Echo Creative Club - June and Suburban Girl and me

It is that time again for the Echo Creative Club reveal.  You know what?  I have loved each and every month that I have participated in this amazing club that Jeannie has been so gracious to let me be a part of.  Not only do I get to work with some amazing components that are created by her very very talented hands I have taken each and every month to expand and grow in my own work.  I can never give the thanks to Jeannie that she so deserves for inspiring me.

So why do you ask did I include Diana's awesome Suburban Girl Studios in this reveal?  Well Diana has been so sweet to have let me stay on her Design Team and work with her creations that frankly have sent me to a whole new level that I truly never ever thought I would try.  Now I have to tell you that when Diana's and Jan's beads arrived I did not get a picture but here is what I started with when Jeannie's beads arrived.

So when I received Jeannie's beads I was truly in love with these Fractured Art goodies.  Then along came my package from Diana and OMG they NEEDED to be combined.  So I set off to creating.  Well the picture in my mind and how the design was beginning were not melding as I had hoped.  I started with Diana's beads.  Guess what?  Yep I am embroidering.  I know I didn't think I would either.  Here was my first attempt with Diana's shell bead.

I have to tell you that I really do not like thread showing in any work but I know sometimes it is unavoidable.  I didn't care for the thread showing on the bugles but I really love the look.  I worked and worked to make it work but nope it did not work!  So 2 more attempts at the shell and I was still getting discouraged.  Okay K now what?  Lets move on to the starfish and see what sparks.  That totally did it.  I new that when I finished the starfish I would do the same around the shell.  Keeping it simple so as not to over power her beads.  Now to put it all together.  As I was thinking and thinking on how to make it come together and keep the colors the way I wanted them to be I started thinking that this was not going to be a pretty necklace.  I began thinking that there is no way I am going to get this one to show how awesome these 2 design teams are.  So they sat for a couple of days on the tray to mock me each time I saw them.  I wanted to use the same beads in the chain that are on the embroidered pieces but I only had less than 6 grams of each left.  So I started working on another project.  Well you all know I am a pearly girl and when I was looking through the stash for some beads I saw my yummy creamy 4 mm pearls.  Okay humm where to go from here.  Then it hit me.  The Russian Snake stitch or Daisy chain.  I could make it all work with the colors I wanted.  So I made the chain.  You know what it came together perfectly for me. And let's not forget Jan of Molten Mayham  lampwork bead that once again makes a rockstar clasp!  I really love and treasure this piece for so many reasons.  Here are a few of them.  

I don't know how many of you know who Peter Sewell is.  He is an amazing artist that inspires and reminds everyone to push through your struggles.  I have only known Peter for a very short while although is work I have admired since I first saw it.  It was funny as I was too shy to friend request him on Facebook and when he heard this he sent me one instead.  Now any of you who know Peter know he tells it like it is even if it is not what you want to hear.  He is a funny funny man and generous with his friendship.  Peter lost his battle with cancer on the 5th of June and our beading community is very sad.  I was talking to a friend and asked how best to honor him and she told me that the best way was to push through my beading struggles as Peter would have done.  He was in my thoughts throughout the creation of this piece.  I miss you Peter.

A friend edited this picture which was my favorite of Peter's  I asked him what he was thinking but he said it had been too long to remember.

The other reason I love this is that it was truly all my working this.  Yes I am armed with knowledge gained from some pretty amazing beaders but it all came together from me.  How totally cool is that.  And green is not a color I work with often.

So here I now leave you with Surf and Sand......

Thank you again Jeannie, Diana and Jan for the opportunity to play with your spectacular creations.

Please visit our other ECC members blogs

Shannon Chomanczuk  http://www.formysweetdaughter.blogspot.com

Jeannie K Dukic  http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog

Cindy Cima Edwards  http://www.cindycima.com

Beth Emery  http://storiesbyindigoheart.blogspot.com

Keri Lee Sereika http://www.pinklemonade.typepad.com

Lola Surwillo  http://www.beadlolabead.blogspot.com

Sonya Ingersoll-Stille  http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com/

Hugs and Blessings

KK