Hello Fellow Beaders,

The day has come!  It's Bead Soup Party time.  Thank you Lori Anderson for hosting this party in spite of all the trials you are going through.  I truly appreciate your efforts.

Beccy Peterson is my partner.  She sent me a whole store, or so it seemed.  Thank you, Beccy.

Treasure Map

In spite of all the time we had, I didn't use all the beads.  As I continue to create new pieces I will post them to my blog.

I took Marie Forleo's B-School.  It was an intensive 8 week course.  It did, of course, cut into my beading time.

I made a necklace, bracelet and earring set.  The focal bead is a large floral stone with a small hole in the center.  It created problems with the way the bead hung.  It wanted to flop downward so I had to create a way to change the hang point.  I used the Delica 4172's to wrap the flower petals.  This gave me a way to add the brass chain.  

Focal Bead with Delicas, Drops and Brass Charm

Backside of Focal Bead

I used the beautiful glass toggle because it complemented the brass chain which I embellished with more of the Delicas.

Beautiful Glass Toggle with Embellished Chain

I made a bracelet and earrings to complete the set.

Matching Earrings

Bracelet with Embellished Chain and Brass Charm 

 Please leave a comment then visit the other participants for more beading goodness. There are 500 participants this year so instead of copying the participant list, here's a link to Lori Anderson's participant list.
Thanks for visiting.

Started B-School, Worked on Beadsoup

Hello All,

I've been away from my beading for the past 2 weeks because I enrolled in Marie Forleo's B-School.  It's an intensive 8 week course for online entrepreneurs.  I've learned so much already that I highly recommend it to everyone who wants to run a successful online business.  Even if you don't want to take the course right now, Marie Forleo offers free tips and inspiring interviews.  She also has a youtube channel called Marie TV.

I did manage to fit in a little beading time last night. :)  I'm interested in creating slave bracelets, also known as hath panja and hand flowers.  Because the name slave bracelet can be off putting I wanted to know more about the term.  I learned that the name slave bracelet has nothing to do with slaves or slavery. A slave bracelet is called that because the bracelet is connected to a ring with a chain.  They are also called hand flowers or hath panja.  I googled some images and watched some tutorials on youtube.  Then I gave it a try myself.  Hath panja (the term I prefer because it sounds so exotic) can be simple or very elaborate.  My first effort is very simple.

hath panja

I'm not at all sure I will keep it like this.  I might embellish it more or even take it apart.  (I have to laugh at this picture.  The only place I could get a good picture last night was over the kitchen sink, so of course I wanted to change the background.  My photoshop skills need work!)

I hope you all do something creative that makes you happy.

My Bead Soup Has Arrived

Hello All,

My soup is here!  My soup is here!  My soup is here!  Yeah!

When I opened my package from Beccy Peterson I thought she sent me a whole bead store.  I was amazed.

The Whole Enchilada

She sent me sooooo many beads she made a map so I would know what everything was.  I love maps.

Treasure Map

I love all the natural stones, especially jasper, so I separated things out to take pictures.

Focal Bead and Toggles

Tagua and Jasper

Blues and Greens

Are you feeling the love?  I know I am.  And there's still more!  I'm so inspired.  Time to think.

Until next time, I hope you do something crafty.

I Have my Bead Soup Partner!

Hello All,

I have my bead soup partner, yeah!  Her name is Beccy Peterson .  She's from Klamath Falls, Oregon.  I love her purple goddess earrings.

Thank you Lori Anderson for hosting the bead soup blog party.  I know it will be lots of fun.  It must be hard for you being so ill, but I hope the bead soup blog party gives you something fun to focus on.

Have fun and be creative.

Greenman Decision Time

Hello All,

The title of this post is a bit misleading.  When you create anything you are making decisions continuously.  I'm getting to the point where I have to decide on how I'm going to finish my piece.

Greenman 2-27-14

Greenman 2-21-14

Greenman close-up 2-21-14

Greenman close-up 2-27-14

Since I started tracking my time on the 21st, I have spent 16 hours and 22 minutes beading.  I love Toggl.

I don't think my idea of attaching it to my green & brown scarf will work.  The Greenman is heavy with beads.  It would make the yarn sag.  Too bad though, it would be really nice together.  They both have an earthy, organic feel.

The canvas I was thinking about using has a larger wooden frame on the back so my piece is already too large for it.  I could go shopping at the art supply store (yeah!) or keep exploring ideas.

I have a lovely piece of brown linen . . . but even if I added more batting and quilted it all together, I don't think it would be sturdy enough.  Over time it would sag.

My vote is the art supply store.  It's a great place for inspiration.

Hope you're all staying warm and creating beauty.

Greenman Progress

Hello All,

I've been beading like crazy and want to show off what I've accomplished so far.  Beading is very time consuming.

