Well my friends I am finally returning to my blog. Yes, it has been ages despite promising I would keep at it a long time ago.
I have now retired from work and we have made a true tree change. In February this year, 2015, we sold our home in Brisbane and moved to a small village in Victoria, 72 kms outside of Melbourne. Warburton is a very "arty" community and I hope it inspires me to create my own designs and hopefully pass my knowledge onto others.
The home we purchased has a separate construction on the property which we hope to turn into a studio. The views of the mountain are wonderful and I just have to be disciplined enough to stop myself gazing out of the window instead of working. The house and studio are nothing fancy but the setting is beautiful. We have birdsong instead of traffic which is a bonus.
I originally started this blog for beading but know I have more time on my hands I would like to open it up for other creative ideas such as cooking and general crafty things. I hope you will indulge me dear reader.
Wednesday 20 May 2015
Sunday 11 August 2013
Attempt At A Bit Of Wirework.....
Each month some of the members of the Brisbane sector of The Beading Forum meet up to chat, eat and bead. We pick a challenge every month. This month was a wire project - Captured Heart Earrings - Bead & Button August 2013 - Page 24
My attempt is below. Not to be looked at too closely as I did have a wee bit of trouble remembering which way to wind my wire. This is evident in the placement of beads around the main frame, however, as a first attempt at making them I was quite pleased. It has been modified slightly as the original has some bare wire loops in it but they were quite difficult to shape and very fiddly so I have added seed beads to hold the shape more easily. Although this project specifies Intermediate to Advanced level, I think you could probably give it a go with a limited knowledge of wireworking. The main thing is not to kink your 28 gauge wrapping wire.
Next month we will be back to stitching and I will be back in my comfort zone!
My attempt is below. Not to be looked at too closely as I did have a wee bit of trouble remembering which way to wind my wire. This is evident in the placement of beads around the main frame, however, as a first attempt at making them I was quite pleased. It has been modified slightly as the original has some bare wire loops in it but they were quite difficult to shape and very fiddly so I have added seed beads to hold the shape more easily. Although this project specifies Intermediate to Advanced level, I think you could probably give it a go with a limited knowledge of wireworking. The main thing is not to kink your 28 gauge wrapping wire.
Next month we will be back to stitching and I will be back in my comfort zone!
Sunday 4 August 2013
Gone Mad on Fluro Bead Buying
What to do with them is the question. This is what I decided on. A bit fiddly joining everything together but it does feel nice on.
Simple Stuff....Heart on a Feather
Here is the first "Simple Stuff" project. I have listed the materials uses but you can always substitute your own component ideas. Sorry the text is all over the place but Blogger seems to have a mind of it's own despite where I have originally positioned everything!
3. Pick up 3 x 11's and go back up through the heart to form a 3 bead picot at the base. *Go back through 4 x 15's, earwire, 4 x 15's, down through the heart, the 3 picot beads and back up through the heart*. You can repeat from * to * if you wish to strengthen further. Do a couple of half hitch knots and cut thread. Secure the tail by going around your picot a couple of times, do a couple of half hitch knots and cut thread.
4. Voila... Ces't finis. It is finished. Repeat for second earring.
Materials:
Feather component
6 x Size 11 seed beads
16 x size 15 seed beads
Chinese crystal silver backed heart
I earwire - I have used a lever back
Fireline - 6 or 8 lb is best
1. Attach feather component to your earwire
2. Thread heart from the bottom. leave a 4" (10cm) tail. Pick up 4 x 15's, pass through the earwire in front of the feather, pick up 4 x 15's and go back down through the heart. Make sure you tail is still in place and pull snugly.
3. Pick up 3 x 11's and go back up through the heart to form a 3 bead picot at the base. *Go back through 4 x 15's, earwire, 4 x 15's, down through the heart, the 3 picot beads and back up through the heart*. You can repeat from * to * if you wish to strengthen further. Do a couple of half hitch knots and cut thread. Secure the tail by going around your picot a couple of times, do a couple of half hitch knots and cut thread.
4. Voila... Ces't finis. It is finished. Repeat for second earring.
Hanging My Head.....
Yep, hanging my head in shame. I have not been back to my block since September 2012. Life took over with work, providing stock for The Collective Store, planning for an overseas trip and just general day to day living which just happens to also involve renovating our house. Why oh why can't I just bead!!!!
We were away for 9 weeks traveling in Europe. What a wonderful time we had. So many fabulous sites with one being the Swarovski factory in Wattens, Austria. Well, not actually the factory unfortunately but their beautiful display close by.
Imagine those beautiful beads in this setting. Perfect place to be made don't you think.
Anyway I am back now and I promise to be more diligent with my blog. I am going to put a few free tutorials under the heading of Simple Stuff. Mainly for those of you that may just be starting down the wonderful path of beading. I plan to start with "Heart on a Feather" so look out for that. As I said nothing intricate, just putting a few components together. Make sure you leave a comment. I am always open to hearing what you think and that includes good or bad. How else can I improve if I don't know what you think. Happy beading everyone.....
We were away for 9 weeks traveling in Europe. What a wonderful time we had. So many fabulous sites with one being the Swarovski factory in Wattens, Austria. Well, not actually the factory unfortunately but their beautiful display close by.
Imagine those beautiful beads in this setting. Perfect place to be made don't you think.
Sunday 16 September 2012
A Dabble In Filigree
A couple of months ago I went to a bead retreat in Montville. It is something we do every year and this time we escaped to Montville Queensland for 7 nights/days of glorious beading. Six close friends go and it is a time when challenges are set. There is lots of muttering, cursing and general stress about the place. Doesn't sound like a great time? Oh but it is. We eat, chat and bead, challenging ourselves by attempting new tutorials and the end result is amazing. This time we did weaving, wirework and dabbled in filigree.
My favourite was filigree. I've always wanted to do this and here was my chance. At first it was daunting with glue all over my fingers, lots of metal shapes in my tray to choose from and no idea what I was doing. My three pieces are below. From left to right we have Brass Garden, the centre is a brass rose with a swarovski flat back and just resting underneath the rose is a swarovski butterfly. It is finished with a chinese crystal drop.
Time flies was fun to do, in the end, but there was much deliberation over where to put what and again I have used a couple of swarovski crystal flat backs just to add a bit of sparkle. You have to have that don't you?
Blaze, well I have to say this one was in my head to start with. I knew what pieces I wanted to use and just had to make them look right. Each tip has a small swarovski flat back as does the centre. Finishing it off with ribbon was my friend's idea and I think it works well with this one.
I am definitely going to do more of this. Well I have to really because I've got about a thousand bits and pieces. Another case of "I better get that just in case I need it". Nothing changes **sigh**
My favourite was filigree. I've always wanted to do this and here was my chance. At first it was daunting with glue all over my fingers, lots of metal shapes in my tray to choose from and no idea what I was doing. My three pieces are below. From left to right we have Brass Garden, the centre is a brass rose with a swarovski flat back and just resting underneath the rose is a swarovski butterfly. It is finished with a chinese crystal drop.
Time flies was fun to do, in the end, but there was much deliberation over where to put what and again I have used a couple of swarovski crystal flat backs just to add a bit of sparkle. You have to have that don't you?
Blaze, well I have to say this one was in my head to start with. I knew what pieces I wanted to use and just had to make them look right. Each tip has a small swarovski flat back as does the centre. Finishing it off with ribbon was my friend's idea and I think it works well with this one.
I am definitely going to do more of this. Well I have to really because I've got about a thousand bits and pieces. Another case of "I better get that just in case I need it". Nothing changes **sigh**
Les Petites Pyramides
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