Blanche and I just put several new workshops on our calendars for me to teach at Beads By Blanche in Bergenfield NJ. Mark your calendar for February 6 for a day of Felted Component Jewelry. Info and pics will follow in next post. Set aside Saturday April 16 for something beaded and beautiful and yet to be decided.

Allow me to tell you about the Tuesday evenings we've schedule. This Pentagon Pendant is Feb 16, 6-9pm. This solid Swarovski necklace is an ideal way to get cozy with cubic right angle weave. Notice the sweet star-shaped spaces that develop in the corners. Finish with a sparkling chain of crystals and charlottes that works up faster than you expect.

On March 30th (6-9pm) learn a quick and easy bead rope of matte and shiny 8s that finishes with a distinctive button & loop closure. We'll make it bracelet length and for the button, we'll bead a highly textured bezel for an Aurora Borealis Rivoli that is lovely from every angle.

May 4th, also a Tuesday, from 6-9pm, capitalize on the unique position of each of the multiple beads-per-stitch of polygon stitch, to incorporate tiny holed beads such as seed pearls. The closure is a decorative vertical loop centered over a beaded toggle created by joining two bead-bezeled dentelles.

As a post script, my web mistress Marylyn is preparing a huge sale on my website http://www.carolcypher.com/ . We want to clear the decks, well, Marylyn's office and my studio, of everything we've offered there to-date, to make room for the NEW kits and designs. One of the new offerings will be, while they last, the kit to make these sweet earrings featuring lampworked beads by Lea Zinke , earring wires, and an easy to follow recipe that walks you through a touch of ladder, fringe, netting, polygon stitches to create a calyx and petals for the glass bud beads. Tell me your preference: pinkish, lavenderish or light yellow. If you don't want to wait for the website posting, send a check for $30 (free parcel post or $4.95 for priority mail) and I'll get it right off to you. I'll run a New Year sale on the Turbo Felting Board ($5 discount and free shipping until Feb 2)

Saori called from Dortmund Germany to discuss the workshops I will be teaching there in March at Europe's largest craft event, Creativa. The registrations are coming in and at last I have the website to share with you that has beading workshop information. Click on Creativa now and it will open on the Bead Academy (perlen akademie) homepage. Click on workshops then click on each instructor's name: Carol Cypher, Diane Fitzgerald, Laura McCabe and Anna Draeger, to see what each of us is offering to teach there. We added the Diamonds Of Fire Necklace (a popular project that I taught at Bead & Button Show last year and will again in June) but, this is the convertible version. It has two magnetic closures hidden within bead work (all Swarovski crystals!!) and can be worn connected as a necklace or separated into two bracelets.

Having more studio time this month, I've been prolific. The felt rings have been a consuming passion. Plus I've new bracelets that will be ideal evening workshops at Beads By Blanche (I just have to call her and get them on the calendar.) One features seed pearls and a pair of bezeled dentelles and another has a bezeled rivoli closure.

Last month at our bead gathering, Myrna brought a selection of new beads by lampworker Harold Jargowsky, for our shopping pleasure. Jill incorporated one of the floral pendants into a bead crochet necklace. Lovely. Glad you're back at the torch Harold. I used many of Harold's beads in projects in HAND FELTED JEWELRY AND BEADS. His contact info listed in the book's resources section is beadsinbarn@aol.com.

Today I submitted two designs to use in a trial run of an electronic venue geared to teach beading to beaders in Asia, Europe and U.S.A. How exciting. Next I must submit two designs/projects that will be offered as animated lessons that can be purchased. I will keep you posted as things develop. They are projecting something substantive by March 2010.

