21st Centuary here she comes

 

At last I have got Carol (link to her blog) to try her hand at blogging as she has been thinking about it for a long time now.

We have just spent a lovely two weeks holiday with them here in the beautiful island of Tenerife. Like last year we were out every day feeling very adventurous. This year we used the Titsa bus, a very useful way to get about the island just get yourself a Bono bus ticket and off you go. However we did invest in a couple of boat trips out to see the Dolphins and the Pilot Whales. The first boat trip was for Carol, her husband Jim and myself, the next trip was on a Pirate ship called the Peter Pan 1. This trip was for the princess and the wild child. Both these trips were fantastic of course the highlight on each was seeing the Dolphins and Whales. The trip to end all trips was a trip to La Gomera . What an experience that was.. the scenery was out of this world .

Included in the trip was the ferry over then a bus trip round the island with six stops our lunch and the ferry back to Tenerife . The bus that picked us up at 7:30 in the morning dropped us at the pick-up point at 7 :00 pm at the end of the trip. That was the best trip of our holiday.

The stash does it again!

Again I came across these tucked in the back of a drawer where I had dropped them after going to my favourite Chinese Warehouse. What a find they are 1/2 inch discs of a cream coloured shell. They are so shiney, smooth and lovely to wear. The necklace is so simple. It just shows less is more.













Once again I am showing you one of the books from my library. This book is outstanding. I love Diane Fitzgerald's work. I have made a lot of thing out of this book.In fact before  got the book I had a real dislike for peyote stitch but now that I understand it better I have no problem with it.

More Stash Treasures

Here is a ltring of red cubes with little black glass beads between.
The red cubes are marbled with black. the chinese warehouse has been very good to me I find all sorts there. I buy them and they are deposited in the stash sometimes never to be seen again. Only joking ofcourse.

Here is a book from my library on beading. I have found this book really helpful. with the ilustrations and in giving me ideas.

Turquoise Delight

 This bracelet and necklace came from my stash yet again. I found the turquoise beads in a chinese warehouse here in Tenerife. The little black beads are small glass beads but the little black beads in the bracelet are black crystals again bought from the chinese warehouse.

I would like to bring this lovely book to your notice by  
Kumiko Mizuno I had the chance to thumb through it and am hoping I get it for my birthday . If I dont it will not be for the want of dropping hints.

Playing with Doughnuts

While thinking what I would like to make after the daisy bracelet I came across a string of these shell doughnuts. I could not think what to do with them and there sitting in the middle of my stash were these golden glass-pearls. Lightening flash what about puting them together. The pearls had been sitting in the stash for such a long time. the necklace is quite different.

Beaded Daisy Bracelet

 Here is the finished product. My golden daisy bracelet. This has been one of the first since my return to beading. I love the feel of the bracelet growing in my hands. I made the green daisy first and wanted to add something else so I just reversed the colours and wow it was just the thing.


I got the idea for the bracelet came from the
The Beader's Bible

Back to my Beading

Just thought I would show you something I put together after looking through my beading books for inspiration. The 3 bead weave came from The Beaders Bible by Dorothy Wood I find this book great for inspiration.
The beaded button came from an article by Margaret Ross I found in the October 2008 edition 39 of the The Beadworkers Guild Journal. It is almost finished and I like the look and feel of the bracelet.

My Boy Teddy Koi

Here is my pride and joy...Teddy Koi .
This has been like giving birth to my children and ha taken nearly as long..
He is worth it . Everyone loves him to bits.
I have been away to UK for a months holiday to see some relatives. I had a good time and was quite wrung out by the time I got back. Teddy came with me and loved all the attention he got.

Another Beading Disaster

This my big boy so far. I am finding the belly part a bit finneky. If you get what I mean.

I have had another disaster. The Wild Child and the Princess came to see us the other day. The Princess was picking through my very small work table. Then it happened ALL the beads for Teddy Koi landed on the floor. I could have cried, so could the Princess needles to say. She was on her knees picking them all up in an instant. The Wild Child was helping her, they picked every one of them up.
I need to get stuck in and finish him before the third disaster strikes.
I am still so in love with him. My better half said he would like to hang him in the window of the car. Dont worry that will not happen ..

