Epic Inspirations Blog Hop and Challenge

Melissa Trudinger of Beadreceipes threw out a challenge a few months ago. It is called Epic Inspirations. We were to make a jewelry piece inspired by one of our favorite TV shows.Well I love watching NCIS, CSI - all of them and my favorite people are Abby and Penelope. They both like to wear funky jewelry and Abby likes the black look. So I wanted to try and combine them into something EPIC.....

I had these disks with the holes in them and decided to sew "fringe" in each one. I decided on black and silver because Abby likes black and Penelope likes dangley pendants. Each fringe is 15 silver beads with a black at the beginning and end. I used black wildfire line to sew with. I was afraid I wouldn't finish as I ran out of silver beads but was able to get to JoAnns and get some more. I don't know how many are in each bag but it says 3.5 oz and I used a bag and a half.

 After putting it on the silver chain with the black chain woven through it, it just looked to forlorn. So I added the black and silver beads for now. But I think I am going to get some bigger chunky chain and finish it off. I have a toggle clasp in the back.

Each segment is hand sewn and as you will see in the next picture, it was time consuming! The earrings are made the same way. ALL hand sewn! I thought it would be heavy, but it isn't.

Here you can see the stitches in the back of the disks. I had planned on putting little felt backs on each one but ran out of time. There are 7 large disks and 5 small disks. I also used two disks to create the earrings.

Here is a close up of the chain and beads I used. Like I said, I think I will look for some larger chunky chain to attach the pendant to.  I have one in mind if I can find it in silver.

Here is a picture of me showing how the "fringe" looks. I was trying to lift up some of it so you could see the individual pieces. 

Thanks for taking a look and below is the list for more EPIC goodies!

Melissa Trudinger             http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com (Hostess)

Karen Mitchell                   http://www.overthemoon-design.com

Andrea Glick                      http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/

Karen Martinez                 http://fairiesmarket.blogspot.com/

Lennis Carrier                    http://windbent.wordpress.com

Lindsay Starr                      http://phantasmcreation.blogspot.com/

Mona Arnott                      http://bijouxgemsjoy.blogspot.com

Lee Koopman                    http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com

Shaiha Williams                 http://ShaihasRamblings.com

Veralynne Malone            http://veradesigns.blogspot.com

Elisabeth Auld                    http://www.beadsforbusygals.com

Kelly Schermerhorn          http://meanderingwithkelly.blogspot.com

Dini Bruinsma                    http://www.angazabychanges.blogspot.nl

Jami Shipp                          http://www.celebratinglifewithdamamashipp.blogspot.com.au/

Keep on Beading!

Veralynne

Creating with Cabochons Challenge May 2015

A few weeks ago Sally Russick put out the challenge to create with cabochons. Since she was my inspiration to use cabochons to begin with, of course I had to join. I was just finishing up one piece for a challenge that I have already posted to, here is what I made for that one. I was trying to add jump rings on the side. I think I still need practice on it. But I like the way it turned out. I think I will keep this one for me.

Then my granddaughter needed a quick necklace for her prom since it took so long to decide upon her dress. So I went simple. I had already made earrings for her using chain and crystals. 

SO....after all that I asked my daughter what she would like, and she chose a black cinnabar bead and wanted black and red beads around it. I found the red cinnabar beads in my stash also.I tied it all together using black chain and black glass pearls. The earrings are one glass pearl earring on a stud pierced earring. Below are the pictures of what I created. The last one with her wearing it, we didn't realize the cabochon was upside down, but I wanted people to see how it looked on her and not on the mannequin.

 

The Back of the cabochon. She didn't want the beads around the edge of the back so I just whipped stitched the back to cabochon backing.

I used just a simple lobster claw for the fastener.

And my daughter, Sydny, with it on.  She likes the way it hangs. Said it reminders her of a collar.












Thanks for looking. And for more beautiful creations hop over Sally's page to see what she created and the list of the other participants.

Til next time.

Keep on beading!

V

Art of Awareness Hop

Lori Anderson of Pretty Things Blog issued a challenge to us about making people AWARE of how many different health issues people have to deal with on a daily basis. I was totally blown away by how many different ribbons and colors and health issues there are. To check out the list you can follow this link


My favorite color is purple so I was surprise to see what purple awareness encompassed. Cancer - I had family members that had cancer, ADD - two of my children suffered from this in their youth, Crohn's Disease and Colitis. I had colitis and had surgery for it in 1980 and again in 2010.It is something that doesn't go away.

