Today is the Color of Dreams blog hop. I received this amazing center bead
by artist Patricia Handshuh from
http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com . Isn't it great that there is so much detail in something so small? It is the size of my thumbnail. I knew I had to make it the focal of a delicate necklace. The colors make me think of spring. I stitched around it with the colors in the bead to make it more prominent. Then made herringbone straps and a clasp. Herringbone is a stitch I have not done before. I won the book "Mastering Herringbone Stitch" by Melinda Barta on a giveaway by Jean Yates at http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com and used it to help me grow. Jean does the best book reviews I have ever read. My dream is to make my jewelry the focus of my life. I want to get published. I have not felt that my creations were good enough yet but I am getting there. I have not had the courage to submit anything yet but it is my dream. I keep saying that I am going to open an etsy store and be a real business but I have not done so yet either. Maybe this piece will be the catalyst for some action. These are the thing I thought about as I stitched this necklace. To see what the other participants dream about please click on the link above. Thank you for visiting my blog today, and a big thank you to Rita for including me in this inspirational hop, and thank you to Patricia for her amazing pillow bead.
Go for your dream! This piece is so precious!
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Thanx Miranda. I am glad that you like it and I can use the encouragement.
ReplyDeleteThis necklace is lovely! You need to follow your dreams!! Start an Etsy shop and share your creations with the world. There are some tricks for success on Etsy. Contact me and I can help you get started. If I can do it, anyone can.
ReplyDeleteKathy
http://vintagememoriesjewelry.blogspot.com/
Thanx Kathy. I appreciate your offer to help and I will contact you. I am glad that you like my necklace.
DeleteOh, my, such a beautiful piece! Forget about the bead (it is just perfect) - you just created the essence of Spring and Happiness: a pastel ice-cream :)
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed, go for your dreams! What I found helpful is breaking my huge dreams into a composition of micro-dreams. It's much easier to attain 'pick up name', 'pick up colours', 'create 10 pieces to upload', 'open store and upload 2 pieces', then repeat - than 'open online store' :) You can do it, Becky!
Thanx Alicia. I am glad that you like my necklace. I truly appreciate you encouragement and advice. Breaking it down into manageable steps is good advice.
DeleteI just cannot believe how beautiful this is!!! I am so honored to be mentioned by you, as well. Your pieces is incredible. I am thrilled by your dream! I think that your writing it here, now, is an affirmation of it being realized by YOU! lots of love!!! jean xox!!!
ReplyDeleteThanx so much Jean. You helped me to grow. You are right about actually posting about it making it more real to me and I have received encouragement from several others. I visit your blog often (even if I don't comment often) and I think that you write the best book reviews of any I have read. I am very glad that you like what I created.
DeleteYou don't think your pieces are 'good enough'! This one is very, very lovely and if this one is any indication of what your other pieces look like then I'd say you are definitely ready to branch out and get your pieces out there on Etsy! Would love to see some more of your work...:) I have not worked a great deal with seed beads, but from what little I've done, I know it is not as easy as it may look like and you have done a beautiful job with this one! Take heart and go for it my dear...:)
ReplyDeleteThanx Ev, I am glad that you like my work. It is hard for me to be objective. I appreciate your encouraging words. I really do want this piece to be the catalyst for action not just dreaming.
DeleteA beautiful creation, Becky! Love the soothing pastels :) Do you think perhaps this is the time for you to explore selling? Alicia had some great pointers. (I will take advantage in case I am ever bitten by the sales bug!)
ReplyDeleteThanx Monique. I am glad that you like my piece. I am seriously thinking of selling on etsy. I was hoping that this piece would be the catalyst. Everyone's encouraging word are helping. I agree and I will take Alicia's ideas to heart.
ReplyDeleteHoly Moley, Becky - this is a beautiful necklace! It reminds me of sherbet. I encourage you to open a shop on Zibbet. That is where my shop is, and I love it. It is free to open a shop, and very easy to set up. Not as much traffic as other places, but it is a great way to start. If you would like my shop link to see what the stores look like, feel free to email me.
