Ahhhh! Nothing like completing projects.

This past week has just flown by and I was in one of those - " finish a project " moods as well.  I had several trays and one manniquen full of projects that either needed a clasp - a little " nip and tuck " and just very simple little fixes.  For one project I was amazed when I looked at the stitching on the Embroidery.  I've come a long ways.  So I reinforced the edging - used additional beads and firmed up the peyote bezelling - Just a few quick fixes.  I wasn't going to give up this weekend until all items were ready to photograph before I had to return to work on Monday.

For the Bead Embroidery projects - both of these projects have fringing.  This is out of my norm and Dragon Fly Dreams is using a travertine pea soup green that I was sure Cindy Tipton was playing a joke on me when they arrived in a set - but, to my surprise, they blended with my Tortoise Shell Agate beautifully.  Both pieces I cabbed at Cabbing class and both pieces have Vintaj brass pieces adhered to the cab to give depth to the piece.

Crazy Lace Jasper - Cabbed and natural Jasper rounds used on the embellishments.  And of all things, fringing.  I'll need to work on this process.  I am alittle weak on fringing like I am with Herringbone.

Then Dragonfly Dreams with the pea soup travertine beads.  I need to take another photograph of this piece this coming weekend as our storm had started coming through.

This piece is multi layered ( my favorite technique ) and those little green beads are intersperced throughout the bead work.  If you blow up with picture you will see the Turtle Shell Agate Cab.

I then had the Chainmaille Marathon - I've included gauges and ring sizes on each picture for your enjoyment ( for those chainner's out there ).

I have finally mastered the Captured Pearl Concept and had a blast playing with Mobius's.

This copper piece is using Bronze Rings - very heavy and intense to close.

And here are the Byzantine bracelets that I made from the " Weave Got Maille " - sampler pack that I won in December.  Like Genny Smith said, " I'm ready for St. Patricks Day !"

I was able to play with Square Rings 16C and 18C.  I am really looking forward to playing with the square rings on a flat weave.  Maybe with a few Crystallettes.  But then my favorite weave is :  Romonov

I love the elegance of this weave.  So this is this week's catchup and finish.   We'll see what next week brings.
I'll have a small break though for the week of February 6th where I will be joining the wonderful ladies of the Florida Jewelry Artist Yahoo Annual Retreat in Dowling Park - Live Oak, FL.  I am sure we will have great photo's to share along with " The Tree of Life ".

Doing a Little Maintenance......

Yes, I have been doing maintenance on all of the banners on the right side of my page.
"  It's not a dream ".  There are new ones to add so I cleaning them up and making room.

Bead Embroidery going....going....going..............

Just a quick little update after spending time visiting all my lovely beady blogs that
I follow:

First visit you need to make is:

http://lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2015/01/playing-with-pantones-spring-2015-color.html

I have always loved visiting her blog but today was special.  She has a " giveaway "
going on for a lovely Sandblasted ( yes, sandblasted ) Color enhanced Crazy Lace Agate
Cabachon.  I have never seen a cabochon Sandblasted but it has me intrigued.  I would love
to take a look tonight at the other cab's she has sandblasted.   SO COOL!

Additionally, she has put together a lovely presentation of the Spring 2015 Pantone colors.
Still drooling. I love the colors for this Spring season.  Pantone really keeps us stimulated.

and another visit: 

https://thecrimsonmoon.wordpress.com/2015/01/21/free-flower-child-bracelet-tutorial/

Liz of Crimsonmoon has a lovely little bracelet pattern as a freebie called " Flower Child "
that you can download.  I love the flower and the tutorial looks well made to follow.
 

It looks like Lori McDaniel Anderson, the " Blog Swap and Hop Queen ", is working
with a team for a new Blog Hop Exchange.

Congratulations!  We're so THRILLED to have you involved in our Swap N Hop!  

It's going to be an INCREDIBLE adventure - and that's because of YOU!
Now, the matching process begins!  It's going to take some time, but we are

excited to get that started, so y'all can get on your way to having some awesome fun!

This is a good time to start gathering ideas and/or pieces that you'd like to send

to your partner.  Some folks likes to see who their partner is first, and that's ok, too. 
As a reminder, artisan components don't have to be expensive - just special. 
a good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if what you're sending is worthy of your best
friend, a magazine editor, a mentor or someone you look up to in the jewelry world.

