Showing posts with label michaels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label michaels. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Pretty Palettes August Reveal

In November of last year, Erin Prais-Hintz started a Pretty Palettes color challenge on the Halcraft blog.

Each month, Erin picks a set of beads that coordinate with a color palette and invites her readers to create something using those beads.

A few months ago, Erin started partnering with guest bloggers.  It's always fun to see how two people use the same set of beads.

The inspiration for August comes from notion:creative, which showcases street art.


Erin picked a variety of beads


As much as I tried, I couldn't get those beads to play with each other.  I ended up doing a few pieces, each using some of the beads.

The first necklace uses those delicious brown rondelles and the red beaded beads.

I made a small Conway Bead, designed by Gwen Fisher, with red and brown seed beads.  It went perfectly with the brown and red beads.


The rest of the necklace is made using part of Catherine Hamilton's Orbital Ensamble necklace.  I like how the chain maille orbits echo the beaded beads.


The second necklace is similar to the first one, but I used the pink and white beads.  I also used small green/teal beads from Michael's that matched the larger teal disc beads from Erin.

I paired these with more Conway Beads.  I went a bit off here when I grabbed dark green seed beads in an attempt to match the teal discs from Erin.  Those beads have dark greens, blues and teals in them.  The green isn't quite the right shade.


The rest of the necklace is made using different part of the Orbital Ensamble necklace.  I had thought that a teal patina would work, but it didn't match.  Instead, I used a laurel green patina from Miss Fickle Media.  While the green matches the beaded beads, it is a bit off from the palette.


As with Heather's Michaels challenge, I used the smaller pink beads to make Sabine Lippert's Granada pendant.  (You can find the pattern for this in Sabine's book, Beaded Fantasies.)

This time around, I used white in the center and I *love* how it looked.


I actually used red and pink together!  I was amazed at how well they worked together.

I liked the design I used for the pendant in Heather's Michael's challenge, so I did something similar here.

I beaded a spiral rope using pink, red, teal, and brown, then hung the pendant from a brass chain.


The spiral rope shows off the jewel tones.


Finally, I used the teal discs to try an idea that had been swirling in my head.

I threaded three of them on a headpin and hung it like a pendant, similar to how I used one of Erin's beads here.


Then, keeping it simple, I made another spiral rope.  I couldn't find the right shade of teal to work with the disc beads, so I went with emerald.


I don't know if you can tell, but I used a teal seed bead for the base of the rope.  I also incorporated white and brown tones.


I still have an idea for the other two beaded beads.  I ran out of time to try it before the reveal, but it's banging around in my head, so you might see it soon.

Erin, I can't tell you how much of an honor it was to be chosen to work with you.  I had so much fun with these beads.  Thank you so much.

If you want to see what Erin made with these beads, check out the Halcraft blog.  I know she made something fabulous that you will want to see!

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Halcraft Pretty Palettes

In November of last year, Erin Prais-Hintz started a Pretty Palettes color challenge on the Halcraft blog.

Each month, Erin picks a set of beads that coordinate with a color palette and invites her readers to create something using those beads.  A few months ago, Erin started partnering with guest bloggers.  It's always fun to see how two people use the same set of beads.

I was honored when Erin asked me to be her partner for the August Pretty Palette challenge.  Erin has such a way with color and design.  She can find inspiration in virtually anything:  color, literature, music, and travel, just to name a few.

The inspiration for August comes from notion:creative, which showcases street art.


Erin picked a variety of beads


I'm so excited to play!

You are more than welcome to play along.  Erin offers a link up every month.

The beads are from Michaels:

99042 Bronze Iris 10x14mm rondel
95109 Teal Dyed Jasper 9x14mm
93286 Dyed agate pink round 10mm
59593 Round dyed pink quartzite 6mm
89899 Bone carved melon 8x10mm
93359 Dyed red bamboo coral 14mm beaded beads

Check back on August 27th for the reveal, both here and on the Halcraft blog.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Another Michaels Challenge!

I was so excited to see Heather Powers and Lorelei Eurto were hosting another Michaels challenge.

Heather picked out the beadss using this as her inspiration.


The colors in the paisley fabric are so awesome!  And Heather picked out the perfect beads to match!


(Both of these are Heather's photos.  I completely forgot to take a photo of the beads before I started playing.)

