Life-time To-Do List Got Shorter

These pictures are of the moon and sunrise over the San Juan islands. Wednesday I got to meet Robin Atkins - that was one of the things on my professional to-do/wish list! She was gracious enough to meet me at 7:30 am - the best time for me to take the ferry (why is it that every time I try to plan something, everyone else's world is already topsy-turvy?). After a scone and hot chocolate, we went to Lime Kiln Point so I could scramble on the rocks to peek in the tidal pools. Then I got to see her studio - it's amazing! Everywhere I looked there was something else that begged a closer inspection! Her work has a texture to it that gets lost in pictures - to be able to see it in person was wonderful. I'm working on the next part of my doll, so I did get some beading done on the ferry ride over, and a little at her studio - I could have spent a few more hours just looking at her work. The moon on the ride over was glorious, just calling me outside to look at it. The ride back the boat was vibrating a bit much to bead, so I plunked myself in a seat to enjoy the scenery, and saw a pair of Dall's porpoises! So I truly was blessed in every part of that journey (and that Sue agreed to get the kids to school for me!). It's amazing to me that, having decided to pursue something to an art form, one of the top people doing that art form lives so close! My life can be very hectic sometimes, but that day was just so awesome!

Crafty Strikes Again

So, I may not have gotten a huge amount of beadwork done this week, but I have been busy, and sick, and (how much whining can I do?).


This is my Nov BJP base, the bead colors that were chosen are 2 shades of red and pearl white - I'm going for swirling wind, which we tend to have a lot of in these parts.


This is a project I'm starting for when I need a break from the doll - it's African turquoise, I'll put it on black with probably lots of silver. The grey pieces are actually chipboard, I got a couple packs of them from a scrapbook store.


Ok, ugly mug time! It's very hard to take a picture of yourself when there's plaster hardening on you. Yep, plaster! I'm trying to make a mold, so I can cast (probably in paper) an actual "bust" to display necklaces and collars on. How will I know what it's going to lay like if I don't have something that I can check it on - especially for length? And let potential costumers see as well? It needs to be lightweight, transportable and cheap! So for $5 (I may have also used a coupon) I put gauze with plaster on it on myself. The mold is actually pretty good - I need to seal it so I can cast on it. I did not put the plaster around my neck, so I could peel it off, and then used a can the right size to re-create a neck. I cut the back of the neck while still flexible and patched it together. The mold is very light weight once dry. So once the 3 pinatas for Halloween are done, I'll try making some mini-mes!

Oct BJP

I managed to get my Oct BJP page done this week - finally something I can show! The chosen colors were matte amethyst, AB lime green 8's, and turquoise 15's. I picked out beads that went with the colors, and came up with "Things that go bump in the night" for a theme. The glass bead in the lower left has fringes around it, and the one on the right has little picots on the bottom, and fringes with sequins on top. It was fun to do, especially since I've been using only a few colors for about 24 hours of beadwork, and now I'm going back to that project. Next months colors are 2 shades of red and pearl white - all 11's.