4th Goal completed...sort of (Liz)

The instructions for these beads are brilliant and they're really easy to make, but due to their small size they're incredibly fiddly! I can see why rubber tubing is used in the project now, they look great while on the straw but once you take them off they collapse. So I popped a couple of size 6 beads inside them to hold them in shape and added some silver Greek ceramic washers to keep them from sliding over the Swarovski crystals. This scuppered my plans to make a bracelet as I don't have enough washers so I decided to make just two beads and create a pair of earrings. As you can see I didn't use very much of my bead stash but at least I've made some use of the magazine!

2nd April Goal Completed -Sarah

I dug out a bag of hex beads and half a tube of matte frosted (one of my fave finishes) size 11's out of my stash late last week and was determined to bead until I had used them all up. I made strips of peyote which I zipped up and strung with strands between. I haven't explained that very well have I? I have a fair on Saturday so I am busy but after that I'll make another and take photo's and do some instructions because this was a really good stashbusting project! You can just keep going until all your beads have going, it's fun too. I actually counted and I had 5 seed beads left and 3 culls from the hex beads, result!

My 6th and 7th Goal/Projects Completed...

For my next goals/projects I wanted to enter a monthly challenge from the Art Bead Scene Blog. This month the challenge is about a wonderful painting of Paul Klee's. In fact, "Insula Dulcamara" is the largest of Klee’s finished paintings. If you'd like to read more about this, please go here. I also wanted to use some of my "Bead Stash" up while doing so.
I have many blues, greens, and turquoise beads and that's exactly the colors that I needed to make these next 2 pieces. So, I'd like to introduce:
"Inspired"

The gorgeous Steampunk Artbead/Cab was made by Beth at Bellesanbeaus Crafts. I was so inspired by the blues and greens in Klee's painting and also the primitive face, that through this gorgeous Artbead that Beth had made I feel it involked the very same feeling that I felt when I had seen Klee's painting.
Now my next goal/project is also for the monthly challenge. I'd like to introduce:
"The Colors of Klee"

This Artbead/Cab was made by Kristie-Lou Brigham at, Sculpted Windows Wire Wrapped Jewelry Journal. I felt that the wonderful colors that Kristie used to make this with the exclusion of the black are incorporated into this Artbead/Cab and matches so perfectly with Paul Klee's painting, also the moon to me signifies the half moons found in each corner at the top of Klee's painting.
Plus, I'm going to enter my Moon Dance because I feel in comparison to all the muted colors, the black made a bold statement and through Moon Dance I feel the contrast generated in the same boldness as in Klee's painting.
Then this week I'm going to be working on one last piece that I would also love to enter.
Thanks so much for stopping in and I hope that you have a beadiful day! So until next time please don't forget, "Operation Tackle that Bead Stash" and Bead Happy!
Hugs and happy beading...
Bobbi

4th Goal (Liz)

Time to choose my next goal and I thought it was time that I made a start on those magazine back issues. Dragging the huge plastic box from under my bed, I stuck my hand in, closed my eyes and randomly picked out a magazine - out came the Feb 2007 issue of Bead & Button.

I've chosen to have a go at this Beads Cubed project designed by Marissa McConnell - I love to make beaded beads so this is right up my street! I've never made square ones before so this will be interesting and something new for me. I won't be using rubber tubing but I've got a few ideas on using the beads in this project to make a bracelet.

Welcome to all our new followers!

Welcome to all the new followers that have joined us this week. We are glad to have you here!

3rd Goal Completed (Liz)

Here's my finished bangle...well I'm calling it finished anyway! I had some problems getting my needle through to add the corner beads so I've only done this on the bottom row and left the top as it is. But I love my punky bangle and have called it Greenday :)

We are on Twitter!

I have set up an account for us over on Twitter, user profile OTTbeadstash! I love that it shortens to OTT, very apt! Please join in and follow us over there.