Wednesday, September 25, 2013

The Lovely Eva Marie Keiser free pattern....

The lovely Eva Marie Keiser has kindly shared another pattern with us today. She has always been a source of inspiration and I am a faithful devote to folliwng her blog for inspiration.  You could spend hours upon
hours perusing her blog......

http://keiserdesigns.blogspot.com

I do love working with Bugle beads.....I will need to give them a try.  Charming Halloween colorway to boot.

Fall Schedule for the St. Lucie County Rock and Gem Club

So?  Am I a glutton for punishment?  This fall I registered for:
1.  Cabbing on Monday night,


 to continue with all of my wonderful cabs that are in process.  Oh yeah.....I've got rocks.  
2.  Chainmaille with Genny Smith on Tuesday night.  She has a few classes that I have not taken and will
     enjoy.
3.  Lampworking.  While at the Sunday General Membership meeting I met the Lampwork instructor and
    the class is scheduled for Saturday mornings.....

I have always wanted to take Lampworking for beads.....shades of Jessica Boggs.......Deborah Apodaca has all the tools and glasses and offered that I could use them while I determined if this is something I would like to do.  If I really love it, then I can buy my own.

Glutton?

Hummmm, that remains to be seen.  My work is my inspiration, my peacefulness.  I am just adding a few
benefits to add to my creations.

Tomorrow night, Genny Smith, Deborah Apodaca and I will be visiting the Gem and Mineral Society of Palm Beach County to check it out and they do have the rock saw that Deborah needs to cut the Rhodocrosite.  So it is worth the visit.

http://www.slcrockandgem.org

http://gemandmineral.cc/

The last of the " My Favorite Things " Doll last left the building.....

One treasurable Round Robin has come to an end.  " My Favorite Things " Yahoo Group has come to closure.  I just finished Yvonne Nathanson's wonderful Heart Dolls and sent them on their final journey.



Are they not just adorable?  And of course, the response from Yvonne:

Thank you all so much!!!! My hearts are absolutely stunning!! I love what each of you beaded on them. They will go to my arts club tomorrow I know that the others will love them, too. ;-)) Yvonne.  

Now I cannot wait..... my Butterfly should be home soon.  

Saturday, September 14, 2013

In to the Forest Blog Hop......

Just by chance I was catching up with friends on Facebook only to see Tanya Goodwin, another blog exchange partner post about the " In to the Forest Blog Hop " by the Grateful Beader.  Kits were to be distributed and the theme of " In To The Forest ", so sent a message as there were only a few spots left
and was fortunate enough to be selected with Tanya.

The Blog is Saturday, the 11th of January 2014 and my lovely little kit arrived today full of Czech Glass,
seed beads ( for a Bead Embroiderer that is luck ) and just lovely little treasures.

This blog hop is supposed to be challenging by creating jewelry that has a " Forest Theme ".  To follow along
with the progress, please visit " http://gratefulbeader.blogspot.com".

I've added the badge to the blog and already started drafting...........


My two favorite colors were in the kit.....purple and green.  Yes!

Monthly Update: Beaded Art Dolls " This months Beaded Art Doll from Two Round Robins....

Monthly Update from " My Favorite Things" Round Robin which is coming to a close and the " We are all Different " Round Robin, which is just getting started..

First of Course " My Favorite Things".  This piece is Ruths Angel which has one more stop before she goes home.

There was outstanding Sequin work done on this piece so I elected to keep the sequins going in her completion.

Second is " We are all Different ":  This is Arydell's cat to be in bright colors...... which is exactly what I did.

Very Bohemian I believe.  These will ship out tomorrow and I'll be ready for the next to arrive.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Cabbing at the St. Lucie Rock and Gem Club

As everyone is aware, four members of " The Ladies of the Evening Bead Group " are taking Cabachon classes at the St. Lucie Rock and Gem Club.  Our current classes have just come to an end and I know that Debroah Apadoca, Gen Smith, Sarah Bromley and myself are patiently awaiting the next session to begin under the expert guidance of Hanah Pollack.  " We're hooked ".  Incredibly so.  To imagaine that this big chunk of rock under the careful guidance of my hands can become something so beautiful.  After six weeks of working with the rock saws, grinders and polishers I am amazed at the beauty of natural rock.

