Proximity Award

Thank You JAX, it's an honour to be included.

Here is a description as to what this award means: "This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers" I have made some great friends through my blog and I have learned so much from others. I am thrilled to pass this award on to some of these people.The criteria for accepting the award is that you must post the picture and the meaning of the award on your blog (see above). The blog I picked is one that I follow and look forward to reading, that I learn something from, that makes me laugh and that inspires me.

No Easy Beads

Something Finished ...

I've managed to get a couple of projects finished. The flat spiral with 8 mm Czech fire polished crystals came out just great. It actually looks more like it was braided than woven. I used beads that I'd had laying around and didn't really like very much. What a surprise they were when they picked up the color from the permanent finish Toho galvanized beads.



I've been having fun with my Zulu variations. This one alternates dyed pearls with crystal clusters. It sort of gives the bracelet more interest. Now I'm wondering how effective it would be with each cluster being a different set of beads. Could be a bit too busy.




Here's the two latest bracelets together.

Something light and bright for Spring.

Spring in Tombstone

I know Spring is here in the desert when the Oriels migrate through and stay for a week or so. They have been raiding the hummingbird feeder along with the bees, ants, butterflies, hummingbird moths, woodpeckers and the hummingbirds! The Mesquites are leafing out, which the old timers say is a sign that the last frost is past.

I managed to find a few more 4 mm pink crystals and added another pass through the node beads on this bracelet. It looks a lot better with the puffs being fuller. This is something I just might wear as it is so early spring-looking. Now I'm thinking of a bracelet in Oriel colors with the fine spring colored Mesquite leaves.

I ordered some of the Toho permanent finish, galvanized seed beads. I'm still sceptical about just how permanent the finish really is, but so far they have out performed the old ones. I made a flat spiral bracelet with them and the finish didn't rub off on my acid skin as I was making it. I've always like the garish brightness of galvanized beads but had to give up using them for wearables as they just didn't hold up to any wear. Now I think I may order more of the colors. I've some ideas in my head of bright crayon colors and wondering how they would pair with matte opaque primary colors. Thinking very bright!

Payson Bead Cave

I spent a weekend in Payson AZ at a bead cave with some great beading friends. We ate, gabbed and beaded while looking out at the mountains. This year we were joined by our two newest members .... catz, Cleo & JJ, who chased moths on the night windows. They were an absolute delight to have around.

I've watched this art doll evolve over the past couple of years and last weekend saw her finished.

Julie's Roller Derby doll most certainly has attitude. Isn't she a beautiful work of art?

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Two of the projects that we worked on were a Zulu bracelet and a Flat Spiral bracelet:

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This is what Julie came up with;

Zulu, center, Flat Spiral, bottom.

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Jo gave her Zulu bracelet a South Western flavor with silver, coral and a flip of turquoise ends.

Lauren really went all out with an experimental Zulu design. She had come with a black & white palette of beads and then found these square orange/clear beads. It took several starts to get it to fit right as the square beads stand up and fill the inside circumference differently than round beads.

This is truly a fantastic Orange Explosion.
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I used the idea of the Zulu bracelet, but not the edge picots. I did a bracelet with graduated crystals between the node beads for a slightly different variation. Now I need to order a few more 4 mm pink crystals as I need at least one more pass to make a proper fullness.

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It's interesting to see how 6 people can take the same basic instructions and make finished items that are so totally different. The weekend was a lot of fun and re-charged my creative spirit. Beading and exchanging ideas with other highly creative people is something I wish I could do more often.