2010...creatively speaking

I was flicking through the hundreds of photos I have saved on my laptop thinking it was time I burn them to a CD and save them on our other computer. 

In doing this I decided it might be a good idea to organise my beading photos into years so I can look back and see what pieces I made for each year.

So here is a recap of what I got up to in 2010.

~~~

2010 started with teaching my beautiful nieces to bead in the first few days of January

Resulting in these beautiful earrings

I adore St Petersburg so I decided to make a few bracelets

Of course beading wouldn't be beading (at least for me) without a few beaded cabochons

and because I love working with cabs I made a few glass fused ones in my microwave kiln!

I excitedly took part in my very first Bead Soup Blog Party hosted by Lori of Pretty Things

I was jumping up and down with excitement and pride when I became an Artbeads Design Partner as part of their Blogging Program...the only Australian to be taking part at that time!

Designing pieces for  

Spring

Summer

and Fall

I took part in the "Margie and Me" challenge hosted by the wonderfully talented Marcie of LaBellaJoya

I discovered a wonderful group of beaders who have called themselves the Bead Mavens and entered their "Ice Queen Challenge"

as well as the Fashion Colorworks Beading Contest hosted by Zoya 

I took part in Erin's Challenge of Color blog hop with our colour palettes chosen from paint chips!

I won the Most Unusual Category for my entry into the Beaded Passion contest for my piece, Fingal Frolics, below

and I was honored to be interviewed by Beads Perles

...if you missed the interview please click HERE.

But the biggest highlight of 2010 for me from a beading perspective was to win the 

Wonderfully Whimsical category 

in the Use the Muse competition

with my Treasures of the North Sea piece

Sometimes I feel I'm not being as creative as I could, spending time worrying about what I am not achieving rather than focusing on what I have achieved. You might recall me speaking about this in a previous post, "I think that switch has just been flicked".

So it has been wonderful looking back on the pieces I created in 2010.

Here's to another year full of beads, creativity, inspiration, colour and challenges!

♥

Brasstastic...

I have a few design ideas floating around in this old head of mine...pieces that I've wanted to create for a long time now but just haven't been able to find the right ''bits and pieces".

One piece I have in mind is a wearable Egyptian style collar. I say "wearable" because I'd like to actually be able to wear this one....rather than store it on a box like some of my other pieces. When I see some of the amazing collar pieces some people create I have to wonder how many people actually wear these pieces as they are always quite large and elaborate. 

I've wanted to make a collar piece for so long so I figure with all the time and effort that is going to go into making this piece I'd like it be one that I can actually wear.

So here are a few of the components I recently ordered through a fantastic store on Etsy... aren't they great! 

I especially love the scarabs which will of course be for my collar piece but I also can't wait to use the koi fish in an oriental/Asian inspired piece. I just need to collect a few more bits and pieces for that one.

Of course I have already used one of the sea horses in my winning Use the Muse piece, Treasures of the North Sea, but couldn't go past buying another of these as they are so damn cute!

The EKKA

 I am both excited and nervous to announce that this year I have taken the plunge and have submitted two of my pieces into the Creative Art and Craft category of the Royal Queensland Show, or better known as the EKKA here in Brisbane.

Here are the pieces I have submitted:

"Treasures of the North Sea''

which was the winner of the Wonderfully Whimsical category in the recent Use the Muse competition

and

"Fingal Frolics''

 I need to deliver my pieces to the showground on 23 and/or 24 June and then the EKKA runds from 5-14 August so I have a bit of a wait to find out if my pieces win themselves any pretty ribbons!

I will keep you posted on how I go!

I'm a winner of a Use the Muse Category

I cannot describe the excitement I am feeling right now after discovering that my piece, Treasures of the North Sea, won a category in the Use the Muse competition.

I got to work this morning, opened the Use the Muse site for the ''big reveal'' and to look at the gallery of entries and winners. I was admiring all of the amazing winners and to my surprise there was my piece... OMG!!!

Winner of the Wonderfully Whimsical Award

My workmates were so excited asking me what I had won and I said ''you know I don't even know I am just so excited...oh my god".

I am not sure who judged my piece as a winner but I do note that Marcia DeCoster judged the beadweaving category so all I can say is that if she did judge my piece I think I just might wet my pants!!

This has been a bit of a wake up call for me as far as my creativity and beading are concerned. I, like most people, am always doubting my abilities and always comparing myself and the standard of my work to other beaders.

My hubby kept saying to me that he thought my piece was amazing saying ''you know Karyn I think you are in with a good chance... I love your piece and I think it is really different"... I would say "aww thank you" but then explain to him that this was a big competition and the other entries would be amazing and my little piece would not compare to the talent of other beaders and that I really was entering to just take part in such an exciting competition.

So I guess what I am trying to say through all of this babble is that perhaps I should stop doubting myself so much and listen to my husband more... but please don't tell him I said that... it will go to his head!!

Be sure to check out the site to see all of the magnificent entries by clicking here.

Use the Muse is done and dusted!

What a relief. I have just submitted my entry for Use the Muse.

Overall I am quite happy with my piece. When I first saw the kit I knew straight away I was going to go with a "sea theme" and have to admit that the vision I had in my head is what translated into my final piece so I am pretty chuffed with the whole process.

So here is a sneak peak...

Unfortunately today has been a wet day and if it hasn't been raining it has been dark and overcast so it was quite difficult to get some decent photos. Reminder to self... BUY A LIGHT TENT!

My piece is quite long so it was also difficult to get decent photos of the full piece and as we are restricted to only 2 photos I tried to capture shots of the entire piece rather than focusing on close up shots.

Anyhooo Use the Muse is done and dusted until next time.

My little man was so cute today. Over the past few weeks he has been coming up to me whilst I have been beading and saying "mummy are you finished your beading" and I would say "nearly".

Today when he came and asked me I said "yes it's all finished" to which he replied "wow, for so long I have been asking you if you've finished your beading and now you have...good job mummy"... awwww so cute!

The countdown is on...

I am frantically beading trying to get my piece completed for Use the Muse.

I have had such a busy week at work this week with soooo much typing to do and the fact that I hurt my back on Monday made that typing even more difficult.

I was aiming at working on my piece all weekend. I did an hour or so on Friday night but on Saturday night I thought I'd have a "little lie down" at 7.30pm and woke up again at 11.45pm!! Yep I slept right through dinner and the rest of the evening... which meant NO BEADING! Arrgggghhhh.

So today I have done around 5 hours of beading and I reckon I must have a good 2-3 hours of beading left until this piece is done.

So on that note I guess I should go and bead!!

My Creative Space

I was recently made aware of a really cool blog ...thanks Belinda.

Kootoyoo is a fantastic blog where every Thursday people from all around the world post a picture of their "creative space" to show a current project they are working on.

I have always enjoyed taking a sneak peak into other crafters spaces and especially being privy to a preview of their work.

So here is a sneak peak of what I am working on.... it's my Use the Muse piece. I know I recently posted a sneak peak of this piece but as the piece is due on 12 April this is the only piece I am currently working on.

I have to admit it is providing me with many hours of me ranting and raving and throwing beads around the room frustration over this Easter long weekend. I only have another 9 days to get this piece completed and am starting to panic just a wee bit!