PLEASE NOTE: We will be sending each of you an email with your partner's

information.... please keep a look out for that.  In addition, we will also be sending
important information that you need to know to your email.  PLEASE
make sure  you read what is sent. =)    

So now that you're IN.... we'd like to encourage you to get blogging (especially if you

have a new or dusty blog).  Having some entries on your blog will help IMMENSELY
with the matching process!

So, here are 5 things you might want to cover in a blog post or two. These are things

your partner, and the rest of us, would love to know more about.   

1. Why or how did you get started making jewelry?

     " It was by accident actually! "  A good friend who was a wonderful clay potter
wanted to take a beading class in West Palm Beach, FL but did not have the courage
to go alone so I volunteered to go with her.  I had been a fiber ( quilting ) artist for  
over fifteen years and I had beaded one wall hanging that was donated to the Boys
and Girls Club for their annual auction and this piece had hung at two shows and well
received.  So....how hard could it be?  Yeah!  I am now a prolific beaded ( Bead Embroidery )
and Bead weaving and my lovely friend is an outstanding potter, living in Jupiter, FL.   

 2. What style(s) of jewelry do you like to make?

      I am a prolific Bead Embroiderer and Chainmailler.  A bead weaver when I find

 a pattern that I just cannot live without.  And over the past year I have learned to
cab my own stones.  The Indian Paint Stone in my header was cabbed by me.  
Fearless even if I am left handed.  :)

3. What materials do you prefer to use (and which ones do you avoid)?

     Needless to say seed beads, superduos, tilas, size fifteens everywhere, pearls,

firepolish....and the list keeps going.

4. What techniques do you prefer (and are there any you don't like)? 

Very weak on Herringbone but I'll get over it.  And I am not a crotchet person.  Kumihimo

 Is another story though - I find Kumi very meditative.

 5. What colors do you use most, and which do you run screaming from?

I have yet to find a color that I ran from.  I am finishing a bead embroidery piece that has a

 " pea soup green " that I turned my nose up on.......but the cab was one I cabbed
and that color blended so well.  I was wrong.  I'll be posting photo's this weekend. 

Congratulations again!  In the famous words of Simon Cowell...."off we go!"

Linda and the Bead Peeps Team - Lori, Tammy, and Cynthia

Last year my Exchange Partner was Chris Eisenberg a lovely and

talented artist.  I cannot wait to see the pairing for this year. 
and now on to the biggest challenge.....putting my Battle vision to a
paper pattern. 

January 2015 - A little snow, a little sun but plenty of bead time.....

Just sat and reviewed my last post for 2014 and realized that, " Yep! Missed a few items ", but that being said, just reviewed the latest post from " Battle of the Beadsmith " 2015.  Still on the list. 

I can now use this on my photographs...... Yay me !  The best thing is as I was thinking and drawing about what I would like to make is, it came to me.  Just like - Pow !  An epiphany.  Working on the technique - but I will be buying a lot of Jet for this one as I will not be able to cab my cabochons for this one.

I met one of my goals for 2015 - Photography!  I start a beginning and intermediate Digital Photography class on March 9th at Southwestern University in Sylva.  Actually, I am quite looking forward to becoming proficient at photography again and actually meeting new people. 

I finally broke down and purchased a pattern that I had been drooling over for the past year.  You know, I collect quite a few patterns.  This one is a lovely romantic Cross by Glassyjewels at
http://www.glassyjewels.com called " Cris's Cross".  She does not electronically transmit patterns so I waited for the color copy to arrive and made one for Jennifer for Christmas with matching earrings. 

The pattern was easy to follow but the only recommendation I would have is to be careful with the thread path and overusing with the size fifteen beads.  Follow the thread path diagrams carefully.  Otherwise, she is stunning.  Now to make a few more. 

Chainmaille wise, wow - I so wish I had more time during the day.  I started making my own 2 x 2 chains for each of the " Skullbursts ".  I really like making my own chains now and I have new photo's to take now that I have mastered the " Mobius ". 

Please spend some time " blog hopping " and checking out other's blog.  We have three new Blog Hops coming up for 2015.  I'll post them as they arrive.