Delightful January 2014 Projects and Completions

January 2014 has turned out to be a busy month with project's completed, new techniques developed,
incredible chainmaille patterns reviewed and learned.  A new Beaded Art Doll Round Robin about to kick off, Blog Hops and kits.  Whew!  What a ride and we still have a week and a half to go.

I completed " Indian Sunset", a Bead Embroidery necklace piece showcasing my first Cabachon ( Indian Paint Stone from Australia ) that I cut and cabbed.  I used the wonderful Chenille stitch that our favorite Patrick Duggan has made popular.

My love of Southwest colors really predominated on this piece and the Chenille stitch was a delight to learn

thanks to the You Tube video by Sara Spoltore ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THC-WxPle4w).  Sara has quite a few great You Tube techniques for you to enjoy.  

I recently met up with a student " Dorothy Kamm " who had forgotten how to do Bead Embroidery, so we

had a few delightful Sunday afternoons re-learning the theory.  She did quite well and we even endeavored into bezeling again.

Dorothy Kamm " with her persmission"

Our current " Chain Maille" class being held at the St. Lucie Rock & Gem has us working in a more advanced format.  I just completed one of my more favored pieces in Copper called " 12 in 2 ".  I would enjoy making several of these.  

This week we will be playing with " Dragons".......Dragonscale that is.  I've got copper rings for this new technique as well.  I just completed Romanov in earrings and will be prepping the bracelet.  Vertebrae in silver parawire, a very intereresting weave and photo's of these will post this week along with photo's of the newest cabachons completed over the past two weeks to include Azurite-Malachite and a beautiful Moss Agate ( 30" x 48" ) that I just cannot allow myself to put backing on this.  So this challenge will be to Bead Embroider a Cabachon while leaving the backing open to view the Moss Agate.  I want to have a LED Flashlight behind this agate when I photograph it.  

Bead On........................and breathe!  

Whew!  You wouldn't think I work a full time job as well.....  

" Under the Sea " Yahoo Art Doll Group...

At last, the time has come for our new Round Robin " Under the Sea ".  All nautical themed and the amazing
part is that 80% of us chose Sea Turtles.

Our forms were sewn by the divine " Aryde'll Hotelling " from Bryson City, NC one of our tireless moderators.  PS....published in Bead & Button........

 His name is Sebastian and he will be the brother to " Reggie " the Seahorse which was completed with my
last Round.  I'll keep you posted of the progress and participants.

Welcome to the " Grow Your Blog 2014 " Party

Welcome and thank you for joining me.  This is my first Blog Party of this type and I am so excited to have you join me and I really look forward to viewing the other participants blogs during this Party.....

This event was " Dreamed and Designed" by Vicki at 2 Bags Full.  A chance for Bloggers to meet, visit and

Grow their following based on each designer ( bloggers ) speciality.

Let me tell you a bit about myself..... I am Catherine of Ravens Call Designs and Catherines Musings, a bead embroiderer, a Art Doll beader and loving ( and I do mean Loving ! ) Chainmaille.  I am member of " The

Ladies of the Evening Bead Group" where the Teachers and Designs located in St. Lucie County, Florida gather every other week to spend time, design, critique and learn new techniques.  We have become the greatest of friends and each of us have a specialty that facilitates the others.  Actually, this is the only time we can catch up between work, teaching beading and chainmaille and our families.   I belong to the Florida Jewelry Artists Yahoo Group which facilitates " Retreats " for its members through the year and our 2014 Retreat will be this February outside of Live Oak, FL and have been a member of the Yahoo Beaded Art Dolls Group for the past three years.  We have a new Round Robin beginning on the 1st of February 2014 as " Under the Sea " and the doll forms are wonderful.  I am an advid follower of Heidi Kummili, Sherry Hutchinson Serafini and Jamie Cloud Eakin, bead embroiderer's extraordinaire.  Actually, I follow all Bead Embroiderers.  And finally,  I just adore blogging and blog hops which you can see by the banners on blog.

I am the proud Mom of two wonderful sons, the Mom of a lovely little Cocker Spaniel " Brianna Grace " and I do manage to Bead Like the Dickens, while still working as a Contract Manager for a Large Construction Firm in Florida.  Beading is my YOGA and my " Sacred Bead Room" has now taken over the guest room.

2014 has already begun as a growing year.  This is my first year participating in the Bead Journal Project.  A new Designer mascot, " The Raven" , ( must be old age ).....just lots of firsts.  Please do take a moment to visit the blog posts.  I do love comments!  I have a second page linked as " The Heidi Project" which is my personal challenge to make my interpretations of Heidi Kummili's wonderful "  The Spirit of Bead Embroidery".

I hope you will visit the " Grow Your Party 2014 " participant lists as shown below.  Vickie and her wonderful Elve's have put together a spectacular party lists broken down by the amount of followers.  Party On with us and grab a good cup of Coffee, Tea, Macchioto, 2 or 3 cookies and justs enjoy the beauty of each participants page.

And now......The Party Designer:  Vickie of 2 Bags Full:
http://vicki-2bagsfull.blogspot.ca/

Into the Forest Blog Reveal...... January 11th, 2014

As all know, I have never missed a Blog Hop Reveal........I will be unable to Reveal today as my piece is not
yet complete after enduring one of " Life's little Wrenches " that one must experience.  It is call " Flood".  My first experience with " The Flood".  As I live in a Condominium, my neighbor's plumbing broke inside the wall from their hose bib and the rest is history to include the wood flooring, drywall, etc., etc.  At least the Beads are safe.  A small hint:  She is Bead Embroidery " with the lovely little treasures from our Blog Hop creator
Lisa Lodge of Pine Ridge Treasures.......

