Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas!

Taking a Break

I am considering taking a break from writing this blog. The topics that are running through my mind are not ones that I consider of value to my readers who have come to expect beading related topics, but rather more appropriate for a personal journal. I will continue to create, bead, and keep up my etsy shop.

Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones.

Etsy BeadWeavers: Voting for the December Challenge Simon & Garfunkel "Songs of Inspiration"

Etsy BeadWeavers: Voting for the December Challenge Simon & Garfunkel "Songs of Inspiration"

I'm trying to learn other ways to link to sites. I would like to post the picture grid here, but I've only succeeded in taking you to the site at the bottom of the entry so if you scroll up to the top you can see to vote IF you click on the lower title above. Another computer thing I need to work on.

Please visit and vote for your favorite entry.

I was in college when Simon and Garfunkel became popular, so I know most all the songs from way back. If you have a favorite tune, please share it with us in the comments.

I'll get back to writing soon; I put my photography equipment away when I cleaned for Thanksgiving--mistake to put it away, not to clean.

New Pictures

The top photo is a bracelet I created for the July Secret Garden Challenge of the Etsy Beadweaver's Team. I was running out of beads for the base of the bracelet and had difficulty finding a new supply. So I put it aside for a while. Then I realized I didn't have a gold filled three strand clasp. After that the Muse abandoned me. I knew I wanted a lacy edge but only had delica beads and I usually use smaller charlottes or size 15 seed beads. After a time I settled on using the delica beads, but wanted smaller 24 kt gold plate tiny seeds; I went into shock at their price! Got the best price available (almost $20 for a little tube of beads) and proceeded to finish it, not realizing I made a pattern with the transparent pink and blue beads! Guess the Muse had her own plan!

The other two bracelets are my traditional right angle weave bracelets done in Swarovski white pearls which I always pair with silver. One has Swarovski crystal ab bicones with the pearls.

These bracelets need the black background, and I will be making a better prop to pose them on. Still working on the lighting, too. There are some light sapphire bracelets and a peach bracelet and earrings that are at the photo editing stage. Light sapphire is one of the "colors" for December birthdays, so they will be added to my shop soon.

I've got a Black Friday Etsy special on some of my items going on at least thru Monday. Other specials will follow.

Coupons, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Free shipping SALES

Etsy is rolling out new features including coupon codes. In gratitude for my life I have created a 10% off coupon for my blog readers. It is "thanks10". Valid through Thanksgiving Day on sales in the U.S. The discount is on everything listed in my shop. http://www.krdesigns11.etsy.com/

I've been distracted with trying to come up with inexpensive items for my art spree and the etsy black friday/cyper monday/ free shipping/ coupon mania. I didn't think artists put their work "on sale" but "for sale". I truly try to reasonably price my work appropriately without a cushion for crazy sales or to take advantage of the buying public. The money from sales goes toward buying more supplies so I can create more items. It's not part of big corporate profits or values that go up and down mysteriously like the stock market. The debt that I incur to finance my business, is my personal debt. My work is very labor intensive. I do my best to create something that will be useful for a long time.

I've been reading an interesting book called Cheap, The High Cost of Discount Culture by Ellen Ruppel Shell. I'm only on page 75, so I'm not writing a book review. The "C" has a slash through it to make it look like a cent sign. It was available at my local Borders. It has a large section of Notes. I'll randomly quote one comment citing source for something in the initial Notes to Readers. "with cheap stuff we may have forgotten we own: Acccording to the Self-Storage Association, a Virginia-based trade group with more than six thousand members, one in ten United States households rented self-storage units in 2007, up from one in seventeen in 1995. Nearly sixty thousand storage facilities in the U.S. satisfy that demand, annually generating $20.1 billion in revenue." That's $20 BILLION a year!

I really hope you save your money to buy something you really will cherish and love to own. I really don't want to and won't make something that you will put in a self-storage unit and forget that you own.

I'm working in white and light colors which need photo retakes. More pictures soon, I promise.

