I think that switch has just been flicked!

Marice of La Bella Joya recently wrote a very interesting article on the different levels of creativity. If you haven't read Marcie's post be sure to click HERE - it is definitely worth reading.

Her article got me thinking. I'm always doubting my creative abilities and find myself constantly comparing myself to other bead artists.

Even though many people have told me this is unhealthy I continue to make the comparison. I think it's just human nature to doubt our abilities and compare ourselves to others...right?

But what I have been trying to tell myself is that the artists and designers I compare myself to may have been beading for a lot longer than me.
I started beading in 2003 but only ventured into bead embroidery in 2008 and bead weaving in 2009...so I guess you could consider me a bit of a novice in the latter two areas. 

I also try to tell myself that those I compare myself to may spend more time beading than me.
I only get to bead for around 2 hours a day and that is usually for about half an hour on my lunch break and then in the evenings, late at night.

Throughout Marcie's post she shared photos of some of her earlier pieces reflecting on where she started as a beader and how her beading has developed over the years.

I then reflected on just how far my beading has come since 2003 and that perhaps looking back at my earlier work, as she did, may just be the the flick of the switch I need to make that light bulb light up in my head
and say
''look how far you have come Karyn, stop doubting your abilities".

So with that thought in mind join me on my beading journey...
...so far.

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My first stringing piece

Gosh I remember how excited I was that I actually made a necklace!
Created with seed beads and Czech glass bugs!

I literally caught the beading bug after this piece!

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And then I developed a love of seed beads and cabochons.

My beaded cabochon, completed in October 2008

The tiger's eye cabochon is a whopping  40mm long - didn't really start with a small one did I?

Instead of gluing the cab to stiff stuff or felt I actually glued it to a leather scrap...not suede... leather!
Don't do this!
The thread was so hard to pull through the leather that at times I needed to use a small pair of pliers. Needless to say I have never used leather again so let this be a lesson learned!

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As I was spending more time with seed beads I found myself paying more attention to bead woven pieces so I made a conscious effort to learn some new stitches.

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My first attempt at Brick Stitch

My first attempt at St Petersburg

and St Petersburg using cube beads

My first attempt at Right Angle Weave (RAW)

 

My first piece using Spiral weave

Tubular Herringbone 

I still haven't tried regular Herringbone!

I also tried my hand at some new techniques.

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Using a loom

Adding a fringe
as well as a peyote bezel edge and using drop beads for the edging

  

My first attempt at a peyote toggle

Peyote tubular beads as well as Right Angle Weave round beaded beads.

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And some bead embroidery pieces using lots and lots of seed beads!

This piece was stitched using size 15/0 seed beads. What was I thinking!

This piece included glass fused cabochons made by myself, the largest cab made by my husband!

And last but not least my very first attempt at polymer clay and steampunk!

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What a great journey this has been for me.

Looking back at some of my earlier pieces really has made realise how far I have come.

A great reminder that no matter what your skill level is  

there will always be something to learn.

Focus on how far you have come... not how far you have to go.

Did you hear that click?

I think that switch has just been flicked!

♥