Dollar Store Challenge, part 3

Happy 10-10-10!  And a very happy birthday to Marcia DeCoster!  http://www.maddesignsbeads.blogspot.com/

How have you spent your Sunday?  I finally finished a claret and brass charm bracelet that I’ve been working on for the past few days.  Next up are matching necklace and earrings.

A Fine Vintage

Clarice and I spent a wonderful afternoon yesterday with Karen, Iris, and Laura at Karen and Friends Beads in Melbourne, FL.  One of my treasures from our shopping trip is a new bench block that really came in handy this morning while I was finishing up the charm bracelet.  It needs a bit of polishing and weighs a ton, but is my new favorite tool!

Isn't my new bench block awesome?

This morning I also finally began my first Dollar Store Challenge project.  I confess that I took the easy route for this first piece and used the ivory organza ribbon in a kumihimo necklace.  I’ve only got a few inches done and this is my very first kumi endeavor.  Well, if you don’t count the short little sample piece I wove when the kumi loom first arrived in the mail the other day.  Since this is my very first kumi project, I decided to go with a simple round 8-strand braid.  In addition to the organza ribbon from Dollar Tree, I’m using three strands of art yarn that I ordered from Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio on ArtFire (http://www.artfire.com/users/larkspurfunnyfarm), three strands of DMC floss, and a strand of Mkiyuki gold-lined 8/0 seed beads strung on white pearl cotton.  I love the way the eyelash yarn adds texture to the braid (I’ve been very careful to keep it from twisting as I work).  And the single strand of beads adds just a hint of sparkle.



The beginning of my first Dollar Store Challenge project





A close-up of the beads and fibers



Three art yarns and a strand of chocolate truffle DMC floss

The ivory organza ribbon, strand of 8/0 seed beads, and two shades of DMC floss

I must confess, my tension hasn't been as even as it could be, and although the organza ribbon tends to get a bit lost in the braid, it helps to add a bit of depth to the palette.  I've discovered the kumihimo is very relaxing, and a great accompaniment to season 5 of Supernatural.  All in all, it's been a lovely Sunday.  I hope yours was as beadiful!