Lapis Blue

The change from daylight savings time in the fall always makes me a little blue which inspired me to list this cuff bracelet and earrings in my etsy shop and to share them here. I will be adding more blue items in my shop.

I love lapis blue, cobalt blue, sapphire blue, any shade of blue. I think it is the favorite color of most people. These items are bead woven in right angle weave, with the earrings in circular right angle weave. It was quite a trick to get the beads on both sides of the base; I bent and broke more than a few needles. I just needed to make the base a little larger and then fill in with tiny seed beads to hide the spaces between the beads. The cuff has size 15 charlotte lacy edging on it, my favorite part to do. I wish I made it smaller -- it fits a 7.5 inch wrist, not mine! Somewhere there is a woman who is the perfect fit for this cuff bracelet. Are you that person?

Where Women Create

I want to introduce my readers to Debbie Egizio who is a mixed media artist and was a classmate in a collage class at my local community college more than a decade ago. She is younger than I am and has explored many different avenues, some of which I am envious. She worked in a local shop which was filled with silk flowers and designs, and at this time of year would have the most wonderfully decorated Christmas trees...a most magical place. A lot of it really wasn't my style, and I couldn't afford to purchase much, but I would go there and get lost in my day dreams. I miss that store.

Before I knew what blogging was, her newsletter told of having a page of her work in Artful Blogging, so I went to the bookstore to see it. Her latest newsletter tells of being featured in Where Women Create. http://www.stampington.com/wherewomencreate/ in the current, Nov/Dec/Jan 2011 issue. This magazine I purchased. There are 8 pages to her article; lots of photos. Looking is a way to spark your creativity, no matter what your craft interests are. You may wish to explore the where women create blog. They support handmade!

There are sneak peek previews to the article on Debbie's sites. To better acquaint you with Debbie, you can visit her website http://www.thebeatofmyart.com/ and, of course, her blog http://www.debbieegizio.blogspot.com/ She is currently teaching at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. If you're in the Chicago area, you may be able to see her in person at one of her shows.

Beading Contest

I entered my Purple Orchid Woven Free Form Choker in a beading contest for using Swarovski pearls sponsored by Bello Modo.

I order a lot of my items from them because they have the best shipping time and it's free. They have Sunday specials when you sign up for their newsletter (usually once a week plus Sunday). Their prices are competitive. I order small quantities when I run out of something needed to finish an item. They introduce items, crafty things, too, and are always getting something new. Check them out at http://www.bellomodo.com/

The contest is at http://wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/71235/voteable_entries/10000911

Please vote. You may want to enter their next contest!

Do I Create or Worry If It Will Sell?

It has been almost two weeks since I've posted here. I've been making items for consignment, always with the lowest possible price in my mind so that the shops will be able to sell it. It feels like production work.

You can view the inventory I left on consignment at the Chicago Illinois Artisan Shop on my flickr site. http://www.flickr.com/KRDesigns11 It is in a set which is with other sets on the right hand side as you arrive on the page. If you click on the slide show, it won't take very long to see 15 images. The items I made are well constructed and beautiful, but far from the price points needed to be an impulse purchase or gift for most women, especially in today's economy. I have been given the gift to be able to make these bracelets, yet they are no longer satisfying something inside me.

I long to create a truly one of a kind piece...the EBW Challenge is due soonish and the Muse has yet to visit me with an inkling of inspiration for it. Oh, I can see the colors...there is dark green, emerald? It's a vintage European Christmas item....

Last Christmas I asked for and received a book on micro macrame because I want to explore it further; I purchased parts to practice the techniques, but I've yet to sit down and try it. I have green ivy leaves and red round crystals for holly berries to make a micro macrame bracelet that I purchased last year...so those UFOs are haunting me, too. Speaking of UFOs, I want to set up a tray with them, displayed so that I can see them several times a day. Where do I start?

So the question of what do I offer for sale for holiday gifts goes on the back burner. The UFOs will be worked on as I can. My priority will be to learn more about micro macrame. That means I need to find the things I set aside for this activity, so cleaning my work space hopefully will clear my mind. Maybe I will find the beads for the EBW Challenge item!

