Carol Cypher

Bead & Button Show added sessions

2012-02-09T22:24:00.001-08:00

The Bead & Button Show has added duplicate sessions for my more popular classes.
Three are Prelude classes for June 1st & 2nd, the Friday and Saturday that kick off the full week of show to follow.
Saturday June 9th from 9-5 is the entirely Swarovski crystal (except the thread and the closure) necklace composed of approx 1600 of the dazzling little beauties. And it is fun to make... And dazzling to wear...And will make cubic right angle weave a cherished addition to your beading repertoire. Because Swarovski is sponsoring the crystal, this daylong workshop is a real value at $164.
Check out http://search.beadandbuttonshowstore.com/beadandbuttonshow/default.aspx?searchtext=&mode=search

Crochet and Scrumbling

2012-02-09T21:20:00.001-08:00

Irma mentioned her knitting & crochet group at our studio class. She enjoys the group but feels challenged to produce straight edges in her crochet. I told her to avoid even trying and take up instead, free form crochet or "Scrumbling" as James Walters and Sylvia Cosh called their highly textured, multi-patterned and potentially colorful style of crochet. Gosh, can it be 15 or more years since I took their workshops in "Scrumbling" at The Wool Room? It was life changing! Every stitch was a step on a yarn adventure. It provides the opportunity to use every size hook and every and all yarns in your stash. Their book THE CROCHET WORKBOOK and Jame's book CROCHET WORKSHOP are next best to a workshop. (r.i.p. Sylvia)
The very first exposure I ever had on the Internet was when James Walters posted my scrumbled coat in The Gallery section of his website.
The colors aren't exactly true but the extraordinary texture is evident. What a fun and creative process is free form crochet. I would crochet a patch the size of a notepad or placemat and then arrange the pieces like a puzzle and connect them.
When I taught in Australia the first time, crochet teacher and author of FREEFORM KNITTING AND CROCHETJenny Dowde was also teaching at that conference. I knew we would be fast friends. I'd read a lovely book review she had written about one of my books AND she is a free form crochet devotee and fellow fiber goddess! What's not to love?
While I was with Tulip Co last month, Mr Harada gifted me the gorgeous limited edition of blue Etimo crochet hooks (left, below)
On the right is the set of Tulip bead crochet hooks called Sucre...and they ARE sweet, in French or any language... silky soft in your hand with a perfectly crafted point that slips easily into the bead stitches. The beadstores carrying Tulip beading needles sell these gorgeous hooks individually and by the set.
Wow, I feel like getting my yarn basket out...but not until I finish the new sample I'm beading for an April workshop at Bead Gallery Inc.

Just 2 more quintessential items to share from my Japanese adventures last week

2012-01-29T15:03:00.001-08:00

Those of you who have beaded with me know how much I love these sweet little pins...even more so now that they make them in Tulip shape.

During my tour of the Tulip plant and offices I saw this package of enormous pins. They are large replicas of the cellulose head pins seen on the left. I'm told teachers use these large ones for demonstration/educational purposes.
Please forgive me if you must sit through this while I tell the story once again:

For many years Tulip has been providing sewing kits to 4th graders studying handicrafts. Among the items in the sewing kit is a cellulose head pin. The children are encouraged to write their name on it, learning the value of the smallest tool.

How I love that story. It seems to me quintessentially Japanese. In contrast to my experience of elementary school...learning to use paper cups and a growing number of other disposable items.
Tulip staff knows I am charmed by this story, these pins and even more, to know Mr Harada's father invented the machine that made their first cellulose head pins.

Until a few months ago, before having my first Tulip fine beading awl, these pins were my fav item to tease knots open in beading thread.

Fumiko Ishikawa gifted me this 3 level lacquerware bento box. It is decorated with momiji, or maple leaves, the symbol of Hiroshima. We didn't have a chance to visit after I opened her gift and didn't ask it's origins. But, looking on line, it was made in Ishikawa prefecture. (This prefecture shares her name.) In Kyoto and Kamakura there was so much lacquerware I admired. I am delighted to have this gorgeous bento box as a reminder of Fumiko and this wonderful time in Japan. Plus, I carry at least one meal a week with me. This 4.5" cube will be a beautiful way to pack and enjoy these meals.

There... I seriously hope this concludes my posts about this recent trip to Japan.
There might be posts that describe the factory tour, but only when I start to put that all together.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Just a final few things to share about my enjoyment of Japan last week.

2012-01-29T13:19:00.001-08:00

In addition to exploring the food floor of Mitsukoshi Department Store Motoko and I shopped at Ninben.
Ninben is a purveyor of katsuobushi and other dry goods established in 1699.

In addition to a bag of the bonito flakes I use to make dashi, I bought the dried tuna filet.

Rather than purchase the device shown here to shave the filet to produce flakes, I'll use a plane, not so different from those my carpenter/woodworker husband Jay uses.
Ninben sells choice hongare katsuobushi, which means it has had the mold applied at least 4 times during the 6 months it takes skilled craftsmen to make.
Delicate flakes are also eaten as a food topping. It not only enhances the flavor of the other ingredients, it also dances in a most intriguing way.
When our appetites returned Motoko had a fine idea. She knows that the restaurant we enjoyed in Nagoya in 2008, known for its tebasaki, Nagoya-style chicken wings, has a branch in Tokyo. Yamachan's wings are crispy and non-greasy and soooo good with beer, though I took the opportunity to have saki.
Our visit felt luxurious though only a day long.
It was snowing on our walk back to the Tokyo Done Hotel. That little bit of white ornamental snow was lovely though, I heard it caused a bit of traffic havoc overnight. Tokyo drivers are unaccustomed to driving in it.

We won't see each other again until the Bead &
Button Show in June in Milwaukee. I'll be teaching 12 classes and she'll be translating for several Japanese teachers (Hiroe Tagaki, Keiko Seki, Yumiko Watanabe, Emi Yamada). Check my class offerings in a couple days. There will be duplicate sessions of a few.

At the peril of making my posts all about the food...

Ok, I admit it. When I'm sharing my travels it seems to be all about the food. It is ACTUALLY all about the people and the love and the food. Easiest to share the food and hopefully you feel the love.
Tuesday noontime, Daisuke came by to take me to lunch before my heading back home. Pressed for time, he apologized for suggesting we eat at the Tokyo Dome food court. What a departure from what I've seen of food courts in the USA. My rice bowl with raw salmon and salmon roe was attractive and fresh and served with pickles and a small bit of sauce. When half was consumed, Daisuke advised me to pour the contents of the pot (perhaps dashi?) onto the remaining portion and enjoy it as soup.

Shinichi Kodoma, director and general manager of sales division (Tulip) joined Daisuke in seeing me off. This shot taken from my seat on the limousine bus bound for Narita airport.

My airport experience in Tokyo has been very civilized. And I enjoyed these sculptures...

Uh, are those sperm? I'm thinking, wondering, can these be sperm when I happen upon this sculpture...

Well yeah, if these are hearts, those were likely sperm. Hmm.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A day to play in Tokyo before flying home

2012-01-28T15:17:00.001-08:00

My friends at Tulip were still busy exhibiting at the Tokyo International Great Quilt Show and I had a day to play in Tokyo before flying home.
My friend Motoko Natsubori came from Hokkaido and we made the most of our day.
We arranged to meet Yumiko Karasawa for lunch. Yumiko was one of the principle organizers of my teaching event for Coronet and Gakusyu Forum the first time I came to Japan in 2008. I taught in Tokyo for a week and then taught or traveled to Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto and Yokohama. Yumiko
is seven months into her pregnancy and recently left Coronet Co.

We went back to the loach restaurant we'd enjoyed in a past visit with Motoko. It is her Dad's favorite, and ours too.

The entire floor is tatami mats and boards on the floor serve as tables.

The waitress delivers a pan of loach to the charcoal burner at our setting.

We add green onions and dashi and continue cooking them. When we consume that pan another is delivered. This is what the charcoal burner looks like when the pan is removed.

Afterwards we went to Asakusa. We went to Sensoji Temple, a popular Buddhist temple built in the 7th century before strolling Nakamise, the shopping street where I would replenish my Shichimi (Japanese 7 spice blend) and Japanese pepper. I think the name of the shop is Yagenbori and they sell fragrant fresh spice blends or upu can create your own. Plus Yumiko had gifted me a sweet decorated tin that is also the dispenser, of chili powder.
When our appetites returned qe stopped by a dessert cafe. Yumiko and I each had the scoop of green tea ice cream that is served with cubes of agar agar and moochi balls, on left and foreground. Motoko had a bowl of half sweet red beans and half a golden grain porridge.

Even if it wasn't raining, we would have sought a stroll in Mitsukoshi Department Store. Elegant fashions, fragrant cosmetics counters but, the best is the grocery and food department.
Even raw beef is pretty. Notice the marbling!

Especially the Kobe beef!

Yes, priced per 100kg or approx 3 oz!

A case of prepared food...

Pastries...

Confections...

And gorgeous salads.
Sweetheart is taking me out... Gonna run. More later.
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Tokyo Great International Quilt Show

2012-01-28T10:50:00.001-08:00

We were quite busy at the Tulip booth and took only a quick lunch break, leaving little time to take in the show. But, each time I scurried past the exhibits, this quilt caught my attention. I lovvvvvve this.

Turns out to be just one piece of an entire installation of the works of Fumiko Nakayama. I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet with her for a short time.
There were wall hangings of reverse appliqué (trapunto) and embroidery,

This parrot, she explained, had been the object of her scrutiny in the jungle for several weeks.
There was an entire table set with a box of chocolates that were crocheted, stitched and sequined; bouquet of beaded flowers ... amazing.

We made a
Run past the prize winners:

First place is "bond" by Etsuko Ishitobi.

2nd place is Kimie Yoshimasa's "everyday to celebrate 70 years of life".

And the handmade award to Chieko Shiraishi's "lace paper".
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Visiting Miyajima

2012-01-28T10:10:00.001-08:00

Daisuke, Naomi and I drove from Hiroshima to meet the ferry to Itsukushima island, the sacred site called Miyajima.
We passed an oyster "farm" between the shores.

The Miyajima Toori (gate) is the famous floating gate to Itsukushima Shrine. Shown here at low tide, in high tide it appears to be floating. It dates back to 1168, though the current gate dates back to 1875. Built of camphor wood, it has 4 legs in addition to the primary columns, providing stability that allows the gate to sit on the surface of the mud, even withstanding typhoons.

Once ashore, visitors are amazed at the number of deer that casually roam the island.

They appeared to pay no attention to the tourists, save nuzzling or snatching the occasional irresistible and unguarded tote bag.

We headed for the Itsukushima Shrine.

Its first buildings were erected in the 6th C, but the present shrine was constructed in 1168. Beside the shrine is a noh stage.
We continued along the path and steps up the mountainside to Daishi-do Hall, where Kobo Daishi, founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism was enshrined in 9th C.

Lining the steps to the temple are statues of 500 disciples, each unique.

This sand mandala was made by Tibetan Buddhist priests, depicting divine figures of Kunnon Bosatsu, the symbol of mercy.

The ceiling is decorated with beautiful botanical pictures.

Naomi, Daisuke and I are all horses (far left) despite being of different ages.

The crocheted hats and scarves are provided by worshippers, some who have lost children and tend to Jizo Bosatsu images to redeem the spirits of deceased babies and children.

The view down to the shore is breathtaking.

When I replied in the affirmative to the question "do you eat oysters?", Daisuke took us to Kaki-Ya. Just inside the entry a man tends oysters on the chargrill. We enjoyed some and these as well:

fried panko breaded, poached, oil-cured, in rice and even in the miso soup! It was truly one of the most outstanding meals of my life!

We toured a few shops afterwards and I purchased oyster soy sauce and oyster rice to make the moment last.

As the day wrapped up we stopped at this cafe for an herbal tea. The floor was all cushioned and pillows lined the walls. The "tables" were wooden rounds. Fabulous.
In a few short hours we would join Mr and Mrs Harada, Kei, Shinichi, HyoMin, Mayumi, Shoko, Asako for welcome dinner #2, at Suishin. Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Catching up on more Tokyo Quilt Festival

2012-01-28T07:54:00.001-08:00

It was thrilling to meet fellow felters also creating jewelry. This is Tomoko Higuchi.

Dove chocolates are smooth and silky dark chocolate wrapped in foil with a message inside. The messages are lovely though, sometimes challenging to translate: Take time to enjoy the simple pleasures. Naomi gave it her best, helping our visitors with theirs.

You met rug hooker Noriko Sakurai on previous post. She returned with her friend, a fellow feltmaker.

While checking out her friend's necklaces and nuno felt, check out Noriko's wrist to left!

Shoko and I used a break for a quick but luxurious green tea and green tea ice cream.

Last year my checked suitcase was carry-on sized and, when I determined to bring home 400 Tulip beading needles, making room meant purchases I'd made would be last minute gifts to my friends seeing me off. This year I brought a larger suitcase and revisited Teruko Aoki for more of the green tea loaf I'd bought last year. Shoko treated me to a red bean one and a green tea. Teruko gifted me a couple "cookies".

Speaking of sweets, Sandaki came by the Tulip booth again this year and brought me these sweets to commemorate Setsubun, a Japanese holiday marking the beginning of Spring, observed on February 3rd. Traditions include the throwing out of roasted beans, exclaiming "out with the devils, in with good fortune". Each person eats the number of beans or peanuts equal to their age. Sounds much more festive than our Ground Hog's Day, one day earlier.

Speaking of festivals, March 3rd is the doll festival called Hina-matsuri. Red carpeted platforms display dolls representing the Emperor, Empress and also their attendants and musicians. The holiday began in the Edo period in 17th C, though the dolls may be dressed in court dress from the Heian period 794-1185. Those in seated pose are called suwari bina, and Haradas gifted me this pair. It is tradition to display them through February up to and including March 3rd festival.

Speaking of gifts from Mr and Mrs Harada, their hometown Hiroshima is famous for fine brush production. This lovely set of cosmetic brushes is from Chikuhodo. Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Saturday at Tokyo International Great Quilt Show

2012-01-21T15:31:00.001-08:00

Tulip's corner booth is gorgeous. You can see the two screens added this year. They run video of the factory, Hiroshima attractions and Miyajima plus, provide close up of my hands during demonstrations.

Here is my beautiful demonstration space, where I have access to the visitors who stop by for demo, questions or booksigning.

A booth opposite us is Janone. Noriko Sakurai, a rug hooker, is working in that booth. She stopped by to show us her felt necklace and felt hair ornament. Lots of kindred spirits under the Tokyo Dome this weekend!

When visitor Akemi showed us her needle felted embellished scarf, I asked to take her photo for here.

And also Naimi Araki who made her felted brooch.

This is Hiroe. She purchased the kits so she can make the necklace, bracelet and case she learned to make in the demos.

Hiroe had already purchased the Japanese felt book at the craft store, so I signed a bookplate for her.

This is visitor Naoko, herself a Felter. She is showing her felted sculpture on her phone screen.
Just a quickie post fir now. We are busy every minute. Mire later.....Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

First day Tokyo International Great Quilt Show

2012-01-20T16:48:00.001-08:00

The redesigned Tulip Co booth is so elegant and gorgeous. Looking at the dew shots I took, guess there isnt one to show you today. But here is just one beautiful panel in the booth.

It tells a little about the needle production. This year there is a wonderful video running silently overhead that features the factory, Hiroshima and sacred site Miyajima (that Naomi, Daisuke and I visited Wednesday and I will share in a subsequent post). I have asked for a copy to show back home.
During my demonstration of embellishing with needle felting and beads, when there was a break in the visitors for a moment, I looked up and saw Takuma Ito. It was delightful to greet him. You know, he and his wife Kumiko Mizuno Ito hosted my first visit to Japan in, I think, 2008, and at that time introduced me to Mr. Harada and Tulip Co. It is always fascinating to review the chain of events that bring us to present day.

To my left is Shoko Akiyama. You may recall sharing my adventures with her in posts about last years show. Again this year she translated my directions and is interpreting for me during demonstrations. On my right is Masami Oda, the crafts woman I wrote about yesterday responsible for the fine handwork in making size 13 needles.
Gotta run.... More later.
First

Here are Misako and Mayumi, two visitors to my demonstration just before I left for the day. They each purchased a felt book I had written for Japanese craft market and I signed them and asked for a pose:) - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Forgot to tell you...

2012-01-19T00:55:00.001-08:00

Maybe on Saturday before our work begins at the Quilt show, I will show Masami ( from previous post) how to bead the Not-a-Tennis-Bracelet. I brought several kits with me, expecting, like last year, to fit a beading lesson or two into our time together.

I've promised to ship 20 kits and she has promised to show 20 of the Tulip staff what she has learned.
And it gets better...

While visiting the Misasa facility, Ms Yoshioka jokingly said she wanted one of the bracelets I was wearing...so I gave it to her, much to her astonishment. She made an exchange, giving me the green rubber "peace " band she was wearing, plus a beaded santa pin she made.

Seeing I wore 2 bracelets of that style, Ms Takemoto went for the other one on my wrist. If you look closely you might even see the scrapes on her hand, as she literally "took pains" to roll it on.

So here we are after the bracelet swaps were made and 7 more Tulip staff were added to the list of potential beaders. Building a happier world 27 beaders at a time. The man in this shot of the mostly women staff is Mr Ikuta. He is responsible for the perfect white color-coded boxes that hold 10 of each item. It makes inventory and shipping a dream.

Last night at dinner, I was presented with a gift from Ms Takemoto. 3 packages of Tulip beading needles and a Sucre bead crochet hook. But wait, these are pink gold! She plated beading needles and a beading crochet hook with pink gold for me! Wow! I own the only pink gold Tulip beading needles in the world! And the day before I'd been gifted sets of gold plated felt needles. I am being treated like a queen, and I've the gold to show for it.

Oh, and once again my felted hair is a curiosity. Not so much " how did you do it" or " how long did it take".... More like "how do you wash it?" I love it here, it has got to be the most clean-conscious place on earth.
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Now I know why the size 13 Tulip beading needles are $14.00 a package

2012-01-19T00:04:00.001-08:00

It was fascinating to tour Tulip company factory, offices and headquarters in Hiroshima a couple days ago. I promise to share as much as I can with you but, meanwhile, I'll tell you why the size 13 Tulip beading needles are $14.00 a pair.

Before I publish photos I took on the tour, I'll get the okay from HyoMin. Meanwhile, let me share with you a little about the persons and processes involved. Masami Oda invited us into the room where she hand works the size 13 needles.

She must hand set each eye, because the needle is simply too thin to do by machine. She then holds each tiny needle one at a time to the machine that will shape the head and then the point. She inspects each needle under a microscope to observe the success of this painstakingly detailed and precise operation. Masami will be working at the Tulip Co booth at the Tokyo International Great Quilt Show with us this weekend. I look forward to working with her. Additional booth staffers (who may all be familiar from previous posts), are HyoMin, Naomi Mori, Mayumi Kunishio, Shoko Akiyama, Masami Kawate and Takashi Sasaki. Kei Segawa and Shinichi Daisuke Ito, Satoshi, Sako (manger of the factory and inventor of custom machines), and Asako will be there also.
I digress...back to the handwork of producing size 13 ...

