Friday, November 30, 2012

Challenge of Color - Hosted by Erin Prais-Hintz

Hi Y'all,

That's right two post in one day, so if you are looking for AJE's component of the month challenge go here.



At the beginning of this month I signed up for Erin's Challenge of Color.  I love to participate in Erin's challenges they are always so interesting and make you think a little while before getting started.  This time around was no different.  Erin teamed up with Brandi Hussey of Brandi Girl Blog and the two of them came up with 40 color palettes from NASA Earth As Art photographs.  Erin sent each of the participants in this challenge two color palettes in which to work from.  We could choose just one or both it was up to us.
When I first got my palettes I was only going to use only one, because I love the vibrant greens and pinkish purples in the palette, but then I looked at the second palette again and knew I wanted to use that one too.  So here are my palettes and what I made using both.

First the Demini River:  A marsh-like area borders the Demini River in northwestern Brazil. The Demini eventually joins the Amazon River.


I went into my stash and pulled out all of the colors that I could find that closely matched my palette.  I love gemstones and I collect them from every where I can.  My favorite colors are pink and green, so I have a lot of those two colors.  The beaded beads are from a tutorial I purchased from Monomint etsy shop.  The name of the tutorial is Sweet Onion.  All of the beads with the exception of the seed beads are gem stones, but I do not know the names of the pink oblong and the light green oval ones.  The 4 mm green beads are Aventurine, the 6 mm pinkish purple are died Quartzite, and the purple are Blue Aventurine.

This is another Monomint tutorial Tortuga Bay.  

This is a flat spiral bracelet that I made during a flat spiral class I taught at my local bead store this month. I used green round crystals in 4 mm and 6 mm and size 11 purple seed beads.

My second palette is Algerian Abstract:  What look like pale yellow paint streaks slashing through a mosaic of mottled colors are ridges of wind-blown sand that make up Erg Iguidi, an area of ever-shifting sand dunes extending from Algeria into Mauritania in northwestern Africa. Erg Iguidi is one of several Saharan ergs, or sand seas, where individual dunes often surpass 500 meters-nearly a third of a mile-in both width and height.



This is also a Monomint tutorial Tricia's pendant.  This photo does not do the colors in this pendant justice the blue in the rivoli is gorgeous deep blue, and the glass pearls around the edge of the rivoli are a pale green.

This bracelet was made from a Nancy Dale tutorial purchased from  NEDbeads etsy shop the name of the tutorial is Twin bead flat spiral. 

Thank you for stopping by and seeing what I made for Erin's Challenge of Color.  I hope you liked what you saw while you were here.  Now please go and see what the other participants have created using their color palettes.



