Designer Style Challenge Evolution

Yesterday I was able to pick up my custom framing of the print that was my primary source of inspiration for the Challenge.

It started with learning that irises are the flower for 25th anniversaries. Looking thru books at my local public library, I found this amazing image in The Botanical Palette. There were many of the pictures of the many other varieties of irises, but this is what I think of as the iconic look of an iris.

Bearded Iris by Vicky Mappin (from her website)

This image became my inspiration for the colours used in my beadwork project the Iris Twist Vase. Once I had started the project I decided to purchase a copy of the print from Vicky. It was a challenge as Vicky lives in the UK. But patience paid off I got my print in time to have it custom framed before my birthday!

Here are some images for the crafting of the beadwork project.

Collage of images from the creation of the Iris Twist Vase

For the paper arts project I was again inspired by the iris but I added a bigger splash of silver. Using metalic silver origami paper I crafted a paper vase. The finished  Hexagonal Triangle Vase holds hand crafted origami irises.

Finished Paper Arts Project

Now I just have to wait and see if I become a semi-finalist. Until then I have this amazing print to look at everyday.

Framed Print

Bead Soup on a hot summer day

It is a gorgeous hot summer day here is Toronto and I just received my Bead Soup for the Blog Party from Jelveh.

It includes one of her amazing lampwork Nutilus Focal bead with 5 matching golstone beads, pearls, stone and lava beads, sterling silver and ceramic beads. The closure is toggle with a little turtle charm.

Bead Soup

Detail of focal and matching lampwork beads

As I am adding the photos of the beads to this posting I am already thinking a necklace and bracelet to make with them. Watch here on August 11 for the reveal of my projects using these great beads.

Hexagonal Triangle Vase

I finally finished all the irises for my Paper Art entry in the Designer Style Challenge. The next challenge was to arrange them into stems of two or three flowers and a final arrangement within the Hexagonal Triangle Vase. Once I got it the way I liked, I had to create a photo studio to ensure that I had great photos to submit for the Challenge.

Here are the pictures that I entered.

Complete project

Vase

Flower detail

Lori's Bead & Button Giveaway!!!

Lori Anderson, the amazing organizer of the Bead Soup Blog Party, is having a giveaway on her blog. Of course everyone loves to win something, there you  have 5 chances to win something beady!!!

I would love to win this selection of items from Bead & Button

Lori's assortment of items from Bead & Button

There is also a book, ebook, tote bag and a fab bead soup mix.

Head on over, follow the instructions and good luck!!! Deadline is Friday July 13th!

Silver Paper Vase

This is not a beading project, but it does go with my recent Iris Twist Vase. I just sent in my artisan statement and pictures for my Beadwork entry in the Creativ Festival's Designer Style Challenge. Now it is time to finish my project for my Paper Arts entry.

I decided to continue with my vase and iris theme, only now it will be with origami. I have finished the vase, which is made with a combination of triangles, hexagrams and connectors.

Vase Components

This design is a variation of a Regular Hexagonal Flat Unit in Tomoko Fuse's book Unit Polyhedron Origami. I inverted the top section to make the vase a short, shallow vessel. This type of origami is like flat pack furniture. You need to connect to component in the correct place and in the correct order. And the instructions include pictures.

Silver Paper Vase with purple accents

Looking to the vase

Now that the vase is done, I need to work on the origami iris flowers that I want to make and arrange in it. The ones I made last weekend did not come out as I had hoped. 

Going to try some different papers to see which creates the flowers that I want.

Bead Soup Blog Party

As a new challenge I decided to join Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party. With 400 participants it is going to be an crazy, creative and fun.

Lori partnered me with Jelveh Jaferian, a lampwork artist from California. Our reveal day is Aug 11. I know that a deadline usually helps with my creativity.

Pixelated beadsoup

I have a bead soup mix ready to send to Jelveh once I can get it packed and to the post office.

I will post a picture of the bead soup Jelveh sends me when it arrives.

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?