Beading Babes - Project 4 ~ March/April 2012

Welcome to Project 4
of
Beading Babes!

~*~

This month there is no need to vote on which pieces you would like to create.

We have 3 on offer!

I am so happy to announce that the lovely and ever so talented, Nancy Dale, has kindly offered her gorgeous pattern as one of our choices.

Nancy is an incredibly talented, self-taught bead artist with around 20 years experience.

She has won many beading competitions including a finalist in the very famous Bead Dreams and one of her necklaces will be showcased in the upcoming book,
Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry:
Photographs of Beautiful Contemporary Beadwork (500 Series)
so we are indeed in fine company!

Thank you Nancy.

So without furtherado here are the choices for Project 4.

~*~

1. Trellis Necklace by Nancy Dale

Look at this gorgeous example of how you can showcase this stunning rope...WOW!

Ohhh how I do love ammonite.

Materials

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

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

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

10-12g size 15/0 seed beads (netting colour)

2g size 15/0 seed beads (accent)

5-7 x 8-12mm crystal rounds or rondelles

30-42 x 3mm crystals

If you choose to create Nancy's gorgeous Trellis Necklace then please let me know and the pattern will be emailed to you.

Please check out Nancy's other gorgeous patterns available through her Etsy store, NedBeads.

~*~

2. Ruffled Chain Bracelet by Laina Goodman

(Beadwork - February/March 2011 - page 68)

Please click on image for larger view

Materials

5g size 15/0 seed beads (A)

5g size 15/0 seed beads (B)

2g size 11/0 cylinder beads (C)

30 x 3mm crystal bicones (D)

13 x 3mm crystal bicones (E)

6 x 8mm rounds (F)

1 x 15mm glass button

~*~

3. Paisley Drops by Jane Lock

(Beadwork - August/September 2010 - page 68)

Please click on image for larger view

Materials

8g size 15/0 seed beads 

2g size 11/0 cylinder beads (A)

1g size 11/0 cylinder beads (B)

2 x 6mm crystal bicones

6 x 4mm crystal bicones

1 pair of ear wires

~*~

I've covered all bases this month...necklace, earrings and a bracelet with the Ruffled Chain Bracelet including instructions to make a matching pair of earrings!

Remember there is no pressure to create all three projects but if you feel you can then 

by all means please do!

Most importantly don't forget to share your progress on your own blogs, via my blog as I post updates on my own progress/any issues that may arise whilst creating the pieces or on Facebook.

The reveal date will be

Sunday 29 April

so that gives us around 7 weeks.

As in the past I will wait until most of you have posted pictures of your pieces and then I will showcase them here together.

Also don't forget to get your Beading Babes badge for your blog (if you haven't already done so) by simply clicking on the Beading Babes image at the top of this post and saving it to your computer as an image.

It's so lovely visiting your blogs and seeing the badge displayed!

I can't wait to hear what you think of the projects chosen for this month!

Happy Beading! 

 ♥

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

Copyright Disclaimer
All patterns used within this group will be purchased by the beader, with the exception of Nancy Dale's pattern which she has kindly donated. All patterns will not be copied.

All credit will be given to the designer.

BEADING BABES - PROJECT 1 ~ SEPT/OCT 2011

Thanks everyone for commenting on the designs I chose as options for our first project.
From reading everyone's comments it seems the favoured choice is:

Camelot Cross Bracelet by Carole Ohl

(Beadwork - February/March 2011 - page 58)

I  can't decide what colours I want to do yet but have the Swarovski bicones narrowed down to either Erinite, Fern Green AB, Indian Sapphire or Dark Indigo....

As discussed in my last post, we will have 4 weeks to complete the piece,
therefore the reveal date will be
Sunday 16 October.

Once again please don't stress if you don't get your piece finished by this date...this is purely a guideline.

I'd love to see your progress along the way so please feel free to post pictures on your blog or add links to your blog via my Facebook page.

I will also set up a photo album on my FB page which will be dedicated to Beading Babes where, with your permission, I will post pictures of everyone's work.

Also please let me know if you would like other two projects, Cairo Collar and Around the Block, as options for future projects.

Let's get started!!!

♥

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

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.

My soup has arrived!

My soup arrived today from my lovely Bead Soup partner, Liz from Creative Arty Facts.

Liz is a wonderful lampwork artist and she certainly spoiled me with one of her gorgeous lampwork floral beads, some gorgeous Czech beads, Swarovski crystals and rondelles and a cute sterling silver toggle.

I am not quite sure what I am going to create with these beauties yet but when you have such gorgeous beads to work with then making something special should be easy enough!

Thanks Liz!

Be sure to keep an eye out for the Bead Soup Blog Party hosted by Lori which kicks off on Saturday 26th February.

The countdown is on baby!!

♥

Ice Queen - A Bead Mavens challenge

I think I have spoken about the Bead Mavens Ice Queen Challenge enough over the past few weeks so without further ado here is my entry.

(click on images for enlarged view)

This is the first collar piece I have ever made and it was designed and created specifically for this challenge. 

The piece features a gorgeous Czech glass button as the main focal, Swarovski crystal bicones and rondelles, Czech glass beads, freshwater pearls, bugle beads and lots of seed beads! 

The necklace consists of silver links and velvet ribbon and the piece is backed with leather.

I wanted the piece to have a definite icy feel so I have used lots of transparent beads as well as Swarovski crystal and Czech glass.

The silver galvanised beads were used to depict the cold, icy feel an Ice Queen would experience living in the snow.

The Czech glass button is reminiscent of a snowflake and the freshwater pearls represent snowballs.

