Melting Lakes and A New Bracelet

The weather around here has been absolutely glorious for the past few days.  Temperatures warm enough to go out with fewer than ten layers of clothes on. Actual, honest to goodness sunshine. Ground visible where before there were waist-high piles of snow.  Spring is truly on its way.

So I went out for a stroll yesterday down to a little park on Lake Michigan that's near my place. It's always a little colder next to the lake than it is a few blocks away, so there was snow on the sand, and large shards of ice being pushed up to the shoreline by the waves of the thawing lake.

Those are thin sheets of ice, each about the size of a poster board, piling up on the
shoreline as the lake melts
and the waves push the surface ice to land

The sky was blue, the ice on the water was sparkling, and people were enjoying the promise of spring.

A week or so, when the snow was still deep on the ground, I finished this bracelet, and to me it just screams "spring!!!!" It's a pattern that came from just sitting and playing with the beads.  With the recent thaw, it seems right to show it now.

You'll see it's kind of the next step in the patterns I developed here as part of one of the Time To Stitch challenges.  I was having ninety-three kinds of fits trying to figure out an appropriate clasp, but I found the cute little citrine colored mushroom-shaped beads, and ta da!

Here's a little video I shot on my phone at the lake.  Ignore the sounds of the people who were behind me and enjoy the gentle sound of the waves under the surface of the ice, whispering the promise of warmer days. (That is, if the video works -- it's behaving very strangely for me....)

She Who Should Have Been Shared Earlier

This little darling existed in an unfinished state for a while, but she finally got herself together.  Or rather, I finally got myself together to finish her and take pictures!

When I moved in October, she traveled in her incompleteness in a UFO box. When I started getting settled in, she was the first thing I reached for to work on.  The ocean jasper cab is one of my favorites -- but then, I'm a sucker for that gemstone anyway.

The challenge I set myself on this piece was to attach the neck strap to the pendant without weaving a bail or loop.  I incorporated the edging of the pendant into the tubular herringbone of the neck strap as I wove it, and I'm very happy with the result.  (Of course, I forgot to take a picture from an angle where you can actually see what I'm talking about....) Each time I used an edging bead in the strap, I did the whole round in that kind of butterscotch color.  You can kind of see the variegation in the part of the strap that is visible, showing that every other round is where a pendant edging bead was used as an attachment.  The result is particularly nice when wearing the necklace, because the clasp can't come squirreling down to the front of the necklace, and the pendant always hangs the way it should.

The picasso glass daggers were a serendipity -- I bought them "just because", and only by chance did I put them near this piece on the worktable.  They matched so beautifully, it was meant to be.

I ought to have shared her here before, but better late than never (that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!)

Soutache, Or My Newest Obsession

For a while now, I've been stalking soutache jewelry online, drooling over the graceful loops and whorls that embrace and enhance the beads they surround. But the technique was a mystery to me.

At a bead show, I bought an instructional pamphlet and some materials, thinking I could figure it out on my own. The result? More "crash and burn" than "graceful loops and whorls".  The term "tragic" leaps to mind.  Not even worth trying to salvage.

Then I got an online webinar from Interweave, featuring Amee Sweet McNamara of Amee Runs With Scissors, and that was helpful.  My first attempt was going pretty well, until I realized that I had flipped front and back. Well, crap.

Yeah, that wonky end on the right side? Totally supposed to be on the back. 

I jumped right back up on the horse, and finished a small, relatively acceptable little thing. There are lumps and uneven spots, and even a bit of thread that somehow jumped to the front, but at least it has a discernable front and back.  It's kind of an adolescent soutache piece -- awkward, a little off center, but with hints of what might be.

And then, I found out that I could learn from the master herself -- Amee Sweet-McNamara (insert sounds of angels singing here).  I haven't taken a beading lesson in probably 15 years, relying more on the self-taught experimentation.  But when it's a completely new technique, like soutache, I'm happy to have a chance to let someone show me the path.

Yesterday, I spent six fabulous hours learning from Amee, and I am now officially, undeniably, completely obsessed with soutache. Here's what I made!

The colorway and the pattern are all Amee's, but the work's all mine. I am ridiculously happy with the outcome.  Already plotting the best outfit to wear it with to wow the folks at work. And yes, already planning to work on my first original design tonight during the Oscars.

Now, to figure out where I'm going to store the soutache braid I know I'm going to be buying soon...

Snow and Shows and Summer Plans

Ok, so when I moved to Chicago, I expected snow. I'm not sure I expected 19 inches of it to fall in one day, but that's what happened Sunday. And committed Southern girl that I am, I loved every flake of it!

The snow looks blue because the sun wasn't completely up when I took the photo -
believe me, it's bright, bright white out there!

This was outside my front door yesterday morning as I set out for work. See that third lump from the left? That's my car. I expect to see it again sometime in May, when the thaw comes. Thank goodness I take the train to work!

