Art Bead Scene - April

April Monthly Challenge

Walk in the Meadows at Argenteuil, 1873

Claude Monet
Oil on Canvas, 54.5cm x 64.5 cm
Private Collection

About the Art

Impressionism is a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists. Their independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s, in spite of harsh opposition from the conventional art community in France. The name of the style derives from the title of a Claude Monet work, Impression, soleil levant (Impression, Sunrise), which provoked the critic Louis Leroy to coin the term in a satirical review published in the Parisian newspaper Le Charivari.
Impressionist painting characteristics include relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage of time), ordinary subject matter, inclusion of movement as a crucial element of human perception and experience, and unusual visual angles. The development of Impressionism in the visual arts was soon followed by analogous styles in other media that became known as impressionist music and impressionist literature.

When I saw this I knew exactly what I wanted to do, BUT, getting from my mind, to paper, to fruition wasn't that easy.  Any way, the blue and yellow flowers were made of rick rack by Kathy Jo. I added the green leaves.  The Bib, I made using material and green lace. The butterfly, which I realize is too big, I need to make smaller, I made using wire, crystals and beads.  All I have left to really do is put on the gold tone chain, but I was still waiting on the flowers to dry to the material....but you get the idea. I love doing these challenges to see what I can come up with.

Without flash......                

With flash

Once I redo the butterfly smaller and put the chain on I will re-post.

Macro Monday 042213

This cute little guy was found in my dad's garden. As it is a black snake I wasn't really scared. I had already seen him moving around in the garden, and I guess now he wanted a drink!  Enjoy!

Macro Monday - 041513

Well I have been out of the loop for a bit, but trying to get back into the swing of things so here goes!


Now I am not a fan of  "bugs" but living in the country you tend to run into a few. This little critter, he is really only about 2 inches, went running across my desk the other day. Being more startled than scared he got away before I could grab my camera.  So later that night, my son happened to see it on the door between the dining room and family room and was able to get some pics.  To look at it you would think it was a spider, then no...the front legs are to long and he has "10" legs.  Sooooo being that I HAD to know what it was I set on an adventure to find it.  It was very illusive to say the least. I even emailed Glen at http://www.spiderzrule.com/wind.htm   to find out what it was. But lo and behold, it ISN'T a spider. It is an arachnid. It is called a sun spider, wind scorpion, camel spider and so on. Non venomous, but kills it prey by ripping it apart.  (Sounds like The Terminator) anyway, it is good for catching other bugs.  So I guess it can stay as long as it stays OFF my desk!  Oh yea, when they curl up, they bring those longgggg legs up close to them and look dead......

Thanks for looking and for more wonderful Macro's hop on over to Macro Monday.

Bye!

IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S REALLY REALLY HERE! BEAD SOUP BLOG PARTY = 7

This is my first bead soup blog hop and I have learned so much just by hopping around the 1st reveal.  I think I may have over done it with what I sent my partner, Tanya Wiles,  as you can see...

I just couldn't decide.....

Anyway I am all excited to see what she makes with them...The little pendant with the two rose's pictured I made...I was bored but I think it came out pretty good.  I included some buttons too and some clay mushrooms that I have had for a couple of years and didn't quite know what to do with them. I am sure she will have loads of fun.

This is the wonder soup I received from Tanya,

Fabulous!  I love the focal bead. Reminded me of some thing underwater...

Then there were two beautiful very blingy Swarovski spacers and a really cool flower closure!

A selection of the beads are shown below...

Of course they sat on my table for a bit while I decided what to do with them.  I had also been given a challenge to use ALL the beads and I am always up to a challenge!

Anyway, I have been done for weeks and have just been sitting on pins and needles to post. So with out further ado, I will show what wonderful soup I made!

 For this set I used the main focal with some handmade paper beads from Cheryl Tippett

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 BeadsByCheryl and the silver beads and flower closure Tanya sent me.  I really like how the colors just seem to flow!I also made matching earrings and will soon have this up inmy Etsy shop. Couldn't post them til after the reveal.......

Next, I really wanted to try and think out of the box for something and decided to try using "other" components.

I designed and created the bobbin center piece with bobbins I had, wire and then some seed beads I had along with the perfect blue and crystal drop beads.  I used black beading thread to pull every thing together. The purple piece is one I had in my stash and just seem to really want to join the party. The necklace part I used chain and the beading thread to "weave" more of the beads she sent and a few of my own. It is the first time I tried it. I think I will keep this one for my self!

Next, I wanted to change gears so I created these two necklaces with more of the beads she sent and some of mine.


For this one I used the pearls, black beads and then pearly tube beads to put together with some of mine then attached it to a chain and closure.








This one I used black floss...and made a double strand necklace with the little diamond drops and some more of my beads. ( you would think by now I would have run out.......)








Ohhh no I didn't.  Wanting to something else...I made three bracelets from my soup beads and my stash.

The one above are blue glass beads are from my soup and the rest destash. I like the look.  Then to the right the first one I used the leaf beads and salmon colored beads on stretchy cord. The second one is with the Swarovski sliders and the black and blue beads from my soup. I was trying a new technique, bead weaving using my pattern......not sure if works. May redo it.


And last but not least. I used the left over beads and created these purse fobs...The face beads are poly clay that I had for a while.

So there you have it. My Bead Soup for 2013. To see what everyone else made hop over to Second Reveal - 7th Bead soup Blog

Thanks for stopping by and make sure you hop to Tanya's site to see what goodies she came up with!