A Day at the beach Design Challenge by Facet

Hi all. Time again for another challenge. At Facet this month we were challenged to do something beachy. Using the colors of the beach, waves, and sky.

I had a lot of sea glass from Znetshows that I needed to use up so I pulled them out of my stash, then got an email they had some new sea glass Sea Life, so I ordered the cute little green turtles. I mean what beach isn't complete without a turtle or two.

The colors I used were aqua, green, red, topaz and some glass rondelles that had had aqua and green running through them. 

I wanted to try something out of the box so I created loops at each end to put silk cord through so you tie it in the back, and then I used bead weaving thread to make a fringe out of sand colored seed beads to represent the sand on the beach.  Plus a set of earrings to match.

This is what I came up with:

I am not sure how I like the fringe yet, I may still redo some of it. And I think I need to make the silk cord in back longer, it didn't tie quite right. But other than that I was very pleased with it. 

I have the colors of the beach with two turtles now more beachy can you get!!!

Til next time..

Keep on Beading!

V

Bling It Up! in July by Facet Jewelry

For July, Facet Jewelry challenged us to Bling it Up! I am a 60's child, so bling is right up my alley!

I thought about doing some earrings but couldn't decided. THEN while checking out Toocutebeads.com I came across a bracelet that inspired me as I has similar beads. It was called Dazzling - Graphic - Bracelet. 

So I went through my beads and came up with the beads and then strung my piece on white Fireline so that the beads would lay nicer. I really love the rhinestone dividers. That is what caught my eye to begin with at Toocutebeads. 

And here is my offering:

The clasp is magnetic so it goes on really easy. It is an 8 inch bracelet. 

For more great Bling it Up eye candy head over to Facet Jewelry and check it out.

Til next time,
Keep on Beading

V

Christmas in July Linky Party

Now I know a lot of people don't like Christmas in July....says it takes away from the holiday. BUT for us crafter's, if we don't start in July, we won't be finished by Christmas.

But for me I love looking at the new ideas and see if there are any I can use for my holiday gifts!

For my idea I created a Christmas colored stretchy bracelet with matching earrings out of BUTTONS. I love working with buttons. They are so versatile.
You can do so much with them in the various colors! 

Just the right accessory to throw on as you go out the door during the holidays. It isn't showy or sparkly but it lets everyone know you are in the holiday spirit. 

For more great ideas, head over to Stone Cottage Adventures and become inspired!

Til next time..

Keep on Beading

V 

Swap n Hop 2017

Hi everyone...well today is the reveal...for Linda Anderson with  Bead Peeps.


When I signed up, I didn't realize I would soooo busy with taxes this year, but I haven't had hardly any time to even breath.


I am even posting from work today! And of course I don't have the before picture because it is at home on my desktop....


But I have the pictures of what I completed.  My partner was Minnette Miller! And she has had a rough time too. But that is not my story to tell.  SOOOO anyway...below is what I made with the beautiful beads she sent me.


First is the necklace. She sent me such cool beads with a sea vibe, that I couldn't not do it. And for some reason, the color peachy/orange kinda decided to be in the bunch. The chain she sent is awesome and I want to know where she got it because I want some! It is full of jump rings on jump rings...loved it!  I haven't put a clasp on yet as I haven't decided it I want it to pull on or have a clasp... The aqua, well aqua means water and the color just seemed to jive with everything else! In the bottom left I have a close up of the bigger beads she sent. I forgot to turn the blue glass shell over, but there is a pearl in it.

Then she sent some cool beads that I made into earrings...The white glass beads on the bottom feel like they were sand blasted. Very cool! Then she sent those cute green glass beads with pink flowers, so I topped it off with pink pearls.  I really like it. Might have to keep these. The picture on the right shows off the bead caps better.

Next she sent me the cutest set of smiley face glass beads...I really love these. Very simple but they are just happy looking.

The last set of earrings...I managed to get one done because the bead for the second wouldn't go down on the wire since it is doubled...but I have a bead reamer that I will use gently to make the hole bigger. But here they are.

I still have some beads left...

Plus some more that are going to be made into a bracelet.  So that is my offering for this challenge. I am sure I will be in more. So til next time....

Keep on beading!!

Veralynne!

 

Bead Soup Blog Party Bead Hoarders Edition 2017

And Now The Sequel........... 

