Queen Bee To Desert Sands

    I'm guessing you think I forgot about this post. Not so, I've just had a lot on my plate these past few weeks. So here I am again. Hope you will enjoy something of what I have to show for my work this time. 
    First I'm going to tell you about the Necklace I call Queen Bee. This necklace is made with one of my favorite finds. The pendant stone is called Dragon veins. The stone looks like an agate. The other ones I have seen are usually green and black, but this one is yellow, white, and black. The pattern is amazing. Nature has some spectacular designs. To think this is in a rock! It reminded me of a queen bee after it all came together.  The necklace itself is about 22 inches long, not counting the pendant part of the piece. I started with this stone and then added on either side of it are two vintage matte black glass beads. On either side of that and added the two yellow jade stones, and I attached it with a beaded neckband. The  triangle above the pendant is made of gold tone seed beads and vintage black diamond shaped glass two-holed beads I found at a bead store in Portland, Oregon on a visit to my sister.   On the rest of the necklace, I put frosted white and vintage beads with yellow crystal  beads in between  large black glass beads. This one is warm and vibrant and reminds me of summer. 

     Next is one of the tree of life pendants I talked about in another post. It makes me think of fall and is made with  stone chip beads, and some pear-shaped glass beads with shell disk beads, and other assorted glass beads, including copper wire and copper colored glass seed beads. The cord is tied with micro macrame' and copper glass seed beads. The necklace is about 20 inches in length and the pendant part is about three inches added to that. The bracelet is made in the same pattern and has two round shell disk beads and a decorative center bead as well. It measures 8 inches in length with a brass colored lobster clasp. 


      This next necklace is has two polymer clay beads called butterfly wings. These took a lot of time to make. the cane is made by rolling thin sheets of clay and wrapping them around each other and you  then slice off the sides to reveal the design underneath. I also used  polymer blue and white tube beads my husband Brad made. The detail on those is wonderful, and the pictures do not do them justice. The center focal bead is a beaded  bead made over a small wooden spool. The large kind of muddy yellow beads are jade, and the bottom part of the necklace is threaded onto tiger tail wire to hold the weight. The rest of the necklace is macrame with blue cotton thread and glass seed beads. It measures about 34 inches long and closes with a hook and ring. 

        The next necklace is micro macrame. It is 22 inches in length and the pendant part, including the fringe, is about 4 inches. It is light and cheerful.  I used a deep purple nylon thread and glass and crystal  beads. On the pendant is a vintage faceted pink iridescent cut stone. I'm not sure if it is glass or crystal. Included on the pendant part are tiny crystal butterflies. The knots on the pendant are tied onto a silver link of an old necklace. It is bright, light, and cheerful. 

      Now I'm going to talk about a bookmark sampler. The very top is made of tatting and needle lace below, which is needlepoint. Below that is micro macrame, with  beaded fringe on the bottom. The bookmark measures 15 inches long and is 1 1/2 inches wide. The macrame part is made with cotton thread. On the bottom is a assortment of glass beads: some old, some new. I  also beaded along the edge of the needlepoint . It is hard to see all the detail from the pictures. There are a whole lot of knots here; I would hate to have to count them. This was a fun project and I learned some new things as I went along. 

          I tried something new and I made a small book or journal using several techniques . The cover background is made with some of the marbled cloth I talked about in an earlier post. I made a starfish from micro macrame and crocheted a plant and also embroidered  more sea plants and added a couple of fish made out of shell and attached a shell with some macrame cord. I stitched the pages together with cotton thread and nylon cord. I made a fringed attached bookmark with different beads and charms and put a small sea creature on the fringe just for fun. I wonder if you can spot it? The book measures 6 1/2 by 5 inches.  I also  beaded around the top cover with glass beads. It is bound together with three oval bone beads and some assorted glass beads. I also quilted a bit of the front cover to give some texture and movement  to the the water scene. 

    This necklace  is made with a sea sediment jasper in a teardrop shape. I inclosed it with macrame and beads. The necklace is micro macrame with some square tube stone beads and some seed beads. It is about 30 inches long. I knotted over heavy fishing line for support. 

       This next one is a fun little flower bracelet with a beaded bead center. The flower part is made with white silk thread and nylon thread with glass seed beads around two plastic rings and then sewn together. This one is a little tricky to explain how to put on, so I think I will make a short video on youtube and attach it. It is easier that way than trying to explain it here. It could also be used as a hair wrap. 