ReplyDeleteThanx Lisa. I am glad that you like my necklace. A couple of other people said that it looked like sherbet, including my sister. Zibbet might be a good place to start. I appreciate your suggestion.
DeleteThis is awesome! I see no reason why you could not be published.
ReplyDeleteThanx Jael. I am glad that you like my necklace. I appreciate your encouragement and I am seriously considering submitting.
DeleteWow! I really liked how we both took the same bead and branched out to make necklaces that are so different from each other.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with everyone. If this is a good example of your work, then you are more then ready to start selling.
Thanx Shaiha. Yes I was fascinated by your piece too. That is one of the facets of jewelry making that I love. Everyone sees things differently. It is wonderful to hear so much encouragement about my dream.
DeleteNow that piece is toooo awesome. SO springy, feminine, soft.....I could go on. Your seed beading is to die for...I am slowing getting into seed beading and am in awe of all the seasons beaders and what they can do! Excellent job and thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteThanx so much Veralynne for your lovely compliment. I do some wirework, and stringing but seed beads are my first love. Patricia's awesome bead was so small and dainty that it shouted seed beads to me. Good luck with your seed beading. They can do so many wonderful things. Imagination is the only limit.
DeleteI totally get where you are Becky. I'm determined to open a shop this year, but I know I won't choose Etsy, with all the issues everyone has had there. Love your choice of herringbone and the surround. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThanx Shirley I am glad that you like my necklace and pleased with how this piece turned out. I have read of a lot of issues with etsy but they seem to have a much larger customer base that the other sites. Lisa Lodge left a comment that her shop is at Zibbet which is free listings. You might want to check that out. I am going to.
DeleteYour beadwork leaves me breathless. Beautiful stitchwork and colours to perfectly compliment your bead.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Penny for your wonderful comments. It is great to have other beaders like my work.
DeleteIt's looks like that you love seed beads like me Yaayyy... Such a joy to found another seed beader. Love your necklace and your work you put into it.
ReplyDeleteAsri
Thanx Asri. I agree that it is great to find another seed beader. They are my favorite beads to work with. There is an endless number of ways to express ones self with them. I appreciate your positive comments. It means a lot to me coming from another seed beader.
DeleteThere are many of us in this color of dreams blog hop trying new techniques in our designs. Your colors are so pretty in the necklace and bezel. They complement each other well.
ReplyDeleteThanx for the positive comments. I usually try something new in a blog hop because the idea of them is to stretch our creativity. I want to continue to grow and learn as much as possible. I have been doing a blog hop about once a month this year.
DeleteYou've never done this before? Wowser. Your work is beautiful and the colors you chose are perfect for it. So very pretty, Becky. One of my goals for the year is to also get published; we'll have to touch base from time to time and see where we're at with it all. Christie
ReplyDeleteThanx Christie. I always feel so good to have other bead artists like my work. I have worked with seed beads lots but I have not done herringbone stitch before. Good luck on getting published. I am always happy to connect with other beaders. By the way my best friend in grade school was named Charis.
DeleteThe soft shades that you used are lovely. It's a sweet necklace.
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Thanx Cryss. I am very glad that you like my design and color choices.
DeleteBecky - how incredibly beautiful! I envy your mad bead stitching skills!
ReplyDeleteThanx Linda for your positive comments. Stitching with beads comes easy to me. I have always been creative but when I found beads I knew I had found my passion.
DeleteSuch a pretty necklace. I am in awe of your talent in beadwork. You must open a shop soon and share your talent. I was hesitant as well but opened my shop 2 weeks ago. It didn't hurt at all and it was good for my self confidence to see my work there! No sales yet but I'll be patient.Thanks for sharing your dreams and your lovely creation.
ReplyDeleteThanx so much Nan. It feels wonderful to have other bead artists like my creation. Everyone's positive comments and support are helping.
