Bead Challenge Winner!

Every spring, four Ottawa bead stores join together to host a fantastic event they call Bead Bop. Customers tour the four stores and are treated to sales, demos, and other exciting things. The 2014 Bead Bop also added a bead challenge option, where the participants purchased a package of beads and had to use all of them in a creation. The submissions were voted on at the October Glass Bead Show by the attending public, and my necklace won! 

Here are the beads: 

And here is what I made!

I used the soutache technique to sew colourful flat cords together around beads, and added some other fun accents. It even has a metal-free clasp! 

The other beautiful submissions can be seen on the bead bop website: 

http://www.beadbop.ca/bead-challenge.html

Owl Mania

Owls are just so trendy lately! And why not? They're wise, beautiful creatures, and their shape is so workable in art! Here are my owl creations: 

Tied up with string - that's right, macrame is back! In colourful small pendants on a satin cord with crystal eyes, who would know that the same knots once held your grandmother's planters? 

This beauty is made with tiny seed beads sewn together. He sits on a branch with winter-themed flowers.

A second version of the owl has to be in steampunk fashion of course! This one sits on a clock hand for a branch, has gears around his eyes, and holds a cluster of keys.

Last, but not least, a swarovski owl. He has three brilliant crystals captured by tiny seed beads. 

What can you do with wire?

What can you do with wire? Anything you like! 

These stone pendants are wrapped with square wire. It builds a nice cage and shows off as much of the stone as possible. The purple and yellow stones are all called Mookaite, one of my favourites for the variation in colour all from the same rock! The black striped stone is Black Agate. Agate comes in many colours because it is often dyed, and the layers of the stone take up different amounts of dye to give the amazing variations in colour. 

This hair piece was commissioned for a wedding. Twisted wire makes great branch-like shapes! 

I always find a way to work a technique into my love of steampunk. Here are some gears accented with crystals and wrapped with wire, in the same way that we used to make drawings with a spirograph!

 There isn't as much wire in this piece, but the hammered ends of wire accenting the leaf prevents the beads from falling off with a nice natural look.

Chainmaille Again!

 I have been up to all sorts of interesting things lately. I tend to jump from one technique to another as things catch my eye, and that's the best part! Here is a sample of some of my latest chainmaille creations!

This collar-style necklace actually does up in front with a button!

And why have just chainmaille jewellery? This gorgeous dragon uses a few different weaves and some flashy red scales to create a 3D sculpture!

Finally, lets add some bling! Sparkley crystals make this piece a statement and give us an excuse to dress up!

That's it for now, please stay tuned for more. I have a lot of catching up to do!

Back Again!

Thank you to everyone who visited me this past weekend at the All Saints Craft Show! Handing out my card was a great reminder to get back to this blog and share some more pictures of what I've been up to. I promise to be back at it soon!

The Christmas Corner

Steampunk and Metallic pieces

Necklaces

Scarf Bling! 

More necklaces... 

Spoon Pendants! 

My card! Thanks to everyone who picked one up!