Bead Dreamz Group

A Show of Hands

2009-12-09T21:06:00.005-05:00

This beautiful beading was created by our members in our recent Hand Challenge which was conducted on both Beaded Art Dolls group and BeadDreamz Group. Congratulations to all who completed the challenge. These are certainly impressive works of art!

Can You Believe It's December Already?

2009-12-02T02:31:00.002-05:00

In just a few weeks, Christmas will be here. It's hard to believe that 2009 is almost over. Here's an early gift for you - the pictures of the beautiful work submitted for the November Calendar Challenge! Once again, members have contributed some stunning designs! Way to go, members!

Remember, a poll will be created in a few days for the members to choose their favorites from the following:

Big News : Rope Challenge Favorites Chosen!

2009-11-16T18:21:00.002-05:00

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Our group members have chosen their favorite pieces from the Rope Challenge! Everyone did such great work in this challenge that it was especially hard to choose. Your humble blogger is honored to have her work chosen as one of the favorites. Many many thanks, friends! Here are your favorites:

1. "Pearl Spiral Lariat: by yours truly (thank you again!)
2. "Sweet Whisper" by Lorraine
3. "Acorns & Oak Leaves" by Lanai
4. "Nacre" by Julia

Rope Challenge Comes To An End

2009-11-09T02:44:00.006-05:00

The creativity shown in the Rope Challenge is absolutely incredible! We have 19 entries, each as unique and beautiful as the next. Our members have outdone themselves!

Members, look for a poll in the next few days to choose favorites in this challenge. It will be harder than usual to pick just one. Individual photos are in the Rope Challenge folder and can be seen by clicking here. You can also check out the slide show below:

[Edit] Apologies to Gerlinde for initially crediting Lorraine with Gerlinde's two entries. Blogger brain fart!

Boo!-Tiful Work in the October Calendar Challenge

2009-11-04T00:28:00.003-05:00

Halloween is over and there is absolutely nothing scary about October's Calendar Challenge entries. As usual, all were beautiful and unique. Thanks to everyone who entered! Here are the entries.

Beaded Opulence: The Review

2009-10-22T00:43:00.005-04:00

BeadDreamz is lucky enough to have, as a member, amazing bead artist and published author Marcia Decoster. Her new book, "Beaded Opulence: Elegant Jewelry Projects with Right Angle Weave," has inspired many of our members to dig into their bead stashes and start creating!

As a side note: Did you know that BeadDreamz is the friendliest beading-related group on yahoo? That's the humble opinion of your blogger, anyway!

One of our wonderful members, Barb Grainger, took the time to write out a review of "Beaded Opulence" and share it with us on the group. We appreciate it, Barb! With the permission of both Barb and Marcia, here is the review in its entirety.

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Well done Marica! A beautifully executed book full of eye candy and fun projects, 'Beaded Opulence' has something for everyone from beginner to advanced beader. The book teaches basic single needle right angle weave (RAW) techniques including: basic stitch, flat and tubular techniques, edge and internal increasing and decreasing, shaping, creating curves, joining and surface embellishment. DeCoster even tells the reader how to cut a piece apart yet maintain it's structural integrity. An eight page gallery section shows gorgeous pieces from such artists as Nan C. Meinhardt, Jeanette Cook and Rachel Nelson-Smith.

The projects range from a basic RAW bracelet, "Spun Glass", to an intermediate level, "Urchin" beaded bead project, to advanced projects such as "Etruscan Treasure" necklace which features a RAW captured Swarovski rivoli. The "beads' in the instructional graphics are not numbered but the illustrations are backed up with well written text. My only wish for this book would be more close-up, detailed graphics on some sections of the more complicated projects. Having said that, DeCoster's book is a wonderful addition to any beading library. Get it, bead it, enjoy it! Congratulations Marica.
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September 2009 Calendar Favorites!