This is Takasaki Shinichi who was kind enough to demonstrate how he gold-plates the eyes of the size 13 needles, hand working up to 5 at a time.
Now when I am beading I enjoy knowing Masami and Takasaki and others who have handled each one of these precious little tools that are now in my hands. Our interconnectedness warms my heart. What other tools do we use that we can say this of? And when we need a fine needle that can handle right angle weave with size 15 seed beads and stand up to several projects, these just cannot be beat.
Soooo much more to tell...a little at a time...as time allows.
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Hiroshima and Tulip Co tour

2012-01-17T07:00:00.001-08:00

Well, dreams come true once more, I am returned to Japan. I am hoping to blog daily and keep up on email because I have once again rented a mifi (personal wifi unit) from rentafone in Kyoto. It was ordered on line and delivered to my hotel before my arrival.
Once again the blog app on my little iPod is changed. I have just posted photos and do not know where they will appear, relative to text.
Here is a photo of my 4 year flight companion. He was traveling with his elderly grandma (I am guessing) who spoke no English, but we smiled and giggled with each other quite a bit. The little boy realized I was more adept at the video screen before him and never hesitated to jiggle me awake each time he needed to find a new game to play on it. He is so cute I forgive him preventing me any rest during this interminably long, stuffy and cramped flight.
Naomi met me in Hiroshima airport. I was relieved to make the connecting flight from Tokyo, as the line in immigration was reallllllly long and then
I had to retrieve my luggage, go through security again, recheck the luggage and dash to the gate in under 2 hours.
She and Daisuke delivered me to http://www.sheraton.com/Hiroshima , a gorgeous 1 year old addition to this beautiful city. The lobby is welcoming and elegant. During breakfast I could look out onto a view of the city.
Let's see how this post looks and in the morning, I'll share with you how the tour of Tulip Co revealed why those size 13 Tulip beading needles are $14.00 a package!

Have any photos of beading with Tulip beading needles to share?

2012-01-03T12:20:00.001-08:00

In a couple weeks I'll be in Japan to exhibit at the International Great Quilt Show once again. This time, in advance of the show in Tokyo, I'll spend a couple days in Hiroshima to sightsee AND visit the factory where Tulip beading needles are made.
I've printed the love emails I've received about the needles and am putting together a scrapbook of them. It would be wonderful to include photos of happy beaders using their needles. PLEASE send me email attachments or actual photos to include, and if you send a love letter, I'll include it. Thanks for sharing.

Ginormous Diamonds at City Beads of Chicago next month!

2012-01-02T22:03:00.000-08:00

So yesterday I reported relief at finding a missing necklace and not having to make yet another. Fact is, frequently it is necessary to make multiples of a designs. Just completing the original sometimes involves several fits and starts. I make notes all along the way and, in a perfect world, the steps could simply be followed sequentially to duplicate the original. But, alas, the world, though beautiful and interesting and an adventure is (gratefully) not perfect.
Though there is no expectation of it being completed in 6 hours, routinely a project will be slated for a 6 hour class. Each and every one of the salient points and pertinent techniques involved have to be addressed within that time frame. This makes the sequence of the steps irrelevant. Instead, the aspects of the steps that become the foundation for the next step, must be identified and addressed. And the way that the actual stitch used varies from the standard stitch, must be covered as well. While test driving the recipe from this new approach, I complete a copy of the first. And when it happens that the project will be exhibited in several venues where I will teach it, then I need several copies. Nice problem. This New Year's I got to make yet another Ginormous Diamond Knock Down Necklace. You can see one at City Beads in Chicago, where I will be teaching this February 26.
Even though I relish making necklaces of marcasite charlottes that look like delicate jewelry store chains (Trilogy of Chains), after Fran laid a couple of these ginormous diamonds on me last year I just KNEW I had to get myself to that mine and get me a bunch of these so I can share the wealth! The resulting project is this necklace/lariat called Ginormous Diamond Knock-Down (intentional double entendre meaning that it is both knock-down drag-out over-the-top gorgeous AND it knocks down into several styles/sizes/options due to 3 magnetic closures). At first glance one might sum it up as r.a.w, herringbone, fringe, odd-count peyote and African helix. While this is true, each of these stitches is infused with tricks and variations that even seasoned beaders will want to know. You sign up and I'll supply the "diamonds"!
I'll be at City Beads for the entire weekend. On Friday Feb 24 join me for Twisting Twirling Trillium Necklace while learning swirling renditions of peyote and polygon and these beaded beads I call Trillium that begin rather routinely and develop in unexpected ways...you"ll want to make more than two but, do it on your own time afterwards. Saturday Feb 25 is Hand Felted Complex Cane Beads Necklace. There will be an array of gorgeous dyed merino wool to work with. Saturday night we're sneaking in an evening workshop of a New, Original, Corrugated and Even Reversible Bracelet using a stitch I devised based on a tubular African stitch. More on these in the days to come...

When things go missing...

2012-01-02T19:33:00.000-08:00

I heard from Beadfest Philadelphia that this is one of the projects I will teach there in August. So I record my Beadfest schedule in my calendar and gather the projects to store in one place. But, where oh where can it be? The last time, that I recall with any certainty, that I saw Cape Hope Necklace, was September, when I taught it at Bella Beads in New Hampshire. Hmm, no sign of in the usual places. Even a look in the likely places got me nowhere. Then the mad-hot search was on. I checked the recipe case. Nothing. I checked the suitcases. Nothing. I checked the bags of wool (since one of the classes at Bella Beads was felted jewelry). Again, nothing. So I resigned myself to having to make another one. Of course, the focal bead would be different but, I had purchased 3 beads from that artist and one of the remaining two would serve well. The bead choices I used are still gathered into one box in the studio so, today my Franklin Planner page for January 2 listed among the to-dos: bead another Cape Hope Necklace. No complaints here, it is a fun project, even though it's intention is to serve as a vehicle to teach all the variations of tubular herringbone in one joyful (and wearable) session: regular, zippity-do-dah, with inclusions within the stitches, with inclusions between the stitches, how to increase and decrease, varying bead sizes per row and per stitch, creating "seed stitch", spiraling and even circular. BUT, as I reached for the box of beads I used for the original (I have to digress here and tell you about the box of beads: often I "shop" throughout the studio for a palette of beads that hum at me, collecting them in a plastic shoebox. It might happen that a box of beads is used only once, like the evp purple, mustard, chocolate, merlot, and stripey bead combo for the bracelet I called Amy's birthday bracelet but, upon publishing my recipe (Oct 2005), Bead & Button Magazine renamed it "Harvest Loops". Sometimes a single box of beads generates many designs.) Ok, back to reaching for the box of beads used for the original: right next to it, even though I KNOW i looked there twice before, sat a translucent envelope containing the necklace. Yippee. It was delightful to find it in advance of making another plus, it reminded me of all the other found items that had gone missing. (Well, except for the 14ct gold acrobat earring that I only had one of to begin with!) Often it happens that I notice that a thing has gone missing. Then I tear the place apart looking high and low for it. Eventually (with aging, it happens sooner, than later) I surrender, accepting that I have the thing no more. Then, after some time, could be a day, a week , a year, something like this happens: I'll be heading out the door to an appointment and, as the key enters the lock, it occurs to me that I should grab my red jacket in case it gets cool. And as magical, fantastical and wonderful as it sounds, just as I reach for the jacket..tada...next to it is the missing thing! You'd think after a few episodes of this that I'd take it for granted but, I think it is requisite that you put in the work! Anyway, I love when it happens.
Wishing you some magic in your day...

Bead & Button Show class registrations begin January 10th

2011-12-31T13:15:00.000-08:00

Hand Felted Complex Cane Felt Beads Necklace (sold out first day last year!)

This June I'll be teaching 12 classes at the Bead & Button Show. The catalog has been sent to last year's registrants and anyone can view it on-line. On January 10th they will begin to accept registrations for classes. I have to say, in my 10 years of teaching there, I have observed that most of the registrations occur on opening day. Many beaders must sit at their computers, fingers poised to hit the right button, at noon CST, on January 10! Of course they continue to accept registrations from January 10th until the hour of the class, for any seats still available.
In past years, when my classes filled on opening day, they would schedule an additional session. This year my "dance card" is so full, it doesn't have a spot to sneak an additional session into. Nice problem. Hope you get into all the classes you want.

The fun starts Friday June 1st with "Preview' classes and continues through Sunday June 10.

Click on the links above or read the class descriptions below. In writing this post, I have yet to be successful placing photos next to the appropriate description. So, click on "12 classes" above and then on each individual class to see the details WITH the photo.

B121495 Crystal Galaxy Necklace Thu 6/7, 830a-330p From thread & 1600 xilion Swarovski crystals, create solid circular, diamond, triangular and pentagonal forms. Discover the repeated simple steps that propel you through the work and provide that meditative sweet spot that we love. Painlessly learn cubic right angle weave and all the sculptural possibility it holds.

B121440 Fireflies at Midnight Wed 6/6 4-7pm This original stitch can be thought of as tubular peyote stitch with the strategic addition of extra beads. These extra beads articulate this otherwise stiff beadwork, making it as supple as bead crochet. You will appreciate this versatile addition to your bead weaving repertoire.

Ode to Stripey Beads, offered both Saturdays 6/2 and 6/9

B121452 Sparkling Hand Felted Bangle Sun 6/3, 7-10p Transform fine merino wool into luxurious felt cane. Accelerate the process by using a Turbo Felting Board. Double-needle right-angle weave Swarovski crystals using the mantra that propels you through row after short row. Seamlessly join the first and last rows to cover the joined ends of your freshly felted bangle. You’ll finish.
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B121450 Hand Felted Complex Cane Beads Necklace, Fri 6/8 830-4, Create a set of complex cane beads from an array of fine merino wool, the magic of felt making and a technique inspired by glass/clay artists. Build and then combine, solid, spiraling and concentric canes. A Turbo Felting Board accelerates the felting into dense firm beads so you will string them in class.

B121461 Trilogy of Chains, Mon 6/4, 7-10p, Learn not 1, not 2, but 3 dainty chains in this short & sweet class. Wear them together or individually. These chains rival those from the jewelry store but, are composed almost entirely of size 15 seed beads. Well, a few 4mm crystals too! Though delicate in appearance, they are quite sturdy.

B121437 Hand Felted Bangle w Beaded Bead, Sun 6/10, 9-noon. Experience the magic of felt making, transforming fine merino wool into a luxurious felt bracelet. Accelerate the process using a Turbo Felting Board. Learn my quick & easy method for undulating tubular peyote. Whip up a couple inches to use as a beaded bead, covering the joined tapered ends for perfect fit.

B122505 & B121581 Ode To Stripey Beads Sat 6/9 or 6/2, 9-5 or 10-530 Choose beads from my collection of solid & stripy, plus the round, oval & oblong base beads to decorate with intricate beadwork. Discover the impact of the base bead’s finish & color. Design a template for custom-fit for each bead. Take away a finished bead and recipes/template for more. Wear one or string them w spacer beads.

B121587 Kalahari Mirage Fri 6/8, 5-8p. Approach a familiar stitch w/ a sense of adventure, creating a swirling rope that has an inside & outside. In a few inches, incorporate Swarovski crystals to enhance the matte beads, sparkle like a pool in the desert, and exaggerates the undulation of the necklace.

B121562 A Ring for Every Finger Tues 6/5, 7-10p Make a handful of elegant rings that look like precious metal, pearls and gemstones, and belie their seed bead composition. Begin with the easiest and work your way through all five recipes, weaving together seed beads, drops, magatamas and marcasite charlottes. Expect to complete most, if not all 5.

B121574 Kalahari Oasis Lariat Wed 6/6, 8-3. Weave the sparkle of an oasis into matte beads redolent of the desert. The rope spirals and has an “inside & outside”. Incorporate gorgeous daggers into one end and encrust the other end with faceted beads and drops in a way that causes it to undulate wildly. Wear the lariat with the encrusted end winding up the lariat, allowing the daggers to hang in a loose curl or entwine the ends together, bolo style.

B121540 Are 8 Really Enough? Friday 6/1, 5-8p Make 1 now and enjoy the bonus of learning how to make all 8. These bangles & bracelets are composed of seed beads (some durable finish gold/silver) with or without spotty daggers, drops and Bicone crystals, looking like a tennis bracelet. {I just designed yet another bangle that starts in this way but is more complex. I'm thinking of adding it to the rest, affirming that 8 are really NOT enough! Kits for this new beauty will be available on my website after the show.}

Suitto Needle Threader

2011-12-29T17:48:00.000-08:00

Suitto pushed the thread through the eye!

Suitto needle-threader, loaded with needle and thread

Last January when I was exhibiting with Tulip Co at the International Great Quilt Show in Tokyo, this red tulip-shaped little machine caught my eye. I've wondered about it over this year and whether it would be useful for beadworkers who have issues getting their needles threaded.
When Bead my Love and SuperiorBeads asked me about them I had to look into this promising tool. Tulip sent me one, affirming that this delicate machine is intended for sewing needles and threads.
How it works: Drop the needle, eye first, into the hole in the center of the cupped area at left. Hold the thread so it lays across the ditch between this part and the tulip. Press the button. If the thread was held straight across but, not so taut as to not yield to the tool, it will be pushed through the eye of the needle. Lift the needle gently to avoid pulling the small loop of thread back OUT of the eye. Gently pull the loop through the eye until one end of the thread passes entirely through.
What I have found is: Fireline 4#, Nymo D, Sonoko and One G beading threads can be threaded onto a size 11 Tulip beading needle. 6# Fireline, 10# WildFire and all of the above will thread into a size 10 Tulip beading needle. Jill, aka Jilly Beads, used it several times in the last two Studio classes and, when the thread was properly placed it worked for her each time.
Sooooooo, I placed an order for them!
My best-post-office-in-the-world called yesterday morning to say they had my EMS package (it stands for Express Mail Service and it IS. It gets my packages to me from Japan in 3-4 days!!!). I tossed the box into my car (too big for my bicycle!) and dashed home, promising to return immediately. The priority flat-rate boxes were addressed and ready to be filled with the orders placed by Bead my Love and Superior Beads. Tomorrow they should have their Suitto Needle Threaders!Now you know where you can find them.
In the style of those sometimes touching Master Card commercials:
Tulip beading needles $4.95 per package. Beading thread $2-7. Suitto Needle threader, about $20. Getting back the thrill of having threaded needles every time you want them...priceless!!

HOW WE FELT

2011-12-22T12:11:00.001-08:00

Having decided not to do yet another printing of HOW WE FELT, my publisher Interweave Press sent me the files. They said that because they opted not to print more, and the photos were taken by staff photographer and genius Joe Coca, that all rights are mine. I'm just heginning to investigate what would be involved to make it available as an e book from my website. Which makes me also wonder about having it available digitally for Kindle, Nook and iBook. And then of course, there is the "print on demand" market. It is all fascinating and another learning curve and I want to explore these. If you have advice or suggestions please drop me a line.

Testing the iPod app now that I've re-installed

2011-12-20T16:58:00.001-08:00

My techy friend Susan suggested this might do the trick. Well, I can tell you that the entire format looks different. So, I just took a photo of the delicious chocolate truffle filled figs we bought at Trader Joes. Let's see if this will work, including the photo.

My weekend workshops at Crystal Creations...Beads Gone Wild

2011-12-19T11:48:00.000-08:00

You've heard me enthuse about my iPod touch and iPad as I've incorporated them seamlessly into everything I do. They have advanced my techiness exponentially and I genuinely enjoy learning new ways to utilize their many features. Recently I've even read a few issues of MacWorld. Why hardly a beading workshop concludes without someone asking me to share some new digital thing I've discovered or some new app I've acquired. BUT, ever since the OS5 update, my blogger apps have become loathsome time vampires. Joyfully I'll share the days events, taking the considerable time to include links and photos throughout the posting, only to find that the entire thing won't upload or worse, disappears entirely. This has eaten up so much time that what used to feel warm and wonderful sharing of my magical days, ends up leaving me feeling frustrated and honestly, angry.
So, days after the fact, here I am, sitting at my computer trying to play catch up. I am tempted to look into wordpress or an alternate to blogger, if they do not remedy this glitch. I love returning to the hotel at day's end and making time to blog when things are fresh and immediate. If, from now on, because my mobile devices cannot be used for this purpose, I have to wait until I am returned home and in front of the computer to blog, I admit it just isn't going to happen. In that setting I have other demands on my time. If you have any clout with the app developer, please use it!

Eleanor felted and beaded with me the last time I taught at Crystal Creations. She recalled being in some discomfort afterwards from all the physical exertion. She was thrilled with the contrast this weekend, provided by using the Turbo Felting Board. So, she was able to be quite prolific without physical repercussions. Here she is seen building "leopardskin" felt.

She embedded shiny novelty yarn and will ultimately use this piece as a wall hanging. Eleanor is a very accomplished fiber artist and works in several fiber media.

We didn't confine ourselves to felt jewelry this weekend, though most everyone finished at least a couple pieces in addition to other felt projects. They wanted to sample nuno felting so I showed the technique of creating surface design around a skewer and then felting the slices into an open weave fabric. Dawn made her cane, removed the skewer and then, instead of slicing it she began to wet it as we had done for other applications. Discovering the faux pas immediately, she cut slices and placed them on the fabric. The gorgeous thing that happened is this:

I hope you can see the detail in this photo. While the center of each medallion is firmly felted into the background fabric, the outer edges are not. I loved seeing this happenstance. This is a technique I will use purposefully to that end. Fascinating. Thank you Dawn for your spirit of adventure.

Robin and Barbara are friends who have taken my workshops at the BEad & Button Show for several years running. They both made quite the effort to join me this weekend

at Crystal Creations and they were jazzed and productive. This is some of Barbara's booty.

Eileen felted a fascinator for her granddaughter, though she looks fabulous in it herself!

Liisa Turunen, the store designer and co-teacher with her mom, store owner Glenda Paunonen, felted several cuffs. You may recall me mentioning that she and Glenda said they wanted to make jewelry like in Cirque du Soleil. I still don't know what those pieces are but, Bloomfelt is a feltmaker associated with Cirque du Soleil.

Robin (left) ad Barbara (right) hard at work.

Glenda built up layers of color using the skewer technique and then felted a bangle. When it was 23 finished, she cut little wedges from the cane to reveal the interior. By continuing to full the bangle post-cutting, the wedges even out with the overall silhouette. Lovely.

Angela felted this cuff with fringe and then turned her attention to the felt purse shown here. Her construction is impeccable even though I dashed through the demonstration "felting around a resist", having added this to an already overly ambitious collection of techniques and projects for one weekend.
It was an amazing weekend of hugely creative, highly motivated people intent on using effectively, every moment we shared. I taught and demonstrated (and they created) necklaces, cuffs, bangles, felt beads, felt fabric, nuno, felting around an armature, inclusions embedded in felt, felting around an armature (purse) and fascinators. wish you could have been there.
Glenda spoke of felted earrings and similar projects she will offer in the repertoire of classes at Crystal Creations.

Lost in the shuffle

2011-11-24T09:53:00.000-08:00

Amy wanted to bead a band of peyote for her new pen by wood-turner Bob Rosenberg, so I reminded her of the easy double-needle method for odd-count peyote. Which in turn reminded me that the previous posts about the workshop at Beads Mosaic did not include everything I thought I'd shared. How I wish the developer would fix the bugs that have made my blog apps crash on my iPod and iPad. I've spent wayyyy tooooo much time happily sharing tales, photos and links only to find they disappear into thin ether. So, I'm "chewing my cabbage for the third time" as they say in the hills, on my computer this time, hoping this time is the charm.

