Sunday, June 26, 2011

Ready, Set, Crochet!

I don't post very many pictures of work in progress. It's not because I don't want to share. It's because I'm usually so anxious to actually get started creating that it doesn't even occur to me to pick up the camera and take in-progress shots.

Well, this time I thought of it. And I thought I'd share the next bead crochet rope that will come off my crochet hook... Color at Play II. It's called "II" because I already made one of these; and it was so much fun that I decided to make another one!

This is how bead crochet begins - String lots and lots of beads. In this case, there are about 25' of size 8/0 Czech glass beads strung onto the spool of thread. Then start crocheting. Crochet for a few hours, and you'll wind up with a rope. Easy peasy. And fun. :-)



** A note to those who've tried and given up on bead crochet. DON'T GIVE UP! It can be challenging to start, but it's great fun once you get the hang of it.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Paul Gauguin Inspiration

It's been awhile since I created anything for the Bead Art Originals color challenge, but since I wound up with a little bit of free time this week (thanks to the rain and waiting for building materials suppliers and Linkcontractors), I managed to create a necklace whose colors were inspired by the Paul Gauguin Tahitian Landscape (1891).

My colors are a little muted compared to the vibrant shades in the landscape, but I was happy to find these little glass leaves whose shades almost perfectly match those in the painting.

The necklace, named Cascading Leaves, is an ndebele rope (aka tubular herringbone) made from Czech glass seed beads with a picasso finish. The seed beads are honey colored and coordinate beautifully with the leaves.

I'm not sure how much free time I'll have over the next few months, but you can bet that a LOT of it will be spent with my beads! :-)

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Long Time, No Post - Back with Boots and Beads

May 18 was the date of my last post. Sheesh. I have an excuse, though... we're building a house, and since we're doing a significant amount of the work ourselves, it's been a very busy month. That, coupled with a trip to Kentucky to visit with family, hasn't left me a whole lot of time for beady endeavors. I've managed to finish some custom orders (which I love doing, because it's always fun for me to see how other peoples' colors work), made some pieces for a magazine (yay!), and have even worked on some new goodies that haven't been photographed yet.

But mostly it's been the house. Painting waterproofing compound on the foundation walls. Carrying loads of gravel to cover the foundation drain. Moving tools and supplies from here to there and back again. Shopping for building supplies. Some of it has been fun, but it's also exhausting because the temps have been in the 80s and 90s for most of the time we've been working. It makes for some very long days.

My work boots are doing their job, too. These have been with me through three other houses, so they've already done more than their share of protecting my feet and ankles (I'm a klutz and often trip over things). I did have to give them a new set of shoestrings, but I'd say they're doing pretty good for 15-year-old boots!

The rest of these pictures are some of the recent beady endeavors. Because I just have to share pictures of beady things, right? :-)

Silver Stripe in Zircon Blue Band
A shimmery, stylish bracelet made with gorgeous zircon blue triangle beads and galvanized silver delicas, topped off with a funky vintage button.


Color Burst
Made from opaque delicas in more than 15 different colors, this looks pretty random; but I made sure that no two beads of the same color wound up next to each other! :-)

Color at Play
A bead crochet rope that's fun all the way around. It's 66" long, joined with an invisible join, and crocheted from some of the brightest Czech glass beads you'll ever see!


Ashley
A fringe bracelet made with lots and lots of crystals and faux pearls. This piece was made for the Bead Mavens' Bead Soup Double Up swap, using beads I received from my swap partner.


Trevelyan
Another bead crochet rope, this one made with GORGEOUS Czech glass seed beads with a picasso finish. The name "Trevelyan" is Cornish for Homestead on the Hill, a name I chose because I crocheted a good portion of this piece on the trip to Kentucky to visit my Dad's homestead. I only wish I could have spent more time with my Dad after reuniting with him last summer.


Looks like that's going to be it for this morning... It's time to get back to work on the house. If you'd like to see pictures of the progress on the house project, check out my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/marylou.holvenstot