Yesterday I brought a few kits for 2-Sides to the Story Bracelet (Clicking on this link will transport you to the Bead and Button Show site, where I will be teaching this project. Information about classes will not be on their website until this Friday.) to a gathering of my spinning buddies. This is that stitch that I devised after an exhaustive exploration of the tubular beadweaving stitch unfortunately named "polygon". It produces flat beadwork that corrugates as you work, the beads over-lapping, resulting in its being reversible. It is quite magical. It has a most peculiar start but, 3 rows into it and you're on a roll. In 3 hours, even these non-beaders (though clever and crafty) were more than half through the project. (The hoop earrings seen sitting on the bead mat were beaded by Mary Jo using my recipe that Bead & Button published in their magazine, in their book Creative Beading and a had their editor Linda Augsberg demonstrate on PBS TV's Beads, Baubles and Jewels.
Though everyone else headed home, I remained rather that face an hour and half drive that would be much longer and scarier on ice. So, Judy and I fortified ourselves with a litle dinner and beaded until we dropped. Judy beaded a bezel for a rivoli using one of the new kits that Bead Gallery Inc and I are offering using their rare and vintage Swarovski items with my bezel recipes. A simple band of 3-bead wide peyote, makes it a beautiful and comfortable ring.
Today Puget Sound Bead Festival sent an invitation to propose workshops for their July 9, 10, 11 show in 2010. Though I met some very creative and fascinating beaders who took my felted jewelry workshops there in 2008 and 2009 and loved being in Tacoma at this event and in the verrry lovely Hotel Murano, I was unable to put it in my calendar in 2010. Giving a nod to the trend in wire and metal jewelry, they state that they will be choosing classes based on these criteria: 60% metal & wire, 10% metal clay, 10%, contemporary jewelry, 10% seed beading and 10% mixed media.
Last week Blanche and I put a couple dates on our calendars for 2010 workshops at Beads by Blanche, in Bergenfield, NJ: April 17 and October 23. In addition to those full day workshops, Blanche offers 3 hour evening workshops during the week. I just put a wrap on two bracelet classes that I will suggest to her would be perfect evening offerings. They each offer a beaded closure using beautiful Swarovski elements. One is a bezeled rivoli and the other features a pair of joined dentelles. Photos to follow as soon as I speak with Blanche.

Almost everyone in class at Beadzo last night, wanted to make a Bead Happy bracelet using their own palette of happy colors. Tara's (upper left in photo) is tranquil happiness in blues, purples and greens, as opposed to my exuberant happy of yellow, red, aqua and greens. Actually, the kit for Bead Happy has about 50 different beads! It takes nearly as long to make a kit as to bead the bracelet. I wish I was kidding! Though it is retired from the roster of classes I teach at the Bead and Button Show, it remains popular. It is one of the classes I will teach in Germany in March at Creativa. Ithas been kitted by Coronet in Japan, and used in the beadstitch curriculum for herringbone stitch.

Kitty chose to forgo the Bead Happy bracelet to work on more bezels for rivolis. She is doing several in sizes 18 and 12mm to connect into a reversible bracelet, taking advantage of this style bezel that is as lovely from backside as from the frontside.

A reminder: I have kits for 3 bezel styles for 18mm rivoli. The kit features a rivoli (some rare and vintage and unusual colors) with easy to follow illustrated instructions. At $15 each, perhaps you'd like one of each! Just give me a call to check on colors 845-384-6417, or e mail.

Today I received my "teacher's" e mail from Bead and Button Show
with hotel info, early registration, a poster and the show schedule. Featured on the show schedule is this photo, captioned "Glass Bead Inspired Lariat: Artist Carol Cypher." Great exposure. THE inspirational bead is this one by Nancy Tobey. She wrote to say she has made all the 20 beads for the 20 kits I will make for the registered students. My covenant with B&B and the students, is that the kits will make a piece JUST LIKE THE ONE IN THE PHOTO. Don't you just know that the little stripey bead that dominates this piece has been discontinued! How I just adore those little stripey beads. Well, I have accumulated sufficient to make all 2o kits, plus a little to spare. When WILL I learn not to use rare or unusual beads in the projects I must kit? Honestly, I just cannot help myself. It is those uncommon beads that draw me in.

When I taught at the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild they were wary of an $85 kit that was really mostly seed beads. That project was composed of my accumuated collection of German and Italian seed beads from wayyyyyyyyyyyy back. Their exceptional colors have not yet been duplicated in the Czech and Japanese beads offered today. And when these discontinued beauties are gone, they're gone. This is why I say, when you see a bead you like, BUY IT. And if you risk not being able to get your beady little hands on more, BUY ALL OF THEM. Mind you, I'm not advocating greed. It is an artist thing. When the color speaks to you, you have to listen.
In the previous entry I mentioned Motoko Natsubori, translator, interpreter, beader, friend. Here we are at this June's Bead and Button Show.

