It was NEVER My Intention

to cause harm.  Really.  Truly.  I am heartbroken over this.  But I have been contacted by a member of the Tuscarora Nation that my posts on the subject are being seen as, umm, I guess you could say an infringement on their culture and I've been asked to stop sharing the stitch techniques.  I can only assume they feel they should be the only ones to share this knowledge and they want to choose with whom they share it.  I think that is a shame.   I've never been  competitive and it's just my nature to want to share.    I am truly sorry for offending anyone.

All posts in which I have shared the techniques have been deleted (a mere 2 posts, I might add), as well as my YouTube videos (a whopping 3).   I will also discontinue the Tuscarora Tuesday posts.  I will continue to admire and appreciate the history of the pieces, but will no longer actively promote the preservation of this art form.

I came across this a while ago and thought it very appropriate to share with you now:

AMEN TO THAT.

Tuscarora Tuesday

So much to see in this case!

Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Clicking on the pictures should bring you even closer.

 I could study them for hours!

Almost didn't see the little strawberry tucked in here!

So sweet they are!

Speaking of Sweet -- today is Hannah's Sweet 16! 

We celebrated by going to The Chocolate Bar, of course!

Hannah, Pete, Meghan

Tuscarora Tuesday

~Sigh~ 

What a beautiful collection in this display box.

I love the braiding around this frame.

I see the frame and the wall pockets have the same fringe I learned in my last class.

Sweet little lacey border on this one.

Interesting geometric design.

Bead Happy and Often !

Tuscarora Tuesday

With all the dreaded heat and humidity we've been having, I thought a fan motif might cool us down.....

click photo to enlarge

I've been told that is a strong possibility that this isn't a Tuscarora piece.  It is more likely Mohawk, due to the larger sized beads and the abundance of fringe.  Grant Jonathan (the owner of all the pieces featured on Tuscarora Tuesday) has quite a few Mohawk pieces in his collection - perhaps a Mohawk Monday would be appropriate for those!

Stay cool everyone -

Tuscarora Tuesday

As today is my last day being 45,  I thought it was appropriate to post a piece that is as old as me.

Love how the birds on this pillow form part of the border. 

And how the artist left the center of the flowers open and made the loops come out directly from the velvet is so clever. 

Not looking forward to seeing what is on my desk today at work. I haven't been there since last Wednesday, so I can only imagine what I'm going to be walking in to.  Sigh, the price you pay for being on vacation......doesn't seem quite right.    I will try to remember that 'attitude is everything' and I will stay positive and not let the situation overwhelm me.  Well, at least that's the plan.

Enjoy your Tuesday!

Tuscarora Tuesday

These boots were made for walkin'

and that's just what they'll do,

one of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you......

I was a young girl when that song came out.  I think it was sung by Nancy Sinatra, is that right? I remember loving it.  The beat was funky and although I was too young to really "get" what the lyrics were about, I do recall thinking that was one girl no one was going to mess with.  And I have a vague memory of seeing her on TV wearing a minidress (red?) with these kick-ass high heeled white boots.  Fun Fun Fun.  Nothing like a pair of go-go boots!  Oh anywhooooo, let's get back to the beads, shall we?

These here have an extra cuff along the top that is separate from the base.  They were meant to be used as a portable sewing caddy.  You slid your scissors behind the cuff so the tips stuck out through the bottom and the back stuffed area held your pins.  How many people do you think actually used them for that purpose?  I'm thinking not many.

I like the colored centers used in this piece above.

And this tulip motif below is very sweet!

Here's a Tuscarora style sewing caddy that I made back in 2005 - geez, 5 years ago??! 

I would have never thought it was that long ago. 

This piece is pretty big.  About 12" tall and 6 1/2" wide. 

And no, I've never used it as a sewing caddy!

It was designed by Rosemary Hill and it was the neatest class.  She held the class in her house, so we were all invited to look around and see all her fabulous beadwork.  She even had squares of beadwork placed in the corners of her doorframes throughout the house - it was amazing, to say the least!

 Bead Happy and Often

Tuscarora Tuesday

This is my favorite one of the group

and probably the oldest too.

I find it interesting that this 'modern' piece from 1948 is much more plain.

Twins!  Almost.

I like the way the artist used color beads for the tip of the large leaf, but the rest of the piece--well, kind of sad looking.   I guess a reflection of the nation's mood back in 1936. 

Have a terrific Tuesday Everyone!   Here they are predicting 92 degrees and high humidity.  I'm thankful I'll be at work most of the day - in air conditioning, probably freezing.  But if it gets too cold, I'll just step outside and remind myself it could always be worse.

Class: Done; Project: Not

Meghan's birthday was Tuesday, which was the same day as my last Tuscarora bead class.  So, of course, the mom guilt kicks in.  I tell her I won't be staying for the whole class - I "just" have to do the fringe and that shouldn't take long.  Um, yeah, that's it.  It won't take me long.......famous last words.

I did end up leaving 1/2 hour early, but after 1 1/2 hours, this is how much of the fringe I completed:

I worked another hour on it yesterday and still haven't made it  half way around yet.  I guess it's a good thing it looks like a Christmas pillow, because I might just be able to have it finished by then. 

