Monday, May 28, 2012

Busy..busy...busy



Sorry I have been a bit absent over the past week or two.

Life in general as well as my creative side have been keeping me extra busy lately.

In addition to that I've been super busy at work.

Then add to that my birthday last week!

Here's an update on what I've been up to.

My Birthday

Tuesday 22 May was my birthday...yep another day older. 

Someone at work wished me happy birthday and then actually asked me how old I was turning.
I didn't mind and quite openly told them...I have always taken the attitude that you are as old as you feel. 
Some days I feel 39...some days I feel 59!
Can't say lately I've felt 19!

It's funny how the older you get the less people ask you how old you are.
It seems like it's an internationally known faux pas to ask someone their age the older they become.

Anyhoo apart from having to spend the day at work I had an enjoyable day.

I got a bottle of perfume I have wanted since December, Orange Sunset by Hugo Boss, and a gift voucher for a facial and massage...mmm!


I can't say I know a huge lot about this guy other than he cooks some crazy food but my sister loves him so she bought me a copy lol!


~*~

Beading Babes 

My Beading Babes ~ Project 5 pieces are coming along. 

I had a bit of trouble finding some discs for the Nefertiti necklace until I realised I had some in my stash that just might work...and so far so good! 

They are slightly oval and a little larger than the required 14mm but they seem to be working and I have to say I am loving this pattern and design.

I've also received my 3mm beads for the Four Leaf Clover cuff and will be making a start on that this week.

The feedback on both designs has been fantastic and the buzz on the Beading Babes Facebook page has been great!

Keep up the great work guys!

~*~

2012 Battle of the Beadsmith 

I've actually started two pieces for my entry as I couldn't decide which design I preferred.

They are completely different colour schemes and overall designs. with a totally different feel to them
...like completely different!

If you haven't checked out the Battle of the Beadsmith Facebook page then check it out as all of the details of the competition are there as well as some serious bead eye candy from the participants.

Steven Weiss of Beadsmith has been having fun creating awesome badges for us featuring our work.

He turned a photo of my necklace
into 
this

How ridiculously cool is that!

Closing date for entries is 10th July so I need to get moving!

~*~

Fire Mountain Gems Jewelry Making Contest (Seed Beads)

I have also been frantically working on my entry for the Fire Mountain Gems seed bead contest.

I had always planned on creating a piece but then life kind of got it the way and I decided not to make anything.

I then received an email from Fire Mountain Gems reminding me of the competition and encouraging me to enter so the last 2 weeks have been spent creating a collar piece.

My little man was home sick today from school so I got to do some serious beading...probably around 6 hours worth so I am now nearly finished. 
I just now need to finish off the edging and then attach the necklace component and it's done!

I have to say I am pretty pleased with the final result considering I came up with the design and created the piece in around 2 weeks.

Nothing like a deadline to get your creative juices flowing!

Entries close 31st May so I still have a few days up my sleeve to make any necessary tweaks as one does at the last minute!

~*~

So that's what's been keeping me busy and blog free for the past few weeks.

How have you been keeping?



Monday, May 14, 2012

Remembering...


I received some sad news today about a friend...

I won't go into the details ...but I felt I needed to put something here to remind myself and others how precious life can be.

Yes they are just words...
...but if you can take on board the true meaning of them
they can make a big difference.






Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Meeting deadlines...



BEADS, BEADS, BEADS...

That's all I've been thinking about the last week or two.

This is not really out of the ordinary for me but what is different for me at the moment is that I can't decide on which beads!

I have three projects I need to complete over the next three months.

The first are my two Beading Babes projects for the reveal on 24 June.


I can't seem to find any 14mm disc beads I need for the Echoes of Nefertiti pattern ...ok that's not entirely true...the ones I have found that I like are in the US and the shipping to Australia is a bit much for what I want to order.

suppose I could just order more beads to make the postage worthwhile...right!

To add to my frustration I also can't decide on my beads for the beautiful Four Leaf Clover Cuff.


I want choose a different colourway other than bronze and browns but my muse keeps steering me back in that direction.

MUST USE ANOTHER COLOUR!

The other task ahead of me is to create the piece I will be submitting in the 
2012 Battle of the Beadsmith.



Photographs of my piece must be submitted by 10 July so once the pairings of participants are named that will give me roughly 7 weeks to create something remotely close to magnificent.

