Keep on trying..

I love peyote stitch and some of the patterns I have seen on line are so gorgeous, they beg to be tried, and tried and tried. It took me the longest time to wrap my head around odd count peyote but perseverance paid off and I now have it mastered....yeah me!  That being said I am still trying to master reading a pattern. Written patterns no problem but visual...yikes the amount of times I take it out, I could have two or three bracelets completed.  Never one to be beaten (except when it comes to skiing) I shall keep trying until I master it.

This is one of my first attempts and after I lost track of the pattern for the umpteenth time I just gave in and went with it. My daughter Meg saw it and loved it and yes now it is hers. She is one of my biggest fans and really likes wearing my creations.

California Dreaming

If this is April, it must be spring?

You would think being mid April and Easter upon us that it would be spring.....right? Well apparently not quite!! We had a spring snow storm covering everything in a blanket of white....I must be crazy but it was really quite pretty. Pretty but thank goodness melting rapidly.

I have been very busy taking some photography courses and just loving them. I have learned so much and now have the thirst for more.  My latest class was pet photography and what fun. A real challenge getting the pooches to pose but what an enjoyable way to spend a weekend.

Jasper the Labradoodle

Pandora and yes Pandora was in a box

Pandora

Topper

Topper

Not only have I been busy shooting photos, I have been busy beading. I have had a bit of trouble sleeping lately but when all is quiet and everyone is in bed .... I just let my creative juices flow. I have completed my projects for Beading Babes and now I am just waiting to post (May 4th ). One of the projects was a kumihimo piece which renewed my curiosity to look into this more. By chance our local beading store (Crimpz) was offering a class and although I didn't take the class I did go home and create a similar set. I just love the rhythmic pace of kumihimo and had a great time creating this necklace and bracelet and bracelet....we know there will be more! I have also finished my piece(s) for the BSBP (May 3)...oh I just am so excited to show what I have created.....I am really quite pleased with what I have made!

Kumihimo necklace and bracelet

Kumihimo bracelet with long magatamas

As everyone knows, Pinterest is a curse and a blessing all in one. It is so addicting and so many ideas are brought to mind. Two that I immediately set to work on were loom beading (I did this when I was a 60s love child) and a RAW bangle bracelet by Marcia DeCoster. I like the look of loom beading but not sure I have the patience for threading the loom.

Loom Bracelet

The RAW bangle pattern by Marcia looked like something I would really like and although I am not a big bangle person I thought I would give it a try and tweak it a little.  I made it a little shorter and added a magnetic clasp. I also put my own twist on the embellishment.   I love the look and feel of this bracelet so much that I am going to work on a bangle next, there is always a first time.

My take on Marcia DeCoster's RAW bangle

 

Counting down the days to both Beading Babes and BSBP reveals!

The Color of Dreams

I was immediately hooked on this challenge from Rita of Jewel School Friends because of the incredibly beautiful beads being offered up…so totally Technicolor. The beads were created by artist Patricia Handschuh of The Color of Dreams Boutique. Thank you Rita for putting forth this wonderful challenge and for including me in as a participant and thank you Patricia for creating pure loveliness.  

I love, love, love bright colors; the more colors that are combined the better. I love to work with pinks, purples, oranges, yellows, red, blues….any color or combination of colors and the brighter the better. My husband is sometimes embarrassed because when in the dead of winter and everyone else is in black I wear bright pink jeans and a red sweater.  Color just lifts a person’s spirits and infects those around them with joy and happiness.

I loved the beads that Rita was going to send out so much I went to Patricia’s The Color of Dreams Boutique to see what else would catch my eye. Let’s just say – pretty much everything did. I had no knowledge of the bead I was getting but something just drew me to a pendant that was on her site (was it a dream). I figured I could and would just use the pendant in another project.  When my bead arrived from Rita I was thrilled to find that it matched quite nicely to the purchased pendant ….now what to create?  

Whenever I have a problem thinking of a design, finding a solution to a roadblock in my design or deciding what other colors to combine in my piece…I put the project aside and wait for the answer to come to me in my dreams. A solution always comes and I have never been disappointed with the outcome. When I mentioned to my sister that dreaming was how I solved design problems I was surprised to hear she does the same thing. Dreams are where my creativity knows no bounds and where anything becomes possible. I hope Patricia likes what I have created with her beads and I hope I have done Rita’s challenge justice!

I have named my piece “In My Mother’s Garden” because it takes me to a happy place in time. My mother was British and loved to garden. She especially loved her flower garden. There was a time when her garden was so full of color and bloom anyone passing by had to stop and take note. This piece reminds me of her beautiful flower garden.

In My Mother's Garden

No please take a moment to visit all my fellow dreamers!

Honorary Artist: Patricia Handschuh
Patricia's blog: The Color of Dreams
  Patricia's Etsy: The Color of Dreams
Hostess: TJ Jewel School Friends
Kay Thomerson KayzKreationz
Audrey Belanger Toki No Hourousha

Alicia Marinache All the Pretty Things
Terry Carter TappingFlamingo
Lori Schneider Bead Addict
Jenny Kyrlach Wonder and Whimsy
Asri Wahyuingsih Asri's Beadwork
Dini Bruinsma Angaza by Changes
Karla Morgan Texas Pepper Jams
Debbie Rasmussen A Little of This, A Little of That
Veralynne Malone Designed by Vera
Kathy Stemke Vintage Memories Jewelry Design
Mowse Doyle Mowse Made This
Heather Richter Desert Jewelry Designs
Lori Poppe Adventures in Creativity with LorilliJean
Jayne Capps Mama's Got To Doodle
Andrea Glick Zenith Jade Creations
Kathleen Breeding 99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall
Becky Pancake Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Karin Martinez Fairies Market
Miranda Ackerley Mirandack
Penny Houghton Smelly Nelly
Carolyn Lawson Carolyn's Creations
Chris Eisenberg Wanderware
Christie Murrow Charis Designs Jewelry
Monique Urquhart A Half-Baked Notion
Eve Shelby Raindrop Creations Jewelry by Evelyn
Cryss Thain Here Bead Dragons
Jasvanti Patel Jewelry By Jasvanti
Nan Smith NanMade Handmade Jewelry
Sue Kennedy SueBeads
Jean Yates Snap Out of It, Jean! There's Beading to be Done!
Debbie Rogers Debbies Treasures
Marybeth Rich A Few Words From Within the Pines
Shirley Moore Beads and Bread
Shaia Williams Shaiha's Ramblings
Kathy Lindemer Bay Moon Design
Melissa Trudinger Beadrecipes
Linda Anderson From the Bead Board
Judy Turner Silver Rains
Gloria Allen Gloria Allen Designs
Regina Wood Ginas-Design
Robin Reed Artistry HCBD
Mary Goovars MLH Jewelry Designs
Marlene Cupo Amazing Designs
CJ Bauschka 4 His Glory Creations
Robin Showstack The Crazy Bead Hoarder
Cynthia O'Toole Sparkles and Sweets
Jael Thorp Jael's Art Jewels
Renetha Lamplight Crafts