Two Beadwoven Bracelets

First up is a freeform peyote bracelet in various shades of black and various shapes/sizes of seedbeads. The closure is an antique button from my collection. I had plans to embellish the bracelet, but I like it plain for now. I love this type of bead weaving as it reminds me of crazy quilting-pretty much anything goes and no two are ever the same. Want to make one of your own? I learned how to do this from an online tutorial at whimbeads.com. I would post a hyper link, but it appears the site is currently closed for updating.

Second is a beadwoven bracelet, pattern from a recent Bead&Button magazine. It is actually made in 2 long halves, then it is joined in the center afer the two haves are made. It was just a bit advanced for my newish beading skills, so I took my time and I think it turned out well.

New Jewels

Again, long time no blog, mostly because it's been very difficult to upload pictures. Who wants a post without pictures???Hopefully this one works.

This is a set I made recently just for me. I made three necklace/earring sets for the quilt shop's annual Christmas party and I thought it was time I had something new too. I followed a beadweaving pattern using Czech firepolished round beads and seed beads from the book "Mastering Beadwork" by Carol Huber Cypher.

The beadwoven area of the necklace was supposed to be the bracelet, but it just looked too chunky for my wrist. I decided to make the section into a necklace instead. I made the bracelet witht the same colors of beads, same pattern, but used smaller 4mm firepolished and 11/0 seed beads. It is lacy and delicate looking, just like I wanted.

The chain area of the necklace and the earrings were made with antique-finish brass eye pins, strung with the Czech firepolished beads and seedbeads, connected with brass jumprings. I love it all and it looks great with my brown silk tshirt.

Summer Memories

It is a cold, rainy Autumn day here in Iowa. Summer is DEFINITELY over! I have a few odd pictures from summer to share today, memories of warmer, sunny days.

My repeat blooming daylilies did beautifully this year...
Dexter was a big help when we re-did a small garden just outside our back door...

We divided several hostas from another area and made a pretty new garden. the ugly post will be cut short next spring, and I will make a gazing ball to set on top of it. We would have removed the post, but it is set in cement and there are a lot of underground wires near by.

Can you tell that Dexter has a Lily bud in his mouth? So naughty, but so cute!

This is my mom with her totally hot new ride! She had always wanted a red convertible and my dad surprised her with it this spring. We had a lot of fun driving around the local lake and going to the mall with the top down.
Ah....I feel warmer already :)

Been out of town...and a few lace pictures

First I want to say a big, big THANK YOU! to everyone that has visited my blog and left such lovely comments. It's so nice that so many of you took the time to take a look :-)

I've hardly been home the last three days, having a big family get together for my husband Steve's side of the family in Humboldt, Iowa (1 1/2 hour drive) on Sunday, worked all day Monday and taught a class that evening. Tuesday we were back to Humboldt for a dinner in honor of Steve's aunt and uncle who celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary. Whew...I am ready for a few evenings at home.

I've got a few odd pictures of some freestanding lace ornaments and motifs that I've made recently. They were made on my Huskavarna/Viking Designer SE/embroidery machine. I got my machine last summer and have enjoyed making Venice-type lace motifs with designs from Criswell Embroidery http://www.criswell-emb.com/

The pictures are bad, taken quickly before I had to take the snowflake ornaments to Humboldt to share. I'll be keeping the smaller moifs for embellishing cq blocks. As time allows, I hope to experiment with rayon dyes to see how my homemade motifs take the dye.


The image below shows a FSL doily in progress. It still needs to be sewn together and to have the wash away stablizer removed.

Bead Show Report

Here are a few pictures I snapped of my finds at the bead show yesterday. I had planned on looking at seed beads, but I got side tracked by other pretties and items I wanted for my jewelry making.
My first stop was at Artistic Bead from Des Moines, Iowa. I wish I had taken my camera along as the owner, Cheryl Erickson, was working on a large crazy quilt! It's been fun to follow the progress on her quilt the last few years. Cheryl has several areas with large elaborate seed bead flowers. I'll have to take my camera to the next show which is in mid October.

