My project this spring/summer is taking the TOHO Challenge - "Anything Gold Must Go". Toho is a premier Japanese bead manufacturer who hosts a challenge every year with a set color way. Bobby Beads in Minneapolis is the local host bead store. You can see many of the local pieces that were created for this challenge there. Just ask!
My piece "Carnival Mask" was done as part of this challenge. It took 4 months to complete and about $300 in beads/materials. I am so happy with the final product as this was my first attempt at a mask. I also entered this piece in Creative Activities for the 2023 Minnesota State Fair and was happy to receive a 1st Place Blue Ribbon! My piece is currently on display at Bobby Beads in Minneapolis and will be part of the TOHO Challenge display during the October 28-29, 2023 Bead Bazaar in Hopkins, Minnesota. Come visit the Bead Bazaar on Sunday October 29th from 10am-12pm at the Upper Midwest Bead Society table to meet me in person!
From chaos comes beauty!!
Clamps used to set support pieces as the glue dried. You can see some of the crazy stitches in brown on the back of the felt.
Not the best picture because of glare from overhead lights, but the way the mask was displayed at the MN State Fair was so cool! The Creative Activities team created a sleave and glove to "hold" the mask and it was all suspended from the top of the display case for an excellent effect!