A few summer pieces

On the tray above, work that I beaded this summer, none of which came out well in individual photos so I will just share what I have here.  I made lots of wrap bracelets, they are fun and easy to make, instant gratification. I also completed some old projects.  As you can see, blue was the predominant color for summer, blue skies, blue water...

Inspired By Nature Retreat

Last weekend I attended a wonderful retreat hosted by Heather Powers based on her new book, Jewelry Designs from Nature.  Each day was devoted to one of the themes of her book, sea, gardens, and woodlands, as seen in my photos.  The sea was actually Lake Michigan from the shores of South Haven, MI, where the retreat was held.  Our project for seas was to make a mold from which to make resin beads.

The next theme was gardens.  We went to downtown South Haven on Saturday morning and went to the farmer's market, where the above photo was taken.  The project we made was a beautiful bracelet using Heather's clay beads.

Our final day was exploring woodlands, with a hike on the Kal-Haven Trail.  From there we made what I thought was the most interesting art, jewelry made with special meaning.  We were randomly given a poem, which we discussed with the other participants who received that poem.  We then had a kit of beads to use to create a necklace.  We learned how to make bird's nests and incorporate them into our necklace.

I only finished the bracelet during the retreat, and will take a photo and post soon (I hope).  If you are a friend of mine on Facebook you should be able to see lots of pictures that people took of the weekend.

The retreat was very special to me because I was reunited with old friends from past bead cruises.  We were able to catch up with each other and see where life had taken us over the last few years.  Plus I met many wonderful women who were excited to be participating in such a fun and stimulating weekend.

Sentimental Journey

The house I grew up in, Lexington, Mass.  My bedroom is to the right of the front door.

The famous Lexington Minuteman and the Battle Green behind him.

The path leading to the beach we spent our summers going to.

A beautiful garden in Rockport.

The beautiful harbor at Rockport.

I've always loved these stairs leading to one of my favorite houses at the beach.

Sharon looking for shells.  They don't have too many in Arizona!

Toby enjoying a small scoop of Kimball Farm's ice cream with jimmies, known as sprinkles in the midwest.  You might wonder if there are any beads in this post, after all, my blog is called Bead Inspired.  The pair of earrings that Toby is wearing are a few large rings that I bought as a set at Findings and put an earring finding on.  They quickly disappeared from my ears to Toby's and now I have to make a set for Sharon and another one for me!


The first post on this blog was from a visit to my hometown, Lexington, Mass.  I visited there again this past week, mainly to visit my father's grave on what would have been his 77th birthday.  My 2 sisters joined me and talk about going home...we really did.  We visited the house we grew up in, our elementary school, the Battle Green, Michelson's shoe store (now made famous in the movie The Fighter), Bedford Farms ice cream...and on and on.

wearing jewelry

 

Here is a great photo of my mother and I.  It's from Sam's graduation (I'm still feeling so happy about that event), but the real reason I wanted to put it on my blog is because it shows us wearing bead jewelry that I made, not just photos of the jewelry.

My mother is wearing a necklace that I made for Beading for a Cure 2010, which I actually beaded in 2009.  On her wrist is a Wave Me Down bracelet by Shelley Nybakke, who designs wonderful right angle weave bracelets, among other things.  The bracelet uses silver metal beads and 3mm turquoise AB 2x crystals. On my wrist is a right angle weave bracelet that is embellished with pearls and crystals.  The bracelet matches the strand of pearls that Dennis gave me as a gift.

During the visit my mother also wore my Beading for a Cure 2011 bracelet and earrings.  When I find the photo I will put it on the blog.  I think it's fair to say that my mother is my biggest supporter and benefactor of my jewelry.  Thanks Mom!

Sam's graduation

Sam

Sam and Jason - Go Green, Go White  (MSU's colors)

Today was Sam's commencement from Michigan State Law School.  Look at how happy he is!  It was a long road for Sam, through teenage years filled with turmoil, and a long road for us as parents trying to keep him from sinking in quicksand.  He turned his life around, worked hard, and graduated cum laude.  I shed many tears of despair over the years, but today they were tears of pride and happiness, not only at what he has accomplished but also for the opportunities he now has for the future.  Congratulations, Sam, we love you!

beads, beads, and more beads

Last week I promised you pictures of beads.  I just walked around the house and took photos of what I have scattered about.  I'm in one of my reorganizing modes, so I have things in piles everywhere.