I love the fuschia and the blues and greens -- gorgeous colors and ones I seldom choose for myself.

When I got these beads, I had been playing with Gwen Fisher's Conway Bead design.  I whipped up a few, thinking it would be fun to include them.


The Conway beads are slightly bigger than the large green beads, but I think they work well.

I also used the white rondelles and the brown cube beads along with the green ones.


I made a half Persian 3 in 1 chain to go with the beads and managed to create a necklace.  :)

After I finished this, I realized that I pulled the beads I was most comfortable with -- green, brown, earthy tones.  I added a bit of pink to the beaded beads, but conveniently forgot the pink and blue Michaels beads.

I grabbed those beads -- jewel tones I don't usually work with -- and decided to create something with those.

I turned to a favorite pattern from Sabine Lippert and used the pink beads to create a Bollywood version of her Granada pendant.  (You can find the pattern for this in Sabine's book, Beaded Fantasies.)


I wanted to make an elaborate necklace to showcase the pendant and tried several different things, none of which seemed right to me.

In the end, I went with something simpler.


I love the green sari ribbon.

These are colors I never ever .. ever would have chosen and I am so pleased with how this turned out.

I took a part of the Granada pendant and made a single components.  They made great earrings.


At one point during my necklace trials, I made a few drops with the blue/gold beads.  Not one to let anything go to waste, I whipped up this simple pair of earrings.


I was sad that I didn't find a use for the brown rectangle flower beads.  However, I did use them in the last Michaels challenge.  That counts, right?

Heather and Lorelei, thank you for a fun challenge!  I have a new favorite necklace thanks to the two of you!

Please check Heather's blog for the link up and see what the other participants did with these beads.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Lorelei's second Michaels challenge

Lorelei Eurto has a knack for finding, and having a vision for, beads that I would normally pass over.  Case in point:  her first Michaels challenge.  I would have not looked twice at those resin sliders, but wow, am I glad that Lorelei did.

This time around, Lorelei found several different types of beads and asked her readers to show her what we could do with them.


I dove into the challenge without really having a plan.

However, the brown disc beads were calling my name.  I remembered a design from Cindy Holsclaw and decided to try it with the disc beads.  Cindy's Squared Circles Beaded Bead was perfect.


Cindy has more wonderful patterns for sale on her website, Bead Origami.  You can also see her newest designs on her blog.

I had my focal beads, but needed to put them together with the other beads.  After a bit of experimentation (okay, quite a bit of experimentation), I came up with this.


I found a few rectangle beads in my stash (also from Michaels) and thought they matched the rustic nature of the beaded beads.  I wanted to use a bit of leather, so I added a few embellishments to mirror the design on the rectangle beads.

I really like this necklace.  I would never have put these beads together, but I really like how they look.  I am a bit sad that I didn't use the white beads, but I'll save those for the next challenge.


The first time I wore this necklace, I received so many compliments.  Everyone especially loved the owl button, something I would never have added on my own.  Thank you, Lorelei.

Please take a few minutes to visit Lorelei's blog to see what the other participants did with these beads.  I know you won't be disappointed.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Resin Bauble Slider Challenge

A few weeks ago, Lorelei Eurto found these awesome resin bauble sliders at Michaels.  They came in peach/purple (below) and aqua/teal.


Lorelei saw a great deal of potential in these little sliders and challenged her readers to see the same.

I was in the midst of my bead soup blog party projects, but an idea came right to mind and I had to join.  The kiddo and I took a quick trip to Michaels, grabbed a few packs of sliders and made it home in time to start dinner.

I wanted to make little beaded pom poms to sit around the sliders and gradually move out around the band of a bracelet.  Unfortunately, as it sometimes (well, usually) happens, my great idea didn't work as well as I thought it would.

I ended up going a different route and I am very pleased with the results.

I used two of the sliders together as a bracelet focal.


I'm a green and purple kind of girl, so when I grabbed purple and peach seed beads, I grabbed some light green pearls and teal seed beads as well.

I beaded the bracelet part of Marcia DeCoster's Rising Sun bracelet and attached the bands to the sliders


These sliders are incredibly light.  I was able to use fireline to attach the sliders to the woven band and it's very secure.  I would not have tried this with a heavy metal slider.


I love the look of Marcia's band with the sliders.  The bumps are a perfect fit with the little resin bubbles.  The band is a bit uneven because the first and last bubbles are not even.  You can't tell when you are wearing it, though.