ReplyDeleteSo soft and pretty, the gentle breeze of spring. Perfect color combination!
ReplyDeleteThanx Debbie. I appreciate your kind comments.
DeleteI was thinking oh how soft and sweet! I feel so much peace when I look at those colors together. Very Beautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteThanx CJ. I am pleased that you like my necklace.It warms my heart that my design makes you feel peace.
DeleteBeautiful! I'm extremely impressed with your beadwork--I'm not very good at using seed beads, and this is simply lovely. Best of luck as you reach for your dreams!
ReplyDeleteThanx for your wonderful comments. It feels great to have other bead artists like my work.
DeleteVery pretty necklace and I love the colors. I hope that you decide to open your shop on etsy.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Patricia. I marveled at the intricacy you put into such a small bead and found it fun to design with. All of the positive comments I have received in this hop have helped me to decide that my work is good enough to go ahead with online sales.
DeleteOutstanding bead work! For a first time, you've done a fabulous job not only highlighting your bead but also with the colors in the bead work! Wow!
ReplyDeleteThanx Karla, I appreciate your flattering comments. It is great having other bead artists like my work.
DeleteBecky, you want to know something wild? I have always thought you WERE already a widely published designer! I've even been a little intimidated writing & chatting with you because I saw you as very experienced, published everywhere, books. So, reading your dream is to publish just amazes me because you have everything to be a leader in our community and publish away! You are so gifted!
ReplyDeleteYour necklace is exquisite. Simply exquisite. Others would be grateful to buy and wear your art, and to learn from you through publications. I agree with Jean -- your bliss is your destiny! your eye for color in your necklace is gorgeous. I love how your clasp mirrors the focal part of the necklace, and how the soft herringbone so elegantly flows to the beaded focal, so lacy and lovely! You created a star of the show!
Thank you for sharing your gifts with us in our hop and your dreams. I'm honored you are a part of my challenge and love your work. True art! xxoo Rita
Rita thank you so much for your wonderful comments. For you to say you were intimidated by me made me laugh. I have felt like a wallflower just dabbling on the fringe and admiring other designers work. I felt honored to be part of your blog hop. For you to say my necklace was a star of the show means so much to me. All of the positive comments in this blog hop have convinced me that I really should give it a shot. Thank you for encouraging me. I think I came up with an idea yesterday that I may submit for publication.
ReplyDeleteThis is just so pretty!!! I really love the design! The colors echo the bead and it has a wonderful place of honor!!! Great Job Becky!!!
ReplyDeleteThanx Robin. The place of honor is how I saw it and the design just developed from there.
ReplyDeleteFollow your dreams and just do it! You have what it takes and are well on your way to something more.
ReplyDeleteThanx Karen. I appreciate your positive comments. Following my dream is what I plan on doing.
DeleteWhat great bead work, I wouldn't have know it was your first time. Very pretty, soft elegant necklace.
ReplyDeleteThanx Kay. I am very glad that you like my necklace. I have been doing seed bead work for a long time but it was my first time with herringbone stitch.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow ! I am very impressed by all that bead weaving - it must have taken so long, and such a lovely result ! Sorry this comment took so long, this week has been a little heretic.
ReplyDeleteThanx Audrey. I appreciate your comments. It is great to have other bead artists like my work.It took a couple of days to stitch.
DeleteBecky, it is curious that I have this book and I've won it too in a giveaway. It is a most inspiring one. I loved most of the pieces and I've picked some to make. Which are your favourites? I've blogged about them here: http://acbeads.blogspot.com/2014/04/livro-book.html
ReplyDeleteHappy beading and go in the direction of your dreams.
Ana
Hi Ana, I feel lucky to have won this book and the timing was perfect. I agree that it is inspiring. I really enjoy doing spiral ropes so I am sure I will make more of those. I like starbright bracelet, gilded blossoms, paisley paillettes, and the beaded beads in hawthorne bracelet. I hope you enjoy making several projects from your book.
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