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Art Elements Theme of the Month - Tidepools

It's time for another challenge, and this month Lesley picked tidepools as the theme for May!  I was all over it! I've been spending time at the ocean practically my whole life! My grandparents moved to Florida when I was about 6 and purchased a motel in Clearwater! My brother and I spent our Augusts there for years. My parents had condos in Hilton Head until recently - my daughter's first visit to Hilton Head was when she was 6 weeks old!

The first thing I made for the challenge was this cute little shimmery fish (personally, I think his shape might be better as a narwahl, so I think I'll try that soon!). When my son was 3 years old, we were playing on the beach when he came over with a shimmery little fish he caught from a tidepool.  My daughter and I asked him, HOW DID YOU DO THAT??? because they are very hard to catch. He put it back in the tidepool and caught it again and said, Like this! with a big smile on his face! Priceless!

I made some initial cabochons in a swirly tidepool type design, with short pieces of pretty multicolor glass I had left from glass that is now discontinued. Then I tried one with a little murrini in the center.
 I also made some shimmery textured disc beads with the tidepool theme in mind - these are so pretty in person, the shimmery glass is a little hard to see in photos.
Then I made these ammonite chicklet beads and had so much fun with them, I kind of got obsessed. These are great because of their orientation - you can use them for earrings better because of the hole orientation, and they work well in bracelets and necklaces as well! Here's a little collage of some of them - I even made some using recycled bottle glass!
Then I got to thinking more and more about tidepool cabochons and came up with these ones. These have been very popular! I kept one for myself, but haven't had the time to do anything with it yet.

I also made this large focal bead, keeping for myself, to see how it would look in the same style. It worked, but I have no idea what I'll ever make with it!


Finally, remember this project from a prior AE challenge? It was made with a cabochon by Lesley.

I decided to do something similar with a starfish cabochon by Diana Ptaszynski and finished it just in time!


Thanks for stopping by! I hope you visit everyone else to see what they made with this great theme - thanks Lesley for a lot of inspiration!


Guests
Deborah  
AE Team Members:

Comments

Jill said…
Beautiful work, you have been very inspired by this theme.
Lesley said…
Well you've been busy Sue. Your beads and cabs are lovely but your really hit on a winner with those swirly murrini cabs - love them. Your necklace is really pretty too. Thanks for taking part.
Tammy Adams said…
Oh, I so very love all of your beads. The colors, the textures, the patterns. They're mesmerizing. Those cabs are especially magical. And the starfish necklace is simply perfect.
You were super inspired and super busy with this theme in mind. I love the glass swirly beads and the ammonite chiclet beads:;-) I have got to try and snag one of those glass tide pool cabochons when you post them. I keep missing out.
Your necklace you created is also stunning!
LYILHA said…
Wow. Love these so much -- this challenge definitely seems to lend itself well to your work. My favorite (of course) are the tidepool cabs...and I must get one...cause WOWEEE!!!!
Saraccino said…
These cabs...! How the light is broken down and reflected...! I love your beads, but my favorites are really those cabs, just wow! :)
Anita said…
I love your beautiful beads, and think the cabs are just fabulous! Your necklace is awesome as well - I can manage beading around a cab but somehow lose patience with the rope / rest of it, so I admire your handiwork there.
baymoondesign said…
Your beads are all wonderful. The necklace that you made is a jaw dropper. I wish I could do beadwork like you! I cherish that necklace and keep it.
Cat said…
How very hard you make it to pick a favorite from these fabulous pieces!
Wonderful work in all of them ... and I do love the narwhal idea, by the way.
Shirlee Fassell said…
Your cabachons are each a mini tide pool! Love the beaded change on the last piece the beaded pattern looks like shells.
Niky Sayers said…
Wow! I love it all, but those tide pool cabs are just amazing such beautiful colours and great design!
All of your pieces are fab, but I have to say the Tidepool Cabs are my faves. And that last necklace is stunning!
Alysen
Jenny said…
I adore my tide pool cab. It really is hard to describe its gorgeousness. I like your beads, the fish is adorable. Your starfish necklace is summer style to a T!
Tammy Adams said…
The colors and textures in those beads are swoon-worthy. The necklace is a beautiful design.
bairozan said…
Those glass beads of yours are gorgeous, it's impossible to even pick a favorite! And the necklace reminds me of a light breeze in a tropical paradise!
Laney said…
Wow!! did you sleep last month!! so much creativity! I love your rock pool cabs they are fabulous but I do have a soft spot for your narwhal to be ;)
Caroline said…
Love your little fish, I think he will look even more amazing as a narwhal! Your cabochons are beautiful too, I'm not surprised they were so popular!
Sarajo Wentling said…
You certainly got inspired, Sue! That little fishy is adorable and I would love to see the narwal version of it!! So much beady goodness that you made, but your tide pool cabs just made my heart swoon. Hope to one day have the skills to work with something that amazing. The necklace you made with Diana's starfish is just perfect too. Yay for tide pool inspiration!
You went crazy with the theme this month! I really adore those cabs. Like they are SO STUNNING!!!!

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