The bumps look like little flowers, which makes me think of the bracelet as a small corsage.

(You can find more of Marcia's designs and kits on her website.  Marcia's first book, Beaded Opulence, is a great source for right angle weave projects -- every project is beautiful.  I am eagerly awaiting Marcia's second book, Beads in Motion.  If the cover is any indication, the projects in this book will all be show stoppers!)

I used the last slider as a necklace focal.


This came together on the spur of the moment.  I started looking for purple pearls and came across these peach ovals.


Later, I saw the purple pearls and Chinese crystals.  They all seemed to want to play together.


I restrung this necklace three or four times before I was happy with it.  Stringing, you see, is something I typically avoid.  I have a hard time deciding which beads to use or not use.  I am *much* more comfortable with my beloved seed beads.

That said, I think my frustrations were worth it.  I love how this necklace turned out.  I love the slider/seed bead focal.  I love the purple and peach (which I would never have put together on my own).

When I showed her the necklace, the kiddo looked at it with a critical eye, then ran upstairs and grabbed the extra sliders.  She said, "this will make it even more beee-u-ti-ful, mommy" and arranged the other sliders on the necklace.

I took a few pictures and came up with this the next day.


This is totally the kiddo's design.  I added the herringbone strips to connect the sliders.  Again, the sliders are so light that the small beaded links can keep them in place.


I finished the necklace with twisted herringbone ropes.


I like that the ropes mimic the curves on the focal.

I *love* how this turned out -- number 19,594 why the kiddo is awesome!

Lorelei, thank you for such a wonderful challenge.  I would never have noticed these sliders and I have had a blast working with them.  They are so versatile and I can see similar sliders in many other designs.

Please take some time to visit Lorelei's blog or follow the links below to see what the other participants did with these sliders.  I promise you won't be disappointed.

Lorelei - our host

Friday, November 2, 2012

Michaels Toast of the Town necklace hop

About a month ago, Erin Prais-Hintz of Treasure Found showed us her Toast of the Town necklace.  Erin made the necklace for Michaels as part of Michael's Made by Me, Inspired by Life promotion.

Erin's necklace is not only stunning, but is an amazingly versatile piece that can be worn several different ways.  I was immediately "wow"ed and started plotting my own version.  As it turned out, I didn't have to plot very long.

Erin, that wonderful challenge master, partnered with Michaels for a quick fire challenge.  Erin bought several strands of beads from Michaels and created three different color palettes.  She sent those sets of beads to a lucky few of us asking that we create our own version of her Toast of the Town necklace.

Erin sent each of us a random set of beads and I was excited to see I had received the brown and copper set -- I am totally an earthtones girl!


As luck would have it, I had a strand of bronze metal beads that worked perfectly with the beads Erin selected.  I started stringing .. and stringing .. and stringing.  Okay, it didn't take that long, but this necklace does take a ton of beads.


Two long (40 inch) strands of beads comprise Erin's necklace.  I was able to complete one strand using the beads Erin sent and even had a few left over.

I really wanted to incorporate bead weaving into this challenge.  Erin wanted to show how versatile her necklace pattern can be and I wanted to help her do that.

I looked through my stash and found a strand of 3mm bronze pearls.  A quick trip to the bead store yielded a strand of yellow/brown 3mm Chinese crystals.  What's a girl to do with those?  Make a spiral rope, of course.


I used the few beads I had left to break up sections of the spiral rope.

The spiral ropes compliment Erin's beads.


Erin was also kind enough to send a clasp.  It was a bit shiny for these beads, but a bit of gilder's paste helped toned it down.


I made my necklace a bit shorter than Erin's.  Even so, I was able to wear it twisted.


I think I prefer it hanging freely.  I love how you can adjust the strands to different lengths.


This necklace was so easy to make -- and fun also!  If you would like to make your own, you can find the instructions here on the Michaels website.

Erin, thank you for such a great design and a wonderful challenge.  I had a blast with these beads!

If you would like to see more awesome variations on the Toast of the Town necklace, please visit Erin's blog or take a look below:

Tanya - A Work In Progress - you are here
Pam - Re-Maker
Michelada - Micheladas Musings
Kay - Kayz Kreationz  (Note: Kay had to go out of town. Do check back for her reveal!)