The Colors of Spring

Today is the reveal for the blog hop, The Colors of Spring, hosted by Sally Russick.  Sally makes wonderful beads and she decided that it would be fun to make some up using the 2012 Pantone colors. Since I'm delighted that the Pantone color of the year is Tropical Tangerine, I knew I wanted to participate.  I've loved the color orange for a long time and it makes me so happy to see it as color of the year!  Also, I really love Sally's beads, so it was a win-win for me! 

The set of beads consisted of a lentil, which we were requested to use in our design, and two round beads and two long beads.  I decided I would make a wire necklace so that I could use some of my recently learned wireworking skills. 

Here is what I came up with.

I used two copper beads and two fire polished beads along with all but one of the long beads from the set.  I also used fine gauge orange wire to make two wire wrapped beads.  Out of all of that I made a central component on 18 gauge wire. 

As you can see I put a wire wrapped swirl over the lentil bead.  I was going to use a chain for the necklace but decided to use loosely wrapped 18 gauge wire links to make the necklace.  I thought it looked better with the clasp.

I had decided to use one of the long beads as part of the clasp and I'm pleased with the way it turned out.  Once again I used a simple swirl of wire to keep the bead in place and add some more interest to the clasp.

I'm really pleased with the way this necklace turned out.  Sally's beads are great and I want to thank her for coming up with the idea for the blog hop and hosting it.  Be sure to visit all the other participants to see what they did with their Pantone inspired beads. 

List of paticipants:

Host: Sally Russick
Margarita
Theresa Frank
Kim Bender
Cabaret
JLynn Jewels
Christine Altmiller
Sweet Lilac
Cherrie Fick
Jenny Vidberg
Driftwood
Sabine Dittrich
Hope Smitherman
Solar Power
Nicole Rennell
Erin Fickert-Rowland
Bell Flower
Patti Vanderbloemen
Kristi Bowman
Starfish
Shannon Chomanczuk
Elisabeth Auld
Cockatoo
Alice Peterson
Donna Bradley
Sodalite Blue
Kristi Harrison
Cilla Watkins
Tangerine Tango
Lesley Watt
Maryanne Gross
Susan Kennedy
Courtney White Breul

Where have I been?

Well, I've been right here working on this

I can't tell you much about it right now.  Only that it's bead embroidery and I have a deadline!  Two deadlines, actually.  I have the real, drop dead deadline and then the deadline I set for myself.  Its the one I set for myself that I want to keep.  Since that date is coming up quickly I've been working almost exclusively on this project.  I'm having a great time designing it.  I only have the roughest plan when I start a  bead embroidered project, so it's going where it wants to go.  I'm becoming more dimensional with my embroidery and I like that.  I'm making this for a friend to use and I'm so honored that she asked me to do this.  But, that's about all I can tell you right now.  When I can fill you in I certainly will! 

I've been sneaking some time in the garden since we are in full blown spring here now.  And, I've managed to take a couple of wire classes and start a new shawl with some fabulous yarn my beautiful daughter bought me last year.  And, she and I took a great paper arts class at The Queen's Ink in Savage Mill.  None of those projects are finished, but they're waiting for me when I'm finished with this special piece.

That's about it for me.  I hope you all are finding time to be creative and enjoying the wonderful weather if you're on the East Coast.  Thanks for stopping by.  I really do appreciate you doing that!

Beading Babes, Part 3...

...or not!  I hate not finishing something I start, whether it's a book or a project of any kind.  But, sometimes it just turns out that way.  I was really looking forward to doing the Runway of Pearls project for this installment of the Beading Babes. Once again we had chosen two projects but the necklace we chose didn't interest me, so I had decided not to attempt it.  When I read over the supply list for Runway I realized I didn't have enough of the size 11 triangles and I didn't think they would make a very comfortable bracelet.  The size 11 triangles are sharp and I didn't think they would look that good once they were stitched.  So, I pulled from my stash and chose size 8 triangles.  That allowed me to size up the rest of the beads needed for the pattern.  Here's what I chose,

I was happy with my choices, I really liked the idea of using magatamas in place of the pearls since I love the look of drop beads as an edging.  It wouldn't be Runway of Pearls anymore, but that was okay!  Well, after several attempts at making this work, I gave up.  As I said in the beginning I hate to give up on something, but sometimes you have to know when to do that.  I was spending way too much time on a project that wasn't working out the way I wanted it to.  I thought the problem was with me and my choice to size up.  But, then I discovered that others in the Beading Babes group were having other problems with the pattern.  So, I tried one more time, and I changed the size of the beads down to what was called for.  But, I still wasn't happy with the bracelet, so I decided it was time to just get over it and move on.  The result of all this is that I don't have a completed project for this round of the Beading Babes.  I'm really sorry about that but one of the reasons that I joined the group is that Karyn said when she formed the Babes that there was no pressure to fiinish a project.  I liked the idea that I could opt out when life intervened or I just didn't have the time or inclination to work on something.  So, unfortunately, I don't have a lovely finished bracelet to show you.  But, I'm sure all the other Babes do, so visit Karyn's blog and check them all out when she has them posted!  And, next time I'll have a new necklace or bracelet to show you too!

Thanks for checking in and have a great day!  Make something wonderful!

