What happened to your BJP for July?

Tomorrow is the last day of July? Four days have passed and it now the 4Th day of August. Two more days have passed and it is Aug 6Th. Where did the time go? Why haven't I started on my bead journal page yet? For this month that was July, every time I stepped outside I would see a dragonfly. One stopped and stared into my eyes. Another one landed on my shirt. For the next week and a half I was on a quest to find a bead I put somewhere. The bead was a fossil cabachon I bought at the last show the Gem & Mineral Society had before Katrina. The time I am trying to account for has been spent beading away on special projects. I finished Garden by the Sea, Triton's Daughter and crocheted two bracelet using Blue Healer beads I bought on Etsy. Made a Bumps in the Road bracelet and taught a class. Sally and I took a road trip to Turquoise Coyote. Our next stop was Meme's Beads and Things LLC in Slidell. 143 miles later we made it back home just before the afternoon showers. I have bezeled six rivoli's and now need to the join them together to create a Laura McCabe dodecahedron cube. Let's not forget that twisted herringbone bracelet. Where did the time go? Beading on other projects.

This is the start of my July Bead Journal Page. The dog days of summer are upon in New Orleans with the index reaching 105. No wonder I am moving slowing along. One bead, one stitch at a time.

You Can Make a Difference

Have you ever heard of Fibrosing Mediastintis or FM? FM is a reaction to the inhalation of a fungus (Histoplasmosis) that is in the soil of the Ohio-Mississippi River Valley Area and is found worldwide. Currently there are only 300-400 people in the U.S. diagnosed with FM. Because it is such a rare disease Medicare does not recognize it and refuses to pay certain health costs. But more important that by recognizing this disease will help raise interest and funding for research which is currently almost nonexistent. The link below will take you to a petition sight regarding this disease, Fibrosing Mediastintis or FM. Please take the time to sign this petition it will only take a moment. Sign the petition here. You can make a difference. I make this request on behalf of my friend Dona Anderson who has this disease.

Life is a Bead

Tonight I created my first Treasury on Etsy I sat on the Treasury page like a chicken waiting for an egg to hatch. Watching for that next space to open up. I was being coached on the phone. My etsy daughter was walking me through each step. I discovered working etsy is a lot of work!!! What else did I learn tonight? Taking good, clear, quality photos is very important to making that sale. I have a few bead kits left I am offering on Etsy. Bumps in the Road. Russian Dragonfly Necklace Touch of Russian Elegance Necklace. Have you had your Etsy today?

Gems from a Gem Show

Do you think the excitement of Bead Cruise 2008 influenced my purchases today? Or maybe it's living in the deep south where the heat index reaches 100 degrees before 10:00 am. The AKS Gem show started at noon today at the Pontchartrain Center. I was dazzled by the treasures I found at TMJ Trading LLC. These turquoise spikes caught my eye immediately. They had three strands on display. They called my name. I couldn't pass them by. I had to buy them. I imagine these will be made into a bracelet with some kind of shell and coral beads. If tropical breezes and cruising are on your mind hurry quick to beadcruise.com Two days into registeration and we are already half way full!

Triton's Daughter

I have been in a beading frenzy for the last couple of weeks. I had deadlines to meet and class projects to complete. TRITON The fish-tailed son of Poseidon. He was a god of the sea who could calm the waves with a blow of his conch-shell horn. Triton's Daughter Necklace was designed especially for Bead Cruise 2008. The mermaid beads and shells are by Earthenwoodstudio. The collection of Goddess Beads. These original carvings are a celebration of the feminine, and an inspired love of the Earth. It was pleasure meeting Melaine at Bead & Button this year where I picked up the beads she had ready for me. Class Description: Bead embroider a pendant that features a ceramic mermaid from Earthenwood Studio. Embellish and add coraling fringe to accent the seashell art beads. Technique: Bead Embroidery with surface embellishments and coraling fringe. This a full view of the necklace completed with heart and oval pearls. Tropical Delight Bracelet Class Description: Catch the carefree island spirit with this twisted ndebele bangle. This week I felt like Rodney Dangerfield. "I laugh in the face of danger," As I look at the mess my creating has left in my beadroom! I borrowed this line from Heather. "Deadlines Amuse Me" As I dropped two projects off in the mail to the publisher. I realized....I no longer had an example for the class I am teaching on Sunday. Today I will work on making another!

