Aztec Sun 2 and SOLD yippeeeee!!!

I have been working on a necklace and decided it was going to be too large so

I pulled the components apart and used this one as

a necklace in its own right.

I am continuing in my colourful phase and really went for it in this design. 

I have to admit by the time I was getting close to finishing I was seriously wondering if I 

had gone too far with the colours.

Do you ever work on something to the point where you can no longer tell if it is nice?

I have since posted this up on Facebook and the comments I am getting tells me I haven't.....pheeeewww!!

Aztec Sun

I am staying in the very colourful phase I seem to be going through and thoroughly enjoyed
making this design. I am testing myself with using more bold colour combinations and
 I am enjoying these so much.

Here is the results of two mornings play - "Aztec Sun".

 As I was making this I thought it reminded me of something Aztec I had seen 

and a friend mentioned she saw a sun when she looked at it. Thus "Aztec Sun"

The Fluoro series

I was asked to show all the pieces I have been doing lately so here they are.

It has since been suggested I make them into one big necklace.

I have done some playing with them and this could be a possibility.

Pics will follow.

My "Ferris Wheel" design

As you know I have been making some pretty colourful designs lately.

Yesterday morning I played with the new large blue beads in these pics and made a two sided pendant.

It is rather large coming in at 6cm wide and I think the versatility of two choices will be popular.

I am loving this colourful phase I am going through.

I call these "The Ferris Wheel" as the design reminds me of a ferris wheel.

Happy 5

The results from this mornings bead time. 

I wasn't too sure I liked this one. I find when I do a series of items that are similar I start to feel like I am trying too hard not to duplicate my work.

I have shown this on Facebook and quite a few ladies said this is their favourite.

One can never tell eh? 

"Happy" Brooch number 4

Another of my playing sessions with my latest phase using "neon" colours.

I am really enjoying making these and have placed a big order for more of the

Luna Cabochons. My plan is to make a necklace using neons.

My Neon Phase

In my younger days (1980s) these kind of colours were called fluorescents or "Fluoros"
I have been making "Neon" coloured brooches and I have had to search

through my bead stash for every bright coloured bead I have.

 I am enjoying mixing the colours.

The cabachons you see in these are called Luna Cabs by The Beadsmith.

They have a lovely silky feel to them and kind of a cat eye sheen.

Every lady I have shown these to have wanted to play with the cab and rub it as it does have

a lovely soft texture.

I have 3 more cabs and will make some more neon pendants next time, stay tuned.

Fluorescents

I wanted to have a bit of fun and make something really colourful this morning.

I have been collecting fluoro colours for awhile so I placed some on my bead mat and thought

"What will I do with this lot?"

Here is the outcome. My "Happy" brooch because it makes you smile when you see it.

How do you think I went?

The centre bead is an orange Beadsmith Lunasoft cabochon and I really love them.

Battle of the Beadsmith update

BOTB13 Update. 

I spent yesterday morning joining 12 components with trepidation. I wanted my main components to sit exact and in a certain way and have been really concerned there would be buckling. 

Pheeeewwww! - no buckling!!! 

I then sat looking at my design pinned to a bust for the first time....and I thought to myself 

"Now what do I do?" 

I am not one for drawing out my ideas. I have tried at times but they always morph into something else. I usually get an idea, make the bits, wait for the next bit to be shown etc etc. 

It is an evolvement for me. 

I have spent this morning exploring possibilities, doing - "nah too much of this colour, tone it down" - undoing and doing with two colours - "nah too busy" - undoing and doing a seperate sample 

piece - "nah too big overall" - undoing again. 

Got out a different bead and started adding this - "hmmmm that looks interesting, colour works " - worked on it further and I like what I have done. Put it back on the bust -

 "ggrrrr buckling is happening, damn". 

Good news is I can fix that and I now feel I know where I am going.

Some of you may be asking, "how come Patrick is sharing so much about BOTB?" 

I just want to let aspiring designers know that experienced beaders/designers don't just create a necklace design as easily as a magician does a rabbit out of a hat. It is trial and error and trial and error, hair gets pulled out, tempers flare, frustration abounds etc etc etc. 

and it can get even worse when you have a time limit.

When to abandon?

Here is a picture of a piece I was experimenting with. I had been playing with cubic right angle weave and making shapes. I went right off the track I feel. 

I kept telling myself keep going it will reveal itself and I spent quite a number of hours on it.

Eventually I stopped, took a good look at it and decided I was wasting my time and put it aside.

Today I was looking at it again and thought it could make a story for the blog.

I would like to ask - 

Do you abandon pieces you started? 

Do you keep going no matter what? 

How far do you have to take a piece before you know it isn't going to get any better? 

What do you do with abandoned pieces?

Do they stay in a container of possible ideas?

Do you pull them apart and return the beads to their containers?

I would really like to hear your story.