Peacock Pin

Artbeads.com sent me a lovely gift as a thank you for being part of their blogging partners program - a $20 gift card and a beautiful wall calendar. I was thrilled! I knew top on my list would be putting that gift card toward another Russian Art Bead. Lucky for me, one was on sale!! Yippee! So I was able to not only get the bead, but also some Swarovski crystals! Double Yippee!!

The Peacock bead is exquisite - and definitely hand painted. Each one must be unique--my bird looks entirely different than the one shown on the ArtBeads site. Neat.

I made the pin to wear on my black wool winter coat, so I used a pretty hefty safety pin that I peyote tube stitched to the ultrasuede. Measured at the widest point, the pin is just about 4 inches - which would be a bit loud on a sweater, but perfect for my coat!

Here's some links to the products used:

Swarovski Side Aquiline

Swarovski flat back

Russian Art Bead

Thanks ArtBeads!!

Making a Commitment

For years, I have been in on and off again contact with a bead studio in Rochester, NY, which is about an hour or so away from where I live. Various times I have been asked to teach a class, but could never commit to take on the challenge. Me teach? I don't feel like I have the level of expertise to classify myself as a teacher. Plus everything I make is very time consuming and with it being quite a commute to the studio, I would need to come up with a project that could be accomplished in about 2 hours, limiting the project options.

Well I got another email from the studio asking me to consider teaching a class this spring. I took a leap of faith (or blind stupidity) and said yes. I've decided to teach 5 basic bead embroidery stitches to demonstrate how you can add texture and 'movement' with just these few techniques. I worked up a sample (see the pink pin above) and realized it was too large at just 2" x 3" to finish in a 2-hour time frame. But I got the basic idea of keeping with the few stitches. I am in the middle of making another smaller piece (about 2" x 2") and I think that will be the size for the class.

And here is a necklace that I had made for my friend Jeanette a few years ago that broke. I could just restring it, but I really would like to do something different. I tried a peyote stitch tube, but that didn't look right, so I'm waiting for inspiration to strike. The single bead strand just looks too whimpy to me.

I just learned how to knit a cable pattern! I am so fascinated with it. It's the coolest thing. My friend Elrene showed me how to do it and my other friend Paula just happened to be cleaning out her overflowing yarn stash, and gave me a bag of 7 (!) skeins of hand-dyed wool in the creamiest vanilla colors with just subtle hints of beige and rose - scrumptious! So I have knitted myself into a frenzy and feel like my right arm and hand are about to fall off. I'm assuming this is a full-blown addiction when I continue to do something even when it hurts!!! My plan is to make a cable scarf with a matching pair of socks and fingerless gloves (which will be a new challenge for me). Better start popping the ibuprofen!!

My Hearts to You Bracelet is off to its new home in Seattle Washington. I will miss it. Isn't that ridiculous??? I make it to sell, and yet when it does sell, my heart is a little sad :(

Revealed! Beaded Butterfly IV

Now that I know the last (for now) of the butterflies has made her way safely to her new home, I can post her picture!





Here's the family photo!

Now---on to Christmas! I'm working on a series of three red and white ornaments. After I did Sue's red and white butterfly, I just had to make something else using those colors. They were just so cheerful. Unfortunately no pics this time, but a little preview is up in the corner of my blog.

Beaded Butterfly III

The latest to emerge.......

Beaded Butterfly II

I just have fallen in love with making these! I asked Hannah (my 14-year-old daughter) what colors to use and she said peacock. So this is what emerged.

Next to take flight will be colors of my choosing. Soft golds, cream and beige. Here's the progress so far. I wish I could keep working, but I'm off to grocery shop and get Hannah a haircut.

My First Pin!

I love when I get asked to make something I never have tried before. This time, Sue ( a co-worker of mine) asked for a pin for a Christmas present for her grandmother.

She didn't have a preference to shape and only told me she wanted it red and white. Hmmmm. Red is not a color I work with too often. Not sure why, just don't. So I went to work and collected a variety of red and white beads that I had and once I saw the various shades of red, I was pretty excited. Red is a fun color!

My first thought was a fan shape with some fringe, but when I ran that by Sue, she didn't seem to enthused. OK, how about a star? flower? random shape? butterfly? Yes! she liked that idea. Butterfly it is.

Well, this little pin came together so easily. The only 'problem' is that it is only about 3" across at the wing tips and about 2 1/2" long. Bummer, so many cute red and white beads that didn't make it on the pin.

I started with two red rings I got from Robin Atkins and worked my way from there. The butterfly body was done by putting down two bead foundation rows side by side and then covering those lines on an angle. It worked up nice and firm.

I used pellon covered poster board for the base. I placed the embroidered finish piece onto a thicker piece of peltex and then used ultrasuede for the backing. The peltex gave it such a nice cushiony but firm feel.

I'm so happy with the end result (but not with the pics! It was too dark outside, so I had to shoot inside, and the flash was overwhelming and without a flash the varying shades just don't get picked up.)


I think I saw a caterpillar creeping across my studio table - I have a feeling another butterfly will be emerging soon......