Deep Blue Sea - EBW

Pfew, it was a close shave this month, but I've finished the Challenge piece two days before the deadline.

The theme is "Ocean". Here are my waves. The original plan was to feature a large kyanite cabochon in the middle of the choker, and to make a wavy pattern on entire length of the necklace. It looked too busy and I had to cut it. The kyanite got replaced by a large Swarovski pendant, because the stone just did not want to play along with other crystals that I used to assemble the 3D RAW wave. It took a while to find a suitable ribbon... Then it was a long hunt for a clasp that I wanted to be sterling silver ribbon holder. Guess if I was glad to find it in France for couple of weeks ago. Did I get within three to five working days as was promised by the shop? Not really... So, I had to invent a wheal, in this case: clasp. Seen something similar once (work of Kristina Kristianson) and just borrowed the idea due to lack of time and inspiration.

Well, enough complaining - it actually does not look all too bad.


Voting will start as usually, on 9th of February at etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com and will continue until February the 15th. Everybody is welcome to vote and leave a comment!

Promotion

I'm actually doing lots of beading, but the Swedish autumn does not want to provide me with good light to take any pictures. Therefore I'd just share some text with you this time :o).

Guys, please check out this fabulous video, courtesy of Christina of GoodQuillHunting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7vHSQ5lKFs
It is featuring most of the EBW team's work. Great selection, wonderful music, and such and eye-candy! Enjoy!

My promo-input was not as spectacular as Christina's, but I've managed to publish another article in Zoya Gutina's newsletter at http://www.MyLovelyBeads.com, this time featuring EBW team.
Here you will find the English version: http://www.mylovelybeads.com/internal.php?act=guide/displayArticle.php&ArticleID=48
and this is the link to the Russian one: http://www.mylovelybeads.com/internal.php?act=guide/displayArticleRu.php&ArticleID=47

K for "Control" ;o)

Couple of months ago I went gem-shopping in Stockholm. At Kristallrummet in the Old City, I've noticed gorgeous kyanite healing chrystals. This stone is one of my absolute favorites, I'm just dragged to it (pretty much as to labradorites & spectrolites).

Those chrystalls reminded me of Superman cave, how sci-fi nerdish is that? ;) Boy, I was giggling when the EBW September challenge theme was announced.

Although kyanite reminded me of those good chrystals in the cave, its name rimes really well with kryptonite (which everybody knows was quite bad for the poor Superdude). Than my husband gave me an idea - my necklace was going to deal with superhero infestation problem :o)

You can read the complete story here.

Materials: 11/0 Permanent Finish and nickel plated Tohos and Swarosvki bicones 3 and 4 mm; 3D RAW all the way. Do not know what is going on with me - I'm getting addicted to Toho and Swarovski lately. Odd.

And here are all the fantastic entries for the EBW challenge this month.

Please visit our blog and vote for your favorites from 9th to 15th of October! Thank you in advance :)
My favorites are numbers 3, 5 and 14, but I have not made up my mind yet. Which one are you going to vote for?

August challenge

Guys, you must check this out! I am really proud to be a member of EWB, just look at all those fabulous creations that girls have come up with!

Voting will start in our blog-page on 11th of August and will go on until the 17th. Every vote counts! :)

Time Machine Challenge - we have a winner!

Most sincere congratulations to beadsbyvezsuzs!
Stunning masterpiece, please check it out here.

The topic for the next challenge is Red Carpet (by RachelesOrignals). The idea is to bead for a movie-star of your choice.
Well... Sofia Loren or Cate Blanchet? Classic beauty or elvish extravagance?
Will see. I have not decided upon entering yet, all depends on availability of time.

The voting will start on 9th of March, as usually. And as usually, it will be impossible (at least for me) to pick just one favorite!
Please cast your vote on EBW-homepage!

Tropical Holiday Challenge - in all its glory!

These are all entries for the challenge of the month. I am very proud to be a member of this group! Just look at all those creations! You can see all the close-ups through the Team's homepage. The voting will start a bit later today and will proceed until Sunday the 15th of February. May the best beader win! :)

And, one of my latest necklaces have been features in two treasuries today! Thank you guys!

Tropical Holiday - Etsy Beadweavers February Challenge

FINALLY! I am done with that challenge...

Here is its story.
When I read about the topic, I have immediately started to think about tropical flowers. The truth is, I was quite inspired by Kerrie Slade's flower designs and wanted to try to make something by myself. My first idea was to bead bougainvillea, which I thought would be pretty easy. But one flower would not look nice, and I would have to bead a bunch. BORING. Good I did not, dare I say ;)

Than I thought about orchids, but there are already quite many patterns out there. BORING.

Righty, than I have decided to bead Strelitzia.
No Delicas, just Jablonex. And some 6lbs-test FireLine.
Voilá!





The beaded bug-button made its appearance today. Originally, I have put memory-wire inside the rope. Well, the necklace was lying for a week, waiting for a sunny day for a photoshoot. You know, Sweden... midwinter... So, 5 min before taking photos (I asked another person to make pictures first), I've noticed that the wire has pierced the rope, despite that I've bent loops at its ends. I could not fix it. So, I had to re-invent the clasp, and there came the Bug. We'll call it a moth ;) However, it also meant that I could not use the photos taken earlier with professional equipment.
But, finally, it is done and listed!

Please visit the EBW team's blog to see all the amazing entries that the members have created this month! Please do not be shy to vote for your favorite between February 9 and 15!

Beading like there is no tomorrow...

Now, The Beach-challenge is done. I have tried different ideas but settled on this one: a bit kitchy bracelet that got named "After The Storm".


I was born in Jurmala - little town close to Riga, lying along the beach of the Baltic coast, known for its spa-resorts. We have moved to the capital when I was five, but still were spending summers there. I remember walking on the beach days after first autums storms. Than the sea surface would be calm as a mirror, the air is clear and is smells only like the sea air can do. And than there are piles of sea-weed all the way along the shore. As a kid, I loved to play with those piles and search for treasures. Sometimes, one could find pieces of amber amongst the junk. I think my mom still keeps my colelction of beach findings.

I have faced two personal challenges while making this bracelet. First of all, I am still very uncomfortable with blending colors. Usually, you would see many shades of the same color or two close neighbors in the same piece. Here I blended two different parts of the spectrum, and I liked the result ;)
My second personal challenge was to bead a 3D-freeform peyote. Also a thing that I have never tried before (inspired by art of the fellow EBW team member Dini Alves, actually). This is just a pretty pale first try, but I will surely come back to this technique - it gives such a freedom! Like spreading-your-wings-and-just-letting-it-go sort of feeling!
I will put it in my Etsy shop shortly.



And this is the second piece that I'd like to share with you today - a comission necklace made for a friend of mine. I had some trouble with attaching the cabs to the rope; you see my third solution. I've had some brainstorming with other beaders from PärlPlatsen and got some good critique about what could be improved. The person who ordered it liked the necklace in its current state, though. And it looked quite well around the neck, actually. :)

The large stone is onyx, two smaller one are obsidians.

And this is just a picture to show the Jablonex seed beads in all their glory. Love those!
That's all for today :) Thank you for visiting my blog!