Anne Hesse Doll collaboration

I took a wonderful class with Anne Hesse on doll making. During the class, I discovered that I wasn't a dollmaker, so I created the doll as a collaboration with my dear friend, Kathie, and gifted the doll to her. I made the face, put the bunches of ribbon together, and she did everything else, including securing the face to a weighted backing, attaching the face to the doll, putting the ribbon on the doll, the hair, and attaching the arms.





A close up of the doll.




Isn't she gorgeous!!!

Turquoise and Lime Green

One day when I was reading Marcia DeCoster's blog she just happened to mention turquoise and lime green. A little lightbulb went off in my head. Those are my two favorite colors. I often combine them with fuchsia, sometimes bronze, or navy, but usually I just like the colors together.

2010 Bead Journal Project

I had high expectations for the third year of my Bead Journal Project. Rather than beading a mandala shape, I decided to bead on felt in a rectangular shape. I started with some needle felting of bright colors, representing the happiness of starting a new project, then surrounded them with black and white, representing the low contrast of color in winter in Michigan.





Well, winter in Michigan can be pretty bleak, as is my piece above.




I always dream of sun in March. In the past I've often gone away for a week in March to someplace that is supposed to be sunny. This past March my husband and I went to Miami and then took a 4 day cruise. It was freezing, overcast, very little sun. The waves were so high we couldn't even go to one of our destinations, which was (supposed) to be a gorgeous beach with turquoise water. Didn't do much for my mental health.





I tried to think of soft colors in anticipation of spring. But I was still feeling the depression of the lack of sun in March, so the sequins and black beads represent feeling down. Notice, though, that I was still trying to be optimistic, as the sequins are very shiny.

And that's as far as I got for 2010. I was not inspired to continue. I wanted to keep the depression at bay, and I didn't want to bead it or explore it further.

More Retreat Photos

Every year we make our hostess, Donna, a group present. This year we made triangle beads using delicas. We chose a palette that we thought she would like and each of us made about 7 beads of various sizes. Donna likes big, and this bracelet fits the bill.


Our friend Pat couldn't be with us this year since she has been in the hospital since August 2nd. While we were on the retreat we made her this prayer doll. Each of us wrote a message to Pat on ribbon and used them to stuff the doll.
This is the back of the doll. We just learned a few days ago that Pat is coming home today, what a blessing. Pat is one of those people that makes your life better just by knowing her. She is kind, talented, friendly to everyone. She takes time to talk with you. She listens. Her art work is beautiful, whether it's beading or basketry. She is an amazing woman who has had the bad luck to have gotten cancer, but is fighting it with commitment and grace. I hope our little doll puts a smile on her face and lets her know how much we care for her.

Fall is Gorgeous this year

We are having a gorgeous fall this year. The colors are spectacular. The weather has been very warm, although I suspect the temps will start to fall soon enough. As I was working yesterday, I was distracted by this view out my window. I don't really see as much of the houses as this picture shows, but otherwise all you would see is my computer, and believe me, the work I do is so boring it would put you to sleep - I often have to take a nap because it puts me to sleep! Hey, it pays the bills, and there are days like yesterday when I can enjoy this magical view.

Bead Retreat 2010

For the last 7 years my bead group has gone on a retreat to one of our member's homes in Petoskey, Michigan. We bead, laugh, eat a lot of good food, stay up late, bead some more, sometimes knit. We always have a great time and this year was no exception. The weather was cool and sunny, just perfect. Why no people in my pictures? Seems like every time I went to photograph someone they were in their jammies!

Re-organizing

I store all my beads in plastic bins - all different sizes, shapes,and designs. Every now and then I go through my "project" bins, where I have put together combinations of beads for a particular project, or colors I like, or beads in anticipation of a pattern in a magazine. And then I look through them and change my mind, or can't remember what the project was I had in mind, or realize I'm never going to finish what I started. So I empty the bins and (eventually) put all the beads away so they'll be in my general stash. Projects that are started go into my unfinished projects bins, where perhaps they'll enjoy a second life down the road, or provide color or design inspiration, or just sit and bead happy.

Have a super day!

More Gallery Pieces Sold

I originally sent 9 pieces of jewelry to the gallery, then sent 3 more, now the owner has asked for more because there are only 3 pieces left! There's only a month left to her season, so I'm going to get some more out on Monday.

I was doing this as a one time thing. I was curious if I could rise to the occasion, meet the goal of making many pieces. I am pleasantly surprised that they have sold, amazed actually. Now I feel motivated to work during the winter on new pieces, and I think I can stop questioning whether I am a bead artist or not. Always that little censor sitting on my shoulder saying my work isn't good enough, it's not as creative, or intricate, or original as other beaders work. I think I can quell that voice now.

vacation

Sam and Jason hiking at Glacier National Park. They had a great vacation, look at that beautiful land.

