Resolution 2012

Well lets see a re-cap from last year's
 get taller. .  Yeah-still holding steady at 5'5.75
study for my PE and pass my PE in April. Yes! I passed it! got my own embossing seal and a stamp to prove it!!
Is resolving to never get another address wrong a resolution? Not this year
Can I resolve to finish at least two of the five quilts I have started? I can, but in reality, I'll probably just start one or two more...Umm...finished the quilt for my BFF, and my mom quilted Grandma's star, and the Hallowe'en quilt is nearly done.  And I scrapped one that I had started, but replaced it with that damned storm at sea...so check.
de-stash some beads-not really. not at all.  i had some major sprees this year that were not followed by destashing of any magnitude. FAIL...I do resolve to cut apart everything in my "to cut apart" pile and finish 2 things in my UFO pile. Nope...

I also resolve to 'boop' Marvin's nose, at least once a day :) I think I got that one :)

For 2012,
I resolve to get taller...again

 I resolve to bead at least 10 ornaments, throughout the year or all at once doesn't matter, either way. 

I resolve to blog at least once every 2 weeks, preferrably more, but 70+ hours of work doesn't leave much time :(

I resolve to finish one quilt completely on my own without having to say Moooooooooooom! fix this?

I resolve to start an OBW quilt. And piece no less than 30 sets of triangles OR start my friends' quilt involving circles in a fractal design.

That's reasonable, yeah?

Better late than never right?

Six, Seven, and Eight, respectively

I made number 6 on the way from Tennessee to my home near Pittsburgh. 

I used clear Tilas, magatamas, 11/0s, and some dagger beads over this super deep purple semi-matte ornament. 

 The pattern was loosely based on a project in Beadwork involving Tilas, but I didn't have the magazine accessible in the truck, so I went by memory.  This one is for the husbeast, whose favorite color.


Number seven was made while I was at home.  This one will eventually make its way to my parents-in-law.  I used some beautiful deer antler buttons that I found at the Powder Horn Trading Company in Kalispell, Montana. 

I also used peachy-ish colored pearls that I found there.  The idea with the buttons came from Bead and Button (I think...) there was a pattern using vintage shank buttons.  I altered the 2-hole style of the buttons with a bit of wire to work the pattern.  I covered the wire with a few 11/0s.

I used 4mm pearls and 6mm pearls, buttons, 11/0s in dark matte brown, silver-lined blue 11/0s, transparent blue 8/0s (in place of the 3mm beads)

I made number 8 on the way back from Pittsburgh.  It happened after a failed herringbone attempt at a rivoli bezel, then a failed netted bezel, and a failed peyote bezel.  I don't know what was going on, so I gave up and did other things with different beads.  I seem to have forgotten to take photos of number 8.  Crap.  Well next time, I'll tell you all about it :)

Then I got sidetracked when I got home and startd back on the Hallowe'en quilt.

5 and a bag

I have been beading in my free moments.  I really really have...
I started working on an ornament using Laura McCabe's Eiffel Tower Ring pattern from Beading Across America but, when she says size 15 Czech Charlottes, I think she means it.  Now I have  weird purple thingie sitting on my bead tray.  It kinda looks like one of those little tables that comes in a pizza box.  I didn't get to the add the rivoli part. I gave up.  Poor little guy.

I did finish another ornament.  I'm calling it Creamsicle.  It has lots of silver lined orange Delicas and pearls. 

The focals are beads from Hobby Lobby.  I like it.

I also finished my medicine bag for my father in law.  I decided, afte seeing a magpie for the first time over Thanksgiving, that a magpie would be a most fitting creature to represent me.  They are smart, they like shiny stuff, and they hoard things.  Me to a tee. :)

He is black, white, and iridescent blue/black Delicas and Treasures and 15/0s in black and white, beaded on felt, on leather, with an elk ivory, obviously .

Ding Ding Round 1!

Ornament time is upon us. Damn near passed us by! EEK!

Here are numbers 2, 3, and 4.

What happened to #1? (remember the flamingos?)

Anywho, the second ornament of the year features a black shatterproof ball, beaded over with rainbow sherbert colors. (11/0sin magenta, orange, and electric slime green)

It is simple netting but the progression of colors does really cool stuff, dunnit Ern?

