Art Elements Sugar Skull Challenge.

Actually I am seriously disappointed with my result from this fabulous challenge that Jen set for the Art Elements sugar skull component challenge  I had such fabulous ideas when my parcel arrived and I set the sugar skull bead aside in my studio, passing it every day as I went to the torch and musing over it each and every time.  I scoured Pinterest for amazing unique ideas and fantastized about creating this elaborate piece filled with colour.  Then the inevitable happened, the whole house was struck down with the 'man flu' that my son brought home from work and I too spent a few days on the sofa watching day time tv and being thoroughly bored but having no energy to do anything at all.

My daughter loves skulls and my original plan was to design something for her that she would wear, baring in mind that she doesn't do over the top jewellery - you should see her shoes they are seriously wacky.. but her jewellery is very minimal, so with the lack of energy and running out of time I found in my stash of beads a lovely rondelle sparkly collar bead, I wanted a crown but only found a silver plated cone bead but I did find the wire 'lacy' steampunky dangle which was once part of a pair of ear rings that I absolutely loved and kept when they went out of fashion back in the 90's...everything comes back into fashion eventually.. right?  I wired it all together with some red jewellery wire and will be giving it to my daughter on a black leather thong.  It isn't much but it is simple and effective I am just disappointed I didn't do more with Jen's bead :/  

Here is the list of the others that are taking part in the blog hop, bet theirs is better than mine!

Guest Designers
Staci Louise Smith
Karin Grosset Grange
Solange Collin
Art Elements Team
Caroline Dewison
Susan Kennedy
Laney Mead
Claire Fabian
Diana Ptaszynski
Jenny Davies-Reazor
Cathy Spivey Mendola
Lindsay Starr
Niky Sayers
Lesley Watt
Cooky Schock
Jen Cameron

Its all new today!

 

I have been finishing off some of my bead weaving pieces.  I am a slow bead weaver, but I enjoy it in the evenings, especially now the nights are drawing in and the tv is just too rubbish to watch.  This piece has one of my fused glass cabochons and has been beaded around and a netted collar added.  Just don't ask me to name the stitches!

As well as a bit of beading, I have been wiring up some of my lampwork beads into beautiful pendants, just perfect for the Christmas gift giving season....and the church fair I have been roped into doing this coming Saturday...thats the day before I head off to Newmarket for the bead fair, nothing like keeping busy!!    

This cute toadie is all wired up and strung on a rubber tube necklace.

 I went back to a my Netsuke styled beads for this gorgeous donkey.  I did one before, in ivory coloured glass, but this chap is a beautiful new glass called Biscotti - well new to me - it has the pale colour I like of the ivory but with a 'weathered' grey colour, perfect for this bead.  Finally I have been making people beads, lots of little people to go with the animals, I have done fairies and ladies that bathe and now a Centaur, possibly the most handsome one I have seen! 

Last but not least, I have been updating my new shop, its a Buegle store on Facebook, click on this link to take you to My new Facebook Shop add me as your friend and share my store, its getting quite popular!

Laney x

Stitch markers and experiments

 I have been encouraged by Sara of Crafts of Texture, to make some stitch markers, using my natural brand of humour, finally able to put it to some good use!  She brought some glass buttons from me, a while ago, and mentioned that with my humour, stitch markers would go down a treat...so get them while you can!  First up is my trademark Chook marker with fried eggs and bum holes...how else would they lay eggs!!

 

Chicken (chook) and fried egg stitch markers on Etsy

Just click on the link for the chooky set or for the Sheep and balls of wool set (below) click here!

Struggling to think of that perfect Xmas gift for Granny?  Look no further than in my Izzybeads Etsy shop

I have been experimenting with my fused glass.  This pendant is quite simple in that there was only three pieces to cut, but the finished piece is stunning, but, a touch grown up for me!

So...

I decided to have a play.  I put together some fusing glass and made some cabochons, then I dragged out the glass paints (ones that go into the kiln to be fused into the glass, so posh ones!) blew off the dust and promptly emailed the lovely Jill at Kiln Fired Art for some tips.  Sadly, my watercolour skills are limited, the paint isn't vibrant with me, it just goes to mud, and using glass paints is a similar process, other than for drying you use a kiln.  Jill suggested I try an oil based medium, which resulted in a quick dash to the local supermarket for some Olive Oil, then I set about my fused cabs. 

So far they have had two firings and I am not unhappy with them, just not over happy.  They are not quite the masterpieces I imagined they would be, but, they are a start and I have many more ideas...and cabs...to play with, but I think I will take the bull by the horns and attempt to use the glass paints in a more watercolour technique, possibly this weekend...wont be next weekend as we are now counting down to the Beadathon raising awareness and funds, to support the Children with Cancer charity. 

If you are feeling generous and want to support us, and read more about it, click this link Beadathon.  We are a small group of lampworkers, and we are very passionate about raising awareness for this fabulous charity, we are nearly at our target of £500 and it would be brilliant to reach that by next weekend.

Laney x