Various bead projects above.  Some of these need a little work,  a strap to be made, snaps to be moved.  A few are colors that I no longer wear so they will be rotated out of my jewelry drawers.


Below, the two projects I took with Bev Herman on the Bead Cruise 2011.  Sorry for the smudge in the crystal on the necklace on the left.  The necklace is called the Siren's Jewels and it is beautiful!  Altogether there are 16 links of chain that are beaded, making for a lovely strap.  The next necklace is bead embroidered with Vintaj chain for the strap and reflects our ocean theme.

In my living room, just a group of beady things hanging out.

On my computer desk, a pile of beaded jewelry.  Since this is my desk, you will also see some the normal mess of lists and scattered bills underneath the jewelry - not a very interesting background - but just the way it it sorted itself out.

Another pile on my desk.  I think these will go to the gallery.  I need to check everything out, make sure no threads are showing, that the earring findings are on tight....

Even more jewelry on my desk.

 

My Bead Journal Project embroidered pieces.  I need to think about framing them and just wanted to get a look at what I have.  My husband asked me not to frame the ones about depression or headaches on the upper left) or anger (out of frame).  I can see his point, so maybe I'll frame them as a separate group.

And finally, the last pile of jewelry on my desk.  Almost all of these are bracelets that are now too big.  I'm going to redo the clasp on the Rachel Nelson-Smith right angle weave bracelet and see if I can make it smaller.  I see a necklace I want to restring, a bracelet I'm going to cut up and make into a necklace, and a bezeled cab I made from a Marcia DeCoster class that I love, but haven't decided what to make with it.

Hope you've enjoyed a tour of my beads.  Now I have to pick them all up and do the actual organizing!

To all the University of Michigan graduates, congratulations on your graduation today.  I hope you enjoyed your time in Ann Arbor and take away fond memories.  And maybe, like Dennis and I, you'll find your way back to this wonderful city and make it your home.

A Week in the Life of...

A few pictures from this past week.  Last Saturday I went to a book signing of Beads Across America by Michigan's representative, Liz Thompson.  Liz and I know each other through the Great Lakes Bead Guild plus we both went on the bead cruise.

Monday night was the first night of Passover.  Dennis and I went up to Michigan State and had a seder with Sam at his apt.  Sam lives fairly minimally - for instance, no napkins, paper towels, regular kitchen towels, pot holders, or serving pieces.  He also only has one chair.  Luckily he lives alone.    He went to Eastern Michigan Univ. as an undergrad, hence the "E" in the mascot eagle.  I love this picture of Dennis and Sam.

Sam and I.

And finally, a sunny day in Michigan cannot go unappreciated.  The forecast for this coming week is all rain, so I'm enjoying a few rays of sunshine while I can.

You may wonder where the beads are.  I'm slowly finishing a few projects and hopefully will post pics soon.

And that's my week, from Saturday to Saturday.  Hope you had a good week!

Bead Cruise 2011

A few weeks ago I went on the Bead Cruise 2011, organized by Heather Powers.  It was a 7 day cruise, leaving from Galveston, TX and going to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica.  In between the ports we had beading classes from a great group of teachers - Marcia DeCoster, Tracy Stanley, Dallas Lovett, Jean Campbell, Bev Herman, and Heather.  I think there were about 65 participants and we all had a lot of fun.  

The beach above and below is in Grand Cayman, which is known for its beautiful beaches and water. 

In Jamaica we stopped at a new port built by Royal Caribbean called Falmouth.  My friend Deb enjoyed dancing with a local band member playing in the square.

 

In Cozumel I saw a sign for a synagogue.  Whoever would have guessed that a small island off the coast of Mexico would have a synagogue?  That's one of the fun things about traveling, you always find unexpected treasures.

Everyone loves the pools on the ship.  The band is getting ready to play here, so it's probably late afternoon and people are going to be coming back from shore excursions.  Off to the sides are tables out of the sun where we often sat and beaded.

