Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Nightmare Bead Challenge

My first Blog Hop Challange reveal!  Thank you Jennifer Cameron for including me.

 My Nightmare Insomnia bead turned out to be a dream come true. I live where the sage of the high desert meets the granite of the Sierra Nevada and Lake Tahoe waters, my bead is granite grey with sage green and blue spots. What could be better?



 I recently purchased some sage sari cloth, knew I wanted to use that right away, also pulled out silver Krienek braid and C-Lon cord. Went hunting thru my stash for grey silk, I didn't find any but there was white silk organza I'd stamped with black paint. Rip, rip, ribbon! From my bead stash I pulled pale grey size 6 seed beeds, some dark metallic glass pearls that matched the ends of the focal, miscellaneous sage and blue beads and all the bits and pieces of antiqued silver I could find. I kumihimo braided the fibers and the grey seed beads and then sewed the pearls on the braid using the beads as anchors. Great!



All that was left was attaching the focal to the braid. I tried micro macramé and it didn't look right, nor did a beaded bail, I haven't worked with wire . . . Stuck. A few days later, I went to work on finishing the ends of the braid. I tried a couple things, including some silver spacers. Eureka! I worked one of the spacers down to the middle of the braid and I had my bail.  I finished it off with C-Lon cord, making the three framing braids and the fringe. Not crazy about the fringe, but . . . Here is the finished product.



Now to see what every one else created . . .



Beti Horvath: Stringing Fool
Gretchen Nation: Art Food Lodging
Karen Totten: Starry Road Studio
Kathleen Douglas: Washoe Kat's
Keirsten Giles: The Cerebral Dilettante
Kristen Stevens: My Bead Journey
Lori Anderson: Pretty Things
Rana Wilson: Rana Lea Designs
Shannon Chomanczuk: For My Sweet Daughter



12 comments:

  1. OMG that is STUNNING!! These focals really work so nicely with fibers, don't they? You're a virtuoso with these fibers! I love what you did with those half knot strands framing the bead, and I actually think your fringe is perfect! I think something airy at the bottom like that is just right. I love your high desert interpretation, and the bead was just made for that! The dark pearls are perfect (how you wove them into the braid is phenomenal), they really pick up the iridescent quality of those spidery endcaps. Love how organic and freeform this is, so appropriate for Jen's bead. This is so inspiring!

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  2. That is one stunning necklace! I love how you framed and anchored Jen's bead onto that beautiful kumihimo piece ... absolutely gorgeous!!!

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  3. That is absolutely gorgeous! It reminds me of a sea shell in a net -- really love this!

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  4. Lori said it perfectly--a sea shell in a net! Love these colors, and the fringe is fabulous!

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  5. Hi Kathleen,
    Your necklace is gorgeous I don't think I have ever seen anything close to what you have done.
    Therese

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  6. I have to echo what's been said - I love your use of fibers and all the elements you pulled together to make this one beautiful piece of jewelry!

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  7. Yup! I love it. This is probably my favorite bead so far. Your colors bring out the bead colors and the fiber choices were perfect. And frankly, the fringe really makes it. Great job.

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  8. You were the lucky one to get that bead? That was probably my favorite. (shhh! Don't tell the other beads, they might get jealous!) your design is way outside my box and is super awesome. I love the fringe. Don't doubt it because it's awesome.

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  9. Also, the way you used the pearls is so amazing. Great job! And thanks for playing along!

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  10. OH MY! What a beautiful dream!!!!

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  11. I absolutely love this!!! I'm fascinated with kumi right now, so I love that you used it for the rope. Your bail solution was perfect, and I will remember the tip about sewing the pearls on. Love, love, love the macrame curving around the focal, that really makes it stand out. Can you tell I like this...:)

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