MEET THE BEETLES!

I've really been obsessed with all the wonderful beetles there are out there. I love the look of them with their hard, shiny wings. The amazing colors they sport certainly lend themselves to my beadwork projects. Here are a couple of cuffs I've completed. There are two more that have been designed and will be coming soon, but they will have to go on hold while I work on filling my next order. I plan on exploring the insect world much, much more.

NEW LEATHER

Wow, I'm so in love with this new leather. I hemmed and hawed when buying it because it's stiff, and I usually use a more pliable hide but the gorgeous turquoise color was irresistible.  It turns out it's not any harder to lazy stitch through and it is giving this piece that I dissected new life. Do you ever have one of those pieces you are just not happy with? This was that way, I didn't like it on the black leather and the strap was weird so I knew it would be a redo. Like I said, I love, love, love it now. I think I'll have to order the hot pink hide too, feeling very inspired!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

So the weirdest thing just happen. I went to post my valentines post to facebook and blogger sent the link but put up some mystery beadwork picture. Very strange? I deleted it and I will try again. Hearts and flowers to all! These little pieces are designed as passport bags. I came up with the idea because I was asked to put on a workshop in August in Homer for www.beadventures.com

 I looked into them and they travel the world doing these bead adventures. The Czech Republic, Italy, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia! I thought passport bags would be just the ticket. It looks like they have a wonderful trip planned for their Alaskan beadventure and putting on the workshop at Gig's Beads and Things is going to be a blast. If you love beadwork and have always wanted to see Alaska you should check out their website.Follow my blog with Bloglovin

CLEAN SLATE/BEAD TABLE

I'm happy to report that the "Dressed Horses Bag" is in the mail. It seems like I was working on it forever, but really it will only be a little late getting to Italy. I was suppose to have it done by Christmas but it just didn't come together in time. Thank you Shira, for your patience. All of the small bead detail on these blinged out guys was very time consuming. It was fun working with this color palette, pinks, reds, and golds! Not my usual fare and I love doing something different!  Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. On to the new year, starting with a clean bead table. Next up is a little bag with a woodpecker design. I see the little feathered friends at my bird feeder everyday.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

DIZZY

 You can't really plan the way your life is going to go. About two months ago I felt faint. Then it was constant dizziness. Long story short after two trips to the emergency room, lots of doctors and tests it has been determined I have Atrial Fibrillation. My heart's natural pace maker is all over the place ( racing up to the mid 200s and as low as 32 ) The first cardiologist I saw was talking about a pace maker which was not at all something I wanted. But now my new guy is taking about doing  CryoAblation.  While I'm not crazy about a catheter with a balloon freezing a scar into a portion of my heart to stop the crazy fast beatings, I am grateful for modern medicine and am glad that I am able to get the treatment. A light at the end of the dizzy tunnel when I get the operation. What has all this got to do with beadwork? Well you haven't heard from me in awhile because the dizziness has had me working at a snails pace. This dressed horses order was already a challenge because of the unusual garb they wear, then you add on the super crappy way I've been feeling and this project could have been a bust. But I think it's turning out okay. I still have two more horses to do on the side panels but I think I've got them figured out. One thing about doing beadwork for the past 40 years is that you always remember specific events by what piece you were working on at the time. Somehow these wildly dressed horses seem appropriate for this time when my heart is beating wildly.

SEPTEMBER

After the big push for the show it feels really good to be taking sometime in the yard, harvesting the garden, enjoying the leaves changing and the last of the blooming flowers. With these clear nights, we have already had a frost. I've got lots of orders lined up and have been working on some the smaller ones just to give myself a break.