Face Swap

All Done
with the 2 face cabs I'm doing for a swap...not as much beading as I usually do, but I figured it was pretty good for someone with carpal tunnel in both hands! The faces are polymer clay from a purchased mold, the beads around them are tiny nailheads with a small swarovski crystal at the top...they have ultrasuede backs and a pin/pendant finding...

Greens

Color choices...
Robin's blog, Beadlust, has gotten me thinking about my color choices...I'm realizing I use a lot of greens...and then I looked up from the computer out one of my studio windows and saw this....well, duh...looks like I'm echoing my environment! Also, I live here in Oregon because I love greens and blues (and greys too) and that's what we have a lot of, especially here on the coast!

I also realized, after talking to some other local artists, that in the winter...when it can get a bit dreary with many days of rain...we all switch to brighter colors, as if to add some cheer to our lives and studios...

Little bits

A few small UFO's
I'm getting a number of my smaller UFO's done...I can work on them a short time and take a break and still finish them in a day, since most of the work is done...makes me wonder what took me so long!

Totems

Totem animals
are being discussed on robin atkin's bead blog, beadlust, and it reminded me of one of my earlier bead embroidery pieces...it was a study in mostly whites and it had a small MOP button and bear and I called it, Land of the Midnight Sun or Polar Bear's Journey...robin also did a post on polar bears which is what brought this to mind in the first place...now I've dug it out I think I'll see if it can finally be finished!

Not Quite Dones

UFO's
A few small things I've been working on that are in various stages of done/undone...

another amulet done...

finished!
This has been a fun challenge for me...thanks so much!

Finished

The Amulet is done...
I managed to make a couple of tiny wire attachments and then beaded the edge of the back opening....the bag is two layers of ultrasuede, beaded together along the edge. The necklace has small clasps on both ends of the softflex, so I can use it for several pieces in that color grouping...

Picture This

Just a shot of my workspace
to keep me encouraged while I continue my battle with carpal tunnel and keep my mother entertained (she's visiting from Washington)...in the meantime I'll be checking out all my favorite bead blogs...thanks to you all (and you know who you are...).

Amulet

Mostly Done
Just have to add the necklace...usually I do that before I add the edging, but I thought I'd try it the other way around this time...

Still Amulet

Ready to finish...
The beading on the front is done...there is a small carnelian asian figure, a swarovski flower crystal, some vintage beads and bugles and a few 3mm nailheads have joined the carnelian, amethyst, green garnet and yellow jade bits...the dark purple she's lying on is the ultrasuede I'll be making her backing and pouch from...

Amulet

Day 3 or 4

bead-a-long

Guardian Spirit Amulet Bag
Here is the beginning of my amulet bag...she has a bone face cab that I've bezeled with charlottes and 3 cuts...embellished with tiny carnelian ovals, green garnet faceted drops and amethyst cubes...the cotton fabric I'm beading on has the same colors as the gemstones, lavender, orange and mossy green...

August Challenge

About Face...
I've just hit a brick wall with the tortoishell piece, so I'm putting it aside until inspiration strikes...in the meantime, there's an august challenge on this blog....
http://bead-a-long.blogspot.com/
even with carpal tunnel, I think I can finish a 3x3 amulet bag in a month!
Playtime!

Progress

Coming Along
The piece is coming along, although I've hit a stopping spot because I'm not quite sure what comes next...I find if I just leave it alone...sitting here next to me...eventually I'll see what I need to do...in the meantime, I've found a few shadow boxes and framed a couple of pieces....not sure about them either, so I'm living with them, as well...one day I'll look at them and see that they're fine or see what I need to do instead...I know some folks can push past such slow spots, but it's never worked for me, so I just practice patience a bit more...

Bead Faire

New Stuff
Last weekend was our local bead faire at the coast and visiting with friends and finding some great vintage stuff and stone cabs kept me pretty busy...however....
I did manage to get a bit further on the faux tortoiseshell piece and also make a bracelet with vintage czech nailheads...

slower yet

No Hurry
good thing I'm not in a hurry...

A little hiatus continued...

Sloooowly
Well, I'm beading slowly....did sneak in a little beaded bead this morning, but am now resting my hands again...luckily my chiropractor appt. is this afternoon and I sure hope he can help! I'm going to be very disappointed if I come home un-improved...;(

A little hiatus...

Rest
I've been cutting back a bit on the beadwork due to some carpal tunnel symptoms, although I've still kept up on some small pieces...the bag is stalled due to lack of inspiration about halfway through the design process...so I'm pulling out some older bits that I've been collecting for years to see what they say now...it's only july, but I'm already thinking fall, I guess!

In process...

Beginning

Applique Bag

New Project
I was on the beadwork website yesterday to check out the newest issue and I found they're having a juried exhibition of bags...well, I've done the small amulet pouches in several techniques but haven't done a large bag....I've got an antique bag handle that I've been saving, so now seems the time to dig it out and play with it a bit....I put it on some fabric and added a couple of my small hands (they will need to be beaded) and a face....I like what I have so far, but need to get an actual design figured out before I start building the bag....I like a challenge!