NameBlog
Aimee Moisahttp://threecatsdancing.blogspot.com
Alice Petersonhttp://alice-dreaming.blogspot.com
Alicia Marinachehttp://www.allprettythings.ca
Ambra Gostolihttp://chicandfrog.wordpress.com
Andrea Rosshttp://silvermapledesigns.blogspot.com/
Annie Scherzhttp://www.studioluma.ca
Becky Pancakehttp://beckypancakebeaddesigns.blogspot.com
Beth Emeryhttp://storiesbyindigoheart.blogspot.com
Beth McCordhttp://www.ebbeadandmetalworks.blogspot.com
Bobbie Raffertyhttp://beadsong.blogspot.com
Brandi Husseyhttp://brandigirlblog.com
Caron Reidhttp://caronmichelle.blogspot.com.au/
Cece Cormierhttp://thebeadingyogini.com
Cherrie Fickhttp://designsinthelight.co
Chrizette Baymanhttp://beadsoupmix.blogspot.com
Cory Tompkinshttp://www.tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com
Courtney Breulhttp://beadsbybreul.blogspot.com/
Cynthia Machatahttp://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com/
Cynthia Riggshttp://cynthsblog.blogspot.com/
Dawn Doucettehttp://designsbydawnmarie.blogspot.com
Debbie Pricehttp://greenshoot.blogspot.co.uk
Denielle Hagermanhttp://somebeadsandotherthings.com
Donetta Farringtonhttp://simplygorgeous-donetta.blogspot.com
Ema Kilroyhttp://emakaye.blogspot.com
Emanda Johnsonhttp://ArtemisiaStudio.blogspot.com
Emma Toddhttp://www.apolymerpenchant.com
Erin Prais-Hintzhttp://treasures-found.blogspot.com
Gloria Ferrerhttp://judetaama.blogspot.com.es/
Iveth Carusohttp://www.creativeatelier.net/
Janice Everetthttp://JLynnJewels.blogspot.com
Jennifer Justmanhttp://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/
Jess Greenhttp://tabbiekoshka.blogspot.co.uk/
Jo Tinleyhttp://daisychaindesignsjewellery.blogspot.com
Joan Williamshttp://www.lilrubyjewelry.com
Karen Mitchellhttp://www.overthemoon-design.com
Karla Hartzoghttp://www.karlakrafts.com
Karla Morganhttp://www.texaspepperjams.blogspot.com
Kashmira Patelhttp://sadafulee.blogspot.com
Kay Thomersonhttp://KayzKreationz.blogspot.com
Kayla Potegahttp://www.teejewelry.blogspot.com
Kim Dworakhttp://cianciblue.blogspot.com/
Kim Horahttp://www.kimmykats.com
Kirsi Luostarinenhttp://kirsiluokorut.blogspot.com
Kris Audererhttp://strandedinthecity.wordpress.com
Kristen Stevenshttp://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com
Lee Koopmanhttp://Stregajewellry.wordpress.com
Lesley Watthttp://thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com
Linda Landighttp://www.LindasBeadBlog.com
Lisa Conehttp://inspiredadornments.blogspot.com/
Lola Surwillohttp://www.beadlolabead.blogspot.com
Lori Bowring Michaudhttp://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
Lori Dorringtonhttp://lorisglassworks.blogspot.com
Lynn Whitehttp://lynnwhitejewelry.com/Lynn_White_Jewelry/Lynns_Jewelry_Blog/Lynns_Jewelry_Blog.html
Lynsey Brookshttp://yellowunicorncreations.blogspot.co.uk
Mary Hardingwww.maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com
Mary K McGrawhttp://mkaymac.blogspot.com/
Melissa Trudingerhttp://beadrecipes.wordpress.com
Michelle Tuckerhttp://michellescreativemusings.blogspot.com/
Monique Urquharthttp://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com/
Nicole Rennellhttp://nicolerennell.com/blog
Pam Farrenhttp://www.re-maker.blogspot.com
Pam Searshttp://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com/
Pam Traubhttp://www.klassyjoolz.blogspot.com
Patti Vanderbloemenhttp://www.myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com
Patty Gasparinohttp://www.mylifeunderthebus.typepad.com
Penny Nevillehttp://copperpennydesigns.blogspot.com
Rachel Van-Walshhttp://balancedcrafts.com/blog
Rebecca Andersonhttp://songbeads.blogspot.com
Renetha Stanzianohttp://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Sally Russickhttp://thestudiosublime.com
Sandra Steinhttp://sannipanni.wordpress.com
Shannon Chomanczukhttp://www.formysweetdaughter.blogspot.com
Shelley Graham Turnerhttp://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com
Sherri Stokehttp://www.KnotJustMacrame.com
Stephanie Busshttp://maxandlucie.blogspot.com
Tanya Goodwinhttp://pixiloo.blogspot.com
Therese Frankhttp://www.theresestreasures59.blogspot.com
Tracy Stillmanhttp://www.tracystillmandesigns.com




Happy beading Y'all,
Therese

AJE's Component of the Month November reveal


Hi Y'all,

November was Lesley Watt's turn to do the component of the month.  Each member of the AJE blog received a component to create with and then Lesley had two that she was giving away all you had to do was leave a comment saying you would like to win.  Well, no I did not win, but I did purchase a snowflake so I could play along in this challenge.

