Tilim The Traveling Bracelet

The traveling bracelet Tilim arrived in New Orleans bringing my long time friend and bead enabler Judith Giffin of Beadline Studios.

Friday we played with beads. We experimented with Twin beads and I showed Judith how to do CRAW. Cubic Right Angle. My new favorite stitch.

Saturday we drove to Baton Rouge to visit with Karen Barber Firnberg. It was an opportunity for Judith and Karen to meet in person. We shared stories and did a show and tell of beadwork.

Sunday we treated ourselves to cafe au lait and beignets at Morning Call. It was delicious! Powered sugar was every where!

Time went by way to fast. Monday morning the Traveling Bracelet left With Judith heading west. Tilim's travels started on the east coast and will end on the west coast. The goal is to travel all 50 states in between.

You can read more about the Adventures of the Traveling Bracelets on Sigs blog.
http://travelingbracelets.blogspot.com
For the next person that Tilim visits, I hope it brings peace and happiness. That is what it brought to me.

Buttons and Buttons

My Grandma had a button box. Actually it was a tin can. It was one our favorite things to play with when we went to visit on a Sunday afternoon. Over the last 22 years I have become a collector of things. Those things being pressed glass, seed beads and buttons. I am not an organized collector of these things, until this week. I have been going through every box and container and putting things that belong together in their own boxes or containers.

My buttons are now in their own special tin. I have been inspired to incorporate some of these buttons into new pieces of beadwork. I just have to remember where I put everything when I am done sorting and things are put away.

Are you an organized collector of things?

Pod Pendants

Saturday we learned how wire wrap Pod Pendants. These are the examples for the class created by Carol Nastasi. I got the basic's down but I have not completed the pod pendant yet. I find the wire is too hard on my hands. It could be the weather or it could be part of getting old. I am not sure which but it sure caused my fingers to ache. I am not giving up. I will try again in a few days.

Beads and Baubles

Beads and Baubles were on my mind tonight. I love the big bold sparkly of bright shiney beads. I picked these up at the Bead Show this weekend. Size 8 one-cut royal blues, purples and bronze seed beads. These will be made into a necklace to match the bracelet and earrings. I felt like dancing after making this bracelet. I wanted to celebrate another day of being safe from a Hurricane. Everybody needs some beads. Wear these to your Mardi Gras party as you shout "Hey Mister toss me some beads"! I need some to go with these! Thanks for sharing my joy tonight

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!

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.

A New Size in Delicas

One of my favorite places that we shopped at during the show (Bead & Button) was Foxden Designs. It was great to see Terri Ann and "my" oh "my" she had a great selection of Miyuki's newest addition of Size 10 Delica seed beads. I wanted one of every color. Instead I settle for just a few to get me started. I have already placed an order for more. I love them!! They are just the right size for the Bead Cruise 2008 project I am working on. Wirelace from Alacarteclasps. This next product was new to me but I heard it has been around for awhile. There are several articles published in the bead magazines with projects using the wirelace. Alacarteclasps has a gallery of designs on their website Heather Powers at Humblebeads created this design using the wiremesh. The last booth we stopped at was Earthenwood Studios. Melaine makes some awesome ceramic beads and pendants. To see other Ceramic Bead Makers visit the Art Bead Scene blog.

Where Did The Time Go?

Where did all that time go since my last post to the blog? Well, my Mom and I went on a road trip to Phoenix, AZ to visit with my brother and meet his Fiancé Jammie. I am so bad. I forgot to take a picture of them! Don't worry I took lots of pictures of the scenery and places we stopped along the way. I bought a Garmin (GPS) for our trip. Not only did it does it map out your route it also found attactions, food and lodging along the way. We stopped at Stein's Ghost town in New Mexico. Lucky for us Garmin found this attactration for us on our way to Phoenix. The Casa Grande Ruins (Click on the link to read about the ruins) From my brother's house Garmin led us to the Bead Musuem in Glendale where we met Judith and Crystal. We toured the museum and had lunch at a Tea Room a block away. That was a special treat seeing the bead exhibits and spending an afternoon with friends. Texas has the most beautiful wild flowers. I see this color combination in a future bead project.

Old Mine Cut Diamonds

I had the opportunity to help repair and reconstruct a 1930's pearl and diamond bracelet. The diamonds are old mine diamonds or European cut. I asked what the difference was compared to a precision cut stone. Old mind Diamonds were cut by hand in the mine. This was done to maintain control over the cutting and possession of the stones. You can read more about the history of diamonds here. To an experienced beader you might look at this bracelet and think what is so hard about that? It looks like netting. The bracelet had been repaired several times. Holding it in your hand you could tell it was loved and worn often. It is a family heirloom. On the last repair the pearls were sewn to the clasp with thread. On the other end of the clasp the thread was broken and some of the pearls were missing. Art of beading verses The Fine Art of Fine Jewelry Making I understood the thread path and Tammye knew how the attach the five hole Diamond clasp. We had to find a way to make the two techniques work together. Tammye used a size #1 silk beading cord and french coil to protect the silk cord against the metal on the clasp. Armed with her optivisor and fine tweezer Tammye was able to repair the bracelet. Tammye was New Orlean's expert on Jewelry repair. During her career in New Orleans Tammye assisted in repair and purchasing of fine jewerly. One of several changes after Hurricane Katrina, Tammye now resides in Indiana along with her husband and two cats Romeo and Frank. This last week my friends who owned Planc Coffee & Tea sold the shop and now reside in Plano Texas. So many changes are still taking place 19 months after the storm. I really miss my friends who have relocated.

Three Little Monkeys

These little monkeys see no evil, hear no evil or speak no evil. They are hanging around to see what kind of mischief they can get into. I thought they might like to go on the beadcruise and checking out the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins in Costa Maya. 33 days to go and we will be sailing the high seas and enjoying our adventure on the Slendour of the Sea. The monkey bead was gift from my friend Brenda. She brought it back from Bedazzled in Washington D.C. I think I will start a little journal to see how many miles these little monkeys and I will get to travel this spring.

Petersite Bead Crochet (part 2)

A couple of layers of beads over the first beaded bead and a row of crystals complete the petersite necklace. I think I am going to have to hang on to this piece for awhile. It will be perfect to wear on formal night on the beadcruise. There has been a lot going on. Right now I am woman of few words. Happy Valentine's Day to all!!

Petersite Bead Crochet

I have been hoarding this petersite pendant for almost 5 years. I had the idea in my head. I just wasn't sure how the design was going to work out. The scanner did not capture the shimmer and shine playing on the stone. 10 mm pumpkin tiger eye beads accent the ends of the ropes. I want to do some kind of surface embellishments on the beaded beads. Saturday I hope to pick some 13 charoletts at the Intergalactic bead show. My critique on the piece. Is it needs something ornate on the beaded beads that won't distract from the pendant. Any other critiques or suggestions will be taken into consideration as I wait for this piece to tell me when it is finished.

Presenting Bead Art by No Easy Beads.

Just a few of the things have made over the years. I hope you enjoy the slide show.