Halfcraft + Humblebeads: Pretty Palettes Challenge

I was invited this month to participate in Halcraft's Pretty Palette Challenge this month. I was gifted an assortment of beads in hues of peach, orange, green and brown. I loved the earthy combination and pulled out some art beads to help add a story to this lovely collection of glass, stones and wood.

For those of us in the north that weather through dark, cold and grey winters, it takes quite a bit of faith to trust that the promise of spring is right around the corner by March. Even thought a snowflake may still fall this time of year, once I hear the birds sing for the first time in spring I know the world will soon wake up. I wanted this necklace to capture that faith in the promise of spring!

For this first necklace I used 1mm gold leather from Classic Elements and strung on those gorgeous wood disks from Halcraft. I paired one of my Gilded Bramble Birds and Diane Hawkey word bead in shades of green. 

I was pleasantly surprised that those green jasper chips had large enough holes for the leather, but they did! I don't think I've used chip beads since my beginning days of jewelry making. I have to say I like their organic, rustic look. 

I used some of the seed beads sent in a mix of beads and finished the design with a leaf button.

This design used more the seed beads from the Halcraft mix. I strung them on headpins to make a tiny tassel with an enamel leaf from Gardanne Beads. I wrapped a wire nest for my Gilded Bramble Bird. 

I had one wooden disk bead left, so I didn't want to waste that! I used another word bead from Diane Hawkey that was the perfect color and sentiment. On the pearl leather cord I strung wood beads from the Halcraft stash. 

(I'll be sharing how to make wire nests for your birds and other beads today on Facebook live at 2pm EST. https://www.facebook.com/humblebeadspage/) 

When I saw these ceramic beads in my package I was both delighted and little scared. These are some big beads girls! I actually almost bought them last month but chickened out because of their size. My goal for this necklace was to make something I'd wear, so I thought simple, little nature thrown in but let those big beads do the talking.

I really love the mottled finish on the beads, they reminded me of my Monarch Beads, so I pulled those out from my stash along with those oval wood beads. The round wood beads are from Halcraft.

I strung on the large beads and used a spacer before I knotted the 1mm leather cord that I used for the necklace. I knotted between all the other beads and finished this necklace with adjustable knots. Simple, but fun and something I'd totally wear.

My last design is a knotted bracelet on waxed linen cord. I really went out of my comfort zone with those bright orange glass lentils. But as soon as I saw this tiny heart charm from Mary Harding I knew I could pull it off.

I used one of my Wooden House beads and another Monarch Disk with the glass lentils, quartzite and dye jade beads along with a few more wooden beads. I love how the blue of waxed linen is part of the design throughout the bracelet. 

I want to thank Molly for inviting me to join in the fun this month and a big thanks to Halcraft for providing the beads and inspiration! 

Stop over to the Halcraft blog to see more creations inspired by this month's Pretty Palette challenge and to learn more about the beads. 

Gilded Bramble Birds, Monarch Beads and Wooden House beads can all be found at my website, www.humblebeads.com. 

100 Days of Beads Challenge

I decided to challenge myself to make a new bead everyday for the 100 days. I love a good creative challenge to keep me on my toes. 

I've had this tiger lily idea in my sketchbook for a few weeks and wanted to see it come to life. I may revisit it again soon.

Tiger lilies are my favorite flowers. I love to see them growing wild along old country roads.

I created these pendants last week, lilies have been in my mind! 

This is my current inspiration, a little watercolor in a juicy summer palette. Let's see what I make tomorrow. 

Follow my 100 Days of Beads challenge on Instagram at: 

http://www.instagram.com/humblebeads

#100DaysofBeads - jewelry and beadmakers feel free to jump in too and use the # so I can follow along! 

Beads will be listed daily in my Etsy shop:

http://www.humblebeads.etsy.com

Winter Inspirations

Humblebeads on Etsy

Winter is settling into the fields and forests around my home. It's an icy winter wonderland with more snow on the way this week. I won't lie, I've enjoyed the warmer weather this year but once the snow is here and gently falling I'm transfixed by it's magic. Can we get a woot, woot for husbands that do the shoveling? .

I can't think of a better thing to do during winter hibernation than pull out my beads and get creative!

Try my muffin tin challenge to jump start your jewelry projects this weekend. It's a great trick to use to get 6-12 projects done quickly.

Image source: Pinterest 

Autumn Flowers Inspiration

The Art Bead Scene's challenge this month is a silk screen print by Marguerite Zorach.  With a background in printmaking this piece really called to me as labor of love from the artist. With the muted colors and modern design elements I knew right away that I would want to make beads inspired by the art. I printed this out and went to the studio to dig in and see what I could create. 

I pulled out some bead molds that reminded me the leaves, flowers and ferns in the painting and created them in autumn hues.