Ronna Sarvas Weltman's polymer clay ring (we swapped her clay ring for my felt bracelet at Beadfest) inspired an entire line of felt rings. In the top photo her polymer ring is flanked by my first two felt ones. She is author of ANCIENT MODERN: POLYMER CLAY + WIRE JEWELRY.

The next photo shows several of the styles I have been working on. My workshop: Felt Component Jewelry, will be enhanced by the addition of these new designs and techniques.

It makes my heart sing every time I see someone wearing felt jewelry. So, at the studio class

this week, with 4 of us wearing felt jewelry, my heart was singing an aria!

Amy, shown here, wore her felt pendant with beaded bail. If I recall correctly, this was to have been featured in the gallery section of HAND FELTED JEWELRY AND BEADS.

BTW, The blue beaded necklace Amy is holding, she bead-crocheted a few months agao when I shared this techqniue that Kumiko had shared with me when I was in Japan in January. Kumiko had learned it from her protege, Keiko Seki, one of the contributing authors of the recent article in Bead and Button Magazine on what they call Turkish Bead Crochet. I have beaded with Keiko on both of my visits to Japan. Her contribution to the article was translated into English by Motoko Natsubori. You've read about Motoko here in previous entries. She interpreted for me when I taught in Japan each time and translated MASTERING BEADWORK into Japanese. I hope to see her at the Bead and Button Show in June.
And on the same evening, Elaine wears her felted beads bracelet. Lovely.

Jill is wearing one of my new felt rings (can't see it so good here) while working on Fireflies at Sunset necklace. I will teach this project again at next years's Bead and Button Show. It is Amy's exciting palette of colors that makes this piece so popular and the versatility of the stitch that makes it such a valuble technique to learn.

Wondering if it is possible to post a new blog entry from my iPod. Let's see. And if this works, how do I add photos? Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm so excited to tell you that the first 4, of the dozens we're working on, of kits for beaded bezeled rivolis are now available. You've read alot about these quick and easy bezels in this blog. Click on the photo to see their lovely texture and that they are as beautiful from behind as from the front! 3 (Styles A, P and B so far) of these 4 are made for an 18mm rivoli (included). Call me so I can tell you which colors are available. We've priced them so that they can be collectible at $15 per kit. The 4th kit is the fuchsia flat-bottomed dome and bezel recipe to fit it like a glove. Only $12.50 per kit. You'll use 8, 11 and 15 sized seed beads from your stash with the easy to follow illustrated recipe and rivoli. Include $4 with each order for priority shipping.

While we're talking kits, I've also a limited quantity of kits for these Lea Zinke Bud Bead Earrings. They are fun to make, combining netting, polygon, ladder and fringe stitches. In addition to the rosy lavender ones, there are a couple yellow pair. Send me a check for $30 plus 4 for priority shipping.

Just HAD to share this...Pat and I just "bumped" our iPods and transferred a photo to each other. Wow, just like in the ad.

Yipes! We experienced a crisis at the Bead Blast today. Well, I had an unfortunate bead-stuck-in-the-keyboard incident and all the other sweet beaders had to live through my (hopefully, somewhat reserved) meltdown. I knew there was a bead on the laptop as I worked but, continued, unfettered. Then, yikes, it rolled between the keys. Feeling a cold sweat creep upon me I asked for a tweezer and Phyllis was right there with a very sharp, nearly surgical quality number. As I squoze the little bugger it rolled from between the keys to UNDER a key. When turning it upside down and shaking didn't do the trick I had to walk away for a minute. The second call to Dell produced a patient and kindly tech. He talked me through the procedure for removing the hinge, lifting the keyboard, dealing with the ribbon cable to the motherboard and how I'd replace it with a new one. Yes, Rodney, I can handle this, I assured him. "But", he said, "before hanging up, just tilt the computer and lift the corner of the key that you think it is under." With a small amount of trepidation I did as he suggested. "OOOOOhhhh, RODDDDDNEYYYYYYY", I exclaimed, as the bead rolled onto the table. Peels of laughter from all the other beaders filled the room. They recognized this satisfied tech support adventure as having a happy ending.