Lesley asked which one I would like and I told her I wanted it to be a surprise just like the other participants in this challenge.  The one she sent to me is like the top two in the picture.  Without further ado here is what I created with my beautiful bronze snowflake.


I call my piece Natasha, because all I could think of is a cold winter's day in Siberia.  Why, you ask? I don't have an answer it's just the way my brain works.   I had something else in mind for my piece before I received it in the mail and up until I sat down and started working on it. Then I took a complete 360 from my original idea and this is what happened.  I have really gotten into bead embroidery lately.  It just really let's my creativity flow.  I love how Natasha turned out and she is very comfortable to wear and so very beautiful the pictures really do not show her true beauty.   
I started out by raising up the height of the snowflake component by cutting out circles of bead backing. Then I did a peyote bezel around the snowflake.  I dug through my stash and pulled out white glass pearls in 6 mm, 4 mm, and 3 mm, some denim blue and AB clear Swarosky crystals in 3 mm.  I used glass bugle bead to outline the cuff, size 15 blue delicas and white silver lined cylinder seed beads to fill in the background.  I also used the blue delicas to anchor the 6 mm glass pearls.   I used 8 mm Czech crystals in AB clear and AB blue and a three hole connector box clasp for the back of the cuff in an Asymmetrical design.

I played around in Picmonkey and made this with a snow and frost effect.

  I also made a pair of earring to go along with my cuff from a tutorial Adoraball by Tracey L Gwilliams of Crystal Star Gems and Jewelry Etsy shop.

Be sure to go by Art Jewelry Elements blog for the list of participants.  I promise you will see some beautiful pieces.

Happy beading Y'all,
Therese

Thursday, November 29, 2012

She made/She made November reveal


Hi Y'all,

Wow November has come and gone already.  I hope y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving without any mishaps.  Mine was great, except for the fact that I had to work, which was not a pleasant time it was a sad day for two families at least.  The day at work made me so very thankful that all of my family made it to my Mom's safely and back to their homes safely.  For those of you that do not know I am a Police Communications Officer II for the Alabama Department of Public Safety.

Ok now onto what you really stopped by to see.  If you have been following mine and Christine Altmiller's blogs you will know about our little one on one monthly challenge, but for those that do not here is a little about the challenge.  Last summer I met Christine for the first time in person when I traveled to PA for a family reunion.  I gifted Christine with a lot of items from my ever growing stash, and in turn she gifted me some beautiful items.  So during lunch we decided that each month we would have a She made/She made challenge where one of us would pick from the gifted stash and we would created a little something that month with the items chosen.  November was my month to choose the items and this is what I chose for us.

The above items were gifted to me from Christine.  A rock from Michigan and some branch freshwater peacock pearls that she got the day we met at the Rolling Bead in Carlisle, PA.

I made two pieces one with the rock and then one with the pearls.  Up first is the rock.

I just recently started using twin beads and love them, so I copied a bezel that Christine has been using with twins.  It is a  double St. Petersburg stitch using twin beads in the center.  This stitch is very easy a little cumbersome at first, but then it gets going nicely.  The color for all the beads used in the bezel is gold iris (love that color) I also used, besides the twins, size 15 and size 11 seed beads.  The oak leaf charm came from Lesley Watts' shop THEAtoo,  The snake chain was purchased from Hobby Lobby.


My next piece with the pearls took me a long time to come up with a design.   My muse was just not working with me on those, until just the other day.

A little while back I had purchased this butterfly from Jeannie K. Dukic's shop.  I have a little five drawer clear plastic stash do-hickey on my work table and this butterfly just sat there waiting for me to use it in something, so I was fiddling with the pearls and I looked at the butterfly and it hit me use the butterfly with the pearls.  Ta Dah here is what I came up with.  I had these titanium colored glass pearls that went perfect with the colors in the peacock fresh water branch pearls and the butterfly.  I also used the white 4 mm glass pearls to lighten up the design.


