Margie and Me - The Colors of Constructivism - #102

It's that time again for the Margie and Me Challenge reveal.

This time around I chose

The Colors of Constructivism - #102

Apologies that I am a day or two late for posting my creation.

Unfortunately the weather here has been quite bad again and each afternoon when I have gone to photograph my piece... well it's been pouring with rain.


So... please excuse my dodgy photo but it was the best I could get!

I focused on the gorgeous blues, greens and teals in the colour palette and created these earrings using Marcia DeCoster's "Medici Drop" pattern.

I thought the Czech teardrops worked quite well with the colour palette.

I was intending to create a piece using the other gorgeous palette but unfortunately it just didn't happen.

Be sure to check out the other Margie and Me creations on Marcie's blog at La Bella Joya.

♥

Challenges...get creative and keep the mind busy!

Well due to the floods here in Queensland I have been off work since Tuesday of last week. I thought having the extra time at home would be a great time to do some beading to take my mind off things. 

Well it wasn't...I have spent the last 5 days glued to my laptop checking out Facebook for flood updates as well as other sites.

I decided I need to start focusing on other things and realised that there are a few beading challenges taking place that I haven't even thought about yet.

Margie and Me Challenge

Marcie at La Bella Joya has kicked off the first Margie and Me Challenge for 2011 with not one but two colour palettes to choose from!

The River Sea - #24

And a colour palette chosen by Marcie.

Village  Corner

It's a photo of a little medicine shop in Dolores Hidalgo in Mexico, which she visited 5 years ago.

I am not sure which palette I am going to choose yet but as the pieces are to be shared on 29 January I better get a move on!

Bead Soup Blog Party

I am excitedly taking part in this party again this year, with 2010 being my first year.

An enormous 210 people are taking part this year so poor Lori of Pretty Things has had the mammoth task of pairing everyone up!

I have just found out that I have been paired up with Liz Deluca of Creative Arty Facts, a fellow Australian who is a very talented lampwork artist. I am excited to see what she sends me and between you and me... I am secretly hoping that one of her gorgeous beads is included!

♥

As I mentioned I haven't been beading much over the last week or two but here is a pair of earrings I finished recently which I hadn't shared with you.

They are from Marcia DeCoster's book, Beaded Opulence, and are the Medici Drop earrings.

Unfortunately I could not get my hands on some drops which were drilled horizontally but I think they still look pretty nice and I have worn them a few times already and they still sit beautifully.

I absolutely adore her book so am currently working on another piece.

This one is the Gabriella pendant. I have to admit I have struggled with this one at times. 

The pendant is actually a lot smaller than it appears in the image in the book and actually measures around 2.8 inches long by about 1 inch wide.

I don't think I thought through my colourway very well as the bronze seed beads I have used aren't really in contrast to the tigers eye beads but I think with a big chunk of tigers eye hanging off the bottom and strung on some contrasting beads mixed with tigers eye is shouldn't look too shabby!

Lastly check out this gorgeous bracelet I bought from Marcie of La Bella Joya.

I had my eye on this beauty ever since she made it and recently when she had a sale in her Etsy store I decided to treat myself!

Thanks Marcie!

♥

My Creative Space

I've been working on a few pieces lately but the main one I need to get finished is my "Fall" piece for the Artbeads Design Partner Blogging Program.

It's nearly finished!

You can also see a piece I am working on from Marcia DeCoster's book!

I just need to add a bail and then attach the peyote toggle I have made... 

...and of course weave in all that thread!

Check out this cool open diamond toggle created from Diane Fitzgerald's book, Shaped Beadwork.

What can be found in your creative space this week?

♥

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.

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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'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.