Abused Amused Muse

So I know it's been a while since my last post but I've been busy! One of the most exciting things I've done is join the contest "Use the Muse” hosted by the talented Scarlett Lanson, the Bead Maven, of the Beaders Muse website. The challenge to “Use the Muse” is to use beads from a preselected kit of which one element, the muse, is hidden from sight until it is Deadline Day to post entries. The rules enable the entrant to use as many or little beads from the kit but they must Use the Muse in order to be eligible to enter the contest. Use this link to see a photo of the Use the Muse kit and contest entry rules: http://www.thebeadersmuse.com/use-the-muse-contest2/.

So there are a bunch of us out there that know what the Muse is this year but we aren’t telling or showing! ‘Cause doing that gets you disqualified.

The kits are sponsored this year by Artbeads.com and Rainbows of Light with a gorgeous spectrum of peacock purples, blues and many sparkly Swarovski crystals and pearls. I just couldn’t resist these colours as they are all my favourites so why fight the battle.

When I received my kit in the mail I immediately had to have a fab play – so many possibilities! The Muse truly is stunning but me being me I had to abuse my Muse. The poor thing is lying in pieces trying to recover on my work bench (aka a Tupperware container next to the TV) as I can never leave things alone. So far I have used my coping saw and the DH’s bench drill on the Muse. I like doing things like this though – evil laughter.

So here are a few sneak peak sketches at what I have in mind. I’m thinking flowers and bugs. I don’t know why but those bugs keep haunting me (time to fumigate our house?) so bugs it is. So far I’m using seed bead embroidery as Right Angle Weave and Brick Stitch have both failed in what I want to achieve. By the end a bug will have a few different weaving techniques including embroidery and odd stitch peyote. Probably a few more too that I just don’t know what they are called.

I will also use some wire working skills on a flower, maybe some metal working skills depending on how frustrated I get. Certainly more embroidery and French wire floral techniques too.

And in the end I’ll probably end up with 2 long stranded necklaces on simple tiger tail. Who knows? I certainly can say that the Muse as struck my imagination, amused me, and been abused by me so far!