It's been busy

Sam, above, in his big U-Haul, going to college 1 hour away.


Jason, ready for his long drive to Penn State in his small car.


What a busy week we've had here. Last week Dennis and the boys were on their annual father/son vacation and during that time Jason found out that the apt. he leased last May had bed bugs, very persistent ones, because they were still there after 3 exterminations. So with Jason in Montana, and his new roommate from Massachusetts, we worked to find a new apt. His roommate and parents drove to State College and I provided telephone support. Not much to choose from at this time of summer, but we managed to find a place. The only problem, it wasn't going to be ready until today, and Jason started orientation this past Monday. He still went, slept on a friends couch, and hopefully has moved in today.

Sam packed up a U-Haul yesterday and we moved him into an apt. at Michigan State. When we arrived we found out that the apt. wasn't ready. So we bought his books (don't even ask how much law textbooks cost), we went to Comcast so he could have internet connection, and the apt. still wasn't ready. The landlord let him move his stuff into a different apt. temporarily and he slept on a couch at a friend's.

Two boys gone off to college in one week, the house is quiet, feels empty, a little lonely. But there is so much more space, too!

Nothing like a good book

My husband is gone for the week at a conference in Toronto. Then the next week he and the boys are going to Glacier National Park. I am used to being alone, but not without a good book! I've been to the library, the bookstores, and everything I pick up I put back down. So this morning I was heartened to see that the new Tana French book is in transit to my local library branch. I will not be so alone after all. And if you haven't read Tana French, she has 2 previous novels out, they are fantastic, and you will be happy to be curled up with a good companion.

Gallery Pieces

Four pieces of my jewelry have been sold at the gallery in New York! Wow!

Another kit project

Another kit completed - I hope I previously mentioned that this is my summer project, working on kits. Above is a kit from Fusion Beads, called a Queen's Ransom. I have actually changed a few of the colors, to keep them bright and in my palette.

I have a few pair of earrings to show, but all the photos I take of them are fuzzy, even with the tripod. Any suggestions for getting a clear photo?


I am currently working on a kit that is making me nuts! It's another one I've had for years and I always thought it would be fairly easy to make, although requiring some time. Not so...the directions are terrible, terrible. There are no counts given, so you have to figure out where the decreases in the pattern are from a diagram. You have to make a lot of little leaves, but there is no clue how to do this - do you make them and then attach them? do you make them as you are beading? The leaves are made from delicas and two colors of 15's, but they are all so close in tone that you can hardly separate them. Same goes for the beads around the cabochon, two shades of pink that you can't distinguish between. So I have taken apart sections of the beading and started over several times. It's only because I've been beading so long that I can get a sense of what's supposed to happen, but it only gets clearer after I've made mistakes. Yikes!

Some More Beading Projects

Above is a double Jitterbug bracelet. You can see a single row of the bracelet below. This bracelet was originally a kit from Glass Garden Beads. The bracelet that is diagonally draped over the two bracelets below is the actual kit. I made a couple more bracelets using bright, summery, and colorful beads. I love color!





The heat wave has ended, although it is sticky and humid out. But at least you don't feel like you're swimming through the humidity anymore, and you can breathe easier.

New Beading Photos

It's been a long time, but I do have some new bead projects to show. Above and below are my entry for next year's Beading for a Cure. This is a project that raises money for colorectal cancer. Every participant buys the same kit and we have to use at least one of every bead in the kit, plus we can add one bead. My added bead is the beige pearl. I also added two rivolis for the earrings, but they are not considered a bead, since they do not have a hole in them.




Next is a very fun bracelet, originally based on a kit by Glass Garden Beads. I made a double strand and this bracelet is sparkly!


Another variation of the bracelet, a firepolish and pearl double strand bracelet. I love the subtle colors of this one. You may recognize it as one I made for the gallery.


The lariat, below, is design by Gail Frederickson, one of my favorite local teachers. She taught this at our Guild's local teacher classes. I love the beaded beads!


Finally, a right angle weave bracelet with 3 different colors of firepolish. Turquoise and lime green are among my favorite colors, toned down a bit with the brown seed beads. You saw this bracelet as a work in progress on my beading tray a few entries ago.


I am currently going through kits that I have and making the project in them. So far I have made or completed 3 last week and 2 this week, including the 2-strand bracelets above. Photos to come on the rest of the projects when they are done.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. We are in the midst of a heat wave, hot and humid.

Good weather to stay inside and bead! Stay cool!