Sarah, the beader we picked up at Innovative Beads Expo, finished her bangle in the morning session.

The tapered ends of the felt are joined inside the large-holed Unicorn bead. She embellished the felt with a simple few silver drop beads. Gorgeous.
One of the full-day felters, Sandy,

did it all. Here she is beading the undulating beaded bead for one bangle. Then she learned the double-needle odd count beaded bead for another.

She also selected one of the array of large-holed Unicorn beads on hand in the store, to finish a third bangle...seen in progress here.

In the back of my mind I keep imagining what Glenda and Liisa have in mind, when they say they want to create Cirque de Soleil inspired felt bracelets in our workshop at Crystal Creations a couple weeks from now (December 10 & 11). Speaking of...Marjolein Dallinga has a dream career as feltmaker for Cirque de Soleil. Cool.

Wondering if something like these will tickle their fancy.
Happy Thanksgiving. When giving thanks for the many blessings that make up my wonderful, creative, friendship and love-filled life, I am thankful to have you.

Beads Mosaic yesterday, Innovative Beads Expo Dec 3rd, Crystal Creations Dec 10&11

2011-11-21T17:54:00.000-08:00

It was a gorgeous drive down the thruway to Nanuet yesterday. Not much traffic this weekend...probably everyone is saving their road trip for next weekend. Beads Mosaic offered a choice of Felted Bangles to Bead workshops...come for just 3 hours in the morning and expect to make one or, come for the full day and experience several techniques in felt making as well as beaded finishes, including the fastest method of beading undulating tubular peyote. This is even easier than the method I share in MASTERING BEADWORK. I came up with it when I was writing the directions for potential projects I'd offered to demonstrate at the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival last January. In preparing the recipe to give to Shoko to translate, I was so intent on using an economy of words that this economy of beading came to me. How cool. I could have dope-slapped my own forehead though. Why did it take so long to come up with this?

A couple inches look great on a chain or beaded chain, I use it to finish some felted bangles and, here is a picture, and I may have recently shared this but, you can't see it too much, of Amy wearing her freshly finished undulating peyote necklace. Sorry to say I hadn't shared this easier way before she'd started this.

But, I've shared it with her since and I shared it last weekend in the felt jewelry workshops at Urban Stitch Studio and again this weekend at Beads Mosaic AND
... in 2 weeks from Thanksgiving when I teach Hand Felted Components Jewelry at Crystal Creations in West Palm Beach Fl, this will be just one of several cool things I'll share. Crystal Creations owner Glenda Paunonen, and her daughter and head designer for the store, Liisa Turunen, want to make Cirque de Soleil inspired cuff bracelets. You betcha. When we're together I invite you to use me up!! Their request got me so excited! Let's just do it all, I say. So, just to sweeten the pot I shipped 4 fabulous felted fascinators down for display in the store with the expectation that whatever folks want to make, even headgear, I'll be ready. Next week I'll ship ahead a box of gorgeous colors of fine merino wool, tulle, feathers, sequins, ribbons, wire, blades, cutting boards, Turbo felting boards. This will be like a shorter version of the weeklong workshops I taught in Australia in April and a couple years ago. I am sooooo looking forward to this. Call Glenda to reserve your spot in this creative adventure. Bring your heart's desires and a spirit of adventure.

Hey, mention you read about it here and I'll have a gift bag of supplies for you so you'll have more moolah for beads!

Full fab weekend: Demo at Innovative Bead Show & workshop at Beads Mosaic

2011-11-21T13:07:00.000-08:00

Amy accompanied me to Edison NJ for the annual Embellishments edition of Innovative Beads Expo. Wish I could tell you more yummy details of this show but, I didn't get around much. Leslie Pope replenished her supply of Tulip beading needles for Twisted Sistah Beads first thing. I had a chance to say hello to exhibitor and fused glass jeweler Marcia Moore. (I have a collection of her cabochons that I intend to use in a new design soon.) It was lovely to be situated near Moggie Moyer's Bead My Love booth. There was great shopping at this show in addition to classes taught by my friend Pat Riesner, Marti Brown, Adele Recklies, Meg Fillmore (the daughter of well known mother-daughter bead embroiderers of Bead My Love.)
We had a booth in the corner of the main ballroom, allowing plenty of space for observers to gather around for my demonstrations.

Sarah, to the extreme right in the shot, not only gave me her rapt attention during the Felted Bangle to Bead demo, she also came to the workshop yesterday at Beads Mosaic in Nanuet NY to create her own felted beaded bangle. (in next post)
Innovative Beads Expo has 30 shows scheduled for 2012 in the northeast, including one in NYC in May. I will be at the last show of 2011, in Fishkill, NY at the Ramada Inn on December 3rd. Here, rather than doing demos, I'll be teaching 2 classes. One is a necklace I designed especially for this event that is new-beader friendly and also offers new technique to seasoned beaders!

I call it Painted Desert. I'll also be teaching Treasure Bracelet.

This was a very popular bracelet I taught at all 8 Sewing & Quilt Expos around the country, the year I taught for them. I love that over the past couple years, a few beaders have come up to me at the Bead & Button Show in Milwaukee, to exclaim that they took Treasure Bracelet class at the quilt show and it was their gateway into beading.
Hope you can come bead with me in Fishkill in a couple weeks. Pat, Meg and Marti will be teaching there too! Innovative Beads Expos classes are always 8 or fewer students per class. What an amazing opportunity to enjoy individual attention from the instructors. At other shows classes max out at 16 to 24. Take advantage of this intimate learning venue.
After the show Saturday, a few of us met for a "nosh" at Harold's New York Deli at 3050 Woodbridge Ave, Edison NJ. What an experience! I'm recommending it. Pat had warned us that the sandwiches are intended to be shared by 3 or more people. Pat, Amy and I ordered a combo pastrami/turkey. They almost finished the pastrami half and I had my fill of delicious turkey on chewy perfect rye bread, plus 2 more meals from it Sunday!! Their concept of portion size is an interesting gimmick, and the place was packed with families. and parties. We passed the dessert showcase. The cakes were easily 14 inches tall and at least that wide. A slice occupies a platter rather than a plate, and again is meant to be shared. I was thrilled that the food was so very divine because I feared they were counting on quantity rather than quality to draw the crowds. Au contraire. Try not to be grossed out by the grotesque portions and go there with 3 or more folks that have similar palates. Enjoy the pickle bar. Yum. You WILL want a "doggy bag".
Sunday I taught Hand Felted Bangles to Bead at Beads Mosaic in Nanuet. Sarah found her way there after just a brief gps glitch that put her in Spring Valley first.
I'll start a fresh post about this after I dash to the post office...

Urban Stitch Studio post...revisited with pics this time

2011-11-18T09:08:00.000-08:00

Several 3-4 hour workshops were offered in both beadwork and feltmaking. And because a couple of us were staying right there at the Urban Stitch Studio "B&B;)", boundaries were blurred about when class was actually over. Here is a picture of, I think Beth's, Fireflies necklace and Twilight in Savannah.

Can this really be Marlene's very first beadweaving? Herself a feltmaking teacher, beadwork was new to her and we teased her that after Friday evening's class, she'd qualify as an intermediate beader for Sunday's classes.
(This coming Sunday, the 20th, I'll be in Nanuet, NY teaching the felted bangles-to-bead at Beads Mosaic. Hope you can join me there.)

One of the felting projects was a felt rope and felt flower than can be worn in one piece as a lariat. Let's see, is this Christine's yellow beauty? Pat made an additional short rope that terminated in leaves and attached it to her flower. This gives her the option to tie the flower to the lariat, or not.

Kelley, the owner of Sparkle Spot Bead Shop is also the force behind dyed Fireline. She gifted me a sample pack. Several beaders this weekend were using the dyed fireline and it IS gorgeous.

Recall that in the earlier post about this weekend, I had to remove the images in order to post it. Here is a pic of Marlene in one of her amazing garments she made using the Shambolic(TM) method of felting pieced silk.

Check out the felted dazzling jewelry Pat is wearing in this pic. These are pieces she teaches at Tucson in February, as a Swarovski ambassador.

2011-11-16T21:15:00.000-08:00

This Saturday coming, I will be at Innovative Beads Expo in Edison NJ all day long conducting free demonstrations of embellishment techniques. This is the annual embellishments edition of the Innovative BEads Expo. Amy will accompany me so she can help beaders acquire the appropriate kit to actualize the demonstrated methods used to decorate, even transform, clothing, accessories, other decorative items through needle felting, beaded edgings, hand felting and, oh yes, a little magic with a crochet hook. She'll have Tulip beading crochet hooks, beading needles and felting needles on hand for sale also.
I'll have copies of MASTERING BEADWORK: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO OFF-LOOM TECHNIQUES on hand for sale and signing. HAND FELTED JEWELRY AND BEADS: 25 ARTFUL DESIGNS had been declared out of print earlier this summer and tonight I found out the hard way that HOW WE FELT: DESIGNS AND TECHNIQUES FROM CONTEMPORARY FELT ARTISTS is also now out of print. A dear man purchased one from my brandy new website and asked me to inscribe it to his wife as a gift. I found I had run out and called Interweave Press, my publisher, to order more. They were out of stock as well. So is Amazon.com (except for used). For 3 days I tried to reach the publisher to inquire about when and where the reprint was expected and this evening her finally returned my call. He said there had "been a break down in communication. That they like to notify the author and ask if they are interested in purchasing the remaining copies." The cupboard was already bare when they notified me about HANDFELTED JEWELRY AND BEADS and, this time, as regards, HOW WE FELT, they didn't bother to notify me at all. I am so sorry to notify that dear husband of a felter that I have no book to inscribe and ship.

About those demos and matching kits available for purchase:
Saturday, November 19 – 11:00 am
Needle Felting Technique:
Create surface design using felt needles, fiber, and yarn. Designs are not confined to 2-dimensional; they can be built up to 3-dimensional as well. Techniques will be shown on a ready-made, lined, zippered, white felt case useful as wallet, cosmetics bag, small purse or case for handcraft tools. Items on display showing the versatility of the technique.

Kit=$25 - includes a White Felt Purse, colorful dyed wool, yarn, feathers, felt needle, sponge.
Saturday, November 19 – 1:00 pm
Beaded Edges Technique:

Decorative beaded edgings demonstrated on fabric. Suitable
for scarves, cuffs, lapels, hems on garments, the techniques
are also appropriate for lampshades, pillows and even jewelry. Kit=$25 - includes a white silk scarf, beads, written instructions for beadwork plus a recipe for dyeing the scarf with icing dye in a microwave with just vinegar and water.
Saturday, November 19 – 3:00 pm
Wet Felting Technique:
How to hand felt a cane or rope using fine merino wool and
a Turbo Felting Board with a bit of hot soapy water. Learn
how to use beads to transform the felt into a soft and luxurious bangle bracelet.
Complete Kit=$90 - for a Hand Felted Bangle with
Beaded Bead, includes a Turbo Felting Board, wool, beads, needle, thread, recipe for Beaded Bead, instructional DVD.
Or just $15 for Wool sufficient to hand felt a Bangle, using the technique demonstrated.

Sunday come join me at Beads Mosaic in Nanuet for adventures in handfelted bangles to bead. We are offering this to you as an abbreviated workshop for 3 hours or, opt to spend the day in creative bliss as we felt a trio of different bangles and then apply different methods of completing them with beadwork...beaded bead, embellished or cabochon. Last weekend the beaders in my workshop at Urban Stitch Studio made some amazing ones. As soon as I can move the pics I took with my iPod onto my computer, I can include them in the post just before this one. Ever since the OS5 update I cannot use my blog app on the iPod or iPad. BooHoo.(If you mention that you read about the Beads Mosaics workshop here, I'll give you a free
Turbo Felting Board, a $30 value).

From Urban Stitch Studio

2011-11-16T20:00:00.000-08:00

I just had to remove the photos to get this to post. Check back to see them when I can get them posted !!!!!!!!
This past weekend I taught workshops in Lutz Fl at Urban Stitch Studio. (Whiling away my time in the airport yesterday, I posted about next weekend's Innovative Beads Expo in Edison NJ but, there are issues with my blog app since the OS5 update. Grrrrrrr. (Did I just growl out loud? Yeah, well, I can't tell you how frustrating it is to see all the sharing and links and photos disappear into the ether!)
Friday evening was a workshop in beaded bezels and the iPod photos of us look like we are beading in a cave instead in this glorious and organized and spacious studio space. The ipod doesn't cope well with lighting and we had the task lamps going. (I understand the camera on the new 4s iPhone is amazing. Hmm. Maybe in April.)
Linda wins the prize for traveled the furthest... Minneapolis MN. She is a seasoned feltmaker and beader and a joyful person. Saturday morning we felted bangles and began beaded beads to connect the tapered ends of the felt.
Pam, on left, drove 2 hours to join us. What a treat it is to see her. She was in my workshops when I taught at the Art Glass Show in Orlando a few years ago and also at the Sewing & Quilt Expo in Tampa. Yesterday Patsy came to class and she has beaded with me at Convergence the year it was in Tampa and also at The Bead & Button Show. It's like old home week. Marlene (you recognize her from an October post about NY State Sheep and Wool Show, demonstrating feltmaking at her booth. A year or so ago, I posted here about the weekend I taught for her Marlene's Felting Madness) in Galipolis OH. Marlene is in process of trademarking her felting technique she calls Shambolic. It is piecework utilizing wool to "glue" the pieces. We were able to get her to model her coat.

This jacket was juried into an exhibit at the Workhouse Arts Center called Art of Fiber in Lorton Virginia.

My hostess this weekend is Pat Riesenburger also, like Marlene, a feltmaking teacher. Pat teaches crystal embedded felted jewelry at Tucson every year, as an ambassador for Swarovski.
Here she is wearing her cuff and jeweled necklace. Gorgeous. Next month she has a capacity workshop in the nuno shawl she teaches using her hand dyed fine merino wool and silk fabric.
This is Pat's wearing her felted long stemmed flower lariat from the afternoon workshop.
Wish i had a decent picture of Beth's.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPod, I hope, though photo less for the time being.

Winter arrived early this year!

2011-11-01T12:22:00.001-07:00

Once again our home came out unscathed... this time, from an early snow storm that piled tons of heavy wet snow on trees that still had their leaves. Trees fell onto roadways and power lines. We lost power for a couple hours but a million residents here and in neighboring states will still be without power for another day or more. I am grateful every minute for my charmed existence. When Irene struck, several local roads were washed away or eroded and I've learned new routes to neighboring towns. Downed trees don't have such an extended impact on travel since they are generally cleaned up pretty quickly.
I've brought out the sweaters and socks and assorted other woolies but, must avoid storing the lighter clothing for a couple months, looking ahead to 2 stints in Florida. Next weekend I will be in Lutz Fl, near Tampa, to teach both beadwork (Twilight in Savannah, Beaded Bezels and Fireflies at Midnight) and felting (Felted Flower Lariat and Beaded Felt Bangles) workshops at Urban Stitch Studio.

The second weekend in December I'll be teaching an entire weekend of Hand Felted Component Jewelry at Crystal Creations in West PalmBeach.
Today I am working on my new website. I learned how to add the poster about the demos I will do at Innovative Beads Expo in Edison NJ on the 19th. My new website is through Artisans Accomplice. They provide a friendly, affordable and figure-out-able way for artists (though they will not turn you away if you are not an artist) to set up and maintain their own websites. Gosh, when I think of it, 10 years ago I was a Luddite through and through. Why, I couldn't even navigate my way around the tv remote, doomed to watch only CNN if left to my own devices (so to speak). Now I'm completely INTO my "devices"... loving my iPod and iPad beyond reason. Plus I'm figuring out my new iMac, website, and considering, possibly, an iPhone!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Glitches since Os 5 update?

2011-10-30T18:24:00.001-07:00

Oh where, oh where did my last blog post go? Oh where oh where can it be?
Hmm. I finally got around to writing about the extended weekend of workshops at Bead Gallery Inc , using my iPad...because this was what I had at hand between appointments and stuff, and without wifi. Figured I'd pop the photos in from my iPod later and then publish but, ALAS!!!!!! The darned thing has disappeared.
Several accounts of crashes and disturbances since the OS 5 update are reported. Although I've notified the developer of the app, it doesn't resolve that the time and text are lost.
So, here I am on the iPod, hoping it is up to the task, because this is where the pics are.

We began last weekend with 3 beadwork workshops on Friday.

I taught the Handful of Rings and Is Eight Enough? bangles and bracelets workshops that I will
also be teaching in June at the Bead and Button Show. And in the evening I taught a swirling tubular necklace embellished with either firepolish
or swarovski crystals. I've redesigned and simplified that necklace, calling it "Painted Desert Necklace" that I'll be teaching December 3rd at Innovative Beads Expo in Fishkill.

Sunday we devoted the day to Hand Felted Fascinators. Rita and Robin have felted with me in previous workshops here and arrived with a clear agenda.

Thisiq Catherine, Stacey and Sharon from-the-back in this shot.

Genevieve's amazing daughter Eva joined us and turned this out!

Jamie is the seasoned felter who usually joins us for the felting workshops here. She is known for radically short hair. No worries. Wear that fascinator on a hairband instead of a comb, clip or hair stick.
This isn't the post I already did twice but...it IS the way to share that weekend until the glitches are worked out.
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

On my way to Bead Gallery Inc

2011-10-20T22:20:00.001-07:00

It was a gorgeous drive to Melrose MA. Any drive that exceeds 4 hours, really gets to me. Fortunately I realllly love the destination...Bead Gallery Inc and the owner Genevieve.
After shipping out a couple Tulip orders and lunch with Dad, I took back roads up to Rte 90. Dutchess and Columbia county are so beautiful with their sprawling farmlands and hills.

Midway, I stopped to visit Pat Pawlowicz in East Longmeadow at her bead (and needle felting) store called Colorful Creations Bead Company.
Pat credits the store as the brainchild of her then 11 year old daughter Emily Rose Pawlowicz. Emily made gemstone jewelry which she sold quite successfully at that tender age, and suggested to Pat that they open a bead shop. Emily has a dual major in fine art and business. It is clear that she can exercise her creativity and make it "work" for her.
Pat just published a book on needle felting and she displays many of her sculptures in the shop. She teaches and exhibits at the bead shows too.
Right across from her shop is

Maureen's Sweet Shoppe. We stopped for a quick chat and a bite. The marshmallow beneath the chocolate is also made fresh on premises! Yum.
It's quite late. Better say goodnight for now. I'll share our weekend as it develops.Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

What a weekend...OS5 update to NYS Sheep & Wool Festival

2011-10-16T21:49:00.001-07:00

Wow, I know I'm not much on malls and especially on weekends but, I was totally unprepared for the throngs of people that occupied the CrossGates mall in Albany NY Saturday evening. Yipes! I had to cruise around to find parking! And on the perimeter of the parking lot were parked 4 buses that unloaded dozens of shoppers. My destination was the Apple store for my first One to One lesson. Upon arrival at the Apple store, my 21.5 inch iMac in tow, I witnessed a line of customers, restrained by velvet ropes! The greeter explained that these were folks awaiting their new iPhone 4S but, since I was there for my appointment I should come right in. It was a sea of customers and blue shirted Apple staff plus a few AT&T folks also decked out in blue. Attempting to share the view in a photo, I shot this one at a moment that belies how very crowded and busy the place was.

