BAO Item of the week

The New Post is up with the BAO Items of the week showcasing some of our work. This is an especially awesome grouping. Take a look at what each artist has to offer by visiting The Bead Art Originals blog.

Someone is Always Watching

I love to people watch! When I was very young and would visit my grandmother, we would go in the little store on the square  and buy a bag of cashews and sit and nibble on them while we watched people on the square. Now this is totally different from buying a can and popping the lid like we do now. These babys would be laying in a tray under warming lights and the sales person would scoop them out and measure them and then slide them in the paper bag,salt everywhere!!
Now you have the picture! Then we would go out to the square, pick a bench, and just sit, nibble and watch everyone passing by.
There were always those that looked like they hated life, like they were eating dill pickles, those big pickles that you had to wrap with a napkin and still the juice would flow everywhere.
There were those parents who also got onto their children as they passed you because they thought that it would impress you.
They there were always those people that glowed, they were happy, they were joyful and shown with a sweet differentness!! That's the person That I will choose to be today, the one that chooses to live in Joy!
Remember, someone is always watching, which category will you choose to be in!

Current statement necklace is aptly named "LIVE IN JOY"

Raindrops Keep Falling on my head...

Are you old enough to remember that song?

Well, I'm tired of the rain. It seems like we haven't gone a week without rain since the supposed "drought". And to think that we were worried that it might never rain in the south again....

I finished another in the royal blue and turquoise group that started from the Bead Art Originals color mosaic.
It is officially titled "Raindrops in Turquoise".

I sure enjoyed the few days of sunshine and warm weather....maybe some yellow will be my next project.

Time is Flying

Well, back to school we went and the week flew by! I finished the the green and silver pendant and was pleased.
I've started a Royal blue and Turquoise piece.I love the challenge colors, it makes me think beyond my closet and personal stash of jewelry. The new necklace has changed directions several times, I'll keep you posted.
No Tennis this week - RAIN!

Tennis Anyone?

Well back to school we went and this is the first time I've had a chance to post. I did finish the green and silver pendant. I am pleased with it. I just need to photograph it. In the mean time I created this necklace to wear when my son plays tennis! He played yesterday and it was FREEZING! but...he won and didn't seem like the cold weather affected him! The Word TENNIS was cut from a dictionary and then I just started picking colors that made me happy. I am going to try a new project using some old photographs next.See Ya, Dawn

Friday - Its hard to bead if you're blowing your nose!

What a day yesterday turned out to be! I was virtually by myself for several hours (In bead talk that means bead,bead,bead!) and I spent most of the time blowing my nose. I didn't feel bad enough to go to bead, but sure hindered my progress of finishing a project a day. Another thing that complicated the story was the fact that I had guidelines. The BAO team (Bead Art Originals) has a color mosaic that they put on the blog.The next color scheme is shades of green and silver. Well I do color mixes very well. I love what I call "bead soup", a little of this , a little of that and a lot more of one color. I decided for my project not to do the soup thing, just stick to one color in varying sizes and silver. Oh My Gosh!!I ripped out this thing at least 10 times!! I'm surprised that there isn't a hole in the base.I will get it though, I am determined.The peyote stitch bezel is finished around the cabochon, which is the word danced,dancing from an antique dictionary.

On happier notes the BAO Item of the Week Mosaic is out. Take a look and drool over the creations, then visit the respective Etsy shops and purchase these Treasures and keep for your own.Most have great deals on these pieces.

Progress

This is to show you how the Latest project is coming along. Sometimes a pendant or project just presents itself in my mind and I see it very clearly, at other times I have to work to see were it should go. This is one of those cases. I started out with a good amount of aqua with this but it never worked out.I am very close to finishing and will post pictures this evening of the final result.
At one time I did a lot of free form peyote stitch. As I was sitting here on one of our "snow" days, which was beautiful by the way!! I realized that I didn't know exactly how to start a free form bracelet any more..so to prove to myself I could, I started one and its like riding a bike. Once you jump on it comes back!!

Starting Differently

I started my current project a little differently. Usually I create a pendant and then don't worry to much about what to hang it on.Most likely a ribbon or a leather cord. This time I decided to do the necklace part first! I have been bound and determined to learn some new beading stitches. The tubular herringbone was to be my first! I got out one of my favorite bead soups and trudged along as this slippery "bead snake" tried to get the best of me. No way Jose!! I got It! and love it. This is the project in progress.I've started the bezel for this cabochon, and bead embroidery will follow. I'll show you how it turns out. BTW, I've got 2 more herringbone projects started!!

JOY

I am in the process of reading and applying a book that I've read before but trying to put to practice this time. The book was given to me by a precious prayer warrior friend! The book is THE 4:8 PRINCIPLE by Tommy Newberry. The book is about living in JOY. This project demanded to be beaded last weekend as a remembrance of how I should be living. Enjoy the little beads. The sparkly represents the JOY that surrounds (and wins out!)the black and negative that tries to surrounds us.

Trash and Treasures

I am a packrat. I love little pieces of lace, paper,buttons.... You have a good idea! Since starting on my bead journey, I have looked for ways to use my findings, my treasures. Here are a couple of new pieces I've finished. One was formed around a cracked plastic bowl(the green and aqua), the next uses a vintage button, and the last one comes from a serving platter that was chipped.Friends have started handing me baggies with broken plates and cups. It is so much fun to create with what would otherwise end up in the trash.

Serenity Pendant

I created this delightful pendant using a handmade polymer clay face and a piece of broken china. I love creating using throw away things. Things that are broken and seemingly of no use.

The fantastic beads that I used to bead this with were from Artbeads.Artbeads carry a wide variaty of beading supplies. I used size 11 and size 8's in the same smokey topaz. They have such a vintage look. The colors seem to change as you hold them up to the light.Check them out at http://artbeads.com. They are called Toho beads.Toho Seed Beads


Check back soon, as summer is here and the beads are flying!!

Don't Rain on my Parade

I didn't realize that it had been so long since I had posted.
In my mind of course, I blog daily!
Of course I'm working on some new things for summer. Bead embroidery has consumed my time lately. It could be reverting back to my childhood days of actual embroidery, or those days of smocking. Which ever the appeal. I find it very rewarding.

It is often hard to turn a negative into a positive. That was the goal with this little totem pole face. I loved it's snarling glare, but that doesn't sound very nice. Hence a turn around!! Don't rain on my parade was created. Enjoy!

WISH

I love the beading that I'm currently stuck on.
It is very freeing going round and round these little shapes,
and then creating something so cool.

I've had the dilemma of creating some of the big beaded collars that are incredible works of art...
but the practical side of me says - NO
It isn't practical, it really isn't wearable
who in the world would wear it

We live in such an impossible casual area

so I guess I'll stick with the more wearable brooches and pendants.
Here is the newest creation, hope you enjoy and wish a wish today!

As Promised - Sir Hollyhock

I got a few pictures taken.

This little guy is hilarious and the colors are wonderful, but it was sure hard to get a good picture.

I named him Sir Hollyhock because he has a cocky little knight in shining armour expression and because the best pictures of him were sitting on the Hollyhock plant.

Tons and Tons to Do!

The Last two weeks of school are CRAZY!

Needless to say, I haven't had much time to bead but I've done a little.

I have fallen in love with these cute little faces.

They are just screaming with personality and emotion.

I think that I want to do a whole line of them on their own little tag cards.

I need a cute and catchy name for them.

Suggestions please!!

If you leave the name that I end up using, I'll send you one.

Here is the first guy. I'll show more as soon as I get to take pictures.

Only one more Monday of school!!