This weekend was the coming out party for the line of kits that Bead Gallery Inc and I are collaborating on. There are kits for Lea Zinke's Bud Bead earrings, 4 styles of bezels (designed by moi) for assorted 18mm rare and vintage Swarovski rivolis that Genevieve has collected, plus the 20 Ct Diamond Ring shown here.

Taking a break from the beads, Pat, Phyllis, Sylvia and I shared apps and iPod tricks with each other. Was it Pat or Sylvia that began this iPod virus that has captured our hearts? Glad you did.

Sylvia stores her crystals in these little Craft Mate cases. The 10 plastic containers fit in the clear plastic sleeve and store like a book on a shelf.

Voices of the Stones came to our Bead Blast this afternoon to share their bounty of gorgeous gems, stones and pearls. Co-owners Carole, shown helping Amy with her selections, and Mary, seen in the background, sorting beads said MAYBE they'll make it back to New York just in time for our March Bead Blast. If they DO make it, it will be fresh from Tucson! This means we would have access to all the best stuff without the fuss of doing Tucson Show.
Ellen drove down from Palenville, picking up Jill in Rhinecliff on the way.
Fran is serene and radiant as she bead embroiders her hand felted bangle. For much of the day she beaded a nuno felted scarf she made last week.

Sisters' Originals: Nancy, Sylvia and Cheryl; brought a selection of seed beads for our shopping and beading delight. Included were the new hybrid beads from Toho.

As midnight approaches our numbers diminish to 7. Shown beading are Terri, Ann, Phyllis and Pat.

Last week Kathie Tuckruskye, a teacher at Arlington Middle School, called to say that their Fiber Arts Club could use some advice with their felting project. It happens they meet after school on Wednesdays so off I went...
We talked about how felt is made and I discussed my hand felted jewelry and beads. Then we kicked back the chairs, gave each girl a TFB (Turbo Felting Board), her choice of colored merino and a metallic pipe cleaner (yes, they still call them pipecleaners, not chenille sticks). In short order they created either spiral felt earrings or a felted bangle bracelet. The last bus left at 3:45 yet we were able to "bang these out" in the time we had! (love that TFB)
This was their first wet-feltmaking experience, having only needle-felted to date. Check out this sweet teddy bear this student made.
We expect to nuno felt a scarf at their Dec 9th meeting. Yes, it IS possible in that short window of time. We'll use rubber friction cloth and heavy duty bubblewrap plus the TFB and they'll leave with finished scarves!
Beadzo is having an artisan jewelry and crafts sale at Pamela's magnificent home, 17 North Rd. Tivoli, NY on Sunday Dec 6, 1-6pm and Monday the 7th, 6-9pm. Call for info 845-757-2780 or 845-594-2649. The works of jewelers Kaja Dedijer and Betiana Ruffinatto will be featured along with beadwork by local artists and special purchase gifts that Pamela traveled far and wide to collect for us!

We had a great time at Beadzo class tonight (Tivoli, NY) . As usual each beader came with her agenda about what she'd like to accomplish. Thankfully, they give me a head's up so I knew to show up with feltmaking materials and Robert Michael Croft glass implosions. Tara is shown here beading a Treasure Bracelet (the strap for the implosion bracelet shown on beading mat in foreground).

Check out Cookie's beaded felt purse. The stippled effect outlining her floral pattern is acheived through bead embroidery.

Charlotte liked the new bezels for rivolis that I've been working on so feverishly. She is using them for earrings and will be featuring them at a craft show this month.

This is the 2-Sides of the Story bracelet that Tara finished since last time.

Lise felted and beaded the implosion to the right. Beautiful.
Our next class there is December 3rd. We know Lise wants to learn how to compose a freeform beaded bracelet, Tara wants to do Midnight in Manhattan (a new kitted project), Kaja wants Bead Happy and Terri suggested Turbo Bead Crochet. Ooooo, we'll have a ball. To join us give Beadzo a call to reserve a seat 845-757-5306.

