Art Bead Button Meets Brick Stitch

This week my beading is leaning towards the simple. I apparently pulled something in my back with all my cleaning. The state of chaos took over a year to create. I tried to play superwoman and put it all back in three days. I was a woman possessed cleaning box and after box. Beads flying and trash bags filling up. I had a bad case of Artie Merle cleaning disorder!! Poof! and it's done. I was left wondering what would I clean next or do I bring those pretties back out and bead something. Not wanting to get stuck in non beading rut I decided to revisit the brick stitch. I am going to give a class on this stitch at our next bead society meeting. I thought it might be a good idea to create some examples of completed beadwork using this technique. The pattern for this Arrow Bracelet is available at Bead-Patterns.com.

Completing the design is a Earthenwood Studio Button.

It was just the right Art Bead Button to compliment the brick design.

Is That The Floor I See?

Mission is accomplished. You can see the floor in my room. The beads have been put in their proper boxes. (almost) I have wittled it down with two boxes left to sort and one corner left clean. This time around I have found myself looking at things thinking "Do I really need to keep this"? Being a keeper of things can get out of hand. I have had enough of cleaning. I am ready to bead. Yahoo I am going to pull out some of those beads I just put away!!

Time Spent with Friends

Saturday afternoon I got to spend some time with speical friends. We went to Martin's Wine Cellar for lunch. I had an Executive Club: oven roasted turkey, grilled ham, hickory smoked bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo from the deli. Oh my gosh it was good. The dodage almond wedding cake was to die for. The beadroom clean up is slow going. I am happy to report that I am not the only one who thought they might need a bead whisperer. As it turns out it is our creative spirit keeps us from putting our beads away. I don't need a cure!!

Bead Whisperer

Is there a Bead Whisperer? Someone who can come to my house and make my bead behave? I have no control over my beads. Instead of me ruling the roost, they have taken over the roost. I am so guilty of letting my beadroom get out of hand. I used to have organized chaos. Now I have beads gone wild. I got boxes for my beads and beads for my boxes. They have ended up in other boxes of things to be put away. Definition of Scientific and mathematical chaos from Wikpedia: Mathematically, chaos means an aperiodic deterministic behavior which is very sensitive to its initial conditions, i.e., infinitesimal perturbations of initial conditions for a chaotic dynamical system lead to large variations of the orbit in the phase space. This means my beads are flying out their boxes and into boxes with devastating effects. I know what I have but I what I have is boxes of beads waiting to be put back into its proper bead box. Maybe I really need a box whisperer. I have boxes that haven't been unpack from our move 3 years ago. While trying to make peace with this chaos I will stop and smell the flowers. Spring is here. The flowers are in full bloom right out side my patio.

I Just Want To Bead Another and Another

Usually I don't like to make the same thing more than once. This cuff bead by Humblebeads has change my mind. The pattern is the same but changing the cuff bead and colors makes each bracelet unique. Humblebeads is now offering a toggle clasp which really ties this design together. I am ready to teach this as a class

Collabration Wednesday

A Place In Time is the name I chose for my collaboration project. The technique I chose to combine the Art beads was bead crochet. In my mind I saw the rope flowing through the center ceramic bead and intertwining with the glass spiral. I really like the combination of the different type of Art Beads together. The combination of ceramic and glass worked well in this crocheted bracelet. Completing the set are the earrings. I love when a project and combinations of beads just pop and the design works out as my mind's eye saw it. Thanks Cindy for inviting me to participate in this collaboration project. Cindy Gimbrone's Website Elaine Ray's Website

Clay, Glass and Seed Beads Collide

I was very excited when I was asked to participate in a collaboration project with Cindy Gimbrone and Elaine Ray. The beads arrived just a few days before I left on the Bead Cruise. I love working with Art beads. They are often the focal points for my beadwork. The colors, shapes and textures influence the techniques I use to complete a design. The art beads from Elaine and Cindy are totally different in the medium in which they were created. Here is preview of what I created.

Please join me tomorrow for the unveiling of the pieces I created for the collaboration project. Stop by the Art Bead Scene blog for more ideas on how to use those art beads!

The Beatles

It is funny the things you think about while on a cruise. Just down the hall from our cabin was this picture of the Beatles. I immediately thought of the Lone Beader who has been working away her on version of the Beatle's Yellow Submarine. Her dedication to detail is amazing. The hours have been long and many have enjoyed their journey through the process of the Lone Beader creating another master piece of bead art. Stop by and check it out. You won't be disappointed.

A Few Set Backs

I started to write about my few medical set backs and changed my mind. I am sure you would rather hear about a secret project I have been working on. It will debut next week. Excuting what my mind sees will be my challenge. So far though it is all working out. Now if we could just put an end to the eye allergies and infection and get those 5 stitches removed I might be back to normal. Just in time to put the plans my sister has worked out for me motion. Yay!! A trip home to the Bead & Button show and back home in time pick up my brother and his wife up at the airport and make a wedding in June with my Mom. I love plans!!

The Island Hoppers Are Back!

It was pleasure to met Eni Oken and Marcia Decoster and see Rachel Nelson-Smith our instructors on the cruise. The beadwork was incrediable and the women who sailed with us were just delightful! Thank you Karen and Karen for the pen with my name on it. Denise I love the candle it smells so good. Thank you!(a little island flavor) Each year is better than the last. Pat I am so glad I finally got to met you. I am looking forward to Bead Cruise 2009! (left to right)Karen, Red, Bev, and Pat) Our journey began on "Navigator of the Sea". Bead Cruise 2008 set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on March 1st. The weather was perfect and we were ready to set Sail on the High Seas. Our first stop was Ocho Rios, Jamaica. I woke early in the morning as our ship slowed and prepared to dock. I was so excited. Just like a kid on Christmas morning. We did a little shopping and headed back to the ship. We learned there are no problems in Jamaica only solutions. Our next stop was Georgetown, Grand Cayman. We went to Hell and back again. A stop at the Turtle farm was next, where we held a baby sea turtle. Every 17 years the turtles return to the Cayman Islands. Than we were off on a boat ride to feed the sting rays. Now that was an experience I won't forget. Island lore says kissing a sting ray is good luck. I wasn't ready to be kissed by a sting ray so I kissed a string ray instead. Visit Humblebeads and Fabfibers to see and hear more bead cruise stories. Thank you Heather for a job well done on Bead Cruise 2008!