Finally back into beading...

Even though I am still battling this dreaded cold I've now had for three weeks I have managed to get some beading done this week!

It feels wonderful to finally be beading again.

I had a day off work yesterday due to a public holiday and managed to get quite a bit done on my
Retro Daisies bracelet which is one of the projects for

Project 6 of Beading Babes.

The above bracelets aren't mine - just a reminder as to what the Retro Daisies bracelet looks like.

Mine has been stitched in my usual, predictable colours! 

I just need to make a few more daisies and then attach them to the bracelet base.

On the weekend I will make a start on the Ripple Effect cuff.

I already have my cabochon picked out so I just need to match it with some beads and I can get started.

Quite a few of the Beading Babes are currently working on their cuffs and doing an amazing job!

Pop on over to the Facebook page to check out their progress shots.

Speaking of the Beading Babes Facebook page, a big welcome to all of our new members.

The group is now 189 members strong and I am really looking forward to reveal day to see everyone's pieces.

Speaking of reveal day, just a reminder that the date is set for 

Sunday 2 September

Happy Beading!

♥

2012 Battle of the Beadsmith - my entry revealed!

Now that the first round of the 2012 Battle of the Beadsmith is under way

I can finally reveal my entry.

A Nomad's Journey 

The large metal focal piece as well as the metal charms at the bottom were actually from a necklace I bought specifically to pull apart for this piece.

I had already decided that I was going to use the main cabochon and the metal component underneath it so when I saw the necklace I knew I had to have it to deconstruct!

I've used brass beads, seed beads, lapis and coral beads and the cabochons are made by an Australian clay artist, Natalie Fletcher-Jones, at Peruzi.

Voting is now underway and although I am  not confident I will get past Round 1, I can't wait to see the results.

If you haven't already treated yourself to a visit to the Battle of the Beadsmith Facebook page then be sure to pop on over and take a look at all of the entries... a whopping 80 of them!

Just click here and you will see that the photos are organised into "battles".

Enjoy!

Happy beading!

♥

2012 Battle of the Beadsmith - DONE!!

I finally managed to get my Battle of the Beadsmith piece finished, photographed and emailed for entry with 2 days remaining!

What a huge relief...I am still trying to figure out how I ended up being so organised getting my entry in with two days to spare!

Unfortunately we aren't allowed to share photos of our pieces yet, I think not until at least all of the 80 or more entries have been received, so to wet your appetite

here's a sneaky peek at my piece.

Don't get too excited though...there isn't a lot I can show you!

What I can share with you is:

1. The piece is called A Nomad's Journey

2. It features 3 handmade clay cabochons

3. It also has some brass components

4. And lots of seed beads!

~*~

A big thanks to Steven Weiss for pulling this competition together.

There is chitter chatter that there will be a competition in 2013 but for now I will reflect back on my groovy badge Steven created for me to promote the competition.

Happy beading!

♥

Beading Babes ~ Project 6 - July/August 2012

Welcome to Project 6 

of

Beading Babes!

This month I have decided to challenge you...which is what this group was aimed at doing!

This Project we have 4 spectacular projects on offer - all to challenge you in techniques you may not have already tackled.

You will note this project I have also included the techniques used in the designs and the project level (i.e. beginner, intermediate etc) to help you when deciding which project/s you might like to tackle.

Just a reminder that you don't have to complete all of the projects listed below. You can do as many or as few as you like... you can even do more than one of the same project...it's up to you!

Also please discuss the projects on our Facebook page or on your blog and feel free to post your progress shots too... the more bead chat the better!

So without further ado here are the projects!

~*~

1. Retro Daisies by Janice Chatham

(Bead and Button -  April 2012 - page 88)

Also available at Kalmbach Online Store for $3.95

Digital copy of this issue can be purchased from Zinio HERE for around $6.00

Techniques: Crossweave/Fringe

Project Level: Beginner

Materials

4 x 4mm round crystals in 2 colours (total of 8 beads)

40 x 3mm round firepolished beads in 2 colours (total of 80 beads)

7-8g size 15/0 seed beads (colour A)

2-3g size 15/0 seed beads (colour B)

Clasp

2 x jump rings

~*~

2. Ripple Effect Cuff by Sherry Serafini

(Beadwork - June/July 2011 - page 31)

Digital copy of this issue can be purchased from Zinio HERE for around $6.00.

Techniques: Backstitch embroidery, peyote, brick-stitch edging

Project Level: Intermediate

Materials

5g size 15/0 seed beads (A)

5g size 15/0 seed beads (B)

5g size 15/0 seed beads (C)

5g size 15/0 seed beads (D)

5g size 11/0 seed beads (E)

10g size 11/0 seed beads (F)

3g size 11/0 cylinder beads (G)

144 x 4mm fringe drop beads (H)

46 x 3mm glass rounds 

68 x 400 pearl rounds 

1 x 25-30mm cabochon

1 x bar clasp

2 x 7 beading foundation

2 x 7 Ultrasuede

~*~

3. Soutastic Soutache Earrings by Amee McNamara

(Bead and Button - June 2012 - page 22)

Digital copy of this issue can be purchased from Zinio HERE for around $6.00

Techniques: Soutache bead embroidery

Project Level: Beginner

Materials 

1ft (30cm) soutache in 3 colours (total of 3ft/60cm)

