Loom Beading & French Beaded Flowers

For some reason my brain’s been fried this week…it’s amazing how waking up at 4:30 am, just one hour earlier than usual, mushes my thought patterns.

So I’m going to just post some pictures of my beadies…

I don’t really remember how I got started into beading with wee seed beads (my favorites are still plain ole 11/0 Czech Seed Beads…although 11/0 Delicas are a close second!).  I DO remember is was UPZNDOWNS of ebay that inspired me first with her BEAUTIFUL French beaded flowers. And VISIBLESOUL from Texas…I’d post his links, but he’s in the process of changing servers. I’ll post it later.

Then about a year after learning french beaded flowers, I tried my hand at square stitch bead work.

This is my very first square stitch project…the tension was way off! LOL! It was fun learning though.

I was a little intimidated by the Peyote stitch, so when a friend, Judah, posted the tutorial for a BEADED PINCUSHION  (the tutorial is also being changed due to the server, so I linked to her site)…I did it by Square stitch instead! Here is that project ~ Celtic Waves.

Then I bought a loom! Precious! I’ve beaded quite a bit on the loom, but alas ~ have not taken all that many pictures! Patooey.

This is my very first loom project ~ a Celtic Knot book mark. My husband uses this in his Bible.

A Celtic Cross ~ shown without the frame it’s in now.

Copper Wire & Beads

Well…feeling a little better than yesterday ~ lots of praying for God’s intervention helped immensely.   Families can stress the hell out of a person.

Anyhoo…I picked up some copper wire from a garage sale a couple of years ago, stuck it in the Round-To-It box and forgot about it.  Heh…big sigh.  I pulled it out when we moved the downstairs bedroom upstairs and the upstairs bedroom downstairs.  (Remind me to smack my husband upside the head when he wants to rearrange the furniture again)

You see…the upstairs was my crafting room and hide-away.  It’s the only room upstairs (besides my glorious cast iron tub on claws) with two huge windows ~ one facing SW and the other NE.  My husband thought it was a great idea for me to have the whole downstairs master bedroom for crafting…and started moving things when I wasn’t home.  I hid the tears and helped him move the beds.

What was my point?!  Holy crap!  Oh yeah…I found my Round-To-It box in the move and while rummaging through it, found the wire.  Sunday afternoon we headed to the El Rancho Swap Meet like usual and I picked up a small ball-peen hammer and a few beads ~ both for $1.  Definitely hope that lady will be next week, as I’m bring lots of $1 bills. 

I have a really big vise that has to bolted to a surface out in the shed that has a flat surface to whack wire with.   So I gave it a try last night.  Didn’t put any thought into it, just did it really fast to see if it’d work. 

First is just hammered. Second with a bead and “antiqued” copper or brass spacers.  Will work on the bottom part when I get home ~ needs to be looped differently and then hammered.

The beads I got at the swap meet.

I think I’ll have fun with this.  Will have to get longer pieces so I can make the trees some hanging do-hoppers. 

 Toodles!

Crafters’ Cafe ~ an eBay Group

I’m in an eBay Group called Crafters’ Cafe…we’re a bunch of people who bonded together before the groups even came into play over there.  Found each other over on the Craft & Hobby discussion boards.  There is a core group of us, who always welcome newcomers…but I sometimes think they are a little intimidated by the craziness that goes on.  LOL!  Over the next few weeks I’m going to highlight two members at a time…there are beaders, quilters, knitters, embroiderers, jewelers, painters, crafters, artists, sewers, candle makers, soapers, clay sculptors…you name it, we make it. 

Today I’m going to introduce Sue Clark and Donna Bohler ~

Donna retired in the Fall of 2006 from the phone company back in Michigan…since then she picked back up an old hobby, macrame,  and a new hobby ~ beading & jewelry making. She mastered beading real fast and is making beautiful designs! Am trying to get her to start a shop over on Etsy, but one step at a time, I guess…she’ll be starting a blog this weekend. Fingers crossed! Until then…you can find her at her ebay store ~ Knots Sew Much.    She plans on selling her creations at craft shows in her neck of the woods, as well as on-line.  Below are some of Donna’s beaded jewelry that she has finished ~

Siam Peyote bracelet with crystals & gold rings

Bracelet: Turquoise crystals and gold pearls

Byzantine: Chain Mail bracelet, sterling silver

And one of my favorites ~

Necklace with African art glass beads, copper beads & spacers

Sue Clark, of Pertualplum and Unique Re-tiques, is a VERY multi-talented lady. Sue works with recycled materials to create one of kind artwork,  she also makes art and fine crafts as well.  Sue loves to work with metals, especially copper.  She paints, draws, and loves watercolors and pastels.   I would love to spend a week up in Oregon with her…in her shop and wandering around her property.

You can find Sue at her website ~ Unique Re-tiques~ a resource for free craft ideas, do it yourself projects, art and craft supplies (new and recycled), Portland, Oregon area shopping, Oregon travel, Oregon sightseeing, Recycled or Repurposed art information, craft fairs and festivals….

At Etsy ~ Perpetualplum….

And at her blog here on wordpress.com ~ Perpetualplum’s Weblog

Below are pictures of some of Sue’s creations ~

Altered Domino Bracelet Celebrating Grapes ~ can be bought on etsy

Framed Altered Art Jeweled Copper Butterfly Aenus Decororis ~ also can be bought on etsy!

Pink Flowers Hand Ink Rendered Altered Domino Brooch ~ etsy item

Paisley Peacocks Altered Mini Domino Necklace with Vintage Copper Findings ~ etsy

And from my collection ~ here is one of my many ACEO cards of Sue’s ~

Instead of Growing Old, She Grew Wings.

Please check out this wonderful ladies at their sites! You won’t be disappointed!