Bead Journal - September

I'm still a behinder beader as August is only 3/4 done and October still doesn't even have a plan. Somewhere in here I have to play catch-up.

Except for adding a tail or long fringe, My September Harvest Moon is done. I sort of beaded myself beyond the box as I did the beadwork on separate backing and got carried away. All of a sudden I try fitted it to my rectangle and said, "Oops, too large!" You know something, I like it that way and think I'll leave it like that. It doesn't really show in the photo, but the cab and beadwork has a slight dome to it which I accentuated with a couple of heavy plastic disks between the backing and the cabochon.

Maine, Beads & Ocean

I took a mini-vacation and went to visit friends in Maine. I got to have the ocean the way I like it: no people, a chilly windy day with the ocean crashing wildly against the rocks. Then we sat inside with a fire in the fireplace, made waffles and looked out over a small round inlet at the lobster boats and battened down sail boats. This year when I go to Arizona I may have the opportunity to go visiting in Los Angeles and could then say I'd traveled ocean to ocean.

BEADS

Oh those glorious, brightly colored, irresistible beads.....
On the drive up, I stopped in Freeport ME to shop at Beadin'Path. I had wanted more of their Lucite flower beads for a project or two. I've shopped at their booth at various shows, but this was my first opportunity to actually visit the shop. It is one of the nicest set up bead stores I've been in. I got lost at the Lucite wall and didn't go much further. I bought strands of the light weight, very colorful flowers to incorporate into a finger woven bracelet. Aren't those yummy colors and shapes?



Then there were the leaves ...... different shaped leaves, including some long graceful ones in an almost pea-green color. I think they will work in the bracelet, but if they don't they will find a home somewhere in future beadwork.



Now, just what do I do with these beads? I have no idea what I'll do with them, but they just sort of followed me home? They had my name on them even though sherbert colors are not my usual style. I fell in love with the shape and feel of the beads; matte smooth, not quite round, something you just have to run through your fingers over and over.



What's a trip to Maine without a lighthouse? Here is the required Maine photo of a light house. It sits up the hill from where the top wave photo was taken.

Bead Sizes - Part II

I did an earlier post about Czech Republic and Japanese Seed Bead sizes. Now I can add the Japanese cylinder beads, manufactured by two companies: Miyuki and Toho. These beads have thin walls, large holes and are quite regular in size and shape. They come in hundreds of beautiful colors and are expensive.

I don't like using them in bead crochet as they tend to click together like small tiles and make a tighter, stiffer rope. However, when you want a rope with a nice crisp cross section, they work beautifully. This test bracelet (crocheted by Jen K.) would be a great place to use cylinder beads.

Here is a pattern if you want to see what cylinder beads look like in bead crochet. Warning: this is a JPEG photo so it is a bit fuzzy. It is also a test pattern and does not tell you how to get different colors on different sides of the triangle & twists.

Fall in New Hampshire

Some of my Internet friends asked for a virtual Leaf Peeping tour from my area. Unfortunately it's been a warm Fall (no frost yet!) and we've had some heavy thunderstorms. The red swamp maples are long gone by and the sugar maples are turning gradually and promptly losing their leaves. The best color I could find was at my two favorite local farm stands.


Tenny Farm had a goodly amount of pumpkins and mums, but the good apples (Northern Spy) are not in yet.






Cauncy Farm had a disappointing year for pumpkins. Usually this field is piled high with them. However their crop of beautiful sunflowers was just great over the summer.


I went out behind Antrim's Town Hall, hoping for some great color, but just had to contend with the town ducks, who were certain I had come just to feed them.



The Town Mill Pond did have a tree or two showing the almost glowing orange/yellow color I really enjoy.




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A trip to my favorite pic-nic place, Beards Brook, found a bit more color, but nothing like what it has been in past years.




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By the time I got to Powder Mill Pond the rain clouds were starting to roll back in and a chilly breeze had sprung up.


Sorry Ladies, this seems the best I can do for Fall Foliage in this neck of the woods this year.