Beading For A Cure

This is the first year I signed up to be a participant in Beading For A Cure. In some ways it makes me feel as though I have come full circle with beading. It was about 2 1/2 years ago that I began to discover beading as a natural progression from cross stitch. Prior to my first attempts at beading anything I searched out all sorts of beading on the Internet... tutorials, various bead artists sites and even small items to purchase made by others so I could see beading up close. One of my earlier beady purchases was made on EBay. I happened upon a seller with the same name as this post title selling some beautiful items. I was lucky enough to win an item that year (2004). Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever be a participant. Funny how things happen.

This has been a challenge for me - a good challenge, I have enjoyed it. The bead colors and sizes are determined in advance, but not revealed until the participants receive their kit. The kit this year included 11/0 seed beads in red, black, yellow orange and white; 2mm round crystals in white and black; 3mm crystals in yellow and red; 4mm fire opal crystals and white rectangular beads (I'm not sure what they are called - nibs?) and a lamp worked bead. It is required that at least one of each bead in the kit be in the project and only one other type of bead may be added. Thankfully (for me anyway), sequins and cabs do not count.


I am not a jewelry maker, although I have made a few bracelets using peyote and square stitch, I am most comfortable beading dolls. It just so happens that I had a perfect face from Jen Martin to go with the colors, but did not have a doll form that would work - I wanted a doll that I could sit in a little chair. I contacted my favorite doll maker (Monica) and asked her if she could help me out. She came through with an awesome form and was kind enough to generously donate it for the project. A big thank you to Monica for that!

I normally put beads to cloth and go - without too much thought and very little, if any, pre-planning. But that's when I bead for me. With this, knowing that it will be seen by many accomplished bead artists and up for auction next year - my inner critic was loud and obnoxious. I beaded, I ripped it out, I beaded, I ripped it out - that went on several more times before I finally got to a point that I put on my inner ear plugs and just kept beading, inner critic be damned. I'm not crazy about the colors and I tend to become easily overwhelmed when using more than 3 colors. I like to use larger beads on my dolls and not having that option posed another challenge for me. I don't usually use many crystals either and I LOVE the sparkle they provide - it was really fun to throw caution to the wind and just keep picking them up. The 2mm round crystals are wonderful to work with. I used the black randomly placed on her legs, and I used the crystal on her boobs, the flowers on her back and the tips of her bangs.

The larger fire opal crystals included in the kit are beautiful! I used those at the tips of her legs, the base of the flowers, boobs and all throughout her hair. My added bead is a white charlotte, which is around her face and all throughout her torso - front and back.

I'm getting ready to send her off on to be photographed and readied for the auction which will be held next March on EBay. I hope she does well, it's a good cause.

Do yourself a favor - check out the site for Beading for A Cure - browse the galleries, it's a treat to see some wonderful creations that have sold over the last few years.