      Next are some little earrings I made with Micro macrame.
I also knotted them on two of those silver links from an old necklace. I used a baby blue nylon thread, and added small glass and metal beads. I will let the picture tell the rest of the story. 

 
     Last, but not least, I made a necklace with a Jasper picture pendant stone. It reminds me of the desert, nice and warm and peaceful. Above the pendant stone, I attached two other unknown stone beads, which I got from a broken bracelet I bought on ebay. I made the knotted part with tough nylon cord. It started out as the cord for the neck and it looked too uneven, so I  knotted it up some more and made a nice cord to attach it to the other part of the necklace, which I beaded with brown glass beads and nylon cord. This is one of my favorite ones so far this time. So it goes to show that a mistake can turn into something lovely with a little more work. 
           So that is it for this time. Hope you enjoyed the journey.
 

MEANDERING PATH LEARNING

 “Let your thoughts meander towards a sea of Ideas"

                                         Leo D. Minnigh quotes

Well, here I am again. This time was full of practice and learning. I worked the longest on a little bag.  The picture to the left is the front of the bag. Here is how I did it: I made it with some grey & brown cotton thread. I added  stone and glass beads and  bone and wire to make the wings of the dragonfly on the front.   I started with the colors evenly divided, so it made vertical stripes. I worked the first inch or so in a half hitch in stripes and put alternating beads cream and blue-grey .

After the beads addition, I tied a few square knots.
Next, I tied more half hitches in a sort of leaf form.  I added the triangle stone and then tied alternating square knots. 

Next I migrated the colors inside of the half hitches, moving all of the blue cords to the outside. 

I also formulated the dragonfly. 

It took awhile to figure out how to reinforce the wings; I ended up putting  more wire in the center of the wings. They started out just outlines.

Then after moving all the grey threads to the sides, I tied  square knot pillars, and did some alternating half square knots into a twirling pattern. Last I tied some more square knots and a small bead center. I tied these knots into a point. 

This is where I tried to turn corners and go around to the back of the bag. It worked pretty well. 

Last of all I put on the fringe. Then, I made a handle  Also, I made a lining with a piece of my husbands old shirt. To cover the raw edges, I beaded it with  small seed beads. I also covered a buckle with some more of the shirt to match and attached it to the two ends of the strap so it could be shortened or lengthened. This started out to be a miser purse but it sort of morphed into something else. 

This necklace is made with needle tatting and a dark green jute-like cord. I added  chalk turquoise,
glass beads and  green crystals. I also added square ceramic beads.  The pendant is made with a  green and brown sea sediment jasper. 








Then I made another miser bag.With daisy drop beads on the bottom fringe.  I put glass beads with a small flower motif on the flap.

  I'm going to try to post a short video of how to open a miser bag. 
 I uploaded my video to YouTube; So I need to wait until they process it.  

Next I made a necklace with  Chinese knots. I beaded the necklace part with some adventurine beads in the center of the two cords. To hold them in place, I beaded  seed beads in an alternating pattern. 
I made a button and loop closure. The pendant part is made with a large dragon vein stone and a carved stone of unknown origin that looks like agate.  I attached a teardrop stone in the center.  I added some other glass and stone beads. The nylon cord I used in this project was really nice to work with because it held the knots.  It was a fun project. 

This next necklace gave me some grief. The Chinese knot will not lay the way I would like. The cord I used was hard to work with. This one is called Beads, Bones and Buttons. The two rose beads are of unknown age. I bought them in a little antique store on Center Street downtown. The bottom diamond shaped bead came from some vintage beads I bought on ebay. The stain I used on the bone came out more red than I envisioned.




One more necklace: this one is blue and white with an oriental touch, made with some ceramic and glass beads. I think the round bulls eye beads are eye beads to ward off evil.This one was tricky to make. The cord was really slippery.

Hope you had an enjoyable time meandering with me. Hope to see you here again. Thanks!


 

LIFE MAKES SENSE WHEN...

