What's up in the world of Liz??

At Bead and Button, a group of beaders thought it might be fun to have a hat/hair accessory beaded contest and guess who won first place with this littl number??

Dot Lewallen and I compare our beaded handbags.

Excitment at Bead and Button sitting with "rock star" bead artists - Huib Petersen, Beverly Ash Gilbert, June Huber, Sherry Serafini, Amy Katz and myself signing copies of Beading Across America.

This is pulled from the Bead and Button Show facebook page - it shows
Denise Gillitzer Uttke and I talking about, what else, beads!

Bead Cruise 2011 - relaxing on the beach in Jamaica - ahhhh, lobster red tonight. And that was me, not the entree...

This necklace started out as a hat accessory and ended up a really pretty necklace.

Fatima's Fantasy

I submitted this to Bead and Button this year to teach. Now that I know it wasn't accepted, it will be sent to the magazines to see if they might be interested. If they aren't, well, I can always sell the pattern and teach it local. There are lots of opportunities in the bead world!

Bead Embroidered purse - made in the USA in 2011. It might be my favorite.

My wildly exciting news....

It started with an idea in really late July. I was toying with the idea of dressing up Marcia's "Under the Mast" (which really didn't need dressing up because it is wonderfully elegant, but I don't follow direction well). I was playing with little 8mm rivolis that I purchased a year ago...hmmm.

Through a series of conversations, Marcia and I decided IF we could do this fast enough, we would propose it to the Bead and Button show and let's see if it's gets accepted. With last minute design changes and ideas with a flurry of emails between San Diego and Detroit (what did we do without the internet and cheap cell phone rates??), my Over the Mast was mailed to B&B with fingers crossed.

And what do you know? They liked it. I was still in a little shock - somewhat in a little denial. Me? Teaching at Bead and Button with Marcia. Of course, I have helped her in class for a number of years (telling her what to do, etc), helped out when I can, and shared a cocktail or two (not many, this is business...) I've taught in the metro Detroit area for a number of years - Henry Ford Community College Enrichment education classes, Bohemian Beads (now closed) in Dearborn and currently at Stony Creek Beads and Gallery in Ypsilanti, MI.

So when I received an email from Marcia yesterday telling me that I had to read the email from the B&B show today - I was floored. It was featured in the 9/24/10 upcoming classes. WHAT?? I squealed with delight (that's the only word that is appropriate - squealed). My co-workers thought that I saw a ...palmetto bug - but I quickly assured them that it was better than that - look!! My necklace and name on an email.

Thank you Marcia for an awesome opportunity! I know that we will have a blast working together as we have over the last years.

Four words: Thank you very much or Lobster Mac and Cheese!!

Aquamarine Crystals

Back in April 2010, I posted "Another Teaser" about a necklace that I was attempting. It's based on a movie that I was watching and so pretty. This is how it started:
My previous version picture was posted, and I was liking what it was doing to a degree. But by the time I had 8 crystals put together - I didn't care for it. I wanted it to curve, and it wasn't curving enough. I took apart at B&B and started putting it back together again. Now I have a piece that is curving better and should lay the way that I want it to. Whew - that was a PITA (pain in the ...er, abdomen)!

When I look at the piece, I didn't notice that the thread shows through on the front of the rivoli. I might have to add another bead to the last row on the top. Yes, of course, it's still RAW (you knew the answer to that...)
I now have the crystals put together and I am working on the back of the necklace. I knew that I shouldn't have sold some of these crystals until I had a clear idea of what I was going to do. But, it still will be wonderful!

OMG!! Found it!

A zillion years ago, I posted that I had to remake Marica DeCoster's business card case because I lost it and couldn't find it anywhere? Guess what I found today?

I put on a jacket that I don't wear very often (over the head, no zipper, but does block the wind well and I bought it in Korea in 1999 so I am sentimental over it), and there it was in the pocket. Go figure!!

What am I doing?

• Beading another necklace piece
• Earrings from an Ann Benson kit (I don't like peyote bezels around a large crystal so I modified it to RAW)
• Spring gardening (if this rain would stop)
• Zentangles
• Saving for a tattoo and checking out shops and different artists work.
• Work

Bead Journal Project - March 2010

It's a chilly and blustery March day - rain, wind and dreary. I sit here and watch the fountain grass out the window blowing back and forth and but I'm staying warm in my old man sweater and having fun beading. So I worked today on my March knob - painted with bright green nail polish and beaded with brown, lime and turquiose.