I was able to find some nickel free antique colored brass and copper findings and wire from her shop. I have a nickel allergy and I'm always happy to come across these findings. Also pictured is a small purchase from another favorite vendor, Bokamo from Kansas City. the small silver findins will be used for finishing off cords on necklaces. My next stop was at Papio Creek Gems and Gifts of La Vista Nebraska. In talking to the family, I discovered that it would not be too far a drive to their shop when I'm in town for the CQS Retreat. I spent the most time at their booth, picking up several strands of dyed mother of pearl shapes. I was soooo drawn to the flowers! those will be used in both crazy quilting and jewelry.

I also purchased two strands of stone beads to go with the polymer clay art bead shown in the center. I believe the stones are jasper, but I forgot to ask! The art bead came from etsy from Gabriel Studios on etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=12669
I really enjoyed my all too short time at the bead show. It takes me so long to shop that these were the only vendors I visited. Many will be at another show in Des Moines Iowa next month As I shopped, I did hear many of the vendors talk about how slow sales had been-a sign that the economic recovery is slow in coming to the bead industry.

Crazy Quilted Christmas Ornaments

These are some Christmas ornaments I finished recently. The pattern I used came from CQ Mag Online, and you can find it in Vol.7, Issue 04. Sorry, I am having trouble posting working links today. Google "cq mag online" and you will find it.

Rather than making my ornaments two sided, I chose to cover the back with upcycled dupioni silk from a thrift shop dress. It was rather plain looking to me and then the idea hit to add some of my small needle tatted motifs. This was done after I had completed the ornaments, so they are just glued in place. Next time I make ornaments, I'll take the time to sew them in place. Thinking I'd like to make a set for the Iowa State Fair next year.
Adding the tassles was also and afterthought and was kinda tricky, but I managed. I took pre-made tassles and threaded them through the burgandy wood bead and a brass beadcap. I tied off the tassle loop and cut the ends. Using beading thread, I sewed up through the tassle and through the trim to hold the tassle in place. Next time, I'll sandwich the tassle between the front and back of the ornament.

I am off to the Central Iowa Beadbash in Marshalltown, Iowa today. I'm hoping to find some new seed bead colors and some bead shapes to make some beaded flowers that I've been wanting to try out.

Crazy Quilt Retreat part 4, friends, shopping and such

Shopping.....
Okay, I'll admit it, I am a cq shop-a-holic. Every year I PROMISE myself that I will not bring home more cq goodies, that I have enough for 3 or 4 lifetimes already. But then you see the stores, the cute displays the vendors have set up in their rooms. Oooooo...look at that, I don't have one of those....oh, I could use that in my next project! As the saying goes, "Resistance is futile!" Here's a sampling of the goodies I couldn't live without.

The beads came from International Bead Market, a great Omaha bead shop that is not too far from the hotel in the Rockbrook Village shopping area. http://www.rockbrookvillage.com/shops/merchant/45.html

On the left, beautiful hand dyed goodies that were available in Mary Anne's class. On the right, beads from Sherrill Lewis's Bead Ranch store, and on the bottom threads from yet another vendor. I just love using Caron threads for needle tatting. A huge bag of threads and fibers I purchased at the auction. This will keep me busy for a very long time!
Fairy packs purchased from Kathy K and Donna J's store. Simply stunning dyed laces from Kathy K, painted buttons and vintage lace from Donna J. Both Kathy and Donna blog about their crazy quilting:
http://cathyscrazybydesign.blogspot.com/

http://donnascrazyart.blogspot.com/
Hand dyed trims, vintage images and beads from De Crow, owner of Diva's D'este. The cd and lace were gifts from De. Let me just say that if you love vintage images, De's online shop is THE place for you! http://www.divasdeste.com/shop.html De has both cd's and high quality printed image sheets (paper and fabric) in her shop. http://www.divasdeste.com/index.html

One of the wonderful things about crazy quilters is their unending generosity. I was so fortunate to receive gifts from friends I've made at the retreat over the years. Here are just a few that I took pictures of. Hand dyed lace from Donna J, a Victorian lady from my roommate Martha Green, and pretty fabrics from Freda.
More gifts from Donna. Painted buttons, embossed velvet and velvet ribbon.

All in all, it was a great weekend. Seeing old friends...

And making new ones...

I'm already looking forward to next year's retreat!