Below is the first post about Lori's BSBP and what I sent my partner and what my partner, Laurie Vyselaar sent me. Below all that....is what I made with the goodies I got.

Hello all, it is time for one of Miss Lori's Bead Soup Blog Party's. We are so glad that she has been able to do this and that her awesome recovery will continue. We so missed her!

And if you have wondered where I have been, well I am a tax preparer, so until April 18 I will be somewhat scarce but I will be beading!!!!!

     So for this soup party I was matched with the talented Laurie Vyselaar. She is just a hop skip and jump south of me in Fl!

     First: what I sent her!  

                   

NOW for what she sent me! And I can't wait to get working on them!

                    

    I see a "Garden Party". I love Dry Gulch beads and her designs!!! And those cute little lampwork beads from Marie Sawyer....I am keeping them for me! I see some cute earrings in the making with them.  Then that awesome Man on the Moon Pendant that Lauri made. Can't wait to get to that...I can see it with seed beads....

     I am sure I won't get all done by the dead line but I will have the "Garden Party" ready!

⚞⚞⚞⚟⚟⚟

Well, I can tell you "Garden Party" didn't happen. After I got all the beads together I wanted to use, they refused to play nice...So they just sat on my work table for about a week....with me staring at them. So then I started going through my stash thinking about what I might have that would work, but nothing garden party popped up....sigh...but I found some other beads that complimented the hand painted piece by Dry Gulch and the green beads and the blueish green crystals. And this is what I came up with:

  

I really love how purple and the golden green beads really work with the pendant! You cant really see it well in the picture, but there is purple in the pendant.

 And  for the other beads that didn't want to play nice I made earrings out of them....and they look really good! Those were the flowers for my "garden party". Oh well, I like them better this way!

As for those super cute glass birds...here is what I did. Though the picture doesn't show the true color. The beads are grey and white.

Then...that marvelous man in the moon pendant, I wanted to do something really neat, And I did get started, making a spiral necklace for it,  but I ran out of the dark grey pearls, so until I get more it will have to wait. But for the pendant it's self, I have some black and white beads and crystal beads that I am going to bead around with. Hopefully I will get it finished soon, I have been so busy with tax season...no time to bead.....

Here is a close up of the beads so you can see the blue in the middle.

For more beauties hope over to Lori's Pretty Things Bead Soup Party.

Until next time...which is April 8th..

Keep on beading!

Because you asked...

I didn't realize how long it had been since I blogged.  I guess going back to work and the holidays got the best of me.

I have been asked about my jewelry, I did some over Christmas as gifts, but didn't think to take pictures of them.  So I went back and pulled together the jewelry I did last year.  I have a couple of challenges come up so I will be posting more.

Below are two colleges I put together of most of the jewelry I did last year. Most were for challenges, a few personal. The two blue and white pearls pictures are the necklaces and earrings and a bracelet I made for my daughter and I for her wedding.

I like working with most types of beads and components. I do not do clay or metal work...not that talented..

I do love doing seed beading and have done pieces in the past. Just not sure where the pictures of them are at the moment.

So for all that have asked..here is a sample of my work.

Enjoy!

Evening Elegance Blog Hop - Jan 30 2016

Today is the reveal for Evening Elegance Blog Hop sponsored by Lisa Lodge of Grateful Artist

Below is the beads I received from Lisa. Aren't they pretty!!!

When I received them, I thought oh there won't be any problem coming up with a necklace set. BUT with the holidays, my daughter's wedding, then tax season, I just couldn't get the idea I had in my head to come together. So instead of just throwing together something, I am waiting on the necklace and will show it at a later date. Though here is a picture of what I had started...doesn't look like much, but there is a design hidden in there.

I did however, make a set of earrings. I really like how they turned out, may just keep them for myself! I am debating on whether to add a yellow dangle from the middle line of beads or not...but what ever, I really like them.

There is a set of dangles that Lisa sent, and I have a plan for those at a later date.  I love how delicate they are.

For more great ideas hop over to Lisa's at Grateful Artist for more blogs to check out.

Hopefully now that most of my stress is gone, I will have more time to create!!! I do have some more things to blog. I made my daughters wedding set and a friends wedding set that I will get on line very soon!

