Bead Dreamz Group

And the Surprise Challenge Is....

2008-08-18T19:27:00.005-04:00

September 1, 2008 through August 31, 2009
12 designs of any type of jewelry or bead embroidery.
Beads must be an integral part of the design. This allows
for almost anything like beaded boxes, brooches, small
wall hangings, etc. It doesn't have to be your own design.
It may be made from a pattern, a magazine, or from
someone else's idea. You don’t have to do the same
type of creation for the different months.

Designs must reflect the month it is created for.
For example, October may be orange and black earrings
for those in the states and December may be
something red and green or icy blue. It doesn't have to
be a holiday design, but can be. It may represent a
birthday, anniversary, or special event in one's life.
Be Creative.

Sign up in the database.
(Become a member of Beaddreamz, if not already)

Please make the commitment to make 12 designs.
Remember there will be other challenges during this
year also. If joining late, the number of creations
would equal the amount of months left. If you cannot
make the commitment for 12, you still may sign up for
the challenge. Vote on the three best for each
month - not necessarily the best piece, but the one
that signifies the best design for the month it was created for.
All designs will be shown on this Blog.
Vote for the best three of the year, not necessarily
from the three best of the month.

Jeanne will answer any questions and will coordinate the bead-a-long.

Interesting Idea?

2008-08-08T15:19:00.002-04:00

Just a note to let you know a surprise bead-a-long is coming in a few days. Keep your eyes posted for the note. It will be announced on the group. Who will be the first to guess what it will be?

Present Challenge and Idea for Future One

2008-07-29T15:40:00.005-04:00

In the last couple of months Aryd'ell has treated our members to step by step instructions, including work-in-progress photographs, on how to create a freeform bracelet. These lessons offer a variety of techniques to enable members to expand their beading knowledge and hopefully work outside their comfort zone. This photograph shows the first of Aryd'ell's finished bracelets. Isn't it magnificent?

Members have already started to share their freeform efforts with the group in an array of colors and each unique. Some members have done two, or even three since the beginning of the challenge.

Another interesting idea has popped up from our member Rosalie. Perhaps we should think about a Caterpillar bracelet challenge in the future? This would be an excellent idea for using your 'bead soup' collection.

Rosalie's Ideas

Caterpillar

Spring Garden

Debra's Fantastic Beaded Vase

2008-07-12T12:43:00.004-04:00

Our member, Debra, has created this absolutely fabulous vase for the BFAC project. How she can part with it is beyond me. Debra is hosting a bead-a-long for Bead Dreamz that runs from September to November. It is a beaded cab with an optional swap. Details are finalized and will be announced soon. Sign-ups have already begun. Make sure you join us and benefit from Debra's superb beading knowledge. Congratulations, Debra. This vase is incredible.

Magic Carpet Challenge Favorite

2008-06-22T11:12:00.004-04:00

Lotus

Congratulations to Karol, whose Magic Carpet Challenge entry was voted as the favorite among the ten entries. This is a spectacular design and Karol spent many hours beading this carpet. Thank you, Karol, for sharing this beautiful piece.

A thank you also goes out to the other participants. The vote was close and all the entries are amazing and their designs are fantastic. Everyone is a winner.

2008-06-12T22:57:00.000-04:00

Hello to Visitors and Members!!!

BAD (Beaded Art Dolls yahoo group) and BDZ (Bead Dreamz yahoo group) have a lot to offer in the way of challenges and swaps and if you are interested in participating, please make sure you are a member so that you can join in. Links to our groups are on the right hand side of this blog.

BAD July/August/September Bead-along - I am aware that members are busy with their Symbolic Class Doll and Four Seasons Round Robin preparations but I would like to remind you that in July we intend to start a new bead-along, inspired by Robin Atkins. Robin has generously offered to introduce a special project to BAD and will give a helping hand and share her ideas with us along the way. I am hoping that members who are doing the Symbolic class will be eager to participate and put their new knowledge into practice.

BAD Puzzle Piece Doll Bead-along has ended and produced wonderful results. I am so proud of everyone and their work. I hope YOU have voted.

BAD Sampler Doll Bead-along is still in progress, finishing at the end of this month. Jeanne certainly placed a real challenge before us when she specified a beaded face. Well, we seem to be managing it with a varying degree of skill and having a giggle at the same time.

BDZ Magic Carpet challenge is almost finished. Moderators made a decision a little while ago that any challenge with less than 10 entries would not have a poll for voting on our favorite. It seems a shame when there are so many beautiful carpets. If any member would like to comment on this, please feel free.

BDZ Spring Panel Swap/Challenge finishes at the end of June and we probably won't see photos until after the swap. These darling little panels are something to look forward to.

BDZ starts a new challenge/instructions/bead-along on July 1 which is a freeform bracelet and ring with Aryd'ell and Sharon Harry. Don't forget to sign up.

BDZ also has a special challenge/swap running September 21 to mid November hosted by Debra Pyeatt. If you want to learn from an exceptional beader, you must sign in for this one.

Always remember that if you have any ideas, suggestions or comments regarding our groups, we love to hear from you. We need your input to make these groups interesting and fun.

On behalf of owners and moderators of both groups, a big THANK YOU to everyone for your continued support.

Lynn

Tassels

2008-05-27T21:11:00.002-04:00

Members of Bead Dreamz love to create anything with beads from jewelry to home furnishings to charms. This time the group designed tassels. Some were created to hang around the house, while others will accompany the creator's cell phone or key chain. All of these are lovely. Don't you agree?

