ArtBeads Winter Enchantment

I finally finished my project for ArtBeadsWinter Enchantment. I got the closure finished yesterday and have been trying all morning to get good pictures. I might as well have been trying to capture a falling snowflake, but here it is.
The bezel around this 30X40 cameo uses 3mm Swarovski pearls and 3 colors of size 11 delicas.

The double fringe, used to simulate ice cycles, uses the same three colors of delicas, more of the 3mm pearls, 3mm crystal AB druks and 4mm Swarovski crystal AB bicones.

I used crystal AB and pearl white AB delicas with 3mm crystal AB druks to make the snake chain strap.

 I had ordered two opals to transition between the cameo and the strap, but when I got one bezeled and set it beside the cameo I felt like the fantastic pink and gold fire in the opals overwhelmed the cameo, so I bezeled some opalite coins to add to the chain and to make the closure.
The Three Fates now dance merrily in the snow above a frozen waterfall, oblivious to the freezing cold.

The opals and opalite coins are items I haven't used before.  I found the fire in the opals fantastic as I mentioned before.  The opalite coins are very regular and have little to no chipping around the holes.  The holes are smooth and pose no snagging or cutting threat to the bead thread.

The Swarovski components, as always, are beautiful, regular and add fantastic sparkle to any project.  Although I haven't used delicas for bezels before because their cylindrical shape doesn't lend itself to curving around the cab, I found that with a little tweaking of my method they worked great.

I do not receive payment for blogging about ArtBead supplies.  ArtBeads supplies beads and beading material of my choice, free of charge,  from time to time for evaluation.  These statements are my honest opinion of all supplies described.

2011 The Challenges Have Begun

It's been a while since I just talked about what I was doing. Sometimes I wonder why I seem to get so little done. Take a look at my bead mat. It's pretty clear. I started a Celtic Cross for the ArtFire Beadweaver's Guild Challenge "Celtic Symbols". On the left you'll see some of the failed ideas and bits and pieces I'll keep. I was trying to get it finished before my order for the ArtBeads Winter Enchantment theme came in. I didn't make it. I finally got a workable piece going for the cross last night. My ArtBeads order came in today. On the right of the mat you see the supplies for my Winter Enchantment project. The ArtFire Challenge isn't due until March, so It will be put aside while I work on the ArtBeads project.

Maybe I'll keep you up to date on what the Winter Enchantment project is and how it's coming along, and maybe I'll keep it all under wraps until it's finished.