Tuscarora Tuesday!

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For all you bird lovers, you have to see the bird banding I attended this weekend.

FaBUlOus!

(it's toward the end of the post - past the insects)

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Now, on to the real reason you are here-Tuscarora Tuesday!

Featuring.... Birds!

Brown and blue is one of my favorite colors combinations.

Didn't get all my homework done for my class, being in the woods all weekend really kind of took up a lot of my time. Go figure, right? But I did get two full rounds of the straight line border completed and 3 of the bird nest motifs. Boy, those aren't easy. Mine are definitely newbies! I'll get some pics up hopefully tomorrow. I'll take some step-by-step shots of the bird nest so you can see the idea behind creating them. Of course, mastering the technique is something I've yet to accomplish, so be kind, ok?

Bead Happy and Often !

Bonus post!

Hello again! Yes, it's true - 2 posts in 1 day. I wanted to keep my Tuscarora Tuesday post strictly Tuscarora, but I did have something else I wanted to share.

First of all, I know I have said it before, but I will say it again--thank you thank you thank you for all the love you have shown in listening to my tale of woe concerning Hannah. Every comment feels like a well-needed hug and I can't say enough how much you all mean to me. Really and truly. Ok then, with that said, let's talk beads!

I finished the Toho Ring Kit, and as much as I love the motif.......

I really love the design of the band. I just am so impressed by these kits. Does anyone know of any other Toho kits out there? I haven't looked for any, but I would have to believe they have put out other kits than just the rings.

Those faceted glass rounds I got from Artbeads turned into these:
The facets really catch the light and give so much visual texture.

I found the instructions in a book by Carol Wilcox Wells entitled The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving. The design was created by Leslie Frazier, though I added the size 15 ring around the edge. They worked up fairly quickly -- I made these on Monday afternoon in about 2 hours or so. I really wanted to bake a rhubarb pie, but it was so hot and humid that wasn't going to happen. So I had to bead, it was too hot to do anything else. Still haven't decided what they will turn into. I like just holding them for now :)

I got the book from my public library, but it's now on my 'to buy' list. It's a great book - lots of different designs and projects from a variety of artists.

Well, my dear friends, I need to re-focus my brain and get into packing mode. We leave for my beloved Allegany State Park tomorrow to attend the Allegany Nature Pilgrimage and I haven't done a single thing to get ready. Although after having camped for years, we are fairly organized, I still need to take inventory of supplies and get my grocery list together, shop, and get the laundry done; not to mention I'm dying to see what all you have been up on your blogs. I guess I should have taken today off from the office........

~ Bead Happy and Often ~

FTC Disclosure: I received the faceted round glass beads free of charge from Artbeads in exchange for my honest opinion of the product.

Tuscarora Tuesday on a Wednesday :)

Hi There! OK, so I'm a day late (and a dollar short--story of my life, right?). It's not that I didn't want to post, it was just that the day did not have enough hours in it (again, story of my life, and I'm sure 90% of the world population).

But look at this latest class I'm taking!! In all the classes I've done (hmm, someday I should add them up), I have never done such a traditional Tuscarora piece.

So classic with the clear beads and those cylinder tube accent beads and look - I'm even going to learn the traditional "birds nest" motif!
The triple line edge around the entire pillow is also very characteristic of the designs of the Tuscarora.

BUT -no matter how well I can duplicate their designs, I will never call what I create Tuscarora Beadwork. I can't; I'm not of the Tuscarora Nation. To do so would dishonor their culture.

So after 2 hours of instruction (minus about 20 minutes when I had to leave to go fetch up Hannah from the public library and drop her at home - did I ever mention how much I love living in a small city?), this is what I accomplished:

Well, actually I have a wee bit more done- the outline of the circles which will eventually be the bird nests is done too, but I didn't have the chance to take a picture - I was out of time and had a golf date with my friend Elrene!

~ Bead Happy and Often ~