5 years on...

I was looking back through some posts recently and notice that today, June 26 marks my fifth (wooden or daisy) blogoversary!! Original blog combined beading and book review. I decided to do a mostly beading a few years later.

Let's take a look back.

In 2008 I made this trio for foxgloves designed by Kerrie Slade.

I also did my very first box in a class with Julia Pretl.

In 2009 I was able to take classes with Margie Deeb, including her Around the colour wheel workshop.

During a week at a cottage with my family I did some beading with my nieces.

I also started my Smaug box in my dragon series.

In 2010 had an amazing trip to Ottawa with Maria, including visit to Museum of Civilization.

In July I took a number of class with Marcia DeCoster. Here are my beaded beads.

I also made a few things from her book Beaded Opulence. I love this Urchin bead.

I finished a series of boxes inspired by the lampwork of Amy Waldman Smith.

Blogging was a challenge in 2011 but here a some favourites. I was able to take classes with Diane Fitzgerald in March at beadfx. Here is my Moorish tile beaded bead.

My love of owls is well known by my friend Maria. She gave me the owls that are the focal of this Owl Trio necklace.

After almost a year without blogging I got back to it in the spring of 2012. It was a year of many beading challenges and triumphs.

I decided to participate in the  Designer Style Challenge hosted by Creativ Festival for their 25 anniversary. Here is my inspiration.

I also participated in my first Bead Soup Blog Hop, hosted by Lori Anderson.

In August I found out that both my beadwork and paper arts entries were semi-finalists in the Designer Style Challenge. At the show in October I won third place in the beadwork catergory. Both pieces were on display during the show.

2013 has been a fun year so far with bead challenges and blogging adventures.

Maria and I have been doing a series of blog post on her blog called the ABC's of Creativity. I have done many of the post and enjoyed sharing inspiration and resources with fellow beaders.

I participated in my second Bead Soup Blog Hop in the early spring.

In March I finished the Tomcat box from Julia Pretl's book Little Bead Boxes. I had now made at least one of every box in the book.

Triangle boxes

Square boxes

Pentagon boxes

Hexagon boxes

I have many more challenges to come this year with three more blog hops that I will be participating in and many started projects to finish.

Thanks to those who read and comment on my blog. A special thanks to those that have taught me  and inspired my beadwork.

Happy Beading!!

Geometric Stars class

Today was my last class with Jean Power at beadFX.

Jean and her book (photo from S. Dixon)

 Today's class was her geometric stars.

 Here is our very full class of busy beaders.

Photo from S. Henry

One of my distorted squares in progress.

My star with three of distorted squares zipped together.

Here is almost everyones in progress or completed stars.

Thanks to Jean for coming to teach us and to the wonderful staff at beadFX for a fantastic weekend.

Beaded Frames Bangle Class

Today's class with Jean Power @ beadFX was her Beaded Frames Bangle.

Here is on version of the project.

 I had brought two different colour combinations. The first was a ruby red rondelle with a matte slate grey.

The second was turquoise rondelle with bronze.

The frames are joined with brick stitch (my least favourite). I am going to work on finishing both colour combinations later this summer.

Tomorrow is geometric stars. I am going to take a few different colour palettes.

Zinnia flower class

Today was the first of three classes that I am taking at Beadfx with British beadwork designer Jean Power.

Today was the zinnia flower class, included interchangeable cuff.

We started with an amazing Swarovski 30 mm flat back that we set into a beaded bezel.

Once it was in and secured we added a simple band of stitching that will allow it to be worn in many different ways.

Then we added the first layer of petals, step by step as we go around the bezeled Swarovski. I almost completed first layer.

Here is beadFX's blog post about the class.

Here are the flowers of myself and fellow classmates.

Will work to finish it soon.

Looking forward to tomorrow's class.

Lampwork & Clay Blog Hop

 

At the beginning of the month I saw a Facebook post about Who's up for a challenge. It was about a Blog Hop hosted by Lisa Lodge of Pine Ridge Treasure.

30 participants were given the chose of lampwork or clay. Once you had let Lisa know your choice you paid for the bead she selected. Then you have to wait for them to arrive in the mail.

My lampwork set arrived in the mail on Friday.

This set of beads are by ShaZazz Glass.

Now I have to decide what to do with these beads and what I can find in my stash. I have a project planned that I can add some of them into. What will I do with the rest?

Reveal day for the blog hop is not until November 16, 2013, so I have time to play and create.

Finishing works in progress

I realized that I had many unfinished projects sitting in various baskets, zip bags and drawers. It is time to work on getting some of them finished before starting anything new.

Here is the owl box that I posted about in October. I originally had just done the body without the lid.

Maria suggested that it would better with its lid. So here is the lid. I decided to use one of the lampwork headpin by Cheryl Brown that was leftover from the most recent bead soup as the finial.

 

One of the other patterns that I had purchased from Julia's website was the Scarab. I loved that the lid was where the amazing scarab pattern was stitched.

So this time I did the lid first. I had it finished about 6 weeks ago. I then started on the base, but it got put aside as I was distracted by other things.

I finally finished the base on the weekend as I dealt with a rare summer cold.

 

Now I have two less projects to complete. What will I do next??

ABC's of Creativity - May Review

I know that this is a little bit late but here is a quick review of the two entries from May in the Rypan Designs' ABC's of Creativity.

First was I is Internet. I covered a variety of online bead resources. From Pinterest to the new Swarovski Youtube Series The Professor of Crystal.

Then I did J is Jewelry. It is a top to bottom look at the various jewelry item you can make for yourself and others.

Pinch & Twist Hair Comb (beaded by M. Rypan)

Earrings (beaded by J. Woolverton & M. Rypan)

Guide to necklace lengths

"Y" style necklace (beaded by J. Woolverton)

Tussie Mussie Pin (beaded by K. Naray)

Crystal Elevation Bracelet (designed by M. Rypan, beaded by J. Woolverton)

Quetzal Ring (from Beaded Opulence, beaded by J. Woolverton)

Hope that you will hop over to the ABC's of Creativity and be inspired.