We aren't allowed to reveal any details of what we are making or share any progress shots so I will have to keep you in suspense until July!

In the meantime here is the list of the participants and judges taking part in the
2012 Battle Of The Beadsmith.

Such an amazing list of talented artists.

Australia:
Patrick Duggan
Melissa Ingram
Joanne Browne
Neva Brown
Lauren Macgregor
Maryanne Villalba
Karyn White (me!)
Noel Wyres
Belgium:
Laurence Dethier
Belgrade/Serbia:
Ella Des
Canada:
Jacquie Champion
Czech Republic:
Lea Palickova
Katka Vaclavikova
Marta Koudelova
Denisa Kangas
Iva Jar
Dominican Republic:
Edgar Lopez Disenos
France:
Anneta Valious
Mouna Marini
Georgia:
Tamuna Lezhava
Germany:
Elke Leonhardt Rath
Olga Haserodt
Hungary:
Annie Hatvani
Eva Dobos
Orsolya Füzesi
Ibolya Ingesné Barkóczi
Éva Csizmadia Lajosné
Katalin Budainé Nagy
Ireland:
Anastasia O'sarantseva
Israel:
Ann Braginsky
Miriam Cielo Shimon
Italy:
Eliana Maniero
Japan:
Guzialia Reed
Mexico:
Sigifredo Contreras
Netherlands:
Sandra Dokter van Esveld
Russia:
Irina Chikineva
Nella Moskvichjova
Julia Turova
Alla Maslennikova
Olga Shumilova
Ekaterina Kalinina
Marina Nosova
Singapore:
Helena Tang
Sweden:
Olga Petterson
Misan Tejre
Nausikaa Dahllof
Anna Lindell
Ukraine:
Alla Vizir
Katherine Gezey
Anna Bystryk
United Kingdom:
Heather Kingsley Heath
Jill Thomas
Lynn Davy
USA:
Linda Roberts
Sharayah Sheldon
Nancy Dale
Cynthia Newcomer Daniel
Marsha Wiest Hines
Carol Dean Sharpe
Christina Neit
Sue Horine
Alexandra Sydorenko
Betty Stephan
Callie Mitchell
Christian Rodriguez
Kinga Nichols
Mikki Ferrugiaro
Amy Katz
Kassie Inman
Dini Alves
Jennifer Chasalow VanBenschoten
Rosita Pisarchick
Roxan O'brien
Christine Boyer Maj
Kathy King
Susan Brackett
Hannah Rosner
Terri Richards
Rachel Nelson Smith
Ulyana Rakcheyeva Seryankina-USA

The Judges:

Australia:
Kelly Nealon (Australian Beading Magazine Editor),
Finland:
Jana Tarhala
Germany:
Sabine Lippert
Claudia Schuman
Verena Greene-Christ (Perlen Poesie Magazine)
Israel:
Smadar Grossman
Patrizia Tager
Japan:
Kenj Katsuoka (Miyuki Company)
Netherlands:
Marjon Donker-Netherlands ( Editor Polymer To Art Magazine)
Russia:
Galina Pchelkina-Russia (Editor of Чудесные мгновения Magazine)
South Africa:
Heather Collin
Sweden:
Karin Nilsson
Switzerland:
Cath Thomas
United Kingdom:
Kerrie Slade
Chloe Menage (Bead Magazine Editor)
Jean Power
Jo Lochhead
Juliet Browse
USA:
Maggie Roschyk
Adele Rogers Recklies
Diane Hyde
Jean Campbell
Zoya Gutina
Laura Boudloche Zeiner
Laura Andrews
Kathleen Mccabe-Elsey
Julia Gerlach-USA (Bead and Button Magazine Editor)
Diane Fitzgerald
Ana Garcia
Paulette Rosner Baron
Amy Blevins
Melinda Barta (Beadwork Magazine Editor)
Kandra Norsigian
Jamie Cloud Eakin
Pamela Hawkins (Bead Design Studio Magazine Editor)
Kate Bannister Tracton
Deb Moffet Hall (Bead- Patterns The Magazine & Quick Stitch Peyote Card
Barbara Conrad
Lea Avroch
MaryLou Holvenstot
Anna Elizabeth Draeger

Happy Beading!


