Second Attempt

Well, I've had my first rejection. The client did not like how the dove grey worked out - she really wanted black. I've been having a tough time finding a black that I really like, especially a "shiny" black that looks like something other than plastic. So I pulled out what I thought was my best option - a matte black that I've been using quite a bit of lately. They're labelled 10/0's, but their height is similar enough to the 15/0's that I was using that the curve wasn't as tight as the other bracelet.

I also found out that I can make this bracelet in about 3.5-4 hours. (I got the e-mail and got to work right away.)

Verdict - client loves it. Wants two more. Eep.

Book Recommendations

 
















I've been asked a couple of times now what books and/or magazines I would recommend to the beginning beader. Just to be clear, I know virtually nothing about stringing, lampworking, chainmaille or wirework. (Wirework actually intimidates the heck out of me.) Bead-weaving, though, I know pretty well.

My first recommendations to any beginning bead-weaver would be Beth Stone's two excellent books - Seed Bead Stitching and More Seed Bead Stitching. Both are easily found at Chapters-Indigo or Amazon.

I love Beth Stone's attitude towards beading - grab some beads and play! You'd be amazed as to what might happen. It has certainly inspired me to go beyond some of my many "oops" moments when I'm creating a new piece to see what would happen if I kept going. Her instructions are very clear and the visuals are genuinely helpful. At first I was taken aback a bit on her choice of beads to photograph for her examples - many books are as pretty as they are informative. To be blunt, some of the bead choices I find butt-ugly. However, it makes extremely clear how the stitch builds on each preceding section. Who can really argue with that? 

I've seen this disclaimer on other sites, so I figure I'd add it here - Beth Stone has no idea who I am. I just really like her books.

Wouldn't it be neat if she did know who I was though!

Guilty

Life gets away from us sometimes. Being a teacher, life getting away from me seems like a perpetual state of being. I've been lucky to have several commissions as of late, so I've been quite busy beading. I didn't take any photos of the wedding sets I did (silly me) but I did finish and photograph this little gem.

The grey looked significantly darker in the tube, which I thought would be a great substitute for the shiny-black the client wanted. In the piece, not so much. It came out a lovely dove grey that is somehow both softened and bolstered by the silver-lined clear beads.

I'm quite tickled on how it turned out.

Rose Vine Necklace

Focal Bead by Toastie Beads

When I was at the craft show I mentioned in my blog yesterday, I found this lovely gem of a lampworked bead. I've never really felt much fondness for lampwork before then - yes, I've admired the pretty colours and such, but I've always found them terribly expensive. I can't say how much the glass canes, and fuel for the torch and all the other bits and bobs cost - I've never seen the raw materials for sale anywhere. This one, however, grabbed me and wouldn't let me go. I had to have it. Talk about impulse buy.

Thankfully, my imagination, a quick trip to the somewhat-local bead shop, and a healthy dose of courage, I dove into some freeform netting. I was hoping to get an open, organic-feeling necklace that would still support the weight of the bead. I picoted a few leaves into the mess, and actually found 3mm firepolish beads that nicely echoed the colours on the focal, so I dotted them around as well. Check out the overall shot, and a close-up of of the sides below.

PS - Thank you, Anna, for the impromptu photo shoot today after school!

Craft Fair Etiquette

I went to one of the many craft fairs that are going on during this season. I'm trying to get into the craft circuit in my local area, and this one was a good one to check out. There were two other jewellery artists there - strung, and one lady who had a large variety of things, which included some beadwoven work.

I recognised each and every last piece she had on sale. Sandra D. Halpenny, Maria Rypan, and other designs that I knew came from recent issues of Bead and Button and Beadwork. While I know that Ms. Halpenny routinely gives permission for purchasers of her designs to sell their creations at local craft shows, I know that copyright issues have been of an interest in the above magazines of late. Even though permission was given, shouldn't the beader of a piece give acknowledgement to the designer of a piece, regardless?

Bead Artists I admire: Sandra D. Halpenny

I realized that it has been a long time since I updated by blog. Things got crazy-busy at my school this past month, and I let this slip. My apologies.

Although this is a blog about my own beadweaving adventures, I thought I'd do a few entries on Bead Artists who have had a genuine influence over my work, whether they know it or not.

The first person who comes to mind would be Sandra D. Halpenny. Living in Ontario, Canada, her online web presence has reached beaders worldwide. Her for-sale patterns consist primarily of net-weave variants (and oh, what variants they are!), and peyote, but don't be fooled. She has entered many a contest as a beadweaving professional, and it's not just net-weave! She was one of the first Bead Artists I discovered, first through her free patterns. As a beginning beadweaver, I found her instructions extremely clear, both written and in her diagrams. The diagrams were so complete, I hardly looked at the text after a while. It was her designs that really let me enjoy beading and start to treat it as a meditative exercise.

I highly recommend Sandra's patterns for any skill level - I truly believe that whether beginner or advanced, you will find some quiet joy in completing one of her patterns. To let you know I put my money where my mouth is, I have purchased almost all of her e-books available on her site, and they have given me endless hours of beading enjoyment. I have not completed all of the patterns I have purchased, else I wouldn't be experimenting with anything else!

Sandra, thank you for sharing your talent with the rest of us!

Calla Lillies

For some reason, I have been obsessed with Calla Lilies. I really like the flower, and I've been wondering for a long time how I could possibly interpret them in beads. In searching the internet, I haven't really found anyone who has tried to use bead weaving stitches to create one. Ever since I picked up Diane Fitgerald's "Shaped Beadwork", I've been really been crunching the brainpower on it.

On Thursday, I had picked up the latest copy of Beadwork, and on the final page, there was a contest advertised: Beadwork VII: The Beaded Earth. I was suddenly inspired to try and bead the orchid from one of my previous posts (ambitious, much?). While sketching out a few ideas, I finally came to some realization how to actually bead a Calla Lilly.

So, this is prototype one. It's rather pretty, but somewhere in the back of my mind says that its a snowdrop and not a calla lilly. A friend who was over shortly after it was finished said that it was missing the bend-y back sides and wider flower petal. Back to the drawing board.

The picture really doesn't do it justice. You don't really seed the curl of the sides or the tip, but this weas just a quick picture to get it out there. I'm not sure how I feel about this one yet. My thinking is not done yet, I'm still not completely satisfied with how it turned out, so I will keep experimenting.

Wish me luck!