Saturday, February 25, 2012

Andrew Thornton's 2012 February Reveal



A few weeks ago late in the evening I was merrily surfing the web when I chanced upon Andrew Thornton's announcement of his February Challenge. Before you could blink 3 times I had purchased one of the 10 surprise bead sets available. Unseen going only by a brief description I found myself the proud owner of one of the mystery beads collections.
Still not sure what possessed me to buy the beads but today I can tell you my muse was twisting my arm and Yelling " Create damn it Create".
I love creating in many different mediums and materials. I have spent the last 12 years in Metals and glass. Bead weaving has always been a great love of my and I had the pleasure and honor of being a part of" The best of Beadwork 2000" and showing my work in The Dairy Barn.

I have quite a collection of seed beads and on a grey day find myself refreshing my soul in the joyful colors of tubes filling a large cabinet. I have tried over the years to challenge myself to use all colors and change the combinations to see what new delights I can create.
When I received my beads in the mail I was very excited and rushed in to open them. I was taken aback there was a pile of pink and white and fuchsia colored beads. This was really going to be a challenge. I grew up in a house that was pink every outfit my mother owned was pink or red and I was always lacking an enthusiastic response in her quest to rosy up my world.

But I pulled on my big girl pants and went to work. I couldn't decide on just one project so here is what I present to you.
















The crystals caught my eye first and I happened to have some of the same color in my stash. I wanted to something to wear with jeans or for dressier occasions, while com binding my two favorite metals copper and sterling. Adding the Moon buttons and the black heart balances the bling of the crystals for me.
My next project the twigs bracelet was inspired but the bare branches in my garden. I sorted out a collection of beads from the original group and picked out several tubes of seed beads to see what would pull everything together. I found the perfect color and set to work, I let my muse guide me and meandered my way from one end to the other, adding this taking out something else and switching from one bead stitch to another, a bit of peyote, some right angle weave and a dash of brick stitch. I am over the moon with the finished piece. I love the wee bits surrounded strands of  woven  seed beads.





























I hope you enjoy my work please leave a comment.
 I would love to hear from you




Below you will find the rest of the gang who participated  in Andrew Thornton's Bead Challenge
Here are links to each artists blog as well as Andrew's http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/
   be sure to check them all out.

Kari Wilson








9 comments:

  1. Wow! Your pieces are so intricate! They are truly a work of art! I, too, was shocked by all that pink, but you certainly made it work! Beautiful!

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  2. Oh Wow Peg I love the necklace and the free form beaded bracelet they speak to the gypsy in me.
    Therese

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  3. As I scrolled down my slow computer the picture of the beads come up first. Pink! your most disliked color. I had to think, well this will be a challenge. You did a great job of taking the challenge and making it your own. Wonderful pieces. Go Girl!
    Esse

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  4. I love how you incorporated the faces into each piece. That bracelet is divine. Like a meandering vine. And, when looking at the necklace, I think of the wild west. I can almost hear the bull whip crack and the whistle sound accompanying it as it hit's high noon and the ladies are fanning themselves as they prepare to watch a showdown. Yah!

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  5. I love pink but can see where a lot of people don't. Your bracelet is simply amazing!

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  6. Wow! Your twig beaded bracelet is absolutely gorgeous! That is a real piece of art! Loved the necklace too, but that bracelet is amazing!

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  7. Pink was a taboo color for me growing up since I was a boy. I loved things that sparkled and would sometimes buy costume jewelry when others bought basketball cards and baseball bats. It makes sense to me now. And even though I have given myself permission to buy as many pink beads as I want, I still have a problem using them. So I can understand where this was a big challenge for many of the participants... even without my particular hangups.

    Your pieces are truly lovely and I am so glad that you participated. I am glad that there was a little push to get back into bead weaving. Both of your pieces are gorgeous and your bracelet is simply enchanting. It is so rich and evocative. The necklace has a nice balance of bling and edginess. Great job! And thank you again for participating!

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  8. All are beautiful but the twig bracelet is fantastic. Love how you used the colors and findings.
    ~cryssT

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  9. Beth Drobny11:54 AM

    I loved how you made the pink work for you-it can be such a "precious" color and instead you blended the hell out of it! I also love the faces in your pieces, it gives them souls and I know that that necklace would look lovely on your decolletage!

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