cammykitty: Busy day

cammykitty: Busy day: "Anyone who beads knows you can walk out of a bead store with $100 worth of beads tucked in a small bag in your purse, and the next morning you'll be thinking about how you need a bead just this color for this piece, and something just this shape for another, and there's something missing here... Never mind that you already have a room full of trays filled with beads. One of these days beading is going to be spoken of in the same sentence with compulsive gambling. Now, I can't afford to go buy more beads, but my old haunts are tugging at me as I drive past them. But, I've put aside the hair clips that I don't have the right color beads for. I'm not buying. No. No. Definitely not. No."

Hmmm... maybe I should look at starting a new group called "Beader's Anonymous", and think of a 12 step plan... No? Okay, I've got a mild cold and feeling a bit silly!
Still, I think we've all felt the same way when it comes to buying beads!!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Dolphinately Delightfully Designed Doodads: Wicked Red & Purple Fringe Peyote Bracelet (Unfinished)

Dolphinately Delightfully Designed Doodads: Wicked Red & Purple Fringe Peyote Bracelet (Unfinished): "Well, this SUPER-dangly bracelet is not quite finished, yet; I'll be adding a peyote loop on one side, and a button on the side near the end of the left side (it'll cover the funky peyote pattern there; I'm pretty sure I did the stitches right, at the end, but one color of bead was a bit larger than the others and it just really funked things up at the end.)"

This is really interesting bracelet, I love really chunky, dangly type designs. Thanks sarebear for mentioning this in the UFOs post!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Just Let Me Bead

Hi Everyone!
Someone sent me an email and mentioned Laura McCabe and her interesting beading designs. So I've tracked down her website and thought you might like to take a look. She certainly has some beautiful designs. Take a look at www.justletmebead.com
Apparently she also runs local workshops, so you might even be able to see her in action!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Make money with beads: What to do to Sell Your Beads

Make money with beads: What to do to Sell Your Beads: "Like most things in life that are worthwhile, selling your beads takes planning. I will be more specific about things that you need to plan in future Blogs, but you need to start lining up places to sell your beaded jewelry now."

This is an interesting blog with lots of posts about how to sell your jewelry. Worth a look if that sort of thing interests you.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

.: a journey to beauty, inside and outside :. -

.: a journey to beauty, inside and outside :. -: "i don't have a lot of beading stuff. besides a A4 plastic box with compartments and a rocher box, i have 3 acrylic boxes..."

Not a lot????? hehehehe Looks like a bit to me!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Beadwork Poll - How Do You Handle your UFOs (UnFinished Objects)?

Beadwork Poll - How Do You Handle your UFOs (UnFinished Objects)?: "We all (well, most of us) have them. Beadwork projects we started back when we first saw the design or the bead pattern. We knew we had to bead them, the project was just too gorgeous/fun/challenging not to work! But then, a new beading magazine came out or we saw a new bead pattern for sale on Bead-Patterns.com and we HAD to bead that one, right now! No waiting - we had the Need To Bead and to bead that particular pattern immediately. And right then, the UFO pattern established itself.

Yes, I'll admit it. I have too many beadwork UFOs and need to take stock of them. I can answer 'yes' to almost all of the answers in the poll, which tells me I need to get a grip on my beadwork. Time to weed them out, reclaim the beads, decide which bead projects to finsih and when. It's a big job, but unless I want to be overwhelmed by UFOs, I need to do it, and soon."

I had a bit of a chuckle reading about "UFOs" - although in my house, it's more "UCPs" - unfinished cleaning projects! Post a comment with your favourite UFO story, I'd love to read them!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

How to Wrap a Rock with Flat Round Peyote Stitch

How to Wrap a Rock with Flat Round Peyote Stitch: "First you need to know how to do flat round peyote. You can find very extensive, clear instructions for this stitch here. Graph paper for the stitch can be found here. Any rock can be wrapped, but for your first try you should select one that is at least semi-flat on both sides and not too thick. Also, the more circular the rock, the easier time you will have finishing it. The so-called 'river rocks' that you can find in Home & Garden shops or even in crafts stores such as Michael's work very well for this beading project."

This is an interesting way to use your beading skills! Maybe a new version of the "pet rock" craze? hehe
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Pearls and Peridot Times Two

Pearls and Peridot Times Two: "Sometimes we can make the loveliest things out of materials that may not really appeal to us at first glance. The case in point, the peach colored pearls in this necklace."

This is a really interesting necklace, not a combination I'd have thought of. The article goes on to give instructions how to make it.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

fifi_the_turtle: skreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

fifi_the_turtle: skreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!: "It's not the beads, it's the damn thread. Ever tried to thread a needle with no depth perception? I might as well save myself some time and just poke myself in the eye with it instead. I swear I made a noise like a monster from a Terry Gilliam movie (SKREEEEEEEEEEE!) out of pure frustration. Oh, those poor neighbors. Cleaning is officially replacing beading for the rest of the night."

