I'm back, maybe!

Hello on this dreary Sunday morning on the East Coast of the US!  I may finally be back to creating and blogging!  I say "maybe" because there is a lot going  on in my world.  We are doing some upgrades in our kitchen and family room.  You know how they always say that once you start something like this you find that the job grows bigger!  Well, this has lived up to that saying and it's gotten a little more involved than we thought it would.  And, being the kitchen and family room it's been rather disruptive.  But, I'm excited about the changes we're making and it all should be done by the beginning of December, just in time for me to turn into the Christmas elf and decorate to my heart's content!  Since I can't really do much in the rest of the house I'm hoping that now that the major decisions have been made I can get down to my studio and finish projects that have been around in various states of completion all summer.   We expanded our garden this year and the weather wasn't too hot so I was able to spend more time out there which is why not many projects were finished, or even started.  Hopefully that will start to change now.  I really miss the creative process even though I consider gardening creative. 

Having said all that, I did manage to finish one beading project.  It wasn't terribly involved and didn't take long to do!  But, I love it and I wanted to share it with you.  It's another geometric beadwork project inspired by Kate McKinnon.  I kind of teased it in my last post on who inspires me.  You can read that here.   Here is the completed pendant. 

 

 

It starts with a warped square which I love stitching.  I made an  entire bracelet in warped squares last Fall.  You can see that one here.   The directions for stitching a warped square are in Kate's first book on geometric beadwork, Contemporary Geometric Beadwork.  Early in August Kate sent out an email with the idea for a new project, create a warped square and then work and exploding round and keep going until you had the number of rounds you desired.  The exploding round is one of the innovative concepts that Kate came up with while working on the book.  It's difficult for me to explain it so that it makes sense but Kate has a wonderful YouTube video that makes it all clear and you can also find the instructions in her book.  I admit that I wasn't sure how it worked when I read the printed instructions but once I watched the video it was easy to do. 

 

I started with the warped square that I turned into the bail for this pendant and from there stitched the largest square. On the final round I added drops for the corner beads.   I did 2 more squares, the medium and small, and then stitched the smaller squares.  Then I played with how I wanted them to be arranged and the pendant you see is what I came up with.  I love it and it's light weight and fun to wear. 

 

Here are a few details.  

 

 

 







 

 

 

 

 

 

As I said, it was fun to do and didn't take very long at all.  Which is probably why I finished it!!!   I chose the colors for a vineyard feel.  I'm in love with geometric beadwork and I'm working on a cuff bracelet that is coming along slowly. 

 

 

I want to thank all of you for visiting me especially after such a long break from blogging.  I really appreciate your visits and all your wonderfully kind comments.  Have a wonderful day!





And, finally some beadwork!

Hi, everyone!  It's been a while and even longer since I posted any beadwork.  As I keep saying, the time goes so quickly and this year is quicker than most for some reason.  I haven't been in the studio much and beading has been very slow.  But, I finally finished a project I started at the beginning of September.  It's another geometric beadwork bracelet.  I can't seem to get enough of working from Kate McKinnon's and Jean Power's books.  Both artists came out with second volumes of geometric beadwork recently and I'm just captivated by what they and other artists are coming up with.

Here is what has taken me so long to finish.

The components are called Warped Squares in Kate's books, but the bracelet design comes from Jean Power.  And, while I keep saying it took a long time to complete because I haven't been beading much, it's not a quick project!!  All those beaded squares are connected by 6 rows of circular peyote, and there are a lot of squares even for my small wrist!  But, I love it and I loved working on it!  From the colors you can see why I wanted to finish it before Fall was over.   I used my favorite bronze Delicas for a repeating color and then was inspired by the changing leaves for the other Delica colors. 

As I said, each square is connected to the previous one by circular peyote worked at the center of the square that you just finished.  You work your way back to the center and peyote a short connector and then start the next square. It's finished with a magnetic closure.   Not quick beadwork, but I think it's worth it!  I've worn it already and I love it! 

Here are some close ups! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was so happy that my friend Kathy had some antique copper magnetic clasps in the store.  It really becomes invisible when I'm wearing the bracelet.  Since I have so much trouble sizing bangles that fit me well I'm always delighted when I can make a bracelet look like a bangle!  I adore bangle bracelets but can rarely find one or make one that fits!

 

 

Well, now I can start on a beaded Christmas gift for the librarian I work with.  And, then start on my next geometric project!! I'm addicted!

 

Now it's on to Thanksgiving (already?!) and then the hustle of the Christmas season!  I hope you are enjoying this beautiful season and getting  a lot inspiration from it.  Have a wonderful day and if you live in most of the U. S., stay warm!  Thank you so much for visiting with me.    I'll be back soon with my next entry into The Twelve Tags of Christmas Funkie Junkie Style!