Crystal Silver Night - Swarovski New Color

This is a bracelet created from Swarovski's new color, Crystal Silver Night. The crystals are connected with jet black size 13 charlottes. This silvery gray color does not have the fire of aurora borealis, but the bead does have one side more crystal clear and one side opaque. As all things Swarovski, the beads are beautiful.

I also wanted to remind you that it is time to vote in the Etsy Beadweavers monthly challenge. With a theme of "Autumn Falling of Leaves", there are more entries than last month's very popular one on Bollywood. Next month, we are to select a holiday and create something for that occasion--should be popular also.

You can either use the link I have on my blog or go to http://www.etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com and vote for your choice. The thumbnails are small, so if you click on the number/creator names listed below the mosaic photo, you will be taken to the etsy shop to view the entire write up and multiple photos. My entry is in the lower right hand corner. Enjoy!

Patience

I like to randomly select and open my books and read until I know I found the message for me right now. Today's book was The Vein of Gold, A Journey to Your Creative Heart by Julia Cameron who is the author of the Artist's Way and many other items in my possession. The chapter was "The Paydirt in Pay-tience" in the Kingdom of Attitude section. I have read this chapter so many times, if it were possible, the ink would be off the page and written in my brain!

It's about our results oriented society, of wanting to have the big sale or show to prove that we are artists. The goal of perfection in art versus the process where we work at a level, then it becomes hard, then if we continue our work is on a different level. We must learn to have patience with our imperfections. The author writes of artists whose work is only sporadically accepted by the public and admits that some of her best work was not sold while some of her worst was.

So I remember my last show where I sold little and what I did sell was 4 years old, from when I first started beading, was not the type of work (strung not beadwoven) I'd like to say I do, and realize I'm experiencing something similar to those the author was writing about. I continued my process with a beadwoven peyote cuff bracelet I entered into the Etsy Beadweavers October challenge, listed and promoted it on Facebook. I was asked where I purchased the clasp, went to that website and found "THE way I should have attached it to the bracelet" instead of the inferior, less than perfect way, I did attach it. (The website is of a well known beadweaver/author.) So the perfectionist reared it's ugly head once again.

This was the perfect way to remind me to be patient with myself. My customer did get pretty items at a good price, and the newest item is acceptable--it was an assortment of tiny beads, a needle and thread before I spent 17 hours making it be what it is, which is a small miracle. So if I didn't write this, no one would know my process. I learned, and now have ANOTHER way to attach the clasp next time I make a beadwoven peyote cuff bracelet, if I decide to try it.

Remind Me of What I Loved

Welcome new followers! I've been mentally composing posts, but not writing them--sorry! I'm trying to make items for consignment shops for fall, when my heart wants to hang on to summer. Here are a couple that won't be on Etsy any time soon, but if they have your name on them, contact me and I'll be happy to arrange their availability for purchase.

In the past, I read a lot of books by Caroline Myss, even attended a couple of workshops held locally when I could afford them. Now I'm getting her free emails. One I remember being helpful was on the topic of "Remind Me of What I Loved".

We usually love simple things, sharing ordinary parts of our lives, people who were there for us. Personally, I often find myself dwelling on things I can't change, things that are not positives for anyone. She wrote much more eloquently than I, to remember those things in the past that we loved. When I do that, my body feels so much more relaxed and peaceful. Something simple like my aunt letting me hold the bouquet of lilacs she cut to bring into the house when I was about four years old. She also told me I was "a pain in the neck". So which one do you think I loved? I can still smell those lilacs!

Care to share your loved memories?

Life

I'm preparing for the art spree in downtown Chicago the end of this week and an art fair in Barrington, Illinois. I've upgraded my flickr account to pro, so there are more pictures of my latest, non-etsy listed, creations. I planned to write another book review about Julia Cameron's work. I seem to be affected by learning of the sudden death of a man in the prime of life. It's not a personal loss to me, but a reminder to live every moment of life to it's fullest. So I hope you will log out and do what you love!