In addition I have worked with special needs children at church from total dependency on me to me just making sure they sit still during Sunday School. I also have a cousin that has Down's but she is the love of everyone she touches. Her internal light is always glowing. I think being around these special people has made me more understanding and patient with people around me. The kid who won't be quiet in the grocery line, or the seemingly adult person who is acting like a 6 year old. I try not to judge as I don't know them or their circumstances. I just know that most of think we are "normal" and frown at them or their parents, but do we really know what normal is? Everyone has issues whether you can see them or not.

When Lori put out the challenge I knew I had to join. I am a firm believer in God and have seen his hand at work not only in my life but in others. I wanted to be able to wear this message proudly so when I contacted Heather at Swoondimples I wasn't really picking a color for a specific reason even though as you can see, purple was really for me. I have always love purple so I chose that color and had my message, Believe in God, stamped on my pieces. On the back is a picture of a ribbon and heart. 

I wanted my pieces to be simple so that I could wear them with just about anything. So I made some earrings and a memory wire bracelet. I used light purple glass pearls and acrylic crystal beads. The beads under the stamped beads on the earrings are purple butterflies. I tend to be hard on my jewelry so I didn't want anything that might break. I love this set and wear it quite often. The pictures don't due the color's true justice, the dark purple is a deep purple. 

For more stories and inspiration check out Lori's blog for a list of the other participants.

And remember, just because you can't see a health issue, be AWARE that it might be there and show compassion to everyone. What goes around comes around and one day you may need to be shown some compassion!

Til next time
Keep on Beading
Veralynne

We're All Ears - May 2015

This month we were challenged with colorful dancers.  Below is the information from Erin about the dancers.

One of the perks of having daughter in a dance school is the chance to witness to some amazing performances. Last weekend was our own dance recital/spotlight showcase (which is truly the best amateur dance performance in Central Wisconsin), but on Tuesday evening about 25 of us traveled about an hour away to the Appleton Performing Arts Center to view an evening of dance from world renowned troupe Pilobolus.


It was thrilling to watch this troupe of about 8 dancers transform on stage. They did a total of five different dances that ranged from raw and gritty to a celebration of the beauty and power of the human form. There was heaven and hell represented along with a great dose of humor in an illusion of escapes through a collaboration with magicians Penn & Teller.
The most traditional piece that we saw was a tango with six of the dancers set against a backdrop of shifting video of colorful buildings in Los Angeles. The dancers were on stage for a total of about 8 counts and cycled on and off at quite amazing regularity, each time wearing something completely different. And I mean, completely different, right down to the shirts, pants, dresses, and jackets that would match the rainbow colors on the screen. 

I had so many ideas, but I created them in my head, but just couldn't get them to fruition. Below is one that I did try..

But it didn't flow like I wanted. I wanted something that would swing when you moved to kind of represent the dancers moving and turning.

After much looking through my stash and thinking I found this chain fringe that I had purchased on a whim from a bead store. I figured they, swung when you walked to I attached the different color crystals to the bottom and ear wires at the top and this is what I came up with.

I put then on and they do swing around and "lock legs" when I move.

For more beautiful earrings check out Erin's site at Earrings Everyday.

Til next month...

Keep on Beading
Veralynne

Pine Ridge Flora Challenge May 2, 2015

Hello all, welcome back! Last time I told you I would be participating in another of Lisa Lodges challenges and that I would be posting it on May 2. So here it is. Above is a picture of the colors she chose for this Flora challenge. They are very deep rich colors!

For my submission I sat and looked at those beads forever...well, maybe for a week since I had to get hopping. But I really wasn't inspired....

 

Though I was drawn to the sparkly crystals at the top..I just couldn't get the beads to talk.  So I decided to look around at the other beads I had laying around for inspiration. I had some destash beads and such from Lisa sitting with my beads and low and behold....inspiration!!!!

The colors in the crystals and pearls went perfectly with this...so I whipped out my seed beads and stitched around this beauty. I wanted to try something a little different that I had seen Cindi Lavin of Beading Arts do and that was to add jump rings on the side of the cabochon when she stitched it.  It isn't perfect but you get the idea. The beads in the center are size 15 and are the same color as the larger beads around the outside. The pink wire I used at the top wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but I made it work! There were also a set of leaves that matched the color scheme of the cabochon.

