Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Use the Muse contest - Royal Renaissance



A while back I entered this contest with hopes of being inspired. The beads within the kit were identified before the kit was received with a secret 'muse' component - that was not to be revealed to the participants until the kit was received and to the outside world when the contest was over.



My hope was realized - I was inspired! I was instantly taken with the colors, and the kit itself came bundled up in the neatest packaging.



The time frame was short for this contest, so there was no time to delay in deciding what I wanted to do. The rules were simple, use any or all of the components in the kit and incorporate whatever I wanted from my own stash. The only real rule - must use the 'muse'.



The muse turned out to be a beautiful brass filigree component. I have never worked with such a piece, I found it challenging and fun. You can see it at the top of the gallery of entries page. And while you're there - take a look at all those beautiful entries!

And the prizes for the winners? A treasure chest of mouth watering crystals, brass components and neat charms.

Royalty and renaissance immediately came to mind as I looked at these beads. My added components - size 15/0 Metallic Dark Olive Green Gold Luster beads; size 11/0 iridescent purple beads and 4mm center hole sew on Swarovski stones in Golden Shadow.

After snapping some photos last night, I noticed that the colors looked quite a bit different (on my monitor anyway) when I used different back grounds - the green seems to be much more visible on the blue background.

I look forward to the next contest sponsored by The Beaders Muse.

16 comments:

Carol Dean Sharpe said...

Absolutely beautiful creation! I'm really taken with how seamlessly you integrated the brass piece.

KV said...

This is so beautiful, Grace!


Kathy V in NM

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

I saw your piece in the gallery of entries. Its definitley one of my favorites. I am amazed how you applied beads to the piece. I am going to look at these filigree pieces in a new light.

Beautiful piece and very creative.

Dot said...

Love the renaissance feel to this. Stunning Grace! Hope you win.

Dot xx

Anonymous said...

Wow!Your contest piece is gorgeous!Love the way your imagination works with beads/components!Thanks for sharing with your readers.......

Pursuing Art... said...

You did your magic with that beautiful kit and muse, Grace! It is beautiful and you couldn't have picked a better name for your piece either...it is very regal! XO~Lisa ;-)

The bad Liz said...

Another stunning piece for the Use the Muse contest! I really love what you ended up with - something completely wearable and so heirloom inspired! Great job!

Quilter Kathy said...

Another beautiful creation! It is indeed a pin for Royalty! I have never seen a "filigree" before and had to look it up on the web to see what it means!

Elizabeth said...

Grace it is absolute drop gorgeous. And you made it without a fixed plan. I solute you, you are the queen of beads to me.

Have a great weekend.

Diana said...

This piece is really pretty, thanks for the link to your site!

GraceBeading said...

Thanks all - glad you like it!

It is one I go back to and pick up and like it more and more each time I pick it up. I'm not one to wear much in the way of jewelry, but this is something I think even I could pull off.

Thanks again for all the feedback.

Timaree said...

Beautiful piece. You've outdone yourself once again! This makes me think of my first pair of earrings back in 1969 when I got my ears pierced by a neighbor with a needle and bar of soap!

Marva Plummer-Bruno said...

Oh this is just gorgeous!!! Did you win? I hope so! This really is fantastic!

ThingsTreasured said...

I am a huge renaissance enthusiast. I ADORE your piece. Really stunning.

Amy Munson said...

Grace, your pin is beautiful. I love it when I am challenged by something new and find success.
Amy

lorrwill said...

O.M.G. I am glad I stumbled on your blog. This is GORGEOUS!

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