What Matters Is The Newness

I intend this post to be a book review of Marry Your Muse by Jan Phillips published by Quest Books. I am encouraging you to purchase the book ($13.50 or less at amazon) if this post strikes a chord with you. I have had this book on my shelf for years (actually mostly in the stack of books I look at frequently), picking it up to read at random a section, chapter, or page; I've probably read the entire book many times. I like the quotes in the margins and the photographs. I have a framed copy of the Artist's Creed above my work table. Today, I am drawn to

"I believe that what truly matters in the making of art is
not what the final piece looks like or sounds like,
not what it is worth or not worth, but what newness gets added
to the universe in the process of the piece itself becoming."

I share the concerns of my Etsy Beadweaver Team members who have verbalized concern about lack of sales and being "blocked". Jan Phillips writes in a letter to the Muse,

"I am often troubled
at the beginning
about what the ending will be.
I am troubled
about what will become of a piece,
who will want it, if it will
ever be seen or heard.
I do not want to keep creating
that which sees no light of day,
that which finds no ear to hear,
nor heart to hold.
Of what use are these works
if others do not share them?
What is their worth if they go nowhere?
Is it that I am not good enough?.......
Where shall I go with the gifts of my soul?"

Jan Phillips continues, writing a response to us, the "Dear Child"

"When you set out in your work,
set out to find something new
and concern yourself
only with this discovery.
As you create, give thought
to that which is before you
and only that.
You cannot know the reach of your work,
nor its weight or worth,
so there shall be no arrogance about it,
nor any doubt.
What matters is not what you make
but that you take the tools in your hand,
listen to the voice that calls,
and give shape to whatever is awaiting form.

Look inside and see what moves you,
what makes you cry
for sadness or joy,
and respond to that,
letting your response flow
without judgment or worry.

In the giving of yourself to this work,
give bravely and with honest passion
and what will come will be a gift,
not only for yourself
but for those in your midst
who have hungered for this work."

More Endive, Rose dust and Purple Orchid

I've listed two days in a row! Two more items in my series. I have a bracelet ready for the camera, another just started, pearl beaded beads and more peace jasper waiting for a bead order. These items are less exciting but more affordable (under $200).

Peace Jasper Items in Endive, Rose Dust and Purple Orchid

Today I listed the freeform brick stitch bracelet with a peace jasper round stone as the focal point that I wrote about in my last post. I also listed the Peace Jasper Teardrop spiral weave necklace and a coordinating pair of earrings which are pictured here. I will list more items in these colors. I need to order clasps, so not all items in this series will be listed together. Hope you enjoy them; remember to click to magnify.

Freeform Peace Jasper Woven Bracelet

This is two posts in a row of new fall items, neither are listed in my etsy shop yet. This one features Endive, Rose Dust and Purple Orchid with peace jasper. The green in the stone is more green than endive so I added a small amount of green opaque size 14 seed beads in the mix. I have more peace jasper to create a necklace with a teardrop stone; so far the "chain" is spiral weave in delica beads. The other beads I have will be more of a strung bracelet and necklace with bead weaving. Earrings with beaded beads and crystals are planned also. Don't forget to click and click to get the photos magnified to see the details. When I take the photos, I make sure the largest magnification is still clear and true to color. Enjoy!

Chocolate Covered Cherries

I feel like a new font tonight. The photos are my most recent in the Margie Deeb Fall Winter Color Report series. It utilizes Lipstick Red, Chocolate Truffle and Rose Dust. The delica beads are ab (aurora borealis) finished and reflect a rainbow of colors. This had an unexpected effect. It reminds me of Brach's Chocolate Covered Cherries which I ate in my childhood. I did crave chocolate when I worked with the beads. These items are not yet listed in my Etsy shop, so if you are interested, please contact me...a comment would work. Don't forget to click and click to enlarge the photos.