2 x 6mm hex cut beads

4 x 4mm fire polished beads

2 x size 8/0 seed beads

4 x size 11/0 seed beads (colour A)

1g size 11/0 seed beads (colour B)

4 x size 15/0 seed beads

2 x 6mm jump rings

1 x pair earring findings 

~*~

4. Josephine's Collar by Jill Devon

(Beadwork - June/July 2012 - page 44)

Digital copy of this issue can be purchased at Zinio HERE for around $6.00

Techniques: Flat and tubular peyote and brick stitch

Project Level: Intermediate

Materials

8g size 15/0 seed beads (colour A)

8g size 15/0 seed beads (colour B)

5g size 11/0 cylinder beads (colour C)

5g size 11/0 cylinder beads (colour D)

10g size 11/0 seed beads (colour E)

10g size 10/0 triangle beads (F)

9 x 3mm bicone crystals

2 x 4mm bicone crystals

2 x 5mm bicone crystals

1 x 8mm round crystal

1 x size 22x30mm oval pointed back crystal

16 inces of 4.25 inches wide silk ribbon

~*~

I hope you like what I have chosen for this project.

Many of you had mentioned that you would like to try soutache and bead embroidery so this is your chance!

~*~

The reveal date for Project 6 will be

Sunday 16 September 

Happy Beading!

 ♥

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

All credit will be given to the designer.

Beading Babes ~ Project 5 BLOG HOP is here!

As promised here are the links for all of the wonderful pieces created by the ever so talented 

Beadings Babes for Project 5!

Please be sure to visit all of the sites mentioned below, leave a comment and if you aren't already following their blog then please show your support and hit that Follow button!

Here is my Four Leaf Clover Cuff I created using Helena Tang-Lim's beautiful pattern.

~*~

Enjoy hopping!

Chiara Pugioto at Un Mondo Di Miyuki

Heather Goldsmith at As I Bead It

Abbey Wilkins at Abbey Wilkins

Therese Frank at Therese's Treasures  

Shirley Jones Moore at Beads and Bread 

Amy Allworth Severino at Amybeads

Kim Dworak at CianciBlue

Cynthia Newcomer Daniel at Behind the Scenes at Jewelry Tales  

Maryanne Villalba at Maryniki Designs

Tanya Goodwin at A Work in Progress

Maryanne at Zingala's Workshop

Christine Wessling at There and Back Studios

Rossana De Gaspari at My Beading Journey...Rdegas Blog 

Catherine King at Catherine's Musings

Christine Mole at Chris Beads

Ginger Bishop of Lilmummy Likes 

Kristen Stevens at My Bead Journey

Marla Gibson at Spice Box Designs

Shannon Hicks at Falling into the Sky

If I have missed anyone please be sure to let me know!


A big thank you to everyone who took part in Project 5
and also thank you to those who may not have created something
but have still supported our group via Facebook!

Thank you again to Helena Tang-Lim for her contribution and support of Project 5.

♥

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

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.

Beading Babes ~ Project 5 blog hop

Just a quick note to let you know that I will be creating a
"blog hop" 

for 

Beading Babes ~ Project 5.

In the past I have shared everyone's photos here with links to their blogs but as the group has grown to a huge 136 members this is going to be a tad bit more difficult!

So I am in the process of gathering everyone's blog addresses and will post the name of the blogs along with their web address here so that everyone can hop around to check out everyone's creations!

In the mean time here's a not so sneaky peak at some of the creations!

Echoes of Nefertiti by Anne Pomeroy Dixon 

Four Leaf Clover by Rossana De Gaspari

Echoes of Nefertiti by Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Four Leaf Clover by Ginger Kelley Bishop

If you haven't joined Beading Babes on Facebook be sure to drop by and say hello.

Everyone's photos are posted there and the details of Project 6 which will be kicking off in around 7-10 days time will also be posted there.

Hope to see you soon!

♥

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

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.

Beading Babes - Project 5 reveal tomorrow!

Just a reminder that tomorrow, 

Sunday 24 June,

 is the reveal day for 

Beading Babes - Project 5!

Here are the fantastic projects that we have been working on featuring the talented and not to mention, lovely, Helena Tang-Lim.

Echoes of Nefertiti

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

Four Leaf Clover Cuff

(tutorial available at Helena's online store - www.manek-manek.com)

If you haven't visited the Beading Babes Facebook page, drop in and say hello. 

We are now 126 members strong and growing every week!

Please post the pictures of your piece/s on your blog as well as posting them in the Project 5 photo album I have created on the Beading Babes Facebook page.

I will then collect everyone's blog addresses and list them here so that everyone can blog hop and checkout everyone's creations on their blogs.

I look forward to seeing everyone's creations. 

Going by the posts on the FB page over the past few weeks there is going to be some stunning pieces!

♥

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

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.

Vintage Dreams

This is a not so sneaky peek at my entry in the 

Fire Mountain Gems Jewelry Making Contest - Seed Beads. 

Introducing

Vintage Dreams 

This is quite a large collar measuring around 7 inches from top to bottom...quite an eye stopper!

Wish  me luck!

♥

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 also got Heston Blumenthal's Fantastical Feasts cookbook.  

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?

♥

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.

I 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!

♥

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