Thursday, January 08, 2009

Beading up a storm...


And having a blast in the process!!!

Look at what I found - I was looking through some of my stash, searching for focals that I might use for the upcoming One World One Heart giveaway. While the posts with giveaways will begin showing up on blogs the week of January 19th, the winners are to be announced on February 12. Close enough to Valentine's day to have me thinking hearts, flowers and all things related.

I'm not a big Valentine Day person - commercially speaking. I abhor the thought of anyone buying me flowers or chocolates at inflated prices just because that's what some people feel obligated to do that day. But if you gift me that stuff on a random Tuesday (just because), my heart will sing! I digress, back to beading...

I love hearts and flowers everyday and have incorporated those elements into my beading on many occasions. This giveaway is one of those occasions.

The flower pictured at the top of this post is a wonderful ceramic button created by the very talented Lisa Peters. I used heavy duty yellow Pellon as my foundation for the beading. I punctured a small hole in the Pellon in order to push the shank through the foundation. I also added a little bit of glue (E6000) to the back of the button for extra security. Because of the uneven edge of the flower I knew I would not be able to peyote stitch around the edge to secure it to the Pellon, so I wanted to make sure it would not detach from the foundation when worn. On the backside of the foundation where the shank was poking through, I slipped a small bugle bead through the shank loop and stitched it in place - safe and secure now!

After embellishing the front with beads, I moved on to the back. I added a touch of fiberfil, and a round piece of poster board cut a bit smaller than the Pellon. Next, I cut a round piece of mustard colored Ultrasuede for the backing. At that time I laid the pin back on the Ultrasuede to make the marks where I needed small cuts in order to push the pin back through it.

Next, I get out the E6000 and glue together what looks like a little cabochon sandwich. Ultrasuede on the bottom, pin back, poster board, fiberfil and Pellon with the button attached. I WISH I would have taken photos of the progress. This also the first time I used a pin back with bail and I like the versatility it provides. The edge stitch is a raw edge with 'pointed edge' stitch as found in 'Beading with Cabochons' by Jamie Cloud Eakin.



The only thing I would change (which I did on the next one) is that I would take the button shank (they are metal on these particular buttons) and bend it sideways - eliminating the need to add the fiberfil as a cushion for the shank and the bugle bead. That's what I did on the lips and I think it worked out better. The back is smoother that way and it just looked better to me. I've included photos of the backs for both so you can see the difference between the two.



The lips - are SO cute! This is stoneware shank button, also created by Lisa Peters. This button is pretty deep (high?), but had a nice edge - perfect for a peyote stitch! I am not sure how many rows I added. I started with a matte AB size 11 bead at the base and added transparent AB beads towards the top.



I finished it with a raw edge stitch using size 11/0 beads as well as 4mm padparadscha and 3mm AB dark red coral Swarovski crystals.



Now to decide which I will give away... or will it be both? I'm working up at least 2 more in the next few days (both hearts) and once done with all of them will then decide if one or all will be given away. So check back if you're interested. The only requirement to participate is that you have a blog - that's pretty easy don't you think?

As always you can click on each photo above for a bigger version with more detail.

13 comments:

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

O My Gosh!! I don't know who Lisa Peters is, but I am going back to click on her name to find out!! I LOVE those lips!! and your beading of course is beautiful.

Lisa Peters Russ said...

Oh, I am so happy..
Grace.. they are wonderful!
I blogged u back (and stole your photo's - but I gave you credit for my thievery) LOL

Grace, they are beautiful. I love them. I could not wait to see what was going to become of those lips! I am making some today..

beautiful grace!
lisa

*~tabby~* crooked heart art said...

hi grace
oh you sure are beading up a beautiful storm!!
i am loving those lips!!!
very funky!!!
i agree with your veiw on valentines day-i abhor it too-always have-i'd rather get flowers 'just because' not because the day dictates it!
could you explain the one world give away a bit? i am seeing the banner pop up on a few blogs and just am not familiar with it??
hope you are well grace
we are in for 6+ glorious inches of snow for tomorrow
hip hip hurray!!!!
i am the happy girl :)
x's &o's
tammy :)

GraceBeading said...

Oh Carol... please do check out her stuff, as with most things you see in photos - her stuff is even more amazing in person! If you don't see something you like in her store, don't be shy about sending her a note to ask if she has what you're looking for - she has inventory that is not posted in her store and is really easy to work with. I'm looking forward to seeing what you might do with some of her beautiful work!

Lisa - I went, I saw, I commented :-) I'm thrilled you like what I've done, it means a lot.

Tammy - click on the button and you will go to the OWOH blog with all the details. What it boils down to is that there well be a few hundred bloggers giving stuff away and anyone can play - you don't have to offer up a giveaway in order to participate. And if it's anything like last year, there's going to be some amazing blogs to be found as well as some beautiful stuff given away.

Dave Robertson said...

Hi Grace, those are a ton of fun! Thanks for sharing your creativity :)

--Dave
at Rings & Things

Carol Dean Sharpe said...

Grace, you've done good! :D Real good. I really love where you've gone with these buttons. It's always exciting to see what others do with Lisa's work. I've been hooked on her creations for several years now and never disappointed when they arrive in the mail.

(Just wanted to share: you can use heavy duty wire cutters to remove the shank. The remnants can then be filed down. Lisa definitely has some of the strongest attached wires I've ever encountered...which is good and bad ;O)

Lisa Peters Russ said...

"strongest attached wires" LOL! that is so funny..you are right, though Good and Bad! And now I am doing double shanks for Bolo things, wait til you have to cut those off! LOL!:)

Grace.. I will be making more feet and chickens soon! stay tuned!

Anonymous said...

...oh, you busy little beading devil, you!That happy sunflower is SO re-
freshing here in the dead of winter; and those cute
funky red lips are great also!Please share the beaded hearts when you do them as heart-shapes are my favorites in everything!
(I'll bet your fingers are a blur when you're beading, aren't they?!!???)
Heh, heh...you are an inspiration to me tonight.
Thanks for sharing.....

girlgonethreadwild said...

Ha! I'm an "anti-CARD" person myself! Always telling Jeff.. prefer to be swooned by LOVE LETTERS or REAL kisses than to be stuffed a face full of $5.00 nonsense. Cards are getting so expensive too!

LOVE what you are working on, SWOON me baby! Bring it on! I can neva get enuff of your madness.

!

ok, I'll quit the caffeine for the rest of the day... think I'm climbing the ROOF here.

Marty S said...

Some lips! I can hear the smacking and smooching from here!

Thanks, too, for the detailed information on your technique. I love the opportunity to learn from such accomplished bead artists.
Marty S
Crackpot Beader

Pursuing Art... said...

Oh...love both of the pins Grace...but especially LOVE those lips!!! Lisa's pieces are lovely and your beading is beautiful!

I do the same...cut and file the metal shank.

Looking forward to seeing your heart pins! Did you buy Lisa's red heart swirl buttons??? I had admired them and went back to buy them and they were gone. I'm thinking I know where they might be...lol! ~Lisa ;-)

Dot said...

These pins are both beautiful Grace. But like Lisa from Pursuing Art I especially love those lips!

Your beading as always is exquisite and your heart (as always)is open wide. I am sure who ever wins your art in the One World giveaway will be blessed!

Ellen said...

Wow Grace these are all gorgeous! I love the spiral one, there is something special about spirals

Leaves of Grass

This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body - Walt Whitman