Playing with Wire

That's wire, not fire.
This is a bead that I received in a Focal bead swap on my recent bead cruise.
Looks good to me.....

Beady Friends Bead Cruise – January 2008

With temperatures in Michigan hovering in the teens (or lower), it was a perfect time to go on a cruise with 18 of us – bead crazed babes and hubby. Poor guy! Although it is funny that one of the woman asked a friend of mine if that was the same husband that I had last year (he is – he’s lost 30 pounds and cut 14 inches off his hair). We left out of Fort Lauderdale and headed to ports in Jamaica and Grand Caymans.

Shelley, Lynn, Estelle, Sharon, Terri, Mikee (all from Ohio), Deb, Sherry (both from Virginia) Brenda, Tina (both from Florida), Marie-Minnesota, Caroline-New Mexico, Carol, Margaret (both from Chicago area), Connie, Jennifer (sorry, I don’t know where they are from!) , Jill and myself (both from Michigan) were eager participants.

Our first day on the Navigator of the Seas (Royal Caribbean), we had workshops, not organized classes. This was really good for those who wanted to have a spa treatment or hang out in the pool, or just bead on their own. Our “goodie bags” were fill of items donated by different vendors/companies in the bead world – Bead and Button publications, Beady Eye Girl, (remind me to fill in more names).

In Jamaica, there were several members that decided to go on the White River raft trip – Estelle, Margaret, Sherry, Sharon, Alan, me, Deb, Brenda and Tina – what a cool trip. We had a guide named Clayton who gave us a little history of the area. He did little to dispel the myth that Jamaicans say “yah Mon” after every sentence (although I wonder if he did it for us tourists). We were all outfitted with a life vest, jumped in a tube in a cool Jamaican stream, and away down the river. Some of the rapids were a good white water, some were ripples. We laughed and sang our way down the river.

Being that Alan and I do a tubing trip in Michigan every year for 4 hours – this 1.5 hour trip seemed way to short. But at the end of the raft trip in Michigan there isn’t a fully stocked bar with double shots!

Following that trip, we ended up back at the port where Estelle, Sharon, Shelley, Alan and I had lunch – which included a Red Stripe beer. I couldn’t leave Jamaica without having a local beer. As we were getting back on the ship, a few raindrops came out of the sky – just like the country was sad that we were leaving.

The next morning we found ourselves in the Grand Caymans – beautiful blue seas!!! We got on the tender for a little shopping and then joined our excursion on the Nautilus – a semi-submersible boat with huge windows. We toured over a couple of shipwrecks, and coral reefs to an area where we could snorkel. I enjoyed this, but since I couldn’t wear my glasses, I don’t know if I would do this again. I came out with a monster headache – partly because I had to squint to see anything, and partly because I was hungry. After our return to shore, we decided to head to lunch (we being Lynn, Caroline, Mikee, Terri, Alan and I) at Senor Frogs – great nachos, large enough for 3-4 people. Also, it had great cocktails!!!

Our dinners were reserved for the later dinner – which I think we learned that we didn’t care for as much as an earlier dinner. Several nights we ate at the buffet, which is where we learned that they have SUSHI every night. Open beading went on several nights until midnight or later. Many people went dancing and drinking in the evenings.

I sincerely enjoyed myself – as I have every bead cruise that I have gone on. I know that I got to know many of the beaders better this year.

Also, this year, I have inducted Lynn and myself to the “baby bling” category of jewelry buyers – this just means that we purchased jewelry, but not enough to be in the “Bling Diva” section of the cruisers!!!

January Bead Journal Project

January 2008.

I was on a cruise with a bunch of bead crazy women.

I picked up the little dolls in the Grand Caymans.

Along with the shells and starfish.

So, imagine yourself walking along the beach.

Sunset behind you a delicious magenta colour.

The perfect end to a perfect trip.

Beady Friends Cruise returns home

A few of the participants line up for a photo.

Liz, Marie and Estelle in front
Sharon, Mikee, Terri, Caroline, Carol and Margaret behind.

December Bead Journal Project

I am almost finished with December's Bead Journal page,

so I thought that I would post it.

I just need to complete the black picot edging.

Knowing, me, I will continue with the peyote bands

until the fabric is just a hint of what's underneath.

My inspiration was from the bright green fabric

and the glow-in-dark face that my friend Audrey made

(I think it was Audrey) several years ago.

I plan on taking my January page

on my BeadyFriends Bead Cruise

when we leave on January 19th.

This is a 5-night cruise of the Western Caribbean

with ports of call in the Grand Caymans and Jamaica.

I'm very excited as I haven't been to those

ports again.

And I do work to support my vacation habits.

(My other blog!)

Korean dragon - progress report

The Korean/Soraksan Dragon continues.

I've had some progress since my last picture.

Decision time approaches for the background colour.

Pale blue or continue the green colour?

Decisions, decisions.

I've said the pale blue since I started, but looking at the photo

again, the green is the background colour.

Beady Friends Cruise leaves on January 19th from Fort Lauderdale.

It's a different one from last year.

The last two years I went on this cruise: Bead Cruise

It's a great cruise, with formal classes, etc.

But this year, if I was going to cruise,

I needed to find something less expensive.

After all Michigan's economy does suck.

A friend told me about this cruise: Beady Friends Cruise.

It's less expensive, doesn't have the "famous" teachers or formal classes.

It features workshops by Caroline Beihl, Sherry Grove,

Connie Harty, Sharon Hessoun and Liz Thompson

Wait a minute....that's me!

The Bad Liz...

