Creative Castle

Creative Castle is a seed beader's heaven. All 3 Japanese companies are represented and there are Czech seed beads too. The Swarovski inventory is dazzling. Carole brought an entire suitcaseful of vintage Swarovski from Paris a couple years ago. Plus she has the custom coat Swarovski chain in colors such as padparadscha, volcano, and Montana brandy. This chain combines links and crystals and is gorgeous just as it is. Yes, I said that. But, of course a pendant you bead and hang from it will make it all the lovelier.





You know how we are always in pursuit of the perfect way to carry our beadwork, making it portable? Carole found these aluminum cases with clear windows, so you can see which project is in which case. It is 5"x6" and tall enough to hold a project plus a few tubes of beads. Cut a piece of bead mat to fit and you're good to go. Tomorrow I'll have pictures work made in this two day Felt Component Jewelry workshop.
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Pillow & Trillium Beaded Beads Necklace

Today at Creative Castle I taught a beaded beads necklace project. It features the pillow bead (which still gives me a thrill every time I share how to zip two flat pieces of beadwork into a plump, hollow bead) and the trillium beaded bead, which is pesky for a couple rounds and then magically takes on this most fabulous shape. Plus we did a length if layered cross needle weave, a polygon woven pod and beaded bell to hide the magnetic closures within.


Esther worked in ruby and that matte gold Toho bead that looks like Venitian gold.






Susan worked in the same turquoises and aquas that she used when taking the Plum blossom beaded beads (seen lower left) workshop with Valerie Hector.



Christine came to class wearing her lovely lily of the valley necklace. The little flowers were inspired by those on a recent Bead & Button magazine cover. Hers were rendered in size 15 and have a similar shape and hang among lily leaves like those she made in a workshop with Maggie Meister. These dangle from a beaded ring bail on a spiral rope necklace. Lovely. She used a beaded toggle closure technique she said she learned from Laura McCabe.
Tomorrow begins the two-day Hand Felted Jewelry Components workshop. Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Felt workshop at Creative Castle

The beaders in the morning workshop: 2Sides to The Story Bracelet, were delighted with the magical way their beadwork was coaxed into sharp pleats, making it reversible, as they worked.
In the afternoon they selected 3 or more colors of fine merino wool to hand felt a bangle. Using the Turbo Felting Boards I shipped ahead, they were each finished with their felting and ready to bead within the first hour! Creative Castle offers a dazzling array of Swarovski elements so Annetta chose one to adorn her bangle. We covered a few ways she could incorporate the Rivoli and she chose to bead a bezel for it. I offered up this simple and versatile approach:
1. String a number of beads and tie them in a ring that us smaller than the circumference of the Rivoli. 2. If divisible by 2 or by 3...add a branch of beads to every 2nd or 3rd bead of the ring, ending each with 3 beads to act as turning beads.


Annetta used hold Charlotte 15s for those picots. The picots should reach the edge of the rivoli. 4. Exiting a high bead of a picot, pick up sufficient beads to reach the next picot's high bead.
Annetta chose 3 gold charlottes- an 11-3 gold charlottes.


Then she made another pass of netting around the top, connecting the 11s with more charlottes. She'll attach it to the joined, overlapping ends of the bracelet.
With the luxury of time, most beaders chose to learn the quick and easy new method for beading undulating peyote. They could join the ends of their bangle inside an inch or two of it, as Laura did here:


Sherry did the beadwork too, knowing she'll use it separately. She's decided to knot and embellish the green tips of her iris colored bracelet.


Beaders walked away jazzed, and wearing damp but lovely jewelry.
Sherry will be in the weekend workshop. Can't wait to see what she'll do. She is really into this feltmaking. She came with a knowledge of needle felting and a stash if lovely wool for that. Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

During my flight to LosAngeles, I peered out of the window and was amazed to see this...


Large round fields. These aren't the thing called crop circles, right?


And what Beader among us isn't moved by circles & dots? Anyway, just wanted to share that before I call it a day.
In the morning I'll teach 2 Sides To The Story bracelet. In the afternoon we'll felt bangles to bead. Creative Castle has great pearls, including keishi, plus a wealth of Swarovski components to include in the bangle but, I am most excited about sharing that fast new beaded bead technique.





And even if they don't use it in the bangle design, it looks great on a beaded chain.
Friday night at midnight, Rte 405 is closing until Monday morning, 6 a.m. I think. They are calling it car-megedden here. It does make it tough for beaders from the south to get to us. A couple folks backed out of their reservations for this weekend's Felt Component Jewelry because of this. So, if you can join us, there is a place for you at the table.
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Innovative Beads Expo & Beads Mosaic

When my Garmin estimated it would take MORE than 2 hours to drive to Edison NJ, I decided to book a room there. My favorite chain hotel had no vacancies when I called. When I called the owner of Innovative Beads Expo to inquire where everyone with the show stays, she gave me a detailed and concise lesson in Priceline. And, as luck would have it, they sold me a room in that same hotel that had no vacancies. Go figure.



Edison NJ's Innovative Beads Expo was fabulous. There was a nonstop stream of happy bearers that passed by all day long. I was set up in the foyer between the large and larger ballrooms. My role was to be a bonus for attendees: demonstrating beadwork techniques, signing books, teaching a 2-Ring Make & Take ( see above) and even a short bracelet class. I'll return in November for Friday & Saturday.


That show will include an emphasis on fiber along with beads. So expect me to offer this project.


Each participant will be provided a white felt purse as their " canvas" to embellish with beads, feathers, yarn and wool. I'll provide instruction in beaded edgings and needle felting.
In December find me at the Fishkill Innovative Beads Expo. If I were not this minute, sitting in the airport, bound for Creative Castle in Newbury Park CA, I'd be going to Fishkill this weekend, for the Expo.
Sunday I taught at Beads Mosaic.


Carla, a kindred spirit in her orange blouse with matching orange and hot pink purse, came, knowing she'd have to leave early. She completed the band, beaded toggle closure and at least one fan before going.


Jody's turquoise and aua beads really boosted the vibration of her bracelet.


As happens frequently, Ellen selected beads for her bracelet that were pretty much the colors she was wearing.



I left these bezeled Swarovski rivolis and stones to display for our August 6 workshop. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Broadway St,Port Ewen,United States

Fresh start...no attempt to share all that has transpired since last time.

Saturday I will be at my first Innovative Beads Expo. This one is in Edison NJ. I'll be teaching a new bangle bracelet workshop in a short and sweet 2.5 hour workshop. There are seats available. Come join me.





When I am not in class I'll be on the show floor exhibiting some projects that I have or will be teaching. I'll also offer a 30 minute "make and take" of a pair of rings featuring those durable coat metallic beads.





And in-between those projects festuring double-needle right angle weave, I'll demonstrate cubic right angle weave. The piece above is solely cubic right angle weave in Swarovski crystals.



Sunday find me teaching Twilight in Savannah bracelet (above) at Beads Mosaic in Nanuet NY. This summery bracelet flutters and sways to the wearers movements. It is an exercise in creative colorplay, creating texture by placement of assorted bead sizes and everchanging brick stitched "half-rounds"... All on an embellished ladder base.
See you this weekend I hope.

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Location:Innovative Beads Expo and Beads Mosaic Workshop this weekend!