BOTB '13 round 2

Well I was amazed to make it through the first round against Patrick's gorgeous necklace, but people seemed to like the Oceanides purse for its swirling patterns and restful blue colours. My second round battle is against Anneta Valious who recently published a book on her speciality 'Soutache'. Her piece is titled 'Skyfall' and is a great example of this style of beading. I haven't tried it myself, but as a 'round 2 treat', bought myself the book to have a go, and it does seem very comprehensive.

The theme of sky also chimes sympathetically with my 'ocean' based piece, so this time I think the votes will be based more on preference of the overall style
I was allowed to add more pictures to my album, and chose the base of my bag to show how I kept it level so that it would stand stably:

The corners have mother-of-pearl leaf beads representing some kind of planktonic form, and were carefully chosen from a strand to be of similar thickness. In addition each is surrounded by a row of size 8 beads so that the 'feet'  are a slightly larger area. The accent beads on this side of the work were restricted to 4mm or smaller to keep the work smooth.

Battle Reveals

The Battle of the Beadsmith  pairs are finally going up and I am so GLAD I was placed in group C as those have been the first to be revealed. My partnered beader was Patrick Duggan from the other side of the world. Patrick's piece is named Katerina referencing Catherine the Great of Russia, and is a very stylish necklace with medallions with military vibe:

I love the colour of the central red stones in particular, and it does seem as if it would be lovely to wear!

Another outstanding piece within group C is the Phoenix Collar of Helena Tang-Lim, based on Peranakan wedding costume:

I adore the way that the design elements have been used in a modern, fresh way. I'd like to include more ethnographic aspects in my own beadwork some day.

So you can see the incredibly high standard of beadwork in this contest! I shook in my shoes! For more examples pop over to the Facebook group page and go straight to 'Photos'

Anyway, without further ado I'd like to present my own piece. 'Oceanides Purse'

Photo: Andrew Davis, Model: Melissa Dokarry

The Blurb I wrote for the entry was as follows:

I am a 48 yr old beader from the UK, originally from London but now residing in Norwich. I have a full time job in plant science research, and my piece is loosely inspired by microscopic life forms of the sea (diatoms, phyto- and zooplankton, their geometry and diversity).  I like to combine the scientific with the artistic in my beading. I love organic, freeform and beadsoup. Beading is my therapy and relaxation.

1) Name of your piece: Oceanides Purse

2) Name of stitch, stitches used: Bead embroidery, Peyote, Right Angle Weave, Herringbone, Appliqué, Couching

3) Name of products used, size and material: Seed beads, Swarovski rivolis, dentelles, chatons, fancy stones and bicones, Swarovski and Preciosa cupchain, freshwater pearls, glass pearls, moonstone and labradorite, pressed glass and firepolished beads, Ultrasuede. vintage flatback glass cabochons and nailheads, heavyweight interfacing, upcycled satin purse.

4) overall size of piece: Worked area is 31.5cm x 19.5 cm. Finished purse dimensions: 20cm x 11cm x 5cm approx

5) time to complete 90+ hours

Here is a close up of one of the motifs, I bezelled a 27mm Swarovski stone using RAW and peyote and then applied it to the embroidery foundation, then embellished with the matte gold firepolished, and then couched down the 'rays' while making the first round of embroidery

Photo Andrew Davis

I think Helena and I had the same colour muse working with us, and possibly the Geometry muse was with both Patrick and myself.

Public may vote on the Group C battles within a limited time frame, and using a spreadsheet format downloadable under files on the BOTB '13 group page (click the logo at top right of this blog)

Long time, no see...

I am finally finished with the Battle of the Beadsmith piece, and the photos are submitted, so I am going to kick back and relax for today. I still have a load of beads and components which didn't fit the project so before relegating them back to the beadbox I thought I'd play a bit and treat myself to a bit of freeform.

The labradorite cabochon was just a bit too big for the competition piece but makes a lovely focal pendant. I'm adding more green to the bead soup to echo the bottom area on the stone, and I think it will be fringed as well! So far I'm thinking this will be a keeper, a souvenir of the travails I put myself through...

I'm going to take the BOTB piece itself to visit my local beadshop today to show them where some of the cabs I bought ended up, and then celebrate with a cup of coffee and a pastry. 

Look out for all the creations which will shortly be appearing on the BOTB'13 Facebook group, clicking the logo at the right should take you there. I'll post a picture of my piece here once it has gone live on the Battle page for those of you not on Facebook.

Thanks for all the messages of support  (and beads) which I've been receiving throughout the last 8 weeks, all were much appreciated, and helped me through my first foray into International competition waters!

Battle Skirmishing

I have been steadily working on my Battle piece since the first of April, but for the last couple of days have laid it aside. I made about 18 woven motifs and applied them in a 'pleasing arrangement', and am now up to 23 motifs, with extra ones worked directly in place. So far, so good. BUT one of the motifs is not quite right...it is OK, it looks pretty, but somehow it is too 'unlike' the rest of the work to fit.