Now while working in Bead Embroidery, my first love, I can truly say......I made the entire piece to include
the cabachon's.  I even made my first 10 mm pear shaped cab.......I cannot wait to begin again.  For my Heidi Kummili challenge, I will use that love Black Cocker Spaniel Head from the lovely Laura Mears and use three Snowflake Obsidian Cabachons to finish the piece.  " I can see it in my mind's eye. "

Deborah and Genny 




I am a happy woman........ " Laura Mears.....one of these are yours in Embroidery ".....

Sunday, September 8, 2013

How can one be so blessed..... Part Deux.....

and then there was more....
Rare Picture jasper with Blue


Don't you just love that hematite.....looks like bubbles

I've come to the conclusion that not only do I enjoy cabbing but I need to learn the names of the slabs I am working with.

How can one be so blessed....an Estate Sale with Rocks and Tools and more tools, Oh My!

Cannot tell you how excited we were to learn of an Estate Sale in Port St. Lucie.  An Rock Hound from
California and living in Port St. Lucie recently passed and his son and daughter in law were wonderful about
telling the Club of an upcoming Estate Sale with tons of rock, tools and books.  Needless to say Deborah had just had major surgery but she was up for going on Saturday and Sunday and Monday.  Goodness, did Deborah, Genny and I strike it at this sale and Deborah ended up buying the cabbing machines, Dop pots,
and just all kinds of wonderful tools to set up her own shop when she has mended fully.  Needless to say,
the treasures are unbelievable and they let Deborah and her daughter come back on Monday to pick up all
the unclaimed rock to share with friends.  Boy did I luck out with some vintage Bead and Button magazines to boot.

" Can it get any better than this? "

Azurite


Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Current Bracelet Projects

Genny Smith turned me on to a lovely new pattern, "The Flat Russian Spiral"  is Genny's interpetation.
Of course, the pattern is worse than Lay's Potato Chips.  You can't make just one.... and I have two more
on the board...


Then Jennifer posted a Pinterest piece that she loved and of course, I had to make it just for her....
My love of Vintaj Brass made this project a charm to make, " No Pun Intended "....

A lovely " 5 Strand Bracelet " with Chain, Fire Polish and Pearls.

So, speaking of Pinterest.  At first when all the ladies were raving about Pinterest, I was just saying
" Yeah! Yeah! " and not paying attention,  I was so wrong.

It has become my visual encyclopedia and stimulates the senses whenever I have one of those, " I don't know what to do ".  I believe I am so set in my ways at times I do not realize the value of Blogging or Pinterest, but I am now a believer.  Posts of the Bead Embroiderer's that I admire have their photographs available for Pinterest and it has become a virtual storage of delightful patterns, techniques and true inspiration.   And the colors.....yes, those are on Pinterest as well.

I should design a lovely " Ode to Pinterest "......

Time is Flying......" way too fast"........... Beaded Art Dolls

I am going to have to start Blogging on the IPAD to keep up with all the lovely treasures going on right now.....OK! Where did I leave off?  As always, I have been hopping being in Two Beaded Art Doll Round Robins.  Haven't figured out how I did that, but, " It's all good".

I completed my section of the Dian " ELess " Giraffes for the " My Favoite Things " Group.  Are they not
just adorable.  She had requested Primary colors in the tradition of the " Primary Cows in Chicago ".



I had the neck portion of these two little darlings.

Then I had to complete my lovely " Tiny Treasure Doll " for our Beaded Art Doll Group.  These are wonderful theme dolls that fit into Altoid tins that are decorated to match the Doll.  My exchange friend was Sherry Groves.





This project was actually a very fun project.
Sherry Grove
Today at 11:29 AM
GOT MY TURTLE!! Catherine - he is absolutely lovely!!! love the fabric decorations!!! I was at the beach when the package arrived - so your theme was PERFECT!!!

Also, mine to you was ready to mail Saturday....I stopped in VA on way home from the beach, showed it to my friend Lori - and the tin had RUSTED?!!!!

So I'm rushing to get another tin done....I am sorry for the delay! I DO have pics of your treasure and hope you'll thoroughly enjoy it. It should go out in tomorrow's. mail.....though this new tin is giving me problems, for a different reason!! UGH!

Sherry


I have two more dolls I am completing the next two weeks and photo's will upload.  I have been thinking about how much the Beaded Art Dolls have taken my Bead Embroidery to new levels.  My stitch process has expanded to stitches I would have never used.