What I've been knitting

My knitting had been going in fits and starts.  I love knitting and it's something that I sometimes just need to do.  I love the feel of the yarn and needles in my hands.  I knit all year long, not subscribing to the idea that people don't knit in the summer months. While I don't knit an afghan that's going to drape over my lap as I work on it, I do continue to knit in July!  A lot of times in the summer I'll work on knitted jewelry, either fiber or wire.  In fact, wire knitting is a great way to get a knitting fix in the summer. 

Anyway, I hadn't done much knitting this past fall.  I knitted a cute little beanie hat for my daughter for her Christmas stocking and started another Bohemian scarf which didn't get very far.  But, once the holidays were over I wanted to knit a birthday present for my friend Kathy.  She's a January baby like I am.  So, I decided on a scarf from the book Scarf Style.  I had made this scarf for myself several years ago out of a drapey yarn.  This time I used Cascade 220 in a luscious lavendar shade.  Kathy loved the scarf.  Unfortunately, we've had a crazy warm winter, so she's lamenting the fact that she can't wear it much! 

Take a look at the finished product.  Love those swirls!

I decided to add the tassels at the ends for two reasons.  First, because I love tassels and second because I wanted to add beads to the necks of them.   It's difficult to see in the photo but once I had completed the tassels I buttonhole stitched around them incorporating beads in the same color into each stitch. I was so pleased that Kathy liked the scarf.  I wanted to make her something that she wouldn't make for herself. 

The next knitted project is one I designed myself.  I keep seeing fabric cuffs in different magazines and catalogs and I decided to design a knitted pair.  I wanted to incorporate beads, of course.  For some reason I thought a pair would be cool!  Here is what I came up with.

I knitted two sections of a pleat stitch and joined the ends.  I then knitted a beaded band in a varigated silk and attached that to cover the seam.  I had two adorable vintage looking ribbon posies with rhinestone centers that I used for a button and I peyoted a loop on the other side.  They're fun little spring accessories in my favorite spring colors. 

For my birthday my son and daughter-in-law sent me one of the knitting books on my Amazon wishlist and it has some great fingerless gloves, or mitts, in it.  I love knitting, and wearing, fingerless mitts!  I'm finishing up the first pair now and I'm going to start the second pair, which are beaded (!), this weekend.  After that, maybe I'll get back to that Bohemian scarf that I put aside in the fall. 

Thank you for stopping by to visit today.  I hope you have a wonderful day!



Happy Heart's Day



I wish all of you a very lovely, happy Valentine's Day!

A Valentine Challenge

Michelle Mach has been embossing plain white cards and envelopes for a few months.  She says it's a nice change from beading and jewelry.  Sometimes you just need to get away from creating with the same materials and get involved in something entirely different to renew your muse.  Well, she decided to have a challenge, offering one card to each ofthe first 25 people who expressed an interest.  The cards are lovely and we had our choice of one out of three different designs.  I decided to ask to be included and I chose the card that was embossed with leaves.  As soon as I saw that card I knew what I wanted to do with it.  Or at least I knew what one part of it would look like. 

I love red and white in the wintertime.  It's cheery and slightly retro, which is why I love Valentine's Day.  It's a bright spot of red in what is sometimes a very dreary time of year.  When I saw the embossed leaves on the card I knew I wanted to put tiny little red hearts in among them.  Which is what I did along with a red label in the center just saying LOVE!  I used small red rhinestone stick-on hearts from Michael's. The envelope flap was also embossed and I added some red hearts to the flap also.  My dear husband will be getting this card this evening along with a special dinner!

Here's a picture of the card.  Go on over to Michelle's blog to check out the other entries.  She has them all posted.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

New Wirework

Even though I still love my beads and fiber, I've fallen in love with wire and metal jewelry.  I've been learning on my own, and I've been taking classes with Dia Daniels at Bead Soup.  Dia is a great teacher and we have the same taste in design.  Every time I see Dia I fall in love with the jewelry she's wearing that day!  In the fall I took her "Brangles" class.  It's her version of a Conni Fox design.  It's called a "Brangle" because it's a bracelet that has elements of a bangle.  I completed the first one and then decided I wanted to make two more to coordinate with the first and then wear them together.  So, since the holidays were looming I put it aside until January.  Then I got to work!  And, here is a picture of the results.

I just love these braceles and they were great practice in making wrapped loops and clasps.  They are actually a series of links with several beads on each link.  The clasp is created in the last link so it's integral to that link.  The most difficult part of making the bracelets is sizing.  I had to do a lot of playing around to get the correct size.  But I'm so pleased with the way they've turned out!  Here's a close up of one of the links.

Not long after I finished the brangles Dia taught a brooch class that she calls "Chaos Theory".  As she explained it, she was cleaning up her workspace and had all these sample charms and links and decided to make them into something.  And, so Chaos Theory was born!  Naturally, I loved it but I don't wear brooches very often.  So, I made mine into a pendant.  Oh, my, how I love it!!! 

The entire piece, except for the bead caps, is made of wire.  There are some beads and two copper charms, but the remaider is hammered wire.  I learned so much from this class.  Once I finished the pendant I decided, rather than hang it from a chain, I would make a Viking Knit chain for it and have the hook in the front, using one of the loops as part of the closure.  I just love the results and I get so many compliments when I wear it.  But, it was the learning that resulted from making this project that is the most rewarding.  It opened up new avenues for using wire.  And, my skills are improving greatly.  I have several other wire projects that I want to work on, and now I have more confidence to tackle them.  It's been a great adventure for me. 

I'll end this post with a few closeups of the pendant the the chain.

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you have a great day!