Pipa the Latest: journal of a messy crafter

Monday, May 14, 2012

Will our hero be able to...

...finally make:

-an urchin bead necklace without changing her mind constantly about the color combo

-finish a Chain of Jewels Bracelet and maybe also the necklace she started a year ago...

I'm thinking positive and trying my best to succeed. It really helps to look at other beaders' working table and see they are working on as many project as I am right now.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Pantone swap - color choice

Talking again about the Pantone 2012 Bead Swap, my partner Lori and I chose the colors we want to work with.

They are: Driftwood, Solar Power, Cabaret and Tangerine Tango. Aren't they awesome together?! I just happened to find this pic on Pinterest and it shows how perfectly they mix up:

Source: via Pinterest

We agreed to use the same colors since it's funnier to see different possibilities in terms of bead and technique choice.

I'm really looking forward to this afternoon when I'll go bead shopping!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

EBW May Challenge "Nautical Inspired" poll open!

As usual, here's the mosaic with all the entries for the Etsy Beadweavers monthly challenge.

This month we have a Nautical theme:

"One of my favorite things about being from the Oregon Coast is how much the culture and economy is tied to the ocean (and it's storms), the ports, and all the lush ocean life. My challenge is to make something Nautical inspired -- be it sailor stripes, a pirate's life, sea stars and octopi, or a siren atop a hefty, rusty anchor -- with Memorial Day on the way, I will definitely make my way down to the docks to see all the boats and fisherman, and welcome in all the sunshine.. With an occasional high-winds warning and some dark, churning ocean waves." So said our last month winner...isn't it inspiring?!!

Voting starts May 9 - May 15th on EBW blog, please stop by and take a look at all these lovely creations, it'll make you feel like summer is already here!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Pantone Spring 2012 swap

I'm really excited today! Lori Anderson from Pretty Things, who usually hosts the Bead Soup Blog Party, had an amazing idea to involve all the people who didn't make it through the BSBP lottery: a Pantone Swap based on the Spring 2012 fashion color report.

Source: via Pinterest

The swap has been organized on facebook and Lori picked the couples yesterday. My partner is Lori Wishart Finney, from Canada!

These events are great to make new friends all around the globe and I'm happy to work with somebody who has taken part in several swaps before, so we're just sharing ideas on how to organize everything.
We're lucky this spring Color Report gives some interesting possibilities in terms of combos...and it's nice to see a bit of grey (which I adore) together with brighter tones. Which tones will be chosen?

Source: via Pinterest

I'll update you tomorrow!

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Last minute inspiration

They say best ideas come at the very last moment, and this month's EBW challenge is the perfect example. After struggling for days with sea shells and bead embroidery attempts, which went better than I'd thought, I was stuck and had a bit of a beader's block. Too many ideas in my mind, but none of them were quite my style, and I didn't want to create something just because it was ok for the challenge. Sea shells are gorgeous, and have an elegant look, but when I think about nautical I always remember Jean Paul Gaultier "Le Male" ads: the sparkling white, the blue stripes, the (gorgeous!) tattooed sailors. It was past midnight when I finished listing my item, and my eyes were almost closing...but the result is exactly what I was looking for:

something simple but classicly nautical: blue and white stripes, sailors' knots, and -of course- a star to remind a little bit a wind-rose

Remember to go on Etsy Beadweavers blog and vote for your favorite piece of nautical art from 9 until 15 may, spread the word!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Love is in the air

I've had this red components in my closet for a while and was looking to the perfect way to use them.
I just added orange jasper beads, some beaded can tabs, silver rondelles to add a bit of sparkle, and here it is:

I love this color palette and I think I was really love-inspired while making it!

So, whether it's love for your significant other or for your mommy, love will surely be in the air with this necklace!
In my etsy shop!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Inheritance

During this Easter vacation I found something I thought lost for a long time.
Something I received from my grandad a loooong time ago, when I was about 10, and never really understood until know: my grand-grandmother Amalia's knitting mock ups and stitch explanations.
Some of them were tearing apart, like this one

so I had to scan them all.
Most of the mock ups are actually lost in my closet or between my Barbie doll clothes...but I'm so glad I have all the explanations.
I also found a tutorial for "2 years old baby boy shorts", with my father name on it!
My granny used to write on any kind of paper and that's why some of them are unreadable and shredded, but it's ok if you think they're over 70 years old!
I'm going to copy them anytime soon and maybe try to make something nice.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Voting for April challenge

From today until 15th of April you can go to the Etsy Beadweavers blog and cast your vote for our April Challenge, which theme is "Seed beads only: No cabs, no crystals,no gemstones, no clasps (unless they are beaded), no other ready to use supplies (except for what you need as basis for embroidery of course, as well as thread and so on) - but what´s visible are SEED BEADS ONLY!"
No easy task since most of us beaders find it very handy to use metal clasps, sometimes jump rings, and beads of many shapes other than seed beads.
Mixing medias is really inspiring also, and I am experiencing it right now working for the first time with jump rings and metal wire to connect beaded components.
Here is the mosaic

Go vote!!!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Finally on sale

I made this necklace almost 2 years ago and just put it aside

I didn' know how to string it properly and which length I prefear.
Today I was working on something different and realized what I had to do...so I grabbed it, left the other necklace in a corner of the table (sorry necklace, I'll be back at you in a moment) and finally used my pliers and jump rings.

I'm happy with this new length and really pleased that I managed to finish it, finally!
I'm listing it right now on etsy and then I'll finish my bag too- leaving tomorrow, heading home!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Little Lulu in the rain

This month has been really lucky for work. Well, bead-work at least.
After many request and a couple of trials, I made my first tutorial and sold it twice the same day! I was afraid it wasn't clear enough, so I made it super detailed and beginner-proof. So far it's been appreciated.

The most exciting thing was to hear again from my Xmas customer, who asked me to make another Little Lulu doll, under an umbrella.

She wanted a brooch and I had just ordered some bead backing from Nicole's shop and was eager to try it!
At the last time she changed her mind and decided to have an earring instead of a brooch. It actually makes more sense since it's really cool to see this

floating in the air.
I'm pleased with the result and hope the client will be as well.

Thinking about making a tutorial for beaded dolls since I haven't seen any around...