April 30, 2010

CraftEdu is launched



Virtual workshops - what could be better than taking a class right from your computer? There is a great range of worldwide, well known, instructors in all aspects of crafting, including beadwork. I've already seen some that interest me. You might want to check out the offerings.

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This is a beta launch with more to come as things get settled in. I've got a couple of workshops up with more planned once I get back to NH and have the time to work them up. It's a lot of work and I've had to twist my mind with new technology. I've spent hours talking to myself, or rather to my computer with a microphone. Seems weird to just be talking into thin air.
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here's a link to CraftEdu

here's a link to My Gallery
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If there are any workshops that you would like me to do in this format, please let me know and I'll most certainly consider them.
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April 23, 2010

Makin' Lemonade

Isn't lemonade what you're supposed to do when life gives you too many lemons?


I should know better, I've done it before, and tell myself to check the total bead supply before charging ahead with a project. I keep thinking I've got more beads of a size/color than I really do. Somehow I forget that they've been used in other projects and just remember buying a whole bunch ...... in this case, 20 years ago!


I've been working on variations of a Sequin Shag bracelet. I did a fancy one in silver and steel blue as a workshop example. However, I bought these strands of vinyl record heshis at the gem show and wanted to use them in the same way to showcase versatility and have an example on the opposite end of the fancy, glitzy bracelet.


Partway through the bracelet base I realized I didn't have enough of the deep reddish brown beads and really, really didn't have any more of them. I looked through each one of my 64 Plano boxes of beads thinking an extra tube might have gotten misfiled somehow. Nope, didn't happen and finding another hank of the same Czech 8's wasn't going to happen either.


I hate to take out work already done. Don't have the patience to "rippit" and start over. So I dug out some old fashioned primary colored opaque yellow and red beads and added a pattern to the base. Those striped record beads will be layered over the top, standing up like the silver/blue bracelet. I think it will work. I just hope the underneath design doesn't prove to make the whole piece look too busy. The intent here is to see the shaggy effect of the over-layed sequins.
So, it's snowing here in Tombstone this 23rd of April and I'm making lemonade just like it was the height of the warm weather.

April 18, 2010

Rocker Afternoon




My list of should do & must do is long. However it was such a pleasant afternoon without any wind that I said the heck with lists and took the time to sit on the back porch, enjoy the new buds on the Nopal cactus and crochet.












I've had this design idea for an expanded flat caterpillar that has been bugging me and I just had to see what it would look like. I'm liking it a lot. Subtle, muted zig-zag pattern, but very elegant.


Now back to the organized part of life that has lists in it!
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By the way, I did get some cleaning done and weeded out my bead back stock. It won't fit, I'm tired of some colors and have a lot of "why ever in the world did I buy that" stuff. Anyone out there want 16 lbs of mostly seed beads + 80 10gm tubes of Delicas? I'll make you a darned good price.

April 12, 2010

Sparkle Pretties

This time of year in Arizona I get direct early sun on my desk for about half an hour. The sparkle from my current project is just beautiful. ....and bright enough to almost need sunglasses. It's not easy to capture with my digital camera, but I think you can get an idea.



I'm working with Toho permanent finish galvanized beads. So far they have been quite satisfying. I've always lamented the fact that I liked Galvanized, but the finish was gone almost before I finished a piece. So far these beads have lived up to their reputation for having a permanent finish.


Toho makes a 3-cut size 8/0 silver galvanized that has some significant bling to them. I just got some that I've yet to try out. As soon as I finish my Sequin Shag bracelet project for a CraftEdu workshop I want to do this base bracelet in the silver cuts as a watch band.
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For years I've promised myself a beaded watch. Look at the very last two tubes on the right for to see the nice color of the silver cuts. A plain square watch face with the plain beaded watch band in silver cuts would be useful and very elegant.
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Some days the ideas outweigh the time to do them all. After all, it's only been around 15 years that I've wanted a beaded watch for myself.
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Has anyone tried Miyuki's permanent finish Galvanized seed beads?

April 7, 2010

Sequin Shag

I love it when an idea comes out looking like what I saw in my mind. I've done just enough rows to be able to see the effect. It's going to be awesome with light, depth and movement. Now I can't wait to finish this elegant version and do an ethnic one with those African vinyl record sequins that I got at the Gem Show. Same idea but two completely opposite looking end products.



I'm expanding my horizons by teaching on-line workshops at CraftEdu. I think this Sequin Shag will be part of a series based on the 8/0 bracelet base. All this means is that I've had to purchase a microphone, learn how to use it as well as learning how to work in a totally new software program environment. Whew - guess it helps keep my mind young!

April 4, 2010

Happy Easter & new workshops

Happy Easter to those who celebrate it. I have only one decorative egg in the house, an ostrich egg ..... stopped at Rooster Cogburn's ostrich farm north of Tucson and couldn't resist having one of these extra large egg shells. I don't think I'll decorate it as it's interesting in it's natural state. They say one of these eggs is equal to 2 doz. chicken eggs - what an omelet!
This is a bracelet base workshop that I'm working on right now. My next step will be to add a sequin fringe to the entire top of it. I can see this hedge-hoggy sequin top and I hope it comes out remotely like what I see in my mind's eye. This will be just one of the classes I will have up on CraftEdu in the near future.
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I've been asked to join the faculty at CraftEdu which will be presenting on-line workshops. So I've been quite busy learning a new platform, how to use a microphone and talking people through the steps of making different beadwork projects. Donna Kato has a great idea and I really like the platform and interface. Check out the CraftEdu blog and see the great group of teachers that she has pulled together. It's not live yet and all of us are scrambling to get up enough classes to make the launch worthwhile.
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Teaching has always been one of my favorite things. I enjoy the interaction with students and being able to pass on things that I have learned. However, the travel has become wearisome. This is an opportunity to continue teaching, but from my studio desk. Check out the faculty and sign up to be be informed when it all goes live. There will be some great opportunities to learn a lot of different things from a bunch of really great people.