Cleanup Distraction

 I almost got this written this afternoon except my Boyfriend yelled that he could see smoke and a possible fire across the wash from the house.  Right now it's so dry and brush fires in Arizona can quickly burn out of control.  Stay tuned for an update.....

As I was cleaning up the studio work table to host a couple of visiting bead people, I threw all larger loose beads onto a tray.


I kept thinking, "what a nice combination."

The idea bulb went on...... I'd clean a bit, string a few beads from the tray, put a few beads away and string a few more beads.   

A messy work surface does say creativity, doesn't it?  Grab the crochet hook and see what it looks like as a single crocheted chain.

Not bad....

I'll unravel this first attempt as I need to figure out how to even out the chain tension.  Some areas bunch up into over large picots and others have too much cord showing between beads.  

I think it's a quick, fun way to use up odds and ends of beads and add some fun to an outfit.  

It's about 10 days to leaving for New Hampshire for the summer.  Please tell me the snow and mud season has left the East Coast.

Given what needs to be done before packing the car, I've put the moth sculpture away for 6 months.  I did see an oriental running stitch quilting technique that might look great on these wings.

Well.... the moth project is  now packed away for after Thanksgiving when I get back to Arizona.  For the moment all of the pieces and odd other bits are in one box waiting.

I unearthed another project that needs more research.  I was playing with the possibility of paper jewelry and put it aside when I noticed that the edges of the paper were badly fraying. I need to find a sealant for the paper that leaves it still feeling like paper and not stiff wood.  This took me back to my summer camp days. Did you ever make lanyards as a child?

I'll have an idea, try it, reject it and put the project tray aside for another while. The potato starch was interesting, but what a mess it made.  I would have been better off making potato soup with it.  

You sure can find a lot of possibilities waiting to happen when you deep clean a studio.  Let's see... there are 2 sliced up billiard balls, a box of rusty flea market keys, Arizona Artifacts waiting to be made into a unique pendant, A bead crochet large cuff bracelet waiting for more pieces of rope,  and tubes of seed beads everywhere.

Moths, Books & Beading

Well, I have a real mess of fabrics, paper patterns, old shoe laces, wire, beads and this huge reference book of moth photos that are larger than life sized -- way larger.  However, I have no soft sculpted moths yet.  I've been bending up wire, trying to figure a stable way to embed 6 moth legs in the middle of a stuffed cloth body.  So far all of my moth bodies wobble and promptly fall over.  So back to the drawing board as I really want legs on my moths.

As I travel around, running errands, I've been crocheting.  No, I've not been doing the driving!  Here is my Sister's "essence of snake" lariat that needs only another couple of inches to be done.  It sure does have that look of snake.  In the background is a pile of bracelets waiting to be joined.  I love everything but the bracelet joining.  It's right up there with doing my IRS taxes and I can procrastinate on both things almost forever.

Bead Crochet Ropes is the first book that I published, 11 years ago.  It's been out of print for some time now with only an eBook version.  I've had so many requests from different people, bead stores and bead crochet teachers for a print copy.

My Graphic Artist daughter has changed software 3 times and now lives half a country away in Chicago.  We've worked out the conversions, tweaked layout and photos back into place and as soon as Amazon's Print-on-Demand agency quits fiddling about the correct ISBN #,  there will be a republished, ink on paper book once again.  I'm in hopes of seeing something in 10 days to 2 weeks.  Cross your fingers.  The paper won't be as nice and it's one of those instant print processes .... so the price will be a lot lower at $16.95.  I've also changed the eBook price on Bead-Patterns.com.

I've been told that the set of how-to photos are some of the best out there for learning (or reviewing) the technique.   This edition is an exact republication of the original book.  Many things have changed over the past 11 years, however I've left the original information exactly as it was originally printed.

If you have an original copy, you may want one of these to cut apart and make notes on the pages.

I have a treat coming up as I'm heading North to bead with long time beading friends for a day or two.  It will be nice to see everybody and even better to share creative solutions.  I hope they help and push me further along the Moth pathway.

Moths

Photos of Orbicularis and Euplocia Membliaria moths are what started this journey.  Then I discovered Mister Finch's work.  Now I want to sew moth sculptures of my own!

I've long had a fascination with moths.... they are nocturnal, fuzzy enough to want to pet them and have a fashion sense that is outstanding.  See my Pinterest board to see what I've been looking at.  

I've made paper patterns and torn up paper patterns. Third reitteration and it still isn't right.

 I've haunted thrift stores for fabrics as I could envision wool felted wings.  Dang.... 100% wool clothing seems to have totally disappeared.  If a suit has spandex in it, it just won't felt right.

So, I've been collecting parts and pieces to try working with.  Sigh, no.... I don't want to buy a yard of 60" wide fake fur to get a 2" piece of moth head fuzz out of.  If it doesn't work, I have to get rid of a lot of fake fur.  Thank heavens for Tucson's SAS, fabric by the pound.  They had 2 huge boxes of fake fur sample squares.  It's lightweight, so how in the world can you get to the counter to find out that you have 5.5 lbs of the stuff?

Then there is the creative problem of making male moth antenna.  They look like miniature ferns.  Sure, I could just do straight, single wire antenna, but I'd like to come up with something that looks like these feathery ones.  OK, thin wire is a possibility.  Yes, wire wrapping and clipping works (of sorts)  but 2 days to do one antenna  seems a bit much for my sense of impatience.  I'd rather be adding beads to fancy up the wings.  Any ideas?  It doesn't have to replicate the moth antenna, but be more essence of moth. How would you make them?

Cookies - oh dear, I started out to make a batch of Christmas cookies and got side tracked here. Well, guess the butter should be soft by now.  Hope you have Christmas cookies to munch on this Christmas eve eve...