Sunday, February 25, 2007

I've been busy this week!!

As I work more on Ganesha, I am getting happier and happier with the results. Ganesha is a happy piece! I was at a series of workshops this week that are put on by the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild and had the opportunity to show this piece to several members who "oohed" and "aahed" appropriately over it. Ganesha just looks happy, and I feel really good when I work on this piece.

My friend, Sharon Hessoun drove up from Akron, Ohio to take classes with the guild and spend time with her dogfriend, Molly. Sharon took classes from Wednesday through Sunday - then hearing the weather forecast for freezing rain - drove home ahead of the storm. We were planning on going to dinner at La Shish Restaurant, Sharon's favorite place in our area - the piping hot pitas delivered to the table with the garlic paste are worth a drive from anywhere in the country!

One of the classes that I had the opportunity to take was with bead artist Marcia DeCoster who taught "Cuffed Elegance" which is a free-form peyote bracelet with folds and splits and lots of craziness (thanks to Little Bear for that word - it really is the correct word for this awesome bracelet). I used size 8 beads, size 11s, hexes, cubes, triangles and everything else in my bead box! This piece is mostly in the khaki greens, but with pink and purple thrown in - just a touch of red. Putting the bracelet resulted in one of those "D'uh, why didn't I think of that?" moments! If I do say so myself, it turned out awesome!


My other class was to learn these components to make the "Terracita" bracelet, also by
Marcia DeCoster. Using size 11 and 15 seed beads, crystals, and pearls to make these awesome components to start the bracelet. I love it.

9 comments:

The Lone Beader® said...

Wow! You have been busy! I jsut realized you started doing the background and it looks great! I did a similar sky on my 'Flamingo Moon' piece...=:)

Mary Timme said...

I love the basket weave background. Wow! What a lot of input you've had this week and managed to work on stuff as well! I'm amazed. Nice work.

Judith said...

I love your bead embroidery - but the freeform bracelet is indead a "duh, why didn't I think of it?" moment and really fantastic.

Beverly Herman said...

Liz you lucky girl!! All those great classes through your guild.
Are you going to bring all these wonderful pieces on the cruise so we can oogle and ahhh. 28 days and we are hitting the high seas!!

nordwolke said...

The background of Ganesha looks wonderful and I can absolutely understand why you are getting happier and happier. ;)

Jackie (Tillie's Daughter) said...

Ganesha just gets more fantastic every time I check your site. Love
Ganesha -- and the background looks terrific with him.

Beverly Herman said...

How is Ganesha coming along?
I was thinking about you tonight and thought I'd stop by and check.

The bad Liz said...

Thanks all - Ganesha is doing fine, thankyouverymuch! Bev - I have to finish the back ground on the left side of Ganesha - I was working in it while watching "Dark Shadows" on DVD last night (they are so not scarey!!). Another week or two and I should be done.

Then I can start packing for the cruise!!

Robin said...

You are so lucky to be part of the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild. Of all the Bead Societies and Guilds where I've taught across the country, yours is the most well organized and most dedicated to enrichment of their members beading skills. No wonder you produce such works as the Barb Davis Memorial Bead Quilt! Marcia DeCoster agrees with me that the skill level of your members is awesome, making it a fabulous place for us to teach. Your bracelet is very, very good... and you already know how much I love Ganesha... I take a peek at this piece nearly every day.