More of the beading of Teddy Koi

Here is more of my lovely boy.
I seem to be staggering from bead to bead.. It is so intense. I can only do a little bit at a time. However every time I finish each new part I sort of hold him up and gaze in wonder at him. I really never thought anything could give me such enjoyment. Mind you he is not even nearly finished..
I have found the most difficult part is the back scales. It is a bit fiddly and my fingers are not so agile as they used to be. Also while the children are here they just want to pick him up and wooo and ahhh at him. I dare not try to do any of Teddy when they are here.
I had a misshap the other day. I spilled the tray of beads I dont have to tell you I was on the floor in an instant groveling around picking all the little things up. I think I got most of them.. My Wild Child picked up some that I had missed. What a Boy.

No Beading just Whales & Dolphins

Yesterday, Sunday my D.D. and I took the Wild Child on a trip to see the whales and dolphins. It was wonderful .. The boat took us away out for what seemed a long way, when suddenly there they were!. Five dolphins tumbling towards us. It did not take too much imagination for me to think it was a whole family showing off just for us on the glass bottomed catamaran. I for one felt so honored to be treated to their show.
We were then told we could go below and watch the show from below the water line. The Wild Child was over the moon with excitement. I gave him the camera and away he went snapping shots of the fantastic dolphins. He let out a gasp here was some very large fish just hanging in the water. They were pilot whales, away he went again snapping more pictures of these lovely creatures. Eventually we went back up top to watch the show again.
What a wonderful day .
I do love this lovely island Tenerife

More beading Teddy

Thought you would like to see how far I have got on with him now.He is such a lovely boy. The colors in my camera do not do him justice. It is like magic the way he grows. Each new step is such an adventure. I feel I need to hurry on to finish the piece I am doing to jump to the next step.

The beading of Teddy Koi

I mentioned a beautiful embroidery called Fish Face . Well this is a distant cousin from Tenerife called Teddy Koi the golden carp. As you can see I have not got very far but I'm so excited about him..
I will keep you updated with my progress.

More Necklaces for Paris

These two were the ones I had to make from scratch.The one on the left is a herring bone lariat. With two spinner beaded beads.
The other one is in a simple lace stitch with a black cord running through it it give it support.

Beaded Necklaces for Paris

My son-in-law and the Princess are visiting his family in Paris.
These necklaces are the three that were in the UFO box, so it was an easy job to finish them off.
I would like to gift the blue one to my Son-i-law's mother. Blue is my favourite color.

Bead Embroidering Bunk-a-punch

I think I have said it before I am a woman without much imagination. This shows you just what I mean. This is a nearly finished beaded bunk-a-punch.

Quite a while ago I tried my hand at bunk-a-punch. However it did not grab me. I tried a few things out but it was not for me. I know some of you out there will know what I mean.

Well I had finished the Poppy Thingy and was looking about for ideas. When I came across the bag ( under my bed) with the unfinished B-a-Ps. Thought to my self I will bead these for the want of any inspirations coming my way.

This is my first attempt not bad even if I say so myself. I know it is unfinished but it looks like it has some potential.

I have had to put it down unfinished because my son-in-law is taking the princess to Paris and she wanted to take some of my beaded jewelery with her. There will be his mum and 4 sisters. I was quite lucky with my U.F.O.s I only needed to make two full necklaces. I have finished three that were U.F.O.s they only needed toggles put on.

Rastro ( Car Boot Sale )

This beautiful jacket was bought at a rastro in Tenerife. It is heavily embroidered and looks Chinese. That is the princess modeling it. The stitching is out of this world and looks hand done.

I love going to the car boot sales here in the south of Tenerife. We have a car boot sale every Sunday morning. Until coming across the little jacket it was always beads I would look for.

Actually it was my sister-in.law who found it. She is a great car-booter I love to watch her plough through all the things. There is a saying ' One mans rubbish is anothers treasure' well this is so true in this case. The jacket is nearly too small for the princess but even when she cannot wear it I am not going to put it into another car-boot because to me it is a real treasure.

Finished bead -embroidering the Poppy Thingy

Here is the finished Poppy Thingy.. I have had a lot of fun doing this.
Learning something new has always been fun to me. Finding out how to do the padding On the petals was great. On the first photo you can just see the padding beads in the bottom petal. It was just so simple but so effective.
Now on to the next project. I have been asked to bead some necklaces for the mother and the sisters of my son-in-law. Be assured I will keep you all up to date on how I am getting on with them.

