Bountiful Harvest

Well, today is the end of one of the most challenging years I have ever had. I finished my September page a couple of days ago. It was the last of twelve pages that I have worried about, prayed about, and worked my fingers (old though they may be) to the bone for. Actually, that is at least a partial untruth. This year has been heart wrenching at times, but I wouldn't have traded it for any amount of money. I feel like I have learned so much about beading, and more importantly, about myself. It has been a voyage of discovery indeed. The joy I have received from sharing such an experience with my fellow beaders and artists is unmeasureable. To thank Robin for starting this project somehow does not seem enough. If you multiply all my questions to her by 200+, it's a wonder she even had time to bead or write her book. The friendships formed during this year, I hope, will continue for a long time. I know I have become hopelessly addicted to reading blogs and will continue to do so. Thank all of your for sharing your knowledge with me.

UFO's Being Finished

I finally feel like I'm accomplishing something. I just finished my last BJP page and will post pics shortly. I also finished my BFAC doll yesterday. I just have to take pictures and send her off in the mail. I have a feeling that is going to be a little difficult for me. It's like letting your child go off to school for the first time.

I had no idea when I started the Bead Journal Project a year ago, what an impact it would have on my life. In many ways it changed how I think about my art. I love bead embroidery and I am constantly trying to think of new ways to use it. I also hope to incorporate more things into my BJP pages in the next year. I want to explore using different fabrics, papers, etc in my work. I also want to add some polymer clay and found objects.

All in all, I'm a very happy camper these days.

Big Sur Coastline in California

This is a picture I took some years ago along the Big Sur coastline of Central California. The rugged cliffs and multicolored blues of the water greatly appealed to me. It was a cool, very windy day and the fog was slowly coming in. If you have never driven Highway 1 along the California coast, you have missed a rare treat. The road is narrow (just two lanes) and very winding, but well worth the trip. The scenery is outstanding and you may catch a glimpse of whales, sea otters, or elephant seals if you're lucky.

April and May BJP Pages

Almost done! The butterfly represents my turning 65 in April. It's called "Free to be Me". Working on this project this year has shown me more of who I really am. I think this is a good thing. LOL.

The May page is just called "May Flowers". I have to finish my September page and I will be done for this year. I am already looking forward to BJP 2008. Many ideas buzzing around in my head already. Too many projects to finish between now and then though. It seems like I can't stop signing up for each new thing that comes along. Oh well. That's me all over. At least I now have the time to work on them as much as I want to.

It's a Puzzlement is done

This doll has been such fun to do. I hadn't done a flat doll before. Of course, the required purple beads were no problem for me. I love purple. She is a challenge doll in the Beaded Art Dolls forum on Yahoo. It is a lively group who freely share their expertise with newer beaders. I'm very glad I joined the group. Soon I will be starting a new doll from a swap with others from around the world. Can't wait
to see what kind of kit I get. It should be fun. I still must put the backing on this doll with a picot edging. I'm getting to be quite expert at that with all the pins, pendants, and BJP pages I am doing.

More BE

Here is another pendant I made. I've discovered these things are very addictive. I no sooner get one finished, than I want to start another. Soon Mother's Day will be behind us and I must make myself settle and finish my BJP Pages. sometimes it's very hard to work on the big things when the little projects are calling.
This is a pin I made for my DIL's mother. She and her husband are ardent Raider's fans. I don't understand the attraction myself, but each to his or her own I guess.

Gift for a Friend

This is a pin I made for my friend Lynn's birthday. She has a beautiful blue blazer that this will compliment. She has been a good friend to me for some years now. We have enjoyed traveling together, going to bead shows and taking classes at the coast. Right now I'm very envious of her. She leaves soon to visit her family in Minnesota and then on to the Bead & Button show. I know she will have a great time taking classes and shopping.

New Pieces

I recently finished these pieces. The first will be a secondary raffle prize when the Pink Artist doll "Love Squared" is raffled off this coming fall. The pendant is approximately 2 1/2 inches across and has fresh water pearls and gemstones embedded in bead embroidery. The necklace is Russian Spiral.

The two pins below are the beginning of a line I hope to market eventually. It will consist of pins, pendants and possibly earrings and barrettes. It is such fun doing these small items and so rewarding to see them take shape. They will all be one of a kind. I never did like having to make the same thing repeatedly. They will have gemstones, crystals, and perhaps some unknown items included in the bead embroidery.

Latest Pieces

A friend of mine recently asked me for something to cover a hole in her favorite jacket, so I beaded a patch. Then I decided the jacket would look funny with one small patch, so I beaded three more. Someone asked me how she would be able to wash her denim jacket with all that beading attached. Hmmmm... Then I remembered a glue I had used for sequined patches several years ago at Christmas time. It's Allene's Tack It Over and Over. I'm going to put it on the patches tonight so it will have time to cure. Then we'll try it tomorrow. I'll let you all know how it works. The patch to your left is a pin that I made this morning. I have several patterns (shapes) I'm going to make into pins and pendants. What do you think? This is a new idea for me. A year ago I wouldn't have attempted it. Doing the BJP this year has given me the confidence to not only try new things, but to put them out there for the world to see.

Arline

It's a Puzzlement

This is a progess picture of my puzzle doll. The title comes from "The King and I". The colors I'm using remind me of the ball gown Deborah Kerr wore in the movie. These dolls are great fun to work on and a challenge in that we can only use the colors assigned. fortunately for me, I love purple. I was originally going to bead the back too, but changed my mind as I want to hang her on the wall.

I've been having fun this week working at my LBS. Can you think of a more fun place to work? And...I get to see all the new stuff coming in before anyone else. Yum!!! In truth, I'm just helping out, but I'm able to do so now that I'm retired, so why not? Have to get ready for work now. More later.

