Freeform Peyote.
Did those two words excite you or send fear cursing through your veins?!
A big Thank You to the Hostesses, Karen Williams (author of the book that carried me through, "Freeform Petote Beading : Design & Creation of Original Wearable Art Jewelry") and Mandi Ainsworth. They gave some of us the kick that was needed to break through the mental barriers of freeform. Yes, I did say mental barriers of freeform. Silly, I know.
I got Karen's book for Christmas 2011 with the intent on learning Freeform Peyote in the winter of 2012. I kept procrastinating. I was too scared to pick up a needle and thread and try it. One year later, Karen and Mandi presented this challenge. Still scared, I waited until the second to last day to sign up. Nothing like the last minute to make a decision. No regrets!
The following photos are my very first, second, and third attempts at Freeform Peyote. I still have a lot to learn, but I think I am off to a pretty good start :-)
First Attempt with a button clasp.
Second Attempt with a snap clasp.
Third attempt with a rock as the clasp.
Thank you for taking the time to be here to see what I made. Please go take a look at what the other Hoppers created:
Adventure Guides
Mandi Ainsworth
Karen Williams
Bobbie Rafferty
Sarah Meadows
Katherine Gale
Leanne Kirsch
Jean Hutter
Nancy Dale
Judy Riley
Natasha Wiegelman
Pam Chesbro
Stephanie Woods
Romana Tschunko
Mary Harding
Melody Marie Murray
Shirley Moore
Marj
Sally Russick
Therese Frank
Tanya Goodwin
Christine Altmiller
Lea Paličková
Ivona Šuchmannová
Jennifer Chasalow VanBenschoten
Tammy Bowman
Lori Callahan
Tami Norris
Jane Kettley
SaraBeth Cullinan
Julie Schmidt Bowen
Cynthia Machata
Bette Greenfield
Kay Haynes
Alisa Lehman
Tammi Clapper
Are you kidding me??!! 3?!!! I was lucky to get one done! And now aren't you kicking yourself for waiting so long? Cause all three are gorgeous! I love seeing the snap clasp and the rock, those are great. I'm very drawn to the first one, the colors are just captivating. GREAT JOB!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThese are beautiful!!! You are an amazing beader Chris! ;)
ReplyDeleteI love your bracelets, Christine! You did a great job for the first time. I love freeform and I wish I had known about this challenge in time to participate.
ReplyDeleteAs you talking about your first, second and third attempt, I think of you setting out, climbing a mountain, but falling back unsuccessful before the final summit.
ReplyDeleteYou need to change your language, because if you'd been climbing a mountain you reached the summit, not once but three times!
Your bracelets are beautiful! I love the way the color patterns in the first echo that of your focal bead. And the textures in all three. Way to go!
Oh Christine, you have done three wonderful creations! The colors are sublime and you totally rocked them all even if only one had a rock! Now we won't hear any more hesitation cuz I can see you are loving this.
ReplyDeleteoh WOW! three bracelets? you amaze me my friend! you caught on so quickly! your freeform is gorgeous and has such a great flow to it! I LOVE the rock as clasp!
ReplyDeleteYour bracelets are beautiful. I love your color choices and boldness.
ReplyDeleteChristine, those are all gorgeous. I can't even pick a favorite. I love that they are all a bit different in color and how each one seems to tell its own story.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see the 4th, 5th and 6th attempts. :)
I think all three are amazing, but I do see a progression where each one looks "easier" than the last - in other words you got more comfortable with each one and it shows. That the last one incorporated one of your rocks I just love.
ReplyDeleteYou sure off to a great start - I love all three.
ReplyDeleteProcrastinate and build up the fear- know that well. Last minuter, are we twins?
ReplyDeleteChris, you rocked the rock, pun intended, and the free form style. Love the variety, colors, and textures.
Soooo gorgeous! I like the 2nd one best because of the beautiful colours. Freeform peyote is just so visually interesting to look at, and your work is a perfect example of this!
ReplyDeleteOh, and lovely focals, too...