Thank you for coming by and seeing what I created for this little one on one challenge now if you have not done so please go by and see what Christine has made with her rock and pearls.

I will be posting in a few days what Christine and I will be working with in December.

Happy beading Y'all,
Therese






Friday, November 16, 2012

Birthday Surprise Challenge reveal


Hi Y'all,

Today is the reveal for the Birthday Surprise Challenge.  Today is also my 53rd birthday.  I am not ashamed of my age.  I rejoice being here on this earth one more year and hope to rejoice for many more to come.
I bought a few Golem clay cabs and beads and thought it would be wonderful to ask the beady Ladies I have met in person if they would like to play along in a challenge.  The only Lady that I have not met in person, but feel as though I have know her for a long time is Kristen, but we will meet in person I am sure of it.   Judy, Lola, Marla, Christine, Amy, Maryanne, and Kristen did not know what they were getting from me I wanted that part to be a surprise.
This birthday surprise is also for Christine her birthday was in October, Lola her birthday was November 11, and Kristen her birthday was November 12.  I am very excited to see just what they lovely and talented Ladies have created with their cab.

Judy Riley is having Internet problems beyond her control so I told her that I would post what she has created with her cab and beads on my blog.  Here is the cab and beads that I sent to Judy.


Here is what Judy created.


"For Therese's Birthday Challenge I made a Mandala. As my inspiration I used the circle of life represented by the mandala and the southwest colors of the beads and cabochon. I started by placing the cabochon in the middle and adding simple straight stitch beading around it letting it take the form of the sun. For the rays I used off white size 8/0 seed beads and blue and orange size 10/0 triangle seed beads. I added 9 mm natural round carved stone beads and 5 mm brown wooden beads. To finish I used white and brown feathers, adding purple feathers for additional color. Each color and item has a specific meaning to it.
I want to thank Therese for posting this for me and wish her a very Happy Birthday!"


I love it Judy, thank you for playing along in this challenge.

Now here is what I made with my cab and beads.  First the cab and beads in the raw.


Here is what I made.

I bezeled around the cab with light green size 11 and size 15 seed beads a round of size 5 mm red Coral beads, a round of 4 mm green Aventurine beads then I brick stitched around the pendant with orange size 8 seed beads and picots with yellow size 11 seed beads.  The necklace is a spiral rope using the orange size 8 seed beads as the core beads, then the red Coral and green Aventurine beads along with  yellow and green size 11 seed beads.  I used 10 mm Aventurine beads after every five rounds of the spiral rope until the rope was about then I used the clay beads after five rounds of the spiral.  In the center of the necklace I made a beaded bead to hang the pendant from then continued on with the second half of the spiral rope.

I am pleased with how it turned out.  It is a bright and cheery necklace that is comfortable to wear.

Please go and visit the other Ladies in this challenge.   

Amy Severino         http://amybeads.blogspot.com

Christine Altmiller    http://onekisscreations.blogspot.com

Kristen Stevens       http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com

Lola Surwillo           http://beadlolabead.blogspot.com

Marla Gibson          http://spiceboxdesigns.blogspot.com


Therese Frank        http://theresestreasures59.blogspot.com     (you are here)


   
Happy beading Y'all,
Therese




Sunday, November 11, 2012

UK Inspiration Challenge


Hi Y'all,

It is time to reveal the UK Inspiration Challenge sponsored by the UK Blog Team.  The rule were easy, pick one or more home places of the members from UK Blog Team and create a piece which was inspired by that location in the UK.  The locations to chose from are:
Dorset - Lesley Wats' home
Edinburgh - Rebecca Anderson's home
Bath - Pippa Chandler's home
Isle of Wright - Teresa Hulley's home
Liverpool - Natalie McKenna's home
Southampton - Jo Tinley's home
I chose two locations Dorset and Edinburgh.  Why you asks out of all to the places to choose did I pick those two?  Well it is easy.  Dorset is the home of my friend Lesley Wats and Edinburgh because I have Scottish roots.

