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?

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.