Lots to post...just not yet.

It has been quiet on the blog, except for the ATTS 7 sign ups and giveaway winners of Therese's Gorgeous Cabs!

I have been beading the winter away.  Truly.  15 hour days when I can get the time.  Because I am not going OUT THERE! Too cold, too much ice, too much snow.  I prefer to sip coffee or whiskey and bead during the winter.  So, while I have beaded every moment I have free, I cannot show you any of it yet.  How miserable is this winter?  I have made my pieces for 7 out of 9 challenges I am participating in between the end of March and the end of November.  The only thing good about winter is it helps me meet beading deadlines.  There have been many pieces that I think are done but then go to the chop.  It tears me up when I have to send a piece I worked hard on to the chop, but often, it is for the best.  Here are a few more buttons I worked on yesterday because I needed an easier project for a while.  These I can show you.
I made a button bracelet that sold and I forgot to photograph it. It was really cool!  I think I am going to make a couple more of them.  If I do, they will be some of the few non-challenge pieces I can show.  I am hoping to get the remaining two challenge pieces done before the snow melts...which could be June at this rate.
Bead on my friends, Bead On.

I think I like the tiny ones the best out of this batch.  

A Time To Stitch Seven Giveaway Winners

Therese picked the winners for the cabs she created.  Just look at these beauties!!!

I am blown away by these, aren't you?!  Therese has become quite good at lapidary work!


She picked the winners using a random generator.  She was going to give away 8 cabs, then upped it to 10.  And then added a bonus 4 more.  The winners are in Red and the four bonus winners are in Blue.
Congrats to the Lucky Winners ~ these sure are going to be gorgeous additions to your bead collection!

Christine’s Blog

Amy S.

Janet B.

Cynthia M.

Maryanne G,

Karin S.

Liz E.

Samantha W.

Wendy

Bobbie R.

Bead Addict

Random.org number generator

5, 8, 9, 1, 4,

6, 2

Therese's Blog

Alicia M.

Lori F.

Karin G.

Jasvanti P

Sally R.

Alenka

Kim H.

Nicole D.

Niki S.

Becky Pancake

Paula K.

Sarah S.

Mary H.

Ginger B.

Lola S.

Debbie R.

Random.org number generator

15, 8, 2, 14, 5

13, 7

A Time To Stitch Seven : Sign Ups and a Giveaway

Seven!  Are you ready for another one?  Admittedly, I am not ready for this one, but here I am...ready or not.  Therese and I co-host these challenges and Therese does absolutely wonderful bead embroidery, so naturally that time has come.  A Time To Stitch Seven will feature Bead Embroidery.  I have avoided it for years.  Cynthia did get me to make one embroidered circle around a glass cab she already mounted on fabric for me.  I guess it is time I try another round on fibers.
Therese has been making her own cabs lately and has decided to have a giveaway.  Eight people will receive cabs Therese has made.  All you have to do is sign up for A Time To Stitch Seven and your name will be entered into the drawing.  Please remember when you sign up to leave your e-mail.

Sign Ups here and at Therese's Treasures run today through Friday February 20th.  And the Reveal is June 6th.  Happy Beading!


We leave you with a few bead embroidery links, especially if you are new and scared like me!

Therese's Bead Embroidery Inspiration Board on Pinterest

Beads East Bead Embroidery Tutorial

A Bunch of YouTube Videos

Brick and Buttons

As you know, I love beading around in circles, I love brick stitch, and I have a huge stash of my Gram's buttons.  So.....

I am finding that I like 4 holes better than two and that a simple pattern is better than a more complex one.

Most of these are headed to Lyn Carey's shop Earth and Wears ~ where Handmade Lovelies peek out of every little nook and cranny!  If you are ever in the area, do go there ~ you will be oh so glad you did!

I made a few of these in November to see if they would sell at Earth and Wears and they did!  Yay!  So I figured I better make some more :-)

...was.....

Lackawanna County
Pennsylvania

Orange and Purple in all this Grey and White

I am so bleeping over winter.
Bleep this Bleep.


So here is a little color.
  Cynthia gave me the bracelet bar made by Chris Pellow.
It has been revised several times before arriving at this state.  I am finally happy with it. For over a year,  I was using purple recycled sari and these carnelians on it.  Every month I would redo the sari~carnelian combo.  Last month, I decided to abandon that and go for a spiral rope with carnelian. Works much better.  I was trying to granola this bracelet bar, but she was having none of it.

this makes me hungry for grapes...or thirsty for wine

made a toggle on the spiral end and one the carnelian side, i ended it with stacked flower beads to fit through the toggle.  i made that little pinwheel too :-)