Dorset
Dorset within England
Dorset is a county in the southwest part of England along the English Channel.  It covers and area of 2,653 sq. kilometers that is approximately 1,024 sq. miles.  Most of the population lives in the southeast Dorset conurbation, while the rest of the county is largely rural with low population density.  The county has a long history of human settlement going back to the Neolithic era.
Dorset has a varied landscape featuring broad elevated chalk downs, steep limestone ridges, and low-lying clay valleys.  Over half of the county is designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty and three quarters of it's coastline is a world heritage site.  Agriculture was traditionally the major industry of Dorset, but is in decline and now tourism has became important to the economy.
Dorset county is the birthplace of the author Thomas Hardy who used the county as the principle setting of his novels, and William Barnes who's poetry reflects the ancient Dorset dialect.
Corfe Castle captured and destroyed by Cromwell's army in 1646

Thomas Hardy's birthplace

Durdle Door and natural arch near Lulworth Cove

Now here is my Dorset inspired piece.

I used Cubic Right Angle weave, a stitch that I am beginning to really love, I used two colors of size 8 cylinder seed beads in green and blue to represent the green grass and the blue coastal waters.  I also used size 8 round seed beads in bronze to represent the rich soil of the Dorset county.
The glass lamp worked bead I used were made by Juli Cannon of Studiojuls. The focal bead was perfect to represent the swirling coastal waters the spacer beads represent the blue sky, the green grass, and the aqua blue water.  I used one of Lesley Wats' bronze clay heart toggles (if you want to see more of Lesley's pieces go here) to finish off my piece.

Edinburgh


Edinburgh is a vast and historical city.  It's history goes all the way back to the Bronze age.  Edinburgh is the Capitol of Scotland and the seat of the Scottish parliament and government.  To learn more about Edinburgh go to wikipedia.org.

Castle Edinburgh  


I chose Edinburgh, because my Great grand Father came from Scotland.  I am not sure from just where in Scotland though. His sir name is Cochrane and when his family came to the United States in the late 1800's they settled in Salisbury, PA.  

Tartan of the Cochrane clan

Here is my piece that was inspired by Edinburgh.

I used the Russian Spiral stitch to create the neck rope for the glass pendant.  In the spiral I used blue and green size 11 seed beads and bronze size 8 seed beads. the colors in the rope and glass pendant represent the colors in my family tartan and the colors of the green grass, blue sky, and the volcanic rock that Edinburgh is built on.

Well there you have it my pieces inspired by Dorset, England and Edinburgh, Scotland.  If you wish to see more inspired pieces please go and visit the following other participants in this challenge.

The HostsLesley Watt Gossiping Goddess
Rebecca Anderson Songbeads
Pippa Chandler Pip's Jewellery
Teresa Hulley Bo Hulley Beads
Natalie McKenna Grubbi
Jo Tinley Daisychain Designs
Dorset
Ginger Bishop Lilmummylikes
Cece Cormier The Beading Yogini
Therese Frank Therese’s Treasures
Cilla Watkins Tell Your Girlfriends
Sherry Baun
Edinburgh
Therese Frank Therese’s Treasures
Kashmira Patel Sadafulee
Caroline Dewison Blueberribeads
Sherry Baun
Leigh Thow Jewellrleigh
Lucy Haslam
Bath
Sherry Baun
Isle of Wight
Duane Clark Bizzy Bead
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson Sharyl's Jewelry
Leigh Thow Jewellrleigh
Jean Wright Just Beadey
D Lynne Bowland Islandgirl’s Insights
Sherry Baun
Liverpool
Shalini Austin   Jewellery by Shalini
Doris Stumpf Glaszwerg
Sherry Baun
Lennis C Windbent
Southampton
Sherri Stokey Knot Just Macramé
Sherry Baun
Leigh Thow Jewellrleigh
Kathy Lindemer Bay Moon Design



Happy beading Y'all,
Therese