How on earth did I get roped into teaching a workshop on Bead Embroidery?

After all, my friends know that I hate bead embroidery.

(I learned to never say that I hate something,

because your friends don't let you forget it.)

More Dogs.....

When I sit in my studio and work on my beading,

there is usually one or two dogs under my feet.

After all, it is right near a heat vent, and the dogs aren't stupid

(they stay with me, don't they?).

Last night, I looked down and saw a "ball of dogs"

Casie (brown) was curled up, with Molly on her butt.

Chloe (in the middle), with her head on both of the dogs.

Just give me a big "Awwwwwwwwww" and I will be happy.

Less than two weeks to the cruise....

Korean Dragon will continue into the new year

Yes, I have continued to work on this piece.

I've been working on the green background and getting into some of the white.

I've also been working on a round robin project for the group, the "loomatics"

which are a study group from the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild.

Most of us are GLBG members, and a few friends. That's my gang of

beaders in the top photo!

I started with Sue's piece and it's ready to be handed off the the next person.

And I am way to early - I think that it moves on in February!!

And I have been working on another Urchin Lariat from Marcia Decoster's pattern.

I do love it, but need to find the last piece so I can finish it. I did take a couple of liberties

with the pattern, but as this is for me, I think it should be okay.

November dreams - Flowers!

What?? Flowers from Liz? My goodness, who are you and what have you done to her?

Liz is so not a flower person, and yet, she's beaded a November piece with

beautiful watermelon tourmaline and seed beads.

I love watermelon tourmaline and these beads used to live in a bracelet that I made

and didn't like.

I couldn't have them living in a bracelet that I didn't wear!

They needed sunshine, spirit and the right project.

November field of flowers brought to you by the Bad Liz.

(The real Liz will return next month, not that you will notice a difference)

Wire Pendant and Holiday earrings.

I don't play with wire very much, but I wanted to play with this idea that was in my head. What do you think (especially Kat - who does wonderful wire work)?

I also made up some Christmas earrings for a friend and my step mother - just little things that I thought were cute.

Korean Dragon continues again

Do I really need to say much - I really like the progress that I have done so far. This could be my favorite piece, if I continue the way that I have.....

Korean Dragon continues

My dragon from Korea is beginning to take shape. I'm happy with the pearls and orange on the forehead. I like the goldstone "horns" and the nose came out really great. The swoops in the background will be shades of green as seen in the picture below.

I'm currently working on the eyebrows and the eyes. I really LOVE the way that this piece is working out.

Korean Dragon

I am working on this also - it's a temple dragon taken from a photo that I took in Korea in 1999.

Have to blow.....

...my own horn here. Here I am with my boot-leg photo (there was a "No Photography" sign) of four of my seven pieces in the Down River Council of the Arts (DCA) show. I took my husband to the show last weekend to see a large collection of Barb "Bent Needle" Davis - her beadwork is awesome! As soon as we have photos from the collection for the web page, I will post in the link. But here are four of my pictures - Lord Ganesha, Allah, Star of David and Om. I am very proud of the way that they look - like real art.

What next??

Not that I don't have about 4 projects going - ones that I actively work on, but I am thinking, thinking thinking.... I've been looking at pictures of my dog Molly. Molly is the amusing, lovable, entertaining dog and would be good to put in a bead embroidery piece. I have several pictures of Molly that would be good. Above is Molly and my niece, Isabel's feet. Below is Santa Molly - which would be cute, but I don't think that I can leave it out year round....

I'm certain that one of these days, the picture will just JUMP out at me, like Casie on the Rocks did.

Another another starfish

So now I have a little starfish with arms (or legs) about 2.5 inches long - that's better (and much quicker)! I did a row of purple beads up each leg (or arm), to give it a little more body. The center worked out exactly the same as the last one that I did - with using RAW, and a count of 5 beads. I still don't know what stitch that would be. It's not exactly RAW, and it's not chevron, but something between them. I don't know - Liz's stitch?

Another starfish

I worked on this most of the week. I still used the chopsticks for the legs and they are slightly shorter, but I adapted the middle and it worked much nicer. Now, to write up the directions. Yikes! That's the hard part for me......I am not a technical writer. I used RAW in the middle, but actually used it with a group of five beads, instead of four. Is that still RAW?

September refinished.....

I didn't give up, I did it again with slightly different colors. That was only because with the mess on my desk, I couldn't find the ones that I used the first time. I left the bit that Chloe didn't eat, because that's now the history of the piece. It's cute. I decided to leave the piece the way that the dog left it, with the roving pulled out a little.

It's taught me to put my beading away - in a box or drawer.

October Bead Journal Project.....

Dear Cristina: My goodness I miss talking with you. The office just isn't the same since you left last June - was it June? How much longer until you and Deep come back to Detroit??? You brought these little doves back from Peru and told me to make something with them. They have been sitting on my work bench, until I grabbed them a couple of weeks ago and started working with them.

I wish you and Deep all the happiness that I have had in my marriage. I hope that your bad days are just seconds compared to days and weeks and months of happiness.

When I first learned that you and Deep were a couple, I thought "Deep? And Cristina? No way" But after getting to know you during your chief year, I realized that it wasn't as silly as I thought that it was.

Hurry back to Michigan, don't be sad to leave Nebraska. It's getting lonely!!

Moose with a Rose

I'm doing a couple of bead embroidery pictures for Jeanette Shanigan for her bead quilt. She has a rose theme this year. Roses. Me? I can't do flowers. So I did a moose with a rose in it's mouth. What do you think?