"Life makes sense when we are centered in our hearts and embrace our unique journey"

I have a problem in finding balance. If I could learn to be more centered, and work out from there, maybe that would come. I was thinking that blogs seem to be a bit of rambling, and I'm pretty good at that. As I have been working with this blog it is so easy to get off onto different paths. I have a rambling spirit and love to search and learn. My problem comes when I have to document where I have been and how I got there. I need to focus.
     As I was searching online, I found a skill I would like to develop, called marbling. I found that the Turkish do some superior marbling called ebru. I went on YouTube and discovered some astounding videos of  masters of ebru.  I have done a bit of marbling in the past, in school and on my own. I also have a book I picked up along the way.  A few years ago Brad (my husband) and I did a little marbling on paper with spray paint, but it did not stick to the paper well enough. 
       As I learned this time, you have to treat the paper or cloth you want to marble on with a solution of alum and water. Then after you treat the cloth with the alum mixture you have to use it within 24 hours or the alum starts to eat away at the cloth. But when you put it on paper it does not have to be used right away.  I also learned how you get the paint or ink to do what it does when you put it on the surface of the water. For some mediums of paint you need to add some ox gall. It has something to do with the surface tension. Also you have to add something to the water to thicken it.       Some of the different things you can thicken it with are starch, carrageenan or methocel. It gives a surface for the ink or paint to float on. 
    Some of the other tools necessary, are rakes, brushes, or whisks. You apply the paint or ink with brushes, whisks, eyedroppers or various small sticks. Some people use small screwdrivers dipped into the paint or ink and dropped onto the surface of the treated water. The rakes are for drawing through the paint to make different patterns. The first paint applied is called putting down stones. It is so wonderful to see how the different mediums react together to make endless patterns and designs. You also need is a tray to hold the water and paint mixture,for whatever you  want to marble.  If you want to try, there is a lot of information out there.  The book I have is called Marbling Paper & Fabric by Carol Taylor. This seems to be a great book  from what I have looked at to get you started on your way to learning this beautiful technique.   I have gathered some supplies and am looking forward to taking a journey of marbling. Here is another task ahead. 

     As I have thought about how to find my center in my journey, I have learned I really feel part of that center is tied up in knots. I like tying knots.  I also, love using stones and beads. Part of my journey to my center will include string , thread, cord, beads and stones.
      I have quite a varied background in knots, and lace making, and bead work. I also like paper and clay, so don't be surprised if some of those show up too. 

      Here are some of my works from the past two weeks.  First I knotted a little lampshade for a light that did not have one. 

      On this little shade I used a metal frame that was for holding a votive candle and a little dish to heat up oils to scent the air. It had a ring so I could attach it to the lamp.  I knotted cotton string to make a shade. I also did some simple wrapping of the cord around the frame. It turned out looking like a quaint little wildflower.  I think it will do the job. 

    Second, I made a necklace and bracelet set, using  a poker chip with an added embossed paper added to it for the pendant. Then I tatted a little back for it and beaded  around that to hold it all together. Then on the necklace part I did some macrame knots and beading. The bracelet was made in a similar fashion. 




   

Then I made a little card for a friend using tatting , and tenriffe lace, and a few beads. 

  



   I next finished a bracelet that I had started awhile ago. I finished the needlework then I did some beading around that and then attached a button and loop to hold it all together. 

   


  Last of all I made a necklace with a favorite stone donut and some stones and beads made of wood jasper from my stash, also I used a really old bead that I bought on ebay on top of the donut.  It turned out to be a bit off center. I need some practice with that. 


     












      I hope you enjoyed this little side trip. See ya next time.
Enjoy the journey wherever it may lead. 
       Check out YouTube and search for Ebru or marbling and be amazed as I was.  I always marvel at how some simple shapes, knots or dots of paint can turn into a 
composition of beauty and unsurpassed detail.

Seeing Red. Darning, Dabbling, Doodling.

     Hi I've been darning,dabbling and doodling and  seeing red sometimes.  I've been asked to give a lesson in DUP, a group I belong to that studies the lives and history of the Utah Pioneers. It is the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. Well the lesson this time is titled "Handwork of the Pioneer Women."  These pioneer women left more prosperous circumstances to travel to a barren and dusty desert place. They had to leave lots of their prized possessions behind to lighten the load.  At first they had to just survive and set up homes for their families, but as time went on they longed to brighten their lives and the lives of those around them with something beautiful.  One of the handiwork items that became popular was something called red work.

