The Wait is Over! Here it is!

It began here, with a post from October 19th:
On the new front, I am one of ten participants taking part in The Hole Bead Shoppe's Day of the Dead Bead kit challenge.  Here is a picture of my kit supplies:

My kit fee was $50 and I got a $120+ value!  Crazy the amount of items that were in the kit, and WOW do I feel the pressure to create an over the top, fabulous piece!  The kit has a wide variety of Lucite flowers and leaves, Vintaj keys and blanks, fresh water pearls, Czech daggers and fire polish, Swarovski crystals, a variety of seed beads and Tila beads, gunmetal plate spacers, Tierracast beads and spacers, and a Palmtree Queen Day of the Dead lampwork focal.  Here is a picture of the skull beads the Hole Bead Shoppe added to our kits:

Mine is in the second row, second from the left!  They are AWESOME!


It continued in this update from October 25th:
Last week I told you about my newest Challenge project.  As I am sure you have noticed, posts have been a bit thin the past couple weeks.  All of my time is being spent at work at my two jobs or at work at my beading table.  To date I have worked about 13 hours on my project piece.  I have done a right angle weave using Tila beads, fringed with Lucite, pearls, crystal, and LOTS of seed beads, and now I am working a spiral herringbone tube that will at this point wrap around the fringe section.  Next (once the tube is done) I plan to finish the rope hanging the piece using some 8mm Chinese crystal rondelles accented with a netting stitch.  I am amazing myself!  I haven't seeded beaded this much all year, but it is looking amazing!  Stay tuned for further updates!

At this point I sounded very optimistic until... this post on Halloween.

Day of the Dead Bead Challenge update:
After adding an additional 6 hours of time to my project Monday and Tuesday evening last week, I had a thread break on the herringbone spiral I was stitching, and it ALL FELL APART!!  I must say, that put me off the project for a few days, and I believe I muttered a few "bad" words.  Consequently, on Friday night I spent time with those beads doing wire crochet instead.  I think I have that portion done now except for attaching it together.  Stay tuned!

This was the sneak peak I gave you at Thanksgiving:
Now I promised you all a sneak peak, and here it comes.  In a couple weeks, my Day of the Dead Challenge project is due for submission to The Hole Bead Shop for judging.  I finished it at the end of last week, so that I could get it to a professional photographer to do it justice in a single photo.  Amy Sandeen helped us out and did a terrific job.  I would love to show you how great the photos are, but that would give away the design before it is time!  So here is a morsel to tide you over!

And now without further adieu...My piece for The Hole Bead Shoppe Day of the Dead Challenge Kit:

 I am so pleased with the end result!  

• Lampwork focal by Palm Tree Queen,
• Loads of Lucite flowers and leaves 
• Crystals (Swarovski & Chinese)
• Seed Beads (size 11, 15, and Tilas)
• Tierracast charms and pendants from the Viva Mexicana! line
• pewter and sterling spacer beads
• Czech glass dagger beads and Fire Polish beads
• sterling silver skull toggle
• my beading wire, crimps, crimp covers, and Parawire for the stringing, wire crochet, and wire wrapping.
• 20 to 25+ hours (I honestly lost track) of my hard work and a few bad words (the herringbone incident)  

So now what?  Let the judging begin!  I am going to ask you to stop over on Facebook and vote (for me PLEASE) as there is an additional prize to be awarded for the vote of the public.  I will get that link posted here shortly!  


Thank you for following my journey through the largest design I have ever undertaken!  Thanks especially to Kelli, Michael, and Tarlee at The Hole Bead Shoppe for coming up with this wonderful challenge and to Debi Cogwell for the beautiful and fun focal bead to design with!