I will post a notice on Facebook when the piece is complete.  Please visit the other lovely artists that have

beautiful items of " Into The Forest " themes and my thanks to Lisa for putting together a wonderful theme.  It

took " Brain Power " to use the items she selected to visualize my " Into the Forest ".

Into the Forest Blog Hop Participant Link List

Blog Hop Participants: The hop is Saturday, January 11th, 2014. Please look over the link list or if you cannot participate for some reason. Thanks!  Looking forward to seeing all the beautiful jewelry!

Our hostess:  Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Eleanor Burian Moore, The Charmed Life

Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation

Chris Eisenberg, Wanderware

Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Janine Lucas, Esfera Travel Blog

Jasvanti Patel, Jewelry by Jasvanti

Shaiha Williams,   Shaiha's Ramblings

Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams

Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera

Toltec  Jewels, Jewel School Friends

Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me

Monique Urquhart, A Half-Baked Notion

Janet Bocciardi, Honey from the Bee

Dini Bruinsma, Angaza by Changes

Heather Richter, Desert Jewelry Designs

Christina Miles, Wings n Scales

Elizabeth Engriser, Bead Contagion

Alice Peterson, Alice Dreaming

Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things

Kay Mallery,TBD

Catherine Yvonne King, Catherine's Musings

Alice Craddick, Alice's Beads and Baubles

Ema Kilroy, Ema K Designs

Happy New Years and Welcome 2014..... The 2014 Bead Journal Project

I spent a few moment's over the Holidays catching up on blog posts and Blog Hopping with all of my favored 

Bloggers and came across a post from Robin Atkins for the 2013 Bead Journal Project.  The participants had

been blog oriented but this would be the first year that the BJP would be using the Facebook platform.  Of course

the interest was piqued and I started reviewing older posts and viewing how paticipants from 2013 and 2012 finished their annual ( yes- 12 months ) Bead Embroidery pieces.  It was one of those ephiany moments..... " I could do this..... I would enjoy this "...... as I am at one of those Hekate Crossroads.......at 58, what would I like to do now.

                                      ********************************************

Welcome to the Bead Journal Project, where you can post pictures of your BJP pieces, see the work of other members, and communicate with all members! If you wish to join this group, you must be willing to commit to making one piece a month for a year, at least to give it your best try. Read more under the "about" tab to the right. Check the photo albums to see what others are doing or have done in the past.

To learn how to add photos and create your own album, click on the "Files" tab just below the page header. There's also a file with lots of information about the BJP. Here's a link to the file with information about photos on FB: https://www.facebook.com/notes/bead-journal-project/about-photos-on-bjp/182088521987615

Let's make this group commercial-free and keep our posts/pictures related to the BJP.

Have fun!

                                       **********************************************

So I sent an Facebook Message and Robin accepted my request for 2014.  

My introduction went like this:

"Hi Ladies! I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to this annual journey with all of you. My theme is selected, my template is in use for January 2014. I will be using " Metamorphis" for 2014 as I've reached that 58 year old mark wondering" What do I want to do now?"  I cannot wait to see how we develop through the year. "

I am game....... with Dragonflies as I work through " Metamorphis ".

Here are other participants ( blogging )  and posts have already begun for January 2014 on the Facebook page.  

Atkins, Robin  http://beadlust.blogspot.com

Brown, Sue http://sewingmagpie.blogspot.com

Carter, Christi http://sweetpeapath.blogspot.com

Chinoy, Catherine http://peapodbeads.blogspot.co.uk

Cowan, Julie http://uniquelyjuls.blogspot.com

Dale, Nancy http://nedbeads.blogspot.com

Denton, Marj http://jemdbeads.blogspot.com.au/

Desaulniers, Anne Marie http://artfuldreamer.blogspot.com

En, Liz http://www.beadcontagion.blogspot.com

Gobet, Mary:http://beyondmirays.blogspot.com

Grasse, Angela http://princessbubblescreates.blogspot.ca/

Harper, Carol http://210920746822434353.weebly.com/

Jandik, Sandy http://focus-on-fiber.blogspot.com

Keichel, Sabine www.sabineemma.blogspot.com

King, Catherine  www.catherines-musings.blogspot.com

Kirsch, Leanne  http://leannedentkirsch.blogspot.com/

Koster, Lies http://huisvlijtigliesje.blogspot.com 

Koster, Lies  http://lieskoster.blogspot.com

Kuo, Cindy http://cindysthreads.blogspot.com/

LaHood, Sara http://exuberantquiltingandbeading.blogspot.com/

Lewallen,Dot http://speediebeadie.blogspot.com

Sanders, Donna  http://delicatesparkles.blogspot.co.uk/

Sayers, Niky http://silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk

Simpson, Gloria http://flagrantdesigns.blogspot.co.uk/

Stillman, Tracy  http://www.beadtrilogy.com

Tees, Leah  http://www.mybeadylittleeyes.com

Wingrove-Smith, Dee http://wingsmith2010beads.wordpress.com/

Zobel, April http://archiethelizard.blogspot.co.uk

Let us see where this takes us over 2014 with words like " Gratitude ", " Surrender ", any many other words that can be used for Metamorphis.