More fish pics

Just some closeups of my new fishies..

Winters Queen

It is a wonderfully rainy day- great for the plants and us, but lousy for taking photos. Still, I wanted to share Winter Queen, as she is finished. Each of her snowflakes has a Sterling Silver spacer bead, inside which nestles a 2.5 or 3mm Swarovski bicone, held in place with a 13o charlotte, supposed to be silver plated, but the plating comes off with wear. Each snowflake is different, and is done with circular peyote stitch. Her bodice reflects the different colors of the dark we know in the Northern Hemisphere's Winter, as well as the phases of the moon, which stands out so clearly without leaves to obscure its faces.Dark blue swirls for the winds of Winter, swirling the snowflakes.

As always, click on any image to enlarge.

I hope you enjoy her.

North Wind Pin

It's both fun and a challenge to work in a single palette...I am happy with how he came out!

Challenge at Beadmavens!

You have until November 28, 2010 to enter this challenge, and it is open to all, internationally!

http://www.beadmavens.com/Bead_Mavens/Challenges.html

Just email the photos of your piece(s), along with a paragraph about it or them- how easy is that?!!

I just had to enter my Ice Queen's Delight!

MerQueen's Hand

She loves all things from the Seas, collecting the bits and baubles she finds in her travels, and adding them to her bejeweled self...

10"H X 6"W X 1.5" D, not including fringe.

Spring Waves Necklace

From the Ocean Waves pattern, which is a RAW modified with an extra bead.

Cannot remember for the life of me who created this originally, but thanks to her

I have this lovely necklace, which drapes nicely. I added a self-toggle clasp,

because I don't like metal clasps on seed bead pieces. It was created for the

March Challenge at Beaddreamz yahoogroup.

Herringbone Challenge at Beaddreamz Group

Flat view

top loop end

top clasp end

bottom loop end-peyote loop

bottom clasp- brickstitch

button sideways through loop

almost there, 5o beads go under button

button fully in loop underside

no unsightly loop gaps

Our newest challenge-to-be will be herringbone,

something I can do in the wavy style, but still have

tension issues with the flat or circular styles. I wanted

a place to show how to add a clasp to the wavy

herringbone bracelet, as I hate having the skin show

between regular loops and button clasps, and are not

happy adding metal clasps to offloom beadwork.

I hope these make sense and are helpful to you.

October's Doll

I wanted to do something radically different with my doll for the October part of the Year Long Challenge at Beaded Art Dolls, and two leaves in my yard stood out, saying 'Pick me! Pick me!' to help out.

I scanned them, then used EasyBeadPatterns' free program to recreate the leaves in brickstitch, shrinking them to 3" and 1" tall, and holding them to only 12 colors each.

Both beaded up quickly, and I always love how brickstitch allows a piece such sturdiness! I did 'forget' how to do the decreases at first, and went to Silverhill's free site for a video refresher.

http://www.silverhilldesign.com/tutorials/BrickStitchTutor.html

Look under the 'goodies' link for other tutorials that are really, really helpful.

But, that is why you might see a stray thread here and there....

Still, I am most happy with Autumn Flame, and she will make a nice pin or pendant!

What is it?

Here's a clue; it will be one of the Year Long Calendar Challenge pieces from BAD (beaded art dolls).

Sylph is finished, free to fly!

The doll I worked with in her creation, Sylph, is finished today.

She flies in the window of my studio, bringing fresh, clean air to all she meets.

Her smile is one of gentle benevolence, and satisfaction at her Life.

Her trails are those of the gentle soaking rains, soft covering snowfalls, the chill refreshing mists and the quiet enveloping fogs.

She came into being during the Global Warming Challenge at Beaded Art Dolls, suggested by Robin Atkins.

May she find her place in our world...

Elements for a challenge, which grew and grew

Pics of the Russian Leaves, first for an imaginationartsprompts challenge, and now for the Tribal Wrap doll, which has become my Harvest Tribal Effigy....doll pics to come- still have the masque to make

Making Faces

It was mentioned on BAD (see link in links section) about drawing faces for art dolls, and being stumped or even afraid, to do so.
Where does this come from, I asked myself?
We all happily drew circles, albeit crooked ones, with two dots for eyes, and a curve for a mouth, when we were young.
Progressing beyond that seemed difficult, at best, and horrific, at worst.
Are we our own worst critics, or was this instilled in us, by teachers, parents, friends?
Why haven't we gotten over this?
I am currently in a challenge at IAP (Imaginationartprompts@yahoogroups.com ) for leaves, that ends this week.
I think I will toss into that group, this conundrum.
Maybe there is a resolution I cannot see, besides the one my art teacher gave me, years back- draw them til you are sick of them- UPSIDE DOWN!