Iris Twist Vase

I have finally finished my Iris Twist Vase for the Creativ Festival Designer Style Challenge.

I just need to select 3 photos to enter as well as prepare the written part of the entry (which might be harder than the beadwork).

Once that is done it will be time to finish my paper arts project for the challenge. I have the vase components made but not assembled. I also have to make and arrange origami irises. I think a movie marathon/flower making session might be in order this weekend. Should I watch LotR or HP?

Mineral inspiration

As I have noted before I love going to the ROM and looking for inspiration. This piece is inspired by a mineral sample in the Teck Gallery.

Azurite Box

Azurite samples as the ROM

Azurite is a deep blue copper mineral. I was attracted to the middle sample with its contrasting coppery orange.

Iris Twist Vase - second progress report

I am at a stand still with my Iris inspired vase. In the past I have been stalled on projects by a shortage of beads. This time I made sure I purchased more that enough beads, but I have run out of my stitching material, Fireline.

Fireline is acutally a fishing line that is strong by still thread like. I have been to a number of sporting goods stores but have not been able to get the weight and colour that I need. I am hoping to make it up to the Bass Pro store in Vaughan, which I know will have it.

Here are few pictures of the vase as it is waiting for more Fireline!!

Whoooo! Whoooo! Owl Inspiration

I have a long love affair with owls. It has exploded into my beading with the following pieces and beads.

The first is this necklace with a trio of owls. I was give a strand of the beautiful ceramic owl beads. I combined them with silver, crystal and fire polished beads. This is the Owl Babies necklace, named for a favourite story time book.
 

I have also been buying handmade glass owl beads.

My first was from Lucie Kovarova-Weir. She customized it with a book charm.

 Next I got this fun owl from Amy Waldman-Smith.

 At the last Christmas One of a Kind show, I purchased this one from Leslie Winemaker.

On the Saturday of the recent Toronto Bead Society Bead fair I purchased an owl from glass artist Muriel Duval. I took it home, but brought it back on Sunday to look for beads to go with it. Unfortunately its tail got damaged. I went back to Murial's booth and she kindly exchanged it for this one.

At bead fair I was given a small brown paper bag from that Susan Hood (from Nova Soctia) had sent for me. Inside were these two little beads.

Susan had made them based on a photo of Dottie, my sock owl, which I use as my avatar on Facebook. I was a great surprise to receive this from Susan. Thanks Susan!!!

Of course my obession for owls would not be complete without combining it with my box obession. I recently purchased Julia's pattern for an owl box. I started it at Bead Fair when I was demoing circular peyote (as used on the bottom of each box). I will work on it once I have finished by projects for the Designer Style Challenge.

Spring Variations

The Toronto Bead Society Bead Fair is on this weekend. In preparation for the show Maria, of Rypan Designs, found some great new triangle beads in spring colours for her Diagional Weave Bracelet. I got the call to come pick up some beads and make samples asap.

Last night I made up these three bracelets.

Frosted Lilac and Frosted Mint

Imperial Purple

The other requested sample is this beautiful mix of greens, teal and purple iris. This is the Seafoam Beaded Soutache Bracelet that I worked up this morning. Maria is teaching this design Saturday morning @ the bead fair.

Seafoam Beaded Soutache

All designs and images in this posting are © Rypan Designs

Literary Inspiration - Dragons

Last week literary inspiration was an artist's work as referenced in the novel The Calder game. 

This week it is a favourite mythical creature, the dragon. Dragons are a part of many cultures around the world and are featured in a variety of great fantasy novels.

Christopher Paolini has a quartet of books about dragons and their riders. In the first book we meet Saphira, a blue dragon.

Cover of Eragon, showing Saphira

Using some dichroic, and metallic blue beads I created this version of Julia Pretl's dragon box to represent Saphira.

Saphira Box

Having completed Saphira, I decided to create a box inspired by another favourite dragon, Smaug, from The Hobbit. Smaug is described as being crusted with gems and fragments of gold from his hoard.

Smaug as illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien

To bring the luster of the gold I used gold plated delicas. The finial on the top of the box represent the Arkenstone, a treasured jewel of the Dwarf Kingdom stolen by Smaug.

Smaug box

In total I have completed three dragon boxes. I hope to do more in the future including Glaedr, a golden dragon, Thorn, a red dragon and Fírnen, a green dragon.
 

Iris Twist Vase: progress report

A month ago I started working on a beaded vase inspired by this amazing painting of bearded irises by Vicky Mappin.

This first step was pulling the colours from the image to use in my design. I went to Beadfx and spent time comparing tubes of delicas to the picture on my ipad.

colour selection in progress

 In addition to the palette of purples I added silver, yellow and green. Here is the final selection.

Final palette at the start of the project

 With the colours selected and layed out in my working pattern I started at the bottom centre of the vase. 

completed bottom of vase

Once the bottom is done I started the long process of working up the sides of the vase. I continued the twist of the colours as I builded up the height .

Making progress

Getting ready to add more thread

When the sides are about double the current height I am going to start the do some decreasing to taper the vase.

Happy Mother's Day to my mom and sisters. Hope you have a great day!!!