I'm honored again to get to participate in another design challenge hosted by the amazing Toltec Jewels. This time the featured artist is Diana Ptaszynski of Suburban Girl Studio!! I had the pleasure of meeting Diana her truck show at Ornamentea last year. (Psst...Diana, please come back!!).
I was really excited to get to play with Diana's anchor beads, and already had my idea in mind before they arrived. Of course, when they got here, I got straight to work (yeah, no that didn't happen). I mean, I already had figured out what I want to do, so what's the rush? Last week, I decided it was time to start creating. My idea was to create beaded beads, with each one representing a different nautical flag to make a necklace.
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| Nautical Book from local library |
I had a pretty productive first day. I got two of the beads started and I just needed to stitch them up to form tubes. So, I called it a night. Then, the real world interfered with bead fun so I didn't get back to creating until Sunday. No problem, I still have a week to finish.
Then, it happened. I couldn't peyote stitch to save my life. No matter what I did, I couldn't make anything come out right. I even pulled out Mastering Beadwork by Carol Cypher to follow along with the directions to figure out what I was doing wrong. By Wednesday night, I was so frustrated and thought that I wasn't going to have anything to show for this challenge. Has anyone ever had a mental block like this before? I'm sure by next week, I'll be able to do this no problem, lol.
Thursday, I decided that I needed a new idea. I began to think about anchors and what they reminded me of. Growing up, we had a lake in our neighborhood that I spent so much time in during the spring and summer with my friends. Naturally, I started to think of my friends and other things we like to do. Then, it hit me almost immediately. Friendship bracelets!!! I made and swapped so many friendship bracelets, but I haven't made one in forever. So, I dug out my dmc floss and got to work!
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I'm so happy that these came out so well! It was a little strange not to have any other beads in the design, but I think it works. The thread looks abstractly like a sailboat, so the anchors underneath are just perfect!
Thank you Toltec Jewels for hosting yet again another fun and very challenging hop!
Please check out the other artists who got to create with Diana's anchor beads! To get some anchors of your own (or other pretties), go to Suburban Girl Beads!
Featured & Honored Artist: Diana Ptaszynski
Diana's Shop: Suburban Girl Beads
Diana's Blogs: Suburban Girl Studio
Hostess: TJ Jewel School Friends
Bobbie Rafferty Beadsong Jewelry
Chris Eisenberg Wanderware
Heather Richter Desert Jewelry Designs
Michelle McCarthy Firefly Design Studio
Kathy Lindemer Bay Moon Design
Dini Bruinsma Angaza by Changes
Cynthia Machata Antiquity Travelers
Kathleen Breeding 99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall
Linda Younkman Lindy's Designs
Robin Reed Artistry HCBD
Marla Gibson Spice Box Designs
Gina Hockett Freestyle Elements
Renetha Stanziano Lamplight Crafts
Marianne Baxter Simply Seablime Jewelry
Christina Miles Wings N Scales
Marybeth Rich A Few Words from Within the Pines
Shai Williams Shaiha's Ramblings
Cheri Reed Creative Designs by Cheri
Monique Urquhart A Half-Baked Notion
Jennifer Reno Musings of a Crafty Jenny
Shirley Moore Beads and Bread
Tammy Adams Paisley Lizard
I think your design is perfect! The sailboat, with anchors aweigh! Love them! Gina H
ReplyDeleteAwesome design, Jennifer! I agree, the imagery does indeed remind me of a colourful sailboat :) Very original and effective!
ReplyDeleteAdorable earrings. Before I got to the end of your post I was already thinking the knotted thread looked like sails. Well done.
ReplyDeleteI love how you've done the weaving with the floss! and such tiny work - holy moly! It gives it a really wonderful look - so nautical!
ReplyDeleteWow, this is so so creative. The colors just make the anchors pop! You did a fantastic job and I hope you get your mojo back with your peyote stitch
ReplyDeleteYour first idea was so intriguing, but your earrings came out great. The top part does look like a sailboat, and the colors are perfect. They remind me of my childhood as well.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great pair of earrings!
ReplyDeleteFantastic Earrings! They really do remind me of sail boats! Bravo!
ReplyDeleteYou also like to take a challenge by the horns and dream big! Excellent concept of stitching flags from beads! I have done the same with numerous projects and remember vividly wanting to bead embroider a snowflake, that turned into a star and then a flower! Oh, well...it's a process and it's worth trying so we learn and grow! It is cute how the colors swirl into the shape of a sail on a boat!
ReplyDeleteThis is why I dont like to get rid of anything...you never know when you will need it to create something with...LOL Your earrings are so dang cute!
ReplyDeleteSee? There was a reason your peyote wasn't working...cause you needed to create a memory! What a wonderful idea!
ReplyDeleteThat was my first thought too, a sailboat (-: I love the idea of the friendship bracelet, you ' translated ' it into this pair of earrings in a very nice way!
ReplyDeleteThey really do look like sailboats and I think the colors are all you need to highlight the anchor beads. Great job!
ReplyDeleteThose are so cute!!! Love the color and the texture too! Have a Blessed Day!!!
ReplyDeleteAh friendship earrings. I love the originality of your designer earrings.
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