Latest Beading Project

Ceramic Ornaments

These were some of my experiments with a new technique. Look for them in my etsy store.

Ceramic Ornament

I was using a technique I had just learned to make puffy tiles. Then, I did some glaze experiments to finish them.

It's Not This Pink - It's Peach

This is the latest beading project. It's an earthy teal green, peach and rust. Someday, I'll learn how to color correct on the camera.

Playing With Markers and Alcohol

I got out my markers, a piece of muslin, and started playing. Then I spritzed with rubbing alcohol. The result is drying on the line. Next, I iron it, make a backing, cut out the batting and turn it into a little quilt.

My First Beaded Cabochon

This is my first attempt at a beaded cabochon. I'm happy with the colors I got, but I think I need more practice before I tackle the rhodochrosite cabochon. Next, I have some small cabochons that would be perfect for earrings.

Playing With The New Beads

These are some of the Toho beads I ordered. I chose the colors at night under artificial light. I also didn't realize that the marble beads (they look gold) are smaller than the other beads (all were 11/0). Still, I'm basically happy with what I made. I played with the design as I went along. I don't think my eyesight will allow me to work from a pattern. Getting older is not for the faint of heart.

More Beading

I got to thinking about a mossy rock we photographed at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands. I played around trying to work with the colors on the rock. I'm not exactly thrilled with this piece, but I learned from making it and that's as important as being thrilled.

Bracelets

I've got to do some thinking about how I want the ends on these tubular peyote bracelets. In the meantime, I've got some fun bracelets to wear.

Celtic Design Bracelet

This is BC. Before Carol Dean Sharp taught me how to weave in the ends of the threads. Still, it was a fun design to do. Now, I need to learn how to make the toggle and loop.

Close Ups

Some day, I'll get the hang of posting "upside down." I keep forgetting that the last thing I post will be on top rather than on the bottom.

The Latest Beading Projects

I'm still beading. It keeps the stress level down. I'm not all that thrilled with some of my designs, but I'm working on learning and keeping the stress down. Carol Dean Sharp was kind enough to teach me how to weave the thread ends in so from now on, I won't have those annoying little thread ends poking out.

The spiral ones will eventually get a wire through them, a bead on each end, and a clasp.

Been Dyeing

These are available in my etsy store.

Been Beading

I've been working with seed beads lately. Helps to keep the stress level down. The quality of my work isn't where I want it to be, but I'm getting better.

Works In Progress

I started working on some beaded cuffs. These aren't finished, but I'm having fun. For the purple and champaign one, I was playing around with the pattern. For the Caribbean blue and copper one, I decided on a pattern and then started beading.

New Dress

I used some leftover dobby cloth from last week's sewing project and combined it with a coordinating print in dobby cloth. I fiddled with the pattern, added godets, and had to take a photo between gusts of wind.

Dobby Cloth

The dress with my changes is made from cotton dobby cloth. Dobby cloth has a textured weave that allows air to pass through, but you can't see through the fabric. We're in the middle of a heat wave in Souther New Mexico. Yesterday it got up to 110. I've got to make more dobby cloth clothes.

I bought about 10 yards of bamboo dobby cloth and I can hardly wait to figure out what to make and how to dye it from that fabric. The fabric feels so silky and wonderful.

The Original Dress Pattern

This was the original pattern. I like how the dress fits, but I'm not much for wearing sleeveless dresses. I've got a hand dyed tee shirt that will go perfectly with this dress.