Earth Song Progress 2

The focals are now backed and edged! I used 100% wool felt in a mossy green to back them as I only have Ultrasuede in black, which I think will look a bit horrid! I love these beads, I shall definitely be buying more in other colours at some point.



Happy beading!

Sarahx

Earth Song Progress

The Jasper ovals called to me to be the focal pieces of Earth Song. I am embroidering them onto heavy interfacing with galvanised gold and matte bronze AB Miyuki seed beads. I think I have discarded the idea of freeform in this piece. Next step is to decide how to join them together.



Happy beading!

Sarahx

Earth Song - A Successful Search through Stash

This year I would like to make some more adventurous pieces than I have been doing recently, some of my favourite pieces have been bigger, multi stitch designs and I haven't done for a while as I have been concentrating on smaller and quicker pieces to build up stock in my Etsy shop. So this morning I picked up and flicked through Margie Deeb's Beader's Colour Palette, a book which always inspires me to want to try something a bit different.

As I put the book down and went stash diving, I kept hearing two words in my head, Earth Song, so decided that that would be the theme of my next piece. I must have a serious case of denial about my stash, because I can remember thinking that I wouldn't have much that would fit that theme. As you can see below, I was very wrong there!

I juts pulled out everything that I felt fit with the theme, as you can see I have quite a selection to choose from, semi precious, lampwork, crystals, Vintaj components and lots of seed beads.


Here is a closer shot of the lampwork, I don't remember who made what, but pretty sure at least some of them are by Debbie Dew & Ray Skene.


I am hoping to use these large ovals, they are so pretty!


Next job is to refine my choices and decide what stitches to use, I am thinking there may be a freeform element.

Happy beading!

Sarahx

New Year, New Knitting Project

I normally avoid knitting scarfs because they take too long for my limited attention span. I have always liked the Hitchhiker pattern and figured that after making 2 shawls & a scarf for Xmas gifts, I could manage one for myself too. It's a great pattern, simple to follow and well written, I am using a dk yarn rather than sock weight so I am hoping it will be nice and cozy!



Happy Knitting!

Sarahx

OTTBS Earring Challenge Week 1 - Miss Adler

I mentioned yesterday that the Operation Tackle That Bead Stash Facebook Group is holding a year long pair of earrings a week challenge. The challenge is being organised by Clair from Obstinate Pursuit inspired by Beading Daily's January daily earrings challenge, which many of us were unable to commit to. A pair of earrings a day for a whole month would be impossible for me to complete but one a week is doable, I hope!

These earrings were inspired by a character from episode 1 of the new Sherlock Holmes tv series on BBC1. Miss Adler was a serious femme fatale who exuded a certain vintage style glamour, so I wanted to make something that had a vintage look to them. I started with large cream faux pearls, bezzled them with bronze delicas and then added picot edging and incorporated Cyclamen Opal Swarovksi 4mm bicones for a little splash of colour.

Happy beading!

Sarahx

Happy New Year!

I spent most of November and December frantically knitting Christmas presents so have not done an awful lot of beading lately. I did make 5 pairs of fingerless mitts, 1 scarf and 2 shawls though so am pretty happy! I also managed to fit in these gorgeous little baby slippers for a co-workers little girl.



I am not making any resolutions this year but plans include working on some pieces using the design element of repetition & seeing where that takes me, making a pair of earrings a week for Clairs challenge on the OTTBS Facebook group and also finishing or frogging one old UFO a month.

Happy 2012!

Sarahx

A Bit of Stashbusting.

Those of you who also follow Operation Tackle That Bead Stash will already know about our stashbusting beadalong. A few of us from the OTTBS Facebook group have set goals to finish a project by Christmas and just by chance, we have all chosen Laura McCabe projects.

I have had Laura's Embellished Beadweaving for a while but have not made anything yet, so I have chosen her April Showers Necklace. I am not a big fan of working with size 15's but so far it is going okay. Here is a photo of my progress so far.



I am using fewer colours than Laura suggests, I am kind of making up that part as I go along, next up I need to make the Pagoda embellishments before Friday so that I can update my progress over on OTTBS.

Happy Beading!
Sarahx