Well, having started the year off well competitions wise I decided that entering these challenges stretch my mojo a little and give me inspirations, so armed with this new found enthusiasm, and laissez-faire attitude I enterd the Bead Buddies Monthly Colour Challenge with this piece.

I believe that everyone who enters a piece goes into a hat and the winner is drawn at random, and this month I was that lucky girl! 

I was going to do a simple stringing piece for February as the colours didn't appeal to me as much (amazing that, as I have so many that match it in my stash which I didn't discover until after I set about it) anyway, the simple stringing gave way to a beaded bail which in turn led me to beaded beads (Nod to Nicola for the great tute she has over at Beaders Online) 

On Tuesday at Bead and Banter, Sigrid and I picked up Mary and we went into town, town in this case being Embra. It sounds like we painted it red, but that's a mild exaggeration it was more a dusky pink, pink at least....possibly oyster ;)  I blew my budget on those pesky delicas.  Ok I bought swaros as well but they are so gorgeous and evocative of a time gone by :)  I have a plan on what I want to make with them but it's not translating well onto the finished piece. I did get my chainmaille piece finished, and Sigrid had a practice version of her piece on the go, instructions are all very well but sometimes I believe people think we can read their minds too!

The colours I had bought were a very faded elegant version of turquoise and brown, which happens to be the colours at Operation: Tackle that Bead Stash for February.  But I'm going to make a mess o' things if I rush what I see in my mind's eye..  Already I've started a cuff and abandoned it for OTTBS, and a necklace (which is what I have in mind for these lush swaros)but have ended up doing a brooch (again!) for my Mum, with a delicious Scarab bead crafted in Polymer clay, by the extremely talented Caroline Harvey . Mum loves all things egypt, and I had originally planned to turn this little fella into a necklace, but it was bigger than I thought and though Mum would appreciate a statement piece I don't think she would wear it.  I then thought of making a cuff around the chap, but again gave in at the thought of him being swamped by embellishments.   A brooch seemed the way to go, and I thought I'd go for something evocative of the era in which Carter discovered Tut's tomb.  A quick google later and I had a vision, all I had to do was translate this to beads and within my ability.  This is the first time I've glued a bead to a backing and I'm not sure what I'm doing but I think it's turned out all right :D though I can't get it to photograph particularly well ... it looks much better in the flesh, with my rose tinted specs on :D

I just want to thank Nicola for her beautiful gift, and rest assured the cupcakes will be baked and photographed on the plate, possibly with my charity shop find teacups in the background! 

Looking forward to the Bead Retreat in May, and the Tiara Walk for Strathcarron Hospice.  Sigrid and I have signed up for more torture.... just a cheeky wee ten miles this time! ;)