I am not sure enough to unpick it straight away, but I need to think about it, and whether I can recycle the idea in a more coherent (to the overall design) manner. Could be I decide that it is just because I am seeing it  in isolation without the surrounding area and it would actually be fine as is...

The positive side (i.e. the 22 elements which I like) are definitely staying though. I have used a variety of stones ranging in size from 27mm diameter to 8mm, and several different shapes consistent with my original theme, and for something scientific, it is looking rather artistic.

Yes I did say scientific! I have another life in scientific research, and many times have seen images and structures crying out to be rendered in beads, so that is my inspiration in this piece. I can't be more specific, but I am sure the motifs I have made from this theme will be great additions to my beading repertoire, I hope to make a range of necklaces based on them later on.

Anyway, I'm very busy at work this week so I think the battle piece will be left until the weekend for the cut/don't cut decision, when I'm feeling more relaxed...

....And now it is the weekend, I've taken up the work again, and have managed, by removing the outer ring of beads, to make the problem part 'work' again! I also managed to add in a few of the little navettes I bought, along with the cupchain, from The Crystal Pool

Here is a tiny teaser for you, to show the navette (motif is about 2cm long):

Battling on...

So I expect your curiosity as to my BOTB'13 project knows no bounds? No? Well I admit I am curious as to where this challenge is taking me that's for sure. There are teaser shots going up from many of the contestants, and it seems fair to say that the standard is likely to be as high as last year's. Does it intimidate me? Maybe a little. It is easy to look at the small pile of pieces on the beadmat and think that my progress is painfully slow, but on the other hand I have tackled 3 shapes which are new to me and have begun the process of laying out the full design. I have 4 days left (including today) before I return to the full time job, so after that the the beading will be limited to weekends and evenings. I am beginning to dream the finished project though, so I think it has 'gelled' in my brain- all I have to do is execute the design (hollow laugh).

You would like a teaser shot? Really? OK then, this is the Battle stash as seen in the Battle Biscuit Tin! What's that? Who ate the biscuits? I have no idea what you mean!

I have also indulged in a mini shopping spree for cupchain which is new to me (apart from a one inch section which someone gave me from a Swarovski sample box). Haven't decided quite how I shall incorporate it into the Battle piece but the initial trial looks OK.

Well I can't say much more other than the piece has both woven and embroidered elements, and will be shimmery and sparkly enough to satisfy my inner magpie!

Prepared for Battle...

Well we are nearly there, the Battle of the Beadsmith begins tomorrow and the next 8 weeks will be Beading Madness! I am not sure what the beading equivalent of girding one's loins is but I have cleared my table, assembled a good selection of seedbeads, stones, accent beads, pearls and crystals to help me on my way. Many of the other contestants seem to have been limbering up with some big projects, but I am worried that I'll burn out if I try and do too much... Here is my workstation, and I can tell you now it will not look like this for long. If you hear a distant rumble it will be me, being buried under an avalanche of beads etc!

The OTTBS group have formed a cheerleading team to encourage those members who are participating ( 9 at the moment) so thanks to them in advance for their efforts in keeping us motivated! I'd also like to thank my anonymous donors who have been sending me treasures to add to the battle stash, it means a lot to have so much generous support!

All the best to everyone taking part, I hope we all enjoy the reveals as much as last years and look forward to some superlative pieces. I am hoping to pull a rabbit from the hat and use the materials I have to make something really special, but only time will tell!

The only thing left to do is get a good night's sleep (although I might be too excited) ready for the starter's pistol!

Excitements

A quick post to let you all know that I have been accepted as a participant in the second Battle of the Beadsmith. This is a Facebook based contest for 192 combatants from around the World. There is some stellar talent in that group and I am shaking in my shoes!!

I sent in photos of my 'Juno Moneta' as  my 'audition piece' and made the cut. As it is a knockout contest I fully expect to make it no further than the first round, but I am so pleased and excited to have been selected that I can hardly speak (and those of you who know me will realise what that means!)

Anyway, my project for the contest will remain a closely guarded secret until the reveal in the Summer, and work cannot even be started until the 1st of April, but I am beginning to deliberate over possible designs and doing a lot of browsing for beads and other materials. If the posts become less frequent over the next months you will, I hope, bear with me.

In the meantime please have a look at the Battle page (clicking the logo at the right should take you to the page). You should be able to see a gallery album of last year's pieces. Sadly there is no webpage for the Battle so you need to be on Facebook to see the lovelies.

A final excitement for this post: my friend Janine made a lovely montage of the bead-it-forward squares the OTTBS group made for Bead&Button magazine's appeal, and it was featured on their FB page