Peaches and Cream

I put aside my project that I photographed last time. Today's mail brought 3 colors of 8 mm Swarovski bicone beads and a few tubes of size 15 seed beads in fall colors. I now have a transparent rosaline to embellish that project with. But instead of working to complete that bracelet, I started a new one with lipstick red, chocolate truffle, and rose dust in a 50-40-10 ratio. It is a two strand flat spiral weave similar to two of the bracelets photographed here. Yes, it reminded me of chocolate covered cherries and it was the color combination that called to me most from Margie Deeb's 2010 Fall Color Report. As I worked on it, I knew I had to order more beads; the big question is just how many. The color combination will be wonderful for Valentine's Day, too. I will share photos here because I can't decide which consignment shop I will place it in.

This week I completed two of the pictured bracelets and made beaded bead earrings for the three flat spiral bracelets. The embellished ladder stitch bracelet is made from the size 11 seed beads used to connect the flat spiral bracelets plus size 8 delica beads in cream. All will soon be listed in my shop (more pictures are also on flickr) displayed together. I want to see which one is more popular. When I started my shop, I had a lot of ladder bracelets which no one seemed to be interested in except the ruby red two which are renewed in my shop. I'm also experimenting with pricing as a set with earrings. I'd like to make a series of bracelets in a color palate in a couple of styles for my lower and mid price points. Any feedback on your preferences would be appreciated.

If you haven't been on etsy recently, the listing item pictures are larger and four across and 6 rows on a page.

EBW Challenge Voting, Latest Project

The voting on the Etsy Beadweaver's blog is in process with a record turnout for the vote with almost 700 votes so far. It continues until Sunday midnight. The leading entry is by bead4me; this entry not only uses a lot of Swarovski crystals but is woven in 24k gold beads which are expensive to use. There are about 50 entries with the votes distributed among the entries instead of a couple of run away winners. I even have a record high of 7 votes for 1%; my personal best in ebw challenges. The link to vote is to the right; remember to click on the names below the mosaic to get the details of the entries. The mosaic is just to entice you to look further. Enjoy!

The photos are in process of my current project. I purchased some Peace Jasper, wrapped thread around and through the round coin bead that is the focal point and have worked out in brick stitch in a free form pattern of a variety of beads. The colors are from another of Margie Deeb's Fall Winter Color Report palates using Endive, Rose dust and Purple Orchid. The bracelet needs the second strap lengthened, a clasp created and the picot fringe added. I'm thinking I'll order size 15 seed beads in a color other than the green I started to use for the picots, so it may be a week or more before the bracelet is completed.

New Purple Orchid Jewelry

I'm rewarding my blog followers with my first photos of my latest creations. The camera battery needed to be recharged before I could finish.

The detail photo is of the necklace beadwork. I combined right angle weave and peyote plus my lacy edging. The bracelet detail is similar, but not the same.

The color combination is from Margie Deeb's Fall Color Report. They are Purple Orchid, Rose Dust and Oyster Gray in approximately a 50-30-20 ratio.

New Listings

The photos are of recent listings in my etsy shop. If you want to see more pictures, you can also go to my flickr site which is listed under my favorite sites on the right side of my blog.

It is time for the August Etsy Beadweaver's Challenge entries to be listed; the voting starts on the 9th. I'll remind you to vote when it's time. The team has had lots of new members and there are more entries this month. Harder to choose your favorite. My entry is simple this month; it's the cream pearl, crystal ab with gold charlottes bracelet shown here. The theme is Silver and Gold. Next month, it's Bollywood. Help! I have no idea what the person who selected that topic was thinking of, so I'll probably create something I want to make and say it's for that theme. Everyone knows I won't win and I've not known anyone to be disqualified for not creating on topic. I need to google Bollywood.

I'm still working on the necklace/bracelet set in Margie Deeb's purple shade fall colors (one of too many palates to try them all). The bracelet was pronounced finished this afternoon, but the necklace needs some work yet. I will include it in my next batch of pictures. I know why I don't normally make sets--it seems to take forever doing the same/similar thing.

