Tuesday, 17 August 2010

Queen Boudicca

“…So the Queen Boadicea, standing loftily charioted,
Brandishing in her hand a dart and rolling glances lioness-like,
Yell'd and shriek'd between her daughters in her fierce volubility….”

From “Boadicea” by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Boudicca (also known as Boadicea) was the warrior Queen of the Celtic Iceni tribe; a patriotic Briton, a heroine, a woman and a leader who stood her ground against foreign invasion.

This necklace was created for the next Bead Art Originals Colour Inspiration – Black, dark green & copper with Boudicca as inspiration for the beginning of September. The necklace was created around a fellow Bead Art Original member’s (Lisa Peters Art) cabochon.

Queen Boudicca – OOAK Necklace

Boudicca - Necklace 04 copy

Boudicca - Necklace 03 copy

I’m so in love with this necklace!!! and I’m so reluctant to part with it!!! it looks soooo good on me!!! and it’s just so me!!! I wish I had another same shape cab from Lisa Peters Art and I would make myself another one in a heartbeat… but alas, Lisa’s work is OOAK (I have to ask her if she has any similar cabs in the same shape)….

Monday, 16 August 2010

Revisiting Old Friends

If you knew me really well…. you would know that I consider a little trinket hanging over a piece of string or leather, my most prized possession!!! Apart from when I get dressed up and actually go out…. which is so (soooooo) rare lately, I love wearing really simple jewellery…. the same sort of jewellery I wore when I was 16!!! :-) OK… so I’m immature and refuse to grow up + I’m a rebel at heart! :-)

About 2 years ago, I made this pendant which was so perfect for me! So I decided to keep it!!! If you have been following my blog you may have seen it… and in case you are new or have simply forgotten here are my posts from 2 years ago:
http://triz-beadingmania.blogspot.com/2008/07/not-sure-where-this-is-going.html
http://triz-beadingmania.blogspot.com/2008/07/keeping-it.html

One of my favourite pieces of jewellery I own!!!

mine copy
I wear this all the time…. and I mean all the time! I go swimming with it (something I would definitely not advise anyone to do, especially with beadwoven jewellery), shopping with it, walk the dogs in it… basically anytime I want to wear something turquoise and I don’t want to ruin some of my other prised possessions… I wear it! :-)
Whilst wearing it…. during the last 2 years… I’ve been complemented on it… by people who usually wouldn’t even look at jewellery… but in the last month, people actually asked me to make them some… so of course I obliged :-) I made a smaller version for a lovely lady I met at my gyno!!! :-) and 2 more for a mother and daughter who come to Israel on holiday every year and we became friends last year at the pool…. so I thought… why not make a few more of these to sell in my Etsy shop… and I did! :-)

Zebra Jasper Donut - Pendant

zebra jasper donut 01 copy

Turquoise Mosaic donut - Pendant

turquoise mosaic donut 03 copy

Larvikite Donut - Pendant

black velvet donut 02 copy
I really enjoy making these!!! so as soon as I can find some more donuts that I’m happy with (I’m really, REALLY fussy) I will probably make more!!! :-)

I know these are very simple… but I love their simplicity and design…. having said that, come back tomorrow and check out a gorgeous, GORGEOUS new bead embroidered piece I made for this month’s Bead Art Original colour challenge!!! the challenge is: Black, dark green, copper and bronze (optional). I’m debating whether I should part with it… that’s how much I LOVE it!!!

Wednesday, 11 August 2010

EtsyBeadWeavers Challenge – Time to vote!

The August EtsyBeadWeavers challenge is currently open for votes!

