New Technique

While I was teaching a class in herringbone this weekend, I also traded techniques with another teacher. She didn't know how to do herringbone and I didn't know how to do this neat tubular stitch. She calls it netted crystals and it uses 4mm crystals (swarovski or fire polished), delicas, and 15's...makes a very flexible and sinuous tube that can be a necklace, bracelet or earrings (short tube)....this one is fire polished....I may spring for swarovski crystals for the next one.

More New Class Samples

I'm teaching a class today on a simple herringbone bracelet with triangle beads and taking along these samples of future (hopefully!) classes.
There's an undulating herringbone bracelet with hex and size 11 seed beads and the same idea in a tubular herringbone necklace done mostly with 11 seed beads and some 8's, 6's and triangular beads in the undulating parts.
Also a small face that will teach beading around a face (or other) cab and the same with some earrings using swarovski sew-ons.
I like folks to be able to finish what they start in class, so all of these are doable in 3-4 hour segments.

Sesshoseki

Basho number 9 is done...and I'm about half way through a herringbone bracelet I'm designing...at least I think I am. After almost 20 years of beading, it's not always possible to remember everything I've ever seen, so I'm usually hesitant to claim a new design. Guess I can just say I don't remember seeing anything quite like this before and especially not using hex beads.
LOL...think that's vague enough to keep me out of trouble!
The bracelet looks black, but I'm actually using lined garnet colored beads.

RAW Pendant

This is one of the RAW pendants and vintage nailheads on the purple chinese silk cord...not sure if this is flashy enough or if it needs to be a bit larger...I'll hang it up and look at it until it comes to me...

Jack's Guardian Spirit

Here's the new guardian spirit for Jack...the moon face with the closed eyes is so he will sleep peacefully every night...the bears are for protection and guidance and the dragon is for spirit and luck.

The Great Outdoors

A few pics from her afternoon and then I promise to get back to beading!

Sumi's Big Day

Yesterday we let our little cat outside for the first time since her little operation last wednesday. She had a ball and stayed close to us (we were outside in the back yard...mowing, trimming storm-damaged branches from the willows, planting tomato and lettuce plants) with just a few forays into our closest neighbors yards.
We wanted to be absolutely sure that she knew where she lives and how to get back inside even if something scares her...like another cat or racoon.
Here she is...our older male, teddy, is her guardian...just before my husband let her go.

It's Done

It was a nice exercise in following directions and I like the finished piece, but it's given me ideas for something different...I did, however, fall in love with the chinese cord necklaces. All I need to do is put a beaded bail on my piece and the necklace is done! They're very simple and classic and affordable...some of my favorite things!

Another Week

I worked on these two pendant parts and on a guardian spirit for a friend whose daughter is having a baby...it will hang over the crib, out of reach, of course...
The pendant is on the front cover of this issue of step by step beads....I didn't care for her color choices and used fire polished crystals which are a lot more affordable than the swarovski crystals she used, but the pattern is the same...hopefully will have it finished this weekend and can post it then.

I wonder

I wonder if this earring (from the pendant on the cover of the new step by step beads) is really a project for intermediate RAW beaders? Most of it is fairly simple but connecting the two sides along the inside opening was pretty challenging even for me and I've been doing right angle weave for 10 years now....the pendant, which has more room to work around the middle, might be intermediate, but I don't think the earrings are. I'd sure like to watch Marcia DeCoster, who designed them, teach this to an intermediate group!

Missing my baby

I'm already missing Sumi and I just left her at the vet's office an hour ago...today is her day to be neutered...a day we've ALL been looking forward to as this little cat is desperate to go outside and explore and make new friends. Once she heals, all the outdoors will be hers and I'm looking forward to sharing it with her...please send her healing beams, will you?

I thought I'd take this little test...these things are fun and usually don't take very long, so I'm a real sucker for them....of course, they're also free and that helps! It's also a cat tarot deck...perfect!

You are The Star

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Star is one of the great cards of faith, dreams realised

The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench your thirst, with a guiding light to the future. They might say you're a dreamer, but you're not the only one.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

New Earrings

A pair of small earrings made with the new rhinestone settings...

Four Fish

One bone and three abalone fish on this pin/pendant...

Rhinestones

Years ago I bought some beautiful rhinestones on ebay thinking I could glue them onto fabric...well, when I got them I decided they were too beautiful to glue on so they just sat in their little soft cotton wrapper for a few years. Last month I was roaming around ebay and I saw some sew-on holders for just the rhinestones I had...I was excited!
Today I got the holders and "set" one of my rhinestones....now I can just sew them onto my bead embroidery for parts that need some incredible sparkle and flash...wow!
The photo just doesn't do the stones justice, but it gives you some idea of how they've become useable...

Unganji

Whew, I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to finish this one!

Earrings

We've been car hunting lately, so I've only got this pair of earrings finished recently...they're a spiral with daggers at the end spiraling around...very 3-D.