March is complete, being installed in a couple of minutes.

I like it.

It's a good day.

Happy Birthday!

I was commissioned to make a business card case for one of the physicians that I work with. For the last couple of weeks, I have been been working on this for Zahraa - hoping to finish it for her birthday! I made my deadline of today and will be able to give this her tomorrow! Of course this is a pattern by Marcia DeCoster - in right angle weave. I used a rectangle Swarovski button with the two colors of silver beads. Love it!

January projects

I will admit, since I joined Facebook, my blog posts have taken a second row seat to FB. Why is that? Instant comments? Need for mass appeal? Since I don't know the answer, but recognize the deficiency, I will do my best to stay active here.

So....bones are progressing. All the fingers have been finished and I am starting on the handbones (connected to the wrist bones, wrist bones connected to the arm bones...). While I work in my head how to do that, I have been making....

FANS!! I need to make about 38-40 of them for a new bracelet. Whew!! It's taking about 45 minutes a fan - now it's brain-dead beading which I can do easily!

Rings of Saturn

I've been working on Rings of Saturn (designed by Marcia DeCoster) most of the summer and through the fall. I made the base once and didn't like the way that I was doing it and took it out. Then out again. This last time, it came together nicely. I adapted the chain for a Russian Spiral - time consuming but well worth the results. This is a wonderful kit - nice mix of RAW, peyote and embellishing.

Combination Bracelet!

I was playing with beads the other day, and I do love this turquoise and brown combo, when I started making the modified right angle weave stitch that Marcia Decoster used in her Romantica Lariat. Using two strips of units, with one thrown in with crystals, and a clasp from the Quadrille Medaglia to make this bracelet. It has an unexpected and cool curve in the bracelet that I wasn't expecting, and I do love it.

Marie Dressler - finished!

Finished it! Here is my inspiration: a movie still from "Dinner at Eight" with Marie Dressler. I noticed this necklace on her and said to myself "Hmmmm, that looks interesting. I found the movie still and enlarged the necklace (don't you love the computer some days?) to study it.

Here is my completed piece - completed with 10 large rivoli's and seven smaller ones. I used a combination of right angle weave (Thank you Marcia), peyote and herringbone spirals (thank you Amy Katz). Don't adjust your colours - the background is black, and the necklace is all in silver and crystal.
For those who have known me a long time, you know that this is so outside of my comfort zone. I am thrilled with the feel and look of this piece. Isn't it regal??

Mystery necklace progresses

Look Marcia - components!

See? I was listening even though my lips might have been talking!

Some serious bling happening

Starts to take shape, but it's missing something..... That's right - more components and sparkle.

Although what made me believe that I could bezel a small rivoli like that?

Oh, yes, it was a third margarita. That's what did it.

More to come now that I have only one other deadline piece to make.

Well, two.

Instructions for Sunday's class at Stony Creek Bead Gallery &

Use the Muse.

(which I have started and might actually finish)

I confess.....

....I did it. I threw beads away.

Yup. I was so pissed at these size 11 beads that I didn't even feel like taking them apart. I was working on a "frame" about 3x5 inches, about 1/2 inch thick and it just wasn't doing what I wanted it to. It kept warping out of square. Figures that it's for a project that was due yesterday and it's now overdue. I started "debeading" and decided, bump it - toss. Naturally, anyone who knows me, knows that I didn't say "bump" but a much worse word. Yes, keeping it clean for family viewing.

Do I feel bad for throwing away about 15 hours of work? Work I did while sitting on the patio during my Fridays off during the summer? Yes, I do. Damn.

Back to the drawing board. Late.

More progress.....

I've been working on this almost exclusively all week and look what's happening....

Sunday morning....

I am getting ready for class this morning in a couple of hours, but find time to post here:

My necklace is moving along - I am pretty happy with the way that it's turning out. This is the front center of it. I have more rivoli's going along each end - I know there will be two more, maybe three. The 15/0 seed bead is exactly the color that I was looking for - an antiqued silver color. Below is a close up of the rivoli's and connection. I have used RAW and peyote stitches.