Michael Jackson the Dog

My niece was presented with a lovely fluffy, golden puppy on the day of michael Jackson's funeral.. They thought to call him Michael Jackson and the name stuck.. He answers to it no problem although they do get some funny looks when they call the wee dog whils walking him..

In my sojourns through the web sites about pets and animals I came across this one called http://four-legged-friends.com/ It is worth a look.. It is obviously written by an animal lover.
We have two little dogs ourselves , we have always have had animals.. Cats and dogs are the animals of choice for us..

Beading The Poppy Thingy

Here is the newest attempt at bead embroidery. I found some lovely stitching on the blog by Carol-Ann Conway. This is the lady who stitched ' Fish Face '. Now dont tell me you dont know Fish Face, he is the most beautiful golden carp you are likely ever to meet. Just click his name and introduce your self.
A very nice lady introduced me to FF her name is Elmsley Rose do go and investigate this ladies site also.
However back to my effort at the Poppy Thingy.. Carol-Ann demonstrated the puffy edges on the poppy petals.. I have tried to follow her advice.. my flower is nothing like the lovely poppy Carol-Ann did but I am quite pleased with it..
I like to find and try new things.. I felt it would not turn out anything like it did. As you can see it is not realy like a poppy but it is my interpretation

New Blogs + new finds

The End of the Snakey Thing

At last I finished it. It was fun to do quite an adventure for me.

I have had some very nice things said about it. However I still feel I would like to try something more demanding..

I have long been an admirer of Robin Atkins Her bead embroidery site gives you enough eye candy to want to explore more.

This was my second piece in bead embroidery .

I am still getting pulled towards beading but I am not someone who can have two or more things on the go at once. What I mean by this is not a beading piece and a bead embroidery piece on the go at once.

As I have moaned about before my home is so small and my stash is taking over. When I started out beading I had three drawers. Not very big I have to say. Then came a free standing 4 drawer unit and the top there of . Now the beads and things are creeping up on to the serving counter!!! HELP please can I have more room.

Bead Embroidering the Snakey Thingy

beads.

Here I am again trying a new bead embroidery. I am going to call it the Snakey Thingy. Again I got the idea from the little Anchor Book on crewel stitches. We shall see how this one comes out. I am still not too confident about my beading. I am having a lot of fun doing them and that is reason enough for me.

Beading My Leafy Thing

Well now it is finished..My Leafy Thing. I love it I feel I have given birth in a kind of a way. Now I wondered what to do with it when it was finished, well it has been suggested I do a very fancey thing with an embroidery hoop. I am going to give it a try.. I will keep you updated as to how it goes.

Bead Embroidery

Here is the Leaf Thingy gradually growing. I am really in love with this I can see it growing and developing into something I like. I dont quite know just what to do with it when I actually finish it..

Beading The Leaf Thingy.

Here is my second attempt at bead embroidery. I am calling this one The Leaf Thingy. I have put the Paisley Thingy aside, I have decided I am not ready for freeform just yet. However I will try it again at a later date.

Now what will I do now?.I remembered I was given a little book called The Anchor Book of Crewelwork Embroidery Stitches it is one of a series all related to hand stitching. Looking through this wee book I found copies in black and white of the coloured embroidered pictures. These copies you could trace if you wanted.. great idea I thought but how do I get the tracing on to the material?. After much deliberation I wondered if I could use carbon paper. Yes good idea, then I set about transfering the picture from the tracing paper to my fabric.

I started by stitching round the picture with the colours I would eventually embelish with beads. This part was fun for I could see the picture forming before my eyes.

To be continued..

Beading Herringbone Watch Straps

Here are two watch straps I made recently. The black one was for a watch I was given by my daughter many moons ago. I was very upset when the strap of the watch broke on thinking and looking at the watch face I felt maybe I could make a strap for it..
The blue strap I made for a watch face I bought with the intention of doing something original-
I made both of them in herringbone stitch..
I am very pleased with them.

The Princess Beading

I thought you would like to see my little princess beading . Actually she is quite taken with the bead embroidery. I demonstrate how to handle the peice and she is away..