BeadFest

I am off to BeadFest this weekend. I am looking forward to a couple of days off from work. In addition, I get to take a polymer clay and wire class and spend a couple of days shopping. Last year I found it almost overwhelming. This year I plan to be more focused...but really, how can anyone focus when there are so many bead projects and so little time.

I don't know why I can't remember from time to time how to upload multiple images into one blog but since I am drawing a blank this time, I will post a second time in one day and show you the fabric beads I have been working on. I was supposed to take a class on fabric beads and how to use them but was bumped from the class and was put on a waiting list....well, the call never came for the class so I decided to try on my own. I think they came out pretty well. And here are some more.

(OK, so adding photos in the text is as easy as moving the photo, or in this case, copying it and placing it where the cursor is and then deleting the original!!! Duh!!! Sometime technology makes me feel so stupid.)

Anyway back to fabric beads....the beads turned out to look nothing like the pattern on the fabric and that is wonderful. Each bead turned out to be unique and beautiful. I suppose if you want uniform beads, you could use something without a pattern. I used a colored Easter egg pattern for the beads at the top of this posting and a star printed pattern for the ones in the middle. I am eager to try to use them in jewelry or in a fringe for one of my art quilts. I used Modge Podge for the glue and, once dry, painted them with clear nail polish to give them some shine. We'll see how they hold up.

New Artwork

So it has been a whole month since I last posted.  The excuses roll off the keys of my computer but the truth is, there really isn't any excuse. I have been playing with the stuff I learned in Carol Murphy's Tempting Techniques class. I have never been one to go over the top but Carol says that there can't be too much of anything on a mixed media piece so here is my over the top cover for my book.
I learned to use transparencies and how to transfer images onto tape and make all different kinds of paper. I still haven't finished the inside pockets of the book but when I can't figure out which project to work on, I am sure I will go back and complete this book AND fill all the pockets with examples of tempting techniques.