a necklace

Now that I have learned how to scan, I scanned some of my favorite pieces and want to share them. This necklace is made from components from two Jeannette Cook classes. I love her use of color and her boldness. It's actually taken me a few years to design the necklace in a way I like - I've probably made half a dozen versions with different pieces from the classes. I believe (I hope)I'm finally happy with this combination.

I have more rivoli pieces I've beaded to show. There are several pairs of earrings, a couple of necklaces, and a bracelet. I see that on one of the earrings I scanned both sides the same way so you can't see the back. Oh, well...

I am addicted to rivolis. Last summer, in particular, they are all I beaded. Here is a necklace with jet rivolis. Each rivoli has a slightly different pattern. I made the peyote links from a pattern that I believe was in b&b. The colors I chose are my favorite palette, you will see them over and over in my work.

Now that I've finished my June journal piece, I'm posting a few other embroidered pieces that I've made. The bracelet on the left is from one of my favorite teachers, Gail Frederickson. She had us bead this bracelet by putting larger beads in place first, then beading around them.
The top next bracelet is from a Sherri Serafini class. It's not on the cuff yet, mainly because I can't find it, although I know it's somewhere around. It was made improvisationally by putting it over my wrist a lot and thinking how I would like it to look. The bottom piece is from a Laura McCabe class. The bracelet is on leather and almost entirely made of crystals. The button represents either the sun or the moon, either rising or setting, reflecting on water. I also designed this bracelet as I went along, although I had the idea in mind. I belong to the Great Lake Bead Guild, plus take classes at local bead stores. We have wonderful teachers come to our area, and I have been very lucky to take classes with them. I usually redo all my pieces from classes, because once I go home I have a better understanding of the construction, the teacher's intent, and how to use colors. Its taken me several years to become confident to do bead embroidery. I was so scared of it, like facing a blank canvas. But I'm getting more comfortable with it, and with my ability to do it.

I started this doll about a year and half ago, and just finished her this week. Even though she's called "Joy" there's something not quite finished or settled about her. I think that's because I made her in memory of a friend who killed herself. She kept looking and hoping for joy, and although she loved her husband, children, and family, she felt such pain that she couldn't go on living. She was a dollmaker herself, and her favorite set was a mama doll with baby dolls from all over the world.

My friend adopted her two children from South America and she was a pediatrician. She loved children, and was so gentle and caring with them. She killed herself just as winter was turning to spring, and maybe the feeling I have about this doll is that she didn't quite make it to spring. Do you know the feeling you have when the gray of winter finally gives way to a warm breeze and bits of green pushing up through the earth? When darkness turns to light? It didn't happen for my friend. She never made it past the darkness.

Aspire Mandala

Aspire Mandala is my first one for the BJP. I beaded it on ultra-suede, and, as you can see, need to practice my tension. This mandala took about 2-3 hours a day for 2 weeks. I don't know if I can commit that kind of time every month, but something about the process is very stimulating and thought-provoking. Suddenly, I don't want to work on jewelry, but just want to embroider! This kind of work gets back to the inner-artist part of me that connects into something very deep. Like many of the other beaders in this project, I am overwhelmed by the ideas flowing through me for themes. Some nights I couldn't even fall asleep just thinking of possibilities. Are there really only 12 months in a year?

Sea Quilt

Here is another quilt square I made for the Under the Sea quilt. Each square is 4" x 4".

Jason is 19 today

My son, Jason, on the right, is 19 today. Looking at this handsome young man, you would never guess that he was born 3 months prematurely. I always have said that he was so eager to experience life that he just couldn't wait. He's full of vitality, loves adventure, and hanging out with his older brother, Sam. He has a great big laugh and likes to laugh often. Jason just finished his freshman year at Michigan State Univ. and wants to be a geologist. Happy Birthday, Jason!

Too much of a challenge?

I hope I haven't committed myself to too large a challenge. I am beading a 6" diameter mandala, and it is a lot of work! I have drawn mandalas for many years and I decided to take advantage of the BJP to bead one...or twelve!
The mandala I'm starting with is called "Aspire." I'm starting with this one because a major goal I have for this year is to take care of my body for health reasons. I want to lose weight, get off high blood pressure meds and have more energy. I also would like fewer headaches and less depression. I'm thinking that I can use the BJP as a way of staying focused and maintaining motivation.

A Beginning

I wanted to start my bead journal yesterday, at least a few stitches. I had already thought out an idea for the year and gathered beads for the first "page." After working for a few minutes, I realized I was beading on the wrong side of the fabric. My first inclination was to tear out the beads and turn the fabric over and start again. But after thinking about it, I realized that there is no right or wrong, good or bad. I also saw that the "wrong" side was the inside of the fabric, and since our feelings and thoughts come from within, that I had actually subconsciously beaded exactly where I needed to be. Beads always know exactly what to do, it's so amazing.