Why did they call it redwork? It was called redwork because it was red, of course. They wanted thread that would hold it's color and not fade or bleed onto the cloth. Turkey Red was one of those colors that could do that, and the only color they could get. The thread was called Turkey Red because it came from Turkey.  They worked in simple outline stitches in patterns they drew themselves on muslin cloth, aprons, dish towels, curtains, napkins etc. They were simple outlines to use less thread. It was easy to learn because it is done in a simple running stitch or stem stitch or split stitch. 
     I went online and looked up redwork and found a few examples and tried some out.  Here are a few of my examples. Remember, I'm rusty and a beginner, so

don't look too closely.

      On the edge of the first example I did s lacework called  Mediterranean knotted lace. I had the most fun doing this. I'm always amazed at how something so beautiful can be made with one simple knot.

The hardest part of this work is getting the loops the same size.  I've put a picture of the book I'm trying to learn from. It is a great book if you are interested.

       Much of this handiwork was done by these early pioneers. Some of the things listed in the lesson are bobbin lace, crochet, embroidery, tatting, knitting, spinning, weaving etc. The list goes on. I am happy to say that at least where I live, these skills are still being practiced and learned. I belong to a lacer's group who still practice many of these skills. If you don't know much about these projects and have an interest, look them up and you'll  also be amazed at what can be done with a bit of thread.

       Below is a beaded necklace I started. My husband thinks I should leave it as is. I'm not sure yet.  

                                      

   Next is a bracelet I started the same as the necklace, but I doodled around a bit with it. I did some needle work and knotting around it with a bit of needle lace on some of the beads. Two of the large beads are quite beautiful. The picture does not do them justice. They are called dragon blood and are like agate with crack like veins going through.  The others are nice too, made of goldstone.   

     Then again, as in the last post, a couple of little miser pouches or purses will soon to be off to the granddaughter's.

I have a few more ideas for these I still want to try. I just did a few modifications on the pattern I used last time. I used a smaller hook and came up with some different styles.

 

     Last but not least, I started a necklace, but so far just have the base of it done.  I plan on doing some knotting on top and maybe more bead work. 
     I found through this experience I have a perfectionist side and want to things to be flawless at my first try. That is not very realistic, so I decided to show my beginner side and let you know it is okay to make mistakes. It is all part of the learning process. I'm glad to know I  can still learn new things. I hope to make into skills so I can inspire others to try.  We live in such a mechanized world. I like to get back to basics and use my hands. My dad used to say "Fingers where made before forks." That saying doesn't really apply, but I hope you catch my drift. Machine is not always better. Somehow using your hands is relaxing if you can let go and forget the mistakes.  There seems to be in all of us a desire to create. I hope others will take the plunge and try something new.  Who knows. You just might find a passion of yours waiting to be discovered.

Jade Roses, Spiral Scrubbies & Miser Purse

Hi! This time I want to show and tell a bit. 

1. Necklace and Bracelet
2. Miser Purse
3. Spiral  Scrubbie's

 
First I made a some jewelry: the first one is made of  sea sediment jasper, rose quartz, and other assorted glass beads.  
     
    
     Then I made a bracelet with rose jade. It is not quite finished. I have to weave in some more of the threads.

 Have you ever seen a Miser Purse? This is one version I found on the internet. The idea is that it is hard to get the contents out, so you are less likely to spend when you shouldn't. When you open the flap of the purse it looks like there is no way into it. You just open the flap and pull the front part of the bag and it comes open, but the strings from the strap are all across the opening so it is difficult to remove the contents.  I plan on decorating this one up a bit and using it as the gift bag for the necklace and bracelet . I learned about these at the Lacer's Group I belong to. We are going to learn how to make one next month. I didn't want to wait that long.  I did a Google search and found this pattern.  This is my first attempt. They are also called finger purses. There are many styles. Some have two pouches with two rings in the middle of the two pouches. I plan on doing more. It's a fun novelty with many possibilities.   I found that people are also a bit miserly with sharing the patterns for the sweet little things.

 Then I made some scrubbies, also something I found online. Is'nt the internet a great place to learn new things. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J84jxmGMV5Y


http://crochetpatternsonly.blogspot.com/

 I made mine with some scratchy thread I got in a grab bag from D.I. (Deseret Indrustries) my favorite thrift store. I thought it came out a little small so I made another one ten stiches bigger and it did a funny thing and turned out sort of like a double decker.