working on that challenge piece

I had started several times on a name badge challenge peice for the Dallas Bead Society. I have to use the plastic name badge as a base for whatever I make and it had to be 50% beads. Well I came up with this as my third attempt.

I decided after working long and hard on this that I am not gonna ruin  it by being cheeky and putting my name on it as it is shown in the picture.  This has taken on a new life and will take some time to complete as most of it is done in 15s. I will get the progress photo later. But, I have had to come up with and finish a different idea - before saturday!!! Well with some already in progress pieces that never grew into a full project (the beaded beads and lengths of cellini spirals) I came up with a whole new design.

I don't know if it qualifies as 50% beaded, but I love it anyhow and will wear it with pride. It Has "Ralonda" written all over it (Well it does). The chain is very Victorian in its draping  and it has an art glass focal as a counter-balance but my batteries needed a charge and I didn't get that photo .

 I did get to take a picture of what this Dec 2nd of 2009 looked like when I woke up.

This one is my favorite because of the flashes of red from the gas can and the log splitter and that blue bucket covering the motor. It is taken out my "studio" window- aka- living room sliding glass door. It is also the same view as my blog header across the creek in the distance.

This one is taken from the front door of our current house and shows the northwest corner of our new house (that will be done soon). The Oak trees are so pretty with snow on them. They have a lovely frame especially when they are bare.