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...

Cold Season's Greetings

As the year turns, we start waiting for the light to return.....

With the Winter Solstice upon us, I want to take this opportunity to wish my family, friends &; followers a peaceful Solstice time and a happy and prosperous 2013.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,

"To talk of many things:Of cabbages--and kings-- 

Lewis Carroll

I realize that I've been very quiet these past 7 to 8 months.  So ...... here is the story in brief.  I'm going to step back, slow down and take life a bit easier.

Being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis has left me confused in both mind and body. I went from not being able to do anything to a shadowy existence. It's not easy to make up new habits and ways of life at age 70. As one of my sisters said, "you had the good times, now you're freaking old so get used to it!"  Medication has been holding the major symptoms at bay but leaves me tired and sometimes thinking impaired.  Beyond that I have reclaimed an almost decent normal life with the help of a dear companion who puts up with my nasty attacks, washes dishes and will drive me anywhere. He is a comfort and a luxury I can't do without these days. 

Where am I in beading and creativity.  I can no longer travel to teach.  I can (and will) do small in-studio sessions by prior arrangement.  I will continue to publish patterns and pattern sets.  However one major side effect of the medications is a worsening of the terrible procrastination  symptoms.  It just seems to take me three to four times longer to get anything done.  I'm going to attempt to do another Spring String-Along; "Garden Stripes".   Bear with me, please -- I have the ideas, it's just getting them diagramed, written up and the samples crocheted.  Instead of 7 days between sections, it could be 10 days. Anyone want to trade comma, spelling, graph and grammar proofing for a string-along spot?  I have one valued helper in Terri, but a backup wouldn't hurt.  

The beading mess is normal, alive and multiplying.

I can't not create - it's who and what I am.  It just cannot go back to a full time job with all-nighters to get to shows or workshops. Hold on -- I may take more exploratory side trips and become another Grandma Moses.  Who knows what the future will bring.  I'm sure going to find out as soon as I get things more organized.  

I'll still be around, more in the background, but doing something.  If you are in Southern Arizona or South New Hampshire for a couple more summers;  get in touch and let me set up a more private workshop for you in my studio.  

Heading to Arizona for the winter

It's sleeting here in New Hampshire and there are little balls of ice all over the deck.  Good thing I found these at the Dollar store yesterday.  If I'm forced to put on socks with my flip-flops, they should make me happy.  I think these will work in an emergency.

The trailer is getting packed, I'm taking a workshop Saturday at the Kearsarge Indian Museum, then pack the car and hit the open road on Sunday..... if all goes as planned.

My kids are waiting for a huge snow storm on Sunday as just about every trip I start out for Arizona in the first big snow storm.

.....back to packing beads and contemplating wearing socks!