Finally, I think the next picture would make a great tattoo, since I have been dreaming about one for a while.....I love the simplicity of the Pacific NW Native American designs and this one By Ben Houstie is really beautiful. Anyone who knows me well would know that something flowery or "pretty" just isn't Liz - but this is really quietly beautiful.

Now I need to shower and dress, drive to class, and thank my mentor for helping me with my skills.

Newest Project

I know, I know, I have been ignoring my blog and that's not a good thing to do. But I have been writing directions for a large project - that I am keeping under wraps for now, and I have been working on directions for the classes that I will start teaching soon at Stony Creek Bead Gallery. Yikes, that's on Sunday.

But here is something that I have started working on in the last weeks. It's based on a necklace that I saw in an old movie - you know, the Barrymore era - an old movie. When I get closer to the finished project, I will show the inspiration photo still from the movie and my necklace. Proto-type one didn't work so well. Good idea, but the scale was way off so it's been renovated and restarted. As you can see from my two teaser pictures, large rivoli's and 15/0 seed beads are involved.

What else is going on? Hmmmmmm, hubby is in California for an extended weekend as his cousin from NYC is getting married. I'm home letting the dogs out and in and out. I know several friends that would care for the dogs, but it's just my excuse. It's not the easiest time to leave work.

Summer is coming to a close, I have time for one more pedicure before I give up my Birkie's for the summer. Now, on a quiet Thursday evening, I am going to watch one more episode of "True Blood" (which isn't half bad) before calling it a night. Maybe I can get one more rivoli finished...

Teaching? Me??

Okay - I have been approached (coerced, blackmailed) by my local bead store and asked to teach a simple RAW project. Moi? Teach? Seriously, girls - you want me to teach? Me? I'm called "The Bad Liz" for a reason, you know. Okay, I have been helping Marcia teach for several years (more than two is several, nicht wahr?) and I really enjoy it. It's helped me learn alot about teaching styles, my teaching capacity, patient but am I ready?

I have an idea for just a simple RAW bracelet and I am started to write instructions without looking at anyone else's on-line or printed samples, coming up with diagrams, ideas, etc. as that would be unethical. Diagrams in powerpoint, export them into Word and putting it all together. What a process. A very important learning experience for me, and it gives me newfound appreciation for all that the "Rock Star Bead Artists" do with their instructions.

I will never know if I am ready unless I try, right? What's the worse that can happen? They will fire me and I will have learned something about myself. Learning something about ones self might be a good idea.

I might have to drive out there after work one night and see if I can make it for a 6pm class .start.

Beaded Opulence.......

Beaded Opulence

This book is a MUST HAVE (yes, I yelled) for your collection. While I was at Bead and Button, I was able to caress Marcia's copy of Beaded Opulence. Run, do not walk, to Marcia's web site,MAD Designs to check when you can preorder your copy! It's stunning - many projects, all beautiful, inspirational photos.

You heard it hear first!!!

What to post.....

I just finished my newest necklace the other day and I'm wearing it today: a Crystal Collage beauty. Of course I don't have a picture of it, but it's featured on Marcia's website.

It might be a little "showy" for an office look, but it matches my tank top and I had to do it.....so, here's the picture from Marcia's web page

The woman in the cafeteria asked me how much....Nuff said.

Spring!!

Start with any size "O" ring

Cover with Right Angle Weave (or another stitch if you haven't discovered the love of RAW)

Embellish with several rows of beading and crystals on the edges

Add a little metallic bling for some real sparkle



Add a bail in peyote on the back side, make certain your necklace of choice will fit through it.

Inspired by Marcia DeCoster

Use the Muse....

....Since Dad is holding his own and I have wrapped my head around that whole situation that I can't control (why, why can't I run the entire world the way that I want??), I thought that I would post about something else that I love - those little bits of glass with holes in the middle.

I joined the "Use the Muse" contest and just put the finishing touches on my piece. It really came together better than I thought it would. I actually enjoyed this because it really made me think about beads that I didn't choose and how I should put them together. I added some from my own stash and I learned a new stitch, so I am happy with the piece as it came together. It was worth joining even if I don't win, but with so many talented beaders out there - it will be thrilling to see what everyone comes up with. Now to take some decent pictures.

Dad is stable - he's receiving great care in Southern Texas, and thank you to everyone who left a comment or emailed me. I'm hanging in there, at peace with my decisions and able to talk semi-intelligently with anyone about this now. Whew!