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

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.

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.