Let me introduce you....... 2nd Annual Bead Peeps Swap 'n' Hop

It is that time again - the 2nd Annual Bead Peeps Swap 'n' Hop and our partners have been selected.
I'm excited with this partner as she is a new beader and I find this refreshing.  We also have the same taste in colors - love that purple and green. 

Let me introduce you to- Brandy Collier, my new partner.  She is a new beadweaver and she is also planning a wedding to boot.  Her blog is -http://www.bhjewelry.wordpress.com and her blog is easy to navigate using the archives to the right.  He has done Kumihimo and uses seed beads throughout her work.  A kindred spirit.  Nothing better than a new seed bead artist.  I look forward to selecting her " goody bag " and seeing what she does with it. 

It seems I have been remiss in Blogging

With the new Bead Peeps Exchange beginning -  it would seem I have been remiss in blogging.  Doubly so with my SCA blog too boot.  So let me say I have a lot of updating to do to include The Bead Peeps 2016 Exchange, I am approved to be in the 2016 Battle of the Beadsmith -----just all kinds of beading related goodies.   Over the next week I'll post photos of the new wonders in progress as a Bead Embroiderer and the Chainmaille is hopping.  I need to post my SCA period piece " Tudor Chain of Office" in bead embroidery and after two competitions I have broken it apart and it shall become a new wonder.  I also have the Florida Jewelry Artist Retreat coming up so stay tuned.

There is Superstition................................

 

There is Superstition………………..

su·per·sti·tion

ˌso͞opərˈstiSH(ə)n/

noun

noun: superstition

1.    excessively credulous belief in and reverence for supernatural beings.

"he dismissed the ghost stories as mere superstition"

synonyms:

unfounded belief, credulity, fallacy, delusion, illusion; More magic, sorcery; informalhumbug, hooey "medicine was riddled with superstition"

§  a widely held but unjustified belief in supernatural causation leading to certain consequences of an action or event, or a practice based on such a belief.

plural noun: superstitions

"she touched her locket for luck, a superstition she had had since childhood"

synonyms:

myth, belief, old wives' tale; More

 When Tammy Adams, owner of the Paisley Lizard advertised the Superstition Blog Hop and the participants were to design around her “ Black Cat “ Polymer Clay pieces, I thought – “ How delightful “.  You were to request drilled or Cabachon and of course, I ordered a Cab for Bead Embroidery – my element.  After completing the Morrigan for the Battle of the Beadsmith 2015 I figured this little cab would fit right in with black, hematite and gray which I had plenty of but I also decided this piece would not be a standard Bead Embroidery piece.  I elected to use ( 2 ) two of my weak points in composition which were to design an asymmetrical piece and to use fringe while incorporated the aspect of Superstition.  But heck!  Friday the 13^th is a most superstitious day – but I’ve always had great luck on this day.

First, let me thank Tammy Adams for a unique Blog Hop subject and for her tireless work making the Black Cat Pendants/Cabs.  She is our hostess and I do hope you will spend time visiting each participant and their interpretation of Superstition.

Second, the composition of this piece is Bead Embroidery in an asymmetrical back round.  My left hand-right mind had issues with this type of format as it is not balanced and it took the strength of steel not to modify this piece

With the cabochon containing the Black Cat, I then began to incorporate – the spiders web – a Black Widow Spider – a Bird Skull and in the fringing – a human skull or two.  As this format is bead embroidery it was labor intensive – so I hung it on a silk cord for the reveal and am currently beading a rope to go with this pendant.   

I do look forward to visiting everyone’s blog today to see all of the wonderful designs that were composed using the Polymer Black Cat and I do hope you’ll leave a comment or two – I adore comments.  So start by visiting our Hostess Tammy Adams of Paisley Lizard and enjoy the show.

Update;  Well - I did not fully complete her - but here she is.  She still has fringing and binding left as well as her rope but I wasn't going to let the reveal down.  Please do check back this weekend to see her in all her glory.  Don't you just love those little hints of red?

 

The List of Participants: 

Tammy Adams (Hostess)	http://www.paisleylizard.com/blog/
Renee Hong	http://www.fineanddandyjewelry.blogspot.com
Betony Maiden	http://beadwenches.blogspot.com/
Coral Law	http://abcoraldesign.blogspot.com/
Lee Koopman	http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com
Jeanette Belmont	http://www.onecanvasatatime.com
Shai Williams	http://www.ShaihasRamblings.com
Beth McCord	http://ebbeadandmetalworks.blogspot.com/
Robin Lynne Showstack	http://heartsdesiresjewelryforyou.blogspot.com/
Lori Blanchard	https://alainnjewelry.wordpress.com/
Deb Fortin	http://www.mhotistudio.blogspot.ca
Michelle McCarthy	http://www.fireflydesignstudio.blogspot.com
Maria Rosa Sharrow	http://willowstreetshops.blogspot.com
Kim Dworak	http://cianciblue.blogspot.com/
Divya N	http://www.jewelsofsayuri.com
Karin Grosset Grange	http://ginkgoetcoquelicot.blogspot.fr
Mowse Doyle	http://mowsemadethis.blogspot.com/
Rebecca White	http://morganafeycreations.121hub.com/#sec-blog
Shawneen Fagnani	http://blondespotpinkshoe.blogspot.com/
Catherine King ( You are here )	http://Catherines-musings.blogspot.com
Brook Bock	http://artisticendeavor101.blogspot.com/
Kari Asbury	http://hippiechickjewelrydesign.com/blog
Nan Smith	http://wirednan.blogspot.ca
Carolyn Lawson	http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
Linda Anderson	http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com
Ann Schroeder	http://www.beadlove.wordpress.com
Melissa Trudinger	https://beadrecipes.wordpress.com/
Kathy Lindemer	http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/

 

Cross Post from the SCA page ...