Oh.My.Gosh!!! I love all three and I can't believe you are just starting out in this technique! I think you are well on your way to the Freeform Hall of Fame. I love all the amazing elements you added to each one. I can't decide which is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteChristine, awesome job! I love the focals you chose and the coordinating palettes. I love that you used a rock at a closure! I love that you made three. It reminds me of that story about the sculpture class. Half class was to be graded on their best piece, the other was graded based on how many they made. Quality vs. quantity. And the group that made more pieces also had the best pieces :) I'm so glad you took the plunge!
ReplyDeleteWow! You are an overachiever! *grin* Wonderful work and what a great color sense you have. My favorite is the rocky one, but they are all lovely.
ReplyDeleteChristine, you are a wonder! When you set your mind to overcoming a fear, you jump in with everything and overcome with style. All three bracelets are gorgeous, and you can really see your growing confidence as they progress. Good for you!! (Imagine me, clapping and cheering!)
ReplyDeleteGreat job, you are definitely not a 'beginner'. All three are gorgeous
ReplyDeleteOh my oh my I think you had a fun time with this challenge!!! They are so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love your work!!!! I also love what Karen Williams said - because I completely agree that you've definitely reached the summit over and over again!!! They are all gorgeous, but my favorite has to be the second one, because the Raku colors always blow my mind, they're my all time favorites and you matched them perfectly with your seed beads!! I hope you keep going, I would love to see more of your freeform!! :) :)
ReplyDeleteWow, Wow, and Wow....your bracelets are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteChristine, you're off to an amazing start with your freeform! Each of your pieces is absolutely stunning.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you gave freeform a try. It looks intimidating at first, but isn't it a ton of fun? :)
You are off to a fantastic start, they are all wonderful! I bet you're glad you finally took the plunge. I had so much fun doing this and will definitely be doing more:)
ReplyDeleteHoly Moly! Good grief, girl! You know I don't have a clue about this world of bead designs but I sure know these are gorgeous, all of them!
ReplyDeleteLooks to me like you sure did a terrific job :))
Oh, WOW! I wish my first attempts looked that beautiful :-) They are gorgeous, Christine!!
ReplyDeleteOkay Christine I would say you got the hang of this freeform peyote thing, your THREE bracelets are gorgeous! My favorite is the second one I love the focal bead and the colors you chose. I am still strugling with the just letting go and letting it happen part, but I am getting better at it.
ReplyDeleteTherese
Three and all of them are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteVery cool. I think the second one is my favorite, but they are all lovely work! I especially like how the bugle beads bring in some elongated lines into your work.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous work really love thecolours and style of second in particular, you've really achieved freeform
ReplyDeleteWow, love all of them, amazing bracelets, well done!
ReplyDeleteI love all three... your focal beads are awesome. the second bracelet is wonderful....I LOVE the colors.
ReplyDeleteWow! Nice job Christine. They are all beautiful!!!! You must be so happy to have a new beading skill. :) The rock clasp looks really cool.
ReplyDeletewow, Bet even you dont know why you waited so long to try this, these pieces are lovely. I can see the first worn casually with a pair of jeans and a cream cotton top in the spring. The second is my favourite, nice colours and textures, and a fabulous focal bead.abd the third is gorgeous too. Well done on designing 3 beautiful pieces
ReplyDeleteO wow, gorgeous -- you need to do more of these. I love their opulent, serpentine beauty :)
ReplyDeleteChristine, these are all so beautiful!! The color palettes and use of different closures and components, BEAUTIFULLY DONE!!!
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ReplyDeleteOh my god, Chrissy...have you gone diving recently? These totally remind me of coral when I look at them. They're breath-taking. Utterly organic. I think this is some of the most natural-/nature-looking work you've done. The colors are spectacular. The palettes remind me of some of mom's quilts. Especially those "lighted from inside". If these represent your first 3 attempts, I can only imagine what practice will yield! ~The Proud Brotha!
ReplyDeleteGreat progress photos! Love all of them, but particularly the colour choices in the second one and the rock in the third one...very creative!
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