In other news, I got notification yesterday that I've been accepted into my first Chicago-area show this summer!  It should be fun, but I wonder if there will be cicadas the size of Volkswagons at this show...It will have been about 10 months since my last show when this one happens, so I'll just be happy if I remember how to set up my tent without causing a crisis.  Stay tuned!

Karen, Leonard, Freeform Peyote, Explorations, and Me

(This is part of a book blog hop written by artists involved in Karen Williams' latest book, 
Explorations in Freeform Peyote Beading. Go to the bottom of this post for a 

list of other blogs to visit, and to find out how 

you can win a pair of earrings created just for you!)

Okay, y'all, today you're really going to to see my Southern come out.  We Southerners love our stories, and I've got a doozy for you. So kick back, put your feet up, and let me tell you a little story about a woman named Karen, a bracelet named Leonard, and a couple of the coolest things that have ever happened to me.

The fabulous Karen Williams, freeform peyote guru, published a book called "Freeform Peyote Beading: Design and Creation of Original Wearable Art Jewelry" several years ago. On her blog, she offered the chance to win a copy of the book and a kit to make a piece inspired by our favorite finished piece in her book.  Just make a comment, tell her which piece was your favorite, and be entered for the drawing.

Now, keep in mind that I never win giveaways (I'm still waiting for Publisher's Clearing House to show up on my porch with one of those whopping big checks). I did, however, give it a shot.

And as my favorite piece, I selected the bracelet below. Karen had titled it "Leopard Jasper Bracelet", but for some reason, I had read it as "Leonard Jasper Bracelet."  I was intrigued by the whimsy -- why did she name it Leonard? Why not Herbert?  Why not Clarence? Oooooh, LEOPARD. Duh.

My scrambled reading and some great luck combined, and my name was drawn as the winner of the giveaway (Cool thing #1). And here's the bracelet I made from the kit Karen sent: yes, its name is Leonard.  You can read about him here.  The photo's lousy, but Leonard turned out to be a beauty.

.
Not only did I get a great bracelet out of the deal, I loved the book.  The directions were clear, the eye candy inspiration was abundant, and even though I'd been doing freeform for a while, I picked up some really terrific tips and techniques.

Plus, I made a good friend in Karen. Best part of the whole thing.

So imagine my excitement when Karen announced that she was writing another book! And when she invited folks to submit their work for possible inclusion in the book, I figured I'd push my luck again.

I swear, when I found out Karen would be using two of my creations in her book, I nearly fell out. (Translation for those who didn't grow up falling out -- to "fall out" is to swoon, feel faint, generally to freak out from excitement, surprise, or shock, but in an ever-so-ladylike genteel way). There was much happy dancing going on in my house that day. This, of course, was Cool Thing #2.

And if you've been on this blog before, you may know that beady deliveries in the mail typically result in squeals, dances on the porch, and worried looks from the neighbors.  Amp that up a few extra notches to capture my reaction when I opened the package containing the final published product.

Seriously, this book is drop-dead beautiful The pictures are vibrant, the instructions are detailed and clear, and the tips are numerous and insightful. And if you need a little nudge to get you over a creative block, Karen's work and the creations of the featured artists will have you running to your bead room to jump into your next freeform creation.

Here's the gallery page of Aphrodite, my necklace included in the book. Good heavens, this page looked so pretty, I nearly knocked my husband down in my excitement to show it to him!

And here is the unedited photo of the freeform earrings included in the book.  Thank heavens Karen was able to edit the background and the brightness into a picture that looks less like a five year old with a toy camera took it.  These earrings look truly glorious in the book.

I am thrilled and humbled to be part of this publication. Everything Karen does makes me want to find my needle and beads -- her passion and her artistry will inspire you, too.  If you don't have her books yet, do yourself a favor and race to Amazon to add them to your library!

So, what about that giveaway? I'll create a pair of freeform earrings, using a wire armature like the pair in Karen's book, in the colorway of the winners' choice. How do you get your chance? Leave a comment here, become a new follower of this blog (be sure to tell me you've joined the fun!), or like my Facebook page.  I'll draw a name on January 31!

Here are the other blogs celebrating Karen's latest publication:

Thursday, January 15    Karen Williams, Baublicious

Friday, January 16    Cynthia Machata, Antiquity Travelers

Saturday, January 17    Nancy Dale, NED Beads

Sunday, January 18    Bobbie Rafferty, Beadsong Jewelry

Monday, January 19    Natalia Malysheva, Aqvatali

     Sarah Meadows, Saturday Sequins

Tuesday, January 20    Ibolya Barkóczi,   Ibolya-gyöngyei 

    Mandi Ainsworth, Bead Circle — Where beadweavers learn, grow, and elevate beading to art

The "Whoops!" Challenge Reveal

Have you ever ordered something online (or, gasp, horror, from late night tv shopping channels), only to discover, when you rip open the package with wild enthusiasm, that it's not quite what you had envisioned? 

Kind of what I imagine online dating might be like...

Cynthia Machata, the glorious woman behind the creations at Antiquity Travelers, had one of those "whoops!" moments when she ordered some glass pearls from ZNet.com.  When she expected to get some dainty grey beads, she ended up with some bodacious, bold 16mm beauties.  And a conundrum as to how to use them.

