Bead Journal - non progress

September's page is started, which means that I now have 2 month's "in the works" and it's already October! Am I behind or what? So, should I start October's also and have a whole 3 month's worth of work in progress?

This one will celebrate September's Harvest Moon; rich, large glowing orb that came up over the trees and was showcased in my bedroom window. The goldstone cab was purchased years ago in New Orleans and has a small chip on one edge. I like that tiny dip in the overall symmetry. I think I'm going to let this one just grow as I bead around the cab - no plans, no design, just letting the beads talk their way to what it wants to be.

Fall River Treasure

"Over the river(s) and through the woods..... To a treasure of a bead store, did I go." Never mind that I get lost in my own back yard and inadvertently also saw Providence RI and Quincy MA on this trip....... It was a wonderful trip to do a series of workshops at Turquoise-StringBeads in Fall River Mass.

I'm used to New Hampshire's brick mill buildings and was wonderfully surprised to see all of the beautiful old granite block mills still standing and being put to other uses now. I love seeing some of the neat details when you get close to them.



There are these beautiful iron rounds across the width of every floors - I'm assuming they are used to hold the walls upright and parallel?

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I've always been fascinated seeing how previous generations mend things and often find them miniature works of art. This piece of screening was mended with wire that was much larger than the original metal fabric.




When I arrived at my destination, I was totally surprised at what I found inside this industrial old mill building.






Go up the stairs and turn left .....













And you find a very comprehensive bead shop staffed by the most delightful and helpful people.

.....and lots and lots and lots of beads.

Every bead shop should have a classroom that is big enough to dance in.

What a pampered, delightful experience for a visiting instructor. I do know that I hope they invite me back next year.

If you are ever in that neck of the woods, be sure to stop in as I know you'd enjoy visiting this shop or attending workshops there. Oh, and did I mention "sparklies"? There are crystals everywhere - in all of their glorious colors, sizes and shapes!

Bead Sizes

I was showing a non-beading, computer friend the difference in bead sizes and shapes and then thought the photos were interesting enough to share here.













Japanese seed beads are the most regular in size and have a less rounded shape than those from the Czech Republic. However there are still variations as you can see in the two size 8/0 beads. They come with numbered colors so you stand a chance of getting the same colors again. Just look out for lot color variations.

Seed beads from the Czech Republic are nice rounded, pot-bellied beads. I like to use these in bead crochet ropes because they move against each other like ball bearings and add to the suppleness of the work. Besides, these come in a wide range of luscious, unusual colors. Just don't ever expect to find the same colors again a year or two later.

the Cats came to Visit

Harley has been visiting me for 5 years. He thinks my apartment is his personal escape-from-the-kids Summer place. Yesterday morning he was waiting at the door when I got up, having been out tomcatting all night. He ambled in, turned around, hissed and growled at George as if to say, "stay out!" then got a snack and took over the couch.
George is the new cat at the big house and is very leery about coming in my door as his housemate Harley, doesn't think he should share. I had put a cat donut out on the porch to give away and George thought it was the perfect place to nap after a hard night of hunting and he can keep an eye on me through the screen door where I sit at the computer. I guess the donut will have to stay on the porch as George was curled up there again this morning waiting for a few scratches and some petting.

My son says that Harley starts going to my apartment door and meowing when the snow is gone and it turns warm in the spring ... as if to say, "it's time, where are you?" I'm blessed when the cats come to visit and curl up on my lap purring.