Marge and Martha's multi strand necklaces

Martha came to class one day and said that she would like to make a necklace like the one worn by an actress she had seen on Oprah. Marge found a picture and sent it to me. I drew up a pattern. They both made the necklace. Martha's is in the silver tones, Marge's is in the bronze colors that she favors. I think that they turned out wonderfully.

Aline's necklace

Aline had come to all four of my classes at the senior center. Early on she fell in love with spiral stitch. Her sisters have fallen in love with the necklaces she has created from spiral stitch, and she has made several versions of her colorways. I love this one that she made to match a blazer she owns. The colors are so very bright and cheery.

Next to Last Class Session at the Senior Center

Necklace by Tannia

One more class at the senior center, and I will be done with another eight week session. I've had a wonderful group of students, and I was just awestruck today at the beautiful things that they have created. The group of women are wonderful too, and we've built some very meaningful friendships. Next week, I'll ask them to bring in all of the things that they have finished. The necklace above was made using six rows of chevron chain. It hangs beautifully, but I could not convince Tannia to let me take a picture of it on her neck. It truly looks spectacular on. I love her use of lampwork beads as a closure, letting her adjust the length of the necklace depending on what she is wearing.

First class at Senior Center and new patterns

I woke up this morning to pitch dark and the steady timpanny of rain. Its light out now, and I am packing for the first class at the senior center. Seven old friends, and one new student, who sounds excited and happy to be at class.

I am redoing all my patterns in Open Office - my computer is one its last legs, and I do not want to pay for the Microsoft Office Suite (Yankee). I am loving the drawing program.

Class today will cover design, color, stringing and fringing. Nine patterns to choose from - including the two new patterns for a dragonfly and Hera's Jewels - a new necklace I designed this summer.

Aphrodite's Smile

I spent most of the weekend working on a new design to teach this Friday. Its a quick pattern, and I am seeing it in pearls and in cream colors for the bride, and in the palest of pearls for the bridal party. There are 3 variations of the design, and I plan on publishing the pattern in the next few days to my ETSY site: auntieannie.etsy.com.

Driving Miss Daisy

Another class project for my group of beaders at the senior center. This pattern was developed for students that had gone through the class once. Its now been made in plums, in pinks, in blues, in reds & golds, and in black, grey and taupe.

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.

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.