Off to a Slow Start ...

Since I horned in on this blog, you'd think I'd at least be ready to jump right in, wouldn't you? I'd planned on beading last night, but ended up watching Little Big Man instead. I've got two bead embroidery projects in progress and will work on at least one of them today, with a photo and update tonight. ~Penny

RAW Bracelet

A couple of months ago I bought several mass of 3mm fire polish to make some of Marcia DeCoster's bracelets shown in Bead & Button RAW special issue. Finally I got around to starting one. This is the brown iris. I think I'm going to use the blue rivoli with it but the vintage button would look good too.

I learned a lesson about reading the directions thoroughly instead of assuming that I know what to do. You're supposed to use a loose tension and I stormed ahead with my usual tight-ass beading style. Uh, oh. You can't get the 8s to fit if the tension is too tight. So I'm going to use small drops instead. At the retreat I saw Ruthann using drops on her's and it looked really great. --- Sandy

Purple Haze

When I first started beading, everything I did was either purple or teal/turquoise or a combination of the two. Finally and gradually, I moved on to other colors hardly ever using any shade of purple at all. Well, purple is back. I've bought several strands of purple beads and stones in the last few weeks and now then it seems that's all I want to work with. Here's Saturday's strung necklace and the necklace I started yesterday.

Saturday afternoon I taught a class at Antiques, Beads in Pearland - an embellished square stitch bracelet. Had seven great students. --- Kay

New Beginnings!

Yesterday at Bead Group Sandy suggested we start blogging our beading again. This is a good thing - it makes me aware of how much or, often, how little I accomplish on a daily basis. And Penny is going to join us. Welcome Penny and feel the pressure!

I have a new customer. I met Jonellen for lunch one day recently and was showing her some of the pieces I had for our Kemah show. The restaurant owner came by, asked to look, and ordered two pair of earrings. When I delivered the earrings, she asked that I make her some bracelets. There's a problem: She wants stretchy bracelets. But I can make stretchy bracelets! Her favorite colors are red and black and she likes gold accents. She wants to see what other pieces I have so yesterday afternoon I strung these two necklaces to show her - of course, in her colors. -- Kay