What a challenge can do ............

The last couple of months have been amazing....... I received an email  on the 15th February saying my Purple Passion bracelet had been short listed in the Beads and Beyond Jewellery Maker of the Year Competition. I was so surprised as this was the first time I had entered a large competition.
I rushed off to buy the magazine and wooo hoooo there it was in full print my bracelet!
  Voting began and on the 6th April, I found out I was in the top 5 !!! Mad panic then having  to send the bracelet in for the final vote.................now  just waiting.

I needed to expand on what I was making and the 36 strander came to mind............
 Now the challenge  began again..............
I hadn't a clue as to what or how I was going to do it, it just sort of involved, the Czech crystals and size 11 seed beads were added and this is the finished piece.

Having made one I had to make another.........

Then at the end of March off I went to London to the Big Bead Show at Sandown taking my bracelets with me. There a met with the editor of Bead Magazine Chloe, so watch this place for further news ......
So the last two weeks have been spent doing two commissions

This red and cream  one,


and

this black and silver one, both made with Czech crystals and 11seedies .
(thank  goodness the c-lon wont go through 15's) !!!  still reckon 15's are dust pretending to be beads.


I never thought that a challenge  set down by my lovely friend Dee Wingrove- Smith (www.facebook.com/wingsmithsbeadedcreations )  would take my work to this level.
So thank you Dee for making me realise that seed beads  (if only 11's ) are a wonder to work with and combined with the crystals I have started making these  beautiful cuffs.