CraftEdu is launched

Virtual workshops - what could be better than taking a class right from your computer? There is a great range of worldwide, well known, instructors in all aspects of crafting, including beadwork. I've already seen some that interest me. You might want to check out the offerings.

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This is a beta launch with more to come as things get settled in. I've got a couple of workshops up with more planned once I get back to NH and have the time to work them up. It's a lot of work and I've had to twist my mind with new technology. I've spent hours talking to myself, or rather to my computer with a microphone. Seems weird to just be talking into thin air.

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here's a link to CraftEdu

here's a link to My Gallery

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If there are any workshops that you would like me to do in this format, please let me know and I'll most certainly consider them.

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Makin' Lemonade

Isn't lemonade what you're supposed to do when life gives you too many lemons?


I should know better, I've done it before, and tell myself to check the total bead supply before charging ahead with a project. I keep thinking I've got more beads of a size/color than I really do. Somehow I forget that they've been used in other projects and just remember buying a whole bunch ...... in this case, 20 years ago!


I've been working on variations of a Sequin Shag bracelet. I did a fancy one in silver and steel blue as a workshop example. However, I bought these strands of vinyl record heshis at the gem show and wanted to use them in the same way to showcase versatility and have an example on the opposite end of the fancy, glitzy bracelet.


Partway through the bracelet base I realized I didn't have enough of the deep reddish brown beads and really, really didn't have any more of them. I looked through each one of my 64 Plano boxes of beads thinking an extra tube might have gotten misfiled somehow. Nope, didn't happen and finding another hank of the same Czech 8's wasn't going to happen either.

I hate to take out work already done. Don't have the patience to "rippit" and start over. So I dug out some old fashioned primary colored opaque yellow and red beads and added a pattern to the base. Those striped record beads will be layered over the top, standing up like the silver/blue bracelet. I think it will work. I just hope the underneath design doesn't prove to make the whole piece look too busy. The intent here is to see the shaggy effect of the over-layed sequins.

So, it's snowing here in Tombstone this 23rd of April and I'm making lemonade just like it was the height of the warm weather.

Rocker Afternoon

My list of should do & must do is long. However it was such a pleasant afternoon without any wind that I said the heck with lists and took the time to sit on the back porch, enjoy the new buds on the Nopal cactus and crochet.

I've had this design idea for an expanded flat caterpillar that has been bugging me and I just had to see what it would look like. I'm liking it a lot. Subtle, muted zig-zag pattern, but very elegant.


Now back to the organized part of life that has lists in it!
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By the way, I did get some cleaning done and weeded out my bead back stock. It won't fit, I'm tired of some colors and have a lot of "why ever in the world did I buy that" stuff. Anyone out there want 16 lbs of mostly seed beads + 80 10gm tubes of Delicas? I'll make you a darned good price.

Sparkle Pretties

This time of year in Arizona I get direct early sun on my desk for about half an hour. The sparkle from my current project is just beautiful. ....and bright enough to almost need sunglasses. It's not easy to capture with my digital camera, but I think you can get an idea.

I'm working with Toho permanent finish galvanized beads. So far they have been quite satisfying. I've always lamented the fact that I liked Galvanized, but the finish was gone almost before I finished a piece. So far these beads have lived up to their reputation for having a permanent finish.

Toho makes a 3-cut size 8/0 silver galvanized that has some significant bling to them. I just got some that I've yet to try out. As soon as I finish my Sequin Shag bracelet project for a CraftEdu workshop I want to do this base bracelet in the silver cuts as a watch band.

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For years I've promised myself a beaded watch. Look at the very last two tubes on the right for to see the nice color of the silver cuts. A plain square watch face with the plain beaded watch band in silver cuts would be useful and very elegant.

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Some days the ideas outweigh the time to do them all. After all, it's only been around 15 years that I've wanted a beaded watch for myself.

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Has anyone tried Miyuki's permanent finish Galvanized seed beads?