Looks even cooler spinning around in circles :)

Number 3 s a gift for two of our closest friends. They made mention that they have never received an ornament, so I asked their Christmas colors, and they replied magenta and turqouise, but its a dusty magenta and a blue-y turquoise. I think my colors are a bit vibrant, but I am pleased anyway.

It features magenta 11/0s turquoise 11/0s, turquoise fire polished beads, turquoise acrylic flowers and magenta drop beads.

Finally is number 4. I am all about rivolis and ornaments now. This one has blue rivolis with a peacock finish, small blue-green rounds, and gold 15/0s.

I like it even if the cover is too loose in one place and too loose in another. I think I'll call it blue jean.

Two more medicine bags!

Only have time for a quickie today, I wish I had more time!!!! but I don't, but you'll all be pleased to know that next week starts Ornament Time! Pretty stoked about that :) That just might mean regular posts for a few weeks!

Ok, remember last time we met, I was working on medicine bags for my father-in-law? Well, I've finished 2 more, for the brother-in-law and sister-in-law.

BIL's bag depicts a little darks brown bear under the moonlight and the Big Dipper. He is pretty dark, but it's night, and he is a bear. you shouldn't be able to see him :) He is done with Delicas, and Czech 11/0s, with an elk ivory and a cougar claw, beaded on felt and attached to the leather pouch.



SIL's is playing double duty as my OTTBS entry. It is another elk ivory (which I have figured out how to polish, and is super shiney) it uses a few shades of green Delicas, a few shades of red, a little gray ad a touch of copper, and some red 15/0s. Her favorite flow is called indian paintbrush.


Do you think I did the inspiration justice?

So I'm really not very good at destashing...

Oops...

But I made some stuff with the beads! Not as many out as in, but still, progress is progress right?

It all started with a commission of sorts, by my inlaws.

The husbeast's dad had a handful of elk ivory. Apparently you can make some pretty sweet jewelry with elk ivory. The ivory came to him through hunters, and at least one road kill. (Road kill jewelry...a first here at Spyder Jewels) :) Anyway...he also has some cougar claws. Said cougar was stalking him and my mother-in-law as they were walking their fence line. And as opposed to being eaten by the cougar that was stalking him, he removed the threat to him, his family, and their livestock. He disposed of the body in the wild, as per state requiree. A few weeks later, after nature had taken its course, he went back and harvested the claws. With the ivory and the claws, he asked me to bead some medicine bags for him, my mother-in-law, and their 3 kids(and me) I got to work on my mother-in-law's first.





Her favorite color is blue, and she likes sunflowers, so I beaded a sunflower. I wanted to add contrast to the in-between petals, but didn't have the right shade of yellow/gold/orange, so to the bead store I went. The bead store didn't have the right color either, after I had picked a few colors and ther objects... Oh well. I'm still pretty happy with how it turned out. The claw is also removable so she can wear it by itself if the mood should strike.

My father-in-law's bag was the next one I completed. I was sitting around beading an ornament when my husbeast informed me that dad-and-mom-in-law had almost been eaten (again) by another cougar. This seems to be a pretty regular occurrence for them...it concerns me.


But, it seemed fitting to put a cougar on his bag. I'm not wild about the darkest brown, but he really likes it, so I'm happy with it.

Husbeast's sister asked me to make some barrettes for one niece and some hemp necklaces for other niece. I didn't have the right beads for barette danglies, nor any accent beads in the right colors for hemping.


Cue another bead store trip...oops

I needed a break between medicine bags, so I made an ornament



.This one is for my best friend's mom. She is a survivor, and I thought this pattern was the perfect accent for ribbons. I'm sure someone can make a correlation between pink flamingos and cancer, but not me, at least not today.



I know she'll like it, and that also makes me happy. I did have to make a bead run for the charms. (and more beads just 'cause)


But I made a necklace out of some of them and have all sorts of plans for some more of them.



Not all of them obviously. I'm haven't gone weird or anything:)

Someone please let me know if the pictures appear? Thanks!

Testing?

Grrrrr...This is so friggin irritating. I have been trying to upload photos and write about stuff I have finished and effing blogger keeps going crazy when I try to upload anything. Is anyone else having this issue? I am using the new "improved" blogger user interface if it makes a difference. Seriously, apart from reading 2 more books, I have finished 2 beaded medicine bags, an ornament, a couple barrettes, and some hemp stuff... confounded Blogger...