Last month, Shirley Nowlin (Vice-President, Programs) issued a beading challenge. Since members had been treated to programs on basic weaving techniques such as peyote, brick stitch and right angle weave, the challenge was to take a basic turquoise donut and create something beautiful using one or a combination of those stitches. She asked Nancy Jones of Tiny Dog Seed Beads (http://www.tinydogseedbeads.com/) to judge the entries and the winners were awarded a $20 gift card. Here are the stunning entries:
Lillian Skogsberg is an expert at bead crochet! I really love the clever way she connected three donuts together with beaded bails. Lillian said she used right angle weave and a crochet rope in this stunning creation. As if that isn’t enough, check out the embellishments on the rope and that beaded clasp – whew!!!
Carolyn Slater created her beaded vision of loveliness using ndbele, brick stitch and peyote. Carolyn is a very prolific beader - in fact, we really believe this is probably only one of several she created the same night! Carolyn always creates wonderous beaded projects - and this is no exception.
Kathleen Stauber used peyote and right angle weave in her challenge. I love how she used rosy coral to accent the turquoise color along with gold – who would have thought to pair turquoise and gold? Beaded beads, a beautifully embellished turquoise donut and another surprise – grey pearls – makes this necklace a real stunner!
Kathy Musselwhite created this bezeled turquoise beauty using peyote. She told the group that she struggled to enter it into the challenge because she really didn’t think it was finished. But, many thought it would make a wonderful art piece to hang or even as a special talisman for a special place. I agree. Bead embroidery is one of my favorite techniques, but I would have never thought of using short bugle beads to bezel a donut. Just wonderful work.
Kim Butler is the long-time membership chair for HBS who has become known for her beautiful woven bracelets. Kim accented her turquoise donut with beautiful silk fibers and beads the colors of the Southwest. She then used some of those same fibers to bind her three brick stitch bracelets together and added some turquoise colored pony beads to the end of the fibers. We all fell in love with her creation and Shirley Nowlin (VP - Programs) even wore it on her wrist the rest of the day.
Lynn Lytle also used peyote to bezel her turquoise donut. What I love about her design is how her minimalistic design really focuses on the beautifully bezeled donut! A deceptively simple beaded rope in turquoise and black and that cute floral motif in the center makes this a real winner in my book.
Finally, check out this vision of beady loveliness created by Rachel Solis. Rachel used peyote, right angle weave and cubic right angle weave to create a vision in turquoise! I love how she created a simple beaded bezel for her donut, but then has all of these other spectacular elements – bead bezeled turquoise cabs, beaded circles and a pretty spectacular beaded clasp. Wow – what more can I say?
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On a special note, I was made aware of an entry created by Shelley Dearing that did not make it in. I nicknamed it the Bad Biker Chick Bracelet. Shelley used the new peanut shape beads and peyote to create a really neat flat band of peyote with a really strong, dense look - all without the need of adding an extra layer of beads! She added her donut to the face of the beaded strap and topped it off with a neat Route 66 button. Since she wouldn't allow me to photograph it, next time you see her ask – no demand – that she show it to you. I loved it!
Shirley and Houston Bead Society would like to thank everyone who participated. It was an amazing display of creativity and work.
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