I mixed up some colors in polymer that matched the color palette I created for the ABS. (It will be on the blog tomorrow.) And pulled out some canes that fit the leafy theme for a very limited edition of these Autumn Floral disk beads. Love these! May have to keep a set for myself.

 Feathers in the navy blue and jade pulled from the print.

And I love the ferns stuck in the floral arrangement so I wanted to pull out these fern charms in the navy and copper hues.

I had this mold in the beadmaking stash from something I made years ago that never fit what I wanted for the project at the time. But when I was digging in those molds this week I instantly saw it updated in the new colors and knew it would be perfect. These are my favorite from this week's beadmaking adventures.  I love how they feel like a mid-century pattern. I'd love a skirt or scarf made with this design.

And looking at the inspiration print I couldn't help but think of my Bonbon beads. So I mixed up my favorite colors from the print and got to work on a new batch. Perfectly autumn, don't you think?

So that's what I created for this month's ABS challenge. I'm also a sponsor for this month's round and have donated a $50 Humblebeads.com gift certificate. I hope you'll play along this month!

New beads can be found in my Etsy shop.

AJE Firefly Challenge

Earlier this month the Art Jewelry Elements posted a challenge for summer inspired by Fireflies. I had to jump on it. I love these night time dancers that entertain us during hot and humid summer nights. The fields around my house light up with their display and I have fond memories of chasing fireflies as a kid growing up in the country. 

My first pendant is a simple design with one of my firefly charms, Czech glass, a feathery Humblebead disk and a brass colored dyed hematite. I worked the chain up with a series of large jump rings juxtaposed by a copper flower clasp.

My next piece is a bracelet that uses similar beads to match my pendant.

My final pendant I pulled out a bead I had been hording for years, years I tell you! Isn't that funny how you can fall in love with a bead but you have to wait until it really speaks to you before you take it out of the bead box. 

This pewter pendant is Mamacita Beadworks. I stacked a series of art beads on top of the pendant to suggest a summer night - a golden disk bead with tree branches wrapped around it. A lampwork bead from Sea of Glass that looks like a starry night. A ceramic bead from Earthenwood Studio that reminds of wood and the forests, along with a little wooden bead. And finally a tiny disk bead with wings wrapped around it. 

The best part of the firefly pendant - those squirmy little legs underneath! It reminds me of a character straight out of Tim Burton's James and Giant Peach.

Visit the other participants and see their firefly inspirations!

Guest Designers:
Melissa Trudinger - https://beadrecipes.wordpress.com/2015/06/30/aje-firefly-challenge-reveal/
Mary Detray - http://www.brassrabbitstudio.com/blog
Keren Panthaki - https://vasdea.wordpress.com
Tammy Adams - http://www.paisleylizard.com/
Veralynne Malone - www.veradesigns.blogspot.com
Terri Del Signore - http://artisticaos.blogspot.com/
Heather Powers - http://www.humblebeads.blogspot.com (you're here!)
Susan Delphine Delaney - https://susandolphindelaney.wordpress.com

AJE Team:
Jenny Davies-Reazor - http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog
Lesley Watt - http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com
Niky Sayers - http://silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk
Caroline Dewison - http://blueberribeads.co.uk
Jen Cameron - http://www.glassaddictions.com/blog

The ABS Editors Take the Challenge

Today a few of us from the Art Bead Scene blog are sharing how the monthly challenge painting by Frida Kahlo has inspired us this month. You can read all the challenge details here.

The story and symbolism behind this painting is so sad, it reflected the pain and heartbreak of losing the two great loves of her life.

For my beads that I created I focused on the foliage behind the artist, taking visual clue from the leaf and sky. Even the butterflies in her hair found their way into the beads. I also did a design inspired by the thorns.

I took the disk beads and created two bracelets with ceramic cuffs from Suzie Q Beads.

For this design I used a series of jump rings to create the chain. 

The next bracelet I took a few cues from the painting but went into a more playful direction than the serious subject matter of the painting. 

For this bracelet I added in a tropical Bonbon bead. I definitely stepped away from the inspiration and went in a brighter and cheerier design.

And isn't that the best thing about the monthly challenge? It's a spring board that takes artists from all the world on creative explorations as they take a painting and transform the colors, designs and subject into jewelry.

Have you created something for this month's challenge? You still have a few days, so join us!

Featured Beads: Bonbon Beads and Wild Growth Disk Beads.

Beady Advice For Happier Times:

Believe good things are going to happen.

Surround yourself with precious friends.

Just bee yourself darling.

Remember, wishes do come true - make at least one a day!

There are seasons of growth, embrace change.

Variety is the spice of life, mix things up every now and then. 

Share your favorite quote or words of wisdom that have helped you lately.

(Click on the images to read more about the beads.)

Prayer Tassel Necklace

Beads can be so much more than pretty shiny things that appeal to our magpie gene! A piece of jewelry can be infused with meaning and a silent prayer that you wear through the day as a talisman or reminder of deeper meanings and symbols. 