Rose Mary, our instructor, told us she studied this fringe for like 8 months trying to figure it out.  Once she attempted it, it took her a week to get it right. It is complicated!  But really fun the way it interconnects.  She must have had to explain it to each of us at least 5 times.  As Kaye put it  "clear as mud."   But for those of us that were at the point of putting the fringe on, we all 'got' it as we worked at it. 

Some of the women were gracious enough to let me take pictures of their pieces.

Really like the way the crushed velvet looks:

I love to see how everyone's colors come together. 

Not sure when Rosie's next class will be locally. 

I hope it's soon. 

Bead Happy and Often!

Well, I'll be.....

Much better pics of my Allegany Rock Necklace

The 4mm bicones are Palace Green Opal - aren't they a beautiful shade of green?
I used the size 8 clear beads for the edge to mimic the heavy clear glass of the furnace beads.  Speaking of the furnace beads......

Look at how substantial they are -

they're huge!

The earthtones mix I chose came with different sizes and shapes and colors in greens, browns and tan.   Some were even striped. I love the rich brown color.  I wound up using some of the mixed stone strand I bought awhile ago (from Artbeads too) to bring in the color of the rock. 

I'm really pleased with the results.  I don't make a lot of necklaces, and I really don't feel like I know what I'm doing, so to have something come together without a real plan, well, that just makes my day.

And then it hit me -- wasn't one of those Toho Ring Kits I bought awhile ago these same colors? 

So I dug it out (surprisingly, I knew right where it was!) and whipped it together. 

Tell me - could it be any better of a match????? 

Whoop Whoop - score!

(So I'll take this opportunity to again gush about those ring kits Artbeads carries - I've loved every one I've made!) 

Now on to the dreaded sewing of my Tuscarora Class Project.  . . . . .
I found out the stuffing is called  "Warm and Natural".  First I had to cut it into strips.  Yeah, lots of fun! Not.

Then after stuffing and sewing it with a running stitch along the edge, I had to put on the (hateful) bias tape edge.  Hated every second of it - especially when the needle punctured right through my leather and aluminum thimble.  Talk about a pain in the .......finger tip.

But, it's done now and Tuesday I will be adding the glorious glorious fringe edging.  I love fringe!

Bead Happy and Often!

FTC Disclosure:  I received the furnace glass beads free of charge from Artbeads in exchange for my honest opinion and review of the product.

Tuscarora Tuesday

This beauty is in pretty sad shape, but still amazing.

I noticed the same 3 line edging that is on my class project is used here. 

It's a similar design, with all the filling in between the motifs. 

I really like that basketweave/lattice stitch. 

There seems to be a leaf and stem by each of the  flowers. 

And the bird nest flower appears to use 2 shades of white beads. 

 The outline looks more opaque to me.

I was surprised to see the raised rope actually has a paper outline. 

That couldn't have been too easy to cut out!

Bead Happy and Often :)

Homework Done - time to play

Wow.  Working with clear beads could make a girl cross-eyed!   But I have to say - so worth it.  I really like the effect.  Of course, getting a decent picture not so easy, so you will have to take my word for it. 

I found the cat's eye (hmm, would that be a cross-eyed cat's eye??!) cabachon in my stash and after obsessing over what I was going to put across the top (my instructor wrote the word "Love" on the class piece),  I wimped out and but the stone on.  I didn't trust my bead-lettering skills and didn't want the word (or words) to take away from the motifs.  The cab matches the cylinder beads quite well, so I'm happy with it.

The way the beads reflect the light is nothing short of amazing.  I wouldn't say it 'sparkles' but it almost appears that it is lit up.  I just love looking at it. 

Once we assemble the pillow and stuff it firm, oh shoot, I'm not done with my homework!  (I just remembered I have to cut up the filling.  I'm not even sure what the fiber is.  Sort of looks like what one would use to line a quilt. Very soft and cuddly.  I'll ask on Tuesday what it is exactly. Anyhow I have to cut it into long 1/2" strips, which is yet another technique I've never used to fill a pillow.) 

So as I was saying, once the pillow is assembled, the beading should really pop.  Can't wait for that, but I dread the next class - sewing it together with that little bias tape edging.  Ugh.  Not my favorite part of the project.

Since I was done (well, since I thought I was done with my class homework), I pulled out my new Beadwork magazine (June/July issue) and drooled over all the projects in it.  Oh my, seed bead heaven!  This is my first issue that I've ever seen, and I love it.  I want to make everything in it.  I don't know if all the issues will focus on beadweaving, but this one does.  For years I only ever read Bead & Button, and I do love that magazine, but I have to say Beadwork is great too.

The first thing I tackled was "Sparkly Wheels"  which I turned into earrings for my sister Laurel to wear at her daughter's wedding.  

  Ok, so it's only one earring- I didn't have enough bicone crystals to finish the second one, but I'll be zipping over to Artbeads to replenish my stash and get other colors - these little wheels are a blast to make!

Then I tried this tiny little triangle from a bracelet project called "Aqua Allure" - I used the same colors from the beaded beads I made a bit ago, thinking I could use them together, but I'm still not sure where I'm going with these.....

This was definitely more difficult than the wheel, but the directions were clear and as long as I could talk out loud through it, I was able to do it.  I do enjoy peyote stitch and I need to push myself to understand it better.  The triangle is really cute.  It's actually double sided and it was fascinating to see it develop as I worked through the steps.  My God!  How do people come up with these patterns!!??!!  Amazing indeed.

Bead Happy and Often!