My trainer, Stephanie, was patient and bright and answered every single question I had accumulated since my purchase this summer. She concluded our One to One session by completing the upgrade to OS5, made much smoother than when I started it alone at home (wiping ot the apps on my ipod, which she showed me how to recover). Unlike how intuitive and navigable my Apple devices are, I find itunes baffling and annoying. Let me say how ecstatic I am that I never have to plug into it again to upgrade my devices. At some point I will conquer the music storage features but, not today.
This morning my friend Judy Spark and I arranged to meet in Rhinebeck to "do" the NYS Sheep and Wool FestivalWe weren't on the grounds for 2 minutes when I spotted my friend Barbel Eggers. She was wearing a beautiful felted vest she'd told me about on the phone. And of course, as every year, her hand felted garment in the competition won!! Go Barbel.
In the first building we came upon Kimberly of D'auria Designs.

In addition to her hats and handbags, she had quite a few flowers and new embellishments and feathers.

In the same building we came upon a new (to us) vendor, 425 Square Foot Art.

These are fastastical felted beings with personalities and a sense of whimsy.

In the next building we came upon Marlene demonstrating feltmaking to an attentive crowd. Her booth is full and fabulous, rich with everything you need to felt your heart's desires. I looked around for her husband Carl but, Marlene told me later he was out at the truck preparing to restock. I recall the workshops I taught in Gallipolis (outside Columbus OH) at the French Colony for Marlene's Felting Madness, with great joy. Marlene is expected to be around when I teach at Urban Stitch Studio outside of Tampa next month. What a vortex of felting goodness it will be with Pat, Marlene, me and the fellow felters who will be there.

It was wonderful to see that there is a whole new generation of spinners and weavers. While I am accustomed to spinning with women, there were men spinners demonstrating. (My friend Bernie, creator of the hand felted chess board and pieces in HOW WE FELT, shopped for a Lendrum spinning wheel at the show.

Heather Kerner of Spiralworks was a ray of sunshine, as usual. Please recall that one of her vessels is included in HOW WE FELT. In addition to felt vessels, she displayed framed felt and the most exquisite handbags that married her felt with luxurious leathers. With malice of forethought, I approached her booth ready to purchase one. The few that remained were beautiful but, not my color. Most had sold out in the first 2 hours of the show!!! People KNOW where to find her there and seek her out as soon as they hit the grounds. Smart. Her work was stunning on that first day years ago and it has evolved and is even more desireable today. I am looking forward to shopping her next collection.

For all the times I have described needle felting machines, here is pic I shot of one on display. Step away from the needle felting machine and no one gets hurt!
Boy, was I tickled to turn around and see Sylvia from Sisters Originals at my side. We all know and love her as a beader but, she was there with two knitting friends "from the dark side", as we say. I think it is next weekend on L.I. that you can take a workshop with her if you play your cards right (well, make a reservation).

This year I purchased very little. I couldn't resist picking up some more colors for when I demonstrate in Edison NJ next month at Innovative Beads Expo. These yummy colors came from Lisa Merian of Spinners Hill. What a lovely,cheerful and creative force she is!

Susan McFarland of Susan's Fiber Shop was busy as usual. Veronica, a shopper at the booth, purchased a copy of MASTERING BEADWORK, right then, right there, so I could inscribe it. It just never gets old. I love it!! (You may recall posts about my teaching at Susan's Midwest Felting Symposium a few years ago.)

We ran into Elizabeth Buchtman of Fenwood Designs. She was there with Emily and Mariel, her daughters, restocking her felting supplies having enjoyed a successful show at Crafts on Columbus in the Big Apple. Notice that supple and drapey gossamer thin felt scarf she is wearing. She made it of a cashmere, silk and merino blend that is just too exquisite.

I'd love to share tales of Miriam Carter's beautiful felted garments and Bernie test driving a Lendrum spinning wheel but, I must dash off to bed. I have a couple orders of Tulip beading needles and awls to pack.
Tomorrow I will begin prepping for the long weekend of felting and beading workshops I'll be teaching at Bead Gallery Inc in Melrose MA. Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

E books, updates and all this tech stuff

2011-10-14T22:45:00.001-07:00

Last week Interweave Press notified me that MASTERING BEADWORK

will be available as an e book, in addition to the print version. I just downloaded my copy. Not sure I imagine too many beaders beading in front of their computers but, there are some very cool reasons to have the ebook I'm figuring. For example, you can get really great close-ups of those beads. And if you know how, you have access on your devices. (Curious that they declared HAND FELTED JEWELRY & BEADS out of print, instead of offering it simply in digital form instead of printed. I'll ask about that.) Interweave Press reports that 30 % of their book sales are now for digital books. I'd never have guessed. Happily, MASTERING BEADWORK can still be purchased as a hardcover spiral bound book at stores, real and virtual, from the author, moi, and at beadstores the world over. Interweave's site offers it also, or the digital version or, what they call the "bundle", which is both! Hmm. That's a cool idea. The satisfaction of a spiral bound hardcover book AND the portability of having it on all your portable devices. (Hopefully I will learn how to have it on my devices when i have my iMac lesson tomorrow.) When I asked if MB can be read on Kindle and Nook, the reply was that it can be read on these debices, once downloaded from Interweave. Arrangements are being made so MASTERING BEADWORK can be purchased at the Kindle store and other e book sites.

The OS5 Apple update was anticipated with so much excitement but, the experience has left me disappointed so far. In syncing my ipod, I cleared out the apps and who-knows-what-else. I didn't dare sync the ipad after that. Tomorrow I'll have a class at Apple and hopefully, everything will be as promised, so all my data is available on each device.

This week I'm packing up and hitting the road for Bead Gallery Inc in Melrose MA. The owner Genevieve has quite a collection of vintage Swarovski stones, including the "diamond" in the "24 ct diamond ring" above. So, in addition to the handful of rings (yes all 5) in Friday's ring workshop, we're throwing in also the diamond ring! These 5 rings are one of the 12 workshops I'm teaching at the Bead & Button Show next June. My friend Motoko Natsubori will be translating for many of the Japanese bead teachers again this year. With her schedule looking as full as mine, we'll try to squeeze some visiting in before the show gets rolling. I digress...Bead Gallery has me for three days. On Friday, in addition to the ring workshop is the armful of bangles I call "Is Eight Really Enough?" and in the evening, Kalahari Oasis necklace. Saturday is the premier of Beyond the Red Velvet Rope, a necklace that pushes the boundaies of african helix and assembles in an interesting way. Sunday is a day of Fabulous Hand Felted Fascinators. Hey, did I recently tell you all this? I'm sensing deja vu. Anyway, I'm excited about it and don't want to leave you out, if this puts me in your neck of the woods.
Port Ewen, my fair "city", auctioned off the tugboats that had lined Broadway all summer. Its a delight to tell you each and every one sold and I hear my boat will be installed on the dock of a fellow P.E. resident who lives on the shore of the Hudson River. I'm tickled.
Well, got to run for now...more to come, love Carol
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Yum...another culinary adventure to share before I drive back north

2011-10-12T12:57:00.001-07:00

Uh oh, the word is out on Ocean Grove. That is, for gastronomes. The New York Times discovered and favorably reviewed Seagrass Restaurant and Cheese on Main, a most extraordinary market of cheeses, sauces, jams, crackers and ChocoHigos. What are ChocoHigos you ask? They are hand-dipped dark chocolate Pajarero figs (dried) handmade in Valencia. I know someone who ordered 1 case of them, 12 boxes, and is on her way from Louisville to retrieve them. Ya can't make these things up.

This summer on one beautiful evening, we dined alfresco at Seagrass. (Alfresco, please reassure me that means out-of-doors and not in-the-nude). We just returned there for lunch before I hit the road. The restaurant is lovely inside. Each wall is painted a saturated and gorgeous color and serves as the backdrop for beautiful artwork by local artists. But, the shots I took included diners who may prefer not to be broadcast so, let me share a shot of some of the sea critters that occupy their huge and fascinating fishtank of tropical fish.

Well, I'll just finish my espresso and head back home. A couple stores placed some Tulip needle orders yesterday and today and I will get those shipped right out.
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A culinary respite on the Jersey Shore

2011-10-11T15:37:00.001-07:00

Autumn made its arrival known last week when I heard the heat come on. The last rose of sharon curled up and fell to the ground, the last fragrant rose lost all its petals and the mums are in their fullness. And then...alas...a last hurrah of summer. Out come the linen blouses and sandals for a couple more wearings before being tucked away.
Today I am visiting friends on the Jersey shore. It is gorgeous weather. We walked along the beach by day and tonight, we can do so again by full moonlight.
We enjoyed a scenic walk to Asbury Park, in pursuit of late breakfast/lunch/brunch...following a morning of simply latte and visiting.
Fortunately, as it turns out, our destination spot is now closed on Tuesdays. Nearby, at 539 Cookman Ave we stood before a sweet spot, (actually their card says "The Sweetest Spot in Asbury) , a gelateria called Casa Di Dolci with tables out front and a sign announcing new lunch paninis. Their baked goods include hand rolled Brooklyn bagels, pastries and desserrs and coal-fire baked artisan breads. The bread of our delicious paninis was crusty and chewy and superior.

The charming owner, Scott Mizrahi, (no relation) came by our table to ask if we were enjoying our lunch. "Oh yes", we exclaimed, and asked "would you please wrap the second halves of our sandwiches so we can have some gelato for dessert?" He then shared with us how Casa Di Dolci came to be...it began with a week long holiday in Tuscany. He was blown away by how extraordinary the food tasted. When he and his wife returned home he engaged a master to who taught him the recipes for this velvety frozen desert that is soooo much tastier than ice cream and frozen yogurt. Only recently I listened to a podcast from APM called The Splendid Table and heard Mario Batali discuss gelato. He said that the butterfat in ice cream coats and dulls our tastebuds, unlike the less fatty gelato, which allows the flavors to sing! It was a fascinating edition of this fun podcast and I recommend a listen.
Scott gave us tastes of pistachio, rum raisin, coconut, biscotti and cappucino along with the nocciola (hazelnut), which Frances Mayes writes about with such passion in UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN, that all her readers must lust over it. And yes, the hazelnut was amazing but, we ended up having the pistachio. This was not the green colored and cloying concoction we associate with pistachio. This gelato's flavor is intense, provided by a dense nut paste, which I suspecting may also contribute to the smooth and ohhhh soooo satisfying mouth feel. They serve it with tiny spoons to encourage tasting each and every drop...and I did, eyes shut.

Scott was shy about my sharing a photo of the gelato case since it is not full. Instead, he should love us to know that the inventory is constantly replenished and fresh. If we had waited 20 minutes, a fresh batch of gianduia (chocolate hazelnut) would have been ready.
There were opera selections playing during our stay at Casa di Dolci. We all agreed that we lovvvvve beyond reason this one Pavaroti tune, that we think is Puccini. So three of us have spent the rest of the afternoon on our devices (an iMac, and iPad and iPod) trying to identify it. We got Pandora radio to give us a taste but, we don't have the music identification app sooo???? If it is o mio babbino we cannot find it recorded by Pavaroti. Hmmm. What a fabulous way to spend the day.
Barbara Briggs just sent me her post about her experience with Tulip beading needles. In preparation of being invited to the Tulip factory, am making copies of all the love emails I receive and puting them into a scrapbook ( not the Martha Stewart kind!) to present to the folks who produce these beauties for us. Especially those who do the hand work on those sweet little 13s.

Tomorrow will be a beautiful drive home with some good leaf peeping. I'll ship those needle orders that came in over the holiday weekend. Enjoy thatfull moon tonight!
PS the apple update is tomorrow;)
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More on my upcoming east coast felting workshops...

2011-09-30T12:38:00.001-07:00

Just 3 weeks from today I'll be back at Bead Gallery Inc for 3 days of workshops. Owner Genevieve and I have scheduled 3 back-to-back (with meal breaks) workshops for Friday October 21 (3 of the 12 that I will be teaching at The Bead & Button Show next June). Saturday will be a full day of a brand new necklace I designed to premier here. And on Sunday we'll felt!! Fabulous Felted Fascinators. We'll work again in that gorgeous, spacious, ballroom across the street from the store. Lots of room for me to display the trunks of ingredients we can fabricate into our headwear. There will be a colorful array of fine merino wool you can choose from. I'll bring my collection of sequins, feathers (and I have some amazing ones), tulle and ribbons. You're certainly welcomed to bring your own bits and beads. Please bring a towel.
We'll cover felting topics that include flat felting, creating surface design, felting around a resist for hollow sculptural results, felting layers and tiers. I have become so darned excited writing this that I want to get my hands into some wool right now!!
This is the one of mine that I wear the most these days

It is an accordion pleated red cone attached to a flat piece. It has beaded edges, some embroidered drops plus shiny black feathers. I wear it with a hair stick but some are worn using combs or hairbands or barrettes (which we'll have on hand).

Terrible photo of a fun tiered flower fascinator boasting some amazing yellow feathers I acquired when teaching in Australia in April.

Speaking of Australia...I taught in Orange at TAFTA (The Australian Forum of Textile Arts) again this past April. Mentors in various fiber arts offer weeklong workshops. It is such a luxury to have a week of working with the same individuals on a topic. This year my workshop was Hand Felted Components and Jewellery. (This is how we spell jewelry in Australia.)The amount of technique that I can teach and the amount of production that takes place is soooo satisfying. The studio just buzzed. Capture a weekend of intensely satisfying feltmaking this December on our side of the planet!!! Meet me in Palm Springs Florida at Crystal Creations on December 10th and let's spend two days creating felt components and jewelry. Expect to learn many feltmaking techniques easily, using the small scale of jewelry. Create felt beads but, don't be confined to ubiquitous round ones. Learn to employ felt's "plastic" stage to shape them to your whim. Make felt ropes for necklaces, lariats and bracelets. Felt flat pieces to cut into components. Learn both construction and deconstruction as means to an end. Again...I'm wanting to get my hands into some wool right now, just talking about this. Crystal Creations is well known for its extensive inventory, lovely classroom and hundreds of workshops with nationally and internationally known beadwork and jewelry artists. Expect to combine your fresh felt components with other components (chain, beads, metal, wire, silk, findings) to complete your jewelry pieces.
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Upcoming Hand Felting Jewelry workshops on the east coast

2011-09-29T21:11:00.001-07:00

After my recent posts about the Fabulous Felted Fascinators workshop in NY and the Hand Felted Bangles to Bead workshop in NH, I've had inquiries about when and where the next opportunities to felt together are. The 2nd weekend in November I'll be flying into Tampa Florida to teach several workshops in both beadwork and feltmaking at Urban Stitch Studio.

Felters from far and wide have already registered, I know that Brenda from California and Marlene from Ohio are coming for Hand Felted Bangles to Bead and a Felted Floral Lariat. Oh my goodness, add Pat, the hostess and owner of Urban Stitch Studio, who herself is a vortex of creative and caring energy and talent, and I can hardly wait.
The following weekend, if you're in the North end of the east coast, on Sunday November 20th, only a fast ride down the NY State Thruway from my house, I'll be teaching the Hand Felted Bangles to Bead at Beads Mosaic right in Nanuet NY.

If you've been intrigued by the idea of feltmaking, seduced by a demo or article, and wanting to know more, join me in this opportunity for hands-on learning and personal attention in a setting that offers everything you'll need: this gorgeous store has every bead seen in the samples and I'll have an array of colored fine merino wool to choose from. Oh, just PLEASE bring a towel, (and your sense of adventure).

Expect to finish [at least] one bangle while learning several methods of surface design plus beadwork finishing methods that include: quick bezels, bead embroidery techniques, odd-count double-needle beaded bead

and undulating peyote beaded bead using the new goof-proof method that came to me when I was writing it for translation into Japanese, and using an economy of words.

This will be an energized and creative setting in which to explore at greater depth, the magic of feltmaking and some pretty versatile beadwork too. No experience necessary but, reserve your seat today. I'll need a head count by October 14th.

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Catch up...

2011-09-27T09:13:00.001-07:00

Today is the last day of the exhibit "American Earth", a new body of acrylic on canvas by John Bridges at Unison Arts Center in New Paltz NY.

Sorry to give you last minute notice. The opening was September 9th, when "the flats" were flooded. The attendance was overwhelming, even though flooding and road closures necessitated that everyone drive 20 or more miles out-of-the-way to get there. (Above, snapshot taken with iPod before the gallery became too crowded, the artist is seen on right, with a couple of early arrivals.)

Saturday I'll be back in Nyack NY at Crystals on The Rocks to teach 2 condensed versions of workshops that I taught ( and will again teach in June) at The Bead & Button Show. Above is Trilogy of Chains, for the morning (10-1) and

In the afternoon expect to make one or more solid crystal geometric components to wear on one of those chains or connect to another 10...into a Crystal Galaxy Necklace. If you call Kim's cell phone 201-747-4748 she'll reserve your space.

Innovative Beads Expo has again invited me to their Edison NJ show. This November's IBE focuses on EMBELLISHMENTS! Right up my alley. Rather than confine my access to 20 or so students in a class, we've planned these demonstrations:

Each demonstration is available as a kitted project. This way, after simply watching the demo, if you want to make that item using the techniques shown, the ingredients and recipe are right there for you to complete at home (or, if we are kindred spirits, right in your hotel room later the same day!) My beloved niece Amy will accompany me. (You know her from acknowledgements and additional appearances in MASTERING BEADWORK,

as the force behind Fireflies at Twilight, and with me at Meet The Teachers events. Once again, she will assist you in purchasing kits, books and Tulip needles, bead crochet hooks and nickel-plated felting needles, freeing me up to demo...demo... demo. You are invited to come and "use me up". It is our opportunity for me to share with you many versatile and inspirational embellishment techniques.

Beading at Bella Beads

2011-09-21T19:01:00.001-07:00

Saturday we enjoyed a packed house for the Elements of Ndebele Herringbone workshop at Bella Beads in Center Harbor NH. This shot shows one corner of the shop and, with backs to the camera are Renee, Deb and Anne. Owner Sue is at the head of the table. Continuing clockwise are Suzanne (we dubbed her buddha beader for her divine perpetual contented smile), Sheesh, and just a glimpse of Edy.

And towards the right corner of the store...here is Edy and continuing clockwise, Joan and Jo (who, hailing from California, win the "traveled the furthest" award), Carole's shoulder and in the foreground, Anne.

This workshop yeilds a gorgeous one-of-a-kind necklace composed of beaded samplers and various focal and other beads. It never fails that I lust in my heart over some beaders color/bead choices. By the end of the day, 16 beaders were intimate with tubular herringbone and variations that included swirling, seed stitch, inclusions within the stitches, inclusions between the stitches, increases, decreases and even floral elements.
Afterwards we enjoyed a feast at Coe House, the restaurant across the way. There was a fabulous arugula salad course but, nothing else remotely resembled a lean and green meal. The lobster gnocci!!!! Oh my. And I havent eaten bread i a few weeks and for dessert, bread pudding. But, no ordinary bread pudding. Not even extraordinary bread pudding. It was the most supremely, sublimely delicious velvety confection I ever ate...and there was no chocolate or lemon in it! Imagine, a dessert THAT amazing with no chocolate or lemon.
Sunday was a felted bangle workshop, and an opportunity to work off some of that exquisite meal. Well, not really. And of course I brought a Turbo Felting Board for each person, so it really isn't so much work. Most everyone decided to fabricate and bead them afterward, allowing more time to focus on production. I think everyone made 3 or more. This was a creative lot too. Hmm, was it Eliza that was fascinated by the option of incising the felt? And she did so, setting a focal bead within.

