Sunday, January 26, 2014

The Creative Continuum of Seven Artist January's Reveal

Introducing: The Creative Continuum of Seven Artists ~ an adventure in art creating with friends :: All Pretty Things

Hi Y'all,

Today is the first reveal date of The Creative Continuum of Seven Artists.  A few months ago Alicia of All Pretty Things blog contacted me and five other wonderfully talented creative Ladies and asked us if we would like to be a part of an idea she had for a blog hop, so of course we all said yes.  So after a few emails we ironed out the details.  Each of us was given a month for our blog hop. We each picked a theme for our month and then sent out to each member a package of beads to represent our theme.   Monique's month is January and her theme is National Gallery of Canada click on the link to read more about the National Gallery of Canada.  Here is what I received from Monique:


Monique is a polymer clay artist and here work is awesome, so is the pretty bag she sent her items in.
I chose to use the polymer clay flower and the wooden beads.  The first piece I made is a bead embroidered cuff.




I love the focal for this cuff it is beautiful.  I chose to use glass pearls in brown, gold, blue, and gold crystal roundels.  I did an asymmetrical band with some of the wooden beads.  I have had the clasp for a long time and felt that it was the perfect clasp for this piece.


I wanted to use more of the beads that Monique sent in her package so I made this bracelet that I call Square Peg in a Round Hole.

Thank you Monique for the wonderful package you sent to create with I hope I did it justice.
Thank you Alicia for inviting me to be a part of this group.  I am looking forward to the next 6 months of creating.
Here is a list of the other members of The Creative Continuum of Seven Artists, please go by their blogs and see what they created with Monique's theme package.

1. Monique
3. Sally
4. Therese (you are here)
5. Alicia
6. Cynthia
7. Emma

Next month is Christine her theme is Round and Round so come back and see what we all have created with Christine's package.

Happy beading Y'all,
Therese



Wednesday, January 15, 2014

A Time To Stitch 4 Hosted by Therese Frank and Christine Altmiller



Hi Y'all,

It has been a while since I have posted and I apologize for the absence.  Life has been a little topsy turvy for me lately, but I am getting my balance back and on the right track again.  

I can not believe that three months have gone by so fast it seems like just yesterday, that Christine and I put out the call for participants in the 4th A Time To Stitch Challenge.  This time Christine and I decided that we would let those that are participating to have a say in the other three stitches that they could choose from, the one stitch that had to be done was the net stitch.  During sign ups we asked that a stitch suggestion be made and after the sign ups were closed we would tally up and pick the three most suggested stitches.  Those stitch are 1. Chenille Stitch, 2. Chevron Stitch, and 3. Spiral Rope.  Along with the net stitch the participants could pick one or more of the three other stitches for this challenge.

For those of you visiting for the first time to the A Time To Stitch Challenge, here is a little bit about why Christine and I are doing this challenge.  I had this idea for a challenge to get more people to try bead weaving.  So I contacted Christine with the idea and asked her if she would partner with me in this challenge.
Of course she said that it was a wonderful idea and that she would be my partner in this challenge.  So every three months or so we have been doing the A Time To Stitch Challenge. We get some experienced bead weavers and not so experienced bead weavers, it is always so much fun to see what everyone creates with the challenge stitches, and to see how far those not so experienced bead weavers are progressing. 

I chose to do the Chenille Stitch and the Chevron Stitch this time, because I have never done either one of these stitches.  Here is what I created with these three different stitches.


For those of you that visited my Birthday Challenge on November 16th, you will recall that I only had the pendant made with my glass cab as the focal and said that you will see the pendant again soon.  Well I knew then that I was going to use the Chenille Stitch to do the neck rope for my pendant.  This stitch is super easy and sews up fast, although it took me a little while to finish my rope, because I chose to use all size 11 seed beads.  


I came across this pattern for the Chevron Stitch on Pintrest designed by Cecilia Rooke  .  I did not use the same embellishments that were suggested in the pattern.  I had these green with gold highlights drops and the green roundels and gold round crystals, so I chose to use these in my necklace.  Also the pattern that I found did not have the top embellishment around the inside perimeter of the necklace, that is something I added because it just was too plan looking to me without the added embellishment.  I really love how this one turned out. 


At the end of last October I opened my big mouth at work and said that I was going to bead everyone in the Communications Unit an ornament.  Well I managed to get at least 9 out of 22 beaded for this past Christmas here are the ones that I used the net stitch on. I will be working on a few at a time through out the year until I have everyone an ornament for Christmas this year.



Tubular Net Stitch is a stitch I really enjoy making it is so fast and easy I had this bracelet made in two hours from start to finish.  I gave it to my friend Demetree, as a thank you gift.  Crystie, I am going to have to get one of those thread zappers as you can see I have thread ends showing.

Well there you have it my contributions to this go around of A Time To Stitch challenge.

Please go by and visit and comment on the rest of the participants in this challenge.



6.  Kim Hora
10. LizE
15. Alenka
Happy beading Y'all,
Therese