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.

Plum Yummy!

Newly finished piece!
This spunky little necklace highlights a beaded bead in the center. It was beaded around a wooden ball using a seed bead mix of pinks, lavender. and oranges. There is an orange resin bead on one side and a brighter melon on the other side. To finish off this fun is vintage beads on each end in a wonderful purple. These are strung on a gold tone cable choker!!Great to welcome the fall colors in.

New Photo

I decided to retake some of my pictures of items I had listed on Etsy. This is the first one. It is named Rachel Ruffled. It is a funky little fish, hand stitched in peyote stitch around a fishing lure. This isn't one of my son's lures, its new without the fishy smell!

I love using unusual items in my beadwork. If it isn't nailed down, I'll bead it!

Looking for the Small things

Working with very small beads and then using the macro on my camera to photograph them has allowed my focus at times to be small. I look for little things, I break thinks down into their smallest pieces. I really do like 1, 2, 3. I like for things to fall off the frame of the camera. I thank God daily for small things that He brings into my day. Today I'm thankful for hearing the birds as I woke up, the smell of coffee (it wouldn't taste the same without the smell!),and that my kids can sleep safely (and late!)

This extremely small bird's nest and 4 tiny eggs is at my parents house. Dad was going to get the grass off the bush and realized that it was there for a reason..
Take a look at what was in the bush!!Surprise ...Small things.

This is the newest piece I'll list in my Etsy shop today. It's a freeform bracelet in pinks and browns with fresh water pearls.

Look for the small things today and be thankful!

One before Two

Number one today is to finish my front flower garden. I started reworking it last Friday and haven't gotten back to it. The perennials were going crazy and looking too Snakey.
Number Two is BEADING. I can't do number two until I finish number one.....
I've got a couple of new ideas in my head and can't wait to get those beads strung.
Here is a little taste....
This necklace I finished yesterday.
I was pleased with the mix of bead work along with the metal.
I always struggle to make wearable pieces, not just the art!!!
Going to the yard!!!

Back to the Beginning

Way back when, I'm not so sure how long ago,
I finally figured out how to do the Peyote stitch by doing beaded beads.
I created a great necklace with 3 large beaded beads, then attached them to other glass and vintage beads with wiring.
Mom loved it, my brother and sister in law bought it for her, my cousin saw it....now I'm doing another.
Actually it is finished, photographs to prove it!
I surprized myself that I was faster and neater than on the other necklace.
It was a nice little surprize to my self that I had progressed.
Now if I could every get RAW, or right angle weave as they call it. It has simply alluded me!!
Jordan is at GA Tech this week for tennis camp. He is LOVING it!

Freedom in Freeform

It has been a while since I've done any freeform peyote stitch.
I wasn't real sure I could flow with it like I had done previously.
So...last night I started a bracelet and it was like riding a bike, once you've done it you never forget how.
The colors in this bracelet are so peaceful.
I used green and aqua and let it flow.
I also added a beautiful vintage bead for the closure.
Hope you enjoy!

A Mind Of Its Own

I'm not sure about other beaders, but my beads have a mind of their own. I started out with these pink and green beads which were to be a peyote stitch choker with a cherry quartz in the center. The beads turned themselves every which -a -way and said they wanted to be a freeform piece. Something that could be worn on a breezey summer night, with a flowing dress and flip flops. Man those beads are pushy!! This is what they were meant to be.

Jewelry designed with Beautiful words

Forgiven is not a word that we generally use in our every day life.
It is a very freeing word.
It is a word of hope, of freedom, of new beginnings.This is a powerful word, a burst of energy and redemption.

The basis for this unique necklace is the word "forgiven"

I tried to capture the emotions of the word by the colors that used in the bead work.

The pendant was created using the peyote stitch and bead embroidery.

Enjoy!

Wedding Fun

I'm working on a Wedding. Not mine of course but a customers! She wants me to do necklaces and earrings for bridesmaids. It has been an absolute ball. The colors are to die for, Azalea and Mango. These are a few of the pictures of what I have going...

three is the magic number

Three is the magic number in this necklace.
Highlighted are three vintage mother of pearl buttons.
These came from the collection of Natalie Archer, the queen of collectors!
I beaded a curving bezel around the three buttons and let them cascade
in an elegant curve. It was beaded with light blue green delica beads with a sprinkling of gold delicas. The resulting pendant is cool and elegant with a touch of vintage appeal. The Pendant is backed in soft faux leather. The pendant is suspended on a single strand of delica beads enhanced with swavorski crystals and fresh water pearls.

Hot and Hazy days of June

Its hot,
hazy,
summertime,
in Georgia..
No better place to be.

This is WOODS AND STREAM necklace
that I just listed on Etsy.
Think cool, bubbling stream,
gentle breeze the smells of a forest.

Happy Saturday.. gotta get to work!