So with this beaded I got to work on my design and below is what I came up with! I did add in green glass crystal beads to pick up the greenish color in the cabochon and the crystals.

The leaves I hung on black chain to pick up the black in the cabochon. While it is hard to see in the picture, the beads and the crystals all accent each other and the colors are picked up in the cabochon.

 Here are some more shots of the necklace..

  

  

Here is the toggle clasp that was provided.  

I also made some earring mimicking the patterns in the strands on the necklace. 

I really love how this set turned out and I think I may just keep it.  

I have another challenge coming up on May 16 hosted by Lori Anderson...it is called the Awareness Challenge...so don't forget to check back then and see what I created.

Thanks for stopping by and til next time..

Happy Beading!

Veralynne - Designed By Vera

Hurrah For Spring - 2015

Hurrah for Spring Challenge April 25th, 2015

Once again Lisa of gratefulartist.blogspot.com has sent out a challenge to us. Using spring colored stones and beads.

And it is revel time for the Hurrah for Spring Challenge....While I posted on facebook, I am also posting on my blog...this time I remembered to take before pictures...

Picture of everything and then close up of the little butterflies and crystals.

It really amazes me how sometimes you get beads in and they just jump up and speak to you and the whole thing is done in a few hours...while other times..............they sit and glare at you. But anyway, the first piece just jumped up and I had the necklace and earrings done rather quickly.  My daughter is my model for this shoot...

The flower beads in the middle of the second row I bought from Lori Anderson in a destash purchase. She must have known I was going to be needing those beads. I also used two in the earrings.

A couple of close ups of the necklace.

    


I had some left over turquoise glass pearls from another challenge and they just blended right in. The bottom row with the big butterfly pendant has two different blue colored sea glass beads, small antique gold metal flower spacers and the small green beads. The second row has the flower beads with pink and white large seed beads used to accent the flower beads. Along with the flower beads are three clear glass beads with blue and white dots. To finish up the second row I used more of the turquoise glass pearls, the green glass pearls and the antique gold butterflies.  The third row is composed of the turquoise glass pearl beads and green and clear crystal beads. I have all three rows connected together in the back using an antique gold flower toggle clasp, which I forgot to take a picture of.

For the earrings: I used an antique gold metal flower bead, a clear crystal and green crystal bead, then a butterfly bead, then the small green beads with the clear glass bead with white dots. I connected it to one of the round blue sea glass beads. I used antique gold wires and ear wires.

Next up is a bracelet I made using more of the blue sea glass beads. These were square. I use orange glass beads as the accent color. 

 I used silver memory wire and the last of the diamond shaped blue sea glass bead. 



And lastly, to use up more of the sea glass beads, I made two sets of earrings, though my daughter has snagged the ones with the silver feathers.

 The first one I used small red glass beads with blue and white sea glass for a somewhat patriotic look.

The one below I used the blue sea glass with two silver feathers hanging. I used silver head pins and ear wires for both pairs.

So there you have it, my offerings for the Hurrah for Spring Challenge. 

I am doing another of her challenges called Flora, stay tuned and check back next Sat, May 2 to see it. As a teaser here are the beads....

Til next time...

Keep on beading!

Veralynne

Pine Ridge Jasper Blog Hop - 04-04-2015

Once again Lisa has challenged up to step out of our box and create.  I tried stepping out of my box but with being a tax preparer I have been so busy I wasn't able to step out much...but here goes


Once again I forgot to take beginning pictures of the great beads Lisa sent. I really need to get in the habit of taking them..but for my first piece the beads just seem to scream bracelet so that is what I made with matching earrings. Far be it for me to argue with the bead! I do think the lobster claw is to big...so I am going to have to find another one a bit smaller.

This second one is a bracelet too, but my daughter came up with this design. Again, I am going to have to get a smaller lobster claw.. I think I may try to move the beads closer together too.

And last, a necklace. I really like this one as it is fairly simple and almost monochromatic. I also didn't realize til it was to late the clasp was photographed upside down...lol.

So there you have it...my offerings for this wonderful Jasper Blog Hop.

For more inspiration hop over to Lisa Lodge Grateful Artist

Our next challenge is on April 25 called Hurray For Spring. I can't wait. so come on back on the 25th for more goodies.