new seed beads

I found these seed beads at a LBS, Toho 2204, raspberry lined olivine. They are gorgeous! It's my new favorite color. It's like a watermelon, green on the outside, bright pink on the inside. The olivine has a brushed matte finish, and the raspberry seems to be opaque and shiny. Who knew one could get so excited about a color?!

better photos of mandalas

I have better photos of my mandalas (well, cropped better) that I wanted to show. I didn't want to delete my previous post with the mandalas because there were comments. Everything I do on this blog is a new experience...

The top mandala is June, then July, then August. Thanks for your patience!

class with Sherry Serafini

Last weekend I took a class with Sherry Serafini. Sherry creates the most gorgeous bead embroidery bracelets, collars, earrings, and brooches. But more than the beauty of her work, she is the nicest person. She radiates interest in you, your work, your abilities. Over and over again I saw her talk with people who were stuck or unsure of themselves, gently supporting them yet pushing them to be comfortable outside their usual level. She taught a group of very experienced beaders, so it wasn't the beading that was uncomfortable for people, more it was the freeform nature of how she works, the lack of coloring in the lines, starting in the center and working out rather than having the whole piece planned. Since starting in the center and working out is similar to the mandalas I draw, I was in my comfort zone, but what surprised me is that my piece became very symmetrical and even looking, which is totally contrary to how I usually work, so in that case I was outside my comfort zone. And still am! It's just so fun to learn new things, to spend 2 days with a great group of beaders, and to be in the presence of true creativity and inspiration.

3 Mandalas

Here are my first three mandalas. The one immediately above this writing is June.
In the center is July,
and at the top is August.

Backwards, upside down, just like my yin-yang mandala, just like me and my life sometimes. As long as I have water I can float and I know I'll be okay.

Struggling with theme for August

I have been struggling this month for the theme of my journal page. To me, a theme, although not necessarily a design, is helpful. But August is a difficult month, with a lot of negative associations, and so thinking about a theme has been hard. I've journaled about it in writing, talked about it with friends, gone to bed every night thinking about my journal page. Then today, I believe everything came together, and when it did, it was effortless, it just flowed into my mind, I picked out beads, got my fabric, and am set to go. It's funny how things work out. I guess I just needed the time, and in doing so sorted out a lot of issues, put them in perspective, and started to move on.

embroidery on beading

Today I finished a project (almost) that is embroidery on beads, you could say. I made a bracelet out of size 6 triangles and then made a design on top. The pendant, on the left, is a strip of odd count peyote also made from the triangles, and folded over on the back so I can put a strap through it. I haven't decided if I should put the picots on the edge of the pendant or not.

strap completed

I went ahead and made a strap for my rivoli necklace. It's a spiral using 8 triangles and 11 seed beads. I wanted something that would complement the rivoli's but not overpower them, and I think this strap accomplishes that. In between bead journal pages I am working to complete unfinished projects. I had an embarrassingly high number of projects, which I am making a serious dent in. My goal is not to start a new project unless it is a class. Also, I spent several hours last week organizing beads, and as much as I love buying beads, I think it is safe to say that I won't ever need new beads...wanting them is a different story!

ideas needed!

Help! I need ideas for a strap for this necklace. I thought I would work off the triangle shaped rivoli. I don't know if I should go with something funky to shake it up a bit, or something simple that will show off the rivolis, or what.......so any suggestions are welcome! Thanks.

Remembering Dad

Today is the 9th anniversary of my father's death. As time goes by, the pain is less, but I miss him every day. He was only 64 when he died, way too young. He died 2 weeks after my father-in-law, it was truly a terrible summer. It was a stormy summer, and several trees on our property fell over or were uprooted, which I have always felt represented their deaths. My father was a wonderful dad, calm, patient, a good listener. My mother, sisters, and myself have experienced his death in different ways, but we all wish he was still a part of our lives, watching his grandsons grow up, providing love and advice, being an anchor in the storm. Here's remembering you, dad...George Arthur Kolovson, beloved father.

Speaking of water colors, I have a few beaded pieces that remind me of the ocean.

Another spiral necklace. You can see that I like turquoise. I find it a very soothing yet stimulating color. Also, I'm a pisces, and I love water, so I feel attracted to water colors.

Tagged by Freebird

I just noticed that I was tagged by Freebird a few days ago to answer some questions. But I'm going to be a party pooper, because I don't like the questions, so I'm just going to answer what I want. Five things to do before I die: Well, I want to finish all my bead projects, I want to have grandchildren, I want to lose enough weight so that my wedding ring will fit me again, and I want to enjoy my friends and family.

Five things that attract me to the opposite sex: I like men who listen and look at me while I'm talking, who have interests outside of work, who can tell a good joke (because I can't), and who do what they say they are going to do.

Five celebrity crushes: John Cusack - I think he's a great actor, Meryl Streep - she is like a chameleon, she becomes whatever role she plays.

What questions would I prefer? Five artists I like, Five ways I can help improve the world (or just my little corner of it), Five favorite books, Five favorite foods. So maybe in another entry I'll answer these questions.

Campfire Girl Bracelet

After scanning my Bluebird vest, I realized I still had my beaded bracelet. It's amazing it's still intact after all these years - about 40 years now.

I read on someone's blog about her stringing beads on a bracelet when she was a Campfire Girl. That reminded me of my days as a Bluebird, probably around 5th or 6th grade.


We made a vest using beads, felt, and badges. I don't remember what any of them represent anymore. The picture above in felt is my Indian (I think) name, but again, I don't remember what it is.

Okay, I did a little research and have come up with the meanings of the beads:

Elective Honors form the basis of Camp Fire work. These honors may be won in seven crafts, each craft being symbolized by a distinctively colored bead.

Home Craft--Flame colored honors, as fire has been the center of the home.

• Health Craft--Red honors (red blood).

• Camp Craft--Brown honors (woods).

• Hand Craft--Green honors (creation, growing things).

• Nature Lore--Blue honors (blue sky).

• Business--Yellow honors (gold).

• Patriotism--Red, white and blue honors. Since I grew up in an historic town, it was not hard to receive red, white, and blue honors. Every Patriot's Day, April 19th, our camp fire group would march in the parade on Mass. Ave to the Green. Anyone growing up in New England knows that the Green, or the Common, is the center of activity in a town. It is usually surrounded by churches and some of the original houses of the town. In Lexington, in addition to 3 churches, there is also an old tavern, the Belfry Tower (where the bell was rung), the statue of John Parker (the Minuteman) who famously said "Do not shoot until you see the white's of their (British)eyes," and a few other historic mementos.
  

My mother wrote and thinks my name was Wa Ta Ro. So far, I haven't discovered this meaning, but I'll keep trying.

The spiral stitch is my favorite one for beading. I love embellishing the stitch as well. I've posted two necklaces with flower pendants and one sampler. The sampler comes from components from a drawer I just throw all unfinished or sample pieces in. I combined a lot of those pieces into this sampler. It's actually a little too much to wear, but it was fun to put together all those bits and pieces and create something.