Sunday, April 6, 2014

Color of Dreams Blog Hop

I'm so very thrilled and excited to show you what I've created for this special hop! Rita, better known as Toltec Jewels, invited us to participate in a very special challenge. She generously shared a gorgeous art bead with each of us, created by the awesomely talented Patricia Handschuh.
I'm telling you, I was quite the little happy camper when I opened the package. Patricia creates very intricate patterns in these beads. Here's the shot of the beads that Rita mailed out to us.





Simply a riot of happiness, right? It was fairly easy for me to decide what I wanted to create...just a matter of getting it all done. I really went right to the wire with this one, which means that I had to take the pics last night, rather than in daylight. I'll be out most of the day Sunday, but I am going to add daylight pics to the post later.
The bead was small enough that I could have created a bracelet with it, but I decided I wanted a necklace. Specifically, a set of necklaces. I chose to create a trio of lariats, with the bead taking center stage as the closure.
I had so much fun just playing around with different styles, beads, and techniques with this challenge. So, surprisingly, one of the ropes is a simple string of beads. But it worked, and taught me that simple can still have a big impact. The second rope is a kumihimo braid with a matte orange accent bead. The threads used for it were a variegated yarn, white crochet thread, and two strands of matte ab orange beads.
The third rope is a twisted RAW that has a pretty, delicate spring look to it. Which is rather funny, because it has in-your-face hot pink, and metallic green beads in it! That's one of the coolest parts about playing with beads for me...all the endless combinations of colors and styles.
Here's a shot of the focal bead. I surrounded it with an alternating square of CRAW. 


I love how different the strands are, and yet they pick up all the gorgeous colors in the bead. The ropes can be worn alone, or together, with the clasp or not, which makes it so very versatile.


Here's a closeup of the individual strands. I'm really loving all the subtle color changes in the kumihimo braid from the variegated yarn.
Thank you Rita, for sharing Patricia's beads with us. I'm so happy to have found another source for beads, and thrilled with where this challenge took me. Please go visit all the other participants in this wonderful challenge! Blessings, Shirley


Honorary Artist: Patricia Handschuh
Patricia's blog:            The Color of Dreams        
Patricias Etsy:             The Color of Dreams
Hostess: TJ                Jewel School Friends
Kay Thomerson           KayzKreationz
Audrey Belanger          Toki No Hourousha

Alicia Marinache          All the Pretty Things
Terry Carter                TappingFlamingo
Lori Schneider             Bead Addict
Jenny Kyrlach             Wonder and Whimsy
Asri Wahyuingsih         Asri's Beadwork
Dini Bruinsma              Angaza by Changes
Karla Morgan              Texas Pepper Jams
Debbie Rasmussen        A Little of This, A Little of That
Veralynne Malone          Designed by Vera
Kathy Stemke               Vintage Memories Jewelry Design
Mowse Doyle               Mowse Made This
Heather Richter             Desert Jewelry Designs
Lori Poppe                   Adventures in Creativity with LorilliJean

Jayne Capps                Mama's Got To Doodle
Andrea Glick                Zenith Jade Creations
Kathleen Breeding         99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall
Becky Pancake             Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Karin Martinez              Fairies Market
Miranda Ackerley          Mirandack

Penny Houghton           Smelly Nelly
Carolyn Lawson           Carolyn's Creations
Chris Eisenberg            Wanderware
Christie Murrow          Charis Designs Jewelry
Monique Urquhart        A Half-Baked Notion
Eve Shelby                  Raindrop Creations Jewelry by Evelyn
Cryss Thain                 Here Bead Dragons
Jasvanti Patel               Jewelry By Jasvanti
Nan Smith                   NanMade Handmade Jewelry
Sue Kennedy               SueBeads
Jean Yates                   Snap Out of It, Jean! There's Beading to be Done!
Debbie Rogers             Debbies Treasures
Marybeth Rich             A Few Words From Within the Pines
Shirley Moore              Beads and Bread
Shaia Williams             Shaiha's Ramblings
Kathy Lindemer           Bay Moon Design
Linda Anderson           From the Bead Board
Judy Turner               Silver Rains
Gloria Allen                Gloria Allen Designs
Regina Wood              Ginas-Design
Robin Reed                Artistry HCBD
Mary Goovars            MLH Jewelry Designs
Marlene Cupo             Amazing Designs
CJ Bauschka              4 His Glory Creations
Robin Showstack        The Crazy Bead Hoarder
Cynthia O'Toole          Sparkles and Sweets

