Use the Muse Contest

The Big Reveal (the focal piece) has been revealed, and if you click on the link it will take you to the winners and galleries of submissions. My piece is above, it is a large (very large) brooch, which, alas, did not win any category, but was a lot of fun to make. There is a lot of fantastic bead work and artistry to see. Enjoy!

snowflake

For the last few days we've been getting snow flurries, although they haven't added up to anything. A tradition in my bead group is to make a snowflake in December. My snowflake is designed by Sandra Halpenny. I made it yellow and white, with gold firepolish beads so it would be bright and cheery. I have 3 snowflakes from previous years, maybe I'll take them down and photo them to post here. Also, on the day we make the snowflakes, people bring in treats to share, a cheese ball and crackers, candy, lemon cake...and we have a delightful afternoon before breaking for the holidays.

Winter is Here

There are two leaf pick-ups in Ann Arbor in the fall. Everyone rakes their leaves into the road and you can barely drive. Here is a pile of the leaves that the city trucks have picked up from our street. This was just a few weeks ago, and now the leaves are gone, and the snowflakes are coming down.

I am working extra hard not to be depressed with this transition in seasons. The gray skies really get me down. I already took one trip to AZ, where my family lives, for some sunshine. Over the years I have realized that taking a trip in November and February/March to a sunny climate really helps. It would even help if Michigan winters had some sun, because the temperature is not the issue, it's the sky. Expect to see some bjp on this, whose next season is coming up in January.

Bead Inspired

Above, bracelets without clasps.


I made this bracelet for my mother years ago. The plastic snaps have broken and the color on the leaves has faded off.


A pathetic snowflake and a herringbone experiment.


Thought I could make something out of this, but am now stuck on how to finish.



I don't believe this bracelet is supposed to twist and turn. In fact, it's supposed to lay nicely on your wrist with a bit of a curl, just a bit.


My tension is way off on the bracelet above. It's supposed to be flat and the herringbone is supposed to look braided. In fact, the thread snapped at one point.



This is supposed to be diagonal square stitch that automatically curls. Mine is straight as can be.



A peyote freeform idea for a bracelet. I just don't like it.



The title of my blog is "Bead Inspired," but lately I haven't had much inspiration. I've been working on a lot of various projects and am unhappy with most of them. Sometimes I have high expectations of how something will turn out, and I'm pretty disappointed when it doesn't. Depending on the project, I will pursue it further, or I may just throw it in one of my unfinished project bins.

One thing I am frustrated with this blog is that the pictures always are above my writing. I have no idea how to start writing above the pictures, even if I write first. So I always feel that I am going back in time, rather than moving forward.

With no further ado, I present a series of unfinished projects, above.