August

I listed this bracelet and pair of earrings today as a set. I cut the price of the combined two items by $10 and eliminated a shipping fee on the earrings. This is a Swarovski Night Blue Pearl bracelet that is connected with tiny hematite charlotte beads. The earrings have a Swarovski hematite crystal bicone, a sterling silver round bead, and a night blue pearl. This bracelet is a little larger than average, fitting an 8 inch wrist. There is another night blue pearl bracelet with faceted crystal rounds that's a 7 in my shop. I like to make similar items in different sizes; kind of how a painter does a series on a theme.

I started on the bracelet in the new fall colors since my rosaline pearls are in the mail. I picked up some tiny beads for embellishment at my local bead shop that are close in color and match in finish in case the Muse tells me to add more embellishment. I need to photograph them in process for you.

I loaded more photos on flickr. http://www.flickr.com/KRDesigns11 including the Night Blue Pearl items and Platinum Pearl ones. They are in a set called Right Angle Weave.

I had the most views in my shop in the month of July since I started in February. The end of the month was slow or I would have had a phenomenal month, view wise. Is that a word? Spell check wanted it as two words. What would I do without spell check?

Look for the EBW challenge entries soon.

Flickr account for KRDesigns11

I have been working on my flickr account. It seems to be a monumental task to photo edit pictures of my beaded jewelry. My eyes hurt! I have listed over 100 items on etsy, but now I want my work on flickr and also facebook. Oh, and I have approximately 400 items worthy of photographs. The excel spreadsheet inventory listing is also not up to date, but it does have columns for date photographed and location of item. And should I be working on my booth in case I'm called to be in my wait listed shows? Some times I think I'm in the business of everything but making jewelry!

My current emphasis has been to have sets of photos for the three locations I currently have items on consignment at. The Southern Illinois Artisan Shop has white pearl and light sapphire bracelets and earrings with one navy blue pearl necklace. They sold the lavender pearl bracelet! I had to photo edit those pictures and then fill in the flickr information which is completed.

The second set I worked on is better than half complete which is items at TLD Designs Center & Gallery, Westmont, Illinois. These items span the entire time, some from before I knew I needed to leave a trail of what date I took the picture. While working on these items, I decided it would be more fun to have a couple views of each item, so I'm not finished yet, but it's looking good, at least to me.

The Chicago Illinois Artisan Shop is the third location which changed work recently. All but one of these items was on etsy, so I have photos for all except one pair of earrings. I haven't taken pictures of every thing I've made jewelrywise yet.

So I am inviting you to check on my progress with my flickr account. If you view each set as a slide show, it shouldn't take much time.

Pictures

A few recent pictures. Angel earrings for Christmas in July. Lavender pearl earrings to match the single strand flat spiral bracelet; that's provence lavender crystal, too. Ruby with white pearl beaded bead earrings to match a necklace and bracelet in flat spiral weave that I may list in my shop later this fall.

Beads arrived today with the Margie Deeb colors. The maroon pearls definitely look chocolate. I worked on a dutch spiral necklace in white. The spiral portion is about 7.5 inches with white pearl seed beaded tubular peyote stitch for the remainder of the 20 inch necklace. I will add it to the bridal white section of my shop soon.

Update, Christmas in July

It has been a week since I have written a blog post. I spent two days in the Thompson Center in Chicago trying to sell my work at an Art Spree for Illinois Artisans. I spent the weekend relaxing afterward, removing items from my shop that are now in the Museum Shop in the Thompson Center, and organizing returns from that shop so I can list them on etsy. I am in process of setting up my Art Fair display in part of my home, so people will be able to see my work here, by appointment. Also I continued to work on Christmas in July with 20 items in that sale. So far, no one appears to have searched for "Christmas in July" in my shop...they are etsy tags, not search engine tags, that will help people find those items. Prices return to regular August 1.

If there is an item you would like that has become inactive on etsy, please contact me because it may be available for purchase. My work at the Artisan Shop is on consignment. I have been thinking about creating a flickr album of my work there.

