There is never enough time...

Is there? I whined so much here through the too many cold months you know I'm taking every advantage I can of the nice, warm weather. Spending a lot of time with family and thoroughly enjoying every minute - ESPECIALLY the new granddaughter, I could just sit and stare at her for hours.



While I have not posted here as frequently as I have in the past, I have continually worked on beading projects - not as fanatically as I do in the colder months, but there is always a work in progress at my bead station as evidenced in the photo at the beginning of this post. Click on it for a super close up. Note, the seed beads are size 15/0, the margaritas (Swarovski 3700) are 6mm and the bicones are size 3mm

I just finished a bead embroidered bracelet as well. I'll post about that once I get the photos cropped and re-sized.

And for anyone that does not read Monica's blog (do they really exist?), she is gearing up for Part 2 of the Pink Artists Drawing and has put the call out for art. I've added a button to my blog up on the right and below is the awesome graphic created just for part 2 by Sandy over at Art Tea Life. I'm mulling over ideas of what I'll make for this round.



If you want to get involved as a participant, click the button above or up on the right side of my blog. All proceeds go to breast cancer research AND it's a blast to boot! Think about joining me, won't you?

So, in my last post I mentioned that I just passed my 2 year anniversary and this is my 225 post. I know - I can't believe it either, where has the time gone???

I wanted to do something special in celebration of my blogiversary and thought it would really be nice to recognize the folks that visit and have really gone out of their way to show their support by consistently commenting AND that have not won anything here on my blog before. So... I've gone through my stash of beady items I've created that need a new home and will be sending items off to:

Timaree aka Freebird- she is always creating something and she comments on EVERY post, thanks so much for your support.
Carol - we haven't known each other as long, but I certainly feel the love. AND a fellow Hoosier! (I need your mailing address by the way).
Lynn - an absolutely amazing bead artist, her work literally takes my breath away. (I need your mailing address as well).
Lisa - awwwww, sweet Lisa - another amazing bead artist that inspires me with each and every thing she creates. The only beady blogger/online friend I have met. I only hope we can meet up again, we didn't have nearly enough time last time!

Other frequent commenter's I want to mention that have been such an incredible support and inspiration to me ...
Monica - she's actually the one that pushed me (gently) into blogging and is probably the most frequent commenter on my blog. She was also my biggest cheerleader as I began my journey into beaded dolls. For that alone, I will be forever grateful. I look forward to the day when we finally meet face to face.
Arline - so kind, so nice and a wonderful beader
Doris - a kindred spirit and a very generous soul.
Tammy - we go WAY back to my beginning days of beading and share not just a fondness for beading, but a deep love of animals and all things in nature.

Thank you all so much for your support these past 2 years. I appreciate it more than you know.

Bits of October

It's been over a week since my last post, I feel remiss. Every evening and even sometimes during my lunch hour, I have been working on my BJP page. It's been exceedingly enjoyable - I look forward to the end of my work day so I can get out my beads.

It might have something to do with the time of year as well. It's getting colder. We have had temps dip down below freezing and this morning there was quite a bit of frost. I love this time of year for beading. There are fewer outdoor distractions as it gets colder.

I have been exceptionally inspired with the October... maybe it's the colors? I'm not sure. I stayed up way past my bedtime last night, I was/am so close to being finished with the page. Alas I did not finish it, but should be able to get it completed today.

In the meantime, I did take a couple of teaser shots specifically for a friend that has requested a blog update (yes - you in Minnesota - you know who you are). Thanks for the 'gentle' reminder that it had been so long since my last post.

I hope to have pictures taken and up of the completed page by the end of the weekend.

Happy November!

September - BJP

My September page is dedicated to PEACE.

I found this neat glass peace cab on Ebay, the seller indicated it is West German from the 1950's. Also added is a glass clock face cab (also found on Ebay) - it just seemed to me as though they went together. When I bought the pair of clock faces, the seller indicated they were intended for use in cuff links in the 40's. My first thought when I saw them was that one might make a neat face on a beaded doll.

It seemed natural to me that the symbols of time and peace should go together with a glass heart - this is how my page for September started.

I normally attempt to take photos outside for the natural light, this time I decided to take photos at my bead station. I have this wonderful little desk that was made in Louisiana 10-12 years ago. It has two shelves to the left (beneath the plastic bead storage bins) where I store books, buttons threads, glue, etc. There are 2 little cubbie holes (beneath the cigar box) to the right where I store other items. The unit was originally built for and used as a tattoo station in one of the shops owned by my significant other. The wood came by way of Angola (the penitentiary, not the country), the tile top from a rental unit that was once owned by Huey Long. Oh... if only it could talk. the stories it might tell!


Up above my bead station are shelves where I store yet more odds and end. Intermingled are various works of bead art that I have acquired of the last couple of years - either by trade or by purchase. It's organized chaos and one of the happiest places in my world.

When I begin a project I take out a selection of beads that I might use, and as it becomes clear which beads I will not use - I put them back in their place (I'm easily distracted by too many choices) . I take everything out in the evening when I'm ready to begin beading. Once I'm done for the night, I put everything away (in the cigar box to the right) in order to keep a certain curious cat out of the creative process.

Star man... work in progress

I have been on "vacation" this week, meaning I am not working my day job. I have not strayed too far from home and never far from beads so have managed to get in some beading as well.

I have been working on the Star Man, now known to me as "Blue Moon". This song has been playing over and over in my head for the last week.

J (the man with which I make a home), has been playing with different versions of the song on his guitar. Blue Moon - the star, will be his once it's finished. Blue Moon Studios was the name of the tattoo studio he owned and ran years ago in Louisiana. The logo for that studio was a 5 point star (or pentagram) with a snake. When I'm done, it will be my interpretation in beads.

I hope to have it done by the end of the month at which time I will start beading my July Beaded Journal Page

Work in progress - quilt square

I'm working on another collaboration with the same two friends that worked on the 3 quilt squares last year as seen in this post. We very enjoyed our first efforts so much and had talked about making more - the time seemed right to get started on another.

I don't pretend to know much about quilts or quilting (that's where Bobbie, comes in), but I believe this one will end up as a '9 square' of which I will only bead on the middle square. It will have a cowboy/western theme and will be in browns, golds and black with some flecks of red.


There is so much more of it done since this photo was taken. I've been working on it most of the weekend and hope to have it done in the next few days. As I usually do - I didn't plan out any specific design, just picked out some beads that appealed to me at the time and away I went. I'm including a photo of a portion of the work area at my bead station, where I happily spend so many of my hours. It looks sorta chaotic, but is actually fairly well organized and is usually the way I work when beading. I have the smaller beads (12-15/0) together in one spot, the sequins together, the larger beads in another spot and the 10/11/0's together. I won't end up using everything that I originally picked out, but I like having it all in front of me while I bead.