Sunday was a beautiful day to be in NYC for a day of booksigning/trunk show/felt workshop at Kinokuniya Bookstore, opposite Bryant Park. I took an early train so I could make the day exspansive and adventurous. Bryant Park had skaters galore, though it was balmy weather and we were forced to carry our coats over our arms rather than wear them. Vendors were set up in small glass shelters selling a myriad of goods as varied as Nepalese crafts, candles, wire wrought sculpture, hand knits, handcrafted jewelry and scents. It was enjoyable to try to take it all in, even though I was hauling 2 weighty cases of supplies and jewelry.

During my event at Kinokuniya Bookstore upstairs, there was an gathering of "Lolita girls" being taped for TV. Their costumes were wonderful, ranging from goth to dorothy of Oz to pink and cutesy.

The theme of this workshop was wet feltmaking and we made flowers.

Victoria is a Kinokuniya Bookstore regular and attended each of my events. Here she is shown sporting her new creattion. Thanks for turning me onto green tea frappe.

Look at these sweet Tetra-Phyls bracelets (designed and taught by Phyllis Dintenfass) that Pat Reisner completed from that class with Phyllis at Beadfest. I love how they dance and flutter when she wears them.
A couple posts ago I spoke about the kits we're working on for Midnight in Manhattan. Meanwhile I had to ramp up the inventory of these beads. Well, I am not sure if you can tell from the photo but, both of these are each worked up in size 8 Japanese seed beads. One is the original and one is worked up from the fresh delivery of beads I ordered for the kits. Yikes! There is such a difference in the way the Matsuno worked up compared with the Miyuki. The original piece is firmer and the new one is loosey-goosely and UNacceptable. So, what is the harm in laying in even MORE beads?

Customarily you can find me teaching on a couple Thursdays a month at Beadzo in Tivoli NY . This month there is only one class and it is TUESDAY 17th.

Call to reserve a seat 845-757-5306. Lise wants to felt and bead an implosion, so I'll have the materials with me for her, and you if you wish to join in. I'll show Terri and Cookie some jewelry designs that use the new bezeled rivolis they have been making with me. Tara might bring Charlotte and perhaps they'll felt and bead a small purse like that shown in the photo. Makes a great gift!
Sunday I'll be back at Kinokuniya Bookstore in NYC (across the street from Bryant Park). We'll make a felted flower from 2-5pm in a specially discounted $25 workshop! Call to reserve your seat 212-869-1700. I'd love to link you to a sexy website but, truth is, they are an amazing bookstore with a woefully blah and uninformative website. I'll bring Turbo Felting Boards for everyone to use. There will also be a trunk show of my felted and beaded jewelry and a booksigning. Come by and felt with me.

This Bead and Button Show class is called Two Sides to the Story Bracelet. This innovative new technique came to me while exploring the capacity and versatility of a South African stitch regrettably named Polygon stitch. It produces flat beadwork that corrugates as you work, making it reversible. It is so much fun to actually feel the beads shift into their positions in your gentle grasp. When I teach this many beaders call it magical. I love it. The class is 3 hours and guaranteed to rock your bead world!

This lovely piece is dryly named Glass Bead Inspired Lariat. THE glass bead is one of Nancy Tobey's signature beads. The glass bead's beaded dopplegangers as well as the actual lariat itself, feature more aspects of (regrettably named) Polygon stitch. You know how important it is to me that my designs be not simply beautiful and comfortable and pleasing but also be infused with several techniques, skills and tips to share with those that bead them. This piece does all that. At the conclusion of the 6 hours you will have a new repertoire of beadwork skills plus a lariat well under way.

Once again I will teach Diamonds of Fire. The class will be sponsored by Swarovski making it more affordable and of added value. Walk away with several completed elements of this necklace and a real comfort with cubic right angle weave. Many beaders find right angle weave intimidating. Fall in love with it here. The piece in the photo is 1139 bicone cystals. The recipe for a convertible 2 bracelet/necklace version will be shared as well. Choices are good.

When the Bead and Button Show website posts the finalized classes, I'll bring you up to date and include the links to these and my other classes.