2009-10-14T01:16:00.010-04:00

We are very pleased to announce the winners of the favorites poll for the September 2009 Calendar Challenge! Three of the four top spots were secured by Lorraine, who is a new member of our group. Kudos to Lorraine for keeping the rest of us on our toes, and congrats to Kassie for taking the other spot (we announce first, second, and third place, and this month there was a tie for third). As always, thanks to all the group members for their gorgeous work!

First Place: Golden Lustre By Lorraine

Second Place: Dancing Flamingo by Lorraine

There was a tie for Third Place:

Blue Jean Bracelet by Kassie

Blushing Diamonds by Lorraine

September 2009 Calendar Challenge

2009-10-05T03:09:00.004-04:00

Another beautiful selection of beading has been entered into our September challenge. Members please don't forget to visit our poll on group and cast a vote for your favorite.

Our Calendar Challenge officially ended this month but because some members are keen to continue we are extending the monthly challenge to the end of this year so get your beads and keep beading.

August 2009 Calendar Challenge - Can You Believe It's Been A Year?

2009-09-02T10:25:00.006-04:00

Amazing how time flies, isn't it? It seems like only yesterday that we started our one-year-long Calendar Challenge. It was fun being creative, and often difficult to create one unique piece per month. But somehow, a few of us did it! Great job, group!

Here are the entries for August. Members, watch for the upcoming poll where we will choose our favorites for the month! As usual, it will be hard to choose just one.

July Calendar Challenge Favorites

2009-08-16T02:23:00.006-04:00

This month's entries were particularly beautiful, but the group has chosen the favorites for July. Here are the top three:

"Urchin Lariat" by Bev

"Pink Flower Lariat" by Jeanne

"To Russia With Love" by Lynn

Congratulations to all of the winners! We love your work and we love you!

Looking for Something Unusual?

2009-08-03T02:47:00.003-04:00

During the month of July, Beaddreamz hosted an "Out of the Ordinary" challenge. The idea was to put together a piece using elements that are unusual or out of your regular comfort zone. We saw bead crochet and micromacrame, to name two examples. Thanks to everyone who participated! You can see the wonderful entries here:

July Calendar Challenge!

2009-07-31T04:37:00.003-04:00

Another month has gone by and we have a new crop of beautiful pieces to delight your senses! Group members, stay tuned for this month's poll to choose the favorites. Thanks to everyone who participated!

Check out the eye candy here:

Group History - Our first swap in 2007 - Beaded Fish

2009-07-15T04:15:00.005-04:00

While archiving some of our old photos I came across these cute little fish which were part of a swap during our first year and thought our members might like to take a peek. Some of the fish are swimming backwards - sorry about that but that's the way the slideshow goes!!

Check out the entries in the June Calendar and Art Deco challenges!

2009-07-04T07:44:00.006-04:00

June was quite a busy month for the Beaddreamz group! Two challenges came to a close on June 30.

Our ongoing calendar challenge saw eight entries for June. A wide variety of techniques were shown, including triangle weave, freeform, and peyote. There were also two very striking entries that demonstrated bead embroidery. Once again, group members will have a difficult time choosing the favorite for June. The poll, which can be found here, will close on July 10. Members, be sure and vote! Here's a look at the June Calendar Challenge entries:

There were also eight entries in the Art Deco challenge. Members did a great job creating very diverse pieces showcasing the Art Deco era. Wikipedia defines Art Deco as "a popular international art design movement from 1925 until the 1940s, affecting the decorative arts such as architecture, interior design, and industrial design, as well as the visual arts such as fashion, painting, the graphic arts, and film. At the time, this style was seen as elegant, glamorous, functional, and modern." Their very informative Art Deco page can be found here.

Group members, don't forget to vote for the Art Deco favorite in the poll, which also closes on July 10. You can take a look at the gorgeous entries here:

Thanks to everyone who participated!

May Calendar Challenge Favorites Announced!