So she invited some friends to figure out what to do with these big balls. What does one do with Big Balls? (Now there's a sentence I never imagined I'd write!!) They brought to mind several ideas, which I had to pare down to be able to accomplish them amid the complete lack of free time that my new job leaves.  But I hope I've turned "Whoops!" into "Wow!"

First up, Big Balls become Beach Balls, when you add some equally bodaciously-sized shell beads.

These are wonderfully light beads, with the clasp in front for added fun. It may not be completely visible in the photo, but there's a lovely grey swirl throughout the shell beads that the pearls pick up beautifully. While I may be a beadweaver, I also apparently enjoy rocking some big beads, since these 20mm shell beads came from my stash...

Then, as anyone who came of age in the late 70s might do, I thought of Disco Balls!  So I added some woven beaded beads (made with crystals I had previously gotten from ZNet.com) to channel the glam.  

The sparkle is fairly subdued, balancing the size and subtle glow of the glass pearls, on a delicate sterling chain.  I don't go to the disco anymore, but work often calls for me to be in evening dress, so this necklace is probably going to get worn A LOT.

Thanks a million to Cynthia for the chance to play with these, and for the push to get back to beading and blogging. Go see what wonderful things these other folks have created with these Big Balls -- I know they'll make them from "Whoops" to "Wow!"

Linda    http://lindysdesigns.blogspot.com/

Bobbie     http://www.beadsongjewelry.com/ (thanks for visiting!)

Christine   http://onekisscreations.blogspot.com/

Hope    http://www.craftyhope.com/

Therese  http://theresestreasures59.blogspot.com/

Val  http://missvalscreations.blogspot.com/

Cynthia  http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com/

A Wooden Wheel, A 60's Hit, and A Life Change

"What goes up, must come down.

Spinnin' wheel, got to go round.

Talk about your troubles, it's a crying sin

Ride a painted pony, let the spinnin' wheel spin...."

Some times life feels like you're strapped to a wheel that's turning in directions that you have little or no control over. All you can do is hang on for dear life and try to make sure that the wheel carries you along, rather than spinning you off or, even worse, runs you right over as it goes down the ro

For over a year. that's been me. I was between jobs, and the search for a new position was extraordinarily frustrating, taking regular smacks at my self-esteem and confidence. I tried hard not to let it affect how I acted in daily life, but it did affect the enthusiasm with which I tackled things like my beading, blogging, and general online friendship maintenance.

"You got no money, you got no home,

Spinning wheel, all alone,

Talking 'bout your troubles and you never learn,

Ride a painted pony, let the spinnin' wheel turn"

But I recently got a job.  A dream job. I am thrilled! The only hitch is that it will require my husband and me to live a commuter marriage for a couple of years until he retires.  But the new job is in Chicago, which is one of those places we always thought would be a fabulous place to retire to. So I finally feel like I've gotten a little more control over the wheel of life, but in the meantime, I've had to find an apartment, figure out what needs to move up with me, and do all the things that come with relocating.

In fact, as you read this, I will be in my new apartment, hopefully directing the movers on where to put all the boxes of beads I packed!

"Did you find the directing sign

On the straight and narrow highway

Would you mind a reflecting sign

Just let it shine within your mind

And show you all the colors that are real"

When Janet invited me to be one of a group of people to create something with some little wooden wagon wheels she had found, I was happy to have the challenge.  My first thought was that it was perfect for a color wheel. And that's about as far as it went for a couple of months. But it's amazing how motivating it can be to have to pack all of your beads up for moving -- I sat right down and figured out how to turn my wagon wheel into a color wheel, first painting the wheel black and then using flat circular peyote stitch that I anchored to the spokes with whipstitch now and then.

It's not a masterpiece, by any means, but it is a talisman for me -- just like there are infinite shades of colors, there are infinite possibilities in life. Sometimes it just takes the wheel a little longer than you would like to slow down enough, in the words of Blood Sweat and Tears, to show you "all the colors that are real."

"Someone's waiting just for you.

Spinnin' wheel, spinning true,

Drop all your troubles by the riverside,

Catch a painted pony on the spinning wheel ride"

So, a little more melodramatic than most of my posts, but I'm hoping that this wheel helps me turn the corner (see what I did there?) into being more active on my blog, more regular in reading your posts, and altogether more like myself! (Oh, and credit to Blood Sweat and Tears, whose song I've shamelessly used here.)

Here are the others turning wheels into something fantastic -- go visit and enjoy!

Antiquity Travelers:  http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com/

Beadsong Jewelry:  http://www.beadsong.blogspot.com/

Crafty Hope:  http://www.craftyhope.com/

Honey from the Bee: http://www.honeyfromthebee.com

One Kiss Creations:  http://onekisscreations.blogspot.com/

Sally Russick:  http://sallyrussick.blogspot.com/

Therese's Treasures:  http://theresestreasures59.blogspot.com/