Beadwork teaching at Common Ground

I have been remiss in working on my blog and my beadwork in the past few months. I have had 4 eye surgeries since November and am just getting my vision straightened out so that I can bead again. I have made a new necklace teaching sample using peyote stitch to suspend a gold plated leaf. I will be teaching this necklace at Common Ground, a wonderful composite of traditional and non traditional arts and music held at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD the first 2 weeks of July. My class will be the first week July 4-8. Come live on the campus and fill your days with a selection of classes and your nights with concerts. Great for the whole family. Check out www.commongroundonthehill.org for more info.

Artbeads Discount Code

I have had a delightful short break on a Cruise to Key West and Nassau (was supposed to be Cozumel but the weather didn't cooperate). I returned home to find an offer by Artbeads for 10% off that I may share with all of you. So from now till July 31, 2010, enter the Savings Discount code SCF10P-ARTBEADS-0125 and save! Thank you Artbeads.  Keep cool! Joanne

Disclosure: I received this offer within the frames of Artbeads.com blogging program. The author of this blog has not received any payment from above-mentioned company. The post above represents only personal opinion of the blog author.

"Three Apples" Update plus Peacock Bracelet

"Three Apples" Update:

I am thrilled that my Machine Embroidery "Three Apples" won third place in the Adams County Arts Council Show and that it did so competing against "real" paintings. The exhibit continues till Sunday at Schmucker Gallery on Washington Street, part of the Gettysburg College campus.

Peacock Bracelet:

I was allowed to choose a summer pendant from Art beads and decided on the Russian Black Onyx Peacock. I thought that I  would feature the peacock in a bracelet and surrounded it with a band of peyote stitching in black seed and fringe beads with accents of orange, yellow, lime green and turquoise repeating the colors of the peacock feathers. I also stitched 2 feathers in brick stitch to dangle off of the focal bead. The closure is a vintage German glass button and bead loop. When I use loops as closures, I like to alternate medium and small beads. I feel this enhances the curvature of the loop. Enjoy! Joanne

Disclosure: The Peacock pendant was kindly provided free-of-charge by Artbeads.com, within the frames of Artbeads.com blogging program. The author of this blog has not received any payment from above-mentioned company. The post above represents only personal opinion of the blog author.

Blue Bird Artbeads Resin Piece continued

I have continued working in right angle weave to complete a light, airy environment for Tania Hartman's lovely resin on silver bluebird. The beigy-yellow beads are the right angle weave base in which I periodically add selected pressed Czech glass leaves and flowers in blue. The pressed glass additions sometimes take the place of one of the right angle weave beads and sometimes are added on top of the right angle weave base. Every time I add a pressed glass element, I go through the element a second time with treads to stabilize it. I am using #10 fireline and a #12 needle. This makes it a little tight for some of the beads and I have learned just how hard I can pull the needle with a pliers to get it through a tight bead without breaking it. If I have to back out and go around a particular bead, I catch the thread next to the bead and continue on. If a hole appears, I cover it with a pressed glass piece. I always try to use the heaviest thread that a particular project will allow and if I were not adding the pressed glass pieces, I would have done the right angle weave with #8 fireline, but I feel that the heavier thread will support the projecting pieces better.

I usually try to avoid metal findings as I don't like the addition of metal in a clasp if it does not appear elsewhere in the piece. That is why I was so excited over the boro glass toggles that Artbeads offered. However, after seeing them, I felt that they were too big in scale for the delicacy of the bluebird and elected to go with a sterling clasp inset with a yellow citrine from Star's beads (www.starsbeads.com) instead. The bluebird does contain silver and the yellow citrine helps blend the clasp to the beads. Sometimes I will add silver (or gold, or brass) spacers or heishi beads in the beadwork itself if I know that I am going to use a metal clasp.

This is a very light piece due both to the lightness of the resin pendant and the openness of the right angle weave. I think it will complement a casual outfit as well as something dressy. I thank Artbeads for the opportunity to work with their selection of wares. I have not forgotten the boro toggles--they will be next on my to-do list. Joanne

Disclosure: The Tania Hartman Resin and sterling pendant was kindly provided free-of-charge by Artbeads.com, within the frames of Artbeads.com blogging program. The author of this blog has not received any payment from above-mentioned company. The post above represents only personal opinion of the blog author.

Blue Bird Artbeads resin piece

I can't wait till my son gets here for Easter to install a new internet connection. I have been having trouble for the past few weeks connecting. I have chosen to begin working in right angle weave with the Tania Hartman resin and sterling blue bird piece from Artbeads. I think that the right angle weave in beigy-yellows with blue flower and leaf accents will be delicate enough to support but not overwhelm the pretty bluebird. Joanne

Disclosure: The Tania Hartman Resin and sterling pendant was kindly provided free-of-charge by Artbeads.com, within the frames of Artbeads.com blogging program. The author of this blog has not received any payment from above-mentioned company. The post above represents only personal opinion of the blog author.