Magic Carpets

2008-05-13T23:27:00.009-04:00

Currently on Beaddreamz the members are working on creating a magic carpet. This challenge was scheduled to end on May 31st. One of the members has asked for an extension for the entire group and now the challenge will end on June 15th. Although some of the group have finished putting their magic of beads into their carpet designs; others are having difficulty either finding the magic or finding time to complete their projects. Here are the completed entries:

Lynn's Orient Express

Penny's Floral Fantasy

Sue R.

Susan

Christina

Eye Candy

2008-04-29T16:51:00.009-04:00

Heather's Mother and Child

Carol's first embroidery cuff

Two of our members signed up for our recent Cuff Challenges. Due to other obligations, they didn't finish with the rest of the group and weren't in the poll to be judged as a favorite. Both cuffs are lovely and have different designs. One is a flat bracelet and the other is done with the blank inside. They deserve to be mentioned and placed on the blog for all to admire. Congratulations to both beaders. It is a job well done and it confirms that the old adage is correct, "It is better to be late, then never." Enjoy the eye candy.

Antiques Roadshow, Beaded Bags, and Rocks

2008-04-16T18:43:00.017-04:00

http://www.northwestmuseum.org/northwestmuseum/sub.aspx?id=593
Pictures borrrowed from the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture

While not being able to sleep last night, I needed something to watch on TV. All my favorite home improvement and cooking shows were repeats, so I turned on Antiques Roadshow. This is a show where people bring in their unusual collectables for an expert appraisal. This particular episode was from Spokane, Washington, USA. During the broadcast, there are out-takes from popular museums in the area. Last night the host visited the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture in Spokane. The TV show was particularly interesting because the topic of discussion was the beaded bags pictured above.

These are ordinary bags that someone (probably an American Indian) created in the late 1800's or early 1900's. Value of the beaded bags range from $2,500 to $4,000. One point that stood out during the show was the order the design on the blue bag was created. The artist draws the what he/she wants to bead first. Then the picture is beaded next and finally, the background is filled in. I was taught to bead from the center out. Were you? Could our beaded rocks in the future be worth thousands? It is too early to tell.

Sue's Zebra Rock

Kristen's Easter Egg

Jo's Top of the Tide Pool Rock

Sue's Giraffe Rock

2008 Bead Cuff Challenge

2008-03-20T01:59:00.025-04:00

Final Poll Favorites

Congratulations to Christina, Penny, and Kristen on being voted favorites by the group in the cuff poll. I am truly amazed at the wonderful work turned out by our members. There is so much talent in such a little group. Thank you to everyone for taking on this challenge. Lynn

Christina

Penny

Kristen

Kumihimo

2008-03-13T18:47:00.006-04:00

Aryd'ell has inspired the Bead Dreamz Group members to try kumihimo, a Japanese weave or braid. She has coined a new term, kumibeado, because as a bead group, one has to add beads to the kumihimo fibers. Traditionally one uses a marudai which is like a wooden stool with a hole in the middle, but Aryd'ell found a foam marudai that one can hold in one's hand. It makes for a fast and effortless way to braid and add beads. Jackie went as far as to take a class in the traditional method and also taught her grandson how to weave. The picture on the left shows the result. The three of us encourage all of the other members to try kumibeado. Please watch for other pictures as more members become involved.

2008 Challenge - Bead Cuff

2008-03-10T23:32:00.028-04:00

These beauties were created, most as the owner's first beaded cuff, for a challenge on Bead Dreamz! There are as many different styles, colors, and designs as there are creators...please enjoy! Although all the creations are winners in the group's estimation, two designers will be picked as having the best beaded cuffs by all the members of this group. Those will be featured later in the week. Check back to see if your favorites are picked.

Magic Carpet Challenge

2008-02-16T09:56:00.000-05:00

Our Beaddreamz Magic Carpets challenge, hosted by Kristen, will commence at the beginning of March and proceed through until the end of May. We hope to challenge members to create a gorgeous little carpet combining bead and thread embroidery. This photo shows a perfect example of what can be achieved.

Kristen has chosen a 'floral' theme and has offered ideas on how this theme can be interpreted. Her suggestions include an underwater garden, complete with fish or seashell flowers, a shadow garden inspired by shadows thrown by flowers on a sidewalk, window or wooden floor or flowers represented by geometric designs of diamonds, squares, octagons, curves, etc.

Close-up of a carpet!

Challengers will be given every assistance from choosing the best materials to use through to how to present the finished embroidery. Stitches and other techniques will be shared along the way.

Please consider joining in. The more the merrier.

Hello members and welcome new visitors!

2008-02-10T02:41:00.000-05:00

We are pleased to present another wonderful selection of bead art by our members. Our blog is relatively new and we hope in the future to feature beadwork created by all our members. Please keep watching for YOUR work. Lynn and Aryd'ell

Lots to do, lots to see, and many Friends to meet!

2008-01-28T23:04:00.000-05:00

That's us at Beaddreamz! Throughout the year, there will be challenges, or bead-alongs with themes, where you can learn a new technique by beading the project at home, and asking questions of the group as needed. There will be swaps to share, and perhaps even a round robin or two, where projects are passed from their originators, through the creative hands of a small group, to finally end up home, completely finished and ready to enjoy!
You will find tips on techniques, links to all sorts of materials, and enough eye-candy in our photo section to give even the most jaded beader a mental and emotional bead-high!
Best of all, you will find beaders of all types and skill levels, ready to share their projects, and a bit of their lives, with you.
If this sounds like something you would enjoy, please follow the link and join us for a bit of beady fun!
Lynn and Aryd'ell

Member's creations

2008-01-28T06:26:00.000-05:00

We are proud to present a small selection of the beautiful beading created by our members. Please visit often as we will continue to add items on a regular basis.