaduck toys & things were playfully cute. Kashen Jewellery did interesting things with glass. Trinket Jewellery & Custom Design had mixed media & silver designs going on. I also liked the leather wallets & bags on display by B.H.O.

I'm just sorry I missed the market yesterday. Apparently, there were completely different stalls on display from today. Saturday was a busy one for me. I sure hope it was busy for the stallholders, too.

Heather
 
Photo used with permission from stock.xchng

I'm a Rings 'n' Things Blog Partner

Ok, I think I may have finally worked out how to do this. I think I spent ages trying to remember how to link to an image. What the heck is the matter with me? I gather it had more to do with it being school holidays. Not only do I have hubby here chatting away to me, but the little guy also wanting to be with me. Which is all fine, but when it comes to concentrating I find it difficult to divide myself up like that.

On top of that my daughter has also been unwell and is home, too. It's a wonder anything gets done around here. I am certain I finally have it worked out, but will need to post this message first to test it out. Anyway, here's some more of my beading to look at, even if it isn't all that recent. It's still from this year, though.

I made this one from the December 2009 Bead & Button magazine. I loved the cover design, but was simply curious how it was done. I didn't want an entire piece done this way, so I just worked on five segments, and worked the rope in St Petersburg stitch.

So, it appears I am finally, a Rings 'n' Things blog partner. Here's hoping I get my hands on some goodies some time soon. You can join in the fun, too, by becoming a blog partner yourself.

Heather

Metalwork Firsts for Me

As I love a challenge, when I saw the metalwork challenge on the beading forum I knew I had to have a go at something. I've been reading a fabulous book at the moment by Beverly Ash Gilbert called Beaded Colorways. This is an excellent and inspiring book.

What really excited my mind was the really different ideas using metalwork and seed beads together. I'd never done any rivetting before, or even tried oxidising the metal, but I created bead soup and cut out some metal and created this:



And the back:


And in other news, you can win some cool cabs made by Karyn, an online friend of mine. Find details on her blog: Releases by Rufydorf.

Another Competition Entry

I love to enter contests, in particular beading contests. This piece was my entry into the Australian Beaders Bushranger's Bounty contest. The kit supplied the bird, some of the seed beads, the green cubes and the crystals. I supplied everything else. The idea came to me from laying all the pieces out and thinking about it for a few days. I hope you like it, too.

Beading It

I've been keeping a journal writing blog, but just lately my heart hasn't been in it. I am mad keen on creating jewellery out of beads, and just about anything else, so I figured I really should share my passion with a blog. It's second nature for me now to take my passions and share them with the world. I'm not really sure what's been holding me back.

Since losing my paid position writing about journal writing I've been floundering with what I want to write, online, at least. I do still keep a journal. It's something that is very much a part of me. I will continue to share journal writing with my blog - As I Write It. But there is so much more to me than just writing. As if that wasn't enough.

I also enjoy beading. I love wire work, seed beads, polymer clay and just lately resin. I love a creative challenge and will share these with you. The image shown is my entry into a beading competition with the beadingforum.com.au, which host regular contests, if you're interested. The theme for this one was Steampunk Alice. My piece is called Alice in a Steampunk Garden.