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.