War of Wings X is over - sadly!  This was my first large event in this area and it was a perfect event for the SCA ( Society of Creative Anachronism ) I did teach Bead Embroidery in a historical fashion.  I chose to teach historical bead embroidery on a pouch ( the one I selected could hold a cell phone ) as women in the 14th, 15th and 16th century did not carry handbags but love " Sweet Bags" and beautiful pouches.  If you have time to visit the SCA page - you'll see the , rest of the story. 

Each class member learned the perfect Bead Embroidery stitch before I let them begin on their pouch - but I am looking forward to seeing each pouch that posts from each class member.  Yes!  The pouch is closed.  I've developed a nice little process of beading on closed bags.  I have another wonderful belt pouch that I bead embroidered to develop the technique above - it is on my SCA pages for historical garbing.

I am currently finishing the design on the " Superstition Blog Hop" as our reveal is coming up on the 13th of November,  actually a very cute Halloween ( Samhain ) design. 

Working on new chainmailing projects and beading projects so I cannot wait to share.

Coronation Gift for her Majesty Adelhait Fuchs - October 10, 2015

I haven't been quiet on the Bead Embroidery front so to speak.......  the local SCA has been keeping me very busy and I just completed my Coronation gift for the new Queen of Atlantia - Adelhait Fuchs ( Ash Terrell ).  My cohort in crime, Mary Novgrod was able to find out her gown colors and I sat and composed a beautiful bead embroidery necklace with matching earrings.  I was only able to take a few quick photographs and I requested a photo of her wearing it with the gown for my portfolio.  The research paper was very specific and included.

Here are the Coronation Photographs-

Here is the Bead Embroidery Tudor style necklace that I completed for Ash Terrell.

I was blessed!  It matched perfectly and as soon as I receive the photograph of Her Majesty wearing the piece - I'll post it. 
I'll add the research to Dropbox and add the link so you can see why this type of necklace was selected to present.

The Smell of Beading in the Air and a new Blog Hop

Don't you just love it when you feel the " Beading Itch " after being withdrawn for a few weeks?  Yes!  I feel it returning.  I'm looking at colors - fabrics - beads - dimensions - just totally fabulous things. 

Colors:

Now - how lovely is this?  Summery - Clean - Warm..... just awesome.  I can envision a new project for next summer.

A new " Blog Hop " called Superstition......  Yes!  My type of Halloween Blog Hop. 
Tammy Adams of the Paisley Lizard has developed Polymer Focals ( 29 of us ) and they will be the center piece of our design.  We have a very nice line up of ladies.  The spooky thing is - " There were 29 Focals and 29 Sign ups.  How delightful.

http://www.paisleylizard.com/blog/
As we get closer I will post the blog list for you to visit.

And then of course - A very treasured picture.  The Central Florida Bead Society had their retreat this past weekend and Kinga Nichols was coming back to teach.  I could not go with everything going on in my life but I had good friends in attendance from our " Ladies of the Evening ".  I sent an email to Anne Hess and asked if she could get a picture of Kinga with her , Genny Smith and Susan Barrette and look what I received.

This is the greatest gift I could ever receive........ Thank you ladies.  From Left to Right :  Kinga Nichols ( Artist Extraordinaire ) - Anne Hess ( Another Artist Extraordinaire ) - Genny Smith ( the Chainmaille Goddess ) and Susan Barrett ( the lady that started it all ). 

I had a very eventful SCA Hawkwood event on Saturday so please stop on by to the SCA page in the next day and catch a look at some wonderful events.  Give me a day and it will be up for perusing.

Cross Post - for the SCA page

Just a quick catch up as the beading is still Non-Stop, the drawings and designs are still going and I am looking forward to posting a few " How to's "...... but in the meantime please take a moment and
visit Patrick Duggan's blog post on " How many beads for a Rivoli "?  The post is quite informative and does give great thought to the process.  I know out of the many times I have taught to bezel a Rivoli or a Cabachon there has always been the count factor depending on the medium used.  These actually turned out to be some of my best classes.  Why you say?  Because of the creativity of each artist on how they bezzeled a piece or completed a piece.  I'll have to gather up the photographs of each creative beauty after the class was done. 

Patricks Blog Site :   http://patrickduggandesigns.blogspot.com/

You can also read his " How it came together - on his Battle of the Beadsmith 2015.

Now on to a current completion.  I have always wanted a handmade Needle Book.  It must be an obsession of bead artists to collect an unknown count of beading needles - sewing needles - Beaded Art Doll needles - just every type of needle imaginable.  So I designed the following needle book using my persona in the SCA where I will be teaching Bead Embroidery in October.  I was actually quite happy with the book and I finally got to use the Singer that I just acquired. 

As most of my garb is Celtic " Scottish " in the Amber and green colors, I think it came out very well.  Finally got to use those pinking shears too!   I see visions of Beaded Garb in my future.

I have missed the " Blog Hop " competitions and I've just signed up for two new Blog Hops - Superstition and the Macabre Dance ".  Yes - it is that time of the year soon.  I'll post more as the particulars come to light.