June BJP Complete

If I was psychotic I would count to sea, if I really used 5,000 beads. Summary of June's page. Sunset on Lake Michigan. Special beads I used: Nailheads from Mary Tofaya, Raku bead from my friend Tammye. Gold Beads from a previous trip to South Haven, Michigan. Gold bugle beads from my sister Rosanne and teal bugles from Dona A. What did I achieved with this piece? Getting the effect I wanted with shading and the movement of the beads. I got a very late start on my June BJP. From April to June I drove 5,000 miles. A trip to Phoenix AZ, a visit to San Antonio and back to Michigan to take my Mom home. My sister Rosanne and I also squeezed a day in at the Bead & Button show. I made it back home to New Orleans just in time to celebrate my 18th wedding anniversary. Time was running out but I had one more project to complete. A Garden by the Sea bracelet for Bead Cruise 2008. I started my June page on June 30th. For the next 8 days I worked on it non stop. If I were to write an entry in a journal page for June it would say how much I miss being so far away from my family. Tomorrow I start another project that has a deadline before I can begin July's BJP page.

Day 5 Bead Journal Project

Last night my bead journal page took a turn. After working well into the night the square raku bead looked really out of place. I was not acheiving the effect I sought. Out came the scissors and I snipped it away. As I sat and stared at the embroidery I wondered where it was going to take me next. The object of my June page was about traveling home and how much I missed my family and watching the sunsets on Lake Michigan. Seagulls. That what it needed. Now I just have to figure out what color of beads will work best for the sky bringing it all together. Have a good night.

Day 3 Bead Journal

Once again it is hours after midnight. I worked on my bead journal page most of the day. Happy 4Th of July to those who celebrate this holiday. I am going to be a girl of few words, post my progress and head to bed. A quick little story before Gracie says good-night. Judith was at my house for visit one year as she made her trek from AZ to NH. I was working on a lariat. She told me if I made both sides the same she would take my beads away *grin*. I did it two sides that looked different. Working on this piece today has reminded me of my wonderful friends the Beadtrekers. I am a little off center but it's working. I am working asymmetrical. Nite Gracie

Day 2 Bead Journal Project

This morning, the coffee was brewing, the computer was booting up and I am thinking where is my June journal page going to take me today? I thought about what kind of beads I had hidden away in those boxes and drawers and filled in a space or two around the small raku beads above the shell beads. I came a cross a bag of brass beads from a bracelet I bought at McDonald Drug store 5 or 6 years ago in South Haven, MI. I thought they would be perfect to outline a wave around the shells. I worked on this piece on and off all day. I came to a stand still not sure which direction I was going to head next. I checked the mail and Wahoo...the vintage nailheads I bought from Mary Tafoya's Etsy shop arrived. I don't know how Mary finds all those great vintage beads but I am so happy she offers them in her shop! It didn't take me long to figure out where they were going to go. The last bead I added tonight was the square raku bead with an Adinkra symbol called GYE NYAME "except for God" meaning Supremacy of God. As I shut things down for the night I am very thankful that God hears the prayers of this Mother for her children, family and friends.

2007 Bead Journal Project

Tonight I planned out part of the 2007 Bead Journal Project. The surface I am using to for the bead embroidery is e'tal paper. The size 3 X 5 inches. I choose this surface for the metallic color that will show through if all the space is not covered with beads. A little pazza or sparkle to shine through. I am using bits and pieces that have a special meaning to me. Either they were given as a gift or picked up along the way in my travels. The center Raku bead was a gift from my friend Tammye. As I worked on my project tonight my mind wandered to my family and friends. I miss Tammye. I had a dream about Dona A. this afternoon. I think about her everyday. My sister Rosanne have been in my thoughts and in prayers for the last week as she deals with medical issues. The beads are soothing bringing good memories and healing thoughts for those in my prayers. Last but not least the raku shells are a reminder of the great time I had last year in Costa Maya with my daughter Heather. Jelly fish on the shore, sand between our toes and the $10 massages on the beach! Once again I have stayed up to late as I let the beads comfort me.

Just Before Midnight

At the stroke of Midnight the deadline ended for entering the June ArtBeadScene contest. "Let's Eat Cake" I had the art bead, I had the shoes and I had the fleur de lis but, did I have time to create something before midnight? Where did I put my pliers? Where was the wire? I headed over to Step by Step Wire to check out the wire projects. I had a design in mind. Surely I could incorporate my art bead into this project. I checked my wire. I had several gauges of sterling silver but not the right size. I was deterimed to make do with what I had. My first attempt failed. I tried again. Ok this isn't going to work I will try something else. (the last failed project is still churning in my head). I pulled out The Coiling Gizmo and cranked out a coil that would fit over the 8 inches of wire I had already hammered. I blacked the wire. My fingers were sore but I was on a roll. Time 11:30 pm. I still had the charms to add. I knew there wasn't time for anything fancy. I could put jump rings together fast enough to complete the challenge on time. The final results. "Frenchie" for Marie Antoinette. Completed just before midnight!! Let's Eat Cake! Tomorrow it's back to the beads.