Anne terminated the ends of one of her pieces of felt with these sterling silver "horns". She will have beads extend from them and finishe it with a closure. One gorgeous necklace from a felt bangle class.

I remembered to shoot a few pieces before the day was done. I'm returning to Bella Beads the weekend of May 19th.
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Location:Beading at Bella Beads NH

Felted Fascinators

2011-09-16T19:16:00.001-07:00

I loved teaching Fabulous Felted Fascinators in Australia but, until the Royal wedding, folks in the states just didn't seem to "get" them. Now they (fascinators) are a hot item. Yesterday I taught this workshop at Beadzo in Tivoli NY.
We asked Terry to model her's for the camera, even though she had not completed assembling it.

She began by layering merino wool for a base. Then she decorated it with the circular motifs.

By placing a sheet of resist on top of the assembled wool, She was able to make a solid black flower simultaneously.

To Terry's right is Beadzo owner Pamela Morin and on the extreme right, arms-only visible, is Kaja, a jeweler who user to work at Beadzo.

Betiana and Christina worked at another table with Anna (not in view). On October 23 I'll be teaching the Fabulous Felted Fascinators at Bead Gallery Inc in Melrose MA. In the morning we'll create the felt piece(s). Then, selecting from an array of feathers (maribou, peacock, guinea hen, ostrich...), tulle (colored, sparkled, plain...), ribbons, sequins and your own stash of beads or the abundant inventory of Bead Gallery Inc, we'll fabricate and embellish an amazing hair ornament as unique as you are...demure as Jackie O or dramatic as Lady Gaga... You decide. That same weekend, I'm introducing a brandy new design called Beyond the Red Velvet Rope. (Thank you Stacey, for coming up with that name for this.)

And on that Friday (21st), there are 3 3-hour workshops. One is a handful of rings including a "20ct Diamond Ring".
I'm in New Hampshire tonight. In the morning I've a full house at Bella Beads NH in Center Harbor or Elements of Ndebele (Herringbone), a necklace composed of samplers of many variations of the stitch.

And Sunday we'll felt bangles to bead in the morning. And in the afternoon, we'll bead Manhattan on the edge.
Hey, I've been lax in matching my blog posts to all the things I want to share with you. For example, I told you we would make Spiral Fever at Beads Mosaic last weekend and then neglected to show you how gorgeous their necklaces came out. I was having such fun teaching that I just overlooked getting many shots. Here are 3 in progress:

Off to bed... Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Spiral Fever Necklace

2011-09-05T19:17:00.001-07:00

Over the decade-plus of my studio class, Jilly Beads has been the constant. Here she models the Spiral Fever necklace she made after taking this 2-day workshop ...

...and here she is modeling the bracelet she whipped up from a Sisters Originals kit last week.

Here is one of the two samples of the Spiral Fever necklaces I have on display at Beads Mosaic in Nanuet NY. This Saturday at 10:30 am they will be hosting my workshop in their luscious store. Each beader's necklace will be a unique creation that results from learning a myriad of spiral stitch techniques. Hope you can join me there. Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:W Stout Ave,Port Ewen,United States

My fair city, as Tom & Ray say.

2011-08-25T15:56:00.001-07:00

Some local Hudson River Valley towns have asked their local artists to decorate a sculpture supplied by the village or a patron. Catskill has done cats for several years. On YouTube I watched videos of the auctions of these finished pieces.

They brought in around $2000 in bids, each. Hudson had dogs along Warren St when I was there last and I understand Saugerties has replaced their horses with lighthouses this year It is a gorgeous way to adorn the town and serves as a fundraiser as well.
In Esopus, the Hutterian community provided 12 white tugboats on pedestals and I was asked to decorate one of them.

When I first took on this project, I knew I'd be teaching in Australia for nearly a month, but felt confident I could finish ahead of deadline, upon returning. I recall sharing some of this with you at that time, like my seeking advice and proper supplies from John Bridges at Rhinebeck Art Supply in New Paltz. (BTW, John is having a show of new work at Unison Arts Center. I've marked my calendar for the opening Friday September 9th, 5-7pm.)
We received this notice:

About the tugboats being auctioned at the end of summer. Kind of exciting for our humble town. If you drive through Port Ewen on Rte 9W, aka Broadway, the artwork is laid out as indicated in the map above. Our town was beautified about 4 years ago with new street lamps and sidewalks. I love living here.
Fortunately for my Tulip beading needles customers, I have the best post office ever. They even call me when my EMS deliveries from Japan arrive. And they are a quick bicycle ride away. As are the new gorgeous library with river views, the new credit union that filled the void when Bank of America pulled out of town, a deli, pizzeria, convenience store, wine store. It was completely perfect a few short years ago when we used to have an IGA grocery store, hardware store, florist and neighborhood bar too. Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Reminders of where you are in time and space and process.

2011-08-24T11:34:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm here to say how wrong Mark Twain was when he (alledgedly) said, "don't make your avocation your vocation". Next month completes my 10th year in this evolving adventure of self-employment. As I review this decade since abandoning my career as a chef (which, btw, I thoroughly loved, though perhaps not all the venues, equally), I appreciate this dynamic balancing act that has come to fulfill my creative, social and financial requirements. I am living my dream.
As I appreciate this life I've created, and marvel at the path it has taken, would'nt ya know that lately I've crossed paths with a few folks that have factored into my adventure. And then on Monday, while marketing, I look up from my grocery cart and am delighted to see Mau standing next to me.

Mau, aka Marian Schoettle, is an internationally recognized fiber artist I had admired since seeing her garments at Julie's Artisan Gallery on Madison Ave in New York City. Imagine my surprise, years ago, when we met in our post office and I realized we both lived in the same small town. Turns out we were both also mad hot lovers of our library and even worked on a library project together. At that time I caught my favorite expression from Mau, "it is what it is". Indeed. And for a while, I even shared her sunlit Studio 419 in a former shirt factory in Kingston NY at 77 Cornell St.
Speaking of her studio, September 3rd, 2-6pm, she is having a studio sale.
If you can't get to the studio, she has an online store that is offering a 30% sale all of September, (and is actually recognized NOW!) if you use coupon "mau2011".

Check this out, even if you don't know the language, there are pics!

Her current work is post-industrial folk wear. Nomadic...adaptable...featherweight...unique...practical, her collection of contemporary street wear is made out of the ubiquitous modern material tyvek, adapted and manipulated here for personal use. This is not the same tyvek of souvenir jackets and bike race pinnies. Along with excellent performance properties, the material looks deceptively fragile and perishable like paper but is in fact a tough and resistant modern material. (25%recycled + mau recycles)
The material is made in the USA, surplus materials are gathered from the local computer, snowboard and automotive industries, and design studio scraps are recycled.
Mau says: "Clothing is an expression of culture. High design, smart clothing, and trends don't drive me to create. I'm trying to find the genie that is so commonly found in folk wear to appear in work that is of our time."

As I appreciate where I am today I look forward with even greater enthusiasm and joy to what is to come: another book, this one featuring new beadwork projects and original stitches I've devised since MASTERING BEADWORK; another (my 3rd) time teaching at TAFTA plus in Australia; distributing Tulip Co beading needles, bead crochet hooks and felting needles to beadstores nationwide; teaching tour in Europe; 10th year teaching at Bead & Button Show (or was it 10 this year?) and I'm certain even more desires and ambitions will be fulfilled...another trip to Japan?
Thank you for sharing my fully felted and "beadiful" life.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Beadfest "Philadelphia"

2011-08-22T20:23:00.001-07:00

Friday afternoon Amy and I headed for Beadfest "Philadelphia". This is the 10th year for this show which has been held in various venues in the Philadelphia surrounds. A couple months ago Beadfest announced it would not be held at the Valley Forge Conference Center. It was relocated to The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks PA. Curiously, the gps address necessary to get you there is 1601 Egypt Rd, Phoenixville...which gets you to a deli and then you"re to follow signage to the destination. Interesting.
Friday evening I taught a class from 5-8 and then dashed over to the area of the hall that was set up for Meet the Teachers. Amy had set up the display beautifully, so we were ready at 830, when the doors opened. It was great to schmooze with the beaders that came but, this formerly bustling event was sparcely attended. The vendors and exhibit hall had closed at 6 pm. Unfortunately, this site is not connected to restaurants and hotels so beaders couldn't conveniently have dinner or a rest in their rooms from 6-830. There just wasn't anything to do for those 2 1/2 hours until Meet the Teachers, so they left. Rain made it even less appealing to drive back out to this remote location.

Saturday after a morning "hand felted bangles demonstration", I hit the show floor. On my way to Beyond Beadery, I ran into Adele Rogers Recklies. Yes, you recall reading the post about her that I wrote after the Bead & Button Show in June. She had taken my Complex Cane Hand Felted Beads Necklace workshop. (Adele has written about and makes Turkish bead crochet and in particular, beaded snakes. She and Keiko Seki shared the by-line on an article in Bead and Button Magazine about Turkish bead crochet.) Here she is, showing me the necklace from the workshop, that she'd continued to work on.
At Beyond Beadery, owner Betcey said how she missed Rachel and I commiserated. We miss you Rach. She was wearing a stunning multistrand bracelet that Ms Rachel made for her.

These druzy beads spoke to me from across the room. They were in Star's Clasps booth. I shot a pic of owner Kay, who was kind to let me share her picture here. I know her and John from years of Bead & Buttton and Beadfest shows when I've admired their beautiful clasps. I hadn't known that they also have a store in Vienna Va. [Before sliding out of Dodge, I made one last stop here for a couple of these amazing clasps. Who could resist?]

Sara of
C-Koop Beads makes lovely enamed copper findings, elements and beads. I have collected a few, intending to design something yummy with them.
There were many vendors and tons of beads. Somehow I never got to see everything during my time between teaching. I only this evening realized I missed Dana and Bert of Well Done Experience. Bummer. I had so looked forward to seeing them. They are sweet and lovely, heavily into bead crochet, designers of a great portable beading system and design and offer wonderful kits.

Saturday evening I taught Felted Beaded Bangles to Bead. Look how happy Lauren looks. No whiners in this workshop. They were a bunch of creative, sweet-spirited beaders eager for the felting adventure, even at day's end. Plus, the Turbo Felting Boards really does move the process along.

Michelle had been a Facebook friend and is now a felting and beading buddy. She and her friend Liz arrived to class with their undulating beaded beads finished and ready to mount on the fresh felt bangle.

This is Liz's. I was pleased to share with everyone the faster new method I have for making the undulating peyote. Plus we covered how to bead the double-needle odd-count peyote beaded bead. Everyone really appreciates that method once they see it.

Yipes, I cannot remember the name of the gemstone that is pinky peachy green. But, Margaret brought her collection of them and created a bangle that almost looks like that stone.

Jan, a seasoned felter I think, encrusted her bangle with beads.

Wendy's had "bullseye" surface design and was embellished with a Swarovski button, pearls and firepolish. Lovely.

Shown out of order but, here is Margaret in her finished bangle.

Sunday, yesterday, I forgot to shoot even one picture during my beadwork bracelets workshops, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I had a few beaders in class that have beaded with me before, which is always such an honor.

Amy drove us home after that last class, while I so joyfully wrote my blog post about our adventure from the passenger seat. I was thrilled to have it done and just needed to check links before posting. Today when I went to do just that...where did it go? Drats. So this is second time around, and it DOES get old.

On the way home we sought out a place for dinner when we drove through Doylestown. Boy, did we luck out when we found Bobby Simone's, right there on East State St. I had Summer Inspired Seafood Stew that had a lobster tail, shrimp, mussels and a scallop in a coconut broth. Amy had salmon on risotto studded with peas, atop carrot emulsion, garnished with pea tendrils. I've never had pea tendrils! The bread was worth eating (by that I mean, ya know, carby, no-redeeming-value nutritionally speaking, but delicious white bread) especially drizzled with the tomato oil they served us. We agreed to save this in my gps and iPod to make certain that next year, upon returning from wherever Beadfest "Philadelphia" will be, we'll stop at Bobby Simone's for a delicious dinner.

2011-08-04T11:20:00.001-07:00

I've missed sharing the last couple weeks with you but, hope to catch you up soon. I've photos to share from recent workshops at Crystals on the Rocks and Beadzo.
What's had all my attention between workshops? My Dell looked like it was building up to yet a third new motherboard. To avoid the 3-4 day black hole that accompanies this process (a tech in the studio to install it, reinstalling data, or not, and then reeling from that!!!) I drove to the Apple store and invested in a Mac.
All new OS and, well, everything, but, I'm finding that my experience with and, frankly, mad passionate love for, my iPad is making the transition interesting rather than horribly frustrating.
This is the deadline week for Bead & Button Show applications. Always a serious endeavor, made more so by the time-crunch and learning curve that this computer transition caused. Whew! Wish me luck.
But, Saturday I'll have a delightful respite while sharing with Beads Mosaic beaders, the Bevy of Bezels. They have laid in a supply of stones and rivolis. I've already packed the show and tell pieces to inspire how you might use your new bezeled beauties, even more lovely from the back than from the front!

Hey, I digress! Now...back to my applications...see you again here soon.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Broadway St,Port Ewen,United States

Creative Castle

2011-07-16T19:41:00.001-07:00

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

2011-07-15T22:20:00.001-07:00

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

2011-07-15T09:25:00.001-07:00

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

2011-07-13T21:00:00.001-07:00

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

2011-07-13T05:37:00.001-07:00

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.

2011-07-07T17:41:00.001-07:00

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!

Greetings from the Bead & Button Pre-Show

2011-06-07T21:34:00.001-07:00

I've postponed maintaining the blog, waiting for the day that it resumes uploading photos. But, today, I lamented about this and Pat, my techy & beady friend said, "Did you call Apple?" so, I just called them on my cell from the lobby of the hotel and they suggested that my situation might be remedied when I plug into my computer when I return home. Apparently the current OS is now 4.3.3 and I'm still 4.2.1. So, I will begin noting the details of Bead & Button and then add the images (hopefully) when I get home, and then publish it all at once. Ok?
More to come.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Beads Mosaic and Innovative Beads Expo

2011-05-24T22:54:00.001-07:00

The pictures won't upload. So sorry. Give me time to figure it out or read on without benefit of photos.
Saturday was my first time at Beads Mosaic in Nanuet, NY. It was such a wonderful surprise to arrive to find a familiar face. Linda, a beader I visited with at Beadfest last year drove down from Vermont.
Pat Riesner, my beading and tech buddy, teaches classes here regularly and has praised this lovely store. It is spacious, organized, fully stocked, beautifully illuminated and welcoming.

This gorgeous classroom space is a delight. The walls are adorned with beads and there is a view into the shop. That far wall beyond me (above) is strictly pearls in a range of sizes and shapes as well as an array of colors. Marianne and Jessica provide knowledgeable and friendly customer service and design and/or teach for the store. These pictures are courtesy of Jessica (she is seated at the end of the table, in the middle of the pearls above). You know how sometimes I get so excited or into the moment or flat out busy to take some pictures myself? Well, I came away without a single snap!
We broke up the day into two 3-hour workshops. Many of Beads Mosaic beaders can fit a quickie workshop into their Saturday but, few had the entire day to devote to beading. The morning was spent making Fireflies at Midnight necklace. I had a couple newbies...one fessed right up right away and received, I hope, special attention, as circumstances provided. The other hid it until the end. A real trooper and must have beaders' dna...she was quite successful also.
Jessica sent this shot of Sherry's finished Fireflies at Midnight and the new one she has started. Fabulous. Makes my heart sing. Look at her go! Right this moment I am wearing 3 at once, staggered lengths plus one wound 'round my wrist.

Beads Mosaic provided a catered lunch of sandwiches, salad and cookies. What a treat.
Our afternoon workshop was Raku and Rivoli Bracelet. I'll be teaching this class at Bead & Button Show Friday June 10. If I can weight out the beads in time, I'll sell a kit of this bracelet at Meet the Teachers event at the Show. It is a friendly and quick discovery of Polygon stitch. The bezel is based on polygon and is as beautiful from the back as the front.
Store owner Renu also owns the Innovative Beads Expo. She asked me to join the shows on July 9 in Edison NJ, November 18-20 in Edison NJ, and December 2-4 in Fishkill. We will hash out the details but I will be there to provide a bonus for attendees. I'll keep you posted when I know...it might be any combination of demo, lecture, booksigning, quickie class, slide show...fun to bounce around the ideas in the back of our heads.
Guess I get to bead with some of these same beaders again. Some were signing up already for Twilight in Savannah, the workshop scheduled for July 10. Its a Sunday and the store is usually closed. Does this mean it is private shopping? Sounds enticing.
And on August 6, a Saturday, I'll teach A Bevy of Bezels. These are textured bezels that are almost more beautiful from behind than from the front. And they work up delightfully quickly. We completed one as just a portion of the 3 hour Raku and Rivoli Workshop. Marianne told me they will lay in a supply of special rivolis and crystal stones forthe occasion.
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Tulip size13 beading needles

2011-05-16T14:42:00.001-07:00

Anne is crossing two size 13 Tulip beading needles in a size 15 seed bead while beading her Beaded Chain for Beaded Bead. Can you imagine? Crossing 2 size 13 needles in a size 15 Japanese seed bead? Wow. That's amazing.

Inventory is on its way from Japan so I hope bead stores will start calling me or emailing me carolcypher@gmail.com.

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Bella Beads in Center Harbor NH

2011-05-16T14:25:00.001-07:00

Saturday's workshop at Bella Beads was Elements of Beadwork. Each beader brought or purchased in the store, a focal bead and an assortment of seed beads inspired by its colors and finish. Each of several beadwork techniques taught, were learned by beading up samplers that will double as beaded beads in the finished strung compositions. They were lovely but...did I remember to take pictures? Sorry. I just get so caught up in the moment, that sometimes, I forget. "Bead head", Anne calls me!

Sunday morning, Bella Beads owner, Sue (above), opened the store a little early so students could shop for beads before we start our day of 2 half-day long workshops: Drop Bead Bangle and Undulating Beaded Bead on Bead Chain.

Suzanne had this blissful smile on her lovely face all weekend long. I told her she is like the Dalai Lama, in this way. Next thing I knew, everyone broke into " Hello Dolly" at full steam. It was great. And later, I cannot recall the precipitating factor, we all broke into Zippity-Do-Dah. It was great. And like the singing wasn't festive enough...
it just happened to be beader Nancy's birthday.

Her sister, (whose last name was Cypher, which caused Sue to jump to all kinds of conclusions) called to arrange a celebration for Nancy during the workshop! She bought her an inscribed copy of MASTERING BEADWORK, a gift certificate for Bella Beads and sundaes for everyone (delivered from Dewey's Ice Cream Parlor and Cafe.).