2-15-14

2-21-14 closeup

As a side note, I found (via Heather Powers @ Humblebeads, Flourish &Thrive Academy, Marie Foleo B School, Alex Beadon) a free time-tracking site, Toggl, that allows you to set up projects and track your time.  It's very easy to use.  I would recommend that everyone who needs to track time spent on a project check out the site. I'm certainly glad I did.  (The sign-up page does mention pricing, but the basic service is free.)

My goal is to have it completed, that includes deciding how I want to mount it,  by March 15th.

Hope you're all having fun!

More Jewelry I Have Made

Hello,


I just want to share more pictures of jewelry I have made.

Green Crystal Right Angle Weave

RAW Green Crystal Necklace 23.5 inches

RAW Green Crystal earrings 2" drop

RAW Green Crystal Bracelet 6.5" slide clasp

I made these as a set.  The green beads have an AB finish so there is gold, pinks and purples also.  The bracelet is very flexible.  It hugs the wrist.

Green & Purple Seed Bead & Crystal Necklace 23/5"

Closeup of Pattern

The "leafy" sections are a flat spiral and I added the other beads to make a lacy effect.  

Blue, Purple & Copper Necklace

Focal Bead

Sweet Buddha with Honeybees and Flowers

Rose Jasper Necklace with Tibetan Pendant

Closeup Tibetan Pendant

Rose Jasper Bracelet

Rose Jasper Necklace with Toggle Clasp

In reviewing the jewelry I have made you can see that I have a fondness for blue, green and purple.

Thanks for looking at my pictures.

Hope you're all creating your heart's desires.

Greenman Project

Hello All,

I've started a new project, a bead embroidery of the Greenman.  The Greenman is a mythological figure in many cultures from ancient times to now.  I like to think of my Greenman as Father Earth, a companion to Mother Earth.

I started my project by googling images of the greenman.  Many of them are fierce, angry looking fellows.  I wanted my Greenman to be friendly.  I sketched a image.

Greenman sketch 4" square

I pieced log-cabin style a 10 " square using various green fabrics.  I started beading and ripped it out twice before I was satisfied with the third incarnation.  I enlarged my sketch and stitched it to my square.  Then I removed all the paper and was left with my thread image.  It looks a little busy right now, but most of the background fabric will be covered with beads.

Greenman in progress

Since I like to make decisions as I go along, I'm not sure how it will be finished.  One idea is to attach it to a canvas, a la Lyric Kinard.

Another idea I have is to attach it to my green & brown "scarf" and make a wall hanging.  It's 44" long by 11" wide.  The green stripy section would be the top.

Woodland scarf

 I could add lots more beads!  I got a little carried away buying beads for this project, not that I didn't already have green beads.  They just needed more variety.  Most of them were bluish green and I wanted more browny green and yellowy green.

Beads auditioning for Greenman project

 It would be fun to use a tree branch as the hanger.  We'll have to wait and see what inspiration strikes.

Hope you're all doing creative fun things.

Jewelry I have made

Hello All,

Prior to the 8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Hop I want to share some of the jewelry I have made.  I took some classes at the Beading Heart of Santa Fe and also learned some beadweaving stitches online.

Peyote Stitch Amulet Bags

Russian Spiral

Russian Spiral

Peyote Stitch Spiral

Bead Embroidery 

I took an on-line free-form spirit doll class taught by Cindy Chavez at CraftArtEdu.

Right Angle Weave Swarovski Crystals

Paperclay beads 

Paperclay Beads Herringbone Stitch

Wire work

These last 3 were created for the Art Bead Scene monthly challenges inspired by selected pieces of art.

8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Hop

Hello All,

Lori Anderson of Pretty Things is hosting her 8th annual Bead Soup Blog Hop.  It's a lot of work so it's pretty amazing that even though she has major health issues she's still doing it this year.  Thank you, Lori.

This year there is only one day to sign up, February 9th.  Lori explains everything about the process on her blog.

This will be my first time participating.  I'm sure it will be exciting meeting other beaders, exchanging beads then sharing our creations.  The whole point is to broaden our horizons, do something out of our comfort zone.  I love to experiment so it sounds like a lot of fun to me.

Hello All,

Wow, it's been 3 weeks since I last posted to my blog.  I finished the Cat in the Hat baby quilt.  Yeah!  The baby shower was yesterday and in the morning I was clipping threads and doing a final wash.  Had to get rid of all the dog and cat hair!

It's so sweet.  I love it.

before quilting

after quilting

I love how even simple quilting adds so much.  The quilting is far from perfect, but it doesn't matter.  The texture is great and it's so drapable.

the words are quilted

I pieced the back with the border prints.  I cut 5" squares and foundation pieced around them in a wonky log cabin style.  I like things to be irregular and asymmetrical.  

It was a fun project and I can't wait until the new grandbaby arrives!

Now I'm working on a design for a small beaded wall quilt.

Hope you're all staying warm and having fun doing something creative.