Summer of Color 3: Week 2

Well, it's already Week 2 of the Summer of Color 3 challenge.  Once again the choice for this week, Hot Pink and Orange, is a favorite of mine.  It's such a bright, summery combination, which makes me smile!!!  I often use it in my garden containers.  I love to garden and I take a lot of care in deciding what colors go in my different pots which are scattered around the garden.  It's sort of an obsession really.  But, when they're all planted I love looking at them and enjoying the combinations!  I'm a color addict, remember!!

Well, this week I have three different projects to share.  Since I mentioned using the combination in my garden, I'll start with that.

 

This is a pot of Million Bells, little workhorses of the garden.  This is actually our umbrella pot!  Years ago I saw a drawing of a pot full of flowers with a market umbrella in the middle.  I fell in love with it and my absolutely wonderful husband put it together for me!  We've  had it for at least 20 years and it looks very vintage, which I love!  I have a different combination of colors and flowers in it every year. 

 

Next is a bracelet I made to wear to a wedding.  It was a fun beaded bracelet using triangles shapes which are some of my favorite shapes to create to create in beads. 

 

 

I used a mix of colors but all in the pink/hot pink, orange and copper color range.  It's a fun bracelet to wear because it's so cheerful.  Like a party on my wrist!

 

Next is a tag I just finished.  I love masks and I've had a mask stamp for several years and haven't done much with it.  Just looked at and kept it where I could see it, so I could admire it!  That's the kind of thing I do when I love something!!!  Anyway, this week's colors gave me an idea to use it.  I'm really happy with the finished project and I have to thank my very talented daughter, Carrie, and her friend, Maria, for giving me ideas on how to finish the tag. 

 

 

I'm really pleased with the way this turned out. 

 

So, these are my entries for this week.  Thanks again to Kristin for hosting this challenge.  It is such great fun! 

 

 

Thank you for stopping by the blog to visit.  I hope you have a very wonderful day!







Neapolitan

It's been quite a while, even for me, since I last posted.  Life has intervened and kept me busy these last few weeks.  Things are close to settling down around here, and I'm looking forward to being able to enjoy the beauty that is Fall!  I wanted to share the latest installment of my triangle adventure.  I'm not saying my final installment because I know other ideas are waiting in the wings.  I've had a great time designing this piece, so I had to share it.

This picture isn't the greatest.  It doesn't capture the true colors of the Delicas, but I really just don't have time to work with it.  I wanted to share it with you all now.   The title of this post explains the colors.  As I worked on the different triangles it reminded me of Neapolitan ice cream.  You know, chocolate, vanilla and strawberry!  Yum!  Anyway,  here it is!  I stitched triangles using Heather Collins wonderful pattern, and also a layered triangle from the book "More Seed Bead Stitching" by Beth Stone. I really love the idea of layering the triangles and I think the idea has a lot of potential for design, and color pairing.  The funky little triangle in the middle is my second variation on Heather's triangle bezel.  I stitched the base and then started to build up an open vessel-type shape with peyote which I increased on each end.  I zipped up the two sections and put a picot on each end. 

It's a little difficult to see the picot because I used the same color as the triangle next to it.  In the center I stitched a margarite crystal.  I really love this idea and I think it also has potential for variation.  A larger triangle perhaps, which would make it more of a vessel to contain other components.  As I said, this isn't the end of the adventure!  But, I love dimensional stitching whether it's beads, fabric, or knitting.  Which is why Beth Stone's layered triangle was so appealing.  I use layers a lot, even in decorating my home.  I layer plates and bowls in my hutch, and in seasonal displays I create throughout the house.  I use layering in fabric embellishing and in knitting the Bohemian scarves. Here's a close up of the layered triangle.

Again, I see lots of possibilities.  Larger base with additional layers, a bead or margarite in the center...lots of ideas!
To stitch the necklace together I experimented with layouts and when I found one I liked I took a picture of it.  I'm happy that I did that because as I picked up the different triangles to stitch them together I would lose exactly where I wanted to place the  next one.  So, I  had my picture to refer to.  I just zipped the pieces together where they touched each other and then attached a chain with jump rings. 

I'm really happy with this piece.  I used the rivoli setting from Heather's triangle pattern, and the triangular setting that my beading group worked on, so I have some bling in there, and I got to try out another idea that came from the triangle necklace pattern I got from Heather.  Cherry Wine, in my previous post, was the first variation I tried and now the vessel type triangle is the second.  I'm sure I'll find something else to do with triangles!  I just love them.

Well, I've got to run so I can get some others things done today.  I promise I won't take so long to post this time.  In fact, there is something right around the corner.  Stay tuned for this over the weekend.

I hope you have a wonderful day.  Enjoy the loveliness that is Fall and find inspiration in it to create something fun!  Thanks for stopping by!







Cherry Wine

That's what I thought of as I worked this variation on Heather Collins' Triangles pattern. I have to tell you that you should visit Heather's store.  Her patterns are great, both the designs and the directions. They are clear and easy to follow. Back to this variation. The colors, and I suppose the time of year, just seemed to say Cherry Wine.  I had the idea to try this variation while I was bezeling the rivoli for the pendant from her pattern.  For this variation I followed the directions for the base triangle and the bezel, adding an extra row to the bezel.  Then, instead of putting a rivoli  in the opening, I left it open and added fringe, using beads that coordinated with the delicas.  I love the idea that the fringe is spilling out of the opening.  It doesn't fill the entire opening, which is a little difficult to see in the photo.  I attached it to the base triangle and used daggers and drop beads along with the Delicas.  Once the beading was finished, I added jump  rings to the corner beads and added a fine gold chain.  It's a soft looking necklace that has gotten several positive comments when I've worn it.  I'm really pleased with this variation and I want to play around with it to see where I can go with it.  For now, I'm finishing up the project which is going to be the culmination of all this triangle play!  I like what have so far.  It should be finished this coming week.  So, stay tuned for the next installment in my triangle series.
Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend and that you're able to find time to do something creative.