Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Catching up...



This cute little piece was purchased several years ago as a kit from Beads East. I bought it before I really knew how to bead or much of anything about beads. As a beginner, I found it very appealing since everything I needed to complete it came in a nice tidy kit.

I was in the beginning stages of transitioning from cross stitching to beading. I started out slowly in 2004 with small ornaments and brooches that were a combination of cross stitching and beads, the kits were made by Mill Hill. I loved incorporating beads into my handiwork. I bought more kits (more than I would ever get around to completing). But it was the beads - those beautiful, sparkly beads that quickly grabbed my attention, I have not picked up cross stitching since.

Then, I discovered bead embroidery with small dolls as my focus. I soon lost interest in the kits. Recently I found myself going through some boxes and came across a couple of kits and this one jumped out at me. It is a sweet little kit, and I wanted to bead, but didn't want to start a big project - this was perfect!

The pattern is printed on card stock, I am accustomed to using stiffened felt as my base for beading, it hurt to bead on this card stuff (needle through thumb many times when trying to pierce the card). I found it a little harder to line up beads on it as well. I love the end result though. Here is an in progress photo (click the photo for a larger view).



It measures 4 inches tall by 2 3/4 inches wide and is backed with felt.



It now sits at my bead station. I am not sure yet if I am going to keep it or gift it to someone.



I also finished a pretty pink bracelet for a childhood friend - she LOVES pink.



This is a simple bracelet using a ladder stitch as the base (completed with Delicas) and size 15/0 beads in loops of alternating colors.



Last, but certainly not least - did you notice the new button on my side bar? The one over there ------------------------------> that says "One World One Heart"?

Please click on it and take a few minutes to learn about this wonderful event. It starts on January 30, lasts a couple of weeks. During that time, the links will take you to blogs around the world. If you have a blog and are so inclined - please think about participating, you might just meet your new best friend!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

That Framed Flower Vase is sooo cute! That immediately caught my eye also.

:}}
Candys in Oklahoma
www.BeadofMyHeart.etsy.com
www.beadpatternsboutique.com/catalogue.php Bead of My Heart
www.PictureTrail.com/weewanona

Anonymous said...

Beautiful,thank you for this beauty.

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Gosh I wish you would post more. I love seeing what you have been making. Both are beautiful pieces.

Lynn said...

wow this is adorable! you and I must have been thinking along the same lines recently -- I just pulled out some old kits I had laying around forever and made them up. Nothing as cute as this little beauty of yours, though.

Malin de Koning said...

I love that pink bracelet!
And your other things too!

Leaves of Grass

This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body - Walt Whitman