Unboxing Contemporary Geometric Beadwork, Volume II

I made a really dorky video today of me unboxing Kate McKinnon's new book, Contemporary Geometric Beadwork, Volume II. The DORKY part was me tripping over my words, not realizing the range of the camera on my computer (some of the unboxing bits are off camera.)  AND, I forgot to include that Kate added very cute hedgehog eraser to my package.  These little guys come in handy (an eraser, not a hedgehog) for breaking a misplaced bead.  

Hedgehog and Pink Macaroon erasers/bead breakers

Check out the video: 

My nephews who bug me all the time to post more on my blog had better leave a comment!!!

Cleaning/Organizing/Thinking about LIFE

This is the first day I've had to clean and organize since the holidays!  When I work on bunches of projects at the same time I am terrible about cleaning up after myself.

So that means a marathon day of picking up after myself.  It means immersing myself in the beady-ness of life, where the bits and pieces have a home and fit neatly in their home.  Which is different than life in general, right?  

On this MLK Jr. holiday I've been mindful of who he was and the legacy he left.  

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

Speak up when things are messed up!  

We are called to walk gently on our planet; to love one another; to put away all that divides us.  And of course, to pick up our messes.    

Welcome Back

New Year, New Commitment.  If I'm going to be a blogger I need to write!  Okay, I was busy, a couple of kids got married and one had a baby, but hey, everyone's busy.  No excuses!  I did create some very cool things while I was out of contact with the blogosphere.  I don't have the greatest pictures, but I made six bridesmaid necklaces for one of our weddings.
Here's a progression:

These are the beads.

This is how I separated them.

And this is how they turned out.  Super cute and the girls loved them!  Thought they were from Nordstrom!

We also did a remodel on our home, I'll share pictures at a later date.  Right now I'm getting myself fired up and starting a new Contemporary Geometric Beadwork necklace http://beadmobile.wordpress.com  I appreciate good design and lovely instructions.  Kate McKinnon and her minions administer both in large doses.  My studio/bead room is a disaster so last night I just picked up what I needed to start beading and headed downstairs to my favorite chair and lovely table and fabulous ott light and started beading.  I'll save the mess in the bead room for another day.  It will wait. 

There is a zen moment in beading when the rhythm of the beads clicking into place stabilizes your brain and somehow brings you peace.  I need to know there is an attainable peace available now.  Peace, friends!

Dayle

Memories of the Lilac City

I grew up in Spokane.  Spokane is the Lilac City.  They have a Lilac Parade and a Jr. Lilac Parade.  I marched in the parade in junior high, joyfully trying to play my clarinet while marching.  The parade is probably in late May.  There is also a fabulous run called Bloomsday that I've run a couple of times (been there, done that, got the tee shirt).
The lilacs don't bloom until May in Spokane, but here in Portland, they are in full bloom NOW!  The smell takes me back home. Love it!  We planted this one the year my brother died, 2006.  I was surprised that it bloomed in the spring and again in late August, early September.  I thanked Doug for that gift of the twice blooming lilac.  Well I later found out this is a variety that blooms twice a year!  Who knew?  I still think of Doug and Spokane and what a gift growing up there was and is.

Blown away!

I'm totally blown away that the bracelet I made (see previous posts) was posted by Kate on facebook today AND linked to another blog.  I LOVE the beading community.  You "meet" people that you'll probably never meet in real-life... but the support and the connections are pretty cool.  I discovered Christina's blog and low and behold my piece was featured earlier this week.  Christina is one of the team of folks I've been blogging about who was a part of the amazing book: Contemporary Geometric Beadwork.  The www is a connector that I'm appreciating today.
I'm also appreciating that today is Thursday which is my Friday AND we leftovers for dinner and a nice red wine.  Life's pretty good.  And I'm kind of giddy!

Gratitude

Fortune Teller, Chicken (taken with iPhone 5)

I sent this Fortune Teller bangle off for a little vacay in AZ, to be photographed by  Kate McKinnon (Contemporary Geometric Beadwork).  So much gratitude for the beading community and Kate's willingness to share the wealth of knowledge along the way.  I'm experimenting with some new shapes based on her ideas.  I'm just playing and allowing the beads to lead the way.  So far, so good.
We had a HUGE downpour in PDX today.  So much so, I felt that it would be beneficial to run from my office, out into the rain to turn my car around so it could get doused on both side.  A Portland car wash!  After the deluge, sun, beautiful sun.  Oh how I long to be in a sunny place... sandy beach, warm toes.  Maybe an umbrella in a DRINK not over my head.  So there ya go.  Another day in the life.  Gotta head back to work tonight... hopefully more beading later.

Bead-mazing

I was pretty lousy in geometry... just didn't really click for me when I was 14.  Maybe if my teacher would have suggested a practical use for geometry, like quilting or beading I may have done a little better (but probably not.)
My latest beady adventure has taken me deep into the world of Contemporary Geometric Beadwork. It's the first volume of amazing beadwork designs by Kate and friends.  I've been exploring these shapes and designs for a few months.  I finished this piece called "Fortuneteller"... it looks like those fortune tellers we all made in fourth grade.  This was no easy task for me (again the geometry thing.) But with persistence AND taking things apart a couple of times... I finally finished this piece.  The colors remind of a watermelon and I have the perfect spring top to wear this with...  another benefit of creating your own jewelry!
I haven't been much of a blogger lately.  Life is routine and extremely busy.  I'm longing for sunshine. We had a day or two of sun over the weekend.... such not enough!  Can't control that...  But can enjoy beading and creating cool stuff!!