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My entry is Golden Galaxy (entry # 25)

Golden Galaxy 03 copy

Please visit the EBW blog from now till the 15th August and vote for your favourite piece! http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com/

Monday, 9 August 2010

Beadembroidered Bag – Work in Progress I

Some of you may have heard me say this before… one of the reasons I was attracted to beadweaving in the first place is because I wanted to make bags and use beadwoven components on the bags…. we are now talking about 5 years ago, and apart from one previous attempt at making one, I’ve kind of put it on my “have-to-get-to-it-one-day” list… and I can promise you one thing… that list is really, REALLY long!!! :-)

About 3 weeks ago I order a beadembroidery bag kit from Ann Benson at BeadsEast.com… This is the first time I ordered a kit! and the reason I ordered it was because I have no idea how to construct a beadembroidered bag… and as I’m unable to attend any of Sherry Serafini’s classes, which is something I would LOVE to do, due to the fact that I don’t live in the US…. :-( I thought getting this kit would hopefully start me off!!! Sadly, the kit still hasn’t arrived and I’ve become extremely impatient so I decided to throw caution to the wind and attempt to make one… No idea how I’m going to put it all together… but I’ll improvise! :-)

Here are some photos (please excuse the quality, they were taken on my new mobile phone) of my work in progress, I had no clear idea of the design, only of the shape of the bag and the fact that I wanted to use some of my Lisa Peters Art’s cabs that I bought in the last couple of years.

Some of the mess as I’m trying to decide on a colour scheme and design (ceramic cabs from Lisa Peters Art):

beademb bag 01

Paper template of shape + Lisa Peters Art button:

beademb bag 02

More mess, more beads as I’m slowly picking out complimentary bead for the LPA cabs:

beademb bag 03

Finally started and glued main cabs (more may be added later, I’m not sure) – There are some German glass cabs, a couple of Swarovski navettes, one LPA heart shaped cab and one LPA button all glued on my favourite beadbacking purchased from Nicole Campanella of Beadwright:

beademb bag 04

and finally some beading:

beademb bag 05

I’ve added some textured fabric for contrast:

 beademb bag 06

This is as far as I got… it’s a slow process…. I think mainly due to not having a clear idea of what I want to do with it and how to finish it… hopefully I won’t give up!!! Something I’ve been known to do when I’m not 100% happy with something! :-)

I’m hoping that my kit arrives soon, maybe that will inspire me and take away some of this irrational fear… coincidentally, this morning I was browsing Facebook and found the most gorgeous beadembroidered bag… I LOVE it, so I’m going to share it with you!

Bead Embroidered Tapestry Pouch by Susan A. Pierle of beadedartjewelry

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I really love this bag, and love all of Susan’s beautiful jewellery… I love her designs, her style and her use of colour… if you are not already familiar with her work, go and check her out:  http://www.beadedartjewelry.blogspot.com/

I don’t think my first beadembroidered bag will come anywhere near as close to this beautiful piece… but it’s my prototype for future bags…  hopefully they will get better! :-) I will post more work in progress as I move along with it… so stay tuned!

Saturday, 7 August 2010

Tudor Splendour

I was looking in my jewellery case today and realized that I forgot to post a necklace and bracelet I made sometimes in April or May. I made it straight after the Purple Rain necklace and had to wait a long time to take photos of it, because the light was really bad… but I did take photos, a few months ago, I just completely forgot to post them!!! Where is my head??? Frying in this incredibly hot and humid weather I guess! :-)

No more procrastinating!!! Here are the necklace and bracelet:

Tudor Splendour – Necklace

tudor splendor - necklace 01 copy

tudor splendor - necklace 03 copy


Tudor Splendour – Bracelet

tudor splendor - bracelet 02 copy
Both were beadwoven in Right Angle Weave (RAW) with loads of gorgeous dark brown Swarovski pearls and embellished with bronze and orange Japanese seed beads and orange Swarovski crystals… I love working with Swarovski pearls!!! I really do!!! They just feel and look so good!!!

Time for bed now… the weekend is over here and tomorrow is another day… Sunday is a working day in Israel… I miss having a 2 day weekend!! but to all of you who have Sunday off…. enjoy the rest of your weekend!!! :-)

Friday, 6 August 2010

Bead IQ Trivia Sweepstakes‏

Artbeads.com has just launched a new contest called the ‘Bead IQ Trivia Sweepstakes.’ You can test your bead knowledge by taking the short quiz and then enter the sweepstakes for a chance at winning a $250 ‘Bead Genius’ Prize Package, which includes a $100 Artbeads.com Gift Card and $150 worth of beading and jewellery supplies.

Unfortunately for me, the sweepstakes is only open to US and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) 18 years of age and older. So if you are eligible, go and enter before September 16, 2010 by clicking on the picture below!!!

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Good luck! :-)