Its been snowing in New England today, followed by a light and steady rain. At 24 degrees out, the rain will form a sheet of ice that will make for fun traveling. I'm trying not to dwell on travel because I don't need to go out today. I've finished a write up for my senior center class, and will be including instructions for three pair of earrings in the class. These earrings all start the same, but have variations in the way they are completed so you have three different styles of earrings from the same basic design.

Sets of Metallic Beads

It took me quite a while to build a collection of metal tone beads. I use them in the majority or items I make. This means that when I've finished a necklace or bracelet I can coordinate the item with gold or silver jewelry. I’ve tried to collect coordinating sets of beads in size 15o, 11o, 8o, and delicas. Makes and sizes and where I purchased the beads follow:

Bright gold
15o – Toho 15o #557 www.beadseast.com
Size 11o – www.shipwreckbeads.com 11SB851
Delica DB 410 – www.beadseast.com
Size 8o – Toho 8o #559 – www.beadseast.com

Bronze
Size 15o – Metallic Antique Gold SDB-15-4570 www.beadinpath.com
Size 110 Toho #11 221 www.beadseast.com
Delica DB- 22 firemountaingems.com
Size 80 – Miyuki #457 www.beadseast.com

Bright Silver
Size 15o – Galvanized Metallic Hex beads SDB15-470Hex – www.beadinpath.com
Size 11o - 11SB – 812 www.Shipwreckbeads.com
Delica – DB 035 www.beadseast.com
Size 8o 8SB812 –metallic silver www.shipwreckbeads.com or
Galvanized metallic silver SDB8-470

Silver lined grey beads
Size 15o – Silver Lined Shadow SDB-15-21 – www.beadinpath.com
Size 11o Silver Lined Grey Japanese Seed beads SDB 11-21 www.beadinpath.com
Delica – DB 048 – www.beadseast.com
Size 8o – SDB8 -21# Silver Lined Gunmetal www.beadinpath.com

Pearl Vine and Peyote Woes

I'm working on handouts for the next class at the senior center. The class will run for eight weeks, and I am giving them eight new patterns and expanding on some of the initial information I'd given them. I'd designed the pattern for the Pearl Vine almost two years ago, but did not write it up until last week. Its a fun pattern to make and looks elegant when worn.

I'm also struggle with reading a charted peyote pattern. My eyes just don't seem to want to pick up the correct rows across the page. Very frustrating and today I'll start my forth attempt at the pattern. I have an idea for a way to make it easier to read. It it works, you will hear me shouting with joy.

Beader's Chatelaine and Getting Organized

Its quiet here today. A few inches of snow fell last night and we were just plowed. Its beautiful, but I am getting tired of winter and its only January.

I just ordered 1000 plastic bags so that I can organize all my beads. I've been thinking about doing this for awhile. The containers that I have are an amazing assortment of sizes and shapes, and although they are organized by size, I would like them to be a little neater. My treat to myself when done will be to go to Beads East in Manchester to fill in sizes and colors. I have a gift certificate that I earned when I won honorable mention at Beads East for their annual contest. I'm a wee bit embarassed to go in. My husband stood in front of the entries and announced that they were the ugliest pieces of beadwork he had ever seen! The colors and beads were challenging to work with.....but.

Anyway, my honorable mention was for a chatelaine that I can use to hold scissors, needle, a scoop and my tape measure. All things that I keep on hand all the time. Here is a picture of the chatelaine

A New Year

Well this was easier then I thought. I spent the morning working on a newsletter for an Association that I belong to, and the rest of the day is devoted to working on a handout for a class at the Senior Center in Granby Ct. I taught my first class in beading to women in their 60s - 70s. I almost gave up at the third class, but by the end I was hooked on teaching. I think I have hooked a few of them on beading too, six of the eight have signed up for the next class. I was totally enchanted by the beautiful things these women created after they got going, and it was pure joy to get to class and see what new things they have worked on. The picture shows the sample designs they were given to work with.