Preferring these fabulous sage green speckled with bronze Czech beads to drop beads or daggers, Jan opted to make hers using these tongue or petal shaped beads. To allow them to work in this project, I suggested she use size 6 seed beads and, allowing that her bead selection prevented it being a roll-on, we added a ball and socket closure. Jan and her husband Paul own Hearthstone Bed and Breakfast just around the corner and up the hill from Bella Beads. Sue arranged for me to stay there Saturday night. Among all the exceptional amenities, they provided wifi and a roaring fire in the fireplace in a comfy lounge. I'd have been thrilled to blog to you from there if I had remembered to take a couple photos to share.

Teaching this new-improved technique of undulating peyote is a delight. Everyone, even new beaders "get" it, right away! And it looks so lovely as a beaded bead in the beaded chain.

Next month it is THIS new way that I will teach for the beaded section of the Hand Felted Bangle with Beaded Bead in the Bead & Button Show. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Youtube videos pertinent to previous posts, enjoy!

2011-05-09T07:08:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHzMfZ1FaqA
This is the link to a Tim Tam explosion video on youtube. I neglected to read this comment by Laura to the post I made about my adventures in Australia..including hearing about TTEs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69oQ96XzkP4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
This is a link to a video on youtube of an auction of the cats of Catskill, in 2007 but, fascinating.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Port Ewen Tug Boat Project

2011-05-09T06:40:00.001-07:00

Several Hudson River Valley villages have decorated their Main St/Broadway with statues: Catskill featured cats, Hudson had dogs and Saugerties had horses and I hear recently will have lighthouses. This summer, my fair city, Port Ewen, has joined in this festive celebration of their town and their artists.
My understanding is that the Bruderhoff provided the fiberglass(?) tugboats. Local artist Claudia Engel took on the thankless task of finding other area artists and volunteers to decorate them. I am not sure if they will be auctioned off in the end as other villages have done.
When Claudia asked me, I could't say no. Sure, I knew I'd be in Australia teaching for 3 weeks, then off to Massachusettes, need to prep for the Bead & Button Show and take on distributorship of Tulip Co. needles but, IF YA WANT SOMETHING DONE, ask a busy person!
When I agreed to take this on, I imagined felting and beading my tugboat. For weeks I ruminated about how I'd do this. Always though, those instructions I had regarding sealing the finished work really had me stymied. Hmmm, sealing felt. And the bubbly style of felt I had in mind really made it daunting. Then last week when I inquired, I was told they needed it by this Wednesday! Yipes! Not sufficient time to produce the necessary yardage of bubbly felt.
So I drove to New Paltz seeking the advice of art supply guru, Johnny Bridges. You may recall the posts featuring his show Ropes Reconfigured. I found him easily, no secret, at Rhinebeck Artists' Shopwhere he "hooked me up" with all the appropriate supplies to paint (and only slightly, bead) my tugboat.
For a few days she ( my boat) was my consuming passion, overtaking beads and felt. Imagine. Here she is:

The hull is silver on the port side and gold on the starboard side. And the topside is, as one non-beader summed up the Bead and Button Show, "whats with the dots?". Honestly, what beader among us doesn't love dots?

So, in a couple hours my pal Joe will help me deliver it to town hall. It is done and it was fun. And I did manage a few beads. Do you see them outlining a few of the dots?

It will be clear coated and installed later this week, in time for the Memorial Day parade.

PS...Cynthia Rutledge was teaching this past weekend for the Dallas Bead Society. A flurry of requests have been fulfilled for Tulip Co. beading needles from beaders obviously attending her workshop. My website continues to offer them 3 packages $15, shipping included, while my supply lasts, as I await my first delivery of needles and awls and beading crochet hooks as distributor. Soon, in my dreams, I'll supply them to your local bead stores, everywhere, to have in stock whenever and wherever you need them. Live the dream.
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Tonight I became distributor of Tulip beading needles

2011-05-05T22:53:00.001-07:00

Here is how it came about: I was introduced to Mr. Harada, owner of Tulip Co., a needle manufacturing company, when I taught for the first time in Japan. He later sponsored the book I wrote about feltmaking for the Japanese craft market published by Patchwork Tsushin Ltd. (His company also manufactures felt needles and supplies.) When the book was published (in Japanese, translated by Motoko Natsubori) Tulip Co invited me for book signing and demonstrations at their booth at the Great International Quilt Show the next January. Then in June, fresh from the Bead & Button Show, I joined them for their first exhibit at TNNA in Columbus Ohio, to meet potential distributors for their line of fine quilting needles, crochet hooks, knitting needles and needle felting supplies. I developed friendships with a couple of the executive women in Mr. Harada's company. I love that women hold key roles in Tulip Co.
Tulip is known for their fine quality quilt needles. When we discussed their beading needles, they asked me to answer questions and correspond with their product development people. Long story short. Uh, too late???? I wrote to Tulip that we "want flexible needles that will bend into and through tight spaces and beads that are spaced so perfectly close to each other. Needles that are flexible and springy." This means that they would not become S-shaped with use, they would return to straight.
Those correspondences happened last June during Bead and Button Show, on wifi in the hotel lobby. In December they sent me the first needles produced in response to these specs. They are indeed flexible and springy. The eye is easy to thread. The tip is rounded slightly to slide easily into beads while preventing splitting the thread. I have used only size 11 and these are what I bought up before flying home this January so I could share them with U.S. Beaders. They are a comfortable length. They fit readily into size 15 seed beads. In a couple months of offering them to my students and on my website, at $5 per package of 4, I have very few left. Every week I receive phone calls or email testimonials. Beaders report longevity with a single needle. That their needle remains quite straight, despite their experience of beading with curved needles after just a short while with any other needle. That the needle threads easily. That they experience less hand fatigue. That the beading experience is smoother. It gives me goosebumps to read the glowing assessment of Tulip beading needles.
The size 13 is most amazing. The eye accomodates 10# fireline AND passes through a size 15 Japanese seed bead 5 times. When I told of this on the phone the other day, it felt like a lie, although I did this several times when showing them to beaders at the Great International Quilt Show in Tokyo in January. It kept me awake that night. I came to the studio, threaded one OF THE TWO size 13 needles i have, with 10# fireline and passed through a sizs 15 seed bead 5 times! Yup. It is true.

In addition to the size 11 beading needles I brought from Japan, I'll distribute their fabulous awl

...If you can't tease the knot open with this then put your beads away!

And of couse all the sizes of beading needles: 10 in long and un sharp, 11, and 13 plus a set of tapestry needles and loom beading needles.
Oh, did I mention their felting needles? Nickel plated, smooth and downright luxurious.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Sunday Felt Jewelry Components

2011-05-02T14:31:00.001-07:00

Genevieve arranged for us to hold the Felted Jewelry Components workshop in the gorgeous and spacious Corinthian Hall across the street from the Bead Gallery. It is a remarkable space generally retained for weddings and formal and elegant occasions.
There were 17 students and so much material to cover ... forgive me that I completely forgot to take pictures until people were packing up and leaving.

I asked the remaining felters to place some of their fresh felt on one table so I could take pictures. Most everyone worked up at least two techniques. Once they were confident about what to do, and that they could finish outside of class, they set that project aside and started another, maximizing our precious time together. A few people made thick flat felt to cut and shape into components like the one below I made of my felt, Nancy Tobey's
borosilicate glass swirls and Gary Wilson's carved gemstone pinecones. Jamie incorporated dense motifs into her flat felt that she can sculpt into relief.

The cuff bracelets, beads, ring bands and felt above are Robin's.

Sharon's cuffs had flaps and folds. She has tied her bangles to dry in a twisted shape.

Kathy is working on multiple flowers and beads.

Reisa made a long, perfectly even and gorgeous rope to cut into lengths for a multi-strand necklace. She used some of the sari silk ribbon that Stacey brought for surface design.

Claudia made a very long and uniform cane to cut into beads and still retain a long piece for a project she is still thinking about.

Hmm, the white and blue rope is Kathy's, inspired by a set of polymer beads she had with her. The beads and cuffs???, not so sure now who they belong to. Sorry.

Kathleen made a felt lariat around chain, liking the hand of the lariat examples I brought along that are weighted.

This could be Dionne's work.
They learned tons in such a brief time and the group dynamic couldn't be beat. It was a friendly, productive, serious yet lighthearted group of beaders here and I had a great time.
When I return in Autumn we'll have another day of feltmaking. Hope you can make it.

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Bead Gallery Saturday...even though Sunday posting is already here.

2011-05-02T14:25:00.001-07:00

Our project for the day is Twisting, Twirling Trillium Lariat. The beaded beads that terminate the lariat are a great stand alone bead and I use them as such in other projects like this one:

But today the project is to work off the initial round of the trillium beaded bead to begin the lariat; first with herringbone, then transition into a winding stiff tubular peyote using two different sizes and numbers of beads in each round, and then back to herringbone or an embellished polygon rope that twirls.

In this spacious banquet venue we look like an impromptu sweat shop: beaders bent over the beads, task lamps aglow, stitching away. On Sunday, this same space positively vibrated with the collective energy generated by this group of jazzed and artistic felters.
It just never gets tired for me. I love that both beadwork and feltmaking are about building wearable compositions by combining tiny fibers or beads in both a painterly and a sculptural way. And I love the ways that they couldn't be more different. It is thrilling to turn beadworkers onto feltmaking. How lucky am I. And always, regardless of where I teach, I am always with my peeps, always at home in so many ways.

Many of these beaders are familiar to you because I share them with you every 6 months, when I return to Bead Gallery. Surely you recall Claudia, here seen captivated by the corkscrew beadwork she generated. With the completion of each "bump", she was propelled into wanting to make just one more, one more, one more. Claudia took all 5 workshops this weekend. AND she baked scones for us on Friday, sable shorbread cookies on Saturday and lemon bars on Sunday. AND she wined and dined Genevieve and I Saturday night. Yum. Gyoza: she prefectly pleated little dumplings stuffed with veggies and shrimp. Beef, Shiitake and Bok Choy in a delicate sauce. For dessert, sexy little cupcakes with exotic names and ingredients that included caramel, stout, chocolate, lemon, berries, chai, pecans or were they pralines?... Melrose enjoys much ado about cupcakes. I think Craig said there are 3 shops that specialize in cupcakes alone! Apparently they are THE item for weddings and any meal or event meant to be special.

Genevieve sat in with us the entire day but chose to make a necklace solely of the swirling polygon. To capture just the right amount of swirl, we had to finesse the bead choices for embellishing. She was intent on completing its full length so she would need only to add the findings afterwards. She succeeded.
Which reminds me, Claudia has sweet names for beady things we can all relate to. For example, her box of UFOs, unfinished objects, and who among us doesn't have a boatload?, she calls her "box of shame". And she's been attending Genevieve's Wednesday evening classes at Bead Gallery when she can, wanting to finish items from her box rather than learning a new technique or starting a new project. So, about this she said she longed for a "Festival of Finishing". Genevieve told her right on the spot that she is appropriating that name for a new twice-a-year event she will hold in that gorgeous Corinthian Hall. At this formative stage, here's what she's thinking: an entire Saturday or Sunday will be devoted to finishing as many pieces as possible; folks will bring a delish pot luck to share and their unfinished projects. For her part, Genevieve will remind each beader of the stitch or lesson to complete it and everyone will benefit by the abundance of information and of course togetherness with all these fabulous dames.
I just might have to mention this to Sylvia and Cathy (Sisters Originals) and Pat and maybe dedicate one day of one of our Bead Blast weekends into a "Fiesta of Finishing" (borrowing from Claudia and Genevieve)...where all the beaders will bring unfinished items, perhaps kits or classes they have purchased from and one of us, and we will mentor the beader through finishing it! Sounds teriffic. Goosebumps. Just a thought. Will keep you posted.

Springtime at Bead Gallery

2011-04-29T21:04:00.001-07:00

Don't ask me HOW I just cleared this posting but.... Here it is again, sort of.

Jamie ( who you may know from previous posts) surprised me by coming to a bead workshop, when I would have only expected to see her in a felting one. And you know what? It HUMMED at her. She was in the bliss we all feel when building beauty with thread and one little bead at a time.

Vicki beaded 4 inches before I noticed she'd devised her own stitch. So she put it to rest on the mat and quickly caught up to the other beaders making the twisting dagger lariat. Speedy Beader!

Betty was our brandy new Beader in the afternoon class. She succeeded with this project, a new version of an African stitch, and should be real pleased with herself. Not the easiest start to a bead stitching career.

Patty checked over the firepolish trunk show that Genevieve brought in for this weekend! Get there quick before she ships them off.

Irene was tickled with her pillow beaded bead...here, swinging like a pendulum.

Donna reminded me that she had taken a workshop with me at Beadfest 8 or so years ago. It was the Felted Flower Lariat. My hiatus from Beadfest has lasted a couple years and I am teaching there again this August. Hope to see you there.

Tori Bradford, owner of Castleander Beads in Hudson NH joined the evening workshop. Genevieve teaches in her store regularly.
It was a fun and productive day. Some toughed it out, taking all 3 sessions with me. And some I'll see allll weekend. Honestly, I'm in this for the affection. What a great way to make a living, a life!!

Bunnies of comfort and affection for children in Japan

2011-04-25T20:51:00.001-07:00

You may recall my post from Japan while I was there in January, where I introduced feltmaker Liz, who was in Japan with her husband working for Cirq de Soliel.

When I contacted her after the tsunami to inquire about her and her husband's safety, she replied that she and her husband were safe and that said she started a campaign collecting bunnies to send to the children in the stricken area.

Here is some of that response. Click on the link to join her campaign.
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Explore these Australian resources

2011-04-24T11:10:00.001-07:00

Garments and Gadgets sells Felting Finish and Wool Wash intended to restore some lanolin to your woolens, condition the fabric and ward off mmmmoths.

They also had wool nebs which were fun to add surface design to the felt. Check them out. Owners Jenny Lewis and Clare Parslow are knowledgeable and helpful.
Artisan Books had a most fascinating collection of felting books, among others. They stocked all of my books at TAFTA, and sold out of the recently declared "out of print" HAND FELTED JEWELRY AND BEADS.
Silksational had the best array of prefelts in pieces or yardage that I have seen anywhere. And Australians are NOT afraid of color. They also sell fabric, ready-to-dye clothing, sliver, and dyes.
And let's not ignore a bead source, in addition to Jelly Beads of Mogo and Penel Bigg's Firebirdbeads: Moblong Creations
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Openhouse TAFTA

2011-04-24T10:37:00.001-07:00

These are just a few shots, such as they are, of a few displays of students work.

This unlabeled table is work from India Flint's workshop.

You may recognize Yvonne Twining as the maker of those brilliant little handbags that several of us own.

Tutor Philomena Hali and I were guests of Dorothy Luther in Sydney, so we could wake early near the airport.

Oops, sorry the pic is on the side, here is Dorothy in her beautiful art-to-wear made by...yipes, I forget.
Dorothy made sure I took in some more Australian greatness before heading home. So, on our way to Sydney from Orange, we took in the begonia house and fern house in the park.

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More TAFTA catch up

2011-04-24T10:10:00.001-07:00

When I arrived in Australia this time, I flew into Sydney and onto Canberra (seen to the left of the blue line). After teaching there for 3 days, Laura drove us from Canberra to Mogo. The blue line is the route we took when Jenny drove us to TAFTA from Mogo
Wish I'd taken more photographs during the weeklong workshop. It was such a dynamic time with so much going on every minute. And in addition to the multiple feltmaking techniques, each day I taught a beading stitch.
The first day we finished with a quick lesson in undulating tubular peyote. They made several bangle bracelets like those I'll teach in June at the Bead & Button Show,

foreground in photo.

Sandra placed her beadwork in the center of a felt rope to drape around her neck. She embroidered a spiral motif on the ends that reflect the spiral in the centerpiece beadwork. Gorgeous. (She made the felt hat and vest she is wearing too!)

Joan made a spiral felt cane and cut it into beads that looks so much like shells. One end of the cane became the pendant she is wearing, embellished with a cap of bead embroidery. Oh, and there are matching earrings too.

Zita is shown wearing her complex cane felt beads necklace and earrings, made day one.

This is Donna wearing one of her popular line of felted scarves. On our final day at TAFTA, students are invited to sell their work to other participants as well as the community, invited for this open house event. Additionally she sold sweet little booties that are not in the photo and these wonderful purses made of textured and lovely handcrafted fabrics and handbag frames. Some even boasted feather trims.
We were not new to each other. She had taken a workshop with me at Beads by Blanche when she'd been in the USA to visit her nephew. Donna assumed a real leadership role in the workshop; collecting materials fees, monitoring our samovar of hot water, helping to organize things that wanted organizing...coming as close to an assistant as I've ever had. She even worked at my display with me for the Tutors Bazaar. She has a real knack with people and made my work just fly off the table and onto people's necks and wrists.

Margaret was also selling her work, including some prize-winning felt pieces.
Margaret and I were also familars. She had been in my workshop when I taught here in 2008. What an honor to have her in workshop again this time.

Also in that 2008 workshop was Penel Bigg, a lampworker from Sydney. This is a snap from her website, Firebird Beads. We had some time to catch up at mealtimes. My workshop even enjoyed a preview of her beads, so we could use them during our week of production and creativity.

Pam wearing her fresh felt earrings.

Merryn's elegant rose bracelet with sterling silver stamens. This workshop explored felt as a jewelry component along with other mediums, felt married to metal, felt connected with chain, and as always, felt with glass and beads.

Penny made this elaborate neckpiece. She teaches textiles but is new to felting. She was one of the most intense and focused people I have worked with. She came to the second or third day of workshop with a sketched rendering of the piece she wished to make. I broke it down for her into steps: 1. Make the cane for surface design and pods 2. Felt the extensions but retain a dry "root" on each 3. Wire the beads for embedding...etc.
She set off to work and my attention was everywhere else for the next several hours. When I next checked in on her, this piece was well underway. She followed directions to the letter and had a singlemindedness that propelled her through all the steps to fruition.

By contrast, one of our lighthearted projects was Frances' "stubby holder". We made bubbly felt by using marbles. Her piece made her think of udders. She placed an "ice cube" bead in each ( to keep the stubby cold?). Using eyelets and rubber lashing, the holder laces onto the bottle. Not jewelry but, sometimes ya just gotta.

Documentary filmaker Katarzyna wasn't able to attend the last couple days. She was well on her way with this piece and I hope she will continue to work on it and send a picture. We got to see a portion of the video she was doing on this event. Hope she'll be able to complete that as well.

Rhonda's bangle was gorgeous. It was a simple cane that she carved in three places. The 3 removed portions became felt cabohons that she relocated on the bangle, lending it a square shape.

Here are some pictures of our display table during open house.

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Recap of week-long TAFTA in Orange, NSW, Australia

2011-04-23T13:14:00.001-07:00

Didn't get to share a single posting for the entire week I taught at Forum. Will try to recap here, now, for you.
This conference, TAFTA (The Australian Forum for Textile Arts), makes use of Kinross Wolaroi, a private school, during the school's break.
There were 16 registrants for my workshop: Hand Felted Jewellery, Components and Beads. We had use of a large classroom with windows on opposing walls and lots of sunlight plus trestle tables on the patios. Unfortunately, it was either too cold or too rainy to do much work outdoors. In 2008 when I taught here, it was the 7-17th year of drought, depending who you asked and just where we happened to be. Glad the drought is over.

Above are Frances, Sandra, Gillian, Tess, Julie, half of Joan.