I reviewed a great little book years ago called Bead One, Pray Too and it came to mind last night when I was making this necklace. 

I made this necklace as a reminder and a prayer to myself that no matter how harsh the winter, spring always comes. No matter how hard the day, tomorrow has the promise of being a better one. 

So I picked some beads to symbolize things I'd like to remember when wearing this necklace. It's a prayer for my family. And if you are a mom you know whether you are religious or not, there is a always a prayer in our heart for your beloved children!

I used two charms to symbolize my daughters. The leaf, is my youngest. She floats, goes with the flow, she is flexible and giving. 

The other charm is a flower, my oldest. Ready to bloom into an adult, she is beautiful and has layers of complexity that makes her so interesting and creative. 

The nest symbolizes our family, our home. It's in the center, it's the heart beat that keeps me going each day.

I added a bird, that symbolizes me. I'm the mother hen, brooding over my nest. With wings that gather them in for protection and comfort on the rare moments they let me! 

I choose beads that are bright and cheery with a playful mix. A reminder to let joy seep in during the trials. To bring love and light to each day.

In case you are wondering about the construction - the beaded strand is on waxed linen, I knotted between the beads.

At the end of the strand I attached it to the ball chain by wrapping and tying it several times around the chain. I added a dot of glue to keep things in place. I threaded the linen through the connector and then trimmed it. I did that for both sides of the necklace and then attached the two sides with a little bit more of the ball chain.

Oh and a really good tip my aunt Rosanne shared with me about the tassels - brush them out with a toothbrush to make them fuller.

Leaf and nest from Stinky Dog Beads. Flower from Gardanne. Ceramic bead: Firefly Designs. Disk Beads and Bird: Humblebeads.

Have you been having fun making these tassels? I know I can't quit!

Game of Thrones Jewelry Reveal

A few weeks ago I put out a challenge for my fellow jewelry designers to create a piece of jewelry inspired by Game of Thrones. 

For my creations I was inspired by the Women of Westeros. 

My first creation is inspired by Sansa Stark - whose jewelry got her into all sorts of trouble last season. (PS - don't go to a wedding in Westeros, ever!)

I loved the transformation at the end of last season and seeing that Sansa has decided to drop the damsel in distress act and take her fate into her own hands, at least somewhat. I hate to see her as a pawn of Baelish - he is such a weasel. 

I loved the darker look that she adopted while at the Eyrie. I think she would have opted for something that gave a nod to the House of Arryn and I could see her wearing this while avoiding her unhinged aunt. 

Among the Clouds Necklace

The necklace features artisan beads that I created and clasp by Green Girl Studios.

Chain provided by Stinky Dog Beads.

My next inspiration was the Mother of Dragons - Daenerys Targaryen. Oh my gosh, who doesn't love her? 

I created a pendant that pulled in elements that reminded me of her. This bead has the look of a dragon eye so I decided Daenerys would definitely be wearing this while ruling her growing empire.

She would rub the bead while dreaming of of the Iron Throne with her three dragons circling above. She'd have on one of those silky blue dresses that she is always sporting. 

Eye of Protection Jewel Pendant

 The pendant features a lampwork bead from Genea Beads and art beads that I created.

And dragon scale earrings because what else would the Mother of Dragons wear? I like the slightly scorched look of the ceramic beads in this one. You can't rule dragons without getting a little burnt, right?

Dragon Scale Earrings

The earrings feature pewter charms from Invicti, ceramic bead from White Clover Kiln and beads I created. 

The next character who I love to watch what she is going to do next is Margaery Tyrell. What a dangerous woman, she doesn't want to be a queen - she wants to be THE queen. I loved that. She is all about using beauty and charm to disarm her enemies and get what she wants. 

Since her family is the House of Tyrell and the rose is their symbol with their motto as "Growing Strong" I went with a floral design that she might have brought back from Highgarden. 

I used tiny bits of silk wrapped in wire that I felt looked a dress she would wear - of course it would be cut way too low. I can't wait to see what happens next to this character who appears to be the luckiest unlucky bride in all the seven kingdoms.  Two husbands dead already and she hasn't got her first gray hair!

Beauty in the Thorns Bracelet

The bracelet features a house bead that I created, enamel beads from Gardanne Beads and pewter leaves from Green Girl Studios.

Enter to Win The Dragon Jewel Pendant!

Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win this artisan Dragon Jewel Pendant.

It features a handcrafted lampwork bead by Genea Beads and accents with a brass filigree pendant and polymer clay beads. The gunmetal chain measures 26" long.

Retail value $55. US residents only, must be 18 years of older to enter.

If you are playing along with the challenge, enter your blog link below. I'm counting down the days until Sunday - can't wait to watch how the game is played this season!

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