Today I made earrings to coordinate with my necklaces and bracelets. It is easy to see which items I don't have earrings for when I am trying to sell, having items set out in front of me. At least this time I wasn't missing a desired color.

Speaking of color, I downloaded Margie Deeb's Fall Color Report and ordered beads in the new colors. I'm certain I'll like the purple ones, but there is a jonquil/peridot, chocolate, red lipstick, and others to look forward to working with. Usually I have already created items to go on consignment by the time the color report is available.

I have a new location for my work on consignment. It is TLD Designs Center and Gallery, Westmont, Illinois. Tammy Deck likes the cellini spiral bangle bracelets and has two of them in the assortment of items I left with her. I will set up a flickr album for those items, too.

New Treasury & Art Spree

I am participating in an Illinois Artisan Art Spree at the Thompson Center (State of Illinois building)in downtown Chicago Thursday and Friday. This is sponsored by the Illinois State Museum Society. Admission to the Museum is free as is the Art Spree. If you are in the area mid day, the artists will be in the Atrium Lobby, and we would love to have you stop and look at our Accessories show. The artists will be demonstrating. If you miss the spree, the Museum Shop is on the second floor, up the escalator (no security check in required), open week days, and has some of my work.

I now have some of my work at TLD Designs Center and Gallery in Westmont, Illinois. The collection includes two of my Cellini Spiral Bangle Bracelets, 3 Coins of Purple Fluorite Bracelet and Earrings and Cinderella, a blues/purples free form peyote bracelet(photos used for Art Fair application juries). You can find more information and directions to the gallery at http://www.tlddesigns.com


My lime lariat is in a new treasury. http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c3b703108386d914939fa16

Thanks to the person who looked at every item in my shop today. This is the second time every one of my items was clicked on.

Latest Cellini Spiral Bangle Bracelet

I completed the cellini spiral bangle late this afternoon and also the beadwork for the earrings. I photographed them so you can see them before I take them for consignment at an artist friend's gallery. I also photographed the earrings for the cobalt blue and gold bracelet. If you click on each photo, you can click again to see it magnified to appreciate the details.

I went back to using nymo b thread instead of the One G by Toho and was much happier with the results. Now I need to organize for the art spree next week. I have lots of little things to finish.

Don't forget to vote for your favorite entry in Secret Garden at www.etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com Anyone can vote.

Etsy Beadweavers Team Challenge Voting Now

Please go to www.etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com to pick your favorite entry in the current monthly challenge, Secret Gardens and vote for it. The list below the grid of pictures has links to each entrants etsy shop so you can check out all the details. Voting is from July 9 thru July 15.

My entry is my cobalt blue and gold free form bracelet. I would appreciate your vote, but want you to vote for your favorite and there are many worthy choices. So have fun.

I have been working on a cellini spiral bangle which has not been working out as well as the others I've made. On a favorable recommendation, I tried Toho's One G thread. While it has many admirable qualities, I don't think it is strong enough as I've had the thread break a couple of times and not where I knotted. It doesn't fray unless it breaks and is much thinner making it easier to thread the needle. It is supposed to be as strong as fireline. If anyone has comments on One G thread or knows what I'm doing wrong, please comment to let me know. I switched to my old favorite, nymo so I can complete the bangle.

Supplies to complete things have arrived in the mail this week. I'm not sure how much I can work on because I need to prepare for the Art Spree next week.

Happy Fourth of July

I have been working on the Cellini spiral bangle bracelet and have almost 6 repeats completed. It will take at least 12 repeats before I can connect it. That's 16 beads times 16 for one repeat times at least 12 or 3072+ one at a time beads. If I worked on it continuously, that would take me at least 16 hours, at more than 3 beads per minute. My body could never take the repetitive stress of beading the same stitch that many times in a row, so it takes a while to complete. No sweat shop labor here! I'm a tough task master, but beading is FUN for me.