One of the great activities about cruising is eating.  Yes, it really is an activity.  The dining room is lovely, with a menu offering several selections.  Or you can eat in the buffet-style Windjammer or several other settings.  Luckily, another activity is walking, since the ship is so big.  I say luckily because even indulging in desserts like the one below, I didn't gain any weight.

Next year the cruise starts March 25 and leaves from Port Canaveral.  The itinerary includes St. Thomas and St. Maarten, places I haven't been to before.  I'm waiting to learn who the teachers are before committing...but I had such a fun time this year that I certainly hope to go again.  Won't you join me?

Beading for a Cure

Starting this week and for the next 2 months, auctions for Beading for a Cure will be on e-Bay (click on link, then on auctions, then on e-bay auctions for the week).  This will be the 4th year I've participated.  Each year a kit is made available to a number of participants, and from this same kit, we create beaded items.  All the items are then auctioned to raise money for Colorectal Cancer.  The idea began after the death of a bead forum member named Layne, who died of colorectal cancer.  Every penny raised goes to research because everyone on the board is a volunteer.  My piece is on auction this week and so far has one bid, please check it out and help raise money for this wonderful cause.

on a roll....

Jason asked me to make a bracelet for a new girlfriend.  He had no idea what colors she likes, how large her wrist might be, whether she even wears bracelets...but after some discussion we chose some colorful pearls for a leather wrap, hoping it would go with a variety of clothes.  I haven't heard yet if he gave it to her, but I sure hope she likes it.  I was still making it when this picture was taken, you can see that it's attached to a clip board to work off of.

75th Birthday Bash

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In December we all went out to Arizona to celebrate my mother's 75th birthday.  We had a week filled with activities - hiking, horseback riding, museum strolling, a surprise party with my mother's friends, and lots and lots of eating!  Above, the whole crew minus the photographer; below, me, Toby, Sharon, and my mother. Do the 3 of us  look like sisters?

more celebrations

There was a hint of Spring in the air for Sam's and my birthdays.  We celebrated our back-to-back birthdays first at Grizzly Peak Brewery for Sam's birthday and then at Common Grill for mine.  We were joined by some onlookers from the mural on the wall.  Sam (on the right) is now 26 and about to graduate from law school.

Kathie's going away party

Our beloved friend Kathie is moving to Miami with her husband in a few weeks.  We have been beading together for about 6 years and can't imagine our group without her, but that's what happens.  We gave her a going away party.  These delicious red velvet cupcakes were baked by Laura.  We also chose beads from our personal stash to give her, as well as 2 beading books, and a gift card to Jamba Juice, her favorite smoothie place.  Hopefully she will visit us for our annual bead retreat in October, or else we're all going to have to troop down to Florida!

Anticipation

We're expecting a massive blizzard tonight, such that we've not had in years.  Right now it is the quiet before
the storm.  The sky is heavy with gray.  There is already several inches of snow on the ground.  Just now a few flakes of snow are starting to whirl in the air.  But tonight is when the real action is supposed to start.

In anticipation, I have a pot of vegetable soup simmering on the stove.  Let's hope we don't lose power.  Yesterday I did some food shopping and made sure we had a lot of candles, fresh  batteries for flashlights, and blankets piled up in the living room. 

The University of Michigan has a policy of never closing.  I seriously doubt my husband will be able to make his 10 am class tomorrow if we really have up to 12" of snow.  Our neighborhood doesn't get plowed until about 2 days after a storm, and we live at the top of a hill, so getting in and out of our street can be tricky. There's a stop sign at the end of the street that when it's snowy and icy you can't stop at and just go right through and hit the sidewalk on the street perpendicular to the stop sign.  It's happened to me and it's kind of scary to know you have no control.

And yet, in this calm before the storm, everything truly is calm.  The soup smells delicious, I've just had a cup of tea, the house is quiet.  The anticipation, the waiting, the knowing, is all there, ready to be realized.

Unclasped Bracelets

I love making bracelets, but I hate making clasps, as you can see.  When my son was home he did something to my photoshop, so now everything gets painted a brown background.  I need to figure out how to get rid of it, if you know how please tell me!