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Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Autumn Design Challenge

I was lucky enough to be chosen by Lesley and Caroline for their Autumn Design Challenge - have a look at the goodies that they sent me!

I started up with the Caroline's bird bead.  I wanted to find a perch for it and tried a few things - but I eventually decided on this wooden bead that came as part of a pack from Smitten Beads.  I decided to make some resin components - incorporating skeleton leaves.  Then I pulled out some Czech glass beads that had a frosty, autumnal feeling and put these together with the round beads from Caroline.  It got finished off with some peanut beads......


I've been experimenting with some Pebeo effects paints and mixing those with resin.  You get some interesting honeycomb effects - the end result is entirely unpredictable...it is quite exciting watching this paint dry!!  I picked some complementary paint/resin colours to Lesley's flower pendant - and some extra components for the necklace.  Again it is finished off with some peanut beads (I'm a little obsessed at the moment!)....


I've been making quite a few of these wire 'cocoon' beads lately - I make these on a coiling Gizmo.  So I made a couple more and matched them with Lesley's bracelet focal.....


The last thing I made was a bangle using Caroline's heart bead as a dangle.  I made the bangle in wire and then tightly wound on some sari silk.  I wire wrapped this adding a few seed beads for some extra sparkle.  I think I might make a few more of these - I think they'd be fun to stack up on my wrist......


I really enjoyed working with Caroline and Lesley's art beads.  Please do go and check out their work for yourself.  Lesley is at  http://thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.co.uk/ and Caroline is at http://blueberribeads.co.uk/.  Please also go and have a look at what everyone else made with the beads that they were sent for the challenge....





Caroline Dewison – http://blueberribeads.co.uk






















Melissa Trudinger – http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com/














Madeline Bunyan – http://madelinebunyan.com/mlj/




30 comments:

  1. Sue your designs are great - you've done so much with your beads and I love your resin components and the way you've echoed the beads you were given. I'm also a big fan of wire cocoon beads too so I love that bracelet. Thank you very much for taking part in our challenge.

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    1. Thanks Lesley - glad you like what I did with your lovely art beads. Thanks for including me in this challenge.

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  2. Beautiful, beautiful work, I love all of it especially yout resin leaf drops and the two bracelets, I've been itching to find the time to make a wrapped bangle with the sari silk. You've used all the components from the giveaway so well, an all round top notch job! Oh and thanks for the mention :) Claire x

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    1. I've been wanting to find the time to make a sari silk wrapped bangle too! Really glad that Lesley and Caroline's challenge gave me a chance to get on with it! Glad you like what I did. I'm definitely happy to give Smitten Beads a mention - it is a great site!

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  3. All your pieces are so beautifull. I also love your resin components.

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  4. Love all the beautiful pieces you made. You also tried so many interesting techniques too. I really love the cocoon beads on your bracelet and the resin beads are pretty awesome too. Great job on all.

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  5. Your resin leaves are charming! The bracelets cry loud my name ;-)

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  6. Well, I'm pretty much just speechless...love the soft color palette in the first necklace, and your resin beads are awesome! I'm thrilled with the shape of your resin beads in the second necklace, they echo the focal perfectly. My daughter and I both fell in love with the wire cocoons, those are amazing! And your sari silk bangle is a huge hit as well!

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  7. Very very pretty. Especially the green bracelet, fabulous

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  8. What a treat for the eyes I particularly like the zingyness of the bangle, so eye catching. x

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  9. I've just been trying to pick a favourite, but I don't think I can! They're all stunning! I love your resin work too, keep experimenting!

    Thank you for taking part!

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    1. Thanks Caroline - glad you like tem. I really enjoyed working with your lovely beads.

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  10. Everything is great, but that first necklace is just fantastic! I love the skeleton leaf drops - just perfect for the theme. Well done :)

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  11. I love the use of the peanut beads on the necklaces. What a great idea to add colour and texture to the design.

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    1. I am a little obsessed with peanut beads. As you say they add some texture and come in great colours.

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  12. Love what you've done with the resin, what a great effect! lovely colours you've put together!

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  13. Both bracelets are precious! Love them!
    Ambra

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  14. Sue - Your designs are so beautiful! I am in awe!

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  15. Gorgeous designs, love the resin leaves and links in the two necklaces.

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    1. Thanks, I love working with resin - it is so versatile. Thanks for visiting.

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