Wish me luck!

♥

My Creative Space... and a sneek preview!

I've been beading up a bit of a storm over the past week as I am frantically trying to complete a piece I am entering in the Bead Maven's Ice Queen challenge.

As previously mentioned it will be a collar style necklace and is my first collar piece I have ever created so that in itself will be a challenge.

The piece is stitched with transparent and silver galvanised seed beads with a few Czech glass and Swarovski beads thrown in here and there as well as some freshwater pearls for good measure!

I have to admit I normally steer clear of transparent beads so they too have proved to be a challenge!

Here is a sneak peek of the front

and the back

I am making steady progress and feel relatively confident I will meet the 28 November deadline.

Watch this space!

♥

My Creative Space

My creative space has been a little inactive over the past few weeks. I don't know why I am lacking so much motivation in the bead department - let's just put it down to it being Winter here in Australia and the fact that my lounge is very cosy at this time of the year!

The first is the dreaded cab I recently spoke of which I have unpicked around 7 or 8 times...

ok I lost count around the 5th time...

but it seems to be coming together now.

As previously mentioned it is a beautiful polymer cabochon made by Rachele of Rachele's Originals.

I had a bit of trouble finding the right colours to match the beautiful cabochon which is a mixture of shimmery metallic green and copper.

The other BIG issue I had with this piece was believe it or not the second row of beads. I created a peyote bezel using delica beads and it seemed no matter what beads I used for the next row they just didn't seem to sit right.

I tried size 6/0, size 8/0, cube beads, triangular beads, hex beads ... until in the end I went back to the 6/0's in a matte brown and was finally happy with them...phewww!

Unfortunately I have been carrying this piece around in my beading bag for the past few weeks and now some of the metallic coating is starting to wear off but it kind of adds to the rustic metallic look to the piece.

~~~~

The second is from Marcia DeCoster's beautiful book, "Beaded Opulence ", and is a stunning piece called
"Whitby".

The piece is created using 15/0 and 11/0 seed beads as well as 3mm Swarovski bicones and stitched in right angle weave (RAW).

The design is actually a pair of earrings but I have decided to create just the one piece using it as a pendant and will string it with some Swarovski rondelles as well as some beaded beads using Swarovski bicones.

Watch this space!

I have a new l♥ve... but shhhh... don't tell my husband!

Swarovski 2mm round beads!

I have only just discovered these beauties and it was only because I had decided to create the Rivoli Twist necklace in the latest Bead & Button magazine. The piece requires around 260 so I ordered 280 of them and they arrived yesterday.

OMG how adorable are they... not to mention super sparkly! I can't believe I haven't used these beads before. I think I might start using them in my beaded cabs when doing a picot edge.

I think I might have to take advantage of the Artbeads 20% off sale and order a heap in every colour of the rainbow... or at least every colour in the range!!

Have you used these beads yet?

Gonna get me some bling!

As much as I L♥VE Swarovski crystals... and I mean seriously who doesn't... apart from my hubby who just

"doesn't get what all the fuss is about"...

or should I say

''they just don't excite me the way they do you Karyn''....

...WHATEVER...

I am one of those beading gals who prefers to keep her crystals close at hand, organised in their little container fearful of ever using them.

UNTIL NOW!

The lastest copy of Bead & Button arrived in my letterbox yesterday and what a gorgeous issue. I have already marked 3 projects I am going to make - one being the Rivoli Twist necklace on page 70. 

In addition I was drooling over Marcia DeCoster's book, Beaded Opulence, and decided to take the plunge and create something opulent. Having taken the time to read the supply lists for a few of the projects I plan on tackling I now understand why this book is called Beaded Opulence... one piece has over 350 bicones! Ouch!

So with $65 worth of gift cards burning a hole in my pocket I placed an order with Artbeads for a selection of Swarovski bicones in assorted sizes, rivolis as well as some fire polished beads and of course the obligatory seed beads!

I am so excited to create some new styles as far as my beading goes and especially using Swarovski crystals. Perhaps I should just keep buying more and more of them and then that way they won't seem so special anymore and I won't be so scared to use them.

The person who created this piece certainly doesn't have a fear of using too many crystals!

Opulence with a capital O!

Lampwork pendant giveaway!

Lori of Pretty Things is giving away this gorgeous pendant.

A stunning lampwork focal adorned with pretty, sparkly Swarovski crystals... what would be nicer than winning this beauty?

All you have to do is visit her blog and leave a comment ...how easy is that!

So what are you waiting for... one of us has to win it so if it isn't me it should be you!

Spring L♥ve

As a few of you may remember I was recently invited to be an Artbeads Design Partner. Since then I have been working on my The Beauty of Spring piece and am proud to be able to finally share it with you.

The gorgeous polymer clay heart cabochon was made by Julz which I beaded. I then tried my hand at making some peyote tube beads as well as some woven beads using Right Angle Weave. 

The colours I chose for the beads reminded me of tulips in the spring time and just their names are reminiscent of Spring and are from the Toho range: Pink Lined Pink, Ceylon Coral Pink, Light Jonquil Lined Aqua and Orange Lined Light Topaz. I also added some cute little Czech glass flat flower crystals as well as some Czech 4mm beads.

To finish the piece I used a gorgeous Swarovski 14mm crystal AB faceted button as the clasp... sooo shimmery and sparkly.

Spring has sprung... well at least Autumn has here in Australia!

♥

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Disclosure: I am a reviewer of Artbeads.com products and a participant of its blogging program. I received all the components free of charge. This post reflects my honest opinion and Artbeads.com is not compensating me for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.