Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Hoops Challenge Reveal Day!

Hope you are all safe and sound following our run in with Superstorm Sandy.  So far so good here, just on sump pump detail all day today and probably the next few to keep our furnace from being underwater.

Thanks to Lorelei Eurto and Karen Totten for making this challenge possible.  Lorelei put the challenge together and Karen from Starry Road Studio made the gorgeous hoops we got to work with for the challenge.  Be sure to visit Karen's store and nab some of these lovelies for yourself, I am putting in an order for more because I had far more ideas than hoops :), the exact colors we used are not in stock at this time but there are many others to choose from.  Also visit Lorelei's blog so you can find out how to get her great book Bohemian Inspired and also check out her shops.

So here is a collage of some of the possibilities I was playing with, I was looking to do a necklace because these seemed a little large for bracelets or earrings to me. 



I liked the idea of the copper disc in the center and could have enameled them in complimentary colors, but wasn't entirely sure how I would attach the discs in the center.  The 3 in a row arrangement I had considered attaching with waxed linen and doing some micro macrame, I am really loving working with waxed linen.  Did you know you can get lots of fab colors in waxed linen at one of Lorelei's stores?

Ok, on to the reveal then...

I opted for the off kilterish arrangement, and now looking back at Lorelei's blog post about this challenge I realize she had the hoops in a very similar arrangement.  The hoops had endless possibilities but I liked the idea of embellishing them some by using them as kind of a bead frame.  Still need to improve my wire taming skills a bit, some of it isn't laying as flat as I would like.  Aren't these hoop colors just yummy?  I'm calling it Wheels in the Sky, sorta like the Journey song but in honor of our October hurricane that was like a wheel in the sky that just kept turning.



To finish the necklace off I decided to try my hand at flat spiral weave.  I think it works pretty well here.  I used metal rounds and glass seed beads.  Getting back into beadweaving as a means to use up some of my stash and a great way to finish off my enamel and lampwork pieces.



Here are a few other shots, including some rings I made to match.  If I had more of the beads left I would have made a matching bracelet too.  Guess I will have to shop for more beads (bummer) to make the bracelet.


Here is the list of the other challenge participants, can't wait to see what everyone made with their fab hoops!

35 comments:

  1. Lovely colors and fab beadwork! Did you make the toggle clasp, too? I love it, as well.

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    1. Thank you, I made the toggle portion bu the ring part of the clasp was a purxhased piece.

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  2. Must have taken some serious patience to wrangle the wire- go YOU!!! I did something similar in one of my pieces
    but with linen cording around the outside! Your beadweaving puts your necklace over the edge fantastic!!!
    Thank you for participating with us!

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  3. That wire wrapping is so cool! I love how the copper combines with the beads in the center of the loops. The beadwork on the necklace brings all the colors together and looks beautiful. What a nice piece!

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    1. Thank you Barb, I wish the colors showed better in the pics but by the time I took them all natural light was gone for the day.

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  4. Wow! I love what you came up with.

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  5. Your wire wrapping is great! It's such an interesting piece, and the beadweaving does really bring all the colors together - it's gorgeous!

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    1. Thank you! I just wish some of the wire work was a little neater, have to keep practicing that part :).

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  6. Beautiful! I like how you transformed the hoops with the added beads and wirework.

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  7. Wow! Great work. It's so unique and dynamic. (I'm one of the artists in the hoop challenge too!)

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  8. That is one beautiful design, and the flat spiral certainly complements it well. I wish I had wire wrapping skills! :)

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    1. Thank you Shirley! I wish I had better wire wrapping skills, still a work in progress.

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  9. I love the necklace. The focal is amazing (and an excellent use of the rings) and the spiral rope is stunning.

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    1. Thanks Tanya! The focal is much bigger than I normally do, but I was pleased with the result :)

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  10. Oh-so-clever use of those loops. I love your arrangement of the focal, and will simply have to check out flat spiral, because I just love how it brings the whole look together.

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    1. Thank You! The flat spiral was fun to do and works up fairly quickly.

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  11. this is so gorgeous and your work is so impeccable. thumbs up.

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  12. Very cool! I love how the flat spiral complements the colors and the weight of the hoops. Delicious!

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  13. Replies
    1. Thanks Karen! Can't wait to get some more hoops.

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  14. Amazing work! I thought the focal was awesome, then I saw the entire necklace! Put all together it's beyond awesome!

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  15. Gorgeous...absolutely beautiful! I'm so sorry some how I missed your blog on reveal day!

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  16. Stunning! what a gorgeous piece!
    Hope everyone is ok there post Sandy! We're still cleaning up here in CT with trees down all around me and landing on wires. a bit of a mess, but we're all ok.

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    1. Thanks so much! We escaped Sandy with just some wind and a whole lot of rain, no flooding except in my basement. Poor CT, you guys seem to be taking a lot of weather hits there the last couple yrs. Glad you are all ok :)

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  17. WOW! I love what you created with your loops. It's a very unique design that is perfectly balanced. Cheers!
    Lori in Atlanta

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  18. Oh Sister! I think these are amazing. Keep up the good work.

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  19. Very nice job! The whole piece is SWEET ;)

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Thanks for stopping by, I'd love to hear your comments!