Boy's Handprint

This is the class sample for a class I am teaching next weekend. In a previous post, I showed a print for a 3 y/o girl. This one is much easier for a beginner in bead embroidery. It only uses the back stitch. I found all these fun charms for little guys and couldn't resist them. I have several ladies anxious to do this. It should be lots of fun. It's a good way to introduce people to bead embroidery.

Pink Artist-Love Squared

Is she not beautiful? What a privilege to be a part of an endeavor such as this. So much love and caring went into this doll. I know when she is auctioned, she well bring many dollars to help with breast cancer research. To see more of her go to : http://girl-gone-thread-wild.blogspot.com/ You won't be sorry you took the time to look.

Finished Hand

Whoo Hoo! Finished it. I'm happy with the way it turned out. I'm going to make one on a cobalt backround that will be less encrusted. It will have Boy-type charms and be done in primary colors. I just want students to be able to picture several different types of beading for this project.
Now back to my April page for BJP.

Beady Family

As I have been brousing through different blogs these past weeks, I have seen a phenomenon that I just had to write about. Over the past 10 months I have been associated with the Bead Journal Project. Staying active both in beading and blogging, I have met so many wonderful people throughout the world. For a woman who was raised in a small town in Central California, it tickles me no end to mention communicating with someone in Scotland or Italy or New Zealand . More than that, however, it pleases me to know I have friends in those far reaching places.

It reminded me of a poem I wrote:

REACH OUT

Reach out to people.
Touch their minds quietly.
Reach out and perhaps, one day
They will reach out to you.
There is no better feeling than to have someone
Return your gesture of friendship.
To know that your thoughts and feelings are returned
Brings a sense of well being and satisfaction.
Always reach out.
The rewards are worth it.
A. Lewis 1989


The cameradery of beaders is like that of no other group with whom I have had contact. There is sharing of not only beady things, but personal things as well. There is support when one is ill, or in need. There is celebration when joyful things happen. What more could you ask of a group of friends?

Thank you all for sharing part of your life with me and allowing me to share mine with you.

Arline

New Project

This is the latest project I've started. I want to do a bead embroidery class using a child's handprint. I think it would make a great birthday or Mother's Day gift for Mom or Grandma. What do you think? It's a way of learning basic bead embroidery stitches and having fun too. You can add charms or any kind of special beads to make it appropriate for a specific person. I'm going to recommend students bring in their own hand outline, but will have some available to use. Can you imagine doing a newborn's hand for Mom? Or you could even use a footprint. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Arline

BFAC Doll

Here is an in-progress photo of my BFAC entry for this year. She is no where near finished, of course, but her name is Fire Dancer. She is going to be auctioned eventually to benefit Colorectal Cancer Research. I bought a kit, sight unseen, to do my project. I must use at least one of every kind of bead in the kit. I may add one kind of bead. I chose to add a silverlined orange to my kit. I made her face from a mold I had made from a doll. Her body style is similar to a doll I received in a swap with Speediebeadie a year or so ago. Dot's doll was about 4" tall. Fire Dancer is about 10" tall. I haven't done a doll for over a year so she is a real challenge for me. However, I did discover the joy of curved needles and they really help get into those tight places.

I'll keep you posted on her progress. I can't seem to put her down for very long. That doesn't help get my other projects done any faster. I'm finished through March with my BJP pages and am working on April.

Arline

Old and New

This is the first doll I ever made. It was great fun to work on her. I did most of the beading at Barnes & Noble and Border's bookstores. She is called Bookstore Browser. Prior to this I had never done any bead embroidery. I made her several years ago.

I have decided to do a doll for my BFAC project this year. Found some great fabric in my stash. Now to find the right face for her. I may have to make one to get the right color combo. I don't mind though. I love to play with clay.

I am jazzed that BJP will continue for another year. This has been a very positive experience for me. I am working to finish my last couple of month's pages and will then decide how to finish the whole project. I think I will have them framed, but don't know exactly how yet.

I am starting a new project that I hope to teach at my LBS soon. I'm going to be embroidering children's handprints. These will make great gifts for Mom or Grandma for birthdays and Mother's Day. I have sort of adopted my girlfriend's daughters so I have one surrogate great grandson here and a great granddaughter on the way. Can you imagine a tiny newborn handprint embroidered?

Arline

January BJP page

I finally finished this page. It was a bit labor intensive, but worth it in the long run. For me, this represents the start of a new year. There will be highs and lows and a few flashes of high intensity to live through. I have to finish some work on an older page and then I will be caught up through March.

I'm so glad Robin is considering continuing the BJP for another year. Even if that doesn't happen, I will continue to try to stretch myself and try new things. Learning more about myself and my skills this year has been good for me. Why mess with a good thing? Growth, in most forms, is a positive thing.

Pay It Forward

Thanks to KiwiEllen, I have joined in the Pay It Forward project.

The first three people who comment on my blog will receive something handmade from me, if they in turn will do the same thing... See the rules below:

Pay It forward rules: I will send a handmade gift (something beaded) to the first 3 people who leave a Comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange (and email me their mailing address), and who make the same pledge on their own blogs. I don't know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward meaning you will do the same for three people who comment on your blog.
Arline

Beading For A Cure

The auctions for Beading for a Cure started yesterday. Each year, beaders buy a kit, sight unseen, to bead a project of their choosing to be auctioned for the benefit of Colorectal Cancer research. This project was begun in memory of another beader, Layne, who was struck by this terrible disease.

To find out more about this organization go to www.Beadingforacure.org At this site you will find out about this year's auction and be able to see all the incredible work done by beaders in past years as well. Open your hearts and pocketbooks. Bid on these wonderful artworks and help raise money for research for Colorectal Cancer.

Arline