Above, other half of Joan, Kathy, Katarzyna, Merryn and not visible, Penny and Margaret.

Above includes Rhonda, Pam, Louise, and not visible Donna and Zita.
In addition to the 15# carry-on, I was permitted 2 checked pieces of luggage. One entire piece was devoted to my felt components, jewelry and beads for show & tell and to sell at the Tutor Bazaar later in the week. We spent the entire morning of our first day together discussing the pieces, the techniques employed and the intentions and ambitions of those present, for our week together.
What an affable and cooperative group this was. When I offered that we could either cover topics in turn or we could do this anarchy style, where several lessons are going on at once, each person working on her project and getting my attention whenever beckoned. They chose anarchy. So I demonstrated for everyone who was interested, the techniques of the moment and then work beside whoever asked for me. Anything I shared with one person I did at a volume adible to everyone. If it was of interest, others would gather and learn, or listen out of the corner of their ears or simply ignore it. Everyone seemed pleased with this approach. It allows for covering a much larger scope of material.
Before heading i to another posting to share some of the work, let me share this scene on campus. It is not uncommon to see a flock of cockatoos...whiter than white, stark and amazing in sky, grass or trees. Locals report that they are capable of incredible damage, chewing and destroying street lights, porches and house features.

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Catching up on blog: day 4 Australia ....Crafty Frog

2011-04-23T10:41:00.001-07:00

Laura, owner of Crafty Frog sent this photo of us in the morning workshop. We fit 3 workshops into our precious single day. To my right is Joy who was my hostess for the two days earlier when i had taught (again) for the Canberra Regional Feltmakers. In extreme left, with her back to us is Christina. She drove to Mogo later in the week to take some classes at Jelly Beads with me. I am sooooo lucky.

Laura is in the center here, facing us. Anne, on right, in profile, owns a paper crafts store (A White Dragon Papercraft, I think) Laura had hoped to show me before leaving Canberra for Mogo. Maybe next time.

In shopping for Fireline and PowerPro for the workshop, Christina was sold Stren Microfuse. First time I've seen this item. It worked just fine.

Finally I got to see the issue of Australian Beading Magazine featuring my article on Polygon stitch. It is a lovely magazine with full of bright photographs, beautiful projects clearly and colorfully illustrated.

In addition to beads, Crafty Frog carries a variety of threads and needlecraft supplies.

Laura has worked round the clock to restock the store after the flooding.

Even after a full day of beading, the evening workshop participants finished, or nearly, this right angle weave bracelet of Swarovski crystals.

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Fabulous fashionistas of Forum

2011-04-23T10:09:00.001-07:00

Again this year at TAFTA (The Australian Forum of Textile Arts), legend Jean Carroll was recognized and applauded as she presented another of her outstanding hats to collector Jude Skeers.

Please forgive me Jean for sharing this candid shot I stole of you on our last day at this year's Forum.

The previous time I taught at Forum, in 2008, was when I met fellow tutor Jane Slicer. It was a delight to run into Jane at TNNA in Columbus Ohio last year. Though she wasn't teaching at forum this time, her work was evident everywhere I looked. Here are two of her famous designs being worn by two Forum participants. Wish I took a picture of Jenny, owner of Jelly Beads of Mogo in her beautiful Jane Slicer swing coat.

Fellow tutor Makiko Tada! shown displaying her students' works at week's end, has written several books on kumihimo. She has worked for NASA, producing materials that are astonishingly strong yet lightweight, composed of high tech modern plastic threads combined in complex kumihimo braids.

These are the discs she invented to teach kumihimo braiding without necessity for the traditional weaving stool called a marudai.
I have seen these sold at bead shows in the U.S. When I asked Makiko whether those I've seen are hers or knock offs, she tossed it off lightly with a smile. Generous teacher, lovely woman...most days seen wearing Issey Miyake.

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Day 4 of 4 days in stitches

2011-04-09T04:23:00.001-07:00

Before we started our workshop, Advanced Elements is Beadwork, we had a show and tell session.

Jude showed us that she had finished assembling the necklace from bits of African and Dutch stitches learned yesterday.

Anne finished hers overnight also.

Karen dropped by to show us her undulating beaded bead on beaded chain and beaded with us for a few moments.
It was another perfect day in Mogo. In the morning, Jenny and I head to Orange, where we hear it is coo.l
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Fiber Earring Challege Results

2011-04-08T15:38:00.001-07:00

Its been my recent honor to be asked to jury several exhibits or challenges. Each challenge cited a list of criteria and a rating scale. All the numbers are added up to determine rank. So no one piece is rated against another. They are regarded individually on their own merit. When it was the ISGB (International Society of Glass Beadmakers) I had a disc of photos of the works, most taken by the artists. Can't stress enough the value of great photos. Professional bead artist Robin McLaughlin of Stonecrop Beadwork once told me years ago, regarding the photographs she used when submitting to art and fine craft shows "i'd almost rather sell the PHOTOGRAPHS of my work, than the actual WORK". One entry for ISGB still haunts me. The piece hung on a jewelry easle that was propped awkwardly on a shiny wooden stool. The international beadwork was a secret site on the web, password protected.

I'll share the international beadwork competetion results when Perlen Poesie magazine publishes them.

Meanwhile click on THIS LINK to see the results of the fiber earring challenge. I triedto paste them here but, it didnt work.

Off to teach the 4th day at Jelly Beads......

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Third day at Jelly Beads in Mogo Australia

2011-04-08T01:33:00.001-07:00

Beaders arrived jazzed and ready to bead their hearts out. Jude (left) was a new beader until this week. She'd watched the videos on you tube that were done using projects from my MASTERING BEADWORK in preparation. .

Christine (center) has done quite a bit of beading and sometimes teaches classes at Laura's Crafty Frog in Canberra and Jenny's Jelly Beads in Mogo. Anne ( right) is quite an accomplished beader. Here they are looking over each others Undulating Beaded Bead, finished since last night's class

Also with us today for Elements of African Beadwork (sample in center of foreground) were Katherine (not in photo) and Kay (far right).

Many of the beaders had comflicting engagements and left class at 330 or 4 without fabricTingntheir necklace from the sampers made in class. I did manage to snap a quick pic of a few of their beaded beads made while learning 7 new stitches and/or vatiations.

Jenny dropped me back to my hotel after a quick stop at the market. The setting sun shed a magical light on this beautiful landscape. If your zoom, you can see afew roos out there. I'm staying in tonight to wash my hair, rest up and regroup. Tomorrow ends this adventure in Mogo and Jenny and I will haed for Orange and TAFTA (The Australian Forum of Textile Arts), where I will teach for a full and fabulous week.- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Day 2 of "4 Days in Stitches w

2011-04-07T05:10:00.001-07:00

Ann, (Anne is up out of the vacant chair), Kay and Jenny are seen hard at work on Two Sides Of The Story bracelet on their side of the classroom. Christina, Jude are not shown. They tackled the premier project in the morning session.
In the afternoon we did Fireflies necklace.

I managed a shot of a few before everyone ran off for a bite of supper before our evening session: Undulating Beaded Bead. Oops, no pics.
Off to rest before tomorrow's big day... Elements of Africa (plus).
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More Mogo

2011-04-07T04:59:00.001-07:00

Yesterday the beaders at Jelly Beads did the Elements of Beadwork workshop.

Here is Jude's. Mind you, she revealed that she is new to beading stitches, but she is one QUICK study!!!!

Ann finished this one. She was teased for being a speedy beader. She would intensely concentrate on the beadwork and occasionally enjoy a brief but of socializing.

I learned about TimTam Explosion, TTE for those in the know. Bite the cater-corners, dunk it into tea and draw tea into the biscuit by using it like a straw. When it is saturated, pop it intoyour mouth before it explodes with chocolatey goodness! There you have it .

Catching you up about Mogo

2011-04-07T04:24:00.001-07:00

Laura from Jelly Beads of Mogo. It is a sweet, artsy, tourist destination that puts you in mind of Woodstock NY, though smaller. This is owner Jenny.

She has quite a complete inventory and most beads are displayed in glass jars.

Because Mogo is a tourist destination, there are many folks wandering in who are NOT beaders. She has hundreds of finished jewelry for sale to satisfy them.

Jenny was thoughtful to be sure I saw my first kangaroo of this trip.
And then, when we arrived at Oaks Ranch, the lovely accommodations she arranged, there were several Roos to greet us.
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Australia day 3 (sending a day late...wifi issues...)

2011-04-04T06:26:00.001-07:00

The Canberra Regional Feltmakers and I hit the ground felting this morning. Honestly, we convened a little before 10 am and the room was buzzing with activity and excitement. Hazel could not come both days so today the table she worked at was occupied by Allison.

Allison set right out to create complex camr hand felted beads and this was her result. Gorgeous. She must have felters dna!

Christine had worked on the felt ring overnight and even tried her hand at beading it. We all loved this design.

Andrea and Julie both spent most of the day on their "lizards". That is...felted wire armature shaped into spiral with bead at one end with a cross wire (legs).

Kerry brought in some beads her daughter made. Turns out her daughter is quite a talented beadmaker and jewellery maker.

She made this piece for Kerry to wear to a wedding. Of course the focal beads are her own creation.

Kerry cherishes one of Jessica's earlier beads, this goddess "gone wrong". I loved the concept. I'm sure she meant that the glass technique was not her best moment but, I just love "goddess gone wrong". Kerry gave me a gift of the goddess bead in the photo 3 up. The felters teased me a couple times during the day that the goddess bead had turned and was mooning everyone as I innocently dangled her from my neck. Nothing really, compared to Jean flashing her lip at you. (I apologize for the insider reference to the tatoo inside a fellow beaders bottom lip!)

Annette was at work on her lariat/belt before everyone else had even unpacked their wool and settled into their places. She used hand painted roving by Rachel Meeks. I met Rachel in 2008, the previous time I taught at TAFTA. I look forward to purchasing some of her yummy merino at TAFTA again this year when I go there Sunday to teach for the entire next week. These 2 days with CRF was so productive and exciting. Imagine an entire week together? This is what TAFTA provides, an intensive atmosphere of an entire week devoted to one discipline. Amazing work takes place.

Helen F. finished the day with her nearly completed, sculpted felt bracelet.

Our, other of the two, Helens made several bracelets including this one with the red tips. The photo does'nt do it justice. The way the slate color transitioned to red at the tapered ends was enough to cause felt envy. It will be gorgeous.

When it came time tomwrap up our weekend together, half the felters had gone before someone thought to display the day's efforts. Here are those few items from those feltmakers that remained. Kerry felted the orange tubes to decorate her exceptionally long and exquisitely even, periwinkle felt rope. Annette and Andrea banged out a flower each ( leftish center and white to the far right, respectively). Lower left is Christine's pendant...an end cut of her complex cane with a gold eyelet made using my fancy new tool from the scrapbook section of a craft store.
This was a dazzling 2 days filled with laughs, hard work and joyful creativity. I will miss these felters when I rise tomorrow. And tomorrow starts a few days of beadwork workshops.
My delightful hostess Joy delivered me to Crafty Frog. In the morning I'll teach Raku and Rivoli (bracelet), then I'll be teaching 2 workshops in afternoon and evening. Happily, Joy has signed on to take the morning workshop, so we didn't have a sad goodbye.
I'm staying in the Country Comfort Hotel tonight and tomorrow. Laura put me up here for the free wifi that would enable me to blog. Alas, turns out they charge $4 for 15 minutes or 100mb of data. Yipes.
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Australia Day 2...Canberra Regional Feltmakers

2011-04-02T06:49:00.001-07:00

The landscape looks at once familiar and foreign. That is, the topography is'nt so different than home but, the gum trees and most floral and fauna, are distinctly Australian. This is the view outside my bedroom window for these first couple days.

When Joy, front and center in blue, delivered us to the Green Room, where the Canberra Regional Feltmakers meet, we. Were met by 8 eager felters.
After over an hour of show & tell, most present wanted to work on complex cane hand felted beads. Left to right in back row are Kerry, Annette, and Andrea.

After Annette cut her cane into beads, we discussed shaping. She has wrapped wire on her neads to help them dry tomher desired shape.

Helen wished there was grater contrast in her color choices but, honestly, look at the symmetrical and meticulous design she crrated. Lovely.

Andrea's beads are gorgeous AND she will tease and poke and manipukate the ends of her cane into another component.

Joy achieved real precise design in her beads.

Julie made 2 felt cuffs and this pair of felt elements she'll use as earrings.
It's late.
Most of us met up afterwards for Thai dinner together. Delicious. But now I find I'm tired and so, I'll say good night.
Hopefully tomorrow i'll take some more and better pics and be able to share them with you here.
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Australia ...adventures on the way and Day 1

2011-04-02T06:26:00.001-07:00

You would wonder why anyone complains about modern air travel, if you could have shared my experiences at JFK Airport and my flights to Sydney this time.
There was no line for me at JFK when I arrived early Friday morning. The agent said ( for the third time I was assured of this...) that my bags were checked through to Canberra Australia. My lightweight ( only 15#s allowed on flight to Australia) carry-on and I slipped easily through security. I was not x-rayed, frisked, poofed, wanded or anything. I did see a fellow getting the much talked about pat down that looked quite thorough indeed. My American flight from east to west coast was quite an eye opener. Apparently my reserved seat was broken, so they put me in the first row of economy. This way I witnessed every detail of the service in first class. The coats were hung up in a "closet" just across the aisle from me. There was real crystal used in place of plastic cups for champagne, wines and cordials. There were several courses served. There were pillows and blankets and personal entertainment devices. In economy they did lavish us with 3 or 4 courses of water or soft drinks, you COULD purchses a snack if you asked early.
In LosAngeles airport I had a 7 hour layover. It afforded me plenty of time to get from where I was at LAX to Thomas Bradley International Terminal...a shuttle bus away. The shuttle wouldn't run for a coupke more hours so, as I milled around, who walks, right past me? Mick Jaeger! He was chatting with someone as they walked along. It was surprising. Haven't you always imagined that celebs like Mick would have their own planes or at least be sequestered in an entourage of security? Nope, there he was, just regular, making his way through LAX.
The 16 hour Qantas flight was the best it could be in economy class. There was a lovely woman in the window seat, no one in the center seat and me on the aisle. Luxury. We could each encroach a little on the empty seat, in our ambition to sleep as much as we could. The fight atendants were kind and attentive. The cabin was dark and pretty quiet for the most part, during those hours after our meal until the breakfast snack just before arriving. We DID sleep, fitfully and restlessly, but sleep none-the-less.
In Sydney, despite the 3 assurances to the contraty, I DID have to retrieve my luggage, get through customs with it and then recheck it to Canberra....in the domestic terminal, a bus ride away...and within a little over an hour! Who is at the carosel picking next to me, as I await my luggage? William Shatner. How I miss Denny Crane and Allen Shore (Boston Legal). He went his way and I went mine only to converge on the public area at the same time. The Paparozzi lay wait.

I'll spare you the frantic tale of getting to the gate for my departure to Canberra. Suffice it to know that I made it on time and arrived here safe and sound.
My hostess for the couple days I am teaching for Canberra Regional Feltmakers, Joy Robb, met me at baggage claim. One bag didn't make it to Canberra with me but, was delivered a few hours later. Joy took me into Canberra for a little look around, some marketing, and a walk in the park area near the National Gallery, Reconciliation project and former Parliament building. It happened to be the first day of the dragon boat races so we got to watch some of this excitement.
On our way to Joy's we took an excursion to Bungendore. We enjoyed the leather shop, Bungendore Wood Works Gallery and visiting with Xanthe Gay in X Gallery.

[I am finding the wifi a bit overwhelmed by the photos i have tried to send from my ipod to my ipad. The one photo here is from a website about William Shatner visiting Sydney. So I'll skip ahead to today, hopefully with those photos from my camera, and i'll fill in these missing pics when possible.]

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Crystals on the Rocks

2011-03-28T21:22:00.001-07:00

Saturday I returned to Crystals on the Rocks in Nyack to teach an African Helix lariat that is made to undulate and spiral. When the undulations wind around the beadwork, it becomes the way the piece is worn.

And the design features those sexy new spotted daggers, dangling from one end.

Celine. who is accustomed to gold tones and blonde coloring, is adjusting to her gorgeous recently-silver self. She spoke about this change in color palette when I admired her silver hair, grey and gunmetal accessories and how put together she is. Notice here, in her beadwork, that she embraces silver and hematite while maintaining a champagne overtone. Beautiful.

Notice the difference in the diameter of the tubular beadwork when it is filled with an armature and where it is not. It is then free to relax into swirling panels of beadwork separated by "piping", or linear beads that protrude above the others. (This is your situation Anne...from Danish blonde to silver fox.)

Cheryl chose stunning orange and metallic daggers to accent galvanized copper beads. For the piping, her matte khaki beads produced an interesting visual conflict...the illusion of receding due to the matte finish while protruding above the other beads, hmmmmm.
By 5pm, when the workshop ended, most beaders had several inches completed and knew how to procede with the far end, when they get there. A few hearty beaders ordered soup from a local eatery and returned for the evening workshop...Drop Bangle Bracelet.

Sorry I was lax about taking pictures today, guess I was just in the moment. Most of the beaders had gone before I realized. Karen and Anita were good sports to model their finished bangles.

Anita is the beader I mentioned In last month's posting from Nyack. She designs beadwork for Michael's. She brought in a couple recent magazine ads that feature her work. If you go to their website, you will see her patterns for sale.
This eclectic beadstore also carries some clothing and accessories, as I mentioned last time. There was so much to take in at once. This time I really took notice of the clothing and a sweet little silk jacket caught my eye. It had that elegant quiet shimmer of raw silk fabric that has warp thread in one color and weft thread in a quite different color. When Kim told me that it was one of Jody's fashions, I could'nt resist. Jody has beaded with me in both of these weekends at Crystals on the Rocks and I just love the idea of wearing one of her designs. My entire travel wardrobe (and not just for travel) is clothing by Zee Mizrahi. It tickles me to purchase from the maker.
The store just received their second shipment of Mad-danas, versatile headwear that can be worn 10 ways. It is a headband that can stand up to these long locks plus, covers much of the hair for when I am gardening and biking. Pretty clever item. Okay, I taught, visited and shopped. It was a great day!

April 23, freshly returned from Australia, I'll be teaching two 3 hour workshops. While it would be great to have you at either one, if you can take both it will be soooo worth it. You'll take away at least one completed handfelted and beaded bangle and others ready to be finished at home.
In the morning session we'll create felt for bracelets, using luscious merino wool in an array of colors and a Turbo Felting Board with a little hot soapy water. In the afternoon we'll make beaded beads that are lovely to wear on a chain or, if you took the morning session, to connect the tapered ends of the bracelet. Plus we'll cover rivoli bezeling techniques, and bead emroidery as time allows. Not to worry, we'll let you out at 5pm so there is plenty of time to color or hide your eggs, if you wish.
Hope I see you there.
Word is getting out about how superior the Tulip beading needles are. Tonight I had a call from Florida. This beader heard other beaders talk about them. Excellent that they are sharing the news. It will be fabulous when I have the size 13. They are precious. When I was demonstrating at the Tokyo dome's International Great Quilt Show in January, I threaded 10# fireline in one and passed through a size 15 seed bead 5 times!!!!
While I am teaching in Australia the first half of April, I've asked that they resist answering my phone. So, if you order needles, or kits or anything, they won't be shipped until I return.
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Crafty Frog workshops in Australia...Canberra, Monday April 4th

2011-03-25T17:54:00.001-07:00

Canberra's number one-stop Needlework shop, Crafty Frog, sent out their first newsletter since December to announce the 2 workshops I'll be teaching there on 4-4-11.
Crafty Frog has been closed for over 10 months due to flooding. All their stock was written off, all their fittings cleaned. And they have new (bouncier) carpet, a new paint job and all new stock. Laura is delighted to tell us that, Crazy Frog (as the workman were calling us) is back! New stock has been put on the shelves and new stock continues to arrive daily.
Laura says, that for those who are attending the full day, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be provided. She adds that, of course, refreshments will be available for everyone.

