Fall Beading Challenge

I joined in a bead challenge organized by fellow etsy jeweler and craftrevolution.com editor, Beads4You. Each participant gets the same set of beads (in seafoam or topaz color scheme) and is free to create one or as many pieces they can create from the bead set. Here's my first entry:

I used 100% of the beads from the seafoam set and added about a dozen of the seafoam 11/0 glass seed beads of my own to complete the peyote tube in this necklace. The less outside beads you use the better chances of winning.

This is an asymetrical necklace featuring all the techniques I like to use in creating my jewelry - wirework, stringing and beadweaving. All metal is sterling silver. The single strand of 8mm crystals is connected to the wirework and the green focal bead. The tubular peyote slides back to cover/reveal the handmade hook and eye that serves as closure for this necklace. Overall, the effect is a continuous circle since the clasp is hidden. I made the three strands from the bulkier beads in the group. The shell pieces are in one strand together with the freshwater pearls in between each shell piece, the smaller crystals are all in the second strand with the seafoam seed beads. Finally, the glass leaf beads are in the third strand with the rough stone seed beads in a peyote stitch between each leaf bead to give the strand a leafy branch look.

I can't wait to see what the other participants have create! We have until October 31 for all entries.

Who said only comedy could do improv?

Yes, there is such as thing as improvisational beadwork. For the novice, this is a freeform, bead as you can, how you want to, with whatever you want to kind of hand beading. The possibilities are endless. It could lead to artisitc satisfaction or frustration. It's so organic in that the work comes to life in your hands as you add to it, bead by bead. It's a never ending process, constant work in progress. But like painting, one can over paint and leave the artist in a state of limbo or mental block--where am I going with this?

Sneak Preview

I need to make more earrings. I tend to make more of bracelets and necklaces that I neglect the earrings department. So this weekend, I made more than the usual number and here they are. An assembly of jasper, carnelian quartz, smoky quartz, pearls. I'm also expanding my metals - other than sterling silver, I've found brass and sterling silver pewter pieces -- really cool! I'll be listing them in my etsy shop in the next few days so this is a sneak preview!