Til next time,

Keep on Beading

Veralynne



We're All Ears :: September Inspiration

This month Erin really challenged us with this really cool Japanese video where they create stunning visual designs. Take a min and watch it. I have watched it several time and seen something new almost each time. 



ENRA’ is a visual dance performance troupe from Japan performing stunningly unique animation-based digital performances. The images used in the performances are not attuned to the dancers, but interactively staged in a way never imagined before. The members of ENRA are experts in genres including martial arts, gymnastics, ballet, animation, dance, juggling and street dance.

'Torque Starter' is a feast for the mind. Using stunning visual effects combined with the perfectly timed movement of a lone performer who is juggling a lighted ball, 'Torque Starter' is filled with a frenetic energy and a host of geometrical shapes and images. Because the video is completely in black and white, the shapes become the dancers, morphing into one another at every turn and transforming the blank 'canvas' of the screen into a living painting, or almost more like calligraphy, with the absence of any color. 

After watching it, I was not sure what to create, but what kept coming to mind were the circles and squares and jagged lines. So I had square and round wire finding and then made a zigzag, sort of, wire piece. I hung them all together on an earring loop. They are simple, and fun. I really like them, may keep them for myself!

For more earring eye candy head over to Erin's blog and check out what everyone made. 

Til next time...

Keep on Beading

Veralynne

Pine Ridge Treasures' Blog Hop and Challenge - Sept 12, 2015

Once again, Lisa from A Grateful Artist has given us a challenge to complete. I so love these challenges as I use them to try and think out of the box. And in this group of beads I had a lot to challenge me. Normally when I get my challenge kit in, the beads start talking to me right away...This was a very quiet kit! But I started moving them around and putting them in different configurations and finally all the beads except one set talked to me.

SOOO...lets see what they said. First up:  I don't normally post clothes with my jewelry, but my daughter is a fan of Japanese culture and found this dress on line right after I made the necklace so I couldn't resist. Matches pretty well I think. The red balls are thread covered and then I used red and turquoise seed beads, though they look kind of blue in the picture. The bigger blue round beads and the blue disk beads were in my kit. I used bright silver tone bead caps on the red beads. I really like this piece and so does my daughter, it is no longer in my possession!

Next I wanted to do something with just the pearls and crystals and something swingy but feminine. So I found the silver necklace piece in my "junk" drawer stash and hung the crystals and pearls from it on wire that I flatten the end of, made the side pieces by stringing them on beading wire and then attached the sides to an antique silver chain with a lobster claw closure. Then as I have to make earrings, I did so.. 

In this one I used the small pale green crystal disk.They are so pale and small, they are hard to see. But they are glass and very cute. Then added pearls and acrylic aqua beads. Very simple looking. Has a silver tone toggle closure.The earrings I wired wrapped between each bead then attached to ear wires.

 Wanting to try my bead stitching again, I used a pattern from Domestic Diva that I had gotten offline. The pendant in the pattern is real small, but I used it to get started and then "grew" the pattern a little and added the spikes and oblong aqua beads. The twin seed beads that I used are a kind of brown with silver seed beads between them. There are brown veins in the spikes and then in the turquoise beads from my kit there are silver veins. The topper of the pendant is my own design, I just kept working at it til I got it the way I wanted. There is a little "bridge" on top to put the jump ring through. For the rest of the necklace and the earrings I used the turquoise round beads and the aqua round disk from my kit and added silver grey pearls and brown glass seed beads along with the oblong gold and aqua beads. 

There were a little package of these trapezoid looking wooden beads with two holes and they just screamed bracelet, so I used some small silver tone metal flower spacers, strung it all on wire, bent it to my wrist, attached a chain and toggle clasp. I really like, so I think I might keep it. It is easy to get on and off. 

And lastly, there were some small blue beads that kinda looked like coral, so I got out my sea shells, drilled a few, got out my sea creature charms and strung them up on head pins and attached to a chain with a toggle clasp, though I think I may change it, not sure. But it is swingy and says "beach"

Well, that is all for me. The blue glass beads that stayed silent are still in a baggie on my desk. When they decide to talk I will let them out. ;-p.

To see more challenge pieces hop over to Lisa's page for a list of the participants. 

Thanks for stopping by and til next time...