-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Thursday, May 3, 2012

Beading Babes - Project 5 ~ May/June 2012



This month I am so excited to announce that we will be featuring the designs of the lovely

Helena Tang-Lim
of 
Manek Beads


I've always been a fan of Helena's work and have had some of her tutorials on my wish list for a while now.
When I received my digital copy of the latest Bead and Button Magazine I instantly fell in love with her Echoes of Nefertiti necklace.

I sent her a quick message on Facebook congratulating her on her design being featured and mentioned that I would be selecting the piece as one of our projects for Project 5.

In turn we started chatting about the group and she kindly offered Beading Babes a special deal on another of her patterns.

Here are the details:
  • Purchase Helena's Four Leaf Clover Cuff pattern at the full price of US $12.00 via her online store.
  • On the reveal date please share your pictures of your completed pieces (or if you didn't get to finish the piece show that you have made a start).
  • Then simply email Helena a link to your blog or Facebook page to receive 50% of the value of the tutorial back.
Please be sure to include BEADING BABES in the email subject to make life a little easier for Helena!

Please note if you purchase the tutorial but cannot show that you have completed or at least attempted to complete the design then you will not receive the 50% refund.

EASY!

In your blog or Facebook post please include at least one picture of your piece, acknowledge Helena Tang-Lim as the designer and kindly provide a link to her store.
www.manek-manek.com

Please note this offer is only valid for the e-tutorial version of Four Leaf Clover Cuff only (not Echoes of Nefertiti which is available for free in this month's issue of Bead & Button) and not her printed booklets.

This offer will only be valid for the months of May and June, the duration of Project 5.

So without furtherado here are the two beautiful designs for this month!

~*~

Echoes of Nefertiti
(tutorial available in Bead & Button - June 2012 - page 48)

Materials

6 x 14mm disc beads
77 x 5mm Tila beads
25 x 4mm bicone crystals
5 x 3mm bicone crystals
5gm 3mm fringe/drop beads
2g size 11/0 seed beads
8gm size 15/0 seed beads (colour A)
4gm size 15/0 seed beads (colour B)

~*~


Four Leaf Clover Cuff

Materials
8gm size 11/0 seed beads (colour A)
3gm size 11/0 seed beads (colour B)
204 x 3mm pearls or any round bead
3 x 8mm pearls or any round bead

Please note this a beginner level pattern so will suit beaders at all levels.

~*~

The date of the reveal will be 

Sunday 24 June

Once again please don't feel that you have to create both pieces but of course if you do wish to then that is fantastic!
The more beading the merrier!

Don't forget to post your progress on your blogs 
as well as the 

If you haven't already joined the group then stop by and say hello. 

I have been overwhelmed at the huge response the group has received. Please feel free to recommend the group to your beading friends...everyone is welcome!

A big thank you Helena for joining our Beading Babe family!

Happy Beading!


-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Copyright Disclaimer
All patterns used within this group will be purchased by the beader and will not be copied.

All credit will be given to the designer.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

2012 Battle of the Beadsmith...



I am excited to announce that I have been accepted as an entrant in the 
2012 Battle of the Beadsmith.

This beading "tournament" will have around 80 participants from all around the world and I will proudly be representing Australia!

This tournament has been arranged by Steven Weiss, Marketing Manager for The Beadsmith, in a bid to create awareness of the bead artistry being executed by bead masters worldwide.

On 14 May artists will be paired and will then have 7 weeks to create a piece of original beadwork.

40 winners will then be chosen and these 40 beaders will then be paired, compete again, eliminated and so on with the numbers eventually coming down to 5 competitors.

 Check out a few of the amazing artists taking part

Nancy Dale
Sue Horine
Lyn Davy
Patrick Duggan
Carol Dean Sharpe
Cynthia Newcomer Daniel
Ann Braginsky
Melissa Ingram
Mikki Ferrugiaro
Kinga Nichols
Lauren Macgregor
Rachel Nelson-Smith 
Olga Petterson
Miriam Cielo Shimon
and Helena Tang

WOW!

I have admired the work of many of the artists taking part. This much talent in one place and one time is going to be amazing. 

I am pretty confident that I won't proceed past the first round, and I am not saying that because I doubt my abilities... I am saying that because of the abilities of the other competitors.

But hey one cannot succeed without trying and I am honoured just to have my name listed alongside these wonderfully talented human beings.

I wonder who I will be paired up with!

You can check out all of the details, the artists taking part, their amazing work and photos of the artists on the tournament's

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