Raku and Rivoli Bracelet will be one session.

Enjoy a taste of polygon stitch using only two stitches per round to whip up this bracelet that combines the look of matte raku with the sparkle of glass and crystal.

Employ the interesting thread path of polygon stitch, unlike any other stitches you know, first passing through a bead, then picking up beads for the stitch and anchoring them by passing under thread between beads. Bead a beautiful textured bezel utilizing that same thread path concept to embrace and secure a rivoli that serves as both a focal element and closure. The bracelet transitions to herringbone on the far end, acting as a buttonhole that frames the rivoli when worn.
Prerequisite: none
Level: Intermediate
Cost: $50 + Materials

Midsummer's Night Bracelet is the other.
Create a sparkling fabric of Swarovski crystals using a double-needle method of right-angle weave. Learn the little mantra that propels you through row after row.
Embellish the surface while increasing the integrity of the beadwork by the addition of miniscule golden charlottes, swarovski elements and drops. A magnetic tube closure lends a jewellery store touch to this refined and elegant piece. Don't expect to finish in class.
Prerequisite: none
Level: All Levels Welcome
Cost: $50 + Materials

Today I went to the copy shop to get the recipes printed. Tomorrow I'll start to pack.
It is so thrilling to be returning to Australia.
So now you know, My first week in Oz will be with Canberra Regional Feltmakers, then, Laura at Craft "Crazy?" Frog and then Jenny at Jelly Beads of Mogo.
The entire second week is a week-long workshop in Hand Felted Comoonent Jewelry at TAFTA (The Australian Forum of Textile Arts).

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Australia again...I can hardly wait!!!!

2011-03-24T21:29:00.001-07:00

Now that I have been there, I am even MORE thrilled to be going to Austalia next week. Jenny, one of the felters in my week-long workshop at TAFTA (the australian forum of textile arts) in 2008, has me teaching 4 days of workshops at Jelly Beads in Mogo. We'll be covering alot of ground in beadwork stiches, while making some great jewelry (jewellery to us in Oz). She will retrieve me in Canberra, after 2 days of workshop for the Canberra Regional Feltmakers, and we'll take the scenic route to Mogo.
It had been my intention to rent a mifi, personal wifi unit, as I had when I was in Japan in January, so I could share my adventures in the blog each day. Plus this time I have added skype, as a means to be in touch with my sweetheart. The basic rental came to over $300, and that is without the insurance to cover loss or damage of the precious little item. The first place i called "was out" of units. The contract for the second was way tooooo scary and expensive. Guess I'll prefer to be at the mercy of my hosts for wifi or computer access, for keeping up my blog. McDonald's are eveywhere, and I will find wifi there. Yup, McDonalds! Apparently they offer wifi in Australia, the way Starbucks is known for wifi hotspots here. So, I guess, if I get to skype, it will be from McDonalds. Who would have guessed?

Many of you have asked about my friends, acquaintances and students in Japan. The responses to my emails indicate that they are safe. Some folks reported feeling aftershocks, scary. Everyone, even outside the immediate geography of the tsunami and earthquake are affected. Some by rolling blackouts, interruption in and unpredictable transportation and power, shortages and rationing of goods, fear of radiation and, can we even consider, the economic toll. That said, Tulip Co and I have just resumed conversation about my potentially distributing their exquisite beading needles in the U.S.A.

Even tonight, in the Beadzo workshop, the beaders were hailing their Tulip needles. Crystals on the Rocks in Nyack, sold out of their supply in a couple days and asked me for more of the exquisite needles. I'll be teaching there Saturday...hope you are there. Last workshop before heading overseas.

We're doing a crystal embellished, spiraling necklace/lariat all day and in the evening, a new beaded bangle.
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Bella Beads

2011-03-16T17:10:00.001-07:00

Before I leave for Australia at the end of the month, I'm trying to tidy up some loose ends and sort out the details of upcoming workshops.
Sue, owner of Bella Beads, and I, just discussed which workshops I will teach in her lovely New Hampshire store during the weekend of May 14 and 15.
On Saturday May 14, we'll do Elements of Beadwork.

Each beader will create her own unique necklace in the process of learning and sampling several beadworking techniques. This necklace above features a brooch as the focal element.

- This example features a lampworked bead (made by the beader in an earlier workshop), enhanced by branched fringe.

And this example features several smaller lampworked beads and a beaded bead as the focal element.
See that each beader will work in her palette of bead colors and, in some cases, sizes, to create samples of each stitch or stitch variation learned. Then all the samplers are arranged with concern for balance, adding focal elements. The necessary length is acheived by stringing seed or other beads. We just did this project in Nyack at Crystals on the Rocks, and it reminded me what a wonderful vehicle this project is for conveying so many beadwork techniques.
Sunday May 15 we'll do two half day projects:

This Drop Bangle Bracelet of right angle weave and drop beads.
And

The undulating Beaded Bead showing the new faster and easier way. And in the moments we save using the faster easier method, I'll teach the beaded chains also.

Sunday I finished jurying the approx 300 entries for the Perlen Poesie (German beading magazine) Bead International Award. You will be able to view all the submissions on the Perlen-poesie.de website after jurying is completed. This contest is sponsored by Toho, Miyuki, Beadalon, Beadsmith, Bobby Bead, beading software, Preciosa, Search Press, Kalmbach Books, Leane Cteatief B.V., Crea non, and Hagemann Restaurant Hotel. The international jury consists of Prof. Herman Hermsen, Toshi Myoda, Evelyn Ulzen, Silvia Winterstein and me.

By the way, when I posted recently about Pat Riesner's kits, I used shoptokill.com as her link instead of the correct shop2kill.

Many of you have expressed concern about my friends in Japan. The folks I introduced you to in the January posts are all well and safe at this time. Most were miles away in Hiroshima when the earthquake and tsunami happened. Motoko was in Tokyo at the time and she and all my friends from Coronet are also safe, though possibly shaken.

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Bead Blast

2011-03-10T11:28:00.001-08:00

It took me over a week to get around to sharing with you about our last Bead Blast, and then....holy smoke, I must have hit the "discard" rather than "post" button. So, here we go again. In addition to the giggles, good food and bead shopping, we even managed to get some beading done. There were beads and kits for sale by Sisters' Originals, Pat Riesner and moi.

A few beaders made this Stick Pearl bracelet. Cathy culled through the rice pearls in her kit, setting aside the shorter ones. The kit contains 2 strands of the pearls in addition to the double-drilled stick pearls. It takes nearly both strands, one per r.a.w. section to complete the bracelet. When she thought she was ready to connect the two sections, I pointed out that she was one row short on each. This meant she'd have to use those shorter, culled pearls.

It resulted in a subtle curve to the finished piece (top one in picture), compared to the one made using the pearls as they came off the strand.
Notice the beaded bead above the two bracelets? It is made from a kit I gave to each beader, so I could share the new faster easier way to do undulating tubular peyote (dubbed Cellini spiral by Virginia Blakelock and again later in a project published by Deb Samuels).

The gunmetal gray and hematite colored undulating peyote above is Amy's work. She put aside after a few inches to start the red piece shown. It is made of Czech pod-shaped beads and an assortment of purpley red seed beads. Though she used spiral stitch, it has a similar profile as the undulating peyote. It is gorgeous and I suffer bead envy, I admit.

Wendy worked on this stunning bracelet. She purchased the recipe from Sand Fibers, Carol dean Sharpe's website, where you too can buy one of her recipes. Carol and I are facebook friends and have almost met at the Bead & Button Show. When she and her much admired designs became the topic, Pat Riesner revealed that she has purchased Carol's commercial design...this is permission to teach a class using Carol's recipes. What a clever concept. Sylvia and Cathy might follow her lead with one of their Long Island workshops.

Janet showed us the necklace she is submitting to a exhibition that features "wood"-turnings. In this case it is this resin focal element made by her wood-turner husband, Bob. Janet has hidden the closure within the resin piece at the back.

Several of their turned pens were for sale to us. Click on Bob's name to look at their website so see their line including crochet hooks and beading looms.

Throughout the weekend I delighted in hearing the testimonials to the new Tulip brand fine beading needles. I think everyone at the Bead Blast bought a package. I told the beaders how Tulip and I had corresponded back in June about what I look for or would dream of having in a beading needle. Already known and respected throughout the quilting community, as manufacturers of fine sewing and quilting needles, Tulip has made it their mission to satisfy the beading community as well. This is a needle that flexes to fit into tight spaces and springs back to straight! The eye is easier to thread and is less likely to pull open or break off when pulled on. The point of the tip is rounded to avoid splitting thread and make it easier to slip into the beads. When I returned from Japan in January, I brought along a few hundred of the size 11 needles. They are offered for sale on my website and I will use them in some of my kits. Pat said poetically that "they are like beading with silk". Wendy took it as a challenge and was happy to see that the needles remained pretty straight even in her hands,

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Nancy Tobey Bead Inspired Lariat

2011-03-08T08:41:00.001-08:00

This lariat was a popular workshop that explores the little known Polygon Stitch. The Bead and Button Show offered a second session last year when the first one filled up on the day registration opened.
In preparation for teaching it again this year, Nancy Tobey made me several more of her borosilicate beads and Sylvia located a stash of my favorite stripey beads to invest in. Finding this year's registration for it anemic, Bead and Button Show pulled this class to add two more of my popular classes.

While they last, i'm offering these kits for sale here. Pictured is the original color. The glass bead is flanked by beaded beads you will make using crystals and beads. Both the lariat itself, and the beaded beads are made using variations of polygon stitch.

In addition to the original magenta bead, there are 5 kits made around these 5 other focal beads: midnight, desert, dawn, salmon and dark blue.

$85 per kit, and I'll pay the shipping. You can call with credit card info or purchase via paypal from my website. I'll ask my web mistress to post them there.
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Crystals on The Rocks

2011-02-21T13:31:00.001-08:00

I taught workshops this past weekend in Crystals on the Rocks, an eclectic bead store and accessories shop in our favorite rivertown, Nyack NY.

These are the partners, Grace and Kim. Individually, they are each lovely and kind and bright and very put together in their particular style. And together, they are all that, squared, plus completely adorable and delightful to be with. Their collective energy is just so perfect and they have created a fitting environment of beauty, creativity, support, education and beads...did I mention the beads?

That back wall is devoted to Swarovski beads. They also collect and sell vintage Swarovski and other vintage beads, displayed in cases in the center of the store. Along the wall on the right are the seed beads. They are in long tubes, artfully displayed. And you don't have to squat way down to see all the choices.

As their name would imply, they have gemstones and natural crystals plus books on the energy of crystals as relates to chakra and chi.

The glass cases serve as sales counter and display of finished jewelry and adornments for both body and decor. There is so much to see that just doesnt appear in any of my shots: display of vintage crystal ornaments; unique scarves, sweaters and accessories; incense; unusual and custom findings ( I reallllly liked the colored copper ones, and I do not recall how Kim said they are made. Was it titanium something over copper? Anyway, they are fabulous.).

Jody, Celine and Rose's hand...

Grace, Karen, and two anonymous beaders, busy at work on Elements of Beadwork. In this workshop you learn a basic stitch and then a variation of it: odd-count peyote double-needle technique; dutch spiral; an original stitch I named peyote-carry-one; polygon rope three sided, four sided with an edge and floral motif. All the little samplers made while learning are designed to be beaded beads. When the beaded beads are strung together with additional beads and one or more focal beads, a gorgeous one-of-a-kind necklace results, an expression of each beader and her own tastes and preferences.

I apologize for not having more and better pictures. There is this shot of Celine's focal piece, assorted lampworked beads, Swarovski pearls and some of her beaded beads before she put them together.

I let just about everyone escape from the evening class before I remembered to take a photo. Fran, yipes, or is it Kim, and Karen let me shoot theirs. Those two beaded beads are also Karen's. She wants to work on them more before stringing them.

Anita is showing her Russian leaf design. She teaches beadwork here regularly. If you ckick on her name you will see many designs of jewelry using Bead Gallery items stocked by Michael's craft stores. Some of those could be her designs, as she does this type of work for them. Anita told me that December's issue of Bead & Button magazine has her red necklace appears in the store's ad.

March 26, Saturday, I'm teaching this brandy new lariat, Kalahari Oasis. This design is what came of Genevieve from Bead Gallery (Melrose MA) asking for an African Helix themed piece. And we get this one to undulate and sparkle and wind up on itself in a most wonderful way.

Nyack beader Linda Vinecour modeled it for us. Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

January 27: today I will fly home

2011-01-26T18:33:00.001-08:00

There is no doubt that I will sleep on the plane on my flight home. By the time I packed, itemized the contents of the bag I will check and posted a quick blog entry it was past 3:30am. Mayumi, Masami and I agreed to meet before work today so I could teach them Dutch Spiral.

We are crazed beaders, we are. Here we sat in the hotel lobby, in our beaded bliss, fitting in one last bead lesson until we meet again. It is a fine way to start any day.
Tulip is bringing me some fresh, exquisitely manufactured beading needles they just are introducing. When I am back in the studio I will share more details. Long story short: in June Tulip product development department inquired what type of needles I use, like, avoid etc. I answered all their questions and added the list of specs that a beading-needle-of-my-dreams would have.

A month ago Tulip sent me a package of their new beading needles. I used them exclusively during this time. Before jumping to a quick conclusion, I wanted to try them for a few miles of beadwork. I am ready now to say, without equivocation, that these ARE those dream needles.
1. The point is sharp enough to wedge into tight spaces but not so sharp that it will split the thread.
2. The eye is designed for easier threading, and its smooth oval shape does not snag or abrade the thread.
3. I asked that they be firm and straight, yet flexible enough to bend without snapping. This needle is flexible and bends easily to fit into tight spaces and then springs back to straight. It does not become curved or, worse, s-shaped, like cheap needles.
4. It is smooth and polished to easily glide through the beads.
5. And I hadn't included this in my dream-needle description: the size 11 and size 10 are slightly different lengths. The Beader can easily compare length to determine size instead of having to distinguish by diameter which is size 10 or 11. Brilliant.
6. Size 13, though it is very fine gauge as you would expect, can accommodate size 10# Fireline easily, and pass through size 15 seed beads 5 times.
Oo, I could enthuse for a dew more minutes but, I must add a few packages of these precious beauties to my suitcase, so you also can have them. Check my website in a couple days or call me.

January 26 day trip to Kamakura

2011-01-26T08:31:00.001-08:00

Mayumi, from Tulip's product development department arrived from Hiroshima. You may recognize her from my posts about TNNA in Columbus Ohio. She has planned a wonderful time in Kamakura for us, as this is my last day, a "free" day, before heading home tomorrow.
A few train changes later and we were in Kamakura. We admired the fine crafts in the shops that lined the main street. The lacquerware is fascinating but the fabric shop Nugoo lured me in. From coasters to furoshiki, they had all manner of lovely Japanese cloth.

When we reached the end of this avenue, we took a few moments at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.

Mayumi's research into lunch restaurants paid off. Our delightful meal was on the second story, a "mom and pop" operation with just 3 large tables and a few seats at a counter. Even Mayumi had to shoot a few pics. Beautiful and delicious. A bitter vegetable only grown in this area...reminded me of gobo but, more intense, was a welcome taste treat.
We hailed a cab to take us to Hokokuji Temple, a Zen temple established in 1334.

From the moment you enter the grounds you feel your pace slow, your heart expand. The grounds are lovely and includes a moso-bamboo (largest bamboo species) forest.

Wait until my cousin Charles sees THIS bamboo forest.

We made our way through this amazing stand of bamboo to a tea house where we rested with a matcha.
Yipes, how did it get to be 2 am? Maybe because we had another 3 hour feast tonight after the quilt show closed, and even these shallow postings take toooooooo long. Sweet dreams. Gotta go. I'm meeting Masami and Mayumi at 8 am for a quick beading lesson before I fly back home.
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January 25th...evening

2011-01-26T07:44:00.001-08:00

After the classes at Kiwa Seisakushyo we enjoyed some time in Asakusa and some time at Senso-ji temple. Lunch was unagi (eel) with all the trimmings. And then we were off to the races, so to speak. Our trek through the mysteries of the train sytem was punctuated with moments of mad hot dashing and we made our way back to the hotel just in time for Shoko to head to the airport to return to Hiroshima. Having not a moment to spare, also spared us the distress of a lengthy goodbye.
Later, I met Daisuke and Toshinori and reunited with Masami for another evening of Japanese feasting.

This is the entry to the restaurant. Who would'nt want to eat here?

Daisuke is in sales and Toshinori is in the factory at Tulip. They both wokred the booth today at the Quilt Show.

This beautiful pot cooked right at out table. You can't see the thick wide udon noodles beneath the 17 other items in this dish. We are lucky to be dining here, as reservations are difficult to come by and many celebs dine here.

We were served one udon noodle per bowl, as they were so immense. I was told the collagen in the chicken we ate would make my skin youthful. I'm sure.

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January 25 Tokyo

2011-01-25T17:09:00.001-08:00

My Tokyo itinerary includes a day of teaching 2 short workshops at a large bead store after a few days of demonstrating at the International Great Quilt Show. It is a large store, beautifully arranged and carrying a wide range of jewelry making supplies that extend beyond beads: preserved flowers, feathers, and fur pom poms.

When I packed my suitcases, I had no idea how many students to expect or what the classroom set up would be, so I packed for 40, with ability to accomodate more. When it was revealed that the store limited registration to 5 students, maximum, I was flabbergasted. What a luxury to have this teacher: student ratio.
Both the necklace and the bracelet projects were scheduled for the same time slot. This permitted each student to learn and make her chosen project, while being exposed to the lesson for the other project. Wonderful. A version of what I do on the Thursdays when I teach at Beadzo in Tivoli NY. Each beader works on her chosen lesson or project while benefitting by the lessons going on around her. Check out the Kiwa bead store blog.

This is Chihiro at work on her bracelet. This is her first beading project. She was quick to understand this double needle right angle weave.

Yoko is also a first time bead stitcher. The recipe calls for 75 4mm firepolish. She had 100 so, I suggested she also make a 25-bead-long one. Since they are finished with magnetic closures, she can either wear them connected into a longer necklace, or wear them as a necklace and bracelet set. She promises to use a short chain with 2 lobster claws as a safety chain, when wearing it as a bracelet.

After class, the sales clerk asked me to teach her how to make the beaded bead that she admired on the felt bracelet I made for Masami. This was Dutch spiral. Being the teacher who can't say no, we remained a few more minutes after class to teach her this stitch, commune with our beads and each other. What a joy.
Will share the rest of this day with you later. Right now I have to meet Mayumi. Posted using BlogPress from my iPad