Allegory Galley Queen of Hearts Design Challenge Reveal

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Allegory Gallery Design Challenge, Andrew Thornton, Beady Girl Beads, Darn Good Beads of the Month, Joan Miller Porcelain, Queen of Hearts, William Jones

Yesterday was the reveal for the Allegory Gallery Queen of Hearts Mystery Challenge.  Andrew Thornton and William Jones of Allegory Gallery host these fun challenges. I completely forgot to post, but here I am now. Artist Andrew Thornton curates a kit based on a theme, and participants make things with the kit materials (another other things if they choose.)

Andrew also includes a handmade Mystery Component, although lately we’ve been having a lot of fun with mystery kits where everything is a mystery until we receive it! The handmade component this time is such gorgeous colors and design.

Around the same time I received the Queen of Hearts kit, I also received my first Darn Good Beads of the Month kit that was a tassel necklace.  I didn’t make it into a necklace thinking that the tassel colors would be great to go with the Queen of Heart kits, and I was right!

I love the romantic, bohemian look of this. I used a gorgeous multicolored faceted bead, some of the bright seed beads and the strand of pink nuggets and a couple of beads at the back. From my own stash, in addition to the tassel, I used a few amethyst nuggets, a couple of silver spacers and a gunmetal clasp that goes with the gunmetal chain that is part of the tassel.

Next I used the Mystery Component because it’s so pretty! I put two Beady Girl Beads above the pendant and strung it with some pretty faceted garnet (one of my favorite stones) and green tourmaline. There was a tiny star in the kit, and I used it as a dangle from the chain extender. I used two bright red kit beads at the back as a nod to the tiny red heart on the pendant’s crown.

I had these fantastic heart cubes from Joan Miller Porcelain. I used the purple waxed linen and beads from the kit to make a choker attached to a jump ring.  I attached some pink chain from My Elements to the bottom of the jump ring and added the Joan Miller beads. I used some red, pink and purple jump rings for a little interest under the cubes. This necklace is very fun!

Visit the Allegory Gallery Design Challenge Facebook page to see what others made!  Thanks to Andrew and William for sponsoring these fun challenges.

New(ish) Beads Parade

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Allegory Gallery, Andrew Thornton, Beady Girl Beads, Heather Powers, Humblebeads, Jennifer Tough, Joan Miller Porcelain, Project: Next Step

I haven’t had a new beads post recently, so I thought I’d show some new and newish beads.  I just went to take pictures, and anything that hadn’t been put away yet was fair game.  My studio is a mess again.  It’s going to get some attention during my upcoming time off.  So, here we go.

These gorgeous beads from Andrew Thornton actually are pretty new.  He saw some ancient beads he liked and decided to make some similar.  He is such an amazing artist. His beads are even better than the original. I am in love with them!

You can see more of Andrew’s work (as well as that of other artists) at Allegory Gallery and their etsy store. Andrew and his partner William are having a fundraiser for a special project for the gallery with some really fun rewards still available until December 15th.  Check that out here: Project: Next Step.

Next up are these from Beady Girl Beads.  I love the bright style, and fell for this matte heart.  The other beads were a gift – nice!

I’m a complete Joan Miller junkie. I could not resist this cat pendant from Joan Miller Porcelain. I also got these great floral bead caps, and this bicone bead. The bicone is truly one of the most beautiful beads I’ve ever seen.  This picture doesn’t really capture the metallic glowy goodness of it.

Here is a bonbon bead and leafy pendant by Heather Powers of Humblebeads. She has so many gorgeous things. I recently saw some blue toned bonbons on her Facebook page. Swoon! Her husband also makes some beautiful things like these connectors. 

Last but not least is this crackle heart by Jennifer Tough. I really like her work, and I had made a necklace with another of her hearts that turned out so great I wanted more!

Thanks for visiting.  Come again!