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