Art Bead Scene January Challenge

The Art Bead Scene blog features a monthly challenge based on a painting.  I was intrigued by the one from this month, so I started creating.  Whoa, Nellie.  What a mess!

Here are the components I am working with.  It was actually a long trip to get to this point! The "eyes" were beaded. The focal piece was created in mixed-media layers.  The polymer coins were textured, pearlized and drilled.

This Tim Holtz scrapbooking facet was transformed into a jewelry focal with a technique taught by Deryn Mentock in her Alchemy of Objects class.

Good intentions can go very wrong.  I'd say there are two main problems. One: In an attempt to integrate gray (from the inspiration painting,) I forced these Toho Black Diamond seed beads into my design.  Two: Too many stitches in the beadweaving!  Peyote, daisy chain, slopping netting.  Yuk!

Fear not!  I have a back-up plan.  Off to work on it!

Bridal Challenge Week Five: Bead Chips (Alternate Post Title: Better Late than Never)

Pretty, isn't it?  Anyone who has seen my beadwork has probably seen a version of this bracelet.  It has a peyote stitched base and a beaded toggle clasp.  Normally, I make the base about 12 beads wide, but I thought a bride would merit something a bit daintier.  This one is woven on an 8 bead wide base.  I used the left-over seed beads from the netted necklace in week two and some crystal-lined clear 11/o beads to raise the chips up.

I am what you would call a reflective beader.  When I finish a project, I decide if I like how it looks.  Was the process satisfying or tedious?  Was it "worth" the time it took?  In the case of these challenges, I also wonder, "Would a bride actually wear this?  What kind of bride would wear it?  What type of wedding and or dress would make this jewelry appropriate?"

This piece strikes me as a bit clunky for anything other than a very casual wedding, perhaps a beach wedding.  WeddingMountain.Com carries a whole "destination wedding" line, including these two dresses:

As I consider the dresses, I like the bracelet best with the short number (which is actually a bridesmaid dress.)  So, my reflection is this: use this bracelet as your bridesmaid thank-you gift!