Free-Form Peyote Challenge

Choose Your Own Adventure

Free-Form Peyote has no set pattern or rules to follow.
Good design elements and a cohesive composition makes it
an abstract art form of off-loom bead weaving.
Taah - Daah!

Please leave your comment. Since this is my first attempt, I really want comments (good or bad).
A special "Thank You!" to Karen Williams for putting the Challenge together. And especially for her "step-by-step beginnings" that helped me get started with my free-form peyote bracelet; a project technique that I have wanted to try for a couple of years now.

I would probably still be working on making the bracelet if not for the fact that I got the "bug" that is going around. I had quite a few days at home sick. So after 2 days of non-stop sleeping, I spent the rest of the weekend beading. Like most projects, once I got started, it took on a life of its own.

I picked up the handmade Kazuri ceramic focal bead when I was in Kenya last summer. (In Swahili, Kazuri means small and beautiful.) The seed beads were left over from other projects and the accent beads of fire-polish glass, pressed glass, fancy jasper stone chips, filigree and gold plated metal were odds and ends. I usually design jewelry with repeating and symmetrical patterns, since those are what most people want to see. This was a big departure from most of the representational artwork that I do.

I really enjoyed playing with the elements and experimenting with the placement of the beads with regard to color and texture.  Since I was slowed down with "the bug," I remembered to take time to photo document the making of the bracelet. This is something that I usually forget to do during the creation of the piece.

Self-Critique: For the next project, I will take time to plan a color palette. The colors are alright, but I just quickly grabbed a few things that were convenient. The center ceramic bead is way too big for my wrist. I usually don't wear what I make anyway; however my friends seem to like to wear what I make. For the next bracelet, I plan to do more open work and to add more surface decoration and embellishments. I also plan to use a snap closure.

Bitchy Little Note:

There is a force out there that really doesn't like me!!!.... It's 3 AM, I am "baby-sitting" my daughter's 15 year old barking dog, who has dementia..... Hubby is really upset, of course he is trying to sleep.... So. trying to be productive, I decided to post on my blog..... Most of you know writing is not my forte, so after laboring over each word for an hour and a half the computer Freezes-up!!!. just as I add the most important items.... The photos!!!  Can not revert or escape!!!! Aaaaarrrrrhh!!!! ... Must do over. What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger......