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Three more days of Fusion Bead’s bead challenge

First, I’m skipping tomorrow’s Downtown Abbey challenge. But, I’ll be readying some reain pieces for Mom, so it’s not like I won’t be making anything.

Anywho, Thursday’s challenge was to use the flat spiral rope technique. Ta da! I’m crazy about this technique and want to make many of these.

Yesterday’s was to incorporate fire polished beads into a project. I made this basic necklace

to accompany this pendant.

Today’s challenge was to play with wire. I don’t have the time to do everything I want, but I kind of like this wire-wrapped piece of glass that I fused last weekend.

When is the bead embroidery challenge? I’m itching to try some free form bead embroidery. Maybe I’ll make a hedgehog or squid. I also want to make a cube out of cube beads. I’m sure it can’t be that difficult, but the Russian instructions I’ve found are a little … less than ideal.

Oh, and beyond the challenges, I spent a chunk of time painting all of these yesterday. Now to put them to use.

Time to iron my dress for tonight’s gala. Oh how I hope Joni Balter is there. If she is, I’m going to be a total fangirl!!

Craft month–Day 2

Today’s challenge was to make something using my favorite Swarovski colors.

While not my favorite colors, these blues and yellows go nicely with the pendant.

I’d say yesterday’s pink and green speak to me more than yellow and blue.

But wait, before packing up my crystals, these cubes said, “Why not make one more pair?” And so I did. And you know what, I really do dig the color brown.

Bring on day 3’s challenge!

Welcome to National Craft Month

I’ve finally slipped back into jewelry-making mode. It feels good, and I know I’ll be ready for the market when it rolls around.

I think I can thank Fusion Beads for helping me get back in the groove. Last Saturday I took a class on using the Rick’s Bead Loom.

My first piece is all kinds of messed up, but I tackled a second one, and I’m feeling much better about using the loom.

I’m also excited to see what cross stitch patterns I’ve been hanging onto for years that I can incorporate into a loomed bracelet.

Anywho, today marks the first day of National Craft Month. Fusion Beads does a 30-day bead challenge every year, and this is the first time I’ve done any of the challenges.

These earrings have some flaws, for sure. For starters, some white Fireline would have been a little less obvious than the black.

I can’t say that I’ll do them all (I’m looking at you, Downton Abbey-inspired piece), but it feels good to have met the challenge.

So, I’ll be trying my best to play and also challenge myself. Check back for my progress. And, wish me luck!

Too much stuff for Steph

First, let me say that I realized today that I’m the only person in my family who has a need to have a plan. I believe in some wiggle room within a plan, but I would like some kind of structure within which I can find comfort.
I asked my mother today if anyone else in the family was such a planner, and neither of us could think of anyone. Maybe it’s best that way. To be honest, neither I, nor my people, could stand it if there were another person like me demanding dates, times, commitments. Even I make myself crazy with the questions I ask, but it’s who I am.

Oh, me and my quirks.

Speaking of which, I realized that I seriously have way too much stuff squirreled away in boxes, bags and bins on my shelves. The bad news is that I so easily lose track of what I have that I end up having multiples of items. Just this week I realized that I have two copies of a polymer clay book on my shelves. While it’s a lovely book, it doesn’t necessitate a need for two copies.

Anywho, I took last Friday off from work to do some organizing while I put the kiln to use.

I made some glass pieces. Some were successes, some not so much.

And, I organized. Oh it felt good. While tidying up, I found a stash of pieces that need anything from a simple bail to a slick—or three—of paint to a special necklace/chain made just for that item.

Resin shapes in need of some Swellegant paint.

It left me feeling kind of ahead of things as far as the market goes. Hurray for small victories! Now to start finishing those pieces.

Finishing projects and keeping things organized is an ongoing battle. All I can do is soldier on.

Not so helpful hands

While it was not as wonderful as the original film, the Wet Hot American Summer TV series had some great bits. The most quoted line (for Morgan and me) is Paul Rudd’s “Your bones are all jacked up,” line he uses as an excuse to rub “Katie’s” shoulders. (I feel like Earl’s brother on My Name is Earl when I start interchanging real names with character names. Ack!! But, it’s true to who I am, because Morgan has always said that I view the movie Taps as a biography of Tom Cruise. That movie ruined him for me, and I’m OK with that.)

Anywho, if I had a $1 for every time Morgan has told me that my bones are jacked up, I could at least treat the two of us to a fancy night out.

And, in a recent Spontaneanation episode Paul F. Tompkins used the line “My Judas of a body.” I think that’s a great line. Most recently it’s been my hands and arms that have betrayed me. The metal shears I used to cut up the tins last weekend put some unwelcome pressure on my hand, and my right thumb has been grumbling at me ever since.

I know that what I do sometimes causes my hands to hurt. I’m sure the long hours in an Alaska fish cannery years ago didn’t help any. But, I’m not ready to put down beading and/or knitting needles. Morgan suggested a week or so of not engaging in activities that require fine motor skills, and just thinking about it makes me antsy. But I do wonder if I could use that time to read. Or, do paper mache. I’ve long thought that paper mache might have to be the craft I turn to when my hands are little more than crumpled balls at the end of my arms.

expect more paper mache as time goes on. morgan formed the muzzle; i need to repaint it now

sure painting is in order, but i still love his “eyebrows” and 3d beak.

Being in too much pain to do what I love is the scariest aspect, for me, of getting older. The answer is to take breaks. And to take care of myself. It’s just so much easier said than done. But tonight I am following my advice. I am going to read for a bit. The pressure of an author interview next week is at least as good of motivation as giving my hands a break. And don’t be surprised if it’s a book of fiction that I’ll be addressing later this week.