Keep on Beading

Veralynne

We're All Ears :: August Inspiration -(more canyon pictures here)

We're All Ears :: August Inspiration -(more canyon pictures here)

One of the least accessible and most photographed vistas in the American Southwest is Antelope Canyon.
Antelope Canyon in northern Arizona is home to some magnificent slot canyons. According to Wikipedia, the Navajo people have a name for the Upper Antelope Canyon - Tsé bighánílíní - which means "the place where water runs through rocks." Slot canyons are chasms eroded over eons by wind and rain and raging floods to create one of the most spectacular natural masterpieces. Antelope Canyon is located on the Navajo Reservation and can only be accessed by licensed tours with a guide and a permit to visit them. At certain times of the day, light penetrates the canyons bathing the entire area in a haze of liquid gold. At certain places magical shafts of light - sometimes referred to as "God Spots" - penetrate to the canyon floor, as if a cosmic stage performance is about to begin. These magic shafts of light only penetrate the secret chambers of the canyons for around 30 minutes each day from late May to late June. The undulating views of the sandstone walls play with your depth perceptions and make for fantastic living sculptures that will continue to shift and change with the coming years. 

(This is the shot I chose)

"Lower antelope 1 md" by User:Moondigger - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.

I loved all the pictures, but this one drew me in. And as luck had it..I had beads that I thought would pay homage to the wonderful earthy colors of the cave. I had several designs in mind, but life has really gotten in my way the past few weeks so I was only able to do one. I hope to finish up the other ideas I had and post at a later date. 

So here is my offering for this challenge. I thread wrapped the beads back and forth around the silver tone metal earring hoops.

The stones just seem to mimic the swirls, dips, and rises in the stones of the cave. Beautiful earthly colors.  For more great ear candy by other designers check out Erin's blog page. 

For now..

Keep on Beading

Veralynne

Flora Tones 2015 Challenge

Time again for a new challenge. This revel is another one from Lisa Lodge at A Grateful Artist/Pine Ridge Treasures. She host the best challenges with such beautiful colors and beads. I like to join her's and others to make myself think and work outside the box.

The colors for this challenge are just so mellow that I knew I would have to keep my designs simple. Of course I forgot to take a picture of the goodies she sent as I was so excited to get my package. But I will try to point them out as I go.

Up first is a piece I would call Spring Garden. The colors just so remind me of a spring garden after the rain. There are soft pink glass beads in both rows. The first row has the larger pink glass beads and the second the smaller pink glass beads. Those came with the challenge. The green glass beads I used as accents are some I had on hand. The larger purplish pink glass beads I had on hand and have been wanting to use them. I paired them up with silver bead caps . I also used dark maroony purple beads with the green beads on the first row.

I used small bead caps to capture the strands and a silver toggle clasp. The necklace is 18 inches long.





The next two necklaces I made more as choker styled to try something different. I made this picture larger so you could see the little purple drops along the bottom and the purple rounds on top. I used a pattern I found on Fusion Beads. It is a Flat Spiral Rope design and made sure as I stitched I put drops and rounds in the right spot. I was trying for a different color with the purple. The turquoise and large purple beads are mine. the drops and the small rounds are from the challenge.

 I did a chain with lobster clasp as the closure.  Really enjoyed trying out this stitch. wasn't as hard as I thought it might be.

These are the earrings I made to match.

This design I came up with while looking through my stash of beads. The pink beads are glass chips and are irregular in shape. The purple squares are metal. I wired them together using silver tone wire. It too came out as a choker style. 

I used a simple s-clasp for this necklace.

These are the earrings I made to match.

And last but not least, I made a bracelet. The green and purple beads are from the challenge. I had checked out a book called The Art Of Beadwork by Jane Lock and found this pattern called Loop the Loop Bracelet and really liked it. So I used her instructions and the green seed beads and both purple drop beads from the challenge to make this bracelet. It has pink seed beads as the core that were in the challenge also.This was an interesting design to make as it looked easier in the book...but I stuck with it and it came out really well.

The only problem is that the loop I made to go over the large pink bead from the challenge would quite go over, so I am going to have to do some rework, but for the pictures I used a toggle bar.






I hope you enjoyed my offering for the Flora Tones Challenge. For more check out the list of participants at  Lisa Lodge at A Grateful Artist/Pine Ridge Treasures.

Til next time

Keep on beading


Veralynne