I think we've all had one of those beading moments that produces a pretty horrible noise.....
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

*Insert philosophical life metaphor here* - Beading hurts the eyessss.....X.x

*Insert philosophical life metaphor here* - Beading hurts the eyessss.....X.x: "Oh dear god. I'm going to go nearsighted from studying AND beading AND writing, I swear.

Anyway, I made it through a full string of dark blue beads ((144 minus the AWOL ones that have embedded themselves in my dark blue carpet--see the difficulty here?)) so I thought I've give you all a sneak peek into the world of beading with impossibly small beads."

There's some interesting insights on this blog, all to do with using tiny beads. Including the needle difficulties!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

The Wire-Verse - she's gone...

The Wire-Verse - she's gone...
Actual size is kinda sorta just about around 4 inches tall and sorta 3 1/2 inches or so wide - made from 2 long pieces of felt. I beaded the purple side (it's embossed felt - way cool!!), then used blanket stitch to attach it to the turquoise lining at top and bottom.

This is a cute little bag you could use for carrying small trinkets safely. If you click through to her blog, you can find more details of how the bag was made.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Free pattern up for grabs!

Free pattern: "Download a free sample PDF project to evaluate the quality and detail of BeadBugle.Com's extensive project archives. "

Bead Bugle is an online beading magazine, and at the moment they're offering the instructions for a project free, as a trial. Might as well grab it! Currently it's a ruffled cabochon bracelet, but that may change. Still, take a look.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Three Jays Beading

For those of you in the UK, you may find this site interesting. There are some great photos of jewellery, and Three Jays run workshops and children parties, amongst other things.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

~VioletBead's Blogg~

~VioletBead's Blogg~: "I have the dream. It is generally pretty vivid when I wake up. IF I remember it, I remember it very clearly. I then attempt to make what I dreamed come to life, usually after making a little sketch in a book. So it comes from inside me."

I thought this was an interesting explanation of how one beader comes up with her designs, and wondered if other beaders do the same thing. Personally I can't say I've ever dreamt of beads, I tend to see designs and colours I like and then go from there.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

karlas_beadsoup: New Journal

karlas_beadsoup: New Journal: "Who knew beading was soooo expensive o_O Okay, pretty much anyone who done it lol. I really want to sell a bunch of my pieces to support my beading habit, but I'm not sure the local market will support it. Apparently $12 is expensive for a bracelet that cost $8 and and 1 hour to complete. The beaders I know would charge wayyyy more and think I'm totally selling myself short with such low prices. I guess ppl around here are only used to Walmarts and Claires mass produced in a third world country where jewelry makers are lucky to recieve 2 U.S. bucks a day off hours of labor made with low quality plastic, base metal and cheap string. Maybe they just don't realize that between hours of finding high quality low cost distributors, spending hours searching through product listings, purchasing materials from distributors, paying shipping cost, sorting materials upon arrival, storing materials, designing the jewelry, crafting the jewelry, generating a price based on materials, time and what not, the end result is not a $3 piece of junk from Wallyworld"

I thought this was an interesting post, and wanted to share it. Have other beaders had the same sort of problem?
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Sorry for my absence...

Hello everyone
Sorry there's been such a gap between posts, but somehow my blog got tagged as a spam blog, and basically I've been twiddling my thumbs, unable to post anything new until it was reviewed
Very frustrating!
Still, I'm up and running again now, so it's back to beading stuff!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Bead Picture

Hi everyone!
Diane sent me a photo of her work, and it was so lovely I had to put it on the blog!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

i am sending u a photo of some beads i have made into a picture they are various seed beads and delicas as well as feature beads this is my first attempt at this kind of thing but i have made many beautiful necklaces bracelets and rings using swarovski crystals as well and of course i love trying out new things and getting great ideas from all my beading friends

tammie's jewellery:

tammie's jewellery:: "My beading started with this bee that I made in the states with my relative, Cierra and Daniel about 8 years ago.
Now they are teenager.
Wow, time goes fly eh. "

hehe time goes by WAY too fast. This is a cute project for little hands. Sorry, I couldn't seem to copy the picture.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Bead Feebs: More Double Diamonds

Bead Feebs: More Double Diamonds: "I have been beading lately, I just haven't remembered to take pictures or upload them. I did these two chokers and I lovelovelove the purple one."

My daughter would love the purple one too!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

*Insert philosophical life metaphor here* - Beaded purse

*Insert philosophical life metaphor here* - Beaded purse: "After a very intense and vigorous beading session, I finished my meditation beaded bag.

It's by far the largest beaded purse I've ever made. The base row is 35 beads. Back in the day, I believe I usually did 20 or so....just about enough to fit a quarter. This one is....HUGE by comparison."


What a great design, it's amazing how creative people can be with beads.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)