Jael Thorp                 Jael's Art Jewels
Renetha Stanziano      Lamplight Crafts



26 comments:

  1. Ahhhh love what you made!!! Stunning! jean

    ReplyDelete
  2. So many ropes in bright colors! Awesome. I also used RAW in my piece.
    MirandAck.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautiful Shirley I love all the bright colors in your piece.
    Therese

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gorgeous!! It's like getting 7 necklaces in one! So CREATIVE.
    Kathy

    http://vintagememoriesjewelry.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your design is wonderful Shirley. Something that is changeable offers so many more options. Great job.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love all the bead weaving - took me a while to figure out that RAW was right angle weave. Someone else used that acronym and I didn't get it - you weavers might want to actually spell it out for those who are not familiar with bead weaving ;) Beautiful necklace.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Simply lovely--and how creative to have it be interchangeable! The colors in the bead are beautiful, and I love how you incorporated those colors in the different lariats. Wonderful work!

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a versatile necklace, perfect for wearing your dreams with more outfits.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love it. The beading is beautiful! Excellent job and thanks for posting!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Always love the variety of stitches you weavers use to turn those tiny seeds into wonderful works of art, Shirley :) The colours work so beautifully with Heather's exquisite little bead... gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  11. wow! You used such a variety of beads and techniques but it is so pretty and cohesive. It's a beautiful creation. Christie

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow so many techniques but it works. I'm like that too. I want to include the kitchen sink when I go out beading.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wonderful creation! I love how you incorporated all the colours of the bead and it's brilliant that you used the bead as the closure.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, Shirley, I knew you'd do something with seed beads, and I knew it will be fluid and beautiful - no surprise there :) I love how you mixed and matched all the colours, techniques into one very fluid and elegant necklace. And a lariat! you know I love them :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. WOW what a gorgeous necklace, so full of color. Your bead focal is outstanding.

    ReplyDelete
  16. i LOVE that you mixed different techniques and used all different ways of doing them. beautiful, creative and very dreamy!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Shirley, you made a beautifully stunning lariat! I love the three ropes, all unique yet matching. I recently made a belt of kumihimo with beads. So I know the work you put into this necklace! Fabulous!!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Gorgeous colors and unique design! Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a riot of color. Such a happy necklace/necklaces. I like that they can be worn alone or with the clasp. I've always admired your beadwork.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great idea!!! Love that you can use it for so many different looks. Wonderful use of color and design!!! Have a Blessed Day!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Kumihimo, Raw, CRAW art bead closure & Stringing -- brilliant lariat, Shirley! I love the diverse colors of the triple strand beauty you've created! So pretty and full of life, and a beautiful dance of beads and color to highlight the pretty art bead!

    The first handcrafted jewelry I ever made was a wirewrapped cab focal with a montee and charm embellished kumihimo necklace set for a girl and her doggy or kitty. My daughter made it with me and we called it "Paws and Hers" :) Your delicate, warm Kumihimo strand warms my heart with memories, and inspires me to get out my disk again! Your lariat is so pretty. Another star of the show! I LOVE this piece! It is beautiful, and brings happiness, just like you!

    Thank you for sharing your awesome talents and gifts with us. I am always honored to create with you! xxoo Rita

    ReplyDelete
  22. ...what a great design, with the 2 possibilities how to wear it. The combinations of all those colours must be great to combine with a lot of nice Summer clothing!

    ReplyDelete
  23. This piece is so bright and cheery ! A party in a necklace ! Sorry this comment took so long, this week has been a little heretic.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Beautiful necklace. I love how you used the colors in the beadwork. Very creative and unique.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Bright and beautiful, love your colors!!! Great design!

    ReplyDelete
  26. THis piece is so happy and colorful and wonderful!! I love every aspect of the design on this piece. Well done!!!

    ReplyDelete

I'm thrilled you stopped by! Thanks for your words of wisdom.