2009-06-13T05:29:00.007-04:00

Congratulations to Bev M. for her "Rio Dulce" bracelet taking the top spot as a favorite for the May Calendar Challenge! This gorgeous bracelet is a Marcia DeCoster pattern interpreted spectacularly by Bev.

Close behind "Rio Dulce" is Lynn M.'s "Wings" necklace. Lynn is a master of freeform beading and it really shows in this exciting piece. The cab was made by our own Harry S.

In third place is Jersey Jeanne's "Geisha in the Gold Pagoda." Jeanne recently found the little lampwork geisha, and her sister, hiding in a box in a closet, where they had been for two years and were thought to be lost! The delicate little geisha is accented beautifully by the rest of the beadwork.

All of the entries for May were gorgeous and, as usual, it was very hard to pick just one to vote for! Thank you to everyone who participated! These three ladies and their wonderful work are very well deserving of this recognition. Photos of all of the entries, including the three favorites, can be found in the slideshow below. We are definitely looking forward to seeing the lineup for June.

Calendar Challenge - May 2009

2009-06-03T23:57:00.009-04:00

Another month goes by and more beautiful beading has been produced for May in our Calendar Challenge. Congratulations ladies - you do us proud!

Herringbone Challenge

2009-05-05T08:38:00.005-04:00

Check these beauties out. Bead Dreamz members were challenged to learn or design a necklace, bracelet, or ring using the herringbone stitch. Just look at the variety of jewelry that was created. Congratulations to all!

March Calendar Challenge

2009-04-10T08:32:00.008-04:00

Congratulations to this month's entries for the Beadz Calendar Challenge. While there were a whole host of projects, these shown here were voted the favorites of the Bead Dreamz Yahoo Group. Joan and Penny tied as the favorites. Don't you just love Ladybug Delights and Sssssparkle Bracelet? Coming in next was Jeanne in NJ's Trillium pin. What a delightful flower! Since there was a tie for the favorite, Aryd'ell's Spring Wave is in the third spot. Congrats to these four beaders, and please remember, even if your piece isn't shown here, everyone's design is special.

February Calendar Challenge

2009-03-02T14:27:00.007-05:00

Grapes to lacy necklaces are the designs for this month. Aren't they wonderful? Congratulations to all who entered this month's bead-a-long. You are all winners!

Do you know about the Beaded Beads Swap/Challenge?

2009-02-04T14:39:00.010-05:00

Above are only some of the entries for Beaddreamz's latest Swap/Challenge. Member's were encouraged to make beaded beads. Aryd'ell is our Swap Mistress and she gets to see these beautiful creations first hand. More entries can be seen by joining Beaddreamz Yahoo Group.

January Beadz Project

2009-02-02T05:28:00.005-05:00

The creations for January are stunning. Aren't they? What will our members come up with next? Stay tuned.....

December Beadz Calendar Project

2009-01-01T23:35:00.010-05:00

These are the December entries on Bead Dreamz. Don't they make exceptional eye candy? Do you have a favorite? Join us on this Yahoo group to find out which are the members' favorites. One may join here Bead Dreamz

Cab Swap

2008-12-11T21:20:00.004-05:00

These lovely cabs were designed for a swap between members. Thank you for participating and thanks for the lovely creations. All are beautiful and their new owners are delighted with them. Enjoy! If you would like to join us and learn to create these beauties, please click here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/beaddreamz/

November Calendar Creations

2008-12-01T21:28:00.006-05:00

Wonderful designs, aren't they? If you would like to see more, please join us on Beaddreamz.

October Favorites

2008-11-10T10:13:00.011-05:00

Falling in October by Sunni - 1st favorite

Kathleen's Locket by Bev M - 2nd favorite

Coracao Patchwork by Tuka - Equal 3rd favorite

Fade to Black by Carol - Equal 3rd favorite

Congratulations to these four entries and to all who entered. The group really is the winner for being showered with all the beautiful designs and gorgeous eye candy.