New Toys

Last week, ArtBeads.com had a great $1 sale. I just tooled around through the bargains, and pick and chose what struck my fancy. No real rhyme or reason to the selection, but I am so happy with them all. The colors are so beautiful. I love the way the beads come all wrapped up; I feel like I am opening up a present.

I can't wait to play....

Not What I Was Expecting to Do

I'm still on the look out to increase my stash of beads for the art collar I wanted to make. So with that thought in mind, I placed my order for some size 11 Toho Hybrids from Artbeads. They looked like they would be perfect - black with a hint of copper in this great marbelized looking finish. But when I got to see them in person, they actually had a blush of this fabulous raspberry coloring. SO unexpected and SO extraordinarily beautiful. Unlike any color bead I had ever seen.

I really enjoyed making the beaded box for the Beading for a Cure 2010 auction, and I had another little box sitting around just waiting to be covered, so I switched gears and got to work.

Using raspberry cotton velvet, a black cabochon, 4mm faceted rounds in a sparkly crystal rose finish (also from Artbeads, but ordered previously for no specific project in mind), delicas left over from the Beader's Muse challenge, and some coordinating size 11s and 15s, I started to play.

The (sort of) straight line borders really show off the finish on the Toho Hybrid bead. The color is called Matte Jet Apollo.

I am officially now addicted to making covered boxes. Forget the art collar project - those beads I'm hoarding will now be used to adorn a bigger box! And I've got just the perfect one in mind......

It's my lucky day!

If you've read my blog for any amount of time, you know I have received lots of training from Native Americans of the Tuscarora Indian Nation, which is located in and around Lewiston, New York. Their history of beadwork has been passed down for generations and the women I have studied under learned their techniques and patterns from their ancestors. In the early 1900s many of these women made various beaded items for the tourist trade in Niagara Falls, NY. These items were most often made from clear glass beads, which were meant to mimic lace patterns that were so popular at the time.

So anyhow, my point to all of this is :

I now can say I have a piece of this historic beadwork in my studio!! A friend that I work with was cleaning out a barn which has 'tons' of old family things that have accumulated over the years. She came across this piece and thought of me (for which I will be forever grateful!) Its a clamshell needle case and I am thrilled to call it mine!

Considering it has been in a barn (just laying with a bunch of other 'stuff') for goodness knows how long, it is in great shape.

I love it that it was actually used :)

I will treasure it always.