Another Contest

I've finally gotten around to not only creating something for a contest, but also making a blog entry to share about it. Yay! Since my husband went into hospital, at the end of September, I've only touched any beads that arrived in the mail. Otherwise I hadn't done any creating or even thought about making anything. I still have an unfinished mixed media piece sitting on a tray. It kind of makes me sad, though, if I'm honest. I think of all the pain hubby was in and that he is in fact still in hospital and not fully himself, just yet.

Anyway, this contest is one through a little online store for one of beading forum friends. Her store is called Clearly Chosen, and the challenge is a Clearly Creative Challenge. We were supplied with 12 each of the Swarovski 4mm crystals and pearls. The rest was up to us. I used 12g and 20g sterling silver to create a frame and then added the beads and sterling silver beads and spacers with 28g sterling silver wire. It was  fun and I made it in about an hour. Hope you like it, 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.

Bead Embroidery ebook

The other day I downloaded the second chapter of an ebook on bead embroidery, Altered Surfaces, by Cyndi Lavin. You can find it on her beading arts website, along with the first chapter which is a free download. I found the first book a comprehensive cover of all you need to know about bead embroidery.

The second chapter is exciting in that you will find her suggestions for surface treatments of other fabrics, on which you can then bead embroider, nothing short of inspiring. For an incredibly low $3(US) you can be inspired to create unique bead embroidery, too. I recommend this ebook, especially if you're looking for ways to make your work stand out from others, or simply as a way to help express your unique voice in your jewellery design.

Here's a photo of some of my own bead embroidery, but I'm definitely looking at including some fabrics I've altered to my own designs soon.

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.