Some people mistake the stitch for bead crochet, but I could complete about 16 bracelets (slight exaggeration) in bead crochet in the same amount of time if I didn't get bored doing it. Crochet stitches require tiny movements in the hands. The needle thread movement in the Cellini spiral requires your arm extend the length of the thread you are working with (LONG)--sort of like practicing your tennis swing--plus the pattern in bead crochet is usually 3 same size beads which is much simpler than 16 beads in various sizes in the same order. Maybe I should create a bead crochet bracelet as part of my demonstrating what I do at the Art Sprees. I have one coming up July 15 and 16 at the Thompson Center in downtown Chicago.

I ran out of beads for my July challenge entry and so did my supplier, even if they could get them here from Wednesday in time for me to finish by Monday's deadline. They are being shipped now since I called 9 shops to locate some. Also the button for the closure for my latest free form brick stitch bracelet should be in my mail box on Tuesday.

I've taken a little break from beading to work on Facebook, read magazines, and live life.

New Listing

I listed this bracelet in my etsy shop this afternoon. I'm not sure my shop feed is listing updates on my blog so the link is
www.etsy.com/listing/50536135
I had the link working and then it didn't. I find more errors on blogspot than I'd like.

I rearranged my shop to feature red, white and blue for the 4th of July US Independence Day celebration. The pearls follow that at the bottom of page one.

I'm going to run out of the background color beads for my challenge project. Doubt I could get them in time if I order on line again. I always order two tubes, but this time I didn't because I've been having lots of left overs lately. I like the pattern enough to not want to change it. I suppose I could make a very small bracelet as I have 3 inches woven with less than half the tube remaining. I will shop locally by phone.

No progress on the cellini spiral.

Status Update

I'm being drawn away from beading by my family. I did shop for seed beads at my local bead store--the one with the Venetian beads--to correct my poor choices of colors I ordered on line.

I started my latest cellini spiral bangle bracelet which I will probably place on consignment at TLDDesigns.com gallery in Westmont, Illinois. I will put a picture of it here. The colors I chose are sapphire blue transparent in two sizes, purple in two sizes with a lighter purple in size 15, a metallic rainbow green/blue in size 8, green blue and blue topaz transparent in size 11, and turquoise transparent charlottes in size 13 and 15 for a total of 16 beads in each spiral--some are repeated. The colors were inspired by a collage by JoAnn Deck which you can see if you follow the link to her blog on my blog. The TLD Design center & gallery is also a link on my blog.

I'm hoping working alternately on finishing up items with the spiral will lower the monotony of the repeats on the spiral bracelet. It has taken me two full days worth of beading to complete one in the past. I'm finishing a Swarovski bronze pearl, ceylon topaz crystal flat spiral bracelet currently. It has the same colors as the keshi pearl edged bracelet at www.etsy.com/listing/49536225 I also have to figure out something to enter in the EBW Team challenge Secret Garden.

New Listing, Christmas in July, Cobalt Bracelet Status

I finally listed the second Swarovski white pearl with crystals bracelet. I did a lot of updating and renewing items in my shop. I've added url addresses in my descriptions so that it is easier for shoppers to compare items and to look at coordinating items.

I have decided to participate in the Christmas in July promotion that will run July 15 through 25th I think. Any ideas of what you would like to see? It doesn't have to be Christmas items. It is too soon for me to do that, although I have been thinking about items to make for my 3 day mid December art spree at the Thompson Center in Chicago. I'd like to do something less costly, but all of my things are so dear! Maybe some small ornaments for a 12 inch size evergreen; something like I would have as a decoration in my home. I have collected Waterford crystal ornaments. This would be smaller, but I could make one new each year. Watch for the prototype pictures here. Would you like a drawing for a free ornament? I have angel earrings--I could list those for July 15.

The freeform cobalt and other blues with gold brick stitch around a Venetian bead bracelet will be showcased on my blog and not listed on etsy, as I'm thinking of placing it on consignment. All it needs is a tiny cobalt blue button. I'll probably take photos without the button as it is functional as a closure, not part of the decoration. I happily found a source for pressed glass buttons in many colors, including cobalt.

I am slowly progressisng on Facebook, so if you want to be my friend, let me know.