Sunday, August 3, 2014

Choosy Chicks Choose Chicklet Hop

Back in June Rita from Toltec Jewels Jewel School Friends posted that she went a bit nuts buying these cute Chicklet beads from Sue Beads. Can you blame her? They are pretty awesome, and they really do look like those Chicklets I remember from childhood ... except, well they didn't have the sweet flower imprinted on it.

What fun little beads these are. So when I saw the post from Rita, I took about 2 seconds to raise my hand to create with some Chicklets. But then here's the thing. Somewhere in my head I was thinking we'd be getting a few of them to create a pattern. When my single bead arrived I thought, huh just one? What in the world do you do with one bead? 

What I do is make it the star of the show and create a pattern around it. I decided to use it as a charm on a bracelet. I have been wanting to figure out how you bead a right angle to a peyote stitch. I figured how hard can this be? So as my husband would do .... I didn't ask for any directions. Yeah, not so smart.

I kept trying to bring together two ends of a peyote strip and it looked like a complete mess. Not even worthy of a picture to show you just what a disaster it was. So I broke down, and turned to YouTube. What in the world did we do before we could google anything we needed? I quickly found a tutorial on a Peyote Stitch Triangle. Of course a beading tutorial on YouTube wouldn't be complete without a Russian accent. A few pauses, and rewinds and off we go.

I wanted to bring out the orange in the bead which meant not over powering the rest of the bracelet with the same color. I used it only as an accent. This beaded up in under an hour once I had figured out the peyote triangle part of it. Yeah, I should'a started with the tutorial in the first place. Next time.

Apparently I was not the only one that found these sweet little beads a fun challenge to try. Originally Rita was looking for 20 people to join in on the hop, but she had so many people respond she actually expanded it to 44 people. This baby is going to be a big hop! So let's get on with it. Here are all the other artists working with Chicklets today:

Guest of Honor & Featured Artist:  Susan Kennedy
Sue Kennedy's blogs:         SueBeads...A Beady Girl's blog
                                    Art Jewelry Elements
Sue Kennedy's website      SueBeads
SueBeads Art Beads          SueBeads

41 comments:

  1. What a unique piece! The little chicklet goes perfectly with your bracelet AND how awesome that you learned something new! Congratulations!

    Linda A.
    http://cherryOnTopDesign.co
    http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com

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  2. "...as my husband would do"...that comment made me laugh right out loud! LOL!

    This is gorgeous - simply gorgeous. You make it sound so effortless, which I know, it is not. Beautiful!

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  3. I love how you incorporated the chicklet as a charm into your lovely beadweaving. The color scheme you used is great and I love that beaded triangle. Gotta laugh at your you tube experience - I typically have a start stop method to my You Tube tutorials as well.

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  4. Girl, you and I have got to get together to bead...we are so much alike! Yes, I snorted when I read the comment about the Russian accent! Love how this turned out. I got the other orangey bead, and there is also a triangle of sorts in my design! This is such a great idea, as usual for you, my friend. I can see several more applications springing from it.

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  5. I admire your patience in creating such a gorgeous necklace with bead weaving. The colors are perfect with the bead. Well done!

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  6. I love what you did with your single bead! And, the comments about YouTube videos was great! This is really a beautiful design and I love the colors!

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  7. Great idea to use the bead as a charm. I love how the triangle is going to make the beading lay on your wrist. Beautiful!

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  8. Hi Cynthia,
    Know you know why a woman usually has to go behind the man that did not ask for instructions and fix it. I love how your bracelet turned out, it is beautiful and unusual love the design.
    Therese

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  9. nice work with the peyote and the bead triangle. I got one of the orange ones too and made a totally different bracelet.I think these little beads are making the most wearable art around

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  10. What a great bracelet design. Perfect use of color to highlight the chicklet. And yes, I don't know we got along before Google and YouTube. I've benefited from many online tutorials myself.

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  11. Beautiful...simple yet elegant...perfect piece to wear!

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  12. You used the chicklet in a very special way... Really beautiful. The colors look a bit juicy, like a delicious tangerine (-: A bracelet to wear for years...

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  13. Your designs are always so inspirational. I am always glad to see your name in a blog hop list.

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  14. Stunning....I love the colors! And really...how did we get on without youtube!
    Excellent job!

    veradesigns.blogspot.com

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  15. Gorgeous, unique design! and I love your story of the creative process :)

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  16. I just love reading your posts because they always have that little extra. The part about men and directions is priceless.

    Your bracelet sure brings the chicklet to the fore. I would love to see a pic of it being worn.

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  17. Fun piece! Your beautiful beadwork features that single orange bead wonderfully!

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  18. I love this pieces! You did great job choosing colors to make sure the chicklet stood out. I wish I could do anything like this in any amount of time, let alone in an hour. BEAUTIFUL!

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  19. Love that chicklet and how your bracelet turned out! Those angle stitches are always a challenge for me ;)

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  20. Yes, YouTube is so helpful and you put it to great use. Your piece is quite beautiful.
    ~cryssT

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  21. Gorgeous creation, I often turn to you tube. Love the way you made the chicklet the star of the show, beautiful design!

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  22. So pretty ;o) I love those chicklet beads ;o) So cute!

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  23. Love this necklace. Classy and elegant. You highlighted the chicklet perfectly by just using the orangey colour for an accent. I have to tell you that I'm not a big fan of seed beads but this necklace could convert me. Beautiful!

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  24. This is just beautiful - lovely colors, too!! The bead as the focal is just perfect! I always admire your work and this piece is definitely one to be admired!!

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  25. Oh! Oh! What a brilliant (and gorgeous) solution Cynthia...love the autumnal colours!

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  26. What fun little beads! I love that you made it the star of the show as a charm. And the bracelet design is cool...that you got it figured out :)

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  27. These Chicklets are so neat! You really did the piece justice. Nice work! I laughed at the comment about your husband and directions. I can relate. :)

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  28. Oh wow, those are FUN beads! If I remember correctly, Chicklets are little chewing gums?
    You did a fabulous job working around that one bead! Your bracelet looks gorgeous!

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  29. Cute beads. The flower in the center is a great addition.

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  30. I love your necklace. well done!!

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  31. I can't believe that's your first time doing triangle peyote stitch! I never would have guessed that. Outstanding job!

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  32. I think that turned out marvelous! That must have been one excellent Russian tutorial on YouTube (or maybe a lot of genius on you part)! Beautiful job, Cynthia! ~Sharyl

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  33. Very pretty beads. I love orange.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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  34. Wow you did a great job with your new stitching, it's a great way to showcase the chicklet bead.

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  35. A unique piece. I love how its bold but elegant. The colors are stunning and the chicklet really shines through.

    -Charlie
    http://clay-space.com/blog/

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  36. A unique piece. I love how its bold but elegant. The colors are stunning and the chicklet really shines through.

    -Charlie
    http://clay-space.com/blog/

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  37. A unique piece. I love how its bold but elegant. The colors are stunning and the chicklet really shines through.

    